1 Samuel 1

        Verse 1: The name Elkanah means “God created”. Ramathaim-zophim is a longer form of Ramah, which is about seven miles northeast of Jerusalem. Even though Elkanah and his family reside at mount Ephraim, he is not of that tribe. Elkanah is a descendant of Kohath who was a son of Levi. (1 Chronicles 6:22-23)
 
         Verse 2: As I’ve already noted in earlier commentary, God permitted polygamy among the Israelites, but He never condoned it. The fact that Hannah is mentioned first, as well as the statement in verse 5, likely indicates that she is Elkanah’s first wife. For the Israelites, the fertility of the wife – especially if she bore a son through which the family name would be inherited – was seen as a blessing from God. (In the case of the pagan cultures of the ANE, it was viewed as a blessing and honor from their false gods.) But because Hannah was barren, Elkanah likely took Peninnah as his second wife in order to have children. This, too, was a custom in the ANE.
          It’s worth noting that both Ruth and 1 Samuel begin with a focus on godly, virtuous women from whom God has withheld conception until a specific point and time in each of their lives.
 
           Verses 3-9: Elkanah loves both his wives, but he shows a greater honor to Hannah by giving her a double portion of the food and drink at the feast at Shiloh. (v.5) As was often the case with polygamous marriages, Peninnah is jealous of the additional love and attention paid to Hannah, and this causes much contention and bitterness between the two women. (v.6) Peninnah mercilessly and relentlessly provokes and vexes Hannah, to the point that Hannah is so depressed that she refuses to eat. (v.7)
          Verse 6 also makes it clear that it’s the LORD who, in His sovereign power and wisdom, has closed Hannah’s womb. As with Ruth, God has a specific plan for Hannah, and He has not allowed her to conceive until He decides the time is right. For Hannah, this period of barrenness and conflict with Peninnah could have turned her to bitterness and anger against God and her husband. But we don’t see that in this passage. Instead, we are told Hannah brings her sorrow, grief, and distress to the only One that can give her true healing and lasting peace. (v.9)
 
       Verses 10-11: Hannah pours out her heart and soul to the Lord, weeping with great sorrow and grief. (v.10) Her desire for children is so great, and her inability to conceive is so heartbreaking that she has no other recourse except to pour out herself before the God of Israel and cast herself upon His infinite mercy and love. Like Ruth and Naomi, Hannah displays the kind of faith that moves the heart of God with compassion for His suffering child.
           The vow that Hannah makes in verse 11 is borne out of faith, not grief. She knows with absolute, quiet certainty that not only is the God of heaven and earth able to grant her request, but that He will grant her request. This is why she calls Him “the LORD of hosts”, a term used for the first time in scripture in this chapter. (v.3, 11) It describes God’s absolute and sovereign power, the “hosts” being all the angels and other supernatural beings that are under God’s command. The title references God’s ability to do the impossible, which in this case is to grant Hannah the ability to conceive a child.
          Hannah makes a solemn promise to the Lord that she will give back to Him the son that will open her womb. Not only that, but he will be consecrated to the LORD for the rest of his life. This is indicated by her use of the phrase, “…there shall no razor come upon his head.” Because there is no other mention in 1 or 2 Samuel – or elsewhere in scripture – of Samuel actually taking the Nazarite vow, we can safely conclude that Hannah was not necessarily referring to that specific vow. Instead, she was simply offering up her future son to God for His service for all of his life.
          Vows like this one were treated by God and the Israelites as sacred and binding. To make a vow was a serious matter, and not to be taken lightly or done impulsively. (Numbers 30:2, Ecclesiastes 5:4-5) Hannah knows this, and that’s why she pleads with the LORD to “…look on the affliction of Thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget Thine handmaid…”. She knows that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will keep His word, and therefore she puts the burden on Him. If He will, in His mercy and love, grant His humble servant this one request, then she will keep her promise to Him.
         Hannah’s plea in this verse echoes the future words of King David. Multiple times in the Psalms, David casts himself before God, pleading for the LORD to look upon him with mercy and not forget him in his times of trouble and great sorrow. God is never deaf to the sorrows and sufferings of His children. We are precious to Him, and He is always listening when we, like Hannah, cast our burdened, grief-stricken soul at His feet. He is the loving Father, always ready to wrap us in His arms and wipe away our tears. God has a plan for Hannah, and while He chooses to close up her womb for a specific period of time, He is not insensitive to her sorrow and grief, as we clearly see in the next few verses.
 
          Verses 12-18: Hannah is so distraught that she is praying silently, but her lips are still mouthing the words. (v.12-13) This causes the high priest, Eli, who is sitting nearby to believe Hannah is drunk. (v.9, 13) The fact that Eli comes to this conclusion says something about the state of Israel’s spirituality at this time. This is still the era of the Judges, when the nation as a whole is apostate, and every man is doing that which is right in his own eyes. Eli very likely witnessed drunken men and women at the temple, treating the altar of the LORD profanely, as we will later see in chapter 2 regarding his sons, the priests. (v.3) Therefore, when he sees Hannah’s lips moving but no words being spoken aloud, he logically assumes she is drunk.
           Eli rebukes Hannah accordingly (v.14), but she quickly corrects him, explaining the distress of her soul and her reason for pleading with God. (v.15) The phrase “daughter of Belial” in verse 16 is a common reference in the OT for men and women who commit blasphemy and other grievous sins against the Lord. (Deuteronomy 13:13) Eli, when he hears this, has compassion for Hannah, and he gives her a blessing. (v.17) His words are a comfort to her, and she thanks him accordingly. “Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight.” (v.18) The whole experience has refreshed Hannah, restoring to her soul the joy of the LORD, and she returns to Elkanah and her family to join in the feasting and celebrations.
 
           Verses 19-28: God grants to his handmaid her request, and Samuel is born almost a year later. (v.19-20) Instead of joining Elkanah each year for the feast at Shiloh, Hannah remains behind to nurse Samuel until he is fully weaned and ready to be given back to God for full time service in the temple. (v.22) Elkanah understands and gives his blessing for this. (v.23) In the ANE, it was custom for a mother to nurse her child from her breast until he/she was at least three years old. Sometimes children were five or six by the time they exchanged nursing for solid foods. Therefore, Samuel is at least three to five years old when he is left in the care and guardianship of Eli. (v.24)
             When Hannah returns to Shiloh to give Samuel to Eli, she brings the required items for the meat and drink offerings. (v.24) (Numbers 15:9-10, Deuteronomy 12:5-7) These are offerings of thanksgiving for the LORD's bountiful blessings, goodness, and mercy in one’s life. Hannah reminds Eli of who she is, and why she’s there, praising God for granting her petition. (v.26-27) Verse 20 implies that Samuel’s name means “asked of the LORD”. (v.27) She closes her statement with the reason for returning to Shiloh: “…as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD…”. (v.28)
           This must have been a very emotional and difficult parting for Elkanah, Hannah, and Samuel. But Hannah honored her vow nonetheless, again demonstrating her immense faith and trust in Godby her obedience. She couldn’t have known at that time that God would bless her with more children. All she knew was that she had made a promise to God if he would, in His mercy, love, and compassion, answer her prayer. He did, and so she returned to Him the gift He had graciously given to her.
           It’s not clear in verse 28 to whom the pronoun “he” is referencing, but it’s most likely Samuel. It’s very probable that Hannah had already explained to him that he would not be returning home with her and Elkanah. But, in just the short time since his birth, he already knew of the God of Israel because his parents had taught him accordingly and rightly. And, therefore, Samuel now worships the LORD, understanding and accepting that the temple is his new home.