1 Samuel 1:1-28
1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 And this man went up out of his city yearlya to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthyb portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
6 And her adversary also provokedc her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
7 And as he did so year by year, whend she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a mane child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
12 And it came to pass, as she continuedf praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowfulg spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complainth and grief have I spoken hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.
23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.
25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.
27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
1 Samuel 1:1. Ramathaim-zophim. The latter name being plural, refers to high towers; but Ramathaim was afterwards called Arimathea, the town of Joseph the ruler, twenty miles from Jerusalem. But Zuph had formerly lived in Bethlehem or Ephrath, as in Ruth 1:2.
1 Samuel 1:3. Went up yearly to worship at the three feasts, as required. Deuteronomy 16.
1 Samuel 1:9. The temple of the Lord. היכל ha-yecal.
(1) Palaces, or magnificent buildings, as ivory palaces. Psalms 45:9.
(2) Temple, a Latin word, designating the place of contemplation or devotion.
The Greek employed the terms νεως and ιερον. The neos of the Greeks is the same as the Hebrew נוה, Navah. Habitation, or he dwelt, as in Exodus 15:2: “I will prepare him a habitation.” The words of Solomon indicate the same; “The Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands.” Hence the nave of a church. In simplicity of life, the sacred mysteries were in houses, but when magnificent superstructures were erected for devotion, they were called temples.
1 Samuel 1:17. Go in peace. Eli generously acknowledged his mistake; and surely the pope is not less liable to err. We never find a highpriest of the Lord who styled himself infallible.
1 Samuel 1:20. Samuel; that is, asked of God: a memorial of an answer to prayer. Impending circumstances seem to have conferred the most remarkable names on Jews, Greeks, and Romans.
REFLECTIONS.
Before God humbled the haughty house of Eli, he provided a restorer to the house of Israel, uniting in the person of Samuel the glorious characters of prophet and judge. In every step of providence God has his eye on his people's good. We should therefore never distrust his care, though we should see the sanctuary crowded with profane men, and a dark cloud overspreading the lustre of the church. We have here a fresh instance of the unhappiness occasioned by polygamy. Elkanah, not content without issue, took a second wife, who swelled with the pride of children, and insulted Hannah, the best of women. So was Sarah mocked by Hagar; and so will mischief always attend deviation from the pure and holy law of heaven.
But insults had a happy effect on Hannah. She wept and prayed before the Lord; she poured out all the vehemence and anguish of her soul in Shiloh; and that was far better than to have returned the reproaches of her adversary, in bitterness of language. Thus grace makes favourite souls worthy of its gifts before they are bestowed; and those children which are given in answer to prayer are likely to be the greatest support to a family, and ornament to the church. Let us earnestly plead with God for the good things we want; a praying spirit is a sure sign that some blessing is suspended over our heads. This woman was importunate with God; and so much so, that neither Elkanah's comfort, nor Eli's revolting and rash reproof, had effect on her fervent soul. She wept and prayed till her heart had uttered all its anguish, and fully prevailed with God.
But Eli, severe and rash in reproving this afflicted woman, and criminally lenient in reproving his profligate sons, should teach us to examine before we reprove. Ministers especially should be cautious of giving reproof to people in the house of God. A sharp word uttered by his lips, and totally founded on mistake, should put him to the blush. A single error of this kind greatly diminishes the sobriety of his judgment, the weight of his ministry; and may do mischief to the individual for years to come. The smallest atonement for so great a fault is to make, like Eli, a public acknowledgment of his error.
Hannah, to obtain a son, made a vow that she would devote him a Nazarite to the Lord, for regarding a son so given as the peculiar gift of heaven, not less so than the preservation of Moses, and the singular birth of Samson, she conceived herself at liberty to vow in this way; and her husband, not believing till he saw the ground of hope, it would seem, never contradicted her; and hence her words were binding. The laws of a Nazarite have been considered in Numbers 6., and exemplified in the case of Samson. Seeing God was pleased with Hannah's peculiar vows, let all parents learn to devote their children most solemnly to God by prayer, and by baptism; and in the way prescribed by the new covenant, which is made to us and to our children. Samuel at length being born, Hannah's joy, and Israel's hope, she gave him a name corresponding with the circumstances of his birth. It is well to raise memorials to perpetuate the mercies of the Lord. This child she carefully nursed; nor would she go to Shiloh till he was weaned, that she might pay her vows in the sight of her son; and till he was so tutored that he could pray, and worship before the Lord. So God changed her tears and prayers to songs of praise and thanksgiving: and so in one way or other, shall all the troubles of good men work for their present and eternal joy.