CONTENTS
This Chapter opens with an account of Samuel's family; of his father
Elkanah, and his mother Hannah, particularly. The distress of his
mother, by reason of her being childless; the temptation of her
adversary on this score: her earnest prayer to God; Eli the Priest
taking notice of her fer... [ Continue Reading ]
(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.
The having more wives than one, never did, nor ever can produce
happiness. That it was from the lustful affections of our fallen
nature, and not of di... [ Continue Reading ]
(3) And this man went up out of his city yearly 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.
This is the first time, as far as I recollect, that we meet with this
title of the Lord of Hosts, in the w... [ Continue Reading ]
(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 worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the
LORD had shut up her womb.
It is not very easy to form a clear opinion what those portions were,... [ Continue Reading ]
(6) And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret,
because the LORD had shut up her womb.
Observe how Satan takes occasion to harrass God's afflicted ones. How
he doth misconstrue the Lord's dealings, and tempt poor exercised
souls to fret, even though the affliction is of the Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
(7) And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of
the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
It should seem that the exercises of poor Hannah's mind, were most
severe when she went up to this annual feast. Yes. Whenever the Holy
Ghost more graciously calls... [ Continue Reading ]
(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?
I should be led to conceive, that the abstinence here spoken of
concerning Hannah, did not refer to her daily, ordinary food; but the
feas... [ Continue Reading ]
(9) В¶ 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.
It is more than probable, that Hannah moved by her husband's
remonstrance, or what is yet more likely still, awakened by grace in
the heart, fro... [ Continue Reading ]
(10) And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and
wept sore.
The Holy Ghost hath been very particular, to mark the earnestness of
Hannah's soul, in prayer. Reader! you will not overlook I hope, who it
was that, being in an agony, prayed more earnestly. Oh! thou precious
Lamb of... [ Continue Reading ]
(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 man
child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life,
and there shall no razor come... [ Continue Reading ]
(12) And it came to pass, as she continued 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.
The great earnestness Hannah used in prayer, called forth the
attenti... [ Continue Reading ]
(14) And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away
thy wine from thee.
It, is worthy the Reader's remark, that when the Holy Ghost was poured
out with such a fulness of power, on the minds of the apostles, at the
day of Pentecost; the lookers on, had the same thought as Eli, here
h... [ Continue Reading ]
(15) And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a
sorrowful 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 complaint and
grief have I spoken hither... [ Continue Reading ]
(17) Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel
grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
Observe, how her meek answer wrought upon the mind of Eli. A soft
answer turneth away wrath. But in all this, as in every other
instance, how doth the matchless example of Him, w... [ Continue Reading ]
(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.
Reader! I do beg you to remark the blessed effects of prayer, on the
mind of Hannah. After she had poured out her heart in prayer to God,
she went her way, and... [ Continue Reading ]
(19) В¶ 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.
Doth not this pious family set an example to every traveller? You see
they would not set out upon their journ... [ Continue Reading ]
(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.
I would have the Reader to notice in this verse, the expression, when
the time was come about. There is a time to fa... [ Continue Reading ]
(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 foreve... [ Continue Reading ]
(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.
It is not certain at what age Samuel was first presented. The weaning
here spoken of, doth no... [ Continue Reading ]
(25) And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
The offerings were costly. Here was the sin-offering, and the burnt
offering, and the peace offering, all presented. It was the custom in
the Church of God, to make dedications with sacrifice. See Psalms 1:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
(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... [ Continue Reading ]
REFLECTIONS
How sweetly the Holy Ghost teacheth the Church in the history of all
characters, the universal taint which marks our poor fallen nature!
Elkanah, though a pious man, cannot be content without breaking the
order of God, in a double marriage. And Hannah, though a partaker of
grace, must h... [ Continue Reading ]