# 1 Samuel 01 📖: Hannah's Prayer for a Son [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-1 Samuel Overview]] | [[Ruth 04]] | [[1 Samuel 02]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Hannah Is Childless [[#Verse 01.]] There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.  [[#Verse 02.]] He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.  [[#Verse 03.]] This man would go up from his city year after year to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at Shiloh. (It was there that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, served as the Lord’s priests.) [[#Verse 04.]] The day came, and Elkanah sacrificed. (Now he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.  [[#Verse 05.]] But to Hannah he would give a double portion because he loved Hannah, although the Lord had not enabled her to have children.  [[#Verse 06.]] Her rival used to aggravate her to the point of exasperation, just to irritate her, since the Lord had not enabled her to have children.  [[#Verse 07.]] This is how it would go year after year. As often as she went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah would offend her in that way.) So she cried and refused to eat.  [[#Verse 08.]] Then her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why won’t you eat? Why are you so upset? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”  [[#Verse 09.]] So Hannah got up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. At the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s sanctuary.  [[#Verse 10.]] As for Hannah, she was very distressed. She prayed to the Lord and was, in fact, weeping.  [[#Verse 11.]] She made a vow saying, “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you would truly look on the suffering of your servant, and would keep me in mind and not neglect your servant, and give your servant a male child, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.” [[#Verse 12.]] It turned out that she did a great deal of praying before the Lord. Meanwhile Eli was watching her mouth.  [[#Verse 13.]] As for Hannah, she was speaking in her mind. Only her lips were moving; her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was a drunkard. [[#Verse 14.]] Then he said to her, “How much longer do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”  [[#Verse 15.]] But Hannah replied, “Not so, my lord! I am a woman under a great deal of stress. I haven’t drunk wine or beer. But I have poured out my soul before the Lord.  [[#Verse 16.]] Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman.It’s just that, to this point, I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.” [[#Verse 17.]] Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.”  [[#Verse 18.]] She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and got something to eat. Her face no longer looked sad. [[#Verse 19.]] They got up early the next morning. Then they worshiped the Lord and returned to their home at Ramathaim. Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the Lord called her to mind.  ### Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the Lord [[#Verse 20.]] Then Hannah became pregnant. In the course of time she gave birth to a son. And she named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the Lord for him.” [[#Verse 21.]] Then the man Elkanah and all his family went up to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow.  [[#Verse 22.]] But Hannah did not go up with them, because she had told her husband, “Not until the boy is weaned. Then I will bring him so that he may appear before the Lord. And he will remain there from then on.” [[#Verse 23.]] Then her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what you think best. Stay until you have weaned him. Only may the Lord fulfill his promise.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.  [[#Verse 24.]] Then she took him up with heras soon as she had weaned him, along with three bulls, an ephah of flour, and a container of wine. She came to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, and the boy was with them. [[#Verse 25.]] They slaughtered the bull, then brought the boy to Eli.  [[#Verse 26.]] She said, “My lord. Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord.  [[#Verse 27.]] For this boy I prayed, and the Lordhas given me the request that I asked of him. [[#Verse 28.]] So I also dedicate him to the Lord. For all the days of his life he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then he bowed down there in worship to the Lord. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. In the Hebrew Bible, 1 and 2 Samuel were originally one book. The Greek Septuagint divided it and called the books 1 and 2 Kingdoms. 2. Shiloh, in the hill country of Ephraim, was the place where the tabernacle stood in this period (Joshua 18:1). 3. The title often rendered "Lord of hosts" or "Lord of armies" appears for the first time in the Bible in 1:3. 4. Hannah's name means "grace" or "favor." 5. Having two wives created rivalry in Elkanah's home, just as it did for Abraham with Sarah and Hagar, and for Jacob with Leah and Rachel. 6. Hannah promised that no razor would touch her son's head (1:11), similar to the Nazirite vow in Numbers 6:5. 7. Prayer in the ancient world was usually spoken aloud, which helps explain why Eli thought Hannah's silent, moving lips meant she was drunk (1:13). 8. Hannah explains Samuel's name by saying she asked the Lord for him (1:20). The name itself sounds like "heard by God" or "name of God." 9. Children in the ancient world were often weaned around age two or three, so Samuel was still very young when he went to serve at Shiloh. 10. Hannah brought a bull, flour, and wine with her when she dedicated Samuel (1:24), a generous offering for a family that traveled each year to worship. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the greater Son given by God's grace. Hannah's miraculous son prepared the way for Israel's king, and Jesus, the miraculous Son of Mary, is the King who fulfills every longing for deliverance (Luke 1:30-33). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. Hannah faced years of disappointment and provocation (1:6-7). How did she handle her pain, and what can we learn from her? 2. Hannah poured out her soul before the Lord, even when she was misunderstood (1:13-16). What does honest prayer look like for you? 3. Hannah gave back to the Lord the very son she had prayed for (1:27-28). What has God given you that you need to dedicate back to Him? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verses 10-11: In deep distress, Hannah prays and makes a vow to give her son to the Lord. - 📖 verse 15: Hannah tells Eli she has been pouring out her soul before the Lord. - 📖 verses 27-28: Hannah dedicates Samuel to the Lord for his whole life. ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[Luke 01#Verse 46.|Luke 1:46-55]] - Mary's song of praise echoes Hannah's story. - 🔗 [[Genesis 30#Verse 22.|Genesis 30:22-24]] - God remembers Rachel and opens her womb. - 🔗 [[Psalm 62#Verse 08.|Psalm 62:8]] - Pour out your hearts before Him. - 🔗 [[Philippians 04#Verse 06.|Philippians 4:6-7]] - Bring every request to God with thanksgiving. - 🔗 [[Numbers 06#Verse 01.|Numbers 6:1-8]] - The vow of a Nazirite. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[1 Samuel 01 - SOAP|Strength to Finish Strong]] ## 📂 Internal Notes