The story of 1 Samuel opens up with a story about a man named Elkanah who lived in a city called Ramah, which was located approximately 5 miles north of the city of Jerusalem (1:1). Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Having more than one wife was tolerated in Israel, although it was not God’s design for marriage (see Genesis 2:24). Of Elkanah’s two wives, barrenness had plagued Hannah while Peninnah had been blessed with children (1:2); obviously, this issue would eventually cause conflict between the two women. It is likely that Elkanah took a second wife because Hannah, his first wife, was barren. Elkanah is further described as a religious man who traveled to Shiloh (20 miles north of Jerusalem) with his families once a year in order to worship and sacrifice to the Lord (1:3a). When Elkanah was in Shiloh to worship, he would encounter Eli’s (High-Priest at Shiloh) two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were priests of the Lord (1:3b). When it was time for Elkanah to make an offering to the Lord, he would give portions to Peninnah and her family (1:4); however, he would give a double portion to Hannah because he loved her so much, even though she was barren (1:5). Peninnah resented the actions of Elkanah and decided to provoke Hannah to anger and make her life miserable (1:6). Every single year that the families went to Shiloh, Peninnah would provoke Hannah, but instead of retaliating she wept and refused to eat (1:7). Hannah’s continual grief caused her husband to wonder why she was weeping and refusing to eat (1:8). After the family finished their meal in Shiloh, Hannah passionately prayed to the Lord and vowed that if He would give her a child, she would dedicate all of his days to Him (1:9-11). Eli, the High-Priest in Shiloh, noticed that Hannah’s lips were moving but her voice was not heard, which caused him to accuse her of being drunk (1:12-14). Hannah quickly defended her actions and confessed to Eli that she was simply pouring out her soul before the Lord (1:15-16). When Eli heard the response of Hannah, he answered her by declaring that the Lord would grant her what she requested (1:17). Eli’s declaration encouraged the heart of Hannah so she finally ate and the sadness left her (1:18).
The next morning both families returned to Ramah and Elkanah had sex with his wife Hannah (1:19). The Lord remembered her request and He gave her a son whom she named Samuel “because I have asked for him from the Lord” (1:20). When it came time for Elkanah’s family to return to Shiloh once again, Hannah decided not to travel to Shiloh until her child had been weaned, which was probably 2 or 3 years old (1:21-22). Elkanah agreed with the request of his wife (1:23a) and she did not take Samuel to Shiloh until he was weaned (1:23b). When Samuel was finally weaned, Hannah took the child to Eli and told him that she was lending him to the Lord for as long as he lives (1:24-28a). All of them celebrated and worshiped the Lord concerning this dedication (1:28b). The author of 1 Samuel also records the prayer of Hannah in response to the joy that had overcome her concerning the birth of her son, Samuel (2:1-10). Hannah’s prayer reveals a heart that is overwhelmed by God’s goodness to her in bringing down the proud (Peninnah) and exalting the humble (Hannah). Hannah was convinced that the Lord blesses His children and judges the wicked (2:1-8), but her prayer ends with a prophetic declaration that God would give strength to His king and exalt His anointed (2:9-10). Following the prayer of Hannah, Elkanah and Hannah returned to Ramah while Samuel ministered to the Lord with Eli, the High-Priest (2:11). Although it was probably hard for Hannah to leave Samuel with Eli, she knew that the best place for him to be was serving the Lord.
Dear God, I give all that I have to You.



