Hannah’s gift

Three other titles have been used for 1 & 2 Samuel int eh Judeo-Christian traditions - in the Greek Orthodox they have been known as First and Second Kingdoms - in the Vulgate and Catholic traditions they are termed First and Second Kings - the Hebrew Bibles show no division between the 2 and is merely called Samuel.

First and Second Samuel are part of the Hebrew Bible known as the Former Prophets - it includes the books from Joshua to 2 Kings (excluding Ruth) - the overarching purpose of the Former Prophets is to affirm and explain the teachings of the Torah.

The books of First and Second Samuel are anonymous. Jewish tradition associates Samuel as well as prophets Gad and Nathan with the writing.

Why was 1 & 2 Samuel written? The functions are multifaceted. It is simultaneously a historical work, literary are, apologetic literature, a theological treatise and Holy Scripture (the word of God written).

In the first part the Lord demonstrates His absolute power over all human institutions by changing the course of Israel’s history through one of Israel’s weakest and least significant individuals - a rural, barren woman named Hannah.

1 Samuel 1:1–28 (CSB)

1 There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives, the first named Hannah and the second Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. 3 This man would go up from his town every year to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Armies at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord’s priests. 4 Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters. 5 But he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved her even though the Lord had kept her from conceiving. 6 Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the Lord had kept Hannah from conceiving. 7 Year after year, when she went up to the Lord’s house, her rival taunted her in this way. Hannah would weep and would not eat. 8 “Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband, Elkanah, would ask. “Why won’t you eat? Why are you troubled? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” 9 On one occasion, Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh. The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple. 10 Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears. 11 Making a vow, she pleaded, “Lord of Armies, if you will take notice of your servant’s affliction, remember and not forget me, and give your servant a son, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.” 12 While she continued praying in the Lord’s presence, Eli watched her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying silently, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to be drunk? Get rid of your wine!” 15 “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven’t had any wine or beer; I’ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord. 16 Don’t think of me as a wicked woman; I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.” 17 Eli responded, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request you’ve made of him.” 18 “May your servant find favor with you,” she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent. 19 The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to worship before the Lord. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, “I requested him from the Lord.”

Through Hannah the point is made that women of faith played a legitimate and even formative role in shaping Israel’s history.

The Lord may create social and natural tragedies in order to accomplish His purposes that far outweigh the calamity. He carries them out “that the work of God might be displayed.”

Human tragedy can be properly evaluated and appreciated only when viewed with a consideration of the end results and ultimate purposes brought about by God.

True power is to be found not in one’s position in society but in one’s posture before God.

Elkanah is introduced as having 2 wives, Hannah (Gracious Woman) and Penninnah [pen-in-naw] (Pearl). The order suggests Hannah was the first wife.

Most likely he is another example of an individual whose first wife was (initially) infertile and lacking faith too a second wife in order to produce an heir.

The passage tell us that Elkanah loved Hannah (gave her a double portion) and this links him with the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Elkanah was devoted to the Lord, was a strong husband who lead his family to travel annually to sacrifice at Shiloh - as a strong husband and father he is a contrast to Eli.

Hannah’s infertility was no accident of nature; it was the deliberate work of the Lord. There is an inescapable irony in these statements. The same God who in the Torah commanded humanity, and specifically Israel, to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:28; 9:1; 35:11) had made Hannah the Israelite incapable of fulfilling the divine command. The text’s statement that it was God who closed Hannah’s womb is significant here, for biblical narratives usually use God’s personal name when they describe activities that are significant in Israel’s covenantal relationship with God.

In spite of—or perhaps because of—her infertility, Hannah was a woman of faith. In fact, Hannah is portrayed as the most pious woman in the Old Testament. Here she is shown going up to the Lord’s house; no other woman in the Old Testament is mentioned doing this. In addition, Hannah is the only woman shown making and fulfilling a vow to the Lord; she is also the only.

Hannah went to pray and she prayed deeply, so deeply that Eli too notice.

Eli watched her praying and assumed that she had been drinking.

One would think Eli a man of exceptional spiritual maturity but he is consistently depicted as spiritually blind and unmoving. He was a man who watched lips instead of perceiving hearts, who judged profound spirituality to be indulging in drink, a man who heard nothing when the Lord spoke and who criticized his sons for abusing the sacrificial system yet grew fat from their take.

Hannah explained the situation and Eli gave her a blessing.

Hannah left as an example of faith triumphant - she approached the Lord in the depths of despair and left elevated and transformed.

There was victory through tears.

Hannah and her husband got up the next day and worshiped together.

A little while later Hannah, God blessed Hannah and she conceived and gave birth to a son.

The name Samuel was given to memorialize Hannah’s bold faith and the Lord’s gracious response.

21 When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrifice and his vow offering to the Lord, 22 Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, “After the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in the Lord’s presence and to stay there permanently.” 23 Her husband, Elkanah, replied, “Do what you think is best, and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord confirm your word.” So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull, half a bushel of flour, and a clay jar of wine. Though the boy was still young, she took him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli. 26 “Please, my lord,” she said, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord gave me what I asked him for, 28 I now give the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.” Then he worshiped the Lord there.

It is time again to go make the annual sacrifice and true to his beliefs Elkanah takes his family.

Remember it was Hannah who made the vow to give Samuel to the Lord in Nazarite service and that Elkanah loved Hannah and I’m sure their son.

Now the passage does not say when Hannah first told her husband about the vow she made to God but the Torah give Elkanah the right to nullify his wife’s vow.

Instead, he chose to confirm her vow to the Lord - there is a symbolic connection here with Abraham who gave Isaac to the Lord.

Hannah did not make the trip but instead stayed home to care for their infant son until he was weaned - it was perhaps 3 years.

According to the Torah, every first born male child belonged to the Lord but was to be redeemed at one month for the price of 5 shekels.

However, a child who was part of a vow would belong to the Lord for years maybe even a set number of years - Hannah vowed Samuel to the Lord for life.

A gift is usual when fulfilling a vow before the Lord but Hannah went above and beyond with the gift she brought indicating how deeply she understood the blessing she received from the Lord.

She took Samuel to Eli - she reminded him (testimony) who she was and how God answered her prayers.

The last part of verse 28 says “he worshipped” is dealt with differently by interpreters - some it ambiguous “they worshipped”, the 4QSam [one of the Dead Sea Scrolls] has Hannah as the worshipper and other leave it masculine “he”.

1 Samuel 2:1–11 (CSB)

1 Hannah prayed: My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is lifted up by the Lord. My mouth boasts over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. 2 There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides you! And there is no rock like our God. 3 Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by him. 4 The bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength. 5 Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are starving hunger no more. The woman who is childless gives birth to seven, but the woman with many sons pines away. 6 The Lord brings death and gives life; he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up. 7 The Lord brings poverty and gives wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap. He seats them with noblemen and gives them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; he has set the world on them. 9 He guards the steps of his faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for a person does not prevail by his own strength. 10 Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered; he will thunder in the heavens against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give power to his king; he will lift up the horn of his anointed.

Hannah’s prayer/song affirms the core concept of Israelite faith: the Lord is the great judge and overseer of human destinies and a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him - He is the source of power and victory for those who fear Him but for all others he is the overpowering authority who dispenses fearful judgment.

If also foreshadows the Lord’s ways in the lives of Samuel, David and the nation of Israel.

Notice the object of Hannah’s delight is not herself or her son - it is the Lord

Verse 10 and especially the phrases “his king” and “his anointed” to be prophetic references to Jesus Christ and His ministry.

11 Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy served the Lord in the presence of the priest Eli.

This verse is a transition between the story of Elkanah’s family and the story of Eli’s family

The responsibility for Samuel’s upbringing was not transferred from Elkanah to Eli.

Samuel’s connections with Eli and the Lord would serve as both a link to and a contrast with Eli’s own sons.