1 & 2 Samuel

1 Samuel Chapter 1

The Birth of Samuel

Here we see the beginning of a change in Israel where instead of judges, they wanted to have kings.

1Samuel 1:1 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:

Elkanah was part of the tribe of Ephraim which was the tribe of Israel named after the son of Joseph rather than the son of Jacob (Israel). The name Elkanah meant acquired by God. He became the father of Samuel the prophet who was the last judge of Israel before they became a nation of kings instead of judges.

Ramathaim-zophim was a place with two hills used for watchmen to stand guard in the watchtowers that were built on these hills. I long for the day when Jesus rules the earth, the final and last king. The day is coming when we will not need watchmen and weapons for there will be everlasting peace.

1Samuel 1:2 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.

Just as in the days of Jacob with his first two wives, Rachel and Leah, we see that Polygamy is never good. Someone always gets hurt; jealousy and strife between wives caused trouble which many times caused even more strife among the children of the wives. Not good.

God seemed to allow it for a time until the coming of Christ when the power of the Holy Spirit is available to all believers and the desire and selfishness of the flesh can be overcome if we are determined to walk in holiness instead of the old desires of human nature. We have a better way to live under the gospel of Jesus. The power of the Holy Spirit gives us victory over the lusts of the flesh if we yield to that power instead of yielding to our fleshly desires.

God's way is always for the best. Human nature will always cause one wife to be less loved that the other. Imagine a woman having to live with the feeling of be inferior or less loved. Although God created for Adam only one wife; if they had more than one, they had to provide and support all of them. In the New Testament Jesus says that to divorce one wife and marry another is adultery. Also bishops were required to be a husband with only one wife.

Notice that religions that are not influenced by Christianity, still allow Polygamy. The law of God given by Moses recorded in the Old Testament does warn kings not to mulitphy wives to themselves. It always causes trouble and in the case of Solomon, the wives enticed Solomon's heart away from God and into idolatry.

1Samuel 1:3 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.

Eli was the 15th judge of Israel and a priest of the Lord but his sons, Hophni and Phinehas were wicked priests who used their office for evil as the futher study in the book of Samuel will reveal.

1 Samuel 1:4 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.

So now we see that Elkanah loved Hannah above Peninnah. The name Hannah means gracious and the name Peninnah means pearl.

Elkanah seemed to be a religious man though and he went yearly to worship God and sacrifice to the Lord. Some of us seem to use religious works on occasion to make up for the sin in our lives. I'm not saying this was the case of Elkanah but we see that in the case of Cain and Abel where one offering was rejected by the Lord because his heart was not right and the other brother, Abel's offering was accepted. God knows who really is seeking Him and who is just doing a religious ritual without the deep desire to walk in God's will and His word.

1Samuel 1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

I've met, although rarely, people like this that would make fun of and taunt those that didn't measure up to their own standards. They really make people miserable but it happens especially among school aged kids if they are not taught by their parents to respect and be kind to their classmates and neighborhood kids.

Peninnah was constantly making sport of Hannah probably caused by jealousy since the husband preferred Hannah. She boasted in the fact that she could have children and Hannah was barren.

1Samuel 1:7 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.
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?

At least Elkanah tried to comfort her. Perhaps Hannah didn't tell him of the constant bragging of the other wife because there is no record of him correcting Peninnah.

1Samuel 1:9 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 man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

Hannah was very desparate to have a child. Even though her anguish was made worse for her by the other wife of her husband who could have many children, I believe Hannah really wanted a child and was not just because she felt left out and hated because she couldn't have a child. She knew where to go though. She went to the temple of the Lord to seek and try to find help from God. She was willing to give him to the Lord for service. She wanted a male child so the child could be used of God. God seems to use barren women all throughout the bible. It seems to be a sign of some kind that the child is special and sent for a purpose.

A Nazarite vow is connected with allowing the hair to grow as a sign that the one with the vow is set apart for the Lord. In the book of Judges we read of this happening before with Samson. Samson's mother was also barren for years.

Samuel though became a prophet and the greatest judge of Israel that they had. There were other men who came from a barren women also became important men chosen of God for a purpose. One was Sarah the wife of Abraham who was barren but later gave birth to Isaac. Rebecca was barren and later gave birth to Esau and Jacob. Joseph the son of Rachel and Jacob also was also born after years of Rachel being barren and was in rivalry with Leah constantly over the fact that she couldn't have children.

John the Baptist, Son of Elizabeth and Zacharias in the days just before the 1st coming of Jesus Christ, was another example of a baby being born from a barren woman. Elizabeth and Sarah were also passed the age that most women could no longer bare children. Jesus was the only virgin birth because He was born of God miraculously conceived for the greatest purpose of all. Although Mary was not barren, this was a miraculous birth also.

1Samuel 1:12 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.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

Eli the priest abiding in the temple assumed Hannah was drunk and proceded to reprimand Hannah for becoming drunk.

1Samuel 1:15 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 hitherto.

Sons and daughters of Belial were called that indicating that they were influenced by the devil and became very evil wicked persons.

1Samuel 1:17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

Eli was moved by her confession and gave her comfort and assurance that God would grant her the desires of her heart. It must have been prophetic because it turned out to be very true.

1Samuel 1:18 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.

She was no longer sad because she believed what he said to her. Hannah was one who went to the place where she believed God to be present and sought the Lord in prayer. She then felt assurance by the words of Eli.

1Samuel 1:19 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.

They both worshipped the Lord and gave him thanks even before she became pregnant. They both believed. Now we will see another miraculous birth bringing forth a child that serves the Lord.

Samuel Given to the Lord

1Samuel 1:21 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:

Hannah reminded Eli that she was the woman who previously came to pray and ask God for a child. I'm sure her heart was hurting to be separated from her son. He could have been as old as 12 for we see in Luke chapter 2:41-52, Jesus reminded his parents that He was supposed to be about His Father's business, meaning God. However he could have been younger. The age around 3 to 5 years old an sometimes up to the age of 12 is considered the time when a child was weaned.

1 Samuel 1:28 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.

What a wonderful mother. She took proper care for her child and rejoiced in the fact that God answered her prayer but her and her husband did not forget their promise to the Lord to give their child into the service of the Lord. Elkanah could have taken back the vow his wife made but he did not. The law of God made allowances for the head of the house to undo a vow a wife made. This can be found in Numbers chapter 30. DC

Samuel Index

1 Samuel Chapter 2