Hannah wanted the privilege of being a mother. The Bible says she prayed and cried unconsolably, including promising the Lord that if she conceived a child, she would dedicate him to God all the days of his life. She would never cut his hair. Let's remember that these people are from the tribe of Nazarene.
Then she made a promise. She said: "Oh, God Almighty, if you will only see my misery and remember me by giving me a son, then I will give my son to serve you, God, for all the days of his life."
When she reached the point of desperation, she made this vow: “O Lord Almighty, if you will look down upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime” (I Samuel 1:11).
no razor shall touch his head. As an expression of her dedication of the prayed-for child, Hannah vows that he will be a Nazirite (like Samson), a person specially dedicated to God who took a vow of abstinence from certain activities.
Don't forget me! If you give me a son, I promise that I will dedicate him to you for his whole life and that he will never have his hair cut.” Hannah continued to pray to the LORD for a long time, and Eli watched her lips. She was praying silently; her lips were moving, but she made no sound.
Hannah demonstrates her faith through obedience, even when it means an extreme personal sacrifice. She has longed for this child, and she loves him as only a mother can love a child. But her love for God is greater and she shows it by letting go of Samuel.
Hannah's specific request for a male child is therefore a reflection of the preference for sons in ancient Israel, which derived principally from the fact that, in that society, male children were greatly desired for the purpose of the perpetuation of the husband's lineage, as well as for land inheritance.
God had foreordained Samuel to be a substitute for Eli and also to be born through Hannah. However, God would not open Hannah's womb to conceive Samuel until God was certain that Hannah would be willing to release Samuel for His purpose, service and glory.
The story itself implies that Hannah's prayer was regarded as unusual: Eli “marked” (or watched) her mouth as she prayed because it caught his attention.
Peninnah always upset Hannah and made her feel bad because the LORD had not made her able to have children. This happened every year when their family went to the LORD's house at Shiloh. Peninnah would upset Hannah so much that she would begin to cry and would not eat anything.
Hannah was one hundred and thirty years old when she became pregnant, as was Jochebed (Midrash Samuel 4:1); this midrash is part of the Rabbinic trend to compare Samuel with Moses (see below). I Sam.
2:21 attests that the Lord took note of Hannah and “she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters.” The midrash tells that when Hannah bore her children, Peninnah was punished: Hannah would give birth to one child, and Peninnah would bury two; Hannah bore four, and Peninnah buried eight.
Hannah's Legacy
Not only did God remember Hannah with the birth of Samuel, he also gave her three more sons and two daughters.
Peninnah cruelly taunted her, but Hannah prayed to God for comfort. She made a vow to God, saying that if God granted her a son, she would give the child to him by arranging for the child to serve at the tabernacle, a transportable tent used by Israel for worship. 1 Samuel 1:11.
Hannah asked the Lord for a son. She promised God that she would give this son to Him to serve God all of his days. God heard and answered Hannah's prayer and she kept her promise to Him and took Samuel to the tabernacle to serve the Lord all his days. Read 2 Samuel 2:1-10.
The Lord gave Hannah a child. A son, named Samuel. A son who would grow up to be prophet and priest foreshadows the Son of God, the true prophet and great high priest.
Sons of Belial
They were men of greed and lust. They used their authority as priests to extort from the people the best of the meat brought before them for sacrifice (see 1 Sam. 2:13–16). In essence they were taking their portion before giving a portion to God!
Because of Eli's great dishonor, God gave him a punishment. God condemned that every man of Eli's family shall never be an old man and that Hophni and Phinehas shall both die on the same day.
On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb.
Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year; as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.
So one day, Hannah went up to the temple, and prayed. She wept with great sorrow of heart. Eli the High Priest heard her weeping bitterly at the altar. Hannah was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.
And God, who is rich in mercy, did not disappoint her.. Hannah was burdened with grief and sorrow: she longed to be a mother yet was childless (1 Samuel 1:2). Her infertility was a source of anguish and misery. Deeply distressed, Hannah was so spent with crying that she couldn't even eat (1:7).
According to Michelle Osherow, Hannah represents the character of the earnest petitioner and grateful celebrant of divine glory. Hannah was an important figure for early English Protestantism, which emphasized the importance of private prayer.
“Then Hannah prayed and said: 'My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. 'There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
[14] And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. [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.