The road was dusty. Peninnah’s words were like little skewers in Hannah’s heart. It was as if she grabbed the knobby end and twiddled it just to make sure Hannah felt the point. Elkanah was a dear and tried his best to comfort her but he was a man and couldn’t possibly understand what it was like for a childless woman. Hannah wished he had Peninnah’s respect and could prevent her hurtful outbursts. She seemed to choose the trip to the Tabernacle, when Hannah would have loved to give herself up to considering the blessings of her heavenly Father, as an apt time! It had hurt Hannah that Elkanah had remarried when she remained childless. He said he was better than ten sons to Hannah but maybe he didn’t feel the same way about her. Perhaps, he had married again to obtain sons.
A family divided
Hannah’s name means “favoured” or “grace” and she is put first in 1 Samuel 1:2, suggesting she may have been the first wife. She was certainly the favoured wife and had her husband’s affection. Maybe her childlessness was the reason for Elkanah marrying again. He must have regretted his second choice, when he compared Peninnah’s spiteful nature to Hannah’s gentleness.
The four words, “adversary”, “provoked”, “sore” and “fret” (v 6) all have similar connotations, highlighting the anguish Peninnah’s words caused Hannah and the malice with which they were delivered. Hannah felt tightness, affliction and distress (“adversary”), she was grieved, vexed and sorrowful (“provoked”), she felt the spite, was enraged and troubled (“sore”) and felt violent agitation, thundering and “roaring” (a similar feeling to that of the Psalmist in Psalm 22:1 and 32:3) in her heart (“fret”). This may seem a little extreme to us, but Hannah’s position as a childless wife was a distressing one without being taunted and this taunting was not a once off. Verse 7 says that this happened every year: Elkanah gave Hannah a “worthy” portion and Peninnah in jealous response taunted Hannah as spitefully as she knew how and Hannah’s heart was broken in pieces (a meaning of “grieved” in verse 8) every year until the fateful year in question.
The manner of the family’s worship was not entirely according to the Law. God required males to attend the Tabernacle three times a year. Elkanah took his whole family, as Joseph took Mary and Jesus, but only once a year. It seems they ended with a peace offering as all the family were given portions (Lev 7:11–36), Hannah’s being, it is suggested, twice that of Peninnah’s.
Hannah’s character is shown to be gentle and meek, even when provoked grievously. We know that Elkanah loved her as it is explicitly stated (v5) and the reasons are evident in the story. Hannah wept and didn’t eat when provoked (v7). Mixed with her sadness was also some anger, according to the words in verse 6, but there is no record of retaliation against Peninnah. She shows dignity, grace and patience under emotional persecution. This is an attitude clearly recommended by James (1:2–4), where he exhorts us to allow the “trying of [our] faith” to “work patience” that we might ultimately be “perfect and entire, wanting nothing”.
Seeking God’s intervention
And now they were almost at Shiloh and Hannah felt the same way she had for the last decade at this stage in the trip. She had come to dread the journey to God’s house and dread was not what she desired to feel about worship at all! This trip was meant to be a joyful time, where the family renewed their personal relationships with Yahweh, not something to be associated with harrowing hurt.
Hannah escaped from the noisy children and Peninnah’s presence as soon as she could. She retreated to a quiet place in the area allotted to lay worshippers, to pray for help and comfort. She knew God would listen. He cared about her sufferings as He cared for every aspect of His creation in infinite tenderness. It was then that Eli approached, adding insult to injury.
Eli seems to have expected blasphemous behaviour from worshippers in the Tabernacle; at least, he doesn’t seem shocked. He knew what his sons did and didn’t restrain them but seems to have felt that it was important to restrain what he fabricated (“thought”, v13) to be Hannah’s excess. He couldn’t, of course, have been more wrong as Hannah “continued” (v12) in prayer.
The contrast between these two families could not be stronger. Elkanah was apparently a caring and godly man, if a little weak of character. Hannah shows strength of character, being remarkably confident in God’s faithfulness in fulfilling her request (v18). She turns to God in her trouble (v10). She didn’t expect to be given blessings without reciprocating; she wanted to give back to God (v11). She also shows respect to Eli (v15) whether he deserved it or not. Samuel means “heard of God”, a clear reflection of Hannah’s appropriate gratefulness. Ultimately, it was through Hannah’s amazing faith and sacrifice that a child instrumental to God was born. Samuel, it appears, was dedicated and lived a Nazarite (v11), and we all know the dedicated work he did for God in his adult years.
Contrast this with Eli’s family. His sons were the ‘pugilist’ or ‘boxer’ (the meaning of Hophni) and the ‘one with the mouth of a serpent’ (the meaning of Phinehas). They spurned Yahweh, taking the best for themselves from the sacrifices (that which belonged to God), and mistreating women worshippers. Eli was a weak-willed, and perhaps lazy, man, who did not want to put himself to the trouble of restraining his abominable sons. How different a real respect for God can make a family! Hannah’s heart was light and there was a serene
smile on her face. After her prayer to her loving Father and talk to Eli she felt that Peninnah could no longer touch her. She was protected by faith as her shield. She knew God would have mercy on her and walked away from the Tabernacle precinct with a lively lilt in her step.
God remembers Hannah, and her son is born
It was nine months later and Hannah, radiant with happiness, held little Samuel up for Elkanah to see. She had been “heard of God” as she had confidently expected, and God had remembered her. Now she considered the vow she had made that day. Obviously the baby needed its mother for at least the first year or so and Eli wouldn’t want a toddler, who needed constant care, not to mention toilet training. She would wean Samuel at the normal time and when he was about four and starting to be able to run little errands she would entrust his care to God’s hand. She considered the environment of Eli’s household. Surely Samuel couldn’t turn out like those sons of Eli: God wouldn’t allow that after she had dedicated her firstborn to Him. She knew it was in His control. God expected her to fulfill her vow and He would ensure the best outcome.
It is lovely to see Hannah’s faith. She believed straightaway that God would answer her prayer, going home “no longer sad” (v18). This is an example of the practical power of faith in one woman’s life. True faith lends boldness to the believer in the face of problems beyond their control. Like Hannah we can be “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Rom 8:37). Another indication of Hannah’s faith was her dedication of Samuel. It was similar to that of the Levites under the Law (Num 8). The Levites were wholly dedicated to work for Yahweh, as was Samuel and as we should be. Yet another indication of her faith was leaving Samuel in Eli’s care. Imagine leaving your precious son (at that stage probably her only child) in the doubtful tutelage of Eli and his wicked sons who “knew not Yahweh” (1 Sam 2:12)! This shows also that she was a woman of her word. No matter the consequences, she trusted God to support her in upholding her word. She was prepared to swear to her hurt and change not (Psa 15: 4). She shows true courage in this.
Elkanah supported her in her decision. For the next few years the rest of the family left Hannah and Samuel behind during the annual trip to the Tabernacle. Hannah made the most of every precious moment she had with her son. She knew that the first few formative years were extremely important in directing Samuel’s adult life. If she could start imparting God’s principles and communicate her own love and thankfulness to her heavenly Father, it would be a sure foundation for his later development.
Hannah performs her vow
On the day of Samuel’s dedication, when it came to leaving him behind “forever”, Hannah’s heart felt leaden. She would miss her innocent, obedient, sweet Samuel. But this was what she wanted. It was under God’s auspices. He could direct events until what she hoped for came to pass. If only Samuel could help reform the priesthood and strengthen the worship of Yahweh among all the people of Israel.
Eli remembered her after all this time. She spoke to him after offering the generous sacrifice Elkanah could well afford. With tears in his eyes the old man worshipped Yahweh, encouraged and strengthened by Hannah’s faith and experience. Seeing Eli’s emotion, Hannah’s spiritual mind overcame her natural sadness at leaving her little boy behind. Her thankfulness welled up and a song to the Father with it.
Samuel grew in body and character and Hannah saw him every year. She did what she could, bringing clothes for him and love. Although she was blessed with three more sons and two daughters, Samuel would always be her special child, the Nazarite to God.
Eli was encouraged by Hannah’s faith. He remembered her from her visit four to five years earlier and, seeing the answer to her prayers and her whole-hearted response in giving Samuel to tabernacle service, “he worshipped Yahweh there” (v28). Eli seems to have done for Samuel what he did not do for his own sons, perhaps as a response to Hannah’s example and in order to redeem the rare responsibility entrusted to him by Hannah and Yahweh.
A close personal relationship with God
Hannah’s depth of response to God shows her close personal relationship with Him. She displays an extraordinary spiritual mind and an understanding of the future in her song (1 Sam 2). This song illustrates the strong trait of thankfulness in Hannah: she did not take God’s blessings for granted. Hannah rejoices in the victory over her enemies “because [she says] I rejoice in thy salvation” (v1). It is because she delights in the coming Kingdom that she is heard. As Christ said, “seek ye first the kingdom of God … and all these things shall be added unto you.” The reference to “enemies” is not specific to Peninnah: Hannah looks forward to a time when even the last enemy, death, will be destroyed (1 Cor 15:26), and she refers to it directly: “He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up” (v 6).
Hannah’s song makes the first reference to the “Anointed” (“Messiah”) as a title of God’s Son. Verse 10 is a condensed version of Psalm 2 in its content and message, prophesying of the time when God will give the nations into the hands of His anointed king, to set up his just and peaceful reign. At this time God will take issue with His adversaries and “shall mightily roar … even to the ends of the earth; for Yahweh hath a controversy with the nations” (Jer 25:30–31). Hannah knew it was not for men to seek revenge. Justice will be ensured by the just Judge at the appropriate time.
A powerful influence for good
It is interesting to consider the influence Hannah had on others. Samuel was powerfully influenced by Hannah, despite the limited time they spent together. She was a careful guide in the first few years of his life and would surely have used her limited yearly visits with her son judiciously. The results of this influence can be seen in Samuel’s life achievements, from judging Israel wisely to organising the Tabernacle services and training the “sons of the prophets”. A second clear influence is on Mary, the Lord’s mother. Mary’s song of thanks at her meeting with Elisabeth shows clear similarities to Hannah’s words, revealing her admiration of Hannah and her example (Luke 1:46–55).
Finally, what is the effect of Hannah’s example on us? Hannah’s lovely spiritual prayer is documented in full and we are given considerable detail of her life, a rarity in Scripture. Why were the elements of her example, her emotional depths and heights, her extraordinary faith and confidence in God’s guidance in the minutiae of her life, preserved for us over 3,000 years? The difference made by Hannah, an ordinary woman of Israel, can inspire us, the ordinary people of this generation, to do the same. It isn’t necessarily the remarkable deeds in life that make the remarkable difference. Bringing up a child “in the way he should go”, truly believing God will ensure that “all things work together for good to them that love (Him)”, or displaying a thankful attitude: these all are things ordinary people can do to make a vast difference to the positive growth of the ecclesia. This account was recorded for a reason.