HANNAH PRAYED IN HER ANGUISH
Key verse: 10
NIV
The Birth of Samuel
1 There was a certain man from Ramathaim,(A) a Zuphite[a](B) from the hill country(C) of Ephraim,(D) whose name was Elkanah(E) son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives;(F) one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3 Year after year(G) this man went up from his town to worship(H) and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh,(I) where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli,(J) were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice,(K) he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.(L) 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion(M) because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb.(N) 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.(O) 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.(P) 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?(Q)”
9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house.(R) 10 In her deep anguish(S) Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow,(T) saying, “Lord Almighty(U), if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember(V) me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,(W) and no razor(X) will ever be used on his head.”
12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.(Y) I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring(Z) out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”(AA)
17 Eli answered, “Go in peace,(AB) and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.(AC)”
18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.(AD)” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.(AE)
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 6:26-27,33-35; or from Ramathaim Zuphim.
Cross references
- 1 Samuel 1:1 : S Jos 18:25
- 1 Samuel 1:1 : 1Sa 9:5
- 1 Samuel 1:1 : Jos 17:17-18
- 1 Samuel 1:1 : Jos 21:20-22
- 1 Samuel 1:1 : 1Ch 6:27, 34
- 1 Samuel 1:2 : S Ge 4:19
- 1 Samuel 1:3 : ver 21; Ex 23:14; 1Sa 2:19; 20:6, 29; Lk 2:41
- 1 Samuel 1:3 : Dt 12:5-7
- 1 Samuel 1:3 : S Jos 18:1
- 1 Samuel 1:3 : 1Sa 2:31; 14:3
- 1 Samuel 1:4 : Lev 7:15-18; Dt 12:17-18
- 1 Samuel 1:4 : S Ge 29:34
- 1 Samuel 1:5 : S Ge 37:3
- 1 Samuel 1:5 : S Ge 11:30; S 29:31
- 1 Samuel 1:6 : S Ge 16:4
- 1 Samuel 1:7 : 2Sa 12:17; Ps 102:4
- 1 Samuel 1:8 : S Ru 4:15
- 1 Samuel 1:9 : 1Sa 3:3
- 1 Samuel 1:10 : Job 3:20; 7:11; 10:1; 21:25; 23:2; 27:2; Isa 38:15; Jer 20:18
- 1 Samuel 1:11 : S Jdg 11:30
- 1 Samuel 1:11 : S Ge 17:1; Ps 24:10; 46:7; Isa 1:9
- 1 Samuel 1:11 : S Ge 8:1
- 1 Samuel 1:11 : S Jdg 13:7
- 1 Samuel 1:11 : Nu 6:1-21; Jdg 13:5; Lk 1:15
- 1 Samuel 1:15 : 2Ki 4:27
- 1 Samuel 1:15 : Ps 42:4; 62:8; La 2:19
- 1 Samuel 1:16 : Ps 55:2
- 1 Samuel 1:17 : Nu 6:26; 1Sa 20:42; 2Ki 5:19; S Ac 15:33
- 1 Samuel 1:17 : S Ge 25:21; Ps 20:3-5
- 1 Samuel 1:18 : S Ge 18:3; Ru 2:13
- 1 Samuel 1:18 : Ro 15:13
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Birth of Samuel
1 There was a certain man of (A)Ramathaim-zophim of (B)the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, (C)an Ephrathite. 2 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.
3 Now this man used to go up (D)year by year from his city (E)to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts (F)at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, (G)he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.[a] 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 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. 8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? (H)Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of (I)the temple of the Lord. 10 She was (J)deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she (K)vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed (L)look on the affliction of your servant and (M)remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, (N)and no razor shall touch his head.”
12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but (O)I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as (P)a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, (Q)“Go in peace, and the God of Israel (R)grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, (S)“Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman (T)went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 1:5 Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Septuagint And, although he loved Hannah, he would give Hannah only one portion, because the Lord had closed her womb
Cross references
- 1 Samuel 1:1 : [ver. 19]
- 1 Samuel 1:1 : See Josh. 24:33
- 1 Samuel 1:1 : [1 Kgs. 11:26]
- 1 Samuel 1:3 : ver. 21; Ex. 23:14; Deut. 16:16; [Luke 2:41]
- 1 Samuel 1:3 : See Deut. 12:5-7
- 1 Samuel 1:3 : [Josh. 18:1]
- 1 Samuel 1:4 : Deut. 12:17, 18; 16:11; [Neh. 8:10, 12]
- 1 Samuel 1:8 : Ruth 4:15
- 1 Samuel 1:9 : ch. 3:3
- 1 Samuel 1:10 : Job 7:11; 10:1
- 1 Samuel 1:11 : Gen. 28:20; Judg. 11:30
- 1 Samuel 1:11 : Gen. 29:32
- 1 Samuel 1:11 : ver. 19; [Gen. 30:22]
- 1 Samuel 1:11 : Judg. 13:5; [Num. 6:5]
- 1 Samuel 1:15 : Job 30:16; Ps. 42:4; Lam. 2:19; [Ps. 62:8]
- 1 Samuel 1:16 : ch. 2:12; Judg. 19:22
- 1 Samuel 1:17 : ch. 20:42; Judg. 18:6; 2 Kgs. 5:19; Mark 5:34
- 1 Samuel 1:17 : Ps. 20:4, 5
- 1 Samuel 1:18 : Gen. 33:15; Ruth 2:13
- 1 Samuel 1:18 : [Eccles. 9:7]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Hannah was a beloved wife of a respectable man named Elkanah. Yet not being able to bear a child, she was in deep distress. Elkanah had children from another wife, Peninah, who tormented Hannah for her barrenness. Elkanah’s affection and honor for her could not comfort her (5).
During the yearly offering and worship at Shiloh, Hannah’s anguish was at its peak. While everyone was celebrating the Lord’s blessing, Hannah wept, unable to eat, with a sense of inadequacy. The author indicates that the Lord caused her infertility (5,6). Hannah brought her sorrow and bitterness to the Lord (10). She dedicated her heart to the Lord in asking for a son and promised to give the son to serve him (11). Her desperate prayer moved even the heart of Eli the priest who was getting old and spiritually dull (12-14), He also blessed her believing that the God of Israel would answer her prayer (17).
Hannah was encouraged after pouring her heart to the Lord and receiving the words of blessing from a servant of God (18). Do you have anguish in your heart? Are you troubled and weary? Bring your heart before the Lord. He is ready to show you what great things he will do with your life.
Prayer: Father, I come to you in my brokenness. You are sovereign. Please comfort my heart as I put my trust in you.
One Word: I bring my anguish to the Lord.
