Elkanah and His Family & Hannah’s Prayer for a Son
1 Samuel 1:1-18 NLT
Elkanah and His Family
1 There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim. 2 Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.
3 Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. 4 On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. 5 And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. 6 So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. 7 Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.
8 “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”
Hannah’s Prayer for a Son
9 Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. 10 Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. 11 And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look 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, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”
12 As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. 13 Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. 14 “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”
15 “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. 16 Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”
17 “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”
18 “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.
Examine the Scriptures
1 Samuel 1:1-18 NLT
Elkanah and His Family
1 There was a man named Elkanah
Elkanah’s name means “God has created”.
Elkanah was the father of Samuel.
Elkanah was a Levite.
His name is listed in the Levite Clans found in 1 Chronicles 6:16-30.
Levi > Kohath (a son of Levi) > Elkanah (a descendant of Kohath)
- Elkanah was the father of Samuel.
- Elkanah was a Levite.
who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim.
- Elkanah lived in Ramah.
- The ESV (and other versions of scripture) use Ramathaim-zophim instead of Ramah.
Ramah is located 5-15 miles north of Jerusalem (It is not possible to locate the town with certainty)
The Levites lived in towns scattered throughout all of the other twelve tribes.
Joshua 21:20 NLT
20 The rest of the Kohathite clan from the tribe of Levi was allotted the following towns and pasturelands from the tribe of Ephraim:
Elkanah was a Levite by lineage.
Elkanah was an Ephraimite by residence.
Ramah was Samuel’s birthplace, the place of his residence, and the place of his burial.
Samuel’s birthplace:
1 Samuel 1:19-20 NLT
19 The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, 20 and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”
Samuel’s residence:
1 Samuel 7:17 NLT
17 Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.
Samuel’s burial place:
1 Samuel 25:1 NLT
Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah.
- Ramah was Samuel’s birthplace, the place of his residence, and the place of his burial.
He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim.
2 Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.
Hannah (grace, favor)
Peninnah (ruby)
Elkanah may have married Peninnah because of Hannah’s inability to have children.
In scripture children are considered a blessing from the Lord.
Deuteronomy 7:13-14 NLT
13 He (the Lord) will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. 14 You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young.
Conversely the Israelites considered the inability to have children a curse.
- Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah.
- Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.
- Multiple wives frequently result in serious friction between the wives.
See verses 6-7
Genesis 16 & 21: Sarah and Hagar
Genesis 29: Leah and Rachel
3 Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh
15 miles north of Ramah. 20 miles north of Jerusalem
(Ramah is located 5-15 miles north of Jerusalem (It is not possible to locate the town with certainty))
Joshua 18:1 NLT
Now that the land was under Israelite control, the entire community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle.
to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.
The law required:
Exodus 23:14-17 NLT
Three Annual Festivals (also recorded in Deuteronomy 16:1-17)
14 “Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor. 15 First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one may appear before me without an offering.
16 “Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest. “Finally, celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields. 17 At these three times each year, every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the Lord.
The title Lord of Heaven’s Armies or Lord of Hosts emphasizes the Lord as sovereign over all of the powers in heaven and on earth.
- Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.
The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas.
4 On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children.
Certain sacrifices involved sharing part of the sacrificial animal in a communal meal. (Leviticus 7)
Elkanah’s sacrifice was a peace offering:
Parts of the sacrifice are burned.
Parts of the sacrifice are given to the priest.
Parts of the sacrifice are eaten by the people who brought the sacrifice.
5 And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children.
- Hannah’s barrenness was the result of divine providence like Sarah’s (Genesis 16:2) and Rachel’s (Genesis 30:2)
Psalm 127:3 NLT
3 Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.
Genesis 18:13 NLT
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Genesis 29:31 NLT
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive.
Genesis 30:2 NLT
2 Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!”
Genesis 30:22NLT
22 Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children.
6 So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.
7 Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle.
The House of the Lord.
The Temple of the Lord.
- Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.
Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.
8 “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”
- Elkanah’s attempts to comfort Hannah were unsuccessful.
Hannah’s Prayer for a Son
9 Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle.
10 Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.
11 And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look 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, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”
- Hannah prayed and pledged to give the Lord her son in return for God’s favor in giving her that son.
This dedication of her son sounds like a commitment to the Nazarite vow, described in Numbers 6.
Similar to the story of Samson
Judges 13:2-5 NLT
2 In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. 3 The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. 5 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.”
Long hair was a symbol of dedication to the service of the Lord and was one of the characteristics of the Nazarite vow. This vow was normally taken for a limited time rather than for life.
- Elkanah apparently supported Hannah’s wishes.
NUMBERS 30:10
10 “But suppose a woman is married and living in her husband’s home when she makes a vow or binds herself with a pledge. 11 If her husband hears of it and does not object to it, her vow or pledge will stand.
12 As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her.
13 Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking.
Some people may have used the feast times at Shiloh as an occasion to get drunk.
14 “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”
- Eli assumed that Hannah was drunk and therefore rebukes her.
15 “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. 16 Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”
Acts 2:13-15 NLT
13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that.
17 “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”
It was the duty and privilege of the priests to bless the people in the name of the Lord.
Numbers 6:22-27 NLT
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
24 ‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
27 Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”
Lev 9:22-23 NLT
22 After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar. 23 Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community.
- A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.
18 “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.
- Hannah believed that God would answer her prayer.
- Pray believing that God will answer your prayers.
Psalm 145:18 NLT
18 The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
John 14:13-14 NLT
13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
John 15:7 NLT
7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
James 5:16 NLT
16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
1 John 5:14-15 NLT
14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
Matthew 7:8 NLT
8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
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- Elkanah was the father of Samuel.
- Elkanah was a Levite.
- Elkanah lived in Ramah.
- The ESV (and other versions of scripture) use Ramathaim-zophim instead of Ramah.
- Ramah was Samuel’s birthplace, the place of his residence, and the place of his burial.
- Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah.
- Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.
- Multiple wives frequently result in serious friction between the wives.
- Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lordof Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.
- Hannah’s barrenness was the result of divine providence like Sarah’s (Genesis 16:2) and Rachel’s (Genesis 30:2)
- Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lordhad kept her from having children.
- Elkanah’s attempts to comfort Hannah were unsuccessful.
- Hannah prayed and pledged to give the Lord her son in return for God’s favor in giving her that son.
- Elkanah apparently supported Hannah’s wishes.
- Eli assumed that Hannah was drunk and therefore rebukes her.
- A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.
- Hannah believed that God would answer her prayer.
- Pray believing that God will answer your prayers.
