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1 Samuel

The Lives of Samuel and Saul

Thomas Nelson

Hannah's Vow

1 Samuel 1:1-2:21

Drawing Near

What are some types of "vows" that people make to God? In what kinds of situations do they tend to make these vows? __________________________________________________________________________

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The Context

We open our study at the close of the time known in Israel as the period of the judges. The judges were individuals whom the Lord raised up at various times and places during a period of some 350 years, beginning soon after Joshua led the people into Canaan. The judges exercised limited authority over portions of Israel, with most of them only dealing with one or two of the twelve tribes. They frequently led Israel into battle against political enemies, and some acted as judges in civil disputes as well.

As we will see in future studies, a man named Samuel would become Israel's final judge and God's prophet to His people. He would be a great man of God and serve the Lord faithfully from his earliest childhood until the day he died. But where did such a man come from? What shaped him to become a great man of God? As the old saying goes, the apple does not fall far from the tree; so who were the parents who prepared him for a lifetime of service?

In this study, we will meet Samuel's parents — notably his mother, Hannah. In Samuel's day, it was considered a disgrace for a woman to be barren. People understood children to be a gift from God, and they took that concept a step further to assume that a wife who bore no children must be under the Lord's discipline for some sin. This assumption was not true (at least not in Hannah's case), but that did not stop people from treating her with contempt when she found herself unable to bear children to her husband.

To make matters much worse, Hannah's husband had two wives — and the other wife had borne him many sons and daughters. As was common in such polygamous households, the two wives began to resent one another, and "the other woman" took every opportunity to ridicule Hannah for her inability to produce an heir. In general, Hannah found herself the object of great scorn and verbal abuse because of her barrenness, and her heart was filled with grief. But then, one day, she took her sorrows to the Lord — and that changed everything.

Keys to the Text

Read 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11, noting the key words and phrases indicated below.

An Unhappy Family: Elkanah has two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah has numerous children, but Hannah is barren. This produces strife in the home.

1:1. A CERTAIN MAN: This verse is similar to the one that introduces the birth of Samson (see Judges 13:2). The strong comparison also highlights the similarities between the lives of Samson and Samuel. Both men were judges over Israel, fighters of the Philistines, and lifelong Nazirites.

Ramathaim Zophim: Also called Ramah, located just south of Mizpah.

Elkanah: Meaning "God has created."

2. HE HAD TWO WIVES: Monogamy was God's intention for mankind from the time of creation (see Genesis 2:24). Polygamy was a common practice in the ancient Middle East, but the Scriptures never endorse it.

Hannah had no children: Hannah's name means "grace," and her life became a model of God's grace. It was considered a disgrace in her day for a woman to be childless, as it was interpreted by the world at large as a sign of God's disfavor. It only made Hannah's burden greater to be forced to live with another woman who had borne her husband numerous children. The same situation caused much grief in Jacob's household (see Genesis 29-30).

Peninnah: Her name means "ruby."

3. This man went up from his city yearly: All Israelite men were required to attend three annual feasts at the central sanctuary (see Deuteronomy 16:1-17).

The Lord of hosts: The word hosts can refer to human armies (see Exodus 7:4), celestial bodies (see Deuteronomy 4:19), or heavenly creatures (see Joshua 5:14). The name emphasizes God's sovereignty over all creation, including the daily affairs of human beings.

In Shiloh: Located about twenty miles north of Jerusalem in Ephraim. The tabernacle and ark of the covenant resided there.

5. A DOUBLE PORTION: This was a public display of favor and honor. Elkanah may have been intending to comfort Hannah in her barrenness, but such blatant favoritism could only produce more problems within the home.

The Lord had closed her womb: The Lord had deliberately prevented Hannah from bearing children, just as He had done with Sarah and Rachel. He is sovereign over every event in our lives, even those things we might ascribe to natural causes.

6. HER RIVAL: That is, Peninnah. It is telling that she is not described as "Elkanah's other wife" or "Hannah's family member." As this situation shows, disregarding the Lord's intended family structure only brings heartache and rivalry. Peninnah probably taunted and provoked Hannah because their husband was so open in his favoritism.

Hannah Turns to the Lord: Elkanah takes his entire family to the temple in Shiloh to attend one of the annual festivals. While there, Hannah pours out her grief before the Lord.

7. She went up to the house of the Lord: The law demanded all men of Israel to appear before the Lord at His temple on three occasions each year. Many took their families with them, though they were not required to do so. The fact that Elkanah also provided offerings for his wives, sons, and daughters indicates he was a godly man who taught his children the ways of the Lord.

8. WHY DO YOU WEEP: Elkanah probably intended to comfort and encourage his wife, yet he could hardly have comprehended her sense of sadness and despair. His love undoubtedly did comfort her, yet it was also a cause of the tension between her and Peninnah. In the long run, Elkanah's role as a loving husband did not remove Hannah's longing for a son.

10. BITTERNESS OF SOUL: Hannah's sorrow was so great that her life felt like a bitter burden. She did not make a public display of her sorrow, however, but poured out her heart in prayer to the Lord, the only One who could heal her heartache. Notice also she "wept in anguish" in God's presence, rather than attempting some level of stoicism. The Lord wants His children to pour out their hearts to Him honestly, even when they are filled with sorrow.

11. SHE MADE A VOW: It is a serious thing to make a vow to the Lord. It should not be undertaken lightly, for God expects His people to fulfill their vows.

NO RAZOR SHALL COME UPON HIS HEAD: Hannah was referring to the vows of a Nazirite, a young man who voluntarily took on specific strictures for a time of dedicated service to the Lord. The Nazirite did not cut his hair, refrained from wine, and avoided any contact with dead bodies. The Nazirite vows were usually taken for several weeks or even a few months at most. Hannah was dedicating her unborn son to a lifetime Nazirite vow — dedicating him fully to the Lord's service and voluntarily giving up her rights and expectations as the boy's mother.

13. Eli thought she was drunk: This is a sad introduction to Eli, the high priest at Shiloh. He should have expected that the people who gathered in the temple were there to worship the Lord. However, his own sons had corrupted the temple with their wickedness, and it may even have been fairly common for Eli to see people acting with irreverence during times of worship. He assumed the worst because his own heart was not dedicated to the Lord's service.

15. I am a woman of sorrowful spirit: It is tragic that Hannah was forced to defend her private prayers before the high priest himself — the one man who ought to have been her intercessor and defender.

16. out of the abundance of my complaint: Hannah was doing exactly what the Lord wanted her to do by pouring out her heart's burden before Him. God wants the same from us today. What's more, as Christians we have the full assistance of the Holy Spirit in pouring out our concerns to the Father (see Romans 8:26).

The Lord Answers: Once Eli understands the situation, he blesses Hannah, and she takes that as a promise from the Lord that He will grant her plea.

18. her face was no longer sad: Hannah demonstrated great faith at this moment. She had poured out her heart to the Lord and had received an answer. She accepted Eli's word of blessing as a promise from the Lord, demonstrating her own faith in His faithful character. In this she was like Abraham, who believed the promise of God that he would receive a son.

20. Samuel: The name means "name of God," but it also sounds similar to the Hebrew word meaning "heard of God." Hannah recognized that her son was a direct gift from the Lord; that He had heard her prayer and had granted her request. She also did not forget her vow, and she fulfilled it faithfully.

21. AND HIS VOW: Elkanah had the power to nullify his wife's vow according to God's law (see Numbers 30:6-15), yet here we find he knew of her vow and supported it fully. In God's eyes, Hannah's vow became binding on her husband as well, and Elkanah recognized his solemn responsibility to see that it was fulfilled. In this, he demonstrated his deep love for his wife far more than his words of encouragement could have done.

22. Not until the child is weaned: Jewish custom at the time was to breastfeed a child until he was two or three years old.

REMAIN THERE FOREVER: Notice Hannah did not say, "He will remain in the Lord's presence all his life." She understood the Lord's children will be in His presence far beyond this earthly life and enjoy His company for all eternity.

24. THE CHILD WAS YOUNG: Samuel was probably around three years old when he entered the Lord's service at the temple.

28. I also have lent him to the Lord: This does not mean Hannah was permitting the Lord to borrow her son for a time but that she was devoting him fully to the Lord's service with no expectation of receiving him back again.

Hannah's Song: Hannah is so overjoyed at the Lord's miraculous answer to her request that she pours out her heart once again, this time in praise and joy.

2:1. My heart rejoices in the Lord: What a majestic contrast between this prayer and Hannah's earlier one! Her heart was filled to overflowing once again, but this time with praise and adoration. Her prayer was actually a song, or psalm, of praise to the Lord's faithfulness and power, and it bears many similarities to the song Mary sang after receiving the news that she would bear the Son of God (see Luke 1:46-55).

3. Let no arrogance come from your mouth: The Lord humbles those who raise themselves against Him and raises those who humble themselves before His will. We see this in the attitudes of Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah gloried in her fertility as though she were responsible for her ability to bear children, while Hannah recognized such things were from the Lord and took her sorrow and desires to Him. Those who submit to God's sovereignty shall be blessed, while those who arrogantly follow their own will shall be humbled.

5. THE BARREN HAS BORNE SEVEN: Hannah gave birth to a total of six children (the seven here is poetic, not intended as prophecy). She asked the Lord for one child, and He poured out an abundance in reply. God loves to have His children turn to Him for all their needs, and He loves "to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). Peninnah became "feeble" by comparison; she may have born sons and daughters, but it was Hannah's son who became Israel's prophet and judge, the anointer of kings.

9. BY STRENGTH NO MAN SHALL PREVAIL: Those who trust in their own power and wisdom shall be broken, but those who trust fully in the Lord shall find that He fights on their behalf. Hannah placed her faith in the Lord's power, and she was not disappointed.

18. WEARING A LINEN EPHOD: Samuel apparently began to assist Eli in his duties as soon as he could walk and talk. Eli evidently had a miniature ephod (a sleeveless outer vest that extended to the hips) made to fit young Samuel.

19. HIS MOTHER USED TO MAKE HIM A LITTLE ROBE: The touching picture shows us that Hannah never stopped loving Samuel as her firstborn son. She continued to minister to his needs, and by doing so she participated in his ministry before the Lord.

21. The Lord visited Hannah: The Lord eventually blessed Hannah with six children: four sons and two daughters.

Unleashing the Text

1) Why did Peninnah abuse Hannah about her childlessness? What did this reveal about her character? About Hannah's character? What did it reveal about their home life?

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2) Why did Eli think Hannah was drunk? What does this reveal about Eli's character? About Hannah's grief?

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3) In what ways did Hannah remain a good mother to Samuel? What did her sacrifice cost her? What did she gain?

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4) How did Hannah describe God in her song? What are some of the things she says that the Lord does?

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Exploring the Meaning

God is the author of all life. Hannah recognized it was the Lord's responsibility to provide her with children or withhold them as He saw fit. Her childlessness caused her deep grief because people in her day generally viewed a lack of children as a sign of God's disapproval. This view in itself underscores the fact that it is God's choice to bestow children or to withhold them.

In modern times, we hear a lot about "choice" when it comes to children. Ironically, that choice is often a euphemism for abortion — the wanton slaying of a God-given life within a woman's womb. This idea implies that human life is a choice made by a man or a woman, but the Scriptures are clear that God is the one who gives life; the choice is His alone to make.

Children are a blessing from God, not a burden or a "lifestyle" choice. The married couple who gains a child has great cause for rejoicing, while the childless couple should pour out their request before the Lord as Hannah did. "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate" (Psalm 127:3-5).

God's sovereignty over life does not stop at conception. Hannah sings that "the Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up" (1 Samuel 2:6). In the same way God divinely and sovereignly causes pregnancy, He is also the one ultimately in control of how long people live. Beyond that, Hannah describes the Lord as the One who not only determines a person's lifespan but also is sovereign over eternity. He is the One who sends people to the grave as well as the One who brings people to everlasting life.

The Lord uses the weak things of the world for His glory. Throughout history, God has routinely chosen the unexpected and the unlikely to be recipients of His grace. He chose Abraham and Sarah, who by all accounts were too old to have children, and promised they would produce a nation. He chose the Israelites, who were weaker than all their neighbors and in captivity, to become His people. This same way of working is seen in Hannah's life. She can declare from personal experience that the Lord is the One who blesses the needy and humbles the proud (see 1 Samuel 2:7-8).

This is how God still works today. In His mysterious way, He has chosen "the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and ... the weak things of the world to shame the things which are mighty" (1 Corinthians 1:27). God does this to prove there is not a human explanation behind the gospel. It is entirely supernatural.

There was any number of Israelite wives whom God could have used to bring Samuel into the world. But God wanted a woman who was desperately dependent on Him, so he chose Hannah, and not Peninnah, to bring forth Samuel. God receives more glory from being served by those who are absolutely dependent on Him.

The Lord loves to have His children pour out their hearts to Him. Hannah suffered a great deal because of a situation that was beyond her control. It was not her fault she had no children, but it caused her much heartache. To make matters worse, Peninnah constantly mocked her and reminded her day after day of her barrenness. She bore the humiliation and sorrow until her heart reached the point that it must certainly have broken from the pain.

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Excerpted from 1 Samuel by John MacArthur. Copyright © 2016 John MacArthur. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
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