Elkanah and His Wives
(Psalms 113:1–9)
Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim 1in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, 2 the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 1Ch 6:341Ch 6:25-271Sa 1:19Jdg 17:1Rut 1:21Sa 9:5Jdg 19:11Sa 17:12 He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Deu 21:15-17Gen 16:1-2Gen 25:21Gen 29:23-29Gen 29:31Gen 4:23Jdg 13:2Jdg 8:30
Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD. Luk 2:41Deu 12:5-7Jos 18:1Exo 23:14Exo 34:231Sa 1:211Sa 1:9Deu 16:16 And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. Deu 12:17-18Deu 16:11Deu 12:5-7Lev 3:4Lev 7:15 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, 3 for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb. Gen 30:2Gen 29:30-31Gen 16:1Gen 20:18Gen 45:22Gen 43:34Deu 21:15
Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously. Job 6:14Job 24:21Lev 18:18 And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat. 1Sa 2:19
“Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” Rut 4:15Isa 54:6Job 6:141Th 5:14Jhn 20:13Jhn 20:15Psa 43:42Ki 8:12
Hannah Prays for a Son
So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 1Sa 3:3Psa 27:4Psa 5:72Sa 7:21Sa 3:15Psa 29:9
In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. Job 7:11Job 10:1Luk 22:44Psa 91:15Heb 5:7Isa 54:6Jdg 21:2Isa 38:15 And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.” Jdg 13:5Num 6:5Gen 29:32Ecc 5:41Sa 1:19Gen 28:20Jdg 11:30Psa 25:18
As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth. 1Th 5:17Jas 5:16Col 4:2Eph 6:18Luk 11:8-10Luk 18:1 Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Rom 8:26Act 2:13Gen 24:42-45Psa 25:1Zec 9:151Co 13:7Neh 2:4
So Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!” Eph 4:25Eph 4:31Job 11:14Job 22:23Job 8:2Jos 22:12-20Mat 7:1-3Pro 4:24
“No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman oppressed in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD. Psa 62:8Lam 2:19Psa 42:4Psa 142:2-3Psa 143:6Job 30:16Pro 15:1Pro 25:15 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.” 1Sa 2:12Job 10:1-2Job 6:2-3Mat 12:34-351Sa 10:271Sa 25:25Deu 13:13
“Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him.” Mrk 5:34Jdg 18:6Psa 20:3-51Sa 25:352Ki 5:19Luk 7:501Ch 4:10Luk 8:48
“May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began eating again, and her face was no longer downcast. Rut 2:13Rom 15:13Ecc 9:7Gen 33:15Gen 33:8Jhn 16:24Php 4:6-7Gen 32:5
The Birth of Samuel
The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then returned home to Ramah. Gen 21:11Sa 1:11Gen 30:22Gen 4:11Sa 9:26Gen 8:1Luk 23:42Mrk 1:35
And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, 4 saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.” Gen 41:51-52Exo 2:10Mat 1:21Exo 2:22Gen 16:11Gen 29:32-35Gen 30:6-21Gen 5:29
Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, 1Sa 1:3Deu 12:11Jos 24:15Gen 18:19Psa 101:2 but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.” 5 1Sa 1:111Sa 1:28Luk 2:221Sa 2:111Sa 2:181Sa 3:1Deu 16:16Lev 25:23
“Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, “and stay here until you have weaned him. Only may the LORD confirm His word.” 6 2Sa 7:251Sa 1:17Gen 21:7-8Isa 44:26Luk 11:27Mat 24:19Num 30:7-11Psa 22:9
So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, 7 an ephah of flour, 8 and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. Num 15:9-101Sa 4:3-4Jos 18:1Deu 12:5-6Deu 12:11Deu 16:16 And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. Luk 18:15-16Luk 2:22
“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. 2Ki 2:22Ki 2:42Ki 2:62Ki 4:301Sa 17:551Sa 20:32Sa 11:112Sa 14:19 I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him, 1Jn 5:15Mat 7:7Psa 118:5Psa 66:19-201Sa 1:11-13Psa 6:9Psa 116:1-5 I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” Gen 24:26Gen 24:521Sa 1:112Ti 3:15Gen 24:481Sa 1:22
So they worshiped 9the LORD there.