Hannah

Hannah is a young woman, married to Elkanah. But she is not his only wife, Elkanah has another wife called Peninnah. Hannah is his first wife, but she has not been blessed with children, we are told twice that the Lord had “closed her womb” (vs. 5, 6). In contrast to Hannah, Peninnah (whose name means “fruitful”) has given Elkanah many children. In those days, women had no legal rights and relied upon their male relatives to provide for them; Hannah knows that in order to secure her future, she must give birth to a son. She is in a desperate situation and Peninnah knows it, rubbing it in at every opportunity. Elkanah on the other hand, doesn’t seem to understand his wife’s mind, asking, “Am I not more to you than ten sons?” (vs. 8)

This all takes place during the time before the Temple was built in Jerusalem. Shiloh is where the Ark of the Covenant resides in the Tabernacle and so at that time is the most important religious center for the ancient Israelites. Located 20 miles NNE of Jerusalem it was the main worship center from the time of Joshua until the capital city of Jerusalem was established by David.

When Elkanah’s family begins their yearly pilgrimage to Shiloh to sacrifice and worship the Lord of hosts, a family drama unfolds as they approach the house of the Lord and tensions mount. Peninnah taunts Hannah relentlessly about her barrenness and Hannah responds by sinking into depression. Poor Elkanah is caught in the middle – he just wants everyone to be happy!

After the sacrifices are complete and they have eaten and drunk their fill. Hannah, still despairing, decides to petition the Lord for a son. She offers a powerful heartfelt prayer, weeping bitterly. The priest, Eli, wonders if she is drunk and asks her to get control of herself. She confesses her deep anxiety and distress and she begs the Lord to “remember her” in her misery, promising that if the Lord blesses her with a male child, she will dedicate him as a Nazirite.

A Nazirite is a person set apart for the Lord who takes strict vows to never drink wine or other strong drink and to never cut their hair. The most famous Nazirite in the Bible is Samson – recall his incredible strength, a gift from God, and his downfall when Delilah cuts his hair. You can read all about Samson in Judges 13-17.

Hannah after begging God for a son, declares if it is granted, she will give this gift back to God. She will send the child to be in service to the Lord all his days. How many of us would do that?

The very next day, after they returned home, the Lord remembered her (vs. 19), nine months later she gave birth to a son and when he was weaned, she brought him back to Shiloh and gave him to the Lord (vs. 28).

First of all, I want to bring to your attention the fact of Hannah’s heartfelt prayer. She lays it all out in the open before God. She is not afraid to express the entirety of her misery – even risking being humiliated before the priest who thought she was drunk!

Secondly, she admittedly has selfish reasons for her request – she is worried about her future – but she makes up for that by promising to return the blessing back to God. A lot of our requests are purely selfish - and it makes me wonder if we focused more on using our God-given gifts for the glory of the Lord if our prayers might gain more traction with God.

And finally, she followed through with her promise. Honestly, I don’t know if I could have done it. Like the miller’s daughter with Rumpelstiltskin, I think I would have reneged on that promise when it came time to deliver. But God knew Hannah’s heart and knew that she would fulfill the promise she made. When we pray, God knows our

hearts too - if they are sincere hearts, if they are loving hearts.

When we pray, let us bring only our sincere loving hearts before God and lay them bare on the altar to be weighed. Ask nothing with completely selfish motives but consider the usefulness of your petitions to your community and the Kingdom of God.

The Books of 1 & 2 Samuel tell the story of Israel’s transition from a tribal confederation governed by judges into a nation led by a king and Samuel, the person, is the pivotal figure in this transition. Samuel is the prophet who anoints first Saul and then David as king of Israel.

It has been suggested to read this narrative relating the tale of Hannah wanting a son as an allegory for Israel’s desire for a king.