What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 1:18? May your maidservant find favor with you • Hannah speaks with respectful humility, calling herself “maidservant,” the same posture of submission seen in Ruth 2:13 and in Mary’s words in Luke 1:38. • By asking for “favor,” she is not begging Eli for a miracle; she is trusting that God has heard and will answer, aligning with Proverbs 3:4–6, where favor is linked to wholehearted trust. • Her statement confirms that she believes the priest’s earlier blessing (“Go in peace,” 1 Samuel 1:17) is God’s word over her life. Then she went on her way • Faith moves Hannah from the altar to action; she rises and leaves, echoing Abram’s obedience in Genesis 12:4. • She no longer lingers in anxiety; instead she walks forward, embodying Psalm 37:5, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act.” She began to eat • Earlier she “would not eat” because of grief (1 Samuel 1:7). The change shows inner healing made visible. • Eating is a practical sign of restored trust, similar to Elijah’s renewed strength after eating in 1 Kings 19:7–8. • God’s peace reaches body and soul; Philippians 4:6–7 illustrates this wholeness—prayer replaces worry and ushers in peace. Her face was no longer downcast • Countenance often reveals the heart. Compare Genesis 4:6, where a fallen face signals sin’s weight. Here the lifted face signals hope fulfilled. • Isaiah 61:3 promises “the oil of joy instead of mourning.” Hannah experiences that exchange before the child is even conceived, proving faith’s power to rejoice ahead of sight (Hebrews 11:1). summary Hannah’s brief reply and transformed demeanor testify that sincere prayer, answered by divine assurance, turns sorrow into confident joy. Trust takes root in her heart, moves her feet, feeds her body, and brightens her face—clear evidence that the Lord hears and honors humble faith. |
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