Elkanah is a significant figure in the Old Testament, primarily known as the father of the prophet Samuel. His account is found in the opening chapters of the First Book of Samuel. Elkanah was an Ephraimite, residing in the hill country of Ephraim, specifically in Ramathaim-zophim, which is identified with the town of Ramah (1 Samuel 1:1).

Family Background and Lineage

Elkanah was a Levite by descent, as indicated in 1 Chronicles 6:27-28, where his genealogy is traced back to Levi through Kohath. This lineage is significant as it places Elkanah within the tribe responsible for religious duties and temple service, although he lived in the territory of Ephraim.

Marriage and Family Life

Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was initially barren, which caused her great distress. Despite this, Elkanah showed a deep affection for Hannah, giving her a double portion of the sacrificial offerings, as recorded in 1 Samuel 1:5: "But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her, even though the LORD had closed her womb."

Religious Devotion

Elkanah is depicted as a devout man who regularly worshiped and sacrificed to the LORD at Shiloh, where the tabernacle was located. This annual pilgrimage underscores his commitment to the religious practices of Israel. His dedication is further highlighted in 1 Samuel 1:3: "Year after year this man would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh."

Role in Samuel's Birth and Dedication

Elkanah's role in the birth and dedication of Samuel is pivotal. After Hannah's fervent prayer for a child and her vow to dedicate him to the LORD, Elkanah supported her decision. When Samuel was born, Elkanah agreed to Hannah's plan to present Samuel to the LORD, as seen in 1 Samuel 1:23: "Do what seems best to you," Elkanah her husband told her. "Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD confirm His word."

Legacy

Elkanah's legacy is primarily carried through his son Samuel, who became one of Israel's greatest prophets and judges. Samuel's leadership was instrumental in the transition from the period of the judges to the establishment of the monarchy in Israel. Elkanah's faithfulness and support of Hannah's vow played a crucial role in the fulfillment of God's plan for Israel through Samuel.

References in Scripture

Elkanah is mentioned in several passages, including 1 Samuel 1:1-28, 1 Samuel 2:11, and 1 Chronicles 6:27-28. These references highlight his family, his religious devotion, and his role in the early life of Samuel.

Elkanah's account is a testament to faithfulness, both in family life and in religious devotion, serving as an example of piety and support within the family structure as ordained by God.Elkanah

God the zealous; the zeal of God

God-created.

(1.) The second son of Korah (Exodus 6:24), or, according to 1 Chronicles 6:22, 23, more correctly his grandson.

(2.) Another Levite of the line of Heman the singer, although he does not seem to have performed any of the usual Levitical offices. He was father of Samuel the prophet (1 Chronicles 6:27, 34). He was "an Ephrathite" (1 Samuel 1:1, 4, 8), but lived at Ramah, a man of wealth and high position. He had two wives, Hannah, who was the mother of Samuel, and Peninnah.

ELKANAH

el-ka'-na ('elqanah, "God has possessed"):

(1) An Ephraimite, the father of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1-28; 1 Samuel 2:11-20). Of his two wives, Hannah, the childless, was best beloved. At Shiloh she received through Eli the promise of a son. Elkanah, with Hannah, took the young Samuel to Shiloh when he was weaned, and left him with EIi as their offering to Yahweh. They were blessed with three other sons and two daughters.

(2) The second son of Korah (Exodus 6:24), who escaped the fate of Korah, Dathan and Abiram (Numbers 26:11).

(3) One "next to the king" in Jerusalem in the time of Ahaz; slain by one Zichri of Ephraim in war with Pekah (2 Chronicles 28:7).

(4) One of the Korahites among David's "mighty men" (1 Chronicles 12:1, 6).

(5) A Levite, possibly the same as (2) above (1 Chronicles 6:23, 15, 36).

(6) Another Levite of the same line (1 Chronicles 6:26, 35).

(7) Another Levite, ancestor of Berechiah (1 Chronicles 9:16).

(8) Another Levite (if not the same as (4) above), one of the "doorkeepers for the ark" (1 Chronicles 15:23).

F. K. Farr

6444. Peninnah -- wife of Elkanah
... 6443, 6444. Peninnah. 6445 . wife of Elkanah. Transliteration: Peninnah
Phonetic Spelling: (pen-in-naw') Short Definition: Peninnah. ...
/hebrew/6444.htm - 6k

6689. Tsuph -- ancestor of Elkanah and Samuel
... 6688, 6689. Tsuph. 6690 . ancestor of Elkanah and Samuel. Transliteration:
Tsuph Phonetic Spelling: (tsoof) Short Definition: Zuph. ...
/hebrew/6689.htm - 6k

511. Elqanah -- "God has created," or "God has taken possession ...
... Transliteration: Elqanah Phonetic Spelling: (el-kaw-naw') Short Definition:
Elkanah. Word ... NASB Word Usage Elkanah (21). Elkanah. From ...
/hebrew/511.htm - 6k

Samuel the Boy Prophet
... THE OLD TESTAMENT SAMUEL THE BOY PROPHET. Elkanah, a Zuphite of the hill country
of Ephraim, lived at Ramah with his two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/samuel the boy prophet.htm

The History of Saul
... This history maketh mention that there was a man named Elkanah which had two wives,
that one was named Hannah, and the name of the second Peninnah. ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the history of saul.htm

The Story of David, the Shepherd Boy
... THE STORY OF DAVID, THE SHEPHERD BOY. Living at Ramah, in the mountains
of Ephraim, there was a man whose name was Elkanah. He had ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of david the.htm

Eli and Samuel.
... Elkanah went up to Shiloh yearly to offer sacrifice: and when Samuel was old enough,
Hannah went with her husband and took her little boy with her. ...
/.../anonymous/mother stories from the old testament/eli and samuel.htm

Samuel --The Child of the Temple.
... the temple. When Eli was high priest a man named Elkanah came up from Ramah
to worship, and Hannah his wife went with him. She was ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xvii samuelthe child of.htm

The First Kings.
... Samuel, the wonderful child of Elkanah and Hannah, given to them, like Jephthah
and Samson, as a special mark of divine favor, and who early entered the temple ...
/.../headley/half hours in bible lands volume 2/the first kings.htm

The Child Samuel.
... Now, at one time there lived in a little cottage on the hill of Ramah, not far from
what is now Jerusalem, a certain man named Elkanah, whose wife Hannah had a ...
/.../anonymous/children of the old testament/the child samuel.htm

Further Examples from the Old Testament in Favour of Fasting.
... [1054] Thus a God-ward fast is a work of reverential awe: and by its means also
Hannah the wife of Elkanah making suit, barren as she had been beforetime ...
/.../chapter vii further examples from the.htm

Hannah Praying Before the Lord.
... the Tabernacle at Shiloh. One day, Hannah, the wife of a priest named Elkanah,
came to the Tabernacle to worship. She was grieved ...
/.../mother stories from the old testament/hannah praying before the lord.htm

Fragment iv. 1. Take Me, O Samuel, the Heifer Brought to Bethlehem ...
... Footnotes: [1851] From a Discourse on Elkanah and Hannah. In Theodoret, Dial. I.,
bearing the title "Unchangeable" (atreptos); Works, vol. iv. p. 36. ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/fragment iv 1 take me.htm

Elkanah (20 Occurrences)
...ELKANAH. ...Elkanah, with Hannah, took the young Samuel to Shiloh when he was
weaned, and left him with EIi as their offering to Yahweh. ...
/e/elkanah.htm - 14k

Elka'nah (20 Occurrences)
Elka'nah. Elkanah, Elka'nah. Elkiah . ... Exodus 6:24 And the sons of Korah: Assir,
and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. (See RSV ...
/e/elka'nah.htm - 11k

Zuph (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Honeycomb, a Kohathite Levite, ancestor of Elkanah and
Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1); called also Zophai (1 Chronicles 6:26). Zuph, Land of. ...
/z/zuph.htm - 9k

Jeroham (11 Occurrences)
... (1.) Father of Elkanah, and grandfather of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1). ... 1
Chronicles 6:27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. ...
/j/jeroham.htm - 12k

Amasai (5 Occurrences)
... Burdensome. (1.) A Levite, son of Elkanah, of the ancestry of Samuel (1 Chronicles
6:25, 35). ... 1 Chronicles 6:25 The sons of Elkanah: Amasai, and Ahimoth. ...
/a/amasai.htm - 10k

Hannah (13 Occurrences)
... Favour, grace, one of the wives of Elkanah the Levite, and the mother of Samuel
(1 Samuel 1; 2). Her home was at Ramathaim-zophim, whence she was wont every ...
/h/hannah.htm - 14k

Jero'ham (10 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country
of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu ...
/j/jero'ham.htm - 9k

Korahites (7 Occurrences)
... ra-its (qorchi), (beno qorach; in the King James Version appears also as Korhite,
Kohathite, Kore): This phrase is used to denote Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph ...
/k/korahites.htm - 20k

Ramah (38 Occurrences)
... the South. (4) Aramathaim: The home of Elkanah and Hannah, and the birthplace
of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:19; 1 Samuel 2:11, etc.). In ...
/r/ramah.htm - 26k

Zophai (1 Occurrence)
... Zophai (1 Occurrence). 1 Chronicles 6:26 As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: Zophai
his son, and Nahath his son, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/z/zophai.htm - 7k

Who was Elkanah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Hannah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is the story of Hannah and Samuel? | GotQuestions.org

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