Hannah, a central figure in the opening chapters of 1 Samuel, is a profound example of faith and the power of prayer in the Hebrew Scriptures. Her account is a testament to the belief that God hears and responds to the earnest prayers of His people, particularly in the context of childbearing, which was of immense cultural and personal significance in ancient Israel.

Background

Hannah was one of the two wives of Elkanah, a man from the hill country of Ephraim. The other wife, Peninnah, had children, but Hannah was barren. This situation caused Hannah great distress, as Peninnah would provoke her bitterly to irritate her (1 Samuel 1:6). Despite Elkanah's love and attempts to console her, Hannah's heart was heavy with sorrow due to her inability to bear children.

Hannah's Prayer

Hannah's response to her plight was one of deep, fervent prayer. During one of the family's annual visits to the tabernacle at Shiloh, Hannah presented her petition before the LORD. In her anguish, she wept bitterly and made a vow, saying, "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" (1 Samuel 1:11). This vow indicated her willingness to dedicate her child to the service of God, reflecting the Nazirite vow, which was a special commitment to the LORD.

Eli, the priest, initially misunderstood her silent prayer, thinking she was drunk. However, upon realizing her sincerity, he blessed her, saying, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him" (1 Samuel 1:17).

God's Response

In due time, God answered Hannah's prayer. She conceived and bore a son, whom she named Samuel, meaning "heard of God," because she said, "I have asked for him from the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:20). True to her vow, once Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh and presented him to Eli, saying, "I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him, I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:27-28).

Hannah's Song of Praise

Following the fulfillment of her prayer, Hannah offered a song of thanksgiving and praise, recorded in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. This song reflects themes of God's sovereignty, His care for the humble, and His power to reverse human fortunes. It is a profound theological reflection on God's justice and faithfulness.

Legacy

Hannah's account is not only a narrative of personal triumph but also sets the stage for the significant role her son Samuel would play in Israel's history. Samuel became a pivotal figure, serving as a prophet, priest, and judge, and was instrumental in the transition from the period of the judges to the establishment of the monarchy in Israel.

Hannah's faith and her prayerful dedication of Samuel to the LORD serve as an enduring example of trust in God's providence and the power of prayer. Her account continues to inspire believers to approach God with their deepest desires and to trust in His perfect timing and will.1 Samuel 1:9-20
So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat on a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
Nave's Topical Index

Praying Saints of the Old Testaments
... at the house of Laban, and he had married two of his daughters and God had given
him children. ... Samuel was born in answer to the vowful prayer of Hannah ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/i praying saints of the.htm

I Suspect I have Been Allotting Habitually Too Little Time to ...
... find done in answer to the prayers of God's children." In an ... woman, I have the souls
of three thousand to answer for, and ... Through prayer Hannah found her relief ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter vii i suspect i.htm

About the Prefigured Change of the Israelitic Kingdom and ...
... exulting praise on account of the son whom she had obtained in answer to prayer. ...
for the barren hath born seven, and she that hath many children is waxed ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 4 about the prefigured change.htm

The Story of David, the Shepherd Boy
... One of these wives had children, but the other wife ... The Lord heard Hannah's prayer,
and gave her a little boy ... of God"; because he had been given in answer to her ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of david the.htm

That we Ought to Give Ourselves to God with Regard to Things Both ...
... open to the cry of His children, and that ... Their favoured dispensation of prayer was
forgotten; they knew ... working through Elijah and Elisha in answer to prayer ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter ii that we ought.htm

Cholera, 1866
... their dust.' But, happily for us, God will not answer that foolish prayer. ... their
transgressions,' says also that the Lord visited the children of Israel ...
/.../kingsley/the water of life and other sermons/sermon xvii cholera 1866.htm

Prayer --Fills Man's Poverty with God's Riches
... God's rule is to answer by giving the specific thing ... When His children cry for bread
He gives them bread. ... James says of Elijah that he "prayed with prayer.". ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/ii prayerfills mans poverty with.htm

Prayer and God's Work
... of heart and life in the children of fallen ... some perplexing questions arise which
will be hard to answer. ... a praying people, noted for our prayer habits"if ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/vii prayer and gods work.htm

A Poor Man's Cry, and what came of It
... All children can cry; even those who are without their reasoning faculties can ... and
troubles came upon him thick and heavy; but in answer to prayer the Lord ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/a poor mans cry and.htm

Prayer Essential to God
... shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt ... His eyes behold, his eyelids
try the children of men ... petition for a son began a great prayer movement for ...
/.../bounds/the weapon of prayer/i prayer essential to god.htm

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