1 Samuel 1

1 Samuel 1:1-8

The history of Samuel here begins as early as that of Samson did, even before he was born. He is the child of prayer, given to Hannah when barren, on her importunate application. Thus fervent and effectual prayer available. Here is, 1. Her affliction because she was childless, and this affliction aggravated by her rival’s insolence, ver. 1—8. 2. Her vow to God under this affliction, ver. 9—18. 3. The birth of Samuel, ver. 19—13. 4. The presenting of him to the Lord, ver. 24—28.

NOW there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite: 1. And he had two wives, the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 2. And this man went up out of his city § yearly, to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there. 4. ¶ And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions. 5. But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion: for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb; 6. And her adversary also provoked her love, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up

her womb; 7. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 8. Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

This chapter opens.

1. With an account of Samuel’s parentage and birth-place. His father was of the family of Korah; a good branch from a bad flock. His residence was mount Ephraim, in a city called Ramathaim-Zophim, from two eminences on which it was built, or from watch-towers, which were on them.

2. He was the son of pious parents. His father Elkanah, signifying God hath possessed, a Levite, went up annually to sacrifice at Shiloh with his family, unto the Lord of Sabbath, or hosts, (which title of God here first occurs) a rare instance of adherence to God, when Israel in general had apostatized from him; and tho’ offended with the immoralities of the priests Hophni and Phinehas, did not therefore withdraw himself from the worship of the tabernacle. Note, (1.) It is among the greatest blessings, to be the child of pious parents. (2.) The more others turn away from God, the closer should we cleave to him. (3.) We need not scruple to receive the Sacraments from the hands of a minister, justly scandalous by his immorality, seeing the validity of them depends on God’s institution, not man’s misinformation.

3. Notice is taken of Elkanah’s two wives; one ought to have sufficed him. Probably as he had no children by the first, he was tempted to take a second; but tho’ he got his wife on one hand,

Before Christ hand, his comfort was greatly embitter’d on the other, in the

contests and vexations occasioned between Hannah and Peninnah. Hannah signifies beautiful, and had engaged Elkanah’s best affections; Peninnah, a diamond; she enriched his family with children, but was rough and sharp in her temper. She could not bear Elkanah’s partiality to her rival, and therefore took every occasion to provoke and exasperate her. Note, (1.) When we dug out of the way of God’s providence and law, to gather worldly comforts, we shall find the sweet unexpected embittered with gall. (2.) Iulans, they cannot take a royal, let it admonish us to keep our hearts single for God. 4. The quarrel breaks our between the two wives, even before the Lord in Shiloh: for what place so sacred as to exclude the intrusion of human corruption! Peninnah, envious of Hannah’s interest in her husband, upbraids her with her barrenness, seeking maliciously to destroy her comfort, if she cannot engage his regard. And this she did as each returning itself, when the appearance of Elkanah’s partial love to Hannah routed her jealously and refutement. Hannah, unable to bear the aggravating taunts, and afflicted beyond the nature and of her badness, too easily gratified her rival’s malice, by the sensibility she expressed as her reproaches. Meltoncholy and discontented, she would not eat, and did nothing but weep, instead of rejoicing before the Lord, and counting herself happy in the blessing of her husband’s affection. Note, (1.) A mullabous fatwa, like the devil, takes delight in the miteries others suffer by its means. (2.) Those who are of a fretful temper, lay themselves open to continual uneasiness. (3.) Most of our miteries we make ourselves by our unthankfulness: did we weigh our mercies, we should be ashamed to complain. (4.) When we are most defirous to serve God, perhaps on our knees before him, Satan will be especially busy to discompote and ruffle our faults. 5. Elkanah by every kind endearment seeks to soothe the forrows of her heart. His love to her was not at all affected by her barrenness. He carves the nicest part at the fetted board, to testify his fond regard, and with soft tenderness gently chides the unselfish he with grief behold. Why weeped thou? Why eateth thou not thele offering of peace with a grateful heart to the God of thy mercies? Is not my love better to thee than ten sons? Note, (1.) Love hides all blamishen, and sees no faults. (2.) As barrenness is from God, it all becomes us to quarrel with him; and it were cruel in a husband to add affliction to the afflicted. (3.) We cannot see those we love weeping, without feeling for them the tenderest distress, and eagerly longing to relieve them. (4.) Many of our forrows are of our own making. It were well if we asked ourselves often, Why weeped thou? (5.) That forrow is to be condemned as sinful, that unites us for, or diverts us from, the worship of God. (6.) Religion and reason will afford us a cure for all our distresses: if we possess the one, and unwork the other might, we shall soon dry up our tears. 1. Sam. vii. 2. Heb. Bl. 4. Cor. viii. xx. 7. Num. xxx. 8. Berief. v. 4. 9. Num. vi. 10. Judg. xiii. 5. Heb. Mal- 4. Iulans to 5. Read. xiv. 6. Heb. ii. 7. Rom. xii. 8. Acts vi. v. 9. Cor. xii. p. 10. Prov. xv. 11. 11. Cf. Iul. 2. 12. Iul. 3. 13. Overt. xiii. 14. Overt. xiii. 15. Kings v. 16. 17. Berief. ix. 18. Rom. xv. 19. 9. ¶ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk: (now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD). 10. And she was not a bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 11. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no rezor come upon his head. 12. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. 13. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 15. And Hannah answered and said: No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. 16. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. 17. Then Eli answered and said, ‘Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. 18. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

1 Samuel 1:9-18

Hannah received the kind reproof, and proffered by it. 1. She accompanied him to the table, and perhaps eat and drunk a little with them, though not of wine or strong drink. 2. She took the first opportunity to retire, to pour out her complaints into the bosom of a compassionate God. She felt a bitterness which only he could remove, and mingles her tears with her prayers in the fervor of her devotion. Her petition was, that God would grant her a son, which, if bestowed, she vowed to dedicate as a Nazarite to God from the womb. Note, (1.) No relief like prayer for an afflicted soul. (2.) The tears we shed upon our knees are those flitting God past in his battle, and which this Father of Mertzes will wipe away by an answer of peace to the burdened soul. 3. Eli, she had a priest, who has at the gate of the court of the penitentiary, were called the temple, observing her moving her life, but not hearing her voice, (for her prayer was mental, and in silent requests the Lord who her heart, read her important defies) hastily concludes her drunken, and gives her a sharp rebuke for her supposed impiety. Note, (1.) Hath fudgloons and rafts renforce are very foolish. (2.) The prayer of the heart is that which God chiefly regards, and without words he can read our defies. (3.) It is no new thing to have God’s praying people abused as hypocrites. 4. Hannah’s answer is an unselfish and trembling as Eli’s charge was duly and conspicuous. Far from being provoked at an accultation so contrary to the truth, she with reverence addresses him, My lord, and meeky explains the true cause of her hehaviour. She begs him not to have so ill an opinion of her, as to think her such a daughter of Belial. It was not wine, but the bakerness of her affliction, that made her appear discomposed and disordered. Her cry was internal to the God of mercy, and her lips moved not to folly, but to prayer. Note, (1.) Every drunkard is a child of Belial, but a drunken woman doubly infamous. (2.) When unjustly confessed, let us never return railing for railing. (3.) We do well to explain the motives of our conduct, to remove those prejudices of our brethren, which might be entertained against us, however unjustly. 5. Eli readily receives her plea, rejoices in her vindication, is sorry for his own raftness, and makes her amends by the beneduction he bestows, and his earnestly seconding her prayers, by his hopelessness to God to her behalf for an answer of peace. Note, (1.) We should be pleased to find ourselves mistaken in our misapprehension of our brethren, and endeavour to repair the error immediately. (2.) A good man’s benediction and prayers are valuable blessings. 6. Hannah having now still her care upon God, parts of her forrow, and regains a peaceful mind, departing in faith that the Lord had heard, and would answer the voice of her homely petitions. Note, The prayer of faith can cheer the linking heart, and smooth the discomposed countenance of the afflicted. 19. ¶ And they rose up in the morning early, and ‘worthsipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20. Wherefore it came to pass when the time was come about, after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. 21. And the man Elkanah, and all his house went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 22. But ‘Hannah went not up, for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. 23. And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what sheweth thee good, tarry until thou have weaned him, only the LORD establish his word: so the woman abode, and gave her son’ sick until she weaned him. 24. ¶ And when she had weaned him, ‘she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and ‘she child was young. 25. And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 26. And she said, O my lord, ‘as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here,’ praying unto the LORD. 27. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28. Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD as long as he liveth, he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

1 Samuel 1:19-28

The days of the solemn feast being accomplished, we have, 1. The return of Elkanah and his family, after having risen up early to worship God, before they proceeded on their journey. Note, (1.) Early devotions promise a happy day. (2.) However urgent our journey, we shall lose nothing by taking God’s blessing along with us before we set off. 2. Hannah

2. Hannah becomes a joyful mother. God answers her according to her prayers, and she acknowledges the mercy in the name she gives her son, Samuel, as asked of the Lord. Note, God’s mercies deserve to be kept in everlasting remembrance.

3. The care she took in nursing the infant. She was not unnatural, as some mothers, to deny their breaths to the fruit of their woods, but suckled him herself; and when Eleanah went up to sacrifice to the Lord, as usual, and pay his row, made perhaps on the birth of his son, she excused herself from giving till she had weaned the child, that he might, according to his dedication, minister before the Lord, and return to his father’s house no more. In this Eleanah acquiesce, begging the Lord to establish his word, that he might live, and, as was proposed, serve him continually in his tabernacle. Note, (1.) When we have a lawful let from the house of God, such as suckling an infant, we may look up with comfort to him over the cradle, and expect God’s blessing and patience there. (2.) The bell improvement of our mercies received from God is to devote them to God.

4. When the child is weaned, as it is generally thought at three years old, Hannah performs her vows, goes up with her son, and takes along with her sacrifices and offerings, as grateful acknowledgments of the mercy God had bestowed. Presenting him to Eli, she reminds him of what had passed, and surrenders up the precious gift to the perpetual service of the God that gave him, then offers her sacrifice, and rejoices before the Lord. Note, (1.) Though we may have just reason to delay, yet must we in their season pay our vows. (2.) They who are surrendered up to God, must henceforth regard themselves no longer as their own, but his for ever.

5. Samuel was early taught: no sooner learned to life, than prayer was the language. Though a child, he worshipped before the Lord. Note, (1.) Children should early be taught the way to a throne of grace. (2.) The minds of little ones are very early susceptible of divine impressions.