Scripture : I Samuel 1:1-2:19
Hannah - Name means "Graciousness or Favor"
Hannah was a wife of Elkanah. She shared this position with another woman, Penninah. Hannah was barren and unable to bare a child for him. As is today, this was a very emotional circumstance. It was difficult to know that she could not provide him a son, and that society then saw this as not being a "whole woman". Even when Elkanah tried to assure her that he loved her, it was of little comfort. On their journey to the tabernacle, Elkannah gave his portions to Penninah and his sons, but a greater portion to Hannah. Penninah provoked Hannah since she could not have a child, and this gave her great sorrow.
At their journey to the tabernacle in Shiloh, Hannah wept and prayed earnestly at the door. Her lips moved without making a sound. She cried out from her heart "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 razor come upon his head." Eli, the high priest saw this and though that she had been drinking. Hannah replied that this was not true. She was a woman full of sorrow speaking to the Lord. Eli replied, "Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him." Elkanah and Hannah returned home and she did conceive a son. They named him Samuel.
Since she had dedicated Samuel to the Lord, she took him to live with Eli at the temple when he was weened. Her son would later become Israel's first judge and prophet and priest. He would later annoint Saul and David as kings. Each year Hannah visited Samuel and brought him a robe. Eli prayed blessings for Elkanah. Hannah was later blessed with three sons and two daughters, as she had kept her promise to the Lord.
Tomorrow.......how this story relates to us in prayer and our relationship with our children.
Blessings,
Shannon
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