King James Version
1 Samuel 1
28 verses with commentary
Hannah's Prayer for a Son
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, 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 Ephrathite:
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KJV Study Commentary
The genealogical introduction establishes Elkanah within the Levitical lineage through Zuph, connecting Samuel's future priestly ministry to legitimate heritage. The Hebrew term 'Ramathaim-zophim' (heights of the watchers) suggests a place of prophetic significance. Elkanah is called an 'Ephrathite' not by tribal descent but by geographical residence in the hill country of Ephraim. This careful at...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(1) **Now there was a certain man.**—Literally, *And there was, &c. *These introductory words do not signify that this history is the continuation of the Book of Judges or of any preceding writing. It is a common historical introductory formula. We find it at the commencement of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Kings, Esther, Ezra, Ezekiel, &c. The circumstances under which this record was probably compile...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**28. Samson called unto the Lord--**His penitent and prayerful spirit seems clearly to indicate that this meditated act was not that of a vindictive suicide, and that he regarded himself as putting forth his strength in his capacity of a public magistrate. He must be considered, in fact, as dying for his country's cause. His death was not designed or sought, except as it might be the inevitable c...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
The introduction of Elkanah's two wives immediately signals domestic tension that drives the narrative. Hannah's name means 'grace' or 'favor,' while Peninnah means 'pearl' or 'coral.' The stark contrast between Peninnah's fertility and Hannah's barrenness echoes earlier matriarchal struggles (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel). In ancient Near Eastern culture, a woman's primary value was measured by her abi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **And he had two wives.**—The primeval Divine ordination, we know, gave its sanction alone to monogamy. The first who seems to have violated God’s original ordinance appears to have been Lamech, of the family of Cain (Genesis 4:19). The practice apparently had become general throughout the East when the Mosaic Law was formulated. In this Divine code it is noticeable that while polygamy is acce...
Read full commentary →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. yearly: Heb. from year to year
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KJV Study Commentary
Elkanah's faithfulness in annual pilgrimage to Shiloh demonstrates covenant fidelity amid spiritual decline. The title 'LORD of hosts' (Yahweh Sabaoth) appears here for the first time in Scripture, emphasizing God's sovereign command over heavenly armies. The ominous mention of Eli's sons Hophni and Phinehas foreshadows coming judgment. Despite the corruption of the priesthood, faithful Israelites...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **Went up out of his city yearly.**—The He brew expression rendered yearly, is found in Exodus 13:10, and there refers to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Passover. There is little doubt but that this great national festival is here referred to. It was the Passover that the whole family were accustomed to keep at the sanctuary of the Eternal. The writer places in strong contrast the piety an...
Read full commentary →And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
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KJV Study Commentary
The distribution of sacrificial portions reveals the communal nature of Israelite worship. Fellowship offerings (shelamim) were shared meals where the worshiper, priests, and family participated together before the LORD. Elkanah's provision for Peninnah and her children followed customary practice, yet his special treatment of Hannah would soon become evident. The sacrificial system pointed forwar...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**31. Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him--**This awful catastrophe seems to have so completely paralyzed the Philistines, that they neither attempted to prevent the removal of Samson's corpse, nor to molest the Israelites for a long time after. Thus the Israelitish hero rendered by his strength and courage signal services t...
Read full commentary →But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. worthy: or, double
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KJV Study Commentary
The Hebrew phrase translated 'worthy portion' is debated; some render it 'double portion' (as given to the firstborn) while others translate it 'one portion only' (emphasizing her solitary, childless state). Either reading underscores Elkanah's love for Hannah despite her barrenness. The crucial theological statement 'the LORD had shut up her womb' affirms divine sovereignty over fertility. God's ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **A worthy portion.**—Literally, *one portion for two persons: i.e., *a double portion. It was an expression of his deep love for her. As Von Gerlach puts it, “Thou art as dear to me as if thou hadst borne me a child.” Some scholars would translate the difficult Hebrew expression here by, “But to Hannah he gave a portion of anger or sadness,” thus intensifying the natural sorrow of Hannah by r...
Read full commentary →And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. provoked: Heb. angered
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KJV Study Commentary
Peninnah's role as Hannah's 'adversary' (Hebrew: tsarah, also meaning 'rival wife') introduces a pattern of provocation. The verb 'provoked' (ka'as) indicates deliberate, repeated irritation designed to cause grief. Her cruelty exploited Hannah's deepest wound and turned joyful worship occasions into times of torment. This domestic persecution mirrors the spiritual opposition believers face from t...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **And her adversary also provoked her sore.**—Jealousy, grief, anger, malice, the many bitter fruits of this way of living, so different to God’s original appointment, here show themselves. The one sin of polygamy poisons the whole home life of the family, in all other respects apparently a quiet, Godfearing, orderly household.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 17 Jud 17:1-4. Micah Restoring the Stolen Money to His Mother, She Makes Images.
**1. a man of mount Ephraim--**that is, the mountainous parts of Ephraim. This and the other narratives that follow form a miscellaneous collection, or appendix to the Book of Judges. It belongs to a period when the Hebrew nation was in a greatly disordered and corrupt state. This episode of Micah is connecte...
Read full commentary →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. when: or, from the time that she, etc: Heb. from her going up
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KJV Study Commentary
The repetitive nature of Peninnah's provocation ('year by year') reveals sustained cruelty rather than isolated incidents. The sacred feast days that should have brought joy became occasions of deepest sorrow for Hannah. Her response of weeping and refusing food indicates profound depression. Yet this annual cycle of suffering prepared Hannah's heart for the prayer that would change Israel's histo...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **And as he did so year by year.**—That is, Elkanah, on the occasion of every yearly visit to the national sanctuary, was in the habit of publicly giving the childless Hannah the double gift, to show his undiminished love; while the happier mother of his children, jealous of her rival, every year chose this solemn occasion of offering thank-offerings before the Tabernacle, especially to taunt ...
Read full commentary →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?
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KJV Study Commentary
Elkanah's questions reveal both genuine concern and incomplete understanding. His threefold inquiry addresses Hannah's tears, loss of appetite, and grieved heart. His final question, 'Am I not better to thee than ten sons?' shows tender affection but misses Hannah's deeper longing. Ten sons represented complete blessing (Ruth 4:15), so Elkanah claims his love should compensate fully. Yet human lov...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Than ten sons.**—Merely a round number to express many. The simple narration evidently came from Hannah, who, no doubt, in after years loved to dwell on her past sorrowful life, contrasted with her present strange blessedness as mother of the Restorer of the people.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3. a graven image and a molten image--**The one carved from a block of wood or stone, to be plated over with silver; the other, a figure formed of the solid metal cast into a mould. It is observable, however, that only two hundred shekels were given to the founder. Probably the expense of making two such figures of silver, with their appurtenances (pedestals, bases, &c.), might easily cost, ...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's rising after the meal demonstrates purposeful action amid her grief. The phrase 'house of the LORD' technically anachronistic (the Temple was not yet built) refers to the Tabernacle complex at Shiloh. Eli's position 'by a post of the temple' (Hebrew: mezuzah, doorpost) indicates his place of authority. The contrast between the aged, stationary priest and the grieving woman who will initia...
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(9) **After they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk.**—This was the solemn sacrificial meal, at which the whole family were present.
**Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat.**—Eli, the high priest of Israel at this time, was a descendant of Ithamar, the younger son of Aaron (see 1Chronicles 24:3, where it is stated that his great-grandson, Ahimelech, was of the sons of Ithamar). The circum...
Read full commentary →And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. in: Heb. bitter of soul
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KJV Study Commentary
The Hebrew expression 'bitterness of soul' (marat nephesh) describes extreme anguish reaching to the core of one's being. Hannah's prayer combined with weeping reveals integrated, whole-person engagement with God. The term 'wept sore' literally means 'weeping, she wept' - an intensive construction emphasizing the depth of her grief. Rather than suppressing her emotions before God, Hannah brought h...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**5. the man Micah had an house of gods--**Hebrew, "a house of God"--a domestic chapel, a private religious establishment of his own.
**an ephod--**(see on Ex 28:6).
**teraphim--**tutelary gods of the household (see Ge 31:19 and see on Ge 31:26).
**consecrated one of his sons who became his priest--**The assumption of the priestly office by any one out of the family of Aaron was a direct vio...
Read full commentary →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 razor come upon his head. a man: Heb. seed of men
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's vow contains several significant elements. She addresses God as 'LORD of hosts,' acknowledging His sovereign power over all creation. Her self-designation as 'handmaid' (amah, female servant) three times emphasizes humble submission. The request for a 'man child' (literally 'seed of men') would provide both personal vindication and national blessing. The Nazirite vow ('no razor upon his h...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(11) **And she vowed a vow.**—The vow of Hannah contained two solemn promises—the one pledged the son she prayed for to the service of the Eternal all the days of his life. The mother looked on to a life-long service in the ritual of the Tabernacle for him, but the Being who heard her prayer destined her son for higher work; in his case the priestly duties were soon merged in the far more responsi...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**6. every man did that which was right in his own eyes--**From want of a settled government, there was no one to call him to account. No punishment followed any crime.
And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. continued: Heb. multiplied to pray
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KJV Study Commentary
The phrase 'continued praying' (Hebrew: hirbetah lehitpallel, literally 'multiplied to pray') indicates extended, persistent intercession. Eli's observation of her mouth shows her intensity, yet also his suspicion. The high priest watched but could not hear - a subtle commentary on his spiritual deafness that would be confirmed by God's message in chapter 3. True prayer often appears strange to th...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7. Beth-lehem-judah--**so called in contradistinction to a town of the same name in Zebulun (Jos 19:15).
**of the family--**that is, tribe.
**of Judah--**Men of the tribe of Levi might connect themselves, as Aaron did (Ex 6:23), by marriage with another tribe; and this young Levite belonged to the tribe of Judah, by his mother's side, which accounts for his being in Beth-lehem, not one of th...
Read full commentary →Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's silent prayer - moving lips without audible voice - was unusual enough that Eli assumed intoxication. The phrase 'spake in her heart' describes internal dialogue directed toward God. This intimate form of prayer bypassed public performance for private communion. The Spirit-inspired narrator validates Hannah's approach, contrasting it with Eli's superficial judgment based on appearances. G...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(13) **Now Hannah, she spake in her heart.**—Eli was watching the worshippers, and, as Bunsen well remarks, was struck with dismay at her silent earnestness, such heartfelt prayer being apparently not usual at that time, and remembering the condition of the moral life in the precincts of the sanctuary over which he ruled with so weak and vacillating a rule, and how sadly frequent were disorders at...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**8. the man departed ... to sojourn where he could find a place--**A competent provision being secured for every member of the Levitical order, his wandering about showed him to have been a person of a roving disposition or unsettled habits. In the course of his journeying he came to the house of Micah, who, on learning what he was, engaged his permanent services.
And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
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KJV Study Commentary
Eli's rebuke reveals his spiritual decline - the high priest of Israel could not distinguish fervent prayer from drunkenness. His demand to 'put away thy wine' shows assumption of the worst without investigation. This failure of spiritual discernment foreshadows the greater failures that brought judgment on his house. The irony is devastating: the one charged with leading Israel's worship could no...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(14) **And Eli said unto her.**—The LXX. or Septuagint attempts to soften the harshness of the high priest to Hannah by inserting before Eli the word “servant,” or “young man,” thus suggesting that the hard, unjust words were spoken by an attendant. But it is clear that the English Version represents the true text here, for in the next verse Hannah replies directly to Eli with the simple words “No...
Read full commentary →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. of a sorrowful: Heb. hard of spirit
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's respectful response ('No, my lord') maintains proper deference despite being falsely accused. Her self-description as 'a woman of sorrowful spirit' uses the Hebrew phrase qeshat ruach (hard/difficult of spirit), indicating severe emotional distress. The denial of intoxicating drink echoes the Nazirite restrictions she would later impose on her son. Her phrase 'poured out my soul' (shaphak...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(15) **NO, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit . . .**—Calvin, quoted by Erdmann, well remarks here:—“Consider the modesty of Hannah, who, though she had received injury from the high priest, yet answers with reverence and humility.”
On these words of Hannah the Talmud says:—“Some think that Hannah spake in the following sense. Thou art neither lord, nor does the Holy Spirit rest upon thee...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**10. Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father--**a spiritual father, to conduct the religious services of my establishment. He was to receive, in addition to his board, a salary of ten shekels of silver, equal to 25 shillings a year.
**a suit of apparel--**not only dress for ordinary use, but vestments suitable for the discharge of his priestly functions.
Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. complaint: or, meditation
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's reference to 'daughter of Belial' uses strong language requiring explanation. Belial (beli-ya'al, worthlessness or wickedness) later becomes a name for Satan in intertestamental literature. Hannah essentially asks Eli not to count her among worthless, wicked people. Her explanation attributes her unusual prayer to 'abundance of complaint and grief' rather than wine. The Hebrew words (siac...
Read full commentary →Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
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KJV Study Commentary
Eli's response shifts dramatically from rebuke to blessing. His words 'Go in peace' invoke the fullness of Hebrew shalom - not merely absence of conflict but complete well-being. His petition that 'the God of Israel grant thy petition' acknowledges that only God can fulfill her request. Ironically, Eli pronounces blessing on the prayer he neither heard nor understood. Despite his failures, Eli rem...
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(17) **The God of Israel grant thee thy petition.**—The character of Eli is a deeply interesting one. Weak and over-indulgent to his headstrong, wicked sons, probably too self-indulgent, and a lover of ease, yet in the brief record we possess we catch eight of not a few noble thoughts and wishes: flashes of true nobility, real generosity and self-forgetfulness, of intense, devoted patriotism, ligh...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12. Micah consecrated the Levite--**Hebrew, "filled his hand." This act of consecration was not less unlawful for Micah to perform than for this Levite to receive (see on Jud 18:30).
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.
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's request to 'find grace' (matzah chen) in Eli's sight confirms her acceptance of his priestly authority despite his initial error. Her immediate transformation - resuming eating with changed countenance - demonstrates the power of Spirit-given assurance. She had not yet received her request but acted as though it were already granted. This faith-response anticipates the New Testament teach...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(18) **Let thine handmaid find grace.**—In other words, Hannah’s reply to his loving farewell asked the old man to think kindly of her, and to pray for her with his mighty power of prayer.
**Did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.**—A beautiful example of the composing influence of prayer. “Hannah had cast her burden upon the Lord, and so her own spirit was relieved of its load. She now retu...
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**13. Now know I that the Lord will do me good--**The removal of his son, followed by the installation of this Levite into the priestly office, seems to have satisfied his conscience, that by what he deemed the orderly ministrations of religion he would prosper. This expression of his hope evinces the united influence of ignorance and superstition.
And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
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KJV Study Commentary
The family's early morning worship before departure demonstrates prioritized devotion. The verb 'remembered' (zakar) when applied to God indicates more than mental recollection - it means God turned His attention to act on Hannah's behalf. This divine remembering echoes Genesis 30:22 (Rachel) and anticipates God's remembering His covenant throughout Scripture. The phrase 'Elkanah knew Hannah his w...
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(19) **And they rose up.**—Another notice of the pious customs of the house of Elkanah. This is a striking picture of one of the many holy homes in Israel, even in the wild, disorderly days of the Judges, and of the deep degradation of the priests of the sanctuary.
“The house at Ramah,” the usual short name by which the city, “The Ramahs of the Watchers,” *Ramathaim-zophim, *was known.
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. when: Heb. in revolution of days Samuel: that is, Asked of God
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KJV Study Commentary
The phrase 'when the time was come about' (literally 'at the revolution of days') indicates the full term of pregnancy. Hannah names her son 'Samuel' (shemu'el), which she interprets as 'asked of God' (sha'ul me'el). Some scholars note the name more naturally means 'heard of God' or 'name of God,' while sha'ul (asked) becomes the name of Israel's first king (Saul). This wordplay connects Samuel an...
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(20) **And called his name Samuel**.—The words translated “because I have asked him of the Lord,” do not explain the meaning of the name “Samuel·” they simply give the reason for his mother so calling him. The name Sh’muel (Samuel) is formed from the Hebrew words *Sh’mua El *(*a Deo exauditus*)*, *“heard of God.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 18 Jud 18:1-26. The Danites Seek Out an Inheritance.
**1-6. In those days ... the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in--**The Danites had a territory assigned them as well as the other tribes. But either through indolence, or a lack of energy, they did not acquire the full possession of their allotment, but suffered a considerable portion of it to be wrested out of their hands b...
Read full commentary →Samuel's Birth and Dedication
And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
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KJV Study Commentary
Elkanah's continuation of annual pilgrimage demonstrates unchanged faithful practice. The reference to 'his vow' indicates he had joined Hannah's commitment, showing marital unity in spiritual matters. The household's collective worship ('all his house') models family religion centered on covenant obligations. Yet the focus shifts to Hannah's exceptional commitment - she will not merely visit Shil...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(21) **And his vow.**—Elkanah too had vowed a vow unto the Lord, in case his wife Hannah should have a son. It has been remarked that vows are characteristic of that particular age of the Judges; for instance, we have detailed accounts of Samson and Jephthan’s vows, the oath in the Benjamite vow, &c.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 18 Jud 18:1-26. The Danites Seek Out an Inheritance.
**1-6. In those days ... the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in--**The Danites had a territory assigned them as well as the other tribes. But either through indolence, or a lack of energy, they did not acquire the full possession of their allotment, but suffered a considerable portion of it to be wrested out of their hands b...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's decision to wait until weaning before presenting Samuel shows practical wisdom within spiritual commitment. Her statement 'I will not go up until the child be weaned' reveals intentional preparation for permanent separation. The phrase 'that he may appear before the LORD' uses language elsewhere applied to covenant assemblies (Exodus 23:17; 34:23). Her declaration 'there abide for ever' (...
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(22) **Until the child be weaned.**—Weaning, we know, took place very late among the Hebrews. From 2 Maccabees 7:27, it appears that Hebrew mothers were in the habit of suckling their children for three years. The mother proposed, when the weaning had taken place, to leave her son as a servant of the sanctuary, there to remain all his life.
On the late period of weaning among the Oriental nations,...
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CHAPTER 18 Jud 18:1-26. The Danites Seek Out an Inheritance.
**1-6. In those days ... the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in--**The Danites had a territory assigned them as well as the other tribes. But either through indolence, or a lack of energy, they did not acquire the full possession of their allotment, but suffered a considerable portion of it to be wrested out of their hands b...
Read full commentary →And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
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KJV Study Commentary
Elkanah's response demonstrates supportive headship that honors his wife's spiritual convictions. His words 'Do what seemeth thee good' affirm Hannah's judgment while maintaining family order. The phrase 'only the LORD establish his word' invokes divine faithfulness to accomplish what has been promised. The term 'his word' (devaro) may refer to either the prophetic word spoken through Eli or the b...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(23) **Only the Lord establish his word.**—No special word or promise of the Eternal in the case of the infant Samuel is recorded in this history; but there was an ancient Rabbinical tradition that a direct revelation respecting the future destiny of Samuel was made. “The Bath-kol (Daughter of the Voice) went forth, saying, There shall arise a just one, whose name shall be Samuel. Then every mothe...
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CHAPTER 18 Jud 18:1-26. The Danites Seek Out an Inheritance.
**1-6. In those days ... the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in--**The Danites had a territory assigned them as well as the other tribes. But either through indolence, or a lack of energy, they did not acquire the full possession of their allotment, but suffered a considerable portion of it to be wrested out of their hands b...
Read full commentary →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 the child was young.
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's offerings accompany Samuel's dedication - three bulls (or one three-year-old bull, depending on textual reading), an ephah of flour (about 22 liters), and a skin of wine. These lavish gifts indicate both gratitude and proper preparation for the child's sanctuary life. The phrase 'the child was young' (literally 'the boy was a boy') emphasizes his tender age, intensifying the magnitude of ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(24, 25) **With three bullocks . . . And they slew a bullock.**—There at first sight seems a discrepancy here, and the LXX. translators seem to have felt it, for they read, instead of “three bullocks,” “a bullock of three years old.” The true explanation, however, is that the one bullock alluded to in 1Samuel 1:25 was the burnt offering by which the child was consecrated to the Lord. The other two...
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CHAPTER 18 Jud 18:1-26. The Danites Seek Out an Inheritance.
**1-6. In those days ... the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in--**The Danites had a territory assigned them as well as the other tribes. But either through indolence, or a lack of energy, they did not acquire the full possession of their allotment, but suffered a considerable portion of it to be wrested out of their hands b...
Read full commentary →And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
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KJV Study Commentary
The slaying of the bull(s) begins the formal sacrificial ritual that accompanies Samuel's dedication. The phrase 'brought the child to Eli' marks the official transfer - the very priest who had misjudged Hannah's prayer now receives her promised son. The sacrifice provides context for the dedication: blood must be shed, life must be given, atonement must be made. Samuel's life of service is founde...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 18 Jud 18:1-26. The Danites Seek Out an Inheritance.
**1-6. In those days ... the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in--**The Danites had a territory assigned them as well as the other tribes. But either through indolence, or a lack of energy, they did not acquire the full possession of their allotment, but suffered a considerable portion of it to be wrested out of their hands b...
Read full commentary →And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's self-identification connects directly to her previous encounter with Eli. Her oath formula 'as thy soul liveth' solemnly affirms the truth of her statement. By reminding Eli she was 'the woman that stood by thee here, praying,' she links past petition to present fulfillment. The participle 'praying' (mitpallelet) is the same form used in verse 12, creating verbal continuity. Hannah's test...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(26) **O my lord, as thy soul liveth.**—“This oath is peculiar to the Books of Samuel, in which it occurs six times, and to the Books of Kings, in which, however, it is found only once. The similar oath, *as Pharaoh liveth *(by the life of Pharaoh), occurs in Genesis 42:15; and *as the Lord liveth *is found almost exclusively in the books of which Judges is the first and 2 Kings the last, being es...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-10. the five men departed, and came to Laish--**or, "Leshem" (Jos 19:47), supposed to have been peopled by a colony of Zidonians. The place was very secluded--the soil rich in the abundance and variety of its produce, and the inhabitants, following the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, lived in their fertile and sequestered valley, according to the Zidonian style of ease and security, happy am...
Read full commentary →For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
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KJV Study Commentary
Hannah's declaration 'For this child I prayed' is emphatic in Hebrew - literally 'unto this child I prayed.' Her testimony explicitly connects specific prayer with specific answer. The phrase 'the LORD hath given me my petition' (sh'elati) uses the same root as Samuel's name, reinforcing the naming explanation from verse 20. Hannah models testimony that glorifies God rather than self - she prayed,...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-10. the five men departed, and came to Laish--**or, "Leshem" (Jos 19:47), supposed to have been peopled by a colony of Zidonians. The place was very secluded--the soil rich in the abundance and variety of its produce, and the inhabitants, following the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, lived in their fertile and sequestered valley, according to the Zidonian style of ease and security, happy am...
Read full commentary →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. lent him: or, returned him, whom I have obtained by petition he shall: or, he whom I have obtained by petition shall be returned
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KJV Study Commentary
The Hebrew verb sha'al (to ask/lend/dedicate) appears three times in this verse, creating profound wordplay. Hannah 'asked' for Samuel; now she 'lends' him to the LORD who will 'ask' for his service all his days. The term can mean either lending or dedicating - Hannah gives back what was always God's, recognizing that Samuel belonged to the LORD before he belonged to her. The closing phrase 'he wo...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(28) **I have lent him to the Lord.**—The rendering of the Hebrew here, “I have lent,” and in Exodus 12:36, is false. The translation should run: *“*Therefore I also make him one asked of the Lord; all the days that he liveth he is asked of the Lord.” The sense is: “The Lord gave him to me, and now I have returned him whom I obtained by prayer to the Lord, as one asked or demanded.”
**And he worsh...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-10. the five men departed, and came to Laish--**or, "Leshem" (Jos 19:47), supposed to have been peopled by a colony of Zidonians. The place was very secluded--the soil rich in the abundance and variety of its produce, and the inhabitants, following the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, lived in their fertile and sequestered valley, according to the Zidonian style of ease and security, happy am...
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