I want to welcome you to another segment of the Women in the Bible series. This week, we will study the women we find in 1 and 2 Samuel. Samuel is the last judge and representative in the times of the 12 tribes. Each tribe is guided by the judge they believed was the best. However, the history of Samuel not only signifies an ending of the judges, but the beginning of the great prophets of Israel and the election of the first kings, Saul and David, providing a passageway to the monarchy.

Samuel is a very important character in the history of Israel. The first two chapters of 1 Samuel talk of his childhood and that he began studying from his mother, Hannah.

If we look in the first chapter, focusing on the passage from a women’s perspective, it seems a difficult life for Hannah. She was one of two spouses to a man named Elkanah who was a Zuphite, living in the mountains of Ephraim. In these times, it was permitted to have more than one wife. Generally the kings and princes were the ones who could have many wives, but those in the middle class could only have one or two. The fact that Elkanah had two wives proves that he had a certain economic position in order to maintain two families.

The name of the first wife was Peninnah and Hannah is the second. It says that Penninah had children, but Hannah wasn’t able to. Generally in the Bible, we observe that when a woman is sterile and God allows her to have kids, it’s because this child will play an important role in Israel’s history. Elkanah was a pious man, according to the religious standards of that time. Each year, we went to offer a sacrifice to the Lord in Shiloh. When Penninah went to praise the Lord, he gave her a portion of meet to complete the sacrifices and she shared it with her children. To Hannah, he gave a hidden portion of meat, because she was sterile.

“But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb” (v. 5). Elkanah loved Hannah, even though God had not allowed her to have kids. Her rival Penninah began to bother her and she became sad, because God had not allowed her to have children. The Bible doesn’t say or imply that Hannah wanted vengeance, but it does say that she was so sad she cried and stopped eating.

Elkanah became mad and asked her, “why are you weeping? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” (v. 8) It’s true that the love a spouse is tremendous, but she always lacked the love of a child. Hannah wanted the privilege of being a mother.

The Bible says she prayed and cried unconsolably, including promising the Lord that if she conceived a child, she would dedicate him to God all the days of his life. She would never cut his hair. Let’s remember that these people are from the tribe of Nazarene. They didn’t their hair, because they were consecrated to the Lord. Remember Samson?

While she cried, the priest Eli thought that she was drunk. There wasn’t even sound coming from her lips. Eli went to ask her how long she had been drinking. “‘Not so, my lord,’ Hannah replied. ‘I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord'” (v. 15). What a way of praying! Eli understood she was asking for something with her heart, and responded, “may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him” (v. 17).

It says that Hannah then went on her way. She could eat without feeling sad. She felt strengthened for having prayed and shared her soul before God. What Eli the priest had said also encouraged her.

God remembered her and Hannah was able to give birth. She named her son Samuel, “because I asked the Lord for him” (v. 20). We observe that Hannah was a woman of prayer with a lot of faith and who lived the Word.

One year after her child was born, she brought him to the Lord’s house in Shiloh with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine. She brought these sacrifices to the priest Eli and told him, “I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So no I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord” (v. 26-28). Samuel stayed to serve in the temple, and year after year, Hannah came to the temple to make her sacrifices, bring a tunic she sewed for Samuel, and to see how her son was doing in the temple.

Chapter 2 verse 21 says that God visited Hannah and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Hannah was blessed because she dedicated her firstborn to the Lord.

The young man, Samuel, grew before the Lord. In the first verse of chapter 2, we read Hannah’s song. This hymn was offered to God in gratitude because she was able to have children. It seems similar to the prayer of Mary. “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance”.

Hannah continued praising the Lord, giving glory to Him. “The Lord is a God who knows, and by Him deeds are weighed. The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away. The Lord brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. For the foundations for the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world” (v. 3-9).

We learn so much from Hannah. Through tribulation caused by the other wife, she never responded or retaliated. She didn’t get mad with her, but rather kept all of her sadness and dedicated it in prayer. Hannah later completed her vow to the Lord. She was a mother who was waiting for her son, while continuing to be a good wife, all the while giving the honor and glory to God.

After this, we don’t read any more of Hannah. Samuel’s story is the one that continues. She stays immortalized through the story of Samuel. I hope we can also be women of prayer and faith.

Thank you, brothers and sisters, and may God bless you. We hope you join us for another installment of Women in the Bible.