Hannah’s grief and prayer show that God hears our deepest desires and often uses them to shape His people.
In this passage, we read of Hannah’s deep emotional state: “She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.” (v.10) The term “greatly distressed” underscores the intensity of her sorrow and longing. She occupies a pivotal role in the larger narrative of 1 Samuel, living during the transition period between the judges and the establishment of Israel’s monarchy, roughly in the 11th century BC. Hannah yearned for a child, and the verse highlights the rawness of her heartfelt plea to God.
We also learn that this scene unfolds in Shiloh, an important Israelite city located in the central highlands about 31 miles north of Jerusalem. At the time, the tabernacle was placed in Shiloh, making it a major center for worship and sacrifice. It is here that Hannah takes her burdens straight to the LORD, demonstrating not only her faith but also the cultural practice of seeking God in His designated holy place.
Hannah would go on to become the mother of Samuel, who later judged Israel and anointed her first two kings, Saul and David, around the same 11th century BC timeframe (1 Samuel 16:1 in). Her fervent prayerful response in “She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.” (v.10) anticipates the significant role Samuel himself would play in uniting and guiding Israel under God’s direction, foreshadowing the ways in which humble and earnest devotion can yield monumental outcomes.
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1 Samuel 1:10 meaning
In this passage, we read of Hannah’s deep emotional state: “She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.” (v.10) The term “greatly distressed” underscores the intensity of her sorrow and longing. She occupies a pivotal role in the larger narrative of 1 Samuel, living during the transition period between the judges and the establishment of Israel’s monarchy, roughly in the 11th century BC. Hannah yearned for a child, and the verse highlights the rawness of her heartfelt plea to God.
We also learn that this scene unfolds in Shiloh, an important Israelite city located in the central highlands about 31 miles north of Jerusalem. At the time, the tabernacle was placed in Shiloh, making it a major center for worship and sacrifice. It is here that Hannah takes her burdens straight to the LORD, demonstrating not only her faith but also the cultural practice of seeking God in His designated holy place.
Hannah would go on to become the mother of Samuel, who later judged Israel and anointed her first two kings, Saul and David, around the same 11th century BC timeframe (1 Samuel 16:1 in). Her fervent prayerful response in “She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.” (v.10) anticipates the significant role Samuel himself would play in uniting and guiding Israel under God’s direction, foreshadowing the ways in which humble and earnest devotion can yield monumental outcomes.