This verse emphasizes Hannah’s earnest faith, her selfless vow, and God’s attentive response to genuine prayer.
In “She made a vow and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.’” (v.11) Hannah pours out her heart before God at Shiloh, a significant location in the central region of ancient Israel known for housing the tabernacle and serving as the nation’s spiritual center. Hannah lived around the 11th century BC, during the period when judges still governed Israel. In her prayer, she addresses the “LORD of hosts,” recognizing God’s supreme authority over Israel’s armies and all creation. The phrase “look on the affliction of Your maidservant” (v.11) reveals Hannah’s sorrow over her inability to have children. Though she was in anguish, her plea demonstrates profound trust in God’s power to bless her with a son.
Continuing her petition, Hannah promises that if God grants her a son, “then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life” (v.11). This vow indicates her willingness to dedicate her child entirely to God’s service, echoing the concept of a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:2-8), in which an individual is consecrated for a special purpose. Her promise also reflects a heart posture of humility and surrender, aligning herself with other figures in Scripture who faithfully entrusted their deepest desires to God (Luke 1:38). Ultimately, Hannah’s devotion paves the way for the birth of Samuel, who would become a pivotal prophet and Israel’s last judge, bridging the era of the judges to the time of the monarchy and prefiguring the arrival of Jesus centuries later (Matthew 1:1).
Set to dark mode
1 Samuel 1:11 meaning
In “She made a vow and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.’” (v.11) Hannah pours out her heart before God at Shiloh, a significant location in the central region of ancient Israel known for housing the tabernacle and serving as the nation’s spiritual center. Hannah lived around the 11th century BC, during the period when judges still governed Israel. In her prayer, she addresses the “LORD of hosts,” recognizing God’s supreme authority over Israel’s armies and all creation. The phrase “look on the affliction of Your maidservant” (v.11) reveals Hannah’s sorrow over her inability to have children. Though she was in anguish, her plea demonstrates profound trust in God’s power to bless her with a son.
Continuing her petition, Hannah promises that if God grants her a son, “then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life” (v.11). This vow indicates her willingness to dedicate her child entirely to God’s service, echoing the concept of a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:2-8), in which an individual is consecrated for a special purpose. Her promise also reflects a heart posture of humility and surrender, aligning herself with other figures in Scripture who faithfully entrusted their deepest desires to God (Luke 1:38). Ultimately, Hannah’s devotion paves the way for the birth of Samuel, who would become a pivotal prophet and Israel’s last judge, bridging the era of the judges to the time of the monarchy and prefiguring the arrival of Jesus centuries later (Matthew 1:1).