Hannah’s quiet devotion was mistaken for drunkenness, but it became a catalyst for blessing when Eli recognized the sincerity of her heart.
Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.” (1 Samuel 1:14) Eli, the high priest of Israel around 1100 BC, witnessed Hannah praying in great distress and initially mistook her silent, passionate words for drunkenness. This event took place in Shiloh, a central worship site located in the hill country of Ephraim, about twenty miles north of what would later be Jerusalem. Eli’s rebuke reflects his surprise that someone would appear so carried away near the sacred place of the tabernacle, unaware of the grief driving Hannah’s fervent prayer. During this period, Hannah’s longing for a child was urgent, and her whispered pleas—for which her lips moved but made no sound—were mistaken for intoxication.
Here in “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you” (1 Samuel 1:14) we see an illustration that outward appearances may not always match true intentions. Hannah’s heart was poured out before the Lord, reflecting deep faith under crushing sorrow. When Eli discovered her sincerity, he blessed Hannah, paving the way for God to eventually grant her a son. That son became Samuel, the last judge of Israel and the prophet who anointed David as king. After Samuel’s birth, Scripture tells us that Hannah worshiped with gratitude, further demonstrating that the cries of the righteous, though at times misunderstood by others, do not go unheard by the Lord. Later, Samuel would continue to serve God and return to his family home in Ramah, the hometown of his parents Elkanah and Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19).
Eli’s challenge to Hannah can remind believers not to judge others harshly based on limited impressions. The Apostle Paul urges believers to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and the example of Hannah shows how God cherishes authenticity in prayer. Like Hannah, who poured out her soul in faithful dependence, we too can come before the Lord with our deepest troubles (Philippians 4:6-7).
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1 Samuel 1:14 meaning
Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.” (1 Samuel 1:14) Eli, the high priest of Israel around 1100 BC, witnessed Hannah praying in great distress and initially mistook her silent, passionate words for drunkenness. This event took place in Shiloh, a central worship site located in the hill country of Ephraim, about twenty miles north of what would later be Jerusalem. Eli’s rebuke reflects his surprise that someone would appear so carried away near the sacred place of the tabernacle, unaware of the grief driving Hannah’s fervent prayer. During this period, Hannah’s longing for a child was urgent, and her whispered pleas—for which her lips moved but made no sound—were mistaken for intoxication.
Here in “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you” (1 Samuel 1:14) we see an illustration that outward appearances may not always match true intentions. Hannah’s heart was poured out before the Lord, reflecting deep faith under crushing sorrow. When Eli discovered her sincerity, he blessed Hannah, paving the way for God to eventually grant her a son. That son became Samuel, the last judge of Israel and the prophet who anointed David as king. After Samuel’s birth, Scripture tells us that Hannah worshiped with gratitude, further demonstrating that the cries of the righteous, though at times misunderstood by others, do not go unheard by the Lord. Later, Samuel would continue to serve God and return to his family home in Ramah, the hometown of his parents Elkanah and Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19).
Eli’s challenge to Hannah can remind believers not to judge others harshly based on limited impressions. The Apostle Paul urges believers to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and the example of Hannah shows how God cherishes authenticity in prayer. Like Hannah, who poured out her soul in faithful dependence, we too can come before the Lord with our deepest troubles (Philippians 4:6-7).