She experienced a misunderstood sorrow yet demonstrated a faithful heart.
But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.” (1 Samuel 1:15)
Hannah was praying in the tabernacle at Shiloh, an Israelite worship center located in the territory of Ephraim after the conquest of the Promised Land (Joshua 18:1), north of Jerusalem. The tabernacle had been erected there to house the Ark of the Covenant and serve as a focal point for sacrifices and offerings. Around 1100 BC, Hannah, who lived during the final period of the judges, laid her heart before the LORD in Shiloh as she struggled with childlessness (1 Samuel 1:3). In this passage, the priest Eli initially thought Hannah was drunk (1 Samuel 1:14), because she was so engrossed in silent, fervent prayer that her lips moved but no sound came out. Confronting her with this mistaken assumption, Hannah clarifies her sober state, explaining that her perspective was one of deep sorrow and absolute dependence upon the LORD.
The words “I have poured out my soul before the LORD” show Hannah’s heartfelt supplication, an earnest outpouring of her concerns and hopes, akin to believers throughout history who have unburdened their emotions in prayer (Numbers 11:10-15, Psalm 13, Jeremiah 12:1-6, Daniel 9:3-4). This act of pouring out one’s heart indicates raw honesty and humble dependence on God’s care and compassion. Her demeanor establishes a picture of authentic worship—she entrusts her pain and desires to the One who can truly help. Hannah’s faith and vulnerability offer a preview of the kind of boldness encouraged in the New Testament, where believers are called to bring their burdens before God through Christ (1 Peter 5:7).
By clarifying that she “drank neither wine nor strong drink,” Hannah reveals her complete sincerity, explaining that her tearful prayers stemmed from desperation rather than intoxication. Her childlike honesty before God anticipates the prayerful posture that Jesus later commends in the Gospels (Matthew 19:14). As the story continues, Hannah’s earnest supplication and vow become a crucial turning point in Israel’s history: she dedicates her future son, Samuel, to the LORD’s service (1 Samuel 1:9-11), leading to Samuel’s role as a pivotal prophet and judge who later anointed Israel’s first kings, Saul and David (1 Samuel 9:15-17; 16:12-13).
She was neither inebriated nor at fault; rather, she was a devoted worshiper honestly placing her distress in God’s hands.
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1 Samuel 1:15 meaning
But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.” (1 Samuel 1:15)
Hannah was praying in the tabernacle at Shiloh, an Israelite worship center located in the territory of Ephraim after the conquest of the Promised Land (Joshua 18:1), north of Jerusalem. The tabernacle had been erected there to house the Ark of the Covenant and serve as a focal point for sacrifices and offerings. Around 1100 BC, Hannah, who lived during the final period of the judges, laid her heart before the LORD in Shiloh as she struggled with childlessness (1 Samuel 1:3). In this passage, the priest Eli initially thought Hannah was drunk (1 Samuel 1:14), because she was so engrossed in silent, fervent prayer that her lips moved but no sound came out. Confronting her with this mistaken assumption, Hannah clarifies her sober state, explaining that her perspective was one of deep sorrow and absolute dependence upon the LORD.
The words “I have poured out my soul before the LORD” show Hannah’s heartfelt supplication, an earnest outpouring of her concerns and hopes, akin to believers throughout history who have unburdened their emotions in prayer (Numbers 11:10-15, Psalm 13, Jeremiah 12:1-6, Daniel 9:3-4). This act of pouring out one’s heart indicates raw honesty and humble dependence on God’s care and compassion. Her demeanor establishes a picture of authentic worship—she entrusts her pain and desires to the One who can truly help. Hannah’s faith and vulnerability offer a preview of the kind of boldness encouraged in the New Testament, where believers are called to bring their burdens before God through Christ (1 Peter 5:7).
By clarifying that she “drank neither wine nor strong drink,” Hannah reveals her complete sincerity, explaining that her tearful prayers stemmed from desperation rather than intoxication. Her childlike honesty before God anticipates the prayerful posture that Jesus later commends in the Gospels (Matthew 19:14). As the story continues, Hannah’s earnest supplication and vow become a crucial turning point in Israel’s history: she dedicates her future son, Samuel, to the LORD’s service (1 Samuel 1:9-11), leading to Samuel’s role as a pivotal prophet and judge who later anointed Israel’s first kings, Saul and David (1 Samuel 9:15-17; 16:12-13).
She was neither inebriated nor at fault; rather, she was a devoted worshiper honestly placing her distress in God’s hands.