Elkanah’s steadfast example inspires believers to honor their promises to the Lord.
Elkanah’s ongoing commitment to worship is highlighted when we read, “Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow” (v.21). By traveling to Shiloh, Israel’s central place of worship during this period, Elkanah demonstrates a steadfast dedication to the covenant relationship between God and the people of Israel. Shiloh was located in the hill country of Ephraim, approximately twenty miles north of Jerusalem, and it housed the Tabernacle where sacrifices were regularly offered. Around the 11th century BC, Elkanah’s family lived in the era of the judges, a time characterized by social and spiritual fluctuations among the Israelites.
By fulfilling his obligations to “offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow” (v.21), Elkanah demonstrates personal integrity and a willingness to honor promises made before God. Elkanah is a central figure in this story as the father of Samuel, who would later serve as a pivotal prophet and leader in Israel. In a historical context, Elkanah’s commitment provides an example of the reverence given to sacrificial worship and the seriousness with which Israelites approached vows. Jesus also highlights the importance of being faithful to one’s word and not making careless oaths in the New Testament (Matthew 5:33-37).
Furthermore, Elkanah’s willingness to go “with all his household” (v.21) underscores the shared religious devotion within his family, continuing the biblical pattern of household faithfulness first modeled by figures like Abraham. Bringing everyone along indicates a corporate sense of worship that foreshadows New Testament teachings about the entire body of believers coming together to honor God (Romans 12:4-5). Elkanah’s dedication to regular, heartfelt worship mirrors how followers of Christ are invited into a continual relationship with the Lord, fulfilling their vows and commitments through a life of obedience.
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1 Samuel 1:21 meaning
Elkanah’s ongoing commitment to worship is highlighted when we read, “Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow” (v.21). By traveling to Shiloh, Israel’s central place of worship during this period, Elkanah demonstrates a steadfast dedication to the covenant relationship between God and the people of Israel. Shiloh was located in the hill country of Ephraim, approximately twenty miles north of Jerusalem, and it housed the Tabernacle where sacrifices were regularly offered. Around the 11th century BC, Elkanah’s family lived in the era of the judges, a time characterized by social and spiritual fluctuations among the Israelites.
By fulfilling his obligations to “offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow” (v.21), Elkanah demonstrates personal integrity and a willingness to honor promises made before God. Elkanah is a central figure in this story as the father of Samuel, who would later serve as a pivotal prophet and leader in Israel. In a historical context, Elkanah’s commitment provides an example of the reverence given to sacrificial worship and the seriousness with which Israelites approached vows. Jesus also highlights the importance of being faithful to one’s word and not making careless oaths in the New Testament (Matthew 5:33-37).
Furthermore, Elkanah’s willingness to go “with all his household” (v.21) underscores the shared religious devotion within his family, continuing the biblical pattern of household faithfulness first modeled by figures like Abraham. Bringing everyone along indicates a corporate sense of worship that foreshadows New Testament teachings about the entire body of believers coming together to honor God (Romans 12:4-5). Elkanah’s dedication to regular, heartfelt worship mirrors how followers of Christ are invited into a continual relationship with the Lord, fulfilling their vows and commitments through a life of obedience.