Hannah’s perseverance and Elkanah’s compassion remind us that God’s purposes prevail, even amid disappointment.
Elkanah, a man from the hill country of Ephraim, lived during the time of the judges, approximately around 1100 BC, a tumultuous period when Israel had no centralized monarchy (Judges 21:25). Every year, he would travel with his family to worship and sacrifice to the LORD at Shiloh. Scripture highlights his special affection for his wife Hannah, explaining, “But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had closed her womb.” (v.5) This act of giving Hannah extra food at the sacrificial feast was a tangible way to display his deep compassion and favor toward her, even though she had no children. In the culture of ancient Israel, childlessness was often regarded as a severe misfortune, compounding Hannah’s distress.
The phrase “but the LORD had closed her womb” underscores that God was sovereign over Hannah’s situation, though His reasons were hidden from her at the time. In her anguish, Hannah later made a vow to God, asking Him to remember her and give her a son, determined to dedicate him to lifelong service if her prayer was granted. References to this vow appear elsewhere, showing that making vows in times of affliction was a common response of faith and desperation in Israel. Hannah’s deep sorrow, however, did not diminish Elkanah’s love for her; his “double portion” was a silent testimony that her worth was not defined by her ability to conceive.
Hannah’s story foreshadows key themes throughout Scripture: God’s attention to the humble, His power to affect the impossible, and His overarching design to work blessing out of barrenness (Luke 1:24-25). Through the pain eventually came hope, as Hannah’s faithful petition would lead to the birth of Samuel, the prophet who would help guide Israel from the period of the judges to the rise of the monarchy (1 Samuel 1:20). Though her womb was closed, the steadfast love she received and the trust she maintained in God set the stage for a dramatic display of divine intervention.
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1 Samuel 1:5 meaning
Elkanah, a man from the hill country of Ephraim, lived during the time of the judges, approximately around 1100 BC, a tumultuous period when Israel had no centralized monarchy (Judges 21:25). Every year, he would travel with his family to worship and sacrifice to the LORD at Shiloh. Scripture highlights his special affection for his wife Hannah, explaining, “But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had closed her womb.” (v.5) This act of giving Hannah extra food at the sacrificial feast was a tangible way to display his deep compassion and favor toward her, even though she had no children. In the culture of ancient Israel, childlessness was often regarded as a severe misfortune, compounding Hannah’s distress.
The phrase “but the LORD had closed her womb” underscores that God was sovereign over Hannah’s situation, though His reasons were hidden from her at the time. In her anguish, Hannah later made a vow to God, asking Him to remember her and give her a son, determined to dedicate him to lifelong service if her prayer was granted. References to this vow appear elsewhere, showing that making vows in times of affliction was a common response of faith and desperation in Israel. Hannah’s deep sorrow, however, did not diminish Elkanah’s love for her; his “double portion” was a silent testimony that her worth was not defined by her ability to conceive.
Hannah’s story foreshadows key themes throughout Scripture: God’s attention to the humble, His power to affect the impossible, and His overarching design to work blessing out of barrenness (Luke 1:24-25). Through the pain eventually came hope, as Hannah’s faithful petition would lead to the birth of Samuel, the prophet who would help guide Israel from the period of the judges to the rise of the monarchy (1 Samuel 1:20). Though her womb was closed, the steadfast love she received and the trust she maintained in God set the stage for a dramatic display of divine intervention.