Hannah’s persistent faith in the face of constant provocation inspires hopeful endurance.
In this verse, we read: “It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.” (v.7). The context unfolds in the ancient setting of Shiloh, a location in the hill country of Ephraim where the tabernacle of the LORD was placed around the 11th century B.C. Shiloh served as Israel’s central place of worship before Jerusalem rose to prominence, and it is here that Hannah and her family made their yearly pilgrimages to offer sacrifices. The verse shows that Hannah was repeatedly distressed by continual provocation from Peninnah, a second wife who used Hannah’s childlessness to embarrass her. Rather than celebrating at the tabernacle, Hannah was deeply grieved.
“She would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.” (v.7) underscores Hannah’s raw emotional pain. In the timeline of Israel’s history, Hannah’s experience of sorrow and longing took place shortly before the birth of Samuel, the final judge and a major transitional figure in leading Israel from the period of the judges to the establishment of the monarchy around the late 11th century B.C. Her tears reflect not only the societal stigma of childlessness in ancient Israel but also hold a deeper spiritual dimension of yearning and faith. This echoes themes later articulated by Jesus, who reminded His followers that genuine sorrow can lead to prayerful dependence on God (John 16:20), illustrating how tears can be precursors to hope.
Year after year, Hannah found herself in this sorrowful cycle, yet she did not abandon her practice of worship. Her ongoing visits to Shiloh serve as a model for believers who persist in seeking the LORD despite hardship and discouragement. In the larger narrative, Hannah’s unrelenting commitment foreshadows the importance of earnest prayer and steadfast faith, traits that Jesus upholds when He teaches about perseverance in prayer (Luke 18:1). Hannah’s decision to keep coming into God’s presence, in spite of her anguish, reminds us that the LORD values our heartfelt pleas and honors the faith that compels us to seek Him above all else.
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1 Samuel 1:7 meaning
In this verse, we read: “It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.” (v.7). The context unfolds in the ancient setting of Shiloh, a location in the hill country of Ephraim where the tabernacle of the LORD was placed around the 11th century B.C. Shiloh served as Israel’s central place of worship before Jerusalem rose to prominence, and it is here that Hannah and her family made their yearly pilgrimages to offer sacrifices. The verse shows that Hannah was repeatedly distressed by continual provocation from Peninnah, a second wife who used Hannah’s childlessness to embarrass her. Rather than celebrating at the tabernacle, Hannah was deeply grieved.
“She would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat.” (v.7) underscores Hannah’s raw emotional pain. In the timeline of Israel’s history, Hannah’s experience of sorrow and longing took place shortly before the birth of Samuel, the final judge and a major transitional figure in leading Israel from the period of the judges to the establishment of the monarchy around the late 11th century B.C. Her tears reflect not only the societal stigma of childlessness in ancient Israel but also hold a deeper spiritual dimension of yearning and faith. This echoes themes later articulated by Jesus, who reminded His followers that genuine sorrow can lead to prayerful dependence on God (John 16:20), illustrating how tears can be precursors to hope.
Year after year, Hannah found herself in this sorrowful cycle, yet she did not abandon her practice of worship. Her ongoing visits to Shiloh serve as a model for believers who persist in seeking the LORD despite hardship and discouragement. In the larger narrative, Hannah’s unrelenting commitment foreshadows the importance of earnest prayer and steadfast faith, traits that Jesus upholds when He teaches about perseverance in prayer (Luke 18:1). Hannah’s decision to keep coming into God’s presence, in spite of her anguish, reminds us that the LORD values our heartfelt pleas and honors the faith that compels us to seek Him above all else.