CHAPTER 1 Jun. 22 
Hannah Prays for a Son
Now there was a man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children but Hannah had no children. 3This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there. 4When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters portions, 5but to Hannah he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had shut up her womb. 6Her rival provoked her severely, to make her fret because Yahweh had shut up her womb. 7This went on year after year when she went up to the house of Yahweh; she provoked her, therefore she wept and didn’t eat. 8Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons? 9So Hannah rose up after they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of Yahweh’s temple. 10She was in bitterness of soul and prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly. 11She vowed a vow and said, Yahweh of Armies, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid and remember me and not forget Your handmaid, but will give to Your handmaid a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head. 12As she continued praying before Yahweh, Eli saw her mouth. 13Now Hannah spoke in her heart, only her lips moved but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14Eli said to her, How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine from you. 15Hannah answered, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh. 16Don’t count your handmaid a wicked woman, for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation. 17Then Eli answered, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him. 18She said, Let your handmaid find grace in your sight. So the woman went her way and ate, and her face wasn’t sad any more.

The Birth of Samuel
19They rose up in the morning early and worshipped before Yahweh and returned home to Ramah, and Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her. 20When the time had come, Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Yahweh. 21The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and his vow. 22But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, Not until the child is weaned, then I will bring him that he may appear before Yahweh and stay there forever. 23Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him, only may Yahweh establish His word. So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.

Samuel Is Dedicated to Yahweh
24When she had weaned him she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of meal and a bottle of wine, and brought him to Yahweh’s sanctuary in Shiloh. The child was young. 25They killed the bull and brought the child to Eli. 26She said, Oh my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to Yahweh. 27For this child I prayed, and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of Him. 28Therefore I have given him to Yahweh. As long as he lives he is given to Yahweh. Eli worshipped Yahweh there.

Commentary

1:18 After praying for a child, Hannah went her way “and her face wasn’t sad any more” because she truly believed she would soon become pregnant. She’s a great example to us of believing and feeling that what we have prayed for, we have actually received (Mk. 11:24). 
1:19 Hannah’s prayer of thanks is clearly the basis for Mary’s prayer; and Hannah had requested a child, and received it. As Hannah described herself as “our handmaid” (1 Sam. 1:18), so did Mary too (Lk. 1:38). God remembered His mercy in making Mary conceive (Lk. 1:54), just as God had remembered Hannah in answering her prayer (:19). And just as Hannah “rose up” and went to Ramah, so Mary “rose up” and went to Judea (Lk. 1:39). There is reason to think that Hannah too desired to bear Messiah. The lesson is that examples of prayer influence others, both in prayer and style.