Hannah and Samuel

1 Samuel 1,

2 Samuel

1-4,11,19-21

     In the days when there were judges but no king in Israel, there was a man named Elkanah living in the hill country. In those days a man could have more than one wife. Elkanah had two. The first wife, Peninnah, had several children. The other wife, Hannah, wanted children but did not have any.

     Every year this man and his family went to the city of Shiloh, to the temple that housed the ark of the covenant, to bring offerings to the Lord. And every year, when the family feasted after their offering, Hannah was too upset to eat. She felt sad to see Peninnah with all her children, and Peninnah would tease Hannah for not having children of her own. Even her husband, who loved her, could not make her feel happy.

     One year after the feast, Hannah felt so sad that she went out near the door of the temple and cried and prayed that God would send her a child. She promised that if God would send her a baby, she would give the child to do God's work.

     Eli the priest saw her crying and whispering. He asked her if she had drunk too much wine. "No, I am not drunk," Hannah said. "I have been praying to God about something that is making me very unhappy."

     After Eli listened, he said, "Go in peace, and may the Lord answer your prayer." After they had talked, Hannah did not feel so sad.

     God did not forget Hannah's prayer. The next year she had a baby boy and named him Samuel. When he was about two years old, she took him up to the temple for the first time, along with some food offerings.

     Hannah walked up to Eli the priest and said, "Sir, O sir, I was the woman who was standing here praying and crying one day, and you saw me." She showed him her child, Samuel, and said, "I prayed for this child, and God has answered my prayer. So I am here to keep my promise. I have brought him to stay and serve God all his life."

     Then they all bowed down and worshiped the Lord, and Hannah sang a song that began"

     "My heart is joyful in God; God has made me strong!

     I laugh at my enemies, because God has saved me.

     There is no one as holy as our Lord, and there is no rock as strong as God.

     And the poor are given seats of honor."

     Then Hannah and her husband went back to their home and left Samuel there to serve God.

     Every year Hannah made a little robe for him. When her husband and the rest of the family went to Shiloh with offerings, Hannah took the robe up to the temple, and gave it to her son.

     Then Eli would say to Hannah's husband, "May God give you more children, because your wife had offered God her son Samuel."

     And God was pleased with Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the temple, serving God.