1 Samuel 1
Meaning of 1 Samuel 1
1 Samuel 1 is the first chapter in the Book of 1 Samuel in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The Book of 1 Samuel is part of the historical books, which tells the history of Israel’s monarchy, beginning with the life of the prophet Samuel.
In 1 Samuel 1, we encounter Hannah and her husband Elkanah. Elkanah has two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah has children, but Hannah does not. Hannah is deeply distressed because of her barrenness and is often provoked by Peninnah. Despite her husband’s love and consolation, Hannah’s longing for a child and her desolation makes her distraught.
One day, during the family’s annual worship at the temple in Shiloh, Hannah prays to God with great emotion, promising that if God gives her a son, she will give him back to God as a Nazirite, dedicated to God’s service. Eli, the priest, initially misunderstands her weeping and thinks she is drunk, but when she explains, he blesses her and asks God to grant her request.
After Hannah and Elkanah return home, Hannah conceives and gives birth to a son, and she names him Samuel, meaning “God has heard.” Once Samuel is weaned, Hannah fulfills her vow by taking him to the temple and presenting him to Eli. She explains her vow and lets Eli know that Samuel is the child she prayed for, and Samuel starts his life of service in the temple.
This chapter presents the themes of faithfulness, the power of prayer, and God’s plan in the midst of human suffering. It sets the stage for the rest of 1 Samuel, introducing Samuel, who would become a great prophet and the last judge of Israel.
1 Samuel 1 kjv
1 Samuel 1, in the King James Version of the Bible, introduces us to Elkanah, a man from the town of Ramathaim, and his two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah has children, but Hannah does not.
Elkanah is religious and takes his family to the town of Shiloh every year to worship and offer sacrifices to God. Despite loving Hannah more, he gives portions of the sacrifice to his wives and sons and daughters. Hannah, however, feels the burden of her barrenness, as Peninnah provokes and teases her about the situation.
In her pain and sorrow, Hannah prays fervently to the Lord at the place of worship. She asks God to remember her and give her a son, promising that she will dedicate this son to the Lord for his entire life. Eli the priest observes Hannah praying and at first, misunderstands her deep, emotional prayer as drunkenness.
After she explains her grief and her vow to God, Eli sends her home with a blessing. He says, “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.”
Hannah, who was once deeply troubled, is now content. She returns home, eats, and no longer looks sad. Elkanah and Hannah conceive a son, who Hannah names Samuel, which sounds like the Hebrew for “heard of God.” As she had vowed to the Lord, once Samuel is weaned, she brings him to the house of worship at Shiloh and leaves him there to serve under Eli the priest, saying, “For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him.”
1 Samuel 1 nkjv
1 Samuel 1 in the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible is the opening chapter of the Book of Samuel; it sets the stage for the rest of this historical and prophetic book.
The chapter begins by introducing Elkanah, a devout man from the hill country of Ephraim, and his two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was barren. Elkanah loved Hannah very much and would give her a double portion of the sacrifices, even though she had no children.
Every year, when Elkanah and his family went up to the house of the LORD, Peninnah would provoke and taunt Hannah because she had no children. This distressed Hannah greatly, causing her to pray earnestly to God for a child. In bitterness of soul, she made a vow to God that if He gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the LORD for his entire life, and his hair would never be cut (a mark of a Nazirite vow).
Eli the priest saw Hannah praying at the tabernacle. Her lips moved, but she made no sound, as she was praying in her heart. Eli thought she was drunk and reprimanded her, but Hannah explained that she was deeply troubled and was pouring out her soul to the LORD.
Eli then blessed her, asking the God of Israel to grant her request. Hannah left and her countenance was no longer sad. At the end of their visit to the house of the Lord, Hannah and Elkanah returned to their home in Ramah.
Afterward, Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife, and the LORD remembered her petition. In due time, Hannah bore a son and named him Samuel, for she said, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD”. After weaning Samuel, Hannah kept her vow to God and took Samuel to the house of the LORD in Shiloh. She offered her son to serve the LORD under the guidance of Eli, the priest, as she has promised.
That’s a brief overview of 1 Samuel 1 NKJV.
1 Samuel 1 niv
1 Samuel 1 in the New International Version (NIV) tells the story of a man named Elkanah who had two wives, one called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none which caused deep disappointment and unhappiness. Despite Elkanah’s favor for Hannah and his attempts to soothe her, she still felt distress due to her barren state.
Each year when they went to the house of the LORD, Peninnah would provoke Hannah, making her cry by reminding her of her barren state.
During one of such trips, Hannah in her deep anguish prays to God at the temple, promising to dedicate her son to God if he would grant her a child. She prayed silently to the Lord, pouring her heart out.
The priest, Eli, saw her lips moving but heard no sound because she was praying in her heart. He assumed she was drunk and rebuked her. Hannah explained that she was not drunk but was troubled and had been pouring out her soul to the LORD. Eli then blesses her, asking the God to grant her request.
Hannah left and ate with her husband, no longer appearing downcast. They returned home after worshipping the Lord in the morning, and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her prayer. She conceived and eventually gave birth to a son whom she named Samuel, meaning “because I asked the Lord for him.”
She did not go up to the house of the Lord until Samuel was weaned. Once he was weaned, she took Samuel to the house of the LORD and fulfilled her vow, dedicating him to God’s service. They made a sacrifice, and Hannah left Samuel with Eli, reminding him that she was the woman who had prayed earnestly for this child.
The chapter ends with Hannah’s faithful act of dedicating her only son back to the LORD as she had promised.
In essence, 1 Samuel 1 is an extraordinary account of prayer, faith and the fulfillment of promise. Through Hannah’s deep devotion and trust in God, readers learn about the power of persistent prayer and keeping one’s vows to God.
What is 1 Samuel 1 all about?
1 Samuel 1 is a book in the Old Testament of the Bible revolving around three main characters: Elkanah, Hannah, and Eli. The chapter begins with the introduction of Elkanah, a Levite from the hill country of Ephraim, his two wives Penninah and Hannah. Hannah is distressed because she’s unable to have children, while Penninah, who has children, provokes her deliberately.
Every year, Elkanah and his family travel to Shiloh to worship and offer a sacrifice to God at the Tabernacle. During one particular visit, Hannah pours out her anguish and prayers to God at the Tabernacle. Hannah pledges to give her first-born son to God if He grants her a child. Eli, the priest at the Tabernacle, initially scolds Hannah, misunderstanding her silent prayers for drunkenness. When she explains her situation, Eli blesses her and asks God to grant her petition.
Soon afterwards, Hannah conceives and gives birth to a son, whom she names Samuel (“God has heard”). As she pledged, once Samuel is weaned, she brings him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh and dedicates him to God’s service under Eli’s guidance.
In summary, 1 Samuel 1 illustrates Hannah’s deep sorrow over her childlessness, her faith in God’s power, and her fulfillment of a vow she made to God. The chapter ends with the introduction of Samuel who will later become a pivotal character in Israel’s history as a prophet, priest, and judge.
What does 1 Samuel 1 teaches?
1 Samuel 1 primarily teaches about faith, prayer, and devotion to God. The chapter introduces us to Elkanah, a devout man, and his two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. It details Hannah’s intense desire to have children, her ongoing barrenness, and the ridicule she faces from Peninnah. It emphasizes the deep pain and emotional distress that Hannah endures.
Hannah’s plight culminates in a heartfelt prayer at the temple, where she pleads with God for a child. It demonstrates her desperation, but at the same time, her deep faith in God’s ability to alter her situation. She makes a vow that if blessed with a son, she will dedicate him to God’s service.
This chapter also enlightens the readers about Eli the priest, who initially misunderstands Hannah’s silent prayer as drunkenness. However, upon clarification, he becomes instrumental in encouraging Hannah and prophesying that her prayer would be answered.
When Hannah’s prayer is answered and she gives birth to a son, Samuel, she follows through on her vow to God and gives her son over to Eli the priest for service in the temple after weaning him. Samuel later goes on to become a significant figure in the Old Testament.
The lessons from this chapter are many: It teaches about perseverance in faith in the midst of trials, the power of earnest prayer, and keeping vows made to God. Hannah’s story is an emblem of hope and patient trust in God’s timing.
A Sermon on 1 Samuel 1
1 Samuel talks about the life of Hannah, Elkanah’s wife. In a sermon regarding this particular chapter, the focus would usually be on the themes of faith, prayer, and dedication to God.
The chapter starts by describing the family of Elkanah, and how he was a devout man who offered sacrifices year after year. He had two wives, Peninnah, who had children, and Hannah, who was barren. Even though he loved Hannah, she was constantly ridiculed and belittled by Peninnah due to her childlessness. This was a great source of sorrow and distress for Hannah.
This could be used to preach on the pain, distress, and anguish that we face in our everyday lives and how sometimes our problems seem to be persistent, just like Hannah’s barrenness. Despite her faithful prayers, she remained childless for many years. However, Hannah never lost her faith in God.
The first point of the sermon could be about staying resilient in faith and prayer, through tough and difficult times. Hannah continued praying fervently, pouring her heart out to God, despite her circumstances.
Next, Hannah made a vow to God, promising Him that if He gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. She showed her pure devotion and complete surrender to the Lord. Here, one can preach about the importance of dedicating our lives to God’s services, as well as being persistently prayerful.
God answered Hannah’s prayer with the birth of a son that she named Samuel, which means “heard of God”. This teaches us that God hears and answers prayers, even if sometimes it takes longer than we’d like, we should always have faith in His timing.
She kept her promise and dedicated Samuel to the Lord. His birth and dedication set in motion the story of a great prophet who would anoint the first kings of Israel. This shows the power of our choices and dedication to God.
In summary, a sermon on 1 Samuel 1 would cover the themes of keeping faith in difficult times, the power of fervent prayer, dedication to God and his services, and the eventual fulfillment of our prayers in God’s appropriate timing. It teaches us that even in despair and hopelessness, stay persistent in prayer, and dedicate your life to God’s service because He answers prayers.
Key people in 1 Samuel 1
First Samuel 1 mainly focuses around three individuals:
1. Hannah: Hannah is the protagonist of this chapter. She is one of the two wives of Elkanah and is characterized by her deep distress over being childless, especially as Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, taunts her for her barrenness. Hannah is a deeply devout woman who makes a vow to God that if He grants her a son, she will dedicate this son to Him.
2. Elkanah: Elkanah is the husband of Hannah and Peninnah. He is from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim. He loves Hannah deeply, despite her inability to bear him a child. He is also a devout man, who makes the annual pilgrimage to Shiloh (the center of worship before Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem was established) to offer a sacrifice to God.
3. Eli: Eli is a high priest in Shiloh, the place of worship. When Hannah visits the temple to pray for a son, Eli initially mistakes her fervent silent prayers for drunkenness, but upon learning of her prayer, he assures her of God’s favorable answer. Later, Hannah’s son, Samuel, is given into Eli’s care to be raised as a priest.
These are the key people mentioned in the first chapter of 1 Samuel. The chapter sets up their struggles and their context, which help drive the narrative of the following chapters.
Real world examples on 1 Samuel 1
1 Samuel 1 encompasses several themes such as the power of sincere prayer, the trials of childlessness, the value of faith, and the promise of dedication to God. Here are some real-world examples:
1. Power of Sincere Prayer: In today’s world, many people pray in all sorts of circumstances. For instance, people with serious illnesses who turn to God in sincere prayer for healing might draw parallels with Hannah’s desperate appeal for a child. Also, in a broader sense, anyone who prays sincerely to God for help in difficult circumstances, just as Hannah did, can reflect this story.
2. Trials of Childlessness: In present society, many couples struggle with infertility or childlessness, similar to Elkanah’s wife, Hannah. Hannah’s deep anguish and yearning for a child in 1 Samuel 1 can be compared to the pain, frustration and societal judgement that many childless couples face today, though their challenges may vary.
3. The Value of Faith: Samuel’s story also parallels anyone’s life who’s gone through great hardship but maintained their faith in God. People whose faith helps to weather the storms and carry them through hardtimes demonstrates the value of faith reflected in 1 Samuel 1.
4. Promise of Dedication To God: Hannah vowed that if she were given a son, she would dedicate him to God. This is reflected in contemporary life by parents who choose to raise their child in a faith, dedicating them to a life of service to God.
Moreover, Hannah’s situation in the Bible has also influenced social and medical developments. To overcome infertility, many have turned towards medical interventions such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). This scientific quest to overcome infertility reflects part of Hannah’s struggle and her story’s lasting impact on society.
Brief Explanation of 1 Samuel 1
1 Samuel 1 is the opening chapter of the Book of Samuel in the Old Testament of the Bible. In this chapter, we are introduced to the characters of Elkanah, his wives Peninnah and Hannah, and the priest Eli.
Elkanah has two wives, Hannah and Peninnah; Hannah is barren, while Peninnah has children. This causes contention and distress in the household due to Peninnah’s taunting and Hannah’s longing for a child.
During an annual pilgrimage to the temple in Shiloh, Hannah prays fervently to the Lord for a child, promising to dedicate him to God’s service. The priest Eli, seeing her praying though not hearing her words, initially mistakes her silent prayer for drunkenness, but after hearing her explanation, blesses her and asks God to grant her request.
After returning home, Hannah conceives and bears a son, whom she names Samuel. Once the child is weaned, she fulfills her vow to God and brings Samuel to the temple to serve under the priest Eli, thus setting the stage for the subsequent stories of Samuel’s life and his importance to Israel’s history.
Frequently asked questions for 1 Samuel 1
1. Who is the Author of 1 Samuel?
– The author of the 1st book of Samuel is believed to be the prophet Samuel, however, part of the book is said to be written by Gad and Nathan.
2. What is the major theme in 1 Samuel 1?
– The major theme is faithfulness in prayer. It mainly focuses on Hannah’s relentless prayer and faith in God to give her a son. The chapter exemplifies one’s trust and faith in God’s timing.
3. Who are the main characters in 1 Samuel 1?
– The primary characters in chapter 1 are Elkanah, Hannah, Peninnah, Eli, and the son born to Hannah named Samuel.
4. Why was Hannah upset in 1 Samuel 1?
– Hannah was barren, which means she could not conceive children. In their culture, this was a source of great disgrace and sorrow. Moreover, Peninnah, the other wife of Elkanah, constantly provoked and bullied Hannah because of her barrenness, which deeply upset her.
5. What did Hannah pray for?
– Hannah prayed fervently to God for a son. She made a vow that if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service, living a Nazirite life.
6. What was Eli’s reaction to Hannah’s fervent prayer?
– Initially, Eli mistook Hannah’s passionate prayer as signs of drunkenness. When he confronted her and she explained herself, Eli blessed her, affirming her request would be granted by God.
7. Who is Samuel, and why is he important?
– Samuel was the son Hannah bore in response to her prayer. He became an important prophet, marking the transition from the period of the judges to the institution of the monarchy in Israel.
8. What does 1 Samuel 1 teach us today?
– 1 Samuel 1 teaches us about faithfulness and earnestness in prayer, waiting on God’s timing, and that God listens to the cries of the broken-hearted. It also teaches us about commitment, as seen in Hannah’s promise to commit her son to the service of God.
9. Why did Hannah leave Samuel at the temple?
– Hannah left Samuel at the temple as a fulfilment of her vow to God. She promised if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. This was her way of keeping that promise.
10. How does the story of Hannah relate to the broader narrative of 1 Samuel?
– Hannah’s story sets up the larger narrative of the book of 1 Samuel. The birth and dedication of Samuel pave the way for his crucial role as a prophet and judge in Israel, marking significant political and religious shifts in the nation’s history.
Possible References for 1 Samuel 1
1 Samuel 1 is a chapter in the Old Testament of the Bible. There are various events and characters in 1 Samuel 1 that can be used as references when discussing this chapter. Here are a few possible references:
1. Hannah: One of the two wives of Elkanah, who was childless and deeply distressed because of her inability to bear children.
2. Peninnah: The other wife of Elkanah, who bore him children and provoked Hannah because of her barrenness.
3. Elkanah: The husband of Hannah and Peninnah, who loved Hannah despite her barrenness.
4. Shiloh: The place where the family would go annually to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. It was an important religious site in ancient Israel, before the establishment of the temple in Jerusalem.
5. Eli: The priest who was present when Hannah prayed fervently in the temple, promising to dedicate her unborn child to God if she were given a son.
6. Samuel: The child born to Hannah after her prayer in the temple. As promised, Hannah dedicated him to the Lord. Samuel would later become one of the most important prophets and judges in Israel’s history.
7. Hannah’s Prayer: A significant part of the story, Hannah prays earnestly to God for a son. Her prayer is answered, which serves as a testament to the power of prayer.
8. 1 Samuel 1:27-28: These verses might often be referenced, as it includes Hannah’s famous quote after her prayer was answered, where she says “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord”.
The story within this chapter portrays themes of faith, prayer, and distinction between human will and God’s will. These themes are often studied, analyzed, and referenced in various contexts.
Conclusion on 1 Samuel 1
1 Samuel 1 primarily tells the story of Hannah, a barren woman who earnestly prays to God for a son, promising that she will dedicate her son to God’s service. Elkanah, her husband, doesn’t quite understand her pain, and Peninnah, her rival, teases her because of her barrenness. However, Hannah’s faithful prayer is seen by Eli, a priest who thinks initially she is drunk. When he finds out the truth, he gives his blessing, joining in her petition to God.
God answers her prayer and Hannah gives birth to a son named Samuel. True to her promise, after weaning him, she brings Samuel to the temple to serve under Eli for the remainder of his life, which is ended the way she asked God – a son who would be dedicated to God’s service.
The concluding message of 1 Samuel 1 shows how Hannah’s faithful piteous prayer and her dedication were honored by God, teaching us about sincere prayer, faithfulness, and dedication to fulfil one’s commitment to God. It also introduces us to the character of Samuel, a key figure who later would play significant roles in the books of Samuel.