(14) And Eli said unto her.—The LXX. or Septuagint attempts to soften the harshness of the high priest to Hannah by inserting before Eli the word “servant,” or “young man,” thus suggesting that the hard, unjust words were spoken by an attendant. But it is clear that the English Version represents the true text here, for in the next verse Hannah replies directly to Eli with the simple words “No, my lord.” read more
Samuel the Seer In Samuel we have a deep stretch of condescension God in communion with the life of a child. I. Was he a miracle this little Samuel? No in the view characteristic of the Bible he is the real and normal aspect of humanity. All seers of God's kingdoms have seen it by the light of their childhood. We do not drop our childhood when we become men, we carry it with us into the life of men. Every sage bears within his bosom a little Samuel an instinctive child life which concludes... read more
CHAPTER I.HANNAH’S TRIAL AND TRUST.1 Samuel 1:1-18.THE prophet Samuel, like the book which bears his name, comes in as a connecting link between the Judges and the Kings of Israel. He belonged to a transition period. It was appointed to him to pilot the nation between two stages of its history: from a republic to a monarchy; from a condition of somewhat casual and indefinite arrangements to one of more systematic and orderly government. The great object of his life was to secure that this... read more
Analysis and Annotations I. SAMUEL THE PROPHET AND JUDGE 1. The Birth and Childhood of Samuel CHAPTER 1 1. Elkanah and his wives (1 Samuel 1:1-8 ) 2. Hannah’s prayer and vow (1 Samuel 1:9-18 ) 3. The prayer answered and Samuel born (1 Samuel 1:19-20 ) 4. The child weaned and presented unto the Lord (1 Samuel 1:21-28 ) The descent of Samuel opens the book. The names are of striking significance. Elkanah means “acquired of God.” He was the son of Jeroham (tenderly loved), the son of... read more
From 1 Chronicles 6:22-28 we learn that Elkanah was a Levite of the sons of Kohath. The names of four of his forebears are recorded in verse 1, which in order of descent are Zuph (meaning "observer"); Tohu ("low, sunk down"); Elihu ("my God is He"); Jeroham ("he is tenderly loved"); resulting in Elkanah ("God has purchased"). These meanings give some indication of the working of God in view of accomplishing His own will in the eventual outcome seen in His servant Samuel. The two wives of... read more
SAMUEL ’S BIRTH AND DEDICATION A SORROWFUL WIFE (1 Samuel 1:0 ) Like Ruth, the opening of First Samuel deals with events in the time of the Judges, and is the book of transition from that period to the monarchy. 1 Samuel 1:1-8 . Though there is difficulty in locating the city named in verse 1, yet it appears that Elkanah was a native of Bethlehem-judah like Elimelech (see the first lesson in Ruth). He was a Levite (see 1 Chronicles 6:33-34 ), and if it is surprising that he practiced... read more
The Birth of Samuel 1Sa 1:20 HANNAH, the wife of Elkanah, besought the Lord for a man child. This draws our attention to the scope of human prayer. Men cannot pray by rule. We do but mock men when we say, You must pray for this and not for that. Such an exhortation may do for a man when his heart is not inflamed by the passion of godly desire; it may do for him in his coldest and most indifferent mental states. But when he is in his most vehement and determined moods, he cannot be fettered... read more
(14) And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. It, is worthy the Reader's remark, that when the Holy Ghost was poured out with such a fulness of power, on the minds of the apostles, at the day of Pentecost; the lookers on, had the same thought as Eli, here had, that the apostles were full of new wine. Oh! for such an effusion of the blessed Spirit upon my soul, that my whole frame might feel this precious warmth, as one beyond himself. Acts 2:13 . read more
Much. Heli's "son or servant," ( Greek: paidarion, according to the Septuagint) addressed these words to Anna. Her going to pray immediately after a feast, instead of taking recreation, increased the suspicion. (St. Chrysostom, hom. 1.) --- Salien (the year before Christ 1153) observes the many instances of patience which Anna exhibits on this occasion. (Haydock) --- She teaches us not to answer the unjust reproaches of our superiors with haughtiness. (Du Hamel) read more
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John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 1:1-28
The Birth of SamuelHannah, the childless wife of Elkanah, is. grieved by her childlessness, and prays for a son. Her prayer is heard, and in gratitude she consecrates her child to the service of Jehovah.1. Ramathaim-zophim] Ramathaim (’double height’) probably denotes the district in which Ramah (’height’) was the chief town. It was at Ramah that Samuel was born, lived, laboured, died, and was buried. As Ramah was a common name in a hilly country like Palestine, Zophim is here added to denote... read more