Answered!
1 Samuel 1:10-18,26-28
Context:
1 Samuel 1:1–2:11
Memory
Verse: 1 Samuel 2:1
Main
Idea: God answers the prayers of those who
humbly seek Him.
FIRST
THOUGHTS
Thinking about the subject of prayer can
be overwhelming at times. Some say prayer is “letting go,” while others believe
that it is “holding on.” Should you pray out loud or silently? Can you pray a
written prayer, or does it need to be spontaneous? Does God accept prayer even
when the one offering it feels despair and resentment? Is a prayer that is
prayed in faith guaranteed to get a desired answer, or should it rather be
viewed as an encounter with God in which the one praying submits to Him? There
are so many questions about prayer. Unfortunately, some people let these
unanswered questions keep them from the practice of prayer.
·
If you could ask God any question about prayer, what
would it be?
Hannah was an Israelite woman who lived
during the time of the judges. She was married to a devout man who loved her
and provided for her. Yet, she struggled with a sense of incompleteness in her
life because of infertility. The first chapter of the Book of 1 Samuel depicts
a woman whose humility and sense of desperation led her to a life-changing
encounter with the Lord in prayer.
I. UNDERSTAND
THE CONTEXT
1
Samuel 1:1–2:11
Although 1 Samuel tells the history of
Israel’s first kings and of wide-ranging wars and dynastic struggles, it begins
very simply with a story about a man named Elkanah and his wife Hannah who
could not have a child. The beginning of the book is an account of how God
answered Hannah’s prayers and gave her a son, Samuel.
In the order of the books of the Hebrew
Bible, 1 Samuel immediately follows Judges (unlike the English order of books,
where 1 Samuel follows Ruth). Judges ends with Israel in moral chaos and
enduring severe oppression under the Philistines. The last judge was Samson,
who, like Samuel, was miraculously born of a previously infertile couple. Samson’s
birth was an act of mercy for all of Israel, for God sent him to be a mighty
warrior and to save Israel from the Philistines. Samson did kill a lot of
Philistines, but he was morally undisciplined and did nothing to improve
Israel’s spiritual life.
Samuel would succeed where Samson had
failed. Samuel would effectively keep the Philistines in check, partly by
proxy. He would be the spiritual authority behind the two great enemies of the
Philistines, Saul and David. In addition, Samuel would also be an example of
godliness.
The story of Hannah also has a parallel
in the New Testament story of Mary. Mary had no children, albeit not because of
infertility but because she was a young virgin. Yet God did a great work of
salvation through her pregnancy and her son. Like Hannah, Mary celebrated the
event with a memorable song of praise (1 Sam. 2:1-10; Luke 1:46-55). In fact,
if we compare Hannah’s song to Mary’s, it seems certain that Mary’s words are
modeled on Hannah’s. Both speak at length about how God elevates the poor and
humble but casts down the proud and mighty.
Nevertheless, the first story of 1
Samuel is not political or even grandly theological. It is about an ordinary
woman who was in great distress and who prayed to God. This is what gives it
such appeal. Life is made up of the struggles of ordinary people, and while
God’s work may have meant deliverance for Israel, it also meant deliverance for
the private torments of one person.
II. EXPLORE
THE TEXT
I. Hannah’s Prayer (1 Sam. 1:10-11)
10
She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord
and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look
on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant,
but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no
razor shall touch his head.”
Verse 10
Verse 10 tells us: She
was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord
and wept bitterly. The words translated as deeply distressed are
literally “bitter of soul.” This is similar to how Naomi spoke of herself in
Ruth 1:20: “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara.” Mara is the Hebrew word
found in 1 Samuel 1:10. As we shall see, Naomi and Hannah were in one respect
in the same situation. If we consider Hannah’s circumstances, we will see she
had good reason to pray with tears.
Since Peninnah was the
second wife (1:2), and since the text tells us that Elkanah, the husband of the
two women, loved Hannah (v. 5), we can assume that Elkanah took Peninnah as a
second wife only after a number of years of trying and failing to have a son by
Hannah. In ancient Israel, people believed it was essential for every
land-owning man to father a son to whom he could pass the property. The land
was considered to be inalienable from the family that owned it. If the family
fell into debt and had to sell the land, it was to be returned to them free of
charge in the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:25-28). If a man died without having
fathered a son, it was the duty of a near relative, usually a brother of the
deceased, to father a son by the man’s widow (Deut. 25:5-10). The child would
be considered the son of the deceased man, and thus the property would continue
to be held by his legal (albeit not biological) descendants. In light of these
customs and laws, the taking of a second wife was not an indulgence or
something done on a whim. For Elkanah, a son was an absolute necessity.
Women also had a strong
incentive to want a son. A woman who had no son and who outlived her husband
was in a precarious economic situation. The adult son had the duty of providing
for aged parents, and especially for his mother, since women generally were not
involved in economic life and had few property rights. (The notion of the
financially independent woman was alien to ancient Israelite culture.) Naomi,
in the Book of Ruth, illustrates the plight of a woman in such circumstances.
Naomi’s late husband had possessed land in Bethlehem, but it did her no good
until a near relative, Boaz, married into the family, took control of the
property, and assumed responsibility for the care of Naomi and Ruth.
Therefore, when Hannah wept
bitterly about her childless condition, it was not only because she was unable
to find fulfillment for her maternal instincts (even though that, alone, would
be a legitimate reason). She had good cause to be nervous about her future. If
Elkanah were to die in the next ten or twenty years, she could not expect any
help from Peninnah’s children, and she might well find herself cast out of the
house. This also accounts for Elkanah’s seemingly clumsy attempt to console
Hannah: “Am I not more to you than ten sons?” (1 Sam. 1:8). He was trying to
assure her, as best he could, that he would always be there to care for her.
Finally, the text gives a
few more insights into Hannah’s desperate unhappiness. First, she may well have
felt that any hope of children was fast slipping away. When the story begins,
Peninnah already has a number of sons and daughters (v. 4). Assuming that
Hannah and Elkanah had been married for some years before he resorted to taking
a second wife, Hannah was probably nearing the end of her normal childbearing
years. Her situation, therefore, had become desperate. Second, Elkanah’s
preferential love for Hannah was obvious to all, especially to Peninnah. (He
gave Hannah twice as much as anyone else at the feast, according to v. 5.)
Also, if Hannah, the first wife, did have a son, he would immediately go to the
head of the line as the principal heir. Peninnah knew that, and she was
therefore jealous and hostile. She provoked Hannah at every turn (v. 6).
Hannah’s situation was an unhappy one indeed. As an aside, we observe that
although the Old Testament did not explicitly forbid polygamy, it frequently
shows what a dysfunctional mess the practice makes of family life.
·
Through prayer, Hannah directed her pain toward the
Lord. Why is it important to be honest with God about our pains and
frustrations?
Verse 11
We thus come to the content
of Hannah’s prayer: “O Lord of
hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember
me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I
will give him to the Lord all the
days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” This was a vow.
Hannah promised that if God gave her a son, she would give him up to God so
that he could perpetually be a Nazirite. In ancient Israel, any man could take
a Nazirite vow. The rules for the Nazirites are found in Numbers 6:1-21. While
he was under this vow, he would scrupulously seek to avoid anything defiling
(such as touching a dead body), and he would not cut his hair. The vow
typically was in force only for a short period of time—probably no more than a
few months, or even less. Like fasting or going on a pilgrimage, it was a way
to show devotion to God for a short time. A Nazirite did not normally live at
the sanctuary, as Samuel did during his childhood. We know of only two men who
were consecrated from birth to be lifelong Nazirites—Samson and Samuel. Both
were born to women who had previously been barren, and both became judges in
Israel. Otherwise, the only reference to Nazirites is in Amos 2:11-12, and so
we do not know if taking the vow was a common or rare occurrence.
For most readers, the
striking (if not disturbing) thing about this story is that Hannah made a kind
of bargain with God in her prayer. We tend to associate this kind of prayer
with people who are desperate but who don’t really have a close relationship
with God. Such a person may ordinarily never pray. But in a moment of extreme
distress (a sudden, serious illness, or a financial crisis, or the like), he or
she may promise any number of things if only God will help in this one
circumstance. People who are habitually devoted to God and who pray daily
typically are less likely to seek to work out a deal with God in a time of
crisis.
There are good reasons to be
cautious about making a promissory vow to God as part of an exchange. Our
relationship to God is based on grace. We cannot earn His favor or benefits by
making a grand gift or personal sacrifice. If God responds to our greatest need
(forgiveness of sin) by grace through faith, should we seek other benefits
through a process of deal making? God answers our prayers in ways that fulfill
His bigger, redemptive plan. The mere fact that Hannah prayed such a prayer,
and even that God honored it, does not mean that her action is one that should
quickly be imitated.
On the other hand, the story
does tell us that God sometimes responds positively to such a prayer. God is
free to answer a personal appeal as He wishes. If someone offers a bargain with
God, He can accept the proposal, or not. The Bible does not forbid the making
of vows outright, but it does encourage restraint and forethought. Ecclesiastes
5:4-5 states the matter quite clearly: “When you vow a vow to God, do not delay
paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that
you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.”
What
are the dangers of making a vow to God while making a request for something? On
the other hand, what are the dangers of assuming that since we receive gifts
from God by grace, our behavior is an inconsequential matter? Does it matter to
God if we do or do not give sacrificially?
II. Eli’s Affirmation (1 Sam. 1:12-18)
12
As she continued praying before the Lord,
Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only
her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a
drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on
being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered,
“No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor
strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your
servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my
great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and
the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18
And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went
her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Verses 12-16
It may well strike us as odd
or harsh that the priest Eli supposed Hannah was drunk. Festivals and
sacrifices at Israel’s sanctuary, the tent of meeting, were celebratory affairs
(unless it was a solemn event, such as the Day of Atonement). The animal
sacrifice was analogous to a barbecue, and people ate and drank (as indicated
in 1:4-5,9). A man under a Nazirite vow abstained from alcohol (Num. 6:3),
although that was only a temporary matter (Num. 6:20). The angel who visited
Samson’s mother three times declared that she must not drink anything alcoholic
while she was pregnant with him (Judg. 13:4,7,14). Apparently, Samson and
Samuel were expected to remain abstinent throughout their lives, although the
Bible does not explicitly assert this.
When Eli saw Hannah in her
distress, possibly looking quite disheveled, he assumed the worst. He may well
have seen others who, when they got drunk, took on a maudlin religious
sentimentalism and made a show of exaggerated, emotional piety before God. Eli
was not impressed by such behavior, and he told her to go sober up.
Hannah replied that she was
not drunk but looked and behaved as she did because of the extreme anguish of
her spirit. She insisted that although Eli had not heard what she was saying,
she was actually pouring out her heart to God in sincere and sober prayer. She
did not tell him why she was distressed or what was the content of her prayer,
and he did not ask her.
Verse 17
Eli responded with a
priestly blessing: “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition
that you have made to him.” He evidently recognized very quickly that what
she said was true. His blessing was an appeal to God to respond favorably to
her prayer. Eli did not need to know what the issue was. He knew that he did
not have the power to rectify whatever was tormenting her but that God did. The
most he could do, as a priest, was to invoke God’s favor upon her. This is
analogous to how, in Christian worship, we ask God to grant the “unspoken
requests.”
·
On what basis can we know that God has heard our
prayer? What promises can we claim from Scripture?
Verse 18
Hannah’s answer to Eli, “Let
your servant find favor in your eyes,” may have been in Israelite culture a
traditional response to a priestly blessing. By analogy, in liturgical
tradition, when a worship leader says, “May the Lord be with you,” the
congregation responds, “And also with you.” But Eli’s blessing had a salutary
effect on her. She found peace, and she was no longer weeping and begging for
God’s help. She was able to enjoy the feast, and she looked different.
We often speak of the
priesthood of the believer as though it were especially a matter of theological
authority and autonomy. We are indeed free from the doctrinal dictatorship of
clergy, but that is because our hearts are bound to the Word of God and not to
human tradition. The real function of a priest is to bless others and intercede
for them. If we want to show ourselves to be true priests before God, we ought
to bless others and pray for them. We do not prove our priestly credentials by
airing personal opinions on doctrinal matters.
Hannah’s Presentation (1 Sam. 1:26-28)
26
And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was
standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord.
27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord
has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have
lent him to the Lord. As long as
he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”
And he worshiped the Lord there.
Verses 26-28
God answered Hannah’s
prayer, and Hannah kept her vow. She gave birth to Samuel, and as soon as he
was weaned and able to be out from under her direct care, she dedicated him to
service at the tent of meeting. She reminded Eli of their earlier encounter,
when she had been praying in the sanctuary. (She evidently had not even given
him her name at that time.) She also told him what she had prayed; she had
asked for a son and had vowed to dedicate him to God’s service. Since God had
answered her prayer, Eli could hardly refuse to receive the boy.
Eli did not formally adopt
Samuel. Samuel’s father, Elkanah, was an Ephraimite from Ramah, and when Samuel
grew up he took over the family estate and moved back to Ramah (1 Sam. 8:4).
But Eli conscientiously took on the role of father to his young charge. He
accepted Samuel as a kind of apprentice and apparently did a better job of
raising him than he had done with his own sons (see 2:12). As for Hannah, she
wound up having three more sons and two daughters (2:21).
The two conversations
between Eli and Hannah illustrate two facts about prayer among believers.
First, it is not always necessary to tell others the details of a request. An
unspoken request is legitimate. We do not have to spill all the details of what
the request is, and sometimes we should not. Second, it is generally important
and helpful to tell people who interceded for us when the prayer has been
answered, and if possible, to explain what the matter was all about. This
encourages others about the effectiveness of prayer. Also, God’s answer may
have other implications, as it did for Eli.
·
What stories do you have to tell about answered
prayer?
KEY
DOCTRINE
Stewardship
Christians should recognize
all these (their time, talents, and material possessions) as entrusted to them
to use for the glory of God and for helping others.
BIBLE SKILL
Compare passages with related themes.
Compare 1 Samuel 2:1-10 and
Luke 1:46-55. At what points are the two songs similar? How are they different?
What conclusions can be drawn about God from these two songs?
