1 Samuel 1:3

_AND THIS MAN WENT UP OUT OF HIS CITY YEARLY TO WORSHIP AND TO SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD OF HOSTS IN SHILOH. AND THE TWO SONS OF ELI, HOPHNI AND PHINEHAS, THE PRIESTS OF THE LORD, WERE THERE._ This man went up out of his city yearly to worship ... in Shiloh. In that place was the 'earth's one sanctuary,' and there he repaired at the three solemn feasts, accompanied by his family at one of them-probably the Passover. Although a Levite, he could not personally offer a sacrifice-that was exclusively the office of the priests; and his piety in maintaining a regular attendance on the divine ordinances is the more worthy of notice, that the character of the two priests who administered them was notoriously bad. But doubtless he believed and acted on the belief, that the ordinances were 'effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in those who administered them, but from the gr...

1-8 Elkanah kept up his attendance at God's altar, notwithstanding the unhappy differences in his family. If the devotions of a family prevail not to put an end to its divisions, yet let not the divisions put a stop to the devotions. To abate our just love to any relation for the sake of any infirmity which they cannot help, and which is their affliction, is to make God's providence quarrel with his precept, and very unkindly to add affliction to the afflicted. It is evidence of a base disposition, to delight in grieving those who are of a sorrowful spirit, and in putting those out of humour who are apt to fret and be uneasy. We ought to bear one another's burdens, not add to them. Hannah could not bear the provocation. Those who are of a fretful spirit, and are apt to lay provocations too much to heart, are enemies to themselves, and strip themselves of many comforts both of life and g...

Verse 1 Samuel 1:3. _WENT UP OUT OF HIS CITY YEARLY TO WORSHIP_] As the ark was at Shiloh, _there_ was the temple of God, and thither all the males were bound by the law to go once a year, on each of the great national festivals: viz., the _passover, pentecost_, and _feast_ _of tabernacles_. _THE LORD OF HOSTS_] יהוה צבאות _Yehovah tsebaoth, Jehovah of_ _armies_. As all the heavenly bodies were called the _hosts of_ _heaven_, צבא השמים tseba hashshamayim, Jehovah being called Lord of this host showed that he was their Maker and Governor; and consequently _He_, not _they_, was the proper object of religious worship. The _sun, moon, planets_, and _stars_, were the highest objects of religious worship to the heathens in general. The Jewish religion, teaching the knowledge of a Being who was the Lord of a

It is likely that during the unsettled times of the Judges Judges 21:25 the attendance of Israelites at the three Festivals Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16 fell into desuetude or great irregularity, and this one feast (see the marginal reference), which may have coincided with the Feast of Pentecost or tabernacles, may have been substituted for them. THE LORD OF HOSTS - This title of Yahweh which, with some variations, is found upward of 260 times in the Old Testament, occurs here for the first time. The meaning of the word “hosts” is doubtless the same as that of “army” D

THE EARLY LIFE OF SAMUEL. EXPOSITION THE GENEALOGY AND BIRTHPLACE OF SAMUEL (1 Samuel 1:1) 1 SAMUEL 1:1 THERE WAS A CERTAIN MAN OF RAMATHAIM-ZOPHIM. Though Samuel belonged to the tribe of Levi, yet no special mention is made of the fact, because he owed his importance and rank as a judge not to his Levitical origin, but to the gift of prophecy, which was independent of the accidents of birth and station. In the First Book of Chronicles, 1 Samuel 6:1; his parentage is twice give

THIS MAN WENT UP OUT OF HIS CITY YEARLY,.... From year to year; or, as the Targum, from the time of the solemn appointed feast to the solemn appointed feast, from one to another; there were three of them in the year, at which all the males in Israel were to appear at the tabernacle; and being a Levite, this man was the more careful to observe this rule. He is said to "go up" out of his city, which was Ramathaim or Ramah; for though it was built on an eminence, from whence it had its name, yet Shiloh, whither he went, was higher; that being, as Adrichomius says a, on the highest mountain of all round about Jerusalem, and the highest of all the mountains of the holy land. So that as he first went down the hill from Ramah, he went up an high ascent to Shiloh, which is the place he went up to as follows: TO WORSHIP AND TO SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD OF HOSTS IN SHILOH; where the tabernacle was,...

LORD OF HOSTS Jehovah (Lord) of Hosts, Hebrew, Jehovah Sabaoth. For the distinctive meanings of Jehovah, (_ See Scofield) - (Genesis 2:4). _ Sabaoth means simply host or hosts, but with especial reference to warfare or service. In use the two ideas are united; Jehovah is LORD of (warrior) hosts. It is the name, therefore, of Jehovah in manifestation of power. "The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of glory" (Psalms 24:10) and accordingly in the Old Testament Scripture this name is revealed in the time of Israel's need. It is never found in the Pentateuch, nor directly in Joshua or Judges, and occurs but rarely in the Psalms; but Jeremiah, the prophet of approaching national judgment, uses the name about eighty times. Haggai in two chapters uses the name fourteen times, Zechari

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)_ 2. Hannah's prayer and vow (1 Samuel 1:9) 3. The prayer answered and Samuel born (1 Samuel 1:19) 4. The child weaned and presented unto the Lord (1 Samuel 1:21) 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 Elihu (my God is He), the son of Tohu (prostration), the son of Zuph (honeycomb). They were pious generations f

ELKANAH AND HIS RIVAL WIVES. The book opens with a domestic scene which throws light on the practical working of polygamy in ancient Israel. The husband is an Ephraimite, Elkanah of Ramah, _i.e._ the Height perhaps Rimo, twelve miles west of Shiloh. Elkanah had two wives (a very common arrangement, _cf._ Rachel and Leah) whose names were Hannah (Grace) and Peninnah (Coral or Pearl). Peninnah had children, Hannah had none. The hero of the story, Samuel, was born as an answer to prayer to a mother hitherto barren so Sarah and Isaac; Rebekah, Jacob and Esau; Rachel and Joseph. Elkanah and his family went yearly to a festival at Shiloh, probably the Vintage Festival, which was called later on the Feast of Tabernacles, a sort of Christmas away from home. What corresponded roughly to the Christmas dinner was the meal to which the sacrifice served as a somewhat elaborate grace. An ox or sheep w...

YEARLY. Hebrew "from days to days". Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Part), App-6, to emphasise the regularity. THE LORD OF HOSTS. Jehovah Sabaioth, one of the Jehovah-titles. The first of 281 occurrences. Denotes the God of Israel as the Lord of all the hosts of heaven and earth. See App-4. This title specially characterises this book. SHILOH. Where the Tabernacle and Ark were. Joshua 18:1; Joshua 19:51; Joshua 22:9; Judges 18:31. THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah_. App-4....