THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL, OTHERWISE CALLED, THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS Ch. 1 Samuel 1:1-8. Elkanah's household and devotion 1. _Now_ AND. The conjunction implies that the book of Samuel is a continuation of the history contained in the book of Judges which it immediately follows in the order o... [ Continue Reading ]
_two wives_ Polygamy, though at variance with the original institution of marriage (Genesis 2:24), was tolerated by the Mosaic law as an existing custom (Deuteronomy 21:15-17), and the fact that Abraham, Jacob, Gideon, David and Solomon were all polygamists, shews that no moral blame attached to the... [ Continue Reading ]
_yearly_ The Law required every male to present himself "before Jehovah" at the central sanctuary of the nation at each of the three great Feasts (Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16), but there is no evidence that this command was ever strictly observed, and Elkanah's practice was probably that of a pi... [ Continue Reading ]
_offered_ SACRIFICED, as in 1 Samuel 1:3. His sacrifice was a thank-offering, for it was only of the thank-offerings that the worshippers partook (Leviticus 7:11-18). _he gave_ The tenses in 1 Samuel 1:4 express _repeated_action: "HE USED TO GIVE: her adversary USED TO PROVOKE HER." _portions_ Of... [ Continue Reading ]
_a worthy portion_ Lit., _ONE PORTION FOR TWO PERSONS_ : A DOUBLE PORTION. If the text is sound, this seems to be the best explanation of an obscure expression. Elkanah marked his love for Hannah by giving her a double portion. Similarly Joseph distinguished Benjamin by sending him a fivefold portio... [ Continue Reading ]
_her adversary_ Peninnah. The cognate verb is used in Leviticus 18:18, "Thou shalt not take a wife to her sister _to vex her_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_as he did so_ Peninnah's spitefulness was evoked by the display of Elkanah's affection. Exultation at another's misfortune is one of the most detestable forms of malice. _did not eat_ Refused to take any part in the rejoicings of the sacrificial feast.... [ Continue Reading ]
_better to thee than ten sons_ Cp. Ruth 4:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
Hannah's Prayer and its answer 9. _So Hannah rose up_ Simply AND. Hannah left the feast for which she had not heart, and went to pray. _Eli the priest_ Eli belonged to the house of Ithamar Aaron's fourth son, as is clear from a comparison of 1 Chronicles 24:3 with 2 Samuel 8:17 and 1 Kings 2:17, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_vowed a vow_ The law of vows, with special limitations in the case of married women, is given in Numbers 30. _look on the affliction of thine handmaid_ The rendering of the LXX. "If thou wilt indeed regard the low estate of thine handmaiden" (ἐὰν ἐπιβλέπων ἐπιβλέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης σ... [ Continue Reading ]
_continued praying_ Lit. "multiplied to pray," i.e. "prayed long and earnestly.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Eli thought she had been drunken_ Silent prayer was not usual at the time. Eli's ready suspicion makes it probable that such excesses were not uncommon at the sacrificial feasts. His hasty and uncharitable judgment points to some of the defects of his character.... [ Continue Reading ]
_of a sorrowful spirit_ Lit. "heavy of spirit." "Consider the modesty of Hannah, who, though she suffered injury from the High Priest, nevertheless answers with reverence and humility." _Calvin_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a daughter of Belial_ Rather, A WORTHLESS, or, WICKED WOMAN. Our translators have wrongly treated this word as a proper name in the historical books, but not elsewhere, though the alternative is generally given in the margin. It means _worthlessness_, and according to the usual Hebrew idiom _a son... [ Continue Reading ]
_grace_ i.e. FAVOUR, as in 1 Samuel 25:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the_Lord _remembered her_ Cp. Genesis 30:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore_ Simply AND. _to Ramah_ See note on Ramathaim-Zophim in 1 Samuel 1:1. _Samuel_ This name, in Hebrew _Shemuel_, is familiar to us only in its Latin dress. It was borne by two other persons in the O. T. (Numbers 34:20; 1 Chronicles 7:2). Three explanations of it are proposed: (_a_) "Name... [ Continue Reading ]
Samuel's infancy and dedication to Jehovah 21. _his vow_ This assumes that Elkanah as well as Hannah had made a vow. The Sept. reads "his vows and all the tithes of his land." Cp. Deuteronomy 12:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
_until the child be weaned_ He would then be two or three years old. It is still a common practice in the East to suckle children for two years: and in ancient times they were sometimes not weaned till three years old. See 2Ma 7:27, "O my son, have pity upon me that gave thee suck three years and no... [ Continue Reading ]
_his word_ No express promise of a son has been mentioned; Eli's blessing in 1 Samuel 1:17 can scarcely be understood as such. But Samuel's birth implied that Hannah's prayer was heard, and Elkanah prays that it may receive a complete fulfilment. The Sept. reads "The Lord establish that which is gon... [ Continue Reading ]
_three bullocks_ We may conjecture that one was intended for a burnt-offering, one for the "sacrifice in performing a vow," and one for a peace-offering. See Numbers 15:8. _one ephah of flour_ According to Josephus, the ephah contained about 8½ gallons, according to Jewish authorities about 4½ gall... [ Continue Reading ]
_they slew a bullock_ THE BULLOCK; viz. the one which had been brought as a dedicatory offering with the child: the sacrifice of the others is taken for granted. We may try to picture the scene. Elkanah leads the bullock to the north side of the altar of burnt-offering, in the court before the door... [ Continue Reading ]
_as thy soul liveth_ An oath peculiar to the books of Samuel and Kings. _that stood by thee_ Prayer was offered either (_a) standing_, as by Hannah and Abraham (Genesis 18:22), cp. Matthew 6:5; Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11: (_b) kneeling_, as by Solomon (1 Kings 8:54), and by Daniel (Daniel 6:10), cp. Act... [ Continue Reading ]
_therefore also_, &c. Render, AND I ON MY PART HAVE GIVEN HIM TO JEHOVAH AS LONG AS HE LIVETH: BECAUSE HE WAS ONE ASKED FOR JEHOVAH. The exact translation of the Heb. is doubtful, and the remarkable play upon words in it is lost in translation. But the general sense is clear: -Jehovah gave me the ch... [ Continue Reading ]