THE BIRTH OF SAMUEL Hannah, 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... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO WIVES] The reason was probably the barrenness of Hannah, which Elkanah would consider a disgrace. Thomson states that at the present day in the East it is considered sufficient reason for a divorce. But here, as elsewhere in OT., we find evidence of the unhappiness which polygamy often produced.... [ Continue Reading ]
YEARLY] lit. 'from time to time.' The Law commanded every male to appear before God three times in the year, and there are strong reasons for assigning a very early date to the practice. Of course, the phrase 'from time to time' can mean 'from year to year,' when the context so defines it (as in Exo... [ Continue Reading ]
HER ADVERSARY] i.e. Peninnah. The word is a common one in Arabic to denote a rival, or fellow-wife.... [ Continue Reading ]
_As_ HE DID SO] Probably the true text is 'So it happened.' DID NOT EAT] refused to take any part in the festival, of which the sacrificial meal was a principal feature (cp. 1 Samuel 9).... [ Continue Reading ]
ELI THE PRIEST] i.e. the chief priest. How Eli had attained this rank we do not know, for he was descended from Ithamar the younger son of Aaron, and not from Eleazar the elder son. It has been supposed that in those troublous times the office was bestowed upon him on account of his ability and piet... [ Continue Reading ]
See Numbers 6 respecting the Nazirite vow.... [ Continue Reading ]
A DAUGHTER OF BELIAL] lit. 'a daughter of worthlessness,' i.e. a worthless woman. 'Belial' came to be used as a name for Satan (2 Corinthians 6:15). GRIEF] RV 'provocation.'... [ Continue Reading ]
SAMUEL] The name Samuel is here connected with the verb _saal_, 'to ask'; but this seems only to have been a popular etymology. Most probably Samuel means 'name of God': cp. 1 Samuel 1:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS VOW] Perhaps Elkanah had vowed an offering to God if Hannah had a son, which he now fulfilled: cp. Leviticus 7:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTIL THE CHILD BE WEANED] After this the ordinary attendants at the Tabernacle would be able to take charge of him. In the Koran the usual time for weaning is stated to be the age of two years.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS WORD] LXX 'thy word.' No mention has been made in the preceding account of any promise of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
THREE BULLOCKS] Probably one bullock was for the burnt-offering, which accompanied the dedication of Samuel, another was for Elkanah's usual sacrifice, while the third was the thank-offering he had vowed (1 Samuel 1:21).... [ Continue Reading ]
LENT] RV 'granted,' as in Exodus 12:36. AND HE WORSHIPPED THE LORD THERE] These words interrupt the connexion and are rightly omitted by LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]