CONTENTS This Chapter opens with an account of Samuel's family; of his father Elkanah, and his mother Hannah, particularly. The distress of his mother, by reason of her being childless; the temptation of her adversary on this score: her earnest prayer to God; Eli the Priest taking notice of her fer... [ Continue Reading ]
(2) And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. The having more wives than one, never did, nor ever can produce happiness. That it was from the lustful affections of our fallen nature, and not of di... [ Continue Reading ]
(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 is the first time, as far as I recollect, that we meet with this title of the Lord of Hosts, in the w... [ Continue Reading ]
(4) And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: (5) But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. It is not very easy to form a clear opinion what those portions were,... [ Continue Reading ]
(6) And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. Observe how Satan takes occasion to harrass God's afflicted ones. How he doth misconstrue the Lord's dealings, and tempt poor exercised souls to fret, even though the affliction is of the Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
(7) And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. It should seem that the exercises of poor Hannah's mind, were most severe when she went up to this annual feast. Yes. Whenever the Holy Ghost more graciously calls... [ Continue Reading ]
(8) Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? I should be led to conceive, that the abstinence here spoken of concerning Hannah, did not refer to her daily, ordinary food; but the feas... [ Continue Reading ]
(9) В¶ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. It is more than probable, that Hannah moved by her husband's remonstrance, or what is yet more likely still, awakened by grace in the heart, fro... [ Continue Reading ]
(10) And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. The Holy Ghost hath been very particular, to mark the earnestness of Hannah's soul, in prayer. Reader! you will not overlook I hope, who it was that, being in an agony, prayed more earnestly. Oh! thou precious Lamb of... [ Continue Reading ]
(11) And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come... [ Continue Reading ]
(12) And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. (13) Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. The great earnestness Hannah used in prayer, called forth the attenti... [ Continue Reading ]
(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 h... [ Continue Reading ]
(15) And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. (16) Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hither... [ Continue Reading ]
(17) Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. Observe, how her meek answer wrought upon the mind of Eli. A soft answer turneth away wrath. But in all this, as in every other instance, how doth the matchless example of Him, w... [ Continue Reading ]
(18) And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. Reader! I do beg you to remark the blessed effects of prayer, on the mind of Hannah. After she had poured out her heart in prayer to God, she went her way, and... [ Continue Reading ]
(19) В¶ And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. Doth not this pious family set an example to every traveller? You see they would not set out upon their journ... [ Continue Reading ]
(20) Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. I would have the Reader to notice in this verse, the expression, when the time was come about. There is a time to fa... [ Continue Reading ]
(21) And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. (22) But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide foreve... [ Continue Reading ]
(24) And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. It is not certain at what age Samuel was first presented. The weaning here spoken of, doth no... [ Continue Reading ]
(25) And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. The offerings were costly. Here was the sin-offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offering, all presented. It was the custom in the Church of God, to make dedications with sacrifice. See Psalms 1:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
(26) And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. (27) For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: (28) Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent... [ Continue Reading ]
REFLECTIONS How sweetly the Holy Ghost teacheth the Church in the history of all characters, the universal taint which marks our poor fallen nature! Elkanah, though a pious man, cannot be content without breaking the order of God, in a double marriage. And Hannah, though a partaker of grace, must h... [ Continue Reading ]