I Samuel
Chapter 1
Memory verses for this week:
Deu 4:31 (For the LORD thy God is a
merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor
forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them..
Introduction:
We begin a new study this week on the book of I Samuel. The
story begins with the introduction of Elkanah, a man from the tribe
of Ephraim who lived in the city of Ramah.
I. The Mother Of Samuel
1 Sam 1:1 Now
there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and
his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son
of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
1 Sam 1:2 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.
Hannah’s husband was Elkanah, a man who lived in Ramah in the land
of Zuph. He was from the tribe of Ephraim. He had two wives,
Hannah, and Peninnah. The first man guilty of polygamy recorded in
the bible was Lamech.
Gen 4:19 And
Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and
the name of the other Zillah.
Abraham also had two wives, and this caused him much trouble in his
family.
Gen 16:1 Now
Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an
Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
Gen 16:2 And
Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from
bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may
obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Gen 16:3 And
Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had
dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband
Abram to be his wife.
Gen 16:4 And
he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she
had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Gen 16:5 And
Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid
into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was
despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
Gen 16:6 But
Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as
it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled
from her face.
1 Sam 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.
Elkanah seemed to prefer Hannah over Peninnah, and this made for a
bad situation in the family. This provoked jealousy between the
wives more than normal. Hannah was jealous of Peninnah because she
had children, and Peninnah was jealous of Hannah because their
husband showed partiality to Hannah. Elkanah was a godly man and
made a yearly pilgrimage to the tabernacle in Shiloh to worship the
Lord.
1 Sam 1:4 And
when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his
wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
1 Sam 1:5 But
unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the
LORD had shut up her womb.
At this time, the two sons of Eli were serving at the tabernacle.
Both of these men were wicked in the sight of God. It says in
verse 4 that Elkanah gave gifts for the tabernacle to Peninnah and
her children. He gave a special gift to Hannah because it says he
loved her. God had shut up the womb of Hannah, and there was a
special reason for this.
1 Sam 1:6 And
her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because
the LORD had shut up her womb.
1 Sam 1:7 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.
1 Sam 1:8 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?
1 Sam 1:9 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.
Peninnah used the fact of Hannah having no children to make Hannah
jealous. This became a heavy burden on her and she wept before the
lord. Because of Hannah’s sorrow, this brought grief to
Elkanah. He asks Hannah if he was not better to her than 10
sons. Eli was the judge in Israel at this time and he sat by the
post of the temple.
II. The Vow of Hannah
1 Sam 1:10 And
she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept
sore.
1 Sam 1:11 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 upon his head.
Hannah went to the right one with her problem. She was in
bitterness of soul. When a person is in bitterness of soul, they
normally do one of two things. They either turn away from God or
turn to him in prayer. Hannah chose the wise choice and turned to
God in prayer. Hannah made a promise to the Lord that she would
give the child to the Lord all the days of his life. She also
included the vow of a Nazarite… “No razor shall come upon his
head.” Every mother should have a desire that her children be
given unto the Lord all the days of their life. What greater
blessing could a mother have than to have her children serve the
Lord?
1 Sam 1:12 And
it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli
marked her mouth.
1 Sam 1:13 Now
Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice
was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
1 Sam 1:14 And
Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine
from thee.
1 Sam 1:15 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.
While Hannah was praying, Eli saw
her mouth was moving but no words came out. He thought that she
was drunk. Eli asked her how long would she be drunken? She
assured Eli that she was not drunk, but that she had been pouring
her heart out to the Lord. This should be an encouragement to us
to always turn our hearts over to the Lord when we need help. God
is always there to help us when we come with a humble and contrite
spirit.
James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that
ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.
1 Sam 1:16
Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the
abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
1 Sam 1:17
Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant
thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
1 Sam 1:18 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.
Hannah implored Eli to not think of her as one of the worthless
daughters of Belial. She had spoken to the Lord of the burden on
her heart. Apparently, from the tone of her voice, Eli knew she was
telling the truth.
1 Sam 1:19 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.
Eli turned from chiding Hannah and told her to go in peace… that the
God of Israel would grant her petition. Eli was not a good father
in that he didn’t correct his evil sons, but he did know where the
miracles of the Lord came from. After Eli told her to go in peace,
she most have left with confidence knowing that God had heard her
petition. She left without the sad countenance.
III. Birth of Samuel
1 Sam 1:20
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.
1 Sam 1:21 And
the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD
the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
1 Sam 1:22 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 for ever.
1 Sam 1:23 And
Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry
until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the
woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
The Lord answered her prayer and she conceived. After much prayer
and pouring her heart out to the Lord, God gave her a son. Hannah
named her son Samuel. The name Samuel means “asked of God.” The
time came for Elkanah and his family to come up the house of the
Lord. Apparently, this was a year after she had made her vow.
It says in verse 22 that she was not up to coming to the yearly
sacrifice, and she told Elkanah that she would not go up until
Samuel was weaned. We are not told when Hannah told Elkanah of
her vow concerning Samuel.
IV. Hannah Brings Samuel to Eli
1 Sam 1:24 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.
1 Sam 1:25 And
they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
1 Sam 1:26 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.
1 Sam 1:27 For
this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I
asked of him:
1 Sam 1:28
Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he
shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
After Samuel was weaned, Hannah kept her promise and brought Samuel
to Eli. He was very young, and she was giving the boy to the Lord
for his whole life. As long as Samuel lived, Hannah lent the boy to
the Lord. God would use Samuel in a great, great way.
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Prov
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more and more unto the perfect day.
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