1 Samuel 1; 2:1,21

Her Ministry: Intense Prayer Warrior

Her Home Life: Married to Elkinah who also married Peninnah, a woman with a cruel tongue.

Her Status: The other wife (Although it is not clear it is possible that Elkinah married Peninnah because Hannah could not conceive and he was looking to have sons.

Her Purpose: To show us the value of living a life of prayer and believing in our prayers; To bear a son, Samuel who would grow up to become a man of prayer because of his mother's witness. Samuel means "asked of the Lord"

Her Character Traits: Unblemished, pious, emotional, patient, trustworthy

Her Physical Attributes: Unknown, but from the description of her character she was beautiful from within

Meaning of her name: Gracious/ Favor

Reference:

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was ELKANAH…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.

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 (by Peninnah)…the priests of the Lord, were there. And when the time was that Elkinah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: BUT UNTO HANNAH HE GAVE A WORTHY PORTION; FOR HE LOVED HANNAH: BUT THE LORD HAD SHUT UP HER WOMB.

And her adversary (the other wife) also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb. 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.

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? 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. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaiden, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a manchild, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.

Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy wine from thee.

Next >>