Samuel is born - Hannah Prays for a Son

Samuel is born - Hannah Prays for a Son
1 Samuel Chapter 1

There was a man named Elkanah who had two wives. One was named Peninnah, and the other was named Hannah. Peninnah had children, but the Lord had not given Hannah any children. And every year Elkanah went to worship the Lord at the temple, in a place called Shiloh. The priest who was there was named Eli.

Now when Elkanah gave his offerings, he also gave to Peninnah and all her children, but to Hannah, he gave twice as much because he loved her very much. But Hannah was very sad because she had no children. And every year, as they went to worship the Lord, Hannah was very sad, and she did not eat. Her husband said to her "Hannah, why are you crying, and why aren't you eating? And why are you so sad? Am I not better to you than 10 sons?"

After that Hannah was still so very sad, so she prayed to the LORD, and cried very much, and she made a vow (that is a promise) and said "O LORD of hosts, if you will see that I have no children, and remember me, and give me a baby boy, then I will give him back to you all the days of his life, and he will never be shaven." But as she prayed, Eli, who was watching her, saw that her lips moved, but her voice was silent, and this was because Hannah was praying in her heart. Isn't it a wonderful thing that the Lord can hear us when we pray silent prayers?

But Eli thought that she was drunk and he told her to put away the wine. But Hannah answered him and said "No, my lord, I am a very sad women, I have not had any wine, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD. Do not think of me as a drunken woman." So Eli told her "go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked of him." And so Hannah went and ate, and she was not sad any more, and then she returned home with her husband.

And after a time, God answered Hannah's prayer, and she gave birth to a little boy and called him Samuel which means "because I have asked him of the Lord." And that year when Elkanah went to Shiloh for the yearly offerings, Hannah stayed home and told her husband "I will stay home until the child has no more need for milk, and then I will bring him so that he may stand before the LORD, and live there forever." And so her husband said "Do what seems right to you then." So Hannah stayed home, and gave her baby milk until he no longer needed it.

And then Hannah fulfilled the vow she had made to the LORD. She took Samuel, when he was a little boy, and three bulls, some flour and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the temple at Shiloh, and brought him to the priest named Eli. And she said "oh, my lord, I am the woman that stood by you here, praying to the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD has given me that which I asked of him. Therefore, I now return him to the LORD, as long as he lives, he shall be with the LORD. And Samuel worshipped the Lord there."

And Hannah prayed a wonderful prayer worshipping and praising the LORD and then she returned home. And Samuel stayed at the temple to minister to the LORD.

Memory Verse: 1 Samuel 1:27 "For this child I prayed; and the LORD has given me that which I asked of him."

Questions:
1. What was the name of the place where the temple was?
2. Why was Hannah so sad?
3. Why did Eli think Hannah was drunk?
4. What did the LORD give Hannah?
5. What did Hannah do when Samuel was a little boy?

Answers:
1. Shiloh
2. Because she had no children, and Peninnah had children
3. Because when she was praying it was a silent prayer and only her lips moved.
4. a baby boy
5. she took him to the temple and gave him back to the LORD to live there for the rest of his life.

Vicki C. Gross/Nov'02

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