Hannah prays for a child. We don't know how old she is, only that she is barren, is the second wife of Elkanah, and taunted by the first wife Peninnah.
(1 Samuel 1:10) And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
I see those first 7 words as significant. In spite of her bitterness, she still managed to pray and trust the Lord. One of many signs that she truly loves and trusts the Lord.
Hannah begged the Lord to give her a son. She took her prayer a step farther when she promised to dedicate this child to the service of the Lord, even knowing that would mean the child would have to live apart from her.
God honored her humble prayer and granted her a son she named Samuel. She kept her promise and dedicated Samuel to the Lord's service. Does she weep at the parting? Maybe, the Bible does not say, but it does say he prayed a beautiful prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 (see below). Instead of wallowing in self-pity, she chooses to praise the Lord! Another sign of her true love for God.
She is able to only see Samuel once a year, which must have been difficult. However, God blessed her with 3 more sons and 2 daughters because she had kept her vow as well as graciously and humbly praised God for answering her prayers.
What faith and devotion Hannah had! I believe it was the legacy of his mother's faithfulness that coincided with a profound call on Samuel's life. What a mighty and gracious God to reward both Hannah and her son for her faithfulness!
(This is a long portion of scripture, but I edited some of it out, but please read the entire thing on your own.)
(1 Samuel 1:1-2:11) Now there was a certain man.. 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 her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.
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 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... 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... for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto."
And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord... and the Lord remembered her. 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."
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 forever."
And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her... and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young.
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. For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 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.
And Hannah prayed, and said, "My heart rejoiceth in the Lord... because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed... He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed."
...And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest.
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