サムエル記上1:1-20　1 Samuel 1:1-20,

It was about 100 years after the Israelites had lived in the land of Canaan given to them by God. At that time, Israel still had no king to rule. So Eli, a priest in the service of God, was leading the Israelites. Now, in the tribe of Ephraim in Israel, there was a man called Elkanah. Elkanah had two wives. It is strange that one man had two wives. Genesis 2:24 teaches: “A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” As such, God has decreed that marriage is to be a one-to-one relationship. However, in Old Testament times, that stipulation was not observed. So there were men like Elkanah who had several wives.

One of Elkanah’s wives was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had several children, but Hanna had no children. So Hannah was very lonely. In Old Testament times, it was customary for people to go to the temple every year to worship God and then eat a meal together as a family. After offering sacrificial cows, sheep or goats to God, they would receive the meat and eat it together as a family. What should have been a pleasant meal of feasting together was very painful for Hannah. This was because Peninnah was given a large portion of the meat, including that for her sons and daughters, while Hannah, who had no children, was only given her own portion. Moreover, Peninnah looked at Hannah as if she were an enemy, and would say or do things that would deliberately make her suffer during meals.

After years of this, Hannah became so sad that she could no longer eat her share of the meat. And when the meal was over, she stayed alone in the temple yard and prayed, crying intensely. “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” “LORD of hosts” refers to the God of heaven. Hannah said she was God’s servant and asked God to make her suffering known to him. She then made a vow that if God would give her a son, she would offer him to God for his service. It was customary for people who offered themselves to God not to cut their hair. Therefore, as a sign that she had offered the son to God, Hannah said, “No razor shall touch his head.”

After saying this, Hannah prayed for a long time in the temple yard. She prayed without speaking, only moving her mouth. When the priest, Eli, saw this, he assumed that Hannah was drunk. He asked her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” It is terrible to mistake someone who is praying for someone who is drunk! Hannah explained that she had poured out her soul to God in prayer. Finally, Eli was convinced and replied, “God grant your petition that you have made to him.” God granted Hannah’s petition. Eventually, a baby boy was born to Hannah. This child was Samuel, who would become a great leader of Israel in the future. Samuel also served as a prophet to deliver God’s word to the people.