1 Samuel 1:9-18

1 Samuel 1:9-18

[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.  [10] And she was in bitterness  of soul,  and prayed  unto the LORD,  and wept  [11] And she vowed  a vow,  and said,  O LORD  of hosts,  if thou wilt indeed  on the affliction  of thine handmaid,  and remember  me, and not forget  thine handmaid,  but wilt give  unto thine handmaid  child,  then I will give  him unto the LORD  all the days  of his life,  and there shall no razor  come  upon his head.  [12] And it came to pass, as she continued  praying  before  the LORD,  that Eli  marked  her mouth.  [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.  [14] And Eli  said  unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken?  put away  thy wine  [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.  [16] Count  not thine handmaid  for  a daughter  of Belial:  for out of the abundance  of my complaint  and grief  have I spoken  [17] Then Eli  answered  and said,  in peace:  and the God  of Israel  grant  thee thy petition  that thou hast asked  [18] And she said,  Let thine handmaid  find  grace  in thy sight.  So the woman  her way,  and did eat,  and her countenance  was no more sad.

What does 1 Samuel 1:9-18 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

These verses provide some insight into the godly character of Samuel"s mother and her personal relationship with Yahweh. That she would offer her son to God"s service for life was similar to asking that God would lead your child into "the ministry." Asking that he would be a lifetime Nazirite was similar to asking that your child would dedicate himself completely to God, not just by profession but also by conviction. Hannah showed that she desired the honor of Yahweh more than simply gaining relief from her abusers. She wanted to make a positive contribution to God"s program for Israel by providing a godly leader, not just to bear a child. Compare the blessing God gave Samson"s parents, in Judges 13:2-5, that probably came just a few years before Hannah made her vow.
The record of Eli"s observations of and dialogue with Hannah ( 1 Samuel 1:12-17) confirms the sincerity and appropriateness of her petition. Eli did not rebuke Hannah but commended her. [1] However, Eli"s response to Hannah reveals his instability. He misunderstood Hannah because he did not perceive her correctly. This weakness surfaces again later and accounts in part for his demise.
Prayer in the ancient world was usually audible (cf. Psalm 3:4; Psalm 4:1; Psalm 6:9; et al.; Daniel 6:10-11). [2] Pouring out one"s soul before God ( 1 Samuel 1:15) graphically describes earnest, burdened praying. [3] This kind of praying normally results in a release of anxiety, as it did in Hannah"s case ( 1 Samuel 1:18; cf. Philippians 4:6-7).
"The issues now turn not on barrenness and birth, but upon submission to Yahweh and trust in Yahweh. Thus while the two scenes share a common problem, they approach the problem very differently. Scene1 [4] treats the problem of barrenness as a matter of family struggle. In scene2 [5] the same problem has been redefined in Yahwistic categories of need, submission, and trust." [6]
When we believers find ourselves in difficult situations, we should commit our desires to God in prayer. In prayer we should seek what is best for God primarily because the purpose of prayer is to enable us to accomplish God"s will, not to get Him to do our will (cf. Matthew 6:9-10). When we feel a need greatly, we should also pray earnestly. When we pray this way, God will enable us to feel peace in our problem (cf. Philippians 4:6-7).