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1 Samuel
Chapter One
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 1
This
chapter gives an account of the parents of Samuel
of the trouble his mother
met with from her rival
and comfort from her husband
1 Samuel 1:1
of
her prayer to God for a son
and of her vow to him
should one be given her
1 Samuel 1:9 of the
notice Eli took of her
and of his censure on her
which he afterwards
retracted
and comforted her
1 Samuel 1:12 of
her conception and the birth of her son
the nursing and weaning of him
1 Samuel 1:19 and
of the presentation of him to the Lord
with a sacrifice
1 Samuel 1:24.
1 Samuel 1:1 Now
there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim
of the mountains of Ephraim
and
his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham
the son of Elihu
[a] the son of
Tohu
[b] the son of
Zuph
an Ephraimite.
YLT
1And there is a certain man
of Ramathaim-Zophim
of the hill-country of Ephraim
and his name [is] Elkanah
son of Jeroham
son of Elihu
son of Tohu
son of Zuph
and Ephrathite
Now there was a man of
Ramathaimzophim
of Mount Ephraim
.... Ramathaim is a word
of the dual number
and signifies two Ramahs; the city consisted of two parts
being built perhaps on two hills
and were called Zophim; because
as the
Rabbins say
they looked one to another; or rather
because situated on
eminences
there were watchtowers in them
where watchmen were placed; or
because they were inhabited by prophets
who were sometimes called watchmen
Ezekiel 3:17 and
here is thought to be a school of the prophets
see 1 Samuel 19:19 and
which seems to be countenanced by the Targum
in which the words are
paraphrased thus
"and there was one" man of Ramatha
of the
disciples of the prophets; or
as others think
the sense is this
this man was
one of the Ramathites
the inhabitants of Ramah
and of the family of Zuph
or
the Zuphites
which gave the name to the land of Zuph
and the grand ancestor
of Elkanah is in this verse called Zuph
see 1 Samuel 9:5.
According to JeromF5De loc. Heb. fol. 88. K.
this is the same with
Arimathaea
of which Joseph was
Matthew 27:57 for
thus he writes
"Armatha Sophim
the city of Helcanah and Samuel
in the
Thamnitic region near Diospolis (or Lydda)
from whence was Joseph
who in the
Gospels is said to be of Arimathaea;'but RelandF6Palestin.
Illustrat. tom. 2. p. 581. thinks it cannot be the same that was about Lydda
which was all a champaign country; whereas this was in the mountains of
Ephraim
which must be sought to the north of Jerusalem
and not the west
and
so it follows:
of Mount Ephraim: which is added to distinguish it from other
Ramahs in several tribes
as in Benjamin
Naphtali
&c. though this may
refer not to the situation of Ramathaim
but to the country of this man
who
was originally of Mount Ephraim
as was the Levite in Judges 19:1 who was
the cause of much evil to Israel
as this was of great good
as Kimchi
observes: arpar
and his name was Elkanah; which signifies
"God hath possessed"; that is
possessed him
or he was in possession
of God; he had an ancestor of the same name
1 Chronicles 6:23.
This man was a Levite
one of the Kohathites
and a descendant of Korah; so
that the famous prophet Samuel was of the sons of Korah:
the son of Jeroham
the son of Elihu
the son of Tohu
the son of
Zuph; the three last of these names are somewhat differently read in 1 Chronicles 6:26
where they are Eliab
Nahath
Zophai; and in 1 Chronicles 6:34.
Eliel
Toah
Zuph:
an Ephrathite; which appellation is to be connected
according to Kimchi
not with Elkanah
but with Zuph; though neither of them
were so called from Bethlehemjudah
the inhabitants of which were indeed called
Ephrathites from Ephratah
another name of it; so Elimelech
and his sons
Mahlon and Chilion
being of that city
were so called
1:2
not from their being of the tribe of Ephraim
as Jeroboam of that tribe is
called an Ephrathite
1 Kings 11:26
see Judges 12:5 for
these were Levites
the descendants of Kohath
in the line of Korah; but
because they sojourned in Mount Ephraim
or dwelt there
as Elkanah did; and it
is well known that the Kohathites had cities given them in the tribe of
Ephraim
Joshua 21:5.
1 Samuel 1:2 2 And he had two wives: the
name of one was Hannah
and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had
children
but Hannah had no children.
YLT 2and he hath two wives
the
name of the one [is] Hannah
and the name of the second Peninnah
and Peninnah
hath children
and Hannah hath no children.
And he had two wives
.... Which
though connived at in those times
was contrary to the original law of marriage;
and for which
though a good man
he was chastised
and had a great deal of
vexation and trouble
the two wives not agreeing with each other; perhaps not
having children by the one so soon as he hoped and wished for
he took another:
the name of the one was Hannah
and the name of the other Peninnah; the first
name signifies "grace" or "gracious"
and she was a woman
who had the grace of God
and very probably was also very comely
beautiful
and acceptable
as she was in the sight of her husband; the other signifies a
cornered gem
a precious stone or jewel
as the pearl
ruby
amethyst
&c.
Very likely Hannah was his first wife
and having no children by her
he took
Peninnah
who proved to be a rough diamond: and Peninnah had children
but Hannah
had no children; how many Peninnah had is not said
perhaps ten; see 1 Samuel 1:8 and
that Hannah had none was not because she was naturally barren
but because the
Lord had shut up her womb
or restrained her from bearing children
to put her
upon praying for one
and that the birth of Samuel might be the more
remarkable: see 1 Samuel 1:5.
1 Samuel 1:3 3 This man went up from his
city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in
Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli
Hophni and Phinehas
the priests of the Lord
were
there.
YLT
3And that man hath gone up
out of his city from time to time
to bow himself
and to sacrifice
before
Jehovah of Hosts
in Shiloh
and there [are] two sons of Eli
Hophni and
Phinehas
priests to Jehovah.
This man went up out of
his city yearly
.... From year to year; or
as the Targum
from the time of the
solemn appointed feast to the solemn appointed feast
from one to another;
there were three of them in the year
at which all the males in Israel were to
appear at the tabernacle; and being a Levite
this man was the more careful to
observe this rule. He is said to "go up" out of his city
which was
Ramathaim or Ramah; for though it was built on an eminence
from whence it had
its name
yet Shiloh
whither he went
was higher; that being
as Adrichomius
saysF1Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 30. So Sandys's Travels
l. 3. p.
157.
on the highest mountain of all round about Jerusalem
and the highest of
all the mountains of the holy land. So that as he first went down the hill from
Ramah
he went up an high ascent to Shiloh
which is the place he went up to as
follows:
to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh; where the
tabernacle was
the place of worship
and the altar of burnt offerings
on
which sacrifices were offered. This place
according to BuntingF2Travels
of the Patriarchs
&c. p. 122.
was twelve miles from Ramah
though others
say it was not more than seven miles from it; hither he went to worship
or bow
before the Lord; to pray unto him
as it is commonly interpreted; and being put
before sacrifice
is said to be preferable to that
and more acceptable to God
and more eligible to be done in the tabernacle or temple than at home; see Luke 18:10 and
though he is said to go up to sacrifice
it is not to be understood of his
performing it himself
but by others
by the priest; for he himself was a
Levite and could not offer sacrifices. This is the first time that mention is
made of this title of Jehovah
Lord of hosts
of all the hosts and armies in
heaven and in earth
the Lord of Sabaoth
as in James 5:4 from צבא
an "host"
or army; and from hence the
Heathens called some of their deities by the name of Sabazius
as Jupiter
SabaziusF3Valer. Maxim. l. 1. c. 3. Vid. D. Herbert de Cherbury de
Relig. Gent. c. 3. p. 22. ; and the Phrygians and Thracians used to call
Bacchus Sabazius
and other Grecians following them did the sameF4Diodor.
Sicul. Bibliothec. l. 3. p. 212. Harpocration in voce σαβοι
Lucian. Concil. deor. sect. 4. Cicero de legibus. l. 2. Aristophan vespae
v.
9
10. Aves
582. & Scholia in ib. Lysistrate
p. 860. & Scholia in ib.
:
and the two sons of Eli
Hophni and Phinehas the priests of the
Lord
were there; Eli was the next judge of Israel after Samson
and
who also was the high priest
as is generally supposed; but when and how the
high priesthood came into his family is nowhere said
who was a descendant of
Ithamar
the younger son of Aaron
in whose line it continued to the time of
Solomon; and JosephusF5Antiqu. l. 5. c. 11. sect. 5. places three
between Phinehas and Eli
who were all of the line of Eleazar
whom he calls
Abiezer
Bouci
and Ozis; but their Scripture names are Abishua
Bukki
and
Uzzi
1 Chronicles 6:50.
And according to him
after Uzzi came Eli to be high priest
and therefore must
be the first of the line of Ithamar that was in that office. His two sons are
mentioned as officiating as priests in Shiloh
at the time Elkanah used to go
yearly thither to worship and sacrifice; who were very wicked men
as appears
by an after account of them; and it is generally thought that this is observed
here
to show that the wickedness of these priests did not hinder this good man
from doing his duty; nor did he make use of it as an excuse for not attending
the worship of the sanctuary.
1 Samuel 1:4 4 And whenever the time came
for Elkanah to make an offering
he would give portions to Peninnah his wife
and to all her sons and daughters.
YLT
4And the day cometh
and
Elkanah sacrificeth
and he hath given to Peninnah his wife
and to all her
sons and her daughters
portions
And when the time was that
Elkanah offered
.... That is
brought his offering to the priest
to offer it for
him
which was at one of the three festivals. According to R. Joshua Ben LeviF6Apud
Kimchium in loc.
this was at the time of Pentecost; but Abarbinel thinks it
was at the time of the ingathering of the fruits of the earth
which was a time
of rejoicing
even the feast of tabernacles
and which is most likely:
he gave to Peninnah his wife
and to all her sons and her
daughters
portions; parts of the offering
everyone a part
or portion; by which it
appears
that this was a peace offering he offered
the greater part of which
belonged to the owner
and which he made a feast of for his family and friends;
see Deuteronomy 12:5.
JeromF7Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 74. H. interprets these portions
of garments.
1 Samuel 1:5 5 But to Hannah he would give
a double portion
for he loved Hannah
although the Lord had closed her
womb.
YLT
5and to Hannah he giveth a
certain portion -- double
for he hath loved Hannah
and Jehovah hath shut her
womb;
But unto Hannah he gave a
worthy portion
.... Or
one choice portion
as the Targum; the best part or
portion in the peace offering
of what the priest had not; he had the breast
and the right shoulder
the next best piece he gave to Hannah; and the word
being of the dual number
some render it a double portion; others
"one
part of two faces"F8מנה אחת אפים "unam portionem
duarum facicrum"
Sanctius Belgae. ; which Jerom interprets
which might
be received with a cheerful countenance
it was so good and excellent in its
kind; others interpret it that he gave it with a sorrowfulF9Sic
Stockins
p. 79. and displeased countenance
because of the reason following
that she had no children; but Ben Gersom understands it of a part or portion of
meat that had two faces or appearances; that he gave her one of the pieces
one
part of which was very fat
and the other had no fat on it
so that she might
choose what she liked best:
for he loved Hannah; loved her best
and
therefore did everything to please her
and make her comfortable under her
affliction for want of children
and to express his tender affection for her:
but the Lord had shut up her womb; restrained her from
conception
and bearing children; see Genesis 20:18 or
"though the Lord had shut up her womb"F11ויהוה "quanquam Jehovah"
Piscator. ; this did
not abate his love to her.
1 Samuel 1:6 6 And her rival also
provoked her severely
to make her miserable
because the Lord had closed her
womb.
YLT
6and her adversity hath also
provoked her greatly
so as to make her tremble
for Jehovah hath shut up her
womb.
And her adversary also
provoked her sore
.... That is
Peninnah
the other wife of Elkanah; for when a man
had more wives
two or more
they were usually at enmity to one another
as the
two wives of Socrates were
being always jealous lest one should have more love
and respect than the other from the husband; and this woman provoked Hannah one
time after another
and continually
by upbraiding her with her barrenness; and
this was another reason why Elkanah did all he could to comfort her
not only
because the Lord had restrained her from bearing children
but because also she
that envied and emulated her sadly provoked her:
for to make her fret; and be uneasy
and
murmur at and complain of her unhappy circumstances: some render it
"because she thundered"F12בעבור הרעמה "propterea quod intonabat contra eam"
Piscator. against her; that is
Peninnah was exceeding loud and clamorous with
her reproaches and scoffs
which were grievously provoking to Hannah. So said
Socrates
when Xantippe first scolded at him
and then poured foul water on
him: did not I say
says he
that Xantippe first thunders
and then rainsF13Laert.
in Vit. Socrat. p. 112. ?
because the Lord had shut up her womb; it was this
Peninnah upbraided her with
and at which Hannah fretted and grieved.
1 Samuel 1:7 7 So it was
year by year
when she went up to the house of the Lord
that she provoked her;
therefore she wept and did not eat.
YLT
7And so he doth year by
year
from the time of her going up into the house of Jehovah
so it provoketh
her
and she weepeth
and doth not eat.
And as he did so year by
year
.... Elkanah went up every year to Shiloh
and offered
sacrifices
taking his family with him
and gave to Peninnah and her children
their portion
and to Hannah a double portion
or if but one yet the best:
when she went up to the house of the Lord; that is
Peninnah
along with her husband
with whom she went every year to the
tabernacle at Shiloh:
so she provoked her; her rival Hannah
upbraiding her with her barrenness; to which she was stirred up by seeing her
husband on these festivals take so much notice of her
and show so much love
and respect for her
as always to give her the best portion. Abarbinel thinks
that Peninnah and Hannah lived at two separate places
the one at Ramah and the
other at Ramatha
which both together are called Ramathaim; and that they only
met with and saw one another at these festivals
and then it was that the one
was so very insulting and provoking to the other:
therefore she wept and did not eat; that is
Hannah wept at
the insults
reproaches
and scoffs
cast at her by her antagonist; insomuch
that she could not eat of the peace offerings
though her husband always gave
her the best part and portion of them; but her grief took away her stomach and appetite
that she could not eat; see Psalm 42:3.
1 Samuel 1:8 8 Then Elkanah her husband
said to her
“Hannah
why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your
heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
YLT
8And Elkanah her husband
saith to her
`Hannah
why weepest thou? and why dost thou not eat? and why is
thy heart afflicted? am I not better to thee than ten sons?'
Then said Elkanah her husband
to her
Hannah
why weepest thou?.... Since it was a time
of rejoicing
as every festival was
especially at the ingathering of the
fruits of the earth:
and why eatest thou not? since they were at a
feast
and she had the best part and portion of the provision:
and why is thy heart grieved? to such a degree that
she could neither eat nor drink:
am not I better to thee than ten sons? which
as
Jarchi says
Peninnah had borne to him; his meaning is
that the share she had
in his love and affections ought to have been esteemed by her more than if she
had ten or many children by him; and it suggests that Peninnah would have been
glad to have such a share in his affections as Hannah had; and it would have
been more eligible to her
than to have borne him so many children as she had.
1 Samuel 1:9 9 So Hannah arose after they
had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on
the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle[c] of the Lord.
YLT
9And Hannah riseth after
eating in Shiloh
and after drinking
and Eli the priest is sitting on the
throne by the side-post of the temple of Jehovah.
So Hannah rose up after
they had eaten in Shiloh
and after they had drank
.... After
dinner
after Elkanah and Peninnah
and their children
had eaten heartily
and
drank freely
and made a comfortable meal
and even a feast of it
at the place
where the tabernacle and altar were
and their peace offerings were offered up
part of which they had been regaling themselves with. The Targum is
"after
she had eaten in Shiloh
and after she had drank;'for upon the entreaty of her
husband
and to make him easy
she might be prevailed upon to eat somewhat
though it might be but little; and to drink
though it was but water; for as
for wine and strong drink
she declares afterwards she had not drank
1 Samuel 1:15.
now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the
Lord; for so the tabernacle was called
and sometimes the temple is
called a tabernacle
Jeremiah 10:20. Now
at the door posts and side of the threshold of the temple of the Lord
as the
Targum; at the entrance of the great court of the Israelites
Eli had a seat
placed
on which he sat; this must be at the gate of the court of the
tabernacle
by the pillars of it; for in the court itself none afterwards might
sit but kings of the family DavidF14Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn.
Yoma
c. 7. sect. 1. ; here Eli sat as an high priest and judge
give advice in
difficult cases
and to try and judge all causes that were brought before him;
some sayF15Shoched Tob apud Yalkut
par. 2. fol. 12. 4. that he was
on this day constituted an high priest
and others sayF17Seder Olam
Rabba
c. 13. p. 37. he was now made a judge; but no doubt he was both high
priest and judge before this time.
1 Samuel 1:10 10 And she was in
bitterness of soul
and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.
YLT
10And she is bitter in soul
and prayeth unto Jehovah
and weepeth greatly
And she was in bitterness
of soul
.... Because of her barrenness
and the taunts and reflections
she had met with on that account; her life was bitter to her
she could take no
pleasure in any of the comforts of it:
and prayed unto the Lord
and wept sore; her prayer
was with strong crying and tears; it was very fervent and affectionate; she
prayed most vehemently
and wept bitterly. This perhaps was about the time of
the evening sacrifice
about three or four o'clock in the afternoon; seeing it
was after dinner that she arose up and went to prayer in the house of God
at
the door of the tabernacle
or near it
as it should seem by the notice Eli
took of her
who sat there.
1 Samuel 1:11 11 Then she made a vow and
said
“O Lord
of hosts
if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and
remember me
and not forget Your maidservant
but will give Your maidservant a
male child
then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life
and no razor shall come upon his head.”
YLT
11and voweth a vow
and
saith
`Jehovah of Hosts
if Thou dost certainly look on the affliction of Thy
handmaid
and hast remembered me
and dost not forget Thy handmaid
and hast
given to Thy handmaid seed of men -- then I have given him to Jehovah all days
of his life
and a razor doth not go up upon his head.'
And she vowed a vow
.... Which
might be confirmed by her husband; otherwise the vow of a woman
if disapproved
of by her husband
was not valid
Numbers 30:8 and
Elkanah might make the same vow his wife did
and so it stood; for as this was
a vow of Nazariteship
it is a tradition of the JewsF18Misn. Sotah.
c. 3. sect. 8.
that a man may vow his son to be a Nazarite
but a woman may not;
but as this instance contradicts the tradition
they endeavour to explain away
this vow
as it may respect a Nazarite
as will be observed hereafter:
and said
O Lord of hosts; this is properly the
first time this title was used by any that we know of; for though it is
expressed in 1 Samuel 1:3 there
it is used as the words of the writer of this history
and so long after this
prayer was put up; See Gill on 1 Samuel 1:3; and
it is an observation in the TalmudF19T. Bab. Beracot
fol. 31. 2.
that from the day God created the world
no man called him the Lord of hosts
till Hannah came and called him so:
if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thine handmaid the sorrow of
heart she had
the reproach she met with
on account of her having no children:
and remember me
and not forget thine handmaid; which petitions
are the same in other words
and are repeated to denote her vehemence and
importunity in prayer
and may allude to usages among men
that will look upon
a person in distress
and turn away and forget them
and never think of them
more; which she deprecates may not be her case with God:
but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child; or
"a
seed of men"F20זרע אנשים "semen virorum"
Montanus. ; a son in the
midst of men
as the Targum; such as is desirable by men
as a male child for
the most part is; though some Jewish writers interpret it of the seed of
righteous
wise
and understanding men
such as be fit to serve the Lord
which
seems to be a sense foreign to the text; a man child she asks
because no other
could serve the Lord in the temple; and that she meant by this phrase such an
one is clear
because she vowed that a razor should not come on its head
which
is never said of females
as Kimchi observes:
then will I give him unto the Lord all the days of his life; to serve him
and minister unto him in the sanctuary; being born a Levite
it was incumbent
on him to serve the Lord
and he had a right to his service; but then a common
Levite did not enter on it until twenty five or thirty years of age
and was
not always serving
but was dismissed from it at fifty Numbers 8:24; but
the child she vows
if the Lord would give her such an one
should be trained
up in his service from his infancy
and continue it all the days of his life;
and was to be also a perpetual Nazarite
as Samson was
as follows:
and there shall no razor come upon his head; as was not to
come upon a Nazarite
during his Nazariteship
Numbers 6:5 and as
such a vow made by a woman contradicts the tradition of the Jews before
mentioned
they give another sense of this clause; as the Targum
which
paraphrases it
"and the fear of man shall not be upon him;'but about this
there is a divisionF21Misn. Nazir
c. 9. sect. 5. ; but that Samuel
was Nazarite
and a perpetual one
is the sense of their best interpreters.
1 Samuel 1:12 12 And it happened
as she
continued praying before the Lord
that Eli watched her
mouth.
YLT
12And it hath been
when she
multiplied praying before Jehovah
that Eli is watching her mouth
And it came to pass
as
she continued praying before the Lord
.... Being very earnest
and importunate with him to grant her request
and therefore repeated her
petition
and prolonged her prayer
being unwilling to let the Lord go
until
she had a promise
or some satisfaction
that she should have the thing she
liked; some think she continued an hour in prayer:
that Eli marked her mouth; observed the motion of
her lips
and no doubt her distorted countenance
and uplifted eyes and hands
but chiefly the former; not knowing what the woman was at
and what could be
the meaning of such motions.
1 Samuel 1:13 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart;
only her lips moved
but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was
drunk.
YLT
13and Hannah
she is speaking
to her heart
only her lips are moving
and her voice is not heard
and Eli
reckoneth her to be drunken.
Now Hannah
she spake in
her heart
.... It was mental prayer she used
some ejaculations of her mind
she sent up to God
which she was sensible were well known to him
and she
needed not to express vocally:
only her lips moved; as her heart spoke
and
sent up her petitions
as if she had used words and phrases in form:
but her voice was not heard: that she might not seem
to be ostentatious in her prayer
and that she might not interrupt others in
their devotions; and she knew that her voice was not necessary with respect to
God:
therefore Eli thought she had been drunken; by the
motions she made
and gestures she used
as if she was muttering something to
herself
and by her long continuance therein
and it being after a feast she
had been at with her husband
and the rest of the family; from all which Eli
concluded this must be her case.
1 Samuel 1:14 14 So Eli said to her
“How
long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!”
YLT
14And Eli saith unto her
`Until when are thou drunken? turn aside thy wine from thee.'
And Eli said unto her
how
long wilt thou be drunken?.... What
every day drunk? what
continually in this wicked practice? when will it be stopped? for Eli might
have observed on other days
and at other times
odd looks
and a strange
behaviour in her
which he took for the effects of drinking too much wine: or
how long will this drunken fit last? she had been a considerable time as he
thought in it
and it was not gone off yet: the Targum is
"how long wilt
thou behave like a fool
or a mad woman?'as drunken people generally do act
as
if they were fools
or mad:
put away thy wine from thee; not as if she had any
with her there to drink of
but he advises her
since it had such an effect
upon her
to abstain from it
and wholly disuse it
and so break off such an
habit and custom she had got into; or he would have her go home and sleep it
out
and wait till she had digested it
and the strength of it was gone off
before she came to such a place of devotion and worship; from hence the Jews
sayF23T. Bab. Beracot
fol. 31. 1. it may be learnt
that a drunken
person ought not to pray.
1 Samuel 1:15 15 But Hannah answered and
said
“No
my lord
I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk
neither wine nor intoxicating drink
but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
YLT
15And Hannah answereth and
saith
`No
my lord
A woman sharply pained in spirit I [am]
and wine and
strong drink I have not drunk
and I pour out my soul before Jehovah;
And Hannah answered and
said
no
my lord
.... That is not my case
you have greatly mistaken it; she
answered with great mildness and meekness
without falling into a passion at
such a scandalous imputation upon her
and with great respect and reverence to
Eli
suitable to his office; so in later times the high priest used to be
addressed after this manner
particularly on the day of atonement
"Lord
high priest"
do so and soF24Misn. Yoma
c. 1. sect. 3
5
7. ;
indeed these words of Hannah are interpreted as not so very respectful
as if
the sense was
not a lord art thou in this matter; nor does the Holy Ghost
dwell upon theeF25T. Bab. Beracot
fol. 31. 2. Jarchi in loc. ;
which thou hast sufficiently shown
or thou wouldest never have suspected me of
drunkenness:
I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: depressed with trouble
and grief on account of afflictions; if she was drunk
it was not with wine
but with sorrow: or "a woman of a hard spirit"F26קשת רוח "dura spiritu"
Pagninus
Montanus. ; which is sometimes taken in an ill sense
and
according
to Abarbinel
is here denied by her
who connects this clause with the
preceding thus; not
my lord
am I a woman of a hard spirit
or such a hardened
wretch
and such an impudent woman
as I must be
were it so
to come drunk
into the house of God
and pretend to pray unto him:
I have drank neither wine nor strong drink; not any sort
of intoxicating liquors that day
neither wine new or old
as the Targum:
but have poured out my soul before the Lord: the
affliction of it
as the same paraphrase; the grievances and distresses
the
complaints of her soul
which were many
and which she had poured out before
the Lord freely and plentifully
and which had taken up some time to do it; see
Psalm 42:8 where
phrases similar to this are used
and which seem to be taken from hence.
1 Samuel 1:16 16 “Do not consider your
maidservant a wicked woman
[d] for out of
the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.”
YLT
16put not thy handmaid before
a daughter of worthlessness
for from the abundance of my meditation
and of my
provocation
I have spoken hitherto.'
Count not thine handmaid
for a daughter of Belial
.... A yokeless
a lawless
impudent
and abandoned creature; one
of the most wicked
vilest
and most profligate wretches; as she must be to
come drunk into the sanctuary of God; see 1 Samuel 25:17.
Drunkenness in man is au abominable crime
but much more in a woman. The RomansF1Plin.
Nat. Hist. l. 14. c. 13. forbad wine to women
and drunkenness in them was a
capital crime
as adultery
or any other; and indeed a drunken woman is liable
to all manner of sin:
for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken
hitherto; out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak
whether
it is matter of trouble or of joy; the heart of Hannah was full of grief
and
her mouth full of complaints
on which she long dwelt
in order to give vent
thereunto
and ease herself.
1 Samuel 1:17 17 Then Eli answered and
said
“Go in peace
and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have
asked of Him.”
YLT
17And Eli answereth and
saith
`Go in peace
and the God of Israel doth give thy petition which thou
hast asked of Him.'
Then Eli answered and
said
go in peace
.... He found he was mistaken in her
and that her discourse was
not only sober and rational
but religious and spiritual; and therefore
dismisses her in peace
and bids her not distress herself with what he had said
to her
nor with anything she had met with from others
or from the Lord; but
expect peace and prosperity
and particularly success in what she had been
engaged
and had been solicitous for:
and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked
of him; which may be considered either as a prayer for her
he joining
with her in a request to the Lord
that what she had asked might be granted; or
as a prophecy that so it would be
it being revealed to him by the Holy Ghost
as the high priest of the Lord; or impressed by an impulse upon his spirit that
the favour asked would be given; and therefore she might go home in peace
and
with satisfaction of mind.
1 Samuel 1:18 18 And she said
“Let your
maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate
and
her face was no longer sad.
YLT
18And she saith
`Let thy
handmaid find grace in thine eyes;' and the woman goeth on her way
and eateth
and her countenance hath not been [sad] for it any more.
And she said
let thine
handmaid find grace in thy sight
.... She had found favour
in his sight she perceives
and she desires it might be continued and
increased; and that as he had prayed for her
he would still use his interest
at the throne of grace for her:
so the woman went her way; took her leave of Eli
and went from the tabernacle to her husband: and did eat; what remained of the
peace offerings
which were to be eaten that night
and not left till the
morning; and though she would not eat her dinner
her heart was so full of
grief
yet she could now make a good supper
being eased and relieved in her
mind:
and her countenance was no more sad; sorrowful and dejected
but cheerful
brisk
and lively; believing that her prayers
and those of the
high priest
would be answered.
1 Samuel 1:19 19 Then they rose early in
the morning and worshiped before the Lord
and returned and came to
their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife
and the Lord remembered
her.
YLT
19And they rise early in the
morning
and bow themselves before Jehovah
and turn back
and come in unto
their house in Ramah
and Elkanah knoweth Hannah his wife
and Jehovah
remembereth her;
And they rose up in the
morning early
.... Partly for devotion
and partly for the sake of their
journey:
and worshipped before the Lord; went up to the
tabernacle
and prayed with their faces towards that part of it
the western
part
where stood the ark of the Lord
the symbol of the divine Presence; and
when they no doubt gave thanks for all the favours they had received there
and
prayed for a safe and prosperous journey home
committing themselves to the
care of divine Providence:
and returned
and came to their house to Ramah; or
"Ramatha"
the same with Ramathaim
1 Samuel 1:1. Abarbinel
thinks that Elkanah had two houses
one at Ramah for Peninnah
and another at
Ramatha for Hannah; and that this was Hannah's house
to which they returned
and came:
and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife: cohabited with her as a
man with his wife; it is a modest expression of the conjugal act; see Genesis 4:1 and is
observed to show that the conception and birth of Samuel were not in a
supernatural way
but in the ordinary way and manner of generation:
and the Lord remembered her; the prayer she had made
to him
opened her womb
as he had before shut it
and gave her power to
conceive.
1 Samuel 1:20 20 So it came to pass in the
process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son
and called his name
Samuel
[e] saying
“Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”
YLT
20and it cometh to pass
at
the revolution of the days
that Hannah conceiveth
and beareth a son
and
calleth his name Samuel
`for
from Jehovah I have asked him.'
Wherefore it came to pass
when the time was come about
after Hannah had conceived
.... Or
"at the revolutions of days"F2לתקפות
הימים "in revolutionibus dierum"
Montanus;
so Piscator. ; at the end of a year
of a complete year
as Ben Melech
from
their return from Shiloh; for it might be some time after their return that she
conceived; or rather the sense is
that at nine months' end
the usual time of
a woman's going with child from her conception
which is the date here given:
that she bare a son: was brought to bed of a
son:
and called his name Samuel
saying
because I have asked
him of the Lord; one would think rather his name should have been Saul
for the
reason given; but
as Ben Gersom observes
givers of names are not always
grammatically strict and critical in them
or in the etymology of them
as in
the names of Reuben and Noah
in which he instances; and this may be the rather
overlooked in a woman
than in a man of learning. According to Kimchi
it is as
if it was Saulmeel; that is
"asked of God"
and by contraction
Samuel; but HillerusF3Onomastic. Sacr. p. 418
419
487. gives a
better account of this name
and takes it to be composed of Saul-mul-el
"asked before God"
"in the sight of God"
"before the
ark of God". This name Hannah gave her son (for sometimes the father
and
sometimes the mother
gave the name) in memory of the wonderful favour and
goodness of God in granting her request; and to impress her own mind with a
sense of the obligation she lay under
to perform her vow
and to engage her
son the more readily to give up himself to the service of God
when he
reflected on his name
and the reason of it.
1 Samuel 1:21 21 Now the man Elkanah and
all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and
his vow.
YLT
21And the man Elkanah goeth
up
and all his house
to sacrifice to Jehovah the sacrifice of the days
and
his vow.
And the man Elkanah
and
all his house
.... All his family
excepting Hannah
and her son Samuel; or all
the men of his house
as the Targum; for only the males were obliged to appear
at the three festivals:
went up to Shiloh; to the house of God there:
to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice; either the
passover
to which men commonly went up with their families: see Luke 2:41
or
rather it may be what was offered at the feast of tabernacles
as Abarbinel
thinks
the time of the ingathering the fruits of the earth
when men went up
with their families to offer sacrifice
and express their joy on that account
Deuteronomy 16:10.
and his vow: which he had made between feast and feast; for whatever vows men
made at home
on any account
they paid them at the yearly festivals; and this
vow might be on the account of the birth of his son
by way of thanksgiving for
that.
1 Samuel 1:22 22 But Hannah did not go up
for she said to her husband
“Not until the child is weaned; then I will
take him
that he may appear before the Lord and remain there
forever.”
YLT
22And Hannah hath not gone
up
for she said to her husband
`Till the youth is weaned -- then I have
brought him in
and he hath appeared before the face of Jehovah
and dwelt
there -- unto the age.'
But Hannah went not up
.... For
women
though they might go if they pleased to the yearly feasts
yet they were
not obliged to it; whether she went up at the time for her purification
and
for the presenting and redemption of the firstborn
is not certain; some say
the Levites were not obliged by that law
the perquisites of it falling to
them
and so did not go up; others that she did
though it is not expressed
the Scriptures not relating all facts that were done; though by what follows it
looks as if she did not:
for she said unto her husband
I will not go up until the child be
weaned: which
according to Jarchi
was at the end of twenty two months;
but others say at the end of twenty four months
or two years
as Kimchi and
Ben Melech; and sometimes a child was three years old before it was weaned
and
sometimes longer
which very probably was the case here; See Gill on Genesis 21:8.
ComestorF4Apud Weemse's Observ. Nat. c. 18. p. 76. observes
there
was a three fold weaning of children in old times; the first from their
mother's milk
when three years old; the second from their tender age
and care
of a dry nurse
when seven years old; the third from childish manners
when at
twelve years of age; and that it is this last and metaphorical weaning which is
here meant
when Samuel was twelve years of age
and fit to serve in the
temple; but the proper sense is best
since she is said to bring him when
weaned: her reason for it seems to be this
because had she went up with her
sucking child
she must have brought him back again
since he would not be fit
to be left behind
and would be entirely incapable of any kind of service in
the sanctuary; and according to the nature of her vow
she could not think of
bringing him back again
after she had once entered him there:
and then I will bring him
that he may appear before the Lord; and minister
in the service of the sanctuary in what might be suitable to his age; there and
then she would present him
and give him up to the Lord
as she had promised
she would:
and there abide for ever; that is
as long as he
lived; for her vow was that he should be a Nazarite all the days of his life
and be separated to the service of God as long as he had a being in the world.
1 Samuel 1:23 23 So Elkanah her husband
said to her
“Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only
let the Lord
establish His[f] word.”
Then the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
YLT
23And Elkanah her husband
saith to her
`Do that which is good in thine eyes; abide till thy weaning him;
only
Jehovah establish His word;' and the woman abideth and suckleth her son
till she hath weaned him
And Elkanah her husband
said unto her
do what seemeth thee good
.... He spake like a kind
and indulgent husband
knowing that she would not thereby break any law of God;
and it might be more for her own health
and the health of the child
to stay
longer:
tarry till thou have weaned him; when he would be more
fit for the journey
and to be left behind:
only the Lord establish his word; which some understand of
the prophecy of Eli that God would grant her request
which being delivered
under the direction of the Spirit of God
is called his word; but this was
already fulfilled
and established by Hannah's bearing a son: or the word
"his" refers not to the Lord
but to Samuel
and so may respect the
word which his mother spake concerning him; either when she made her vow
as
Abendana
that he should be a perpetual Nazarite
and the Lord's as long as he
lived: and so Elkanah wishes that he might have health and grow strong
and be
fit for the service of the Lord
and live many years to perform it; or what she
had just now said
as Abarbinel
that he should abide in the house of God for
ever
or as long as he lived:
so the woman abode; at home
while Elkanah and his family went
up to Shiloh:
and gave her son suck until she weaned him; did not put
him out to a wet or dry nurse
but suckled him herself with what nature had
provided for his nourishment
as becomes women to do
if their circumstances of
health
and the provisions of nature
will admit of it.
1 Samuel 1:24 24 Now when she had weaned
him
she took him up with her
with three bulls
[g] one ephah
of flour
and a skin of wine
and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And
the child was young.
YLT
24and she causeth him to go
up with her when she hath weaned him
with three bullocks
and one ephah of
flour
and a bottle of wine
and she bringeth him into the house of Jehovah at
Shiloh
and the youth [is but] a youth.
And when she had weaned
him
.... At the usual time of weaning children; See Gill on 1 Samuel 1:23 some
refer this not only to the milk of the breast
from which he was weaned
but to
such food as was common to children
and so supposes him grown up to nine or
ten years of age:
she took him up with her; to the tabernacle at
Shiloh
at a yearly festival: with three bullocks; for three sorts of
offerings
burnt offering
sin offering
and peace offering; or since one only
is spoken of as slain
that is
for sacrifice
the other two might be for food
to entertain her family and friends with while there; or as a present to the
high priest
to whose care she committed her son:
and one ephah of flour; if the bullocks were all
sacrificed
three tenth deals
or three tenth parts of the ephah
went for a
meat offering to each bullock
which made nine parts out of ten
and the tenth
part she had to dispose of at pleasure; see Numbers 15:9
though that seems to be restrained to a burnt offering only:
and a bottle of wine; part of which might be
for the drink offering which always attended a meat offering
and the rest for
her own use
and that of her friends:
and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: the
tabernacle there
and delivered him up to the care of the high priest
to be
trained up in the service of God:
and the child was young; a very child
very young
in years
a little infant; not a sucking child
as the Targum
because weaned
otherwise of a very tender age; though some think this expresses that he was a
well grown lad
and was sharp and acute
and could well distinguish between
good and evil.
1 Samuel 1:25 25 Then they slaughtered a
bull
and brought the child to Eli.
YLT
25And they slaughter the
bullock
and bring in the youth unto Eli
And they slew a bullock
.... One of
the three Hannah brought
unless the singular is put for the plural
and so all
three were slain
some for sacrifice
and some for food perhaps; or if only one
was slain
it might be offered as a sacrifice previous to the presentation of
Samuel; or else was made a present of to Eli
at the introduction of Samuel to
him
as follows:
and brought the child to Eli: to be under his care
to
he instructed and trained up by him in the service of the tabernacle; from
hence it appears that Elkanah the husband of Hannah came along with her at this
time.
1 Samuel 1:26 26 And she said
“O my lord!
As your soul lives
my lord
I am the woman who stood by you here
praying to the Lord.
YLT
26and she saith
`O
my lord
thy soul liveth! my lord
I [am] the woman who stood with thee in this [place]
to pray unto Jehovah;
And she said
O my lord
.... According
to the Targum
it is a supplication or request
I beseech thee
my lord; that
is
to look upon her son
and take him under his care as his disciple or scholar
to instruct him in the law of God
and enter him into his service; to which Eli
might be very backward and indifferent
and even treat it with some degree of
contempt
that such a young Levite should be brought to him
when the soonest
the Levites were admitted was at twenty five years of age:
as thy soul liveth
my lord; which Ben Gersom takes
for the form of an oath
as if she swore to the truth of what follows by the
life of the high priest; but as it was forbidden to swear by any but by the
living God
by his life
it cannot be thought so good a woman as Hannah would
be guilty of such a sinful and Heathenish practice; this rather is a wish or
prayer for his life and health
and the continuance thereof
to bring up her
son in the exercise of true religion:
I am the woman that stood by thee here
praying unto the Lord: by which it
appears that Eli was now at the tabernacle
and in the same place he was
1 Samuel 1:9 when
she was some years ago praying near him
at the distance of four cubits
as the
Jews say: she takes no notice of his mistaking her for a drunken woman
nor of
his censure on her
and the reproof he gave her; but puts him in mind only of
her praying to the Lord standing near to him
which made him take the more
notice of her; standing is a prayer posture; the Jews say there is no standing
but what is prayer
or prayer is meant by it; See Gill on Matthew 6:5.
1 Samuel 1:27 27 For this child I prayed
and the Lord
has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.
YLT
27for this youth I prayed
and Jehovah doth give to me my petition which I asked of Him;
For this child I prayed
.... Which she
now had in her hand
and was presenting to Eli:
and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him; and which he
also desired might be granted her
or foretold that it would be
1 Samuel 1:17
though perhaps he knew not then particularly what it was she asked; nor did she
acquaint him with it at parting
as she now did
having obtained of the Lord
what she was so solicitous for
and now makes mention of with thankfulness.
1 Samuel 1:28 28 Therefore I also have lent
him to the Lord;
as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they
worshiped the Lord
there.
YLT
28and also I have caused him
to be asked for Jehovah
all the days that he hath lived -- he is asked for
Jehovah;' and he boweth himself there before Jehovah.
Therefore also I have lent
him to the Lord
.... To be employed in his service
not for a few days
months
or years
but for his whole life. The Targum is
"I have delivered him
that he may minister before the Lord;'as she had received him front him as an
answer of prayer
she gave him up to him again according to her vow: as long as
he liveth he shall be lent unto the Lord
or as the Targum
"all the days
that he lives he shall be ministering before the Lord;'
or
"all the days he shall be asked" (or "required") by or for
the LordF5"Quamdiu" שאול
h. e.
"expetitus aut requisitur"
Peter Martyr; "quoties a Jehova
postulatur"
Piscator. ; that is
he shall be lent unto him
and serve him
as long as it is desired:
and he worshipped the Lord there; in the tabernacle at the
same time; either Elkanah
who with Hannah brought the child to Eli
and now
gave thanks to God for giving them the child
and prayed unto him that he might
be received into the service of the sanctuary; or else Eli
to whom the child
was brought for admittance
who when he heard that Hannah's request was
granted
which he had entreated also might be or had declared it would be
bowed his head
and gave thanks to God for it; or rather the child Samuel
as
he was taught and trained up
bowed himself before the Lord
and worshipped him
in the tabernacle as soon as he was brought into it
though a child; for he
only is spoken of in this and the preceding verse; and by some interpretersF6Junius
& Tremellius
Piscator. the name Samuel is supplied; the Vulgate Latin
Syriac
and Arabic versions
read in the plural number
"and they
worshipped the Lord there": that is
Elkanah and his wife; so Mr. WeemseF7Observat.
Nat. c. 18. p. 77. translates and interprets it.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)