Many know that God so loved the world that He gave His firstborn Son. Did you know that Hannah, a woman of faith in the Bible, gave her firstborn son to God? The story of Hannah The story of Hannah is found in 1 Samuel 1 and 2. She was loved by her husband, Elkanah, but the Lord had closed her womb. Being childless, she vowed to God that if He would give her a son, she would give him to the Lord all the days of his life.
Hannah’s name means “grace, mercy” (Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon).
We are told, “Hannah had no children” (1 Samuel 1:2). “To be a wife without bearing children has always been regarded in the East, not only as a matter of regret, but as a reproach which could lead to divorce” (New Bible Dictionary, “Barrenness”).
Hannah’s husband Elkanah loved her, and tried to encourage 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?” (verse 8).
But Elkanah also had another wife, Peninnah. Though God always intended for marriage to be between one man and one woman and the New Testament clearly teaches monogamy (Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:31-33; 1 Timothy 3:2), there are a number of examples of polygamy and its problems in the Old Testament. (You can find more about this in our booklet God’s Design for Marriage in the sidebar “Is Polygamy Acceptable to God?” on page 12.)
Hannah and Peninnah Every year Hannah would accompany her husband in worshipping and sacrificing to God in Shiloh.
And every year, the other wife of Elkanah, Peninnah, would provoke Hannah to the point of tears by reminding her that she was childless. Peninnah had children and was making life miserable for her.
So one year at Shiloh, Hannah prayed to the Lord while in great anguish. As she was praying, Eli, the priest in the tabernacle, observed her. He supposed by her behavior that she was drunk and chided her to quit drinking.
She respectfully explained, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit” (1 Samuel 1:15). She then explained to him that she had poured out her soul to God in prayer.
Hannah’s vow The Bible does not mention that she gave details of her prayer to Eli, but she had actually prayed to God in faith and asked Him to give her a son. She vowed in her prayer that if God would give her a son, she would give the child to be God’s servant.
“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” (1 Samuel 1:11).
The wording of this vow is noteworthy for several reasons. She was addressing God very respectfully, with faith in His power and with an attitude of humility. She thought of herself as a maidservant of God.
Also, she was promising to give her firstborn son to God, as a person set apart to the Lord for special service. Hannah intended to keep her vow to God and devote her son to God and to His service all his life.
Eli the priest perceived that she had asked a petition of God, and he said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him” (1 Samuel 1:17).
Hannah’s faith Notice the effect that the high priest Eli’s words had on Hannah. She answered Eli respectfully, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight” (1 Samuel 1:18). She had great respect for Eli as the priest, the servant of God.
And then Hannah did another noteworthy thing. She went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. She had faith. She believed that what she had prayed for would come to pass. She would have a male child.
Hannah’s son Samuel In the process of time, God answered Hannah’s prayer and she conceived and had a son. Because she had asked for him from the Lord, she named him Samuel, which means “asked or heard of God” (Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p. 962). Hannah kept her word as she had vowed. After Samuel was weaned, she presented him to Eli the priest.
Hannah told Eli, “For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD” (1 Samuel 1:27-28).
This was a great sacrifice for a mother, to give up her young son, but she was undeterred in fulfilling her vow.
Samuel continued to minister to the Lord before Eli the priest. Year by year Hannah would bring Samuel a little robe when she came to Shiloh to worship God. This yearly action demonstrated a continued faithful love for her son, and Eli would then bless Elkanah and Hannah, saying: “The LORD give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:20).
God answered this prayer as well and blessed Hannah with three more sons and two daughters. Samuel now had little brothers and sisters, and so she became a joyful mother of more children. The barren woman had become the mother of many more!
Hannah’s prayer Hannah, in giving her son to the Lord in Shiloh, was so inspired by the Holy Spirit, a Spirit of rejoicing and truth, that she prayed a prayer that is recorded for all the world to read in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. It has elements of prophecy and encouragement within it.
this woman of faith has her own personal prayer recorded as Holy Scripture, in much the same way that the personal prayers of King David are recorded for us in the Bible.So this woman of faith has her own personal prayer recorded as Holy Scripture, in much the same way that the personal prayers of King David are recorded for us in the Bible. What words of truth and wisdom does Hannah communicate to us through her prayer?
Before King David was even born, Hannah prayed, “My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation” (compare 1 Samuel 2:1 with Psalm 9:14; 13:5 to see similarities in David’s later prayers). Hannah believed in the salvation of the Lord and rejoiced in it.
Hannah also describes some truisms of contrast: “The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up” (1 Samuel 2:6). She believed in God’s power to bring up from the grave through a resurrection!
Hannah’s words in 1 Samuel 2:8 are also prophetic and encouraging: “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts up the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory.”
Echoes of Hannah’s prayer in the Psalms and Magnificat of Mary Psalm 113:7-9 essentially paraphrases this portion of Hannah’s prayer: “He raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes—with the princes of His people. He grants the barren woman a home, like a joyful mother of children.”
Hannah was a woman of incredible faith, who trusted God to help her through the hard times. She was married to a man named Elkanah and had two children, Samuel and Abigail. She also had a third child who died when he was just one day old. After this tragedy, Hannah prayed that she would have another child. She prayed all night long while she cried out to God.
She promised that if God would give her a baby, she would dedicate him or her to serve God in the temple when they grew up. God answered her prayer and she gave birth to Samuel—who became one of Israel’s greatest leaders!
Hannah’s story shows us that if we trust God and ask Him for what we need, our prayers will be answered.
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Hannah In The Bible Story
Hannah, also spelled Anna, (11th century bce), in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), the mother of the prophet Samuel. Childless as one of the two wives of Elkanah, she prayed for a son, promising to dedicate him to God.
Introduction
Hannah’s story in the Bible is a wonderful reminder that God hears our prayers and will answer them in His perfect timing. It also shows us that He is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine. We may not always understand why certain things happen in our lives, but God knows what’s best for us. If Hannah had not been barren all those years, she wouldn’t have prayed so fervently for a child! Her son Samuel went on to become one of the greatest prophets of Israel and was used by God to establish his kingdom among men.
Hannah in the Bible is a beautiful story of God’s great love for us
God’s love for us is a beautiful story of grace and redemption. God has great plans for our lives, but He also has an amazing sense of timing. God’s power is both awe-inspiring and comforting to those who trust in Him. His patience with us can be frustrating at times, but it is always for our good, and His faithfulness endures forever.
Hannah’s story teaches us about God’s great plan for our lives
God’s plan for your life is that you would be blessed. He wants to give you everything that’s good in life, but many people today don’t know how God does this. They don’t understand the principles of how He works and what His plans are for us.
Hannah’s story teaches us about God’s great plan for our lives. Hannah had a wonderful husband named Elkanah who loved her very much, but she was not happy because she didn’t have any children yet. Sometimes we can get discouraged when things aren’t going well in our lives either because we’re not getting what we want or nothing seems to go right no matter how hard we try! But Hannah knew that God had something better planned for her life than what she could ever imagine on her own; so even though things were tough at times during those early years as a young wife, she still loved serving God with all her heart!
Hannah in the Bible demonstrates that God is great and powerful
God is great and powerful. He’s the Lord of all creation, and his strength is beyond anything we can imagine. This means that no matter how difficult life gets, God will always be there for us to help us get through it. And if you’re having trouble understanding this concept in general, take a look at Hannah’s story from the Bible:
Hannah in the Bible shows us how to pray with great faith
Hannah’s story in the Bible shows us how to pray with great faith. We can see that she prayed for many years, even before she had her children. She prayed with hope, love, patience and joy. She prayed with boldness and perseverance. She also showed sincerity and humility as she thanked God for all he had done for her.
Hannah’s prayers show that when our needs are answered we should share the good news with others so they may have hope too!
Hannah’s story in the Bible teaches us that God answers prayers
In 1 Samuel 1:10, Hannah prayed and said, “The Lord kills and gives life. He brings down to Sheol and raises up again. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low, he also exalts,” (1 Samuel 2:6-7). We all need to remember that God is always faithful in His promises and His ways are perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4).
Hannah’s story teaches us many important lessons like how God answers prayers on time, always good, faithful etc., but the most important thing we can learn from such stories is that He will never forsake anyone who truly turns their heart towards Him with repentance for their sins!
Hannah’s story in the Bible reminds us that God is always on time
As we read the story of Hannah, we are reminded that God is always on time. He is never late, and he is never early. If you depend on him, he will come through for you right when you need it most.
In the Bible there are many examples of people who had to wait for God’s deliverance. Joseph was put into prison falsely accused of rape and the only way out was through divine intervention from God who used a dream as an opportunity to save his life (Genesis 40). Moses waited 40 years in Midian before returning back to Egypt after having been rescued from drowning by being found by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2). Abraham waited 100 years before God fulfilled His promise about giving him descendants (Genesis 15). David waited seven long years for King Saul’s death so that he could become king himself (1 Samuel 27-30) because it was not yet time!
Hannah’s story in the Bible reminds us to be patient with God
As you read the story of Hannah and her prayer for a baby, it’s easy to feel anxious. Why did God make her wait so long? Why didn’t he give her what she wanted? But remember: God has his own plan for you and me. He knows what is best for us, even when we don’t understand why things happen or how they’re going to turn out in the end.
When Hannah prayed to God, she reminded herself that she had promised him obedience if he answered her prayer. Remembering this promise was one way that Hannah got through those years without child—and trust me when I tell you that patience requires faith! It is easier said than done, but the Bible can help teach us how to be patient with God when it seems like nothing is happening or ever will happen again in our lives
Make an offering to the Lord as a promise that you will keep your part of the deal
You can’t just make any promise.
You must offer something that you are able to give and want to give.
Otherwise, it won’t be a real promise, and God will not accept your offering.
Hannah’s story in the Bible teaches us that it is alright to cry out to God.
Hannah’s story in the Bible teaches us that it is alright to cry out to God. God is always listening and ready to help us when we need Him. He is also always there for us, even if we don’t want him around! We should take comfort in knowing that no matter what happens, whether it be good or bad; we can always turn toward God for strength and guidance.
God hears our prayers and he will answer them at just the right moment.
We may not understand why God allows some things to happen, but we can trust that he hears our prayers and will answer them at just the right moment.
God is always listening.
God is always there for us.
God is always watching over us.
God is always there to help us.
God is always there to comfort us.
He will protect you from harm when it’s necessary, like when you were a kid riding your bike around the neighborhood (or something like that).
Conclusion
Hannah’s story is a powerful reminder that God is always on time. He will answer your prayers, but you must be patient and wait for his perfect timing. Remember, he created the universe! That means he knows everything about you, including how to answer your prayers at just the right moment.
