1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim,
“The two Ramas, the watchmen”. City was on two hills, an old city and a new. Hence the name the “two Ramas” and it was called watchmen (zophim) because the hills had watchtowers on it.
of the [a]hill country of Ephraim, named Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an [b]Ephraimite.
He is an Ephraimite because he lives in Ephraim, not because he is from the tribe of Ephraim. He is actually from the tribe of Levi. His genealogy traces him back to the sons of Korah.
2 He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
This book is about two people, Samuel and David. Interestingly we get a very detailed description of Samuel’s genealogy (not here, but in the books of Moses and Judges) and we get a very detailed description of David’s genealogy (not here but in Ruth).
3 This man went up from his city [c]each year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests to the Lord there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions [of the sacrificial meat] to Peninnah his wife and all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, because he loved Hannah, but the Lord had [d]given her no children. 6 Hannah’s rival provoked her bitterly, to irritate and embarrass her, because the Lord had [e]left her childless. 7 So it happened year after year, whenever she went up to the house of the Lord, Peninnah provoked her; so she wept and would not eat. 8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you cry and why do you not eat? Why are you so sad and discontent? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
It seems this book is full of bullies. Peninnah is a bully, the sons of Eli are bullies, King Saul is a bully, Goliath is a bully. Recently dealing with bullies has become a major issue in schools and on social media. All of the solutions to bullying that I have seen do not create a Samuel or a David. Instead they teach you to bully the bullies. They have created the “cancel culture”. Without God it becomes “Lord of the Flies”. Instead of overcoming evil with good they have been overcome by evil.
9 So Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat beside the doorpost of the temple (tabernacle) of the Lord. 10 Hannah was [f]greatly distressed, and she prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. 11 She made a vow, saying, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction (suffering) of Your maidservant and remember, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life; a [g]razor shall never touch his head.”
It is easy for us to empathize with Hannah. She is being mocked, she is being ridiculed, but does anyone empathize with God? He also was being mocked and ridiculed by Eli’s sons. Yes, Hannah needed a son to put an end to this constant bullying but God also needed a son. When we read this story it is easy for God to give Hannah children, that is not an issue. The issue is to get Hannah to give God a son. Instead of looking at bullying as coming from Satan, it is evil, the people who do it are wicked. Change your view, “all things work out for good to those who love God and are called according to purpose”. Align yourself with God and His purpose. Hannah does this. She makes a vow to God, you give me a son and I’ll give you a son.
12 Now it happened as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart (mind); only her lips were moving, and her voice was not heard, so Eli [h]thought she was drunk. 14 Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Get rid of your wine.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman with a despairing spirit. I have not been drinking wine or any intoxicating drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your maidservant as a wicked and worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and [bitter] provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.” 18 Hannah said, “Let your maidservant find grace and favor in your sight.” So the woman went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Wow I just love the expressions of the Bible, look at how eloquent she is “I have spoken out of my great concern and bitter provocation”. The sons of Eli were a great concern and bitter provocation to God as well. Think about Joseph, he didn’t condemn his brothers, he knew that what they did was actually aligned with God’s will. In the same way let’s not condemn Peninnah, she can repent and should, but we should forgive her because she didn’t know what she was doing. If you are one that loves God and you are being bullied like this ask God to open your eyes, let you see what the reason is, what is it that He needs, and then don’t just pray, make a vow.
“The two Ramas, the watchmen”. City was on two hills, an old city and a new. Hence the name the “two Ramas” and it was called watchmen (zophim) because the hills had watchtowers on it.
of the [a]hill country of Ephraim, named Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an [b]Ephraimite.
He is an Ephraimite because he lives in Ephraim, not because he is from the tribe of Ephraim. He is actually from the tribe of Levi. His genealogy traces him back to the sons of Korah.
2 He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
This book is about two people, Samuel and David. Interestingly we get a very detailed description of Samuel’s genealogy (not here, but in the books of Moses and Judges) and we get a very detailed description of David’s genealogy (not here but in Ruth).
3 This man went up from his city [c]each year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests to the Lord there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions [of the sacrificial meat] to Peninnah his wife and all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, because he loved Hannah, but the Lord had [d]given her no children. 6 Hannah’s rival provoked her bitterly, to irritate and embarrass her, because the Lord had [e]left her childless. 7 So it happened year after year, whenever she went up to the house of the Lord, Peninnah provoked her; so she wept and would not eat. 8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you cry and why do you not eat? Why are you so sad and discontent? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
It seems this book is full of bullies. Peninnah is a bully, the sons of Eli are bullies, King Saul is a bully, Goliath is a bully. Recently dealing with bullies has become a major issue in schools and on social media. All of the solutions to bullying that I have seen do not create a Samuel or a David. Instead they teach you to bully the bullies. They have created the “cancel culture”. Without God it becomes “Lord of the Flies”. Instead of overcoming evil with good they have been overcome by evil.
9 So Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat beside the doorpost of the temple (tabernacle) of the Lord. 10 Hannah was [f]greatly distressed, and she prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. 11 She made a vow, saying, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction (suffering) of Your maidservant and remember, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life; a [g]razor shall never touch his head.”
It is easy for us to empathize with Hannah. She is being mocked, she is being ridiculed, but does anyone empathize with God? He also was being mocked and ridiculed by Eli’s sons. Yes, Hannah needed a son to put an end to this constant bullying but God also needed a son. When we read this story it is easy for God to give Hannah children, that is not an issue. The issue is to get Hannah to give God a son. Instead of looking at bullying as coming from Satan, it is evil, the people who do it are wicked. Change your view, “all things work out for good to those who love God and are called according to purpose”. Align yourself with God and His purpose. Hannah does this. She makes a vow to God, you give me a son and I’ll give you a son.
12 Now it happened as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart (mind); only her lips were moving, and her voice was not heard, so Eli [h]thought she was drunk. 14 Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Get rid of your wine.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman with a despairing spirit. I have not been drinking wine or any intoxicating drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your maidservant as a wicked and worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and [bitter] provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.” 18 Hannah said, “Let your maidservant find grace and favor in your sight.” So the woman went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Wow I just love the expressions of the Bible, look at how eloquent she is “I have spoken out of my great concern and bitter provocation”. The sons of Eli were a great concern and bitter provocation to God as well. Think about Joseph, he didn’t condemn his brothers, he knew that what they did was actually aligned with God’s will. In the same way let’s not condemn Peninnah, she can repent and should, but we should forgive her because she didn’t know what she was doing. If you are one that loves God and you are being bullied like this ask God to open your eyes, let you see what the reason is, what is it that He needs, and then don’t just pray, make a vow.