Hannah

— Hannah and Peninnah –

Scripture References: 1 Samuel 1-2

Her Situation:

Read 1 Samuel 1:1-8

Hannah’s husband was Elkanah.

Elkanah had two wives.

Elkanah was of the tribe of Levi.

Hannah means “gracious, graciousness, or favor”

Peninnah means “coral”

Elkana’s sin of polygamy brought pain and friction into his home.

Polygomy was common in the pagan cultures and among the people of God “every man did that which was right i the sight of his own eyes.”  Judges 17:6

It is probable that Hannah was his first wife and because she was barren he took another wife to bear him children.

God’s design for marriage is for one man and for one woman. Genesis 2:24 NASB “For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

“Hannah is one of the few women in the sacred Scriptures about whom nothing negative is reported.” -Elizabeth George

Hannah was the mother of Samuel. She also bore three other sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21).

In verse 3 we see Elkanah’s faithful dedication by making the yearly trip to Shiloh to keep the feast. He was leading his family in the ways of God. Unfortunately, the sin of two wives brought disorder and unrest.

(v. 5) We see Elkanah show more love to Hannah, however, this did not take away her pain of barrenness.

The word for “love” in the Hebrew is “ahab” and it means “to have affection for, to like”

Peninnah added to Hannah’s grief by provoking her with cruel words. This was because Peninnah was jealous.

When people are jealous of you it is often shown in anger. They will come at you with a anger meant to provoke.

Proverbs 21:19 NKJV “Better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman.”

Proverbs 29:22 NKJV “An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgression.”

Proverbs 13:40 NKJV “A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.”

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.

Read Galatians 5:19-26.

As Christian women we need to beware of these things in our hearts and not be deceived by them. We need to rejoice with our sisters in Christ and with what God is doing in their lives.

“Jealousy, ‘the green-eyed monster that mocks the meat it feeds on,’ had taken possession of Peninnah, but not of Hannah.” -Herbert Lockyer

(Self Reflection) When are you at times a “Peninnah”? Do you have a Peninnah in your life?

“From Peninnah’s harsh treatment of Hannah we discover how a thoughtless, unloving word of ours can give sorrow to others. How necessary it is to guard our tongues! (James 3: 9,10).

(v.6) The word for “provoke” is “ka as” in the Hebrew. “A verb meaning to be angry, to provoke to anger. The causative sense of the verb occurs most often and frequently signifies idolatry provoking God to anger.” -The Complete Word Study Dictionary

Jealousy also stems from idolatry. Meaning, God is not enough in your life. You want more here on earth. Beware of demanding to the Lord that He meet the idolatrous craving in your life.

A key to overcoming jealousy and covetousness is surrender.

Luke 9:24 NASB “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.”

(v. 7) You see it happening “in the church.” Like Hannah, we all have areas of barrenness in our lives. We are not to point out areas of barrenness in others.

God allows us to go through day-to-day difficulties so we would be reliant upon Him.

Hebrews 3:13 NASB “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

“encourage” in the Greek is “parakaleo” and means “to call near, invite, invoke”

We are called to “in-courage” others....to put courage in them!

(Self Reflection) What are your personal areas of “barrenness”?

Her Solution:

Read 1 Samuel 1:9-18

Nowhere in scripture do you see Hannah responding to Peninnah or lash out in anger. Hannah allowed the pressure of her problems to bring her to prayer.

Hannah had self-control with her mouth. Her first recorded words in scripture is her speaking in prayer.

(v. 10) “greatly distressed” literally means “bitter of soul” -What an example she is to us that her bitterness of soul expressed itself in prayer!

(v. 11) refer to the Nazarite Vow in Numbers 6:1-21

Like Hannah, we can pray this over our children, that they would be set apart for the purposes of God. We need to enter the battle in prayer over our children.

(v.12) She continued praying. Are you STILL praying for what is “bitterness of soul” in your life?

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY PRAY. IF YOU KNOW WHAT TO SAY PRAY.

The Lord allows pressing in our lives so we can give birth to Samuels. Otherwise, we would simply go on our way.

(v. 14) Here we see the priest Eli making a wrong assumption. We need to learn not to be hasty in our conclusions and think the world is as we see it. We know very little about situations and people and we are not to make judgements like this. Let God be God!

Romans 4:14 NKJV “Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.”

(v. 15) Hannah calmly and respectfully responded to Eli’s wrong accusation of her. She is not the “high and mighty” type!

Romans 12:3a NASB “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.”

Proverbs 15:28 NASB “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.”

“I have poured out my soul”...the word for “poured” in the Hebrew is “shapak” and it means “to spill forth, gush out, pour, slip.”

Under certain circumstances we WILL, whether we want to or not, spill out. Let it be in prayer and not in hasty words!

GOD’S RULES FOR VIRTUOUS SPEECH: (taken from Elizabeth George)

1.     Speak with wisdom and kindness (Proverbs 31:26).

2.     Think before you speak (Proverbs 15:28).

3.     Learn to speak softly (Proverbs 15:1).

4.     Add sweetness to your speech (Proverbs 16:21).

5.     Be instructive when you speak (Proverbs 16:23).

6.     Err on the side of less (Proverbs 10:19).

(v. 18) Hannah believed God and was no longer sad even though she had yet to see change!

Hannah acted based on her vision of faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Her Devotion:

Read 1 Samuel 1:19-28

Samuel means “heard of God”

(v. 19) Here we see Hannah being a woman of worship.

Set aside time for personal worship and praise. There is power in singing songs to the Creator of the Universe.

(v. 20) Remember, God does things in due time. Be faithful with one day at a time! He will bring things about.

Hannah was a brave woman. She had bravery of heart.

Read 1 Samuel 2:18-21

God blessed Hannah with more children. Sometimes God doesn’t give us what we may want until we let go.

Life Lesson:

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Discussion Questions:

1.      Sarah, Rachel, and Rebekah were barren, just as Hannah had been. How did each of these women react to her trial?

2.      How did Eli err in his view of Hannah? What does that teach us?

3.      Describe Hannah’s character. How can Hannah’s story benefit us?