February 13 - Elkanah & Hannah

Remember to vote on the blog for what you would like to read during the month of March! Or just email me and let me know. 1 & 2 Corinthians, 1st half of Isaiah or 31 more Psalms!

February 13 - Elkanah & Hannah - 1 Samuel 1:1-28

The story of this couple is often overshadowed by the story of Hannah's gift from God and her subsequent return of that gift in her son, Samuel. But, this is such a sweet, sweet story of Elkanah's love for Hannah, it's something you shouldn't skip.

Elkanah, an Ehraimite (from the tribe of Ephraim, one of Joseph's sons) had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Whenever Elkanah went to sacrifice, he gave portions of his meat to Peninnah and her children, "But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb." (1 Sam. 1:5)

Scripture tells us that Peninnah irritated Hannah regularly because she had no children. Whenever Hannah went to the house of the Lord, it got worse. Read these sweet words from Elkanah in 1 Samuel 1:8: "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you so downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" He was trying so hard and he loved her so much.

One day, Eli, the priest, saw her praying. After a conversation with her, he blessed her. When she and Elkanah returned home, she conceived and gave birth to a son, who she named Samuel, which sounds like the Hebrew for 'heard of God' because God heard her prayer.

When she had weaned the child, she had no problem giving him back to the Lord, which is what she had promised to do. Elkanah's response was simply, "Do what seems best to you."

Each year, Hannah made a robe to take to Samuel when the family went to offer the annual sacrifice. Each year Eli blessed them, saying "May the Lord give you children to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord." Then they went home.

The Bible tells us that the Lord was gracious to Hannah. She had three more sons and two daughters.

I love the honor of Hannah. She prayed for a son and promised to return him to the Lord if she could just bear this child. She followed through on her promise. But even more than this, I love the dedication of Elkanah. He adored his wife. He believed in her, he cared for her, and did all that he could to make her happy. What a beautiful story of love.