I
S A M U E L
CHAP. I.
The
history of Samuel here begins as early as that of Samson did, even before he
was born, as afterwards the history of John the Baptist and our blessed
Saviour. Some of the scripture-worthies drop out of the clouds, as it were,
and their first appearance is in their full growth and lustre. But others are
accounted for from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception. What
God says of the prophet Jeremiah is true of all: "Before I formed thee in
the belly I knew thee," Jer. i. 5. But some great men were brought into
the world with more observation than others, and were more early distinguished
from common persons, as Samuel for one. God, in this matter, acts as a free
agent. The story of Samson introduces him as a child of promise, Judg. xiii.
But the story of Samuel introduces him as a child of prayer. Samson's birth
was foretold by an angel to his mother; Samuel was asked of God by his mother.
Both together intimate what wonders are produced by the word and prayer.
Samuel's mother was Hannah, the principal person concerned in the story of
this chapter. I. Here is her affliction--she was childless, and this
affliction aggravated by her rival's insolence, but in some measure balanced
by her husband's kindness, ver. 1-8. II. The prayer and vow she made to God
under this affliction, in which Eli the high priest at first censured her, but
afterwards encouraged her, ver. 9-18. III. The birth and nursing of Samuel,
ver. 19-23. IV. The presenting of him to the Lord, ver. 24-28.
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Parentage
of Samuel; Elkanah, Hannah, and Peninnah.
B. C.
1140.
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1 Now there was a certain
man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah,
the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an
Ephrathite: 2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was
Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but
Hannah had no children. 3 And this man went up out of his city
yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD
of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests
of the LORD,
were there. 4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered,
he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters,
portions: 5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved
Hannah: but the LORD
had shut up her womb. 6 And her adversary also provoked her sore,
for to make her fret, because the LORD
had shut up her womb. 7 And as he did so year by year, when
she went up to the house of the LORD,
so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 8 Then
said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou
not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten
sons?
We have here an account of the state of the family into which Samuel the
prophet was born. His father's name was Elkanah, a Levite, and of the family
of the Kohathites (the most honourable house of that tribe) as appears, 1
Chron. vi. 33, 34. His ancestor Zuph was an Ephrathite, that is, of
Bethlehem-Judah, which was called Ephrathah, Ruth i. 2. There this
family of the Levites was first seated, but one branch of it, in process of
time, removed to Mount Ephraim, from which Elkanah descended. Micah's Levite
came from Bethlehem to Mount Ephraim, Judg. xvii. 8. Perhaps notice is taken
of their being originally Ephrathites to show their alliance to David. This
Elkanah lived at Ramah, or Ramathaim, which signifies the double Ramah,
the higher and lower town, the same with Arimathea of which Joseph was, here
called Ramathaim-zophim. Zophim signifies watchmen; probably
they had one of the schools of the prophets there, for prophets are called watchmen:
the Chaldee paraphrase calls Elkanah a disciple of the prophets. But it
seems to me that it was in Samuel that prophecy revived, before his time there
being, for a great while, no open vision, ch. iii. 1. Nor is there any
mention of a prophet of the Lord from Moses to Samuel, except Judg. vi. 8. So
that we have no reason to think that there was any nursery or college of
prophets here till Samuel himself founded one, ch. xix. 19, 20. This is
the account of Samuel's parentage, and the place of his nativity. Let us now
take notice of the state of the family.
I. It was a devout family. All the families of Israel should be so, but
Levites' families in a particular manner. Ministers should be patterns of
family religion. Elkanah went up at the solemn feasts to the tabernacle at
Shiloh, to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts. I think this
is the first time in scripture that God is called the Lord of hosts--Jehovah
Sabaoth, a name by which he was afterwards very much called and known.
Probably Samuel the prophet was the first that used this title of God, for the
comfort of Israel, when in his time their hosts were few and feeble and those
of their enemies many and mighty; then it would be a support to them to think
that the God they served was Lord of hosts, of all the hosts both of heaven
and earth; of them he has a sovereign command, and makes what use he pleases
of them. Elkanah was a country Levite, and, for aught that appears, had not
any place or office which required his attendance at the tabernacle, but he
went up as a common Israelite, with his own sacrifices, to encourage his
neighbours and set them a good example. When he sacrificed he worshipped,
joining prayers and thanksgivings with his sacrifices. In this course of
religion he was constant, for he went up yearly. And that which made it the
more commendable in him was, 1. That there was a general decay and neglect of
religion in the nations. Some among them worshipped other gods, and the
generality were remiss in the service of the God of Israel, and yet Elkanah
kept his integrity; whatever others did, his resolution was that he and his
house should serve the Lord. 2. That Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli,
were the men that were now chiefly employed in the service of the house of
God; and they were men that conducted themselves very ill in their place, as
we shall find afterwards; yet Elkanah went up to sacrifice. God had then tied
his people to one place and one altar, and forbidden them, under any pretence
whatsoever, to worship elsewhere, and therefore, in pure obedience to that
command, he attended at Shiloh. If the priests did not do their duty, he would
do his. Thanks be to God, we, under the gospel, are not tied to any one place
or family; but the pastors and teachers whom the exalted Redeemer has given to
his church are those only whose ministration tends to the perfecting of the
saints and the edifying of the body of Christ, Eph. iv. 11, 12.
None have dominion over our faith; but our obligation is to those that are the
helpers of our holiness and joy, not to any that by their scandalous
immoralities, like Hophni and Phinehas, make the sacrifices of the Lord to be
abhorred, though still the validity and efficacy of the sacraments depend not
on the purity of him that administers them.
II. Yet it was a divided family, and the divisions of it carried with them
both guilt and grief. Where there is piety, it is a pity but there should be
unity. The joint-devotions of a family should put an end to divisions in it.
1. The original cause of this division was Elkanah's marrying two wives, which
was a transgression of the original institution of marriage, to which our
Saviour reduces it. Matt. xix. 5, 8, From the beginning it was not so.
It made mischief in Abraham's family, and Jacob's, and here in Elkanah's. How
much better does the law of God provide for our comfort and ease in this world
than we should, if we were left to ourselves! It is probable that Elkanah
married Hannah first, and, because he had not children by her so soon as he
hoped, he married Peninnah, who bore him children indeed, but was in other
things a vexation to him. Thus are men often beaten with rods of their own
making.
2. That which followed upon this error was that the two wives could not agree.
They had different blessings: Peninnah, like Leah, was fruitful and had many
children, which should have made her easy and thankful, though she was but a
second wife, and was less beloved; Hannah, like Rachel, was childless indeed,
but she was very dear to her husband, and he took all occasions to let both
her and others know that she was so, and many a worthy portion he gave her
(v. 5), and this should have made her easy and thankful. But they were
of different tempers: Peninnah could not bear the blessing of fruitfulness,
but she grew haughty and insolent; Hannah could not bear the affliction of
barrenness, but she grew melancholy and discontented: and Elkanah had a
difficult part to act between them.
(1.) Elkanah kept up his attendance at God's altar notwithstanding this
unhappy difference in his family, and took his wives and children with him,
that, if they could not agree in other things, they might agree to worship God
together. If the devotions of a family prevail not to put an end to its
divisions, yet let not the divisions put a stop to the devotions.
(2.) He did all he could to encourage Hannah, and to keep up her spirits under
her affliction, v. 4, 5. At the feast he offered peace-offerings, to
supplicate for peace in his family; and when he and his family were to eat
their share of the sacrifice, in token of their communion with God and his
altar, though he carved to Peninnah and her children competent portions, yet
to Hannah he gave a worthy portion, the choicest piece that came to the table,
the piece (whatever it was) that used to be given on such occasions to those
that were most valued; this he did in token of his love to her, and to give
all possible assurances of it. Observe, [1.] Elkanah loved his wife never the
less for her being barren. Christ loves his church, notwithstanding her
infirmities, her barrenness; and so ought men to love their wives, Eph.
v. 25. To abate our just love to any relation for the sake of any infirmity
which they cannot help, and which is not their sin but their affliction, is to
make God's providence quarrel with his precept, and very unkindly to add
affliction to the afflicted. [2.] He studied to show his love so much the more
because she was afflicted, insulted, and low-spirited. It is wisdom and duty
to support the weakest, and to hold up those that are run down. [3.] He showed
his great love to her by the share he gave her of his peace-offerings. Thus we
should testify our affection to our friends and relations, by abounding in
prayer for them. The better we love them the more room let us give them in our
prayers.
(3.) Peninnah was extremely peevish and provoking. [1.] She upbraided Hannah
with her affliction, despised her because she was barren, and gave her
taunting language, as one whom Heaven did not favour. [2.] She envied the
interest she had in the love of Elkanah, and the more kind he was to her the
more was she exasperated against her, which was all over base and barbarous.
[3.] She did this most when they went up to the house of the Lord,
perhaps because then they were more together than at other times, or because
then Elkanah showed his affection most to Hannah. But it was very sinful at
such a time to show her malice, when pure hands were to be lifted up at God's
altar without wrath and quarrelling. It was likewise very unkind at that time
to vex Hannah, not only because then they were in company, and others would
take notice of it, but then Hannah was to mind her devotions, and desired to
be most calm and composed, and free from disturbance. The great adversary to
our purity and peace is then most industrious to ruffle us when we should be
most composed. When the sons of God come to present themselves
before the Lord Satan will be sure to come among them, Job i. 6.
[4.] She continued to do this from year to year, not once or twice, but it was
her constant practice; neither deference to her husband nor compassion to
Hannah could break her of it. [5.] That which she designed was to make her
fret, perhaps in hopes to break her heart, that she might possess her
husband's heart solely, or because she took a pleasure in her uneasiness, nor
could Hannah gratify her more than by fretting. Note, It is an evidence of a
base disposition to delight in grieving those that are melancholy and of a
sorrowful spirit, and in putting those out of humour that are apt to fret and
be uneasy. We ought to bear one another's burdens, not add to them.
(4.) Hannah (poor woman) could not hear the provocation: She wept, and did
not eat, v. 7. It made her uneasy to herself and to all her
relations. She did not eat of the feast; her trouble took away her appetite,
made her unfit for any company, and a jar in the harmony of family-joy. It was
of the feast upon the sacrifice that she did not eat, for they
were not to eat of the holy things in their mourning, Deut. xxvi. 14;
Lev. x. 19. Yet it was her infirmity so far to give way to the sorrow of the
world as to unfit herself for holy joy in God. Those that are of a fretful
spirit, and are apt to lay provocations too much to heart, are enemies to
themselves, and strip themselves very much of the comforts both of life and
godliness. We find that God took notice of this ill effect of discontents and
disagreements in the conjugal relation, that the parties aggrieved covered
the altar of the Lord with tears, insomuch that he regarded not the offering,
Mal. ii. 13.
(5.) Elkanah said what he could to her to comfort her. She did not upbraid him
with his unkindness in marrying another wife as Sarah did, nor did she render
to Peninnah railing for railing, but took the trouble wholly to herself, which
made her an object of much compassion. Elkanah showed himself extremely
grieved at her grief (v. 8): Hannah, why weepest thou? [1.] He
is much disquieted to see her thus overwhelmed with sorrow. Those that by
marriage are made one flesh ought thus far to be of one spirit too, to share
in each other's troubles, so that one cannot be easy while the other is
uneasy. [2.] He gives her a loving reproof for it: Why weepest thou? And
why is thy heart grieved? As many as God loves he rebukes, and so should
we. He puts her upon enquiring into the cause of her grief. Though she had
just reason to be troubled, yet let her consider whether she had reason to be
troubled to such a degree, especially so much as to be taken off by it from
eating of the holy things. Note, Our sorrow upon any account is sinful and
inordinate when it diverts us from our duty to God and embitters our comfort
in him, when it makes us unthankful for the mercies we enjoy and distrustful
of the goodness of God to us in further mercies, when it casts a damp upon our
joy in Christ, and hinders us from doing the duty and taking the comfort of
our particular relations. [3.] He intimates that nothing should be wanting on
his part to balance her grief: "Am not I better to thee than ten sons?
Thou knowest thou hast my entire affection, and let that comfort thee."
Note, We ought to take notice of our comforts, to keep us from grieving
excessively for our crosses; for our crosses we deserve, but our comforts we
have forfeited. If we would keep the balance even, we must look at that which
is for us, as well as at that which is against us, else we are unjust to
Providence and unkind to ourselves. God hath set the one over-against the
other (Eccl. vii. 14) and so should we.
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Hannah's
Prayer.
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B.
C. 1140.
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9 So Hannah rose up after
they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat
upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD,
and wept sore. 11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD
of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and
remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid
a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD
all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD,
that Eli marked her mouth. 13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart;
only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she
had been drunken. 14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be
drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 15 And Hannah answered and
said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk
neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance
of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. 17 Then Eli
answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy
petition that thou hast asked of him. 18 And she said, Let thine
handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and
her countenance was no more sad.
Elkanah had gently reproved Hannah for her inordinate grief, and here we find
the good effect of the reproof.
I. It brought her to her meat. She ate and drank, v. 9. She did not
harden herself in sorrow, nor grow sullen when she was reproved for it; but,
when she perceived her husband uneasy that she did not come and eat with them,
she cheered up her own spirits as well as she could, and came to table. It is
as great a piece of self-denial to control our passions as it is to control
our appetites.
II. It brought her to her prayers. It put her upon considering, "Do I
well to be angry? Do I well to fret? What good does it do me? Instead of
binding the burden thus upon my shoulders, had I not better easy myself of it,
and cast it upon the Lord by prayer?" Elkanah had said, Am not I
better to thee than ten sons? which perhaps occasioned her to think within
herself, "Whether he be so or no, God is, and therefore to
him will I apply, and before him will I pour out my complaint, and try what
relief that will give me." If ever she will make a more solemn address
than ordinary to the throne of grace upon this errand, now is the time. They
are at Shiloh, at the door of the tabernacle, where God had promised to meet
his people, and which was the house of prayer. They had recently
offered their peace-offerings, to obtain the favour of God and all good and in
token of their communion with him; and, taking the comfort of their being
accepted of him, they had feasted upon the sacrifice; and now it was proper to
put up her prayer in virtue of that sacrifice, for the peace-offerings, for by
it not only atonement is made for sin, but the audience and acceptance of our
prayers and an answer of peace to them are obtained for us: to that sacrifice,
in all our supplications, we must have an eye. Now concerning Hannah's prayer
we may observe,
1. The warm and lively devotion there was in it, which appeared in several
instances, for our direction in prayer. (1.) She improved the present grief
and trouble of her spirit for the exciting and quickening of her pious
affections in prayer: Being in bitterness of soul, she prayed, v.
10. This good use we should make of our afflictions, they should make us the
more lively in our addresses to God. Our blessed Saviour himself, being in
an agony, prayed more earnestly, Luke xxii. 44. (2.) She mingled tears
with her prayers. It was not a dry prayer: she wept sore. Like a true
Israelite, she wept and made supplication (Hos. xii. 4), with an eye to
the tender mercy of our God, who knows the troubled soul. The prayer came from
her heart, as the tears from her eyes. (3.) She was very particular, and yet
very modest, in her petition. She begged a child, a man-child, that it might
be fit to serve in the tabernacle. God gives us leave, in prayer, not only to
ask good things in general, but to mention that special good thing which we
most need and desire. Yet she says not, as Rachel, Give me children,
Gen. xxx. 1. She will be very thankful for one. (4.) She made a solemn
vow, or promise, that if God would give her a son she would give him up to
God, v. 11. He would be by birth a Levite, and so devoted to the
service of God, but he should be by her vow a Nazarite, and his very childhood
should be sacred. It is probable she had acquainted Elkanah with her purpose
before, and had had his consent and approbation. Note, Parents have a right to
dedicate their children to God, as living sacrifices and spiritual priests;
and an obligation is thereby laid upon them to serve God faithfully all the
days of their life. Note further, It is very proper, when we are in
pursuit of any mercy, to bind our own souls with a bond, that, if God give it
us, we will devote it to his honour and cheerfully use it in his service. Not
that hereby we can pretend to merit the gift, but thus we are qualified for it
and for the comfort of it. In hope of mercy, let us promise duty. (5.) She
spoke all this so softly that none could hear her. Her lips moved, but her
voice was not heard, v. 13. Hereby she testified her belief of
God's knowledge of the heart and its desires. Thoughts are words to him, nor
is he one of those gods that must be cried aloud to, 1 Kings xviii. 27.
It was likewise an instance of her humility and holy shamefacedness in her
approach to God. She was none of those that made her voice to be heard on
high, Isa. lviii. 4. It was a secret prayer, and therefore, though made in
a public place, yet was thus made secretly, and not, as the Pharisees prayed, to
be seen of men. It is true prayer is not a thing we have reason to be
ashamed of, but we must avoid all appearances of ostentation. Let what passes
between God and our souls be kept to ourselves.
2. The hard censure she fell under for it. Eli was now high priest, and judge
in Israel; he sat upon a seat in the temple, to oversee what was done there, v.
9. The tabernacle is here called the temple, because it was now fixed,
and served all the purposes of a temple. There Eli sat to receive addresses
and give direction, and somewhere (it is probable in a private corner) he
espied Hannah at her prayers, and by her unusual manner fancied she was
drunken, and spoke to her accordingly (v. 14): How long wilt thou be
drunken?--the very imputation that Peter and the apostles fell under when
the Holy Ghost gave them utterance, Acts ii. 13. Perhaps in this
degenerate age it was no strange thing to see drunken women at the door of the
tabernacle; for otherwise, one would think, the vile lust of Hophni and
Phinehas could not have found so easy a prey there, ch. ii. 22. Eli
took Hannah for one of these. It is one bad effect of the abounding of
iniquity, and its becoming fashionable, that it often gives occasion to
suspect the innocent. When a disease is epidemical every one is suspected to
be tainted with it. Now, (1.) This was Eli's fault; and a great fault it was
to pass so severe a censure without better observation or information. If his
own eyes had already become dim, he should have employed those about him to
enquire. Drunkards are commonly noisy and turbulent, but this poor woman was
silent and composed. His fault was the worse that he was the priest of the
Lord, who should have had compassion on the ignorant, Heb. v. 2. Note,
It ill becomes us to be rash and hasty in our censures of others, and to be
forward to believe people guilty of bad things, while either the matter of
fact on which the censure is grounded is doubtful and unproved or is capable
of a good construction. Charity commands us to hope the best concerning all,
and forbids censoriousness. Paul had very good information when he did but partly
believe (1 Cor. xi. 18), hoping it was not so. Especially we ought to be
cautious how we censure the devotions of others, lest we call that hypocrisy,
enthusiasm, or superstition, which is really the fruit of an honest
zeal, and it is accepted of God. (2.) It was Hannah's affliction; and a great
affliction it was, added to all the rest, vinegar to the wounds of her spirit.
She had been reproved by Elkanah because she would not eat and drink, and now
to be reproached by Eli as if she had eaten and drunk too much was very hard.
Note, It is no new thing for those that do well to be ill thought of, and we
must not think it strange if at any time it be our lot.
3. Hannah's humble vindication of herself from this crime with which she was
charged. She bore it admirably well. She did not retort the charge and upbraid
him with the debauchery of his own sons, did not bid him look at home and
restrain them, did not tell him how ill it became one in his place thus to
abuse a poor sorrowful worshipper at the throne of grace. When we are at any
time unjustly censured we have need to set a double watch before the door of
our lips, that we do not recriminate, and return censure for censure. Hannah
thought it enough to vindicate herself, and so must we, v. 15, 16. (1.)
In justice to herself, she expressly denies the charge, speaks to him with all
possible respect, calls him, My lord, intimates how very desirous she
was to stand right in his opinion and how loth to lie under his censure.
"No, my lord, it is not as you suspect; I have drunk neither wine nor
strong drink, not any at all" (though it was proper enough to be given to
one of such a heavy heart, Prov. xxxi. 6), "much less to any
excess; therefore count not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial."
Note, Drunkards are children of Belial (women-drunkards, particularly),
children of the wicked one, children of disobedience, children that will not
endure the yoke (else they would not be drunk), more especially when they are
actually drunk. Those that cannot govern themselves will not bear that any one
else should. Hannah owns that the crime would have been very great if she had
indeed been guilty of it, and he might justly have shut her out of the courts
of God's house; but the very manner of her speaking in her own defence was
sufficient to demonstrate that she was not drunk. (2.) In justice to him, she
gives an account of her present behaviour, which had given occasion to his
suspicion: "I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit, dejected and
discomposed, and that is the reason I do not look as other people; the eyes
are red, not with wine, but with weeping. And at this time I have not been
talking to myself, as drunkards and fools do, but I have been pouring out my
soul before the Lord, who hears and understands the language of the heart, and
this out of the abundance of my complaint and grief." She had been more
than ordinarily fervent in prayer to God, and this, she tells him, was the
true reason of the transport and disorder she seemed to be in. Note, When we
are unjustly censured we should endeavour, not only to clear ourselves, but to
satisfy our brethren, by giving them a just and true account of that which
they misapprehended.
4. The atonement Eli made for his rash unfriendly censure, by a kind and
fatherly benediction, v. 17. He did not (as many are apt to do in such
a case) take it for an affront to have his mistake rectified and to be
convinced of his error, nor did it put him out of humour. But, on the
contrary, he now encouraged Hannah's devotions as much as before he had
discountenanced them; not only intimated that he was satisfied of her
innocency by those words, Go in peace, but, being high priest, as one
having authority he blessed her in the name of the Lord, and, though he knew
not what the particular blessing was that she had been praying for, yet he
puts his Amen to it, so good an opinion had he now conceived of her
prudence and piety: The God of Israel grant thee thy petition, whatever
it is, that thou hast asked of him. Note, By our meek and humble
carriage towards those that reproach us because they do not know us, we may
perhaps make them our friends, and turn their censures of us into prayers for
us.
5. The great satisfaction of mind with which Hannah now went away, v.
18. She begged the continuance of Eli's good opinion of her and his good
prayers for her, and then she went her way and did eat of what remained of the
peace-offerings (none of which was to be left until the morning), and her
countenance was no more sad, no more as it had been, giving marks of
inward trouble and discomposure; but she looked pleasant and cheerful, and all
was well. Why, what had happened? Whence came this sudden happy change? She
had by prayer committed her case to God and left it with him, and now she was
no more perplexed about it. She had prayed for herself, and Eli had prayed for
her; and she believed that God would either give her the mercy she had prayed
for or make up the want of it to her some other way. Note, Prayer is
heart's-ease to a gracious soul; the seed of Jacob have often found it so,
being confident that God will never say unto them, Seek you me in vain,
see Phil. iv. 6, 7. Prayer will smooth the countenance; it should do so.
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The
Birth of Samuel; Samuel Presented to the Lord.
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B.
C. 1137.
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19 And they rose up in
the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD,
and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his
wife; and the LORD
remembered her. 20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was
come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his
name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD
the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 22 But Hannah went not up; for
she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned,
and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD,
and there abide for ever. 23 And Elkanah her husband said unto
her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD
establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned
him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her,
with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought
him unto the house of the LORD
in Shiloh: and the child was young. 25 And they slew a
bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, Oh my
lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by
thee here, praying unto the LORD.
27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD
hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28 Therefore also
I have lent him to the LORD;
as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD.
And he worshipped the LORD
there.
Here is, I. The return of Elkanah and his family to their own habitation, when
the days appointed for the feast were over, v. 19. Observe how they
improved their time at the tabernacle. Every day they were there, even that
which was fixed for their journey home, they worshipped God; and they rose up
early to do it. It is good to begin the day with God. Let him that is the
first have the first. They had a journey before them, and a family of children
to take with them, and yet they would not stir till they had worshipped God
together. Prayer and provender do not hinder a journey. They had spent several
days now in religious worship, and yet they attended once more. We should not
be weary of well-doing.
II. The birth and name of this desired son. At length the Lord remembered
Hannah, the very thing she desired (v. 11), and more she needed not
desire, that was enough, for then she conceived and bore a son. Though God
seem long to forget his people's burdens, troubles, cares, and prayers, yet he
will at length make it to appear that they are not out of his mind. This son
the mother called Samuel, v. 20. Some make the etymology of this
name to be much the same with that of Ishmael--heard of God, because
the mother's prayers were remarkably heard, and he was an answer to them.
Others, because of the reason she gives for the name, make it to signify asked
of God. It comes nearly to the same; she designed by it to perpetuate the
remembrance of God's favour to her in answering her prayers. Thus she
designed, upon every mention of his name, to take the comfort to herself and
to give God the glory of that gracious condescension. Note, Mercies in answer
to prayer are to be remembered with peculiar expressions of thankfulness, as
Ps. cxvi. 1, 2. How many seasonable deliverances and supplies may we call Samuels,
asked of God; and whatever is so we are in a special manner engaged to
devote to him. Hannah intended by this name to put her son in mind of the
obligation he was under to be the Lord's, in consideration of this, that he
was asked of God and was at the same time dedicated to him. A child of prayer
is in a special manner bound to be a good child. Lemuel's mother reminds him
that he was the son of her vows, Prov. xxxi. 2.
III. The close attendance Hannah gave to the nursing of him, not only because
he was dear to her, but because he was devoted to God, and for him she nursed
him herself, and did not hang him on another's breast. We ought to take care
of our children, not only with an eye to the law of nature as they are ours,
but with an eye to the covenant of grace as they are given up to God. See
Ezek. xvi. 20, 21. This sanctifies the nursing of them, when it is done as
unto the Lord. Elkanah went up every year to worship at the tabernacle, and
particularly to perform his vow, perhaps some vow he had made distinct from
Hannah's if God would give him a son by her, v. 21. But Hannah, though
she felt a warm regard for the courts of God's house, begged leave of her
husband to stay at home; for the women were not under any obligation to go up
to the three yearly feasts, as the men were. However Hannah had been
accustomed to go, but now desired to be excused, 1. Because she would not be
so long absent from her nursery. Can a woman forget her sucking child?
We may suppose she kept constantly at home, for, if she had gone any where,
she would have gone to Shiloh. Note, God will have mercy and not sacrifice.
Those that are detained from public ordinances by the nursing and tending of
little children may take comfort from this instance, and believe that, if they
do that with an eye to God, he will graciously accept them therein, and though
they tarry at home they shall divide the spoil. 2. Because she would not go up
to Shiloh till her son was big enough, not only to be taken thither, but to be
left there; for, if once she took him thither, she thought she could never
find in her heart to bring him back again. Note, Those who are stedfastly
resolved to pay their vows may yet see good cause to defer the payment of
them. Every thing is beautiful in its season. No animal was accepted in
sacrifice till it had been for some time under the dam, Lev. xxii. 27. Fruit
is best when it is ripe. Elkanah agrees to what she proposes (v. 23): Do
what seemeth thee good. So far was he from delighting to cross her that he
referred it entirely to her. Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is,
when yoke-fellows thus draw even in the yoke, and accommodate themselves to
one another, each thinking well of what the other does, especially in works of
piety and charity. He adds a prayer: Only the Lord establish his word,
that is, "God preserve the child through the perils of his infancy, that
the solemn vow which God signified his acceptance of, by giving us the child,
may be performed in its season, and so the whole matter may be
accomplished." Note, Those that have in sincerity devoted their children
to God may with comfort pray for them, that God will establish the word sealed
to them at the same time that they were sealed for him.
IV. The solemn entering of this child into the service of the sanctuary. We
may take it for granted that he was presented to the Lord at forty days old,
as all the first-born were (Luke ii. 22, 23): but this is not mentioned,
because there was nothing in it singular; but now that he was weaned he was
presented, not to be redeemed. Some think it was as soon as he was weaned from
the breast, which, the Jews say, was not till he was three years old; it is
said she gave him suck till she had weaned him, v. 23. Others think it
was not till he was weaned from childish things, at eight or ten years old.
But I see no inconvenience in admitting such an extraordinary child as this
into the tabernacle at three years old, to be educated among the children of
the priests. It is said (v. 24), The child was young, but, being
intelligent above his years, he was no trouble. None can begin too soon to be
religious. The child was a child, so the Hebrew reads it, in his
learning-age. For whom shall he teach knowledge but those that are
newly weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts? Isa. xxviii. 9.
Observe how she presented her child, 1. With a sacrifice; no less than three
bullocks, with a meat-offering for each, v. 24. A bullock, perhaps, for
each year of the child's life. Or one for a burnt-offering, another for a
sin-offering, and the third of a peace-offering. So far was she from thinking
that, by presenting her son to God, she made God her debtor, that she thought
it requisite by these slain offerings to seek God's acceptance of her living
sacrifice. All our covenants with God for ourselves and ours must be made by
sacrifice, the great sacrifice. 2. With a grateful acknowledgement of God's
goodness in answer to prayer. This she makes to Eli, because he had encouraged
her to hope for an answer of peace (v. 26, 27): "For this child
I prayed. Here it was obtained by prayer, and here it is resigned to the
prayer-hearing God. You have forgotten me, my lord, but I who now appear so
cheerful am the woman, the very same, that three years ago stood by thee here
weeping and praying, and this was the child I prayed for." Answers of
prayer may thus be humbly triumphed in, to the glory of God. Here is a living
testimony for God. "I am his witness that he is gracious (see Ps. lxvi.
16-19); for this mercy, this comfort, I prayed, and the Lord has given me
my petition." See Ps. xxxiv. 2, 4, 6. Hannah does not remind Eli of
it by adverting to the suspicion he had formerly expressed; she does not say,
"I am the woman whom you passed that severe censure upon; what do you
think of me now?" Good men ought not to be upbraided with their
infirmities and oversights. They have themselves repented of them; let them
hear no more of them. 3. With a full surrender of all her interest in this
child unto the Lord (v. 28): I have lent him to the Lord as long as
he liveth. And she repeats it, because she will never revoke it: He
shall be (a deodand) lent or given to the Lord. Not that she
designed to call for him back, as we do what we lend, but she uses this word Shaol,
lent, because it is the same word that she had used before (v. 20, I
asked him of the Lord), only in another conjugation. And (v. 27)
the Lord gave me the petition which I asked (Shaalti, in Kal),
therefore I have lent him (Hishilti, the same word in Hiphil),
and so it gives another etymology of his name Samuel, not only asked
of God, but lent to God. And observe, (1.) Whatever we give to God,
it is what we have first asked and received from him. All our gifts to him
were first his gifts to us. Of thy own, Lord, have we given thee, 1
Chron. xxix. 14, 16. (2.) Whatever we give to God may upon this account be
said to be lent to him, that though we may not recall it, as a thing
lent, yet he will certainly repay it, with interest, to our unspeakable
advantage, particularly what is given to his poor, Prov. xix. 17. When
by baptism we dedicate our children to God, let us remember that they were his
before by a sovereign right, and that they are ours still so much the more to
our comfort. Hannah resigns him to the Lord, not for a certain term of years,
as children are sent apprentices, but durante vita--as long as he liveth,
he shall be lent unto the Lord, a Nazarite for life. Such must our
covenant with God be, a marriage-covenant; as long as live we must be his, and
never forsake him.
Lastly, The child Samuel did his part beyond what could have been
expected from one of his years; for of him that seems to be spoken, He
worshipped the Lord there, that is he said his prayers. He was no
doubt extraordinarily forward (we have known children that have discovered
some sense of religion very young), and his mother, designing him for the
sanctuary, took particular care to train him up to that which was to be his
work in the sanctuary. Note, Little children should learn betimes to worship
God. Their parents should instruct them in his worship and bring them to it,
put them upon engaging in it as well as they can, and God will graciously
accept them and teach them to do better.
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