"May your maidservant find favor with you," said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began eating again, and her face was no longer downcast. “May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah.Hannah's plea for favor reflects a deep humility and recognition of her position before God and Eli, the priest. The term "maidservant" indicates her submission and servitude, a common cultural expression of humility in ancient Israel. This phrase echoes the language of other biblical figures who sought divine favor, such as Mary in Luke 1:38. Hannah's request for favor is a turning point, showing her faith in God's ability to change her circumstances. Then she went on her way,
This indicates a shift in Hannah's demeanor and actions. After her prayer, she leaves the temple with a sense of peace and resolution. The act of going on her way signifies a release of her burdens to God, trusting in His sovereignty. This mirrors the biblical principle of casting one's cares upon the Lord, as seen in 1 Peter 5:7. and she began to eat,
Hannah's decision to eat again signifies a restoration of her spirit and hope. Previously, her grief had been so intense that she could not partake in the sacrificial meal (1 Samuel 1:7). Her renewed appetite symbolizes her faith that God has heard her prayer, similar to how fasting and feasting are used in the Bible to denote mourning and celebration, respectively. and her face was no longer downcast.
The change in Hannah's countenance reflects an inner transformation. Her faith and trust in God have replaced her sorrow and despair. This transformation is reminiscent of the joy and peace that believers experience when they trust in God's promises, as described in Philippians 4:6-7. Hannah's story foreshadows the peace that comes through faith in Christ, who lifts the burdens of the weary. Persons / Places / Events 1. HannahA devout woman who was deeply distressed due to her barrenness. She prayed earnestly to the Lord for a child. 2. EliThe high priest at Shiloh who initially misunderstood Hannah's silent prayer but later blessed her. 3. ShilohThe religious center where the Ark of the Covenant was kept and where Hannah prayed. 4. Prayer at the TabernacleHannah's heartfelt prayer and vow to God, promising to dedicate her son to the Lord if He granted her request. 5. TransformationThe change in Hannah's demeanor after receiving Eli's blessing, indicating her faith and trust in God's promise. Teaching Points Faith in ActionHannah's demeanor changed after her prayer, demonstrating her faith in God's promise. We should trust God with our burdens and believe in His faithfulness. The Power of PrayerHannah's account illustrates the importance of earnest prayer and how it can transform our outlook and circumstances. God's TimingHannah's patience and persistence in prayer remind us that God's timing is perfect, and we should remain steadfast in our faith. Emotional HealingHannah's change from sorrow to peace shows that God can heal our emotional wounds when we surrender them to Him. Community SupportEli's blessing played a role in Hannah's transformation, highlighting the importance of encouragement and support within the faith community. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Hannah's response to Eli's blessing demonstrate her faith in God's promise? 2. In what ways can we apply Hannah's example of prayer and trust in our own lives when facing difficult situations? 3. How does the transformation in Hannah's demeanor after prayer reflect the peace described in Philippians 4:6-7? 4. What role does community support play in our spiritual journey, as seen in Hannah's interaction with Eli? 5. How can we cultivate a heart of patience and persistence in prayer, following Hannah's example? Connections to Other Scriptures Philippians 4:6-7This passage encourages believers to present their requests to God with thanksgiving, promising peace that transcends understanding, similar to Hannah's peace after prayer. James 5:16Highlights the power of a righteous person's prayer, as seen in Hannah's fervent and effective prayer. Psalm 34:4-5Speaks of seeking the Lord and being delivered from fears, paralleling Hannah's experience of relief and uplifted spirit after her prayer. Luke 1:46-55Mary's Magnificat echoes Hannah's song of praise, showing a connection between their experiences of divine intervention and blessing. Hebrews 11:1Defines faith as confidence in what we hope for, which is exemplified by Hannah's trust in God's promise. People Eli, Elihu, Elkanah, Ephah, Hannah, Hophni, Jeroham, Peninnah, Phinehas, Samuel, Tohu, ZuphPlaces Ramah, Ramathaim-zophim, ShilohTopics Ate, Bondwoman, Countenance, Downcast, Eat, Eateth, Expression, Face, Facial, Favor, Favour, Feast, Grace, Handmaid, Longer, Maidservant, Sad, Servant, Sight, Wasn'tDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Samuel 1:18 5150 face 1 Samuel 1:1-20 5225 barrenness
5733 pregnancy 1 Samuel 1:9-18 8830 suspicion 1 Samuel 1:9-20 5744 wife 1 Samuel 1:9-28 5745 women 1 Samuel 1:10-20 8614 prayer, answers 1 Samuel 1:11-20 5468 promises, human 1 Samuel 1:16-18 5173 outward appearance Library Of Self-Annihilation
Of Self-Annihilation Supplication and sacrifice are comprehended in prayer, which, according to S. John, is "an incense, the smoke whereof ascendeth unto God;" therefore it is said in the Apocalypse that "unto the Angel was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints'' (Chap. viii. 3). Prayer is the effusion of the heart in the Presence of God: "I have poured out my soul before God" saith the mother of Samuel. (1 Sam. i. 15) The prayer of the wise men at the feet of …
Madame Guyon—A Short and Easy Method of PrayerPrayer and Sacrifice Explained by the Similitude of a Perfume --Our Annihilation in this Sacrifice --Solidity and Fruitfulness of this Prayer as Set Forth in The
Prayer ought to be both petition and sacrifice. Prayer, according to the testimony of St John, is an incense, whose perfume rises to God. Therefore it is said in the Revelation (chap. viii. 3), that an angel held a censer, which contained the incense of the prayers of saints. Prayer is an outpouring of the heart in the presence of God. "I have poured out my soul before the Lord," said the mother of Samuel (1 Sam. i. 15). Thus the prayers of the Magi at the feet of the infant Jesus in the stable of …
Jeanne Marie Bouvières—A Short Method Of Prayer And Spiritual Torrents Home Dedication.
"The rose was rich in bloom on Sharon's plain, When a young mother with her first born thence Went up to Zion, for the boy was vowed Unto the Temple-service; by the hand She led him, and her silent soul, the while, Oft as the dewy laughter of his eye Met her sweet serious glance, rejoiced to think That aught so pure, so beautiful, was hers, To bring before her God!" Beautiful thought, and thrice beautiful deed,--fresh from the pure fount of maternal piety! The Hebrew mother consecrating her first-born …
Samuel Philips—The Christian Home John Newton 1Sam 1:10,18
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John Newton—Olney Hymns Hwochow Women's Bible Training School
COURSE OF STUDY FIRST TERM Book of Genesis. Gospel according to St. Luke or St. Mark. Acts of the Apostles, chapters i. to ix. "A Synopsis of the Central Themes of the Holy Bible." Reading Lessons, with necessary Explanation and Writing of Chinese Character. Arithmetic. Singing and Memorisation of Hymns. SECOND TERM Book of Exodus, Numbers, and 1 Samuel i. to xvi. The Gospel according to St. John. The Epistle of St James. "A Synopsis of the Central Themes of the Holy Bible"--(continued). Reading …
A. Mildred Cable—The Fulfilment of a Dream of Pastor Hsi's The Love of the Holy Spirit in Us.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."--Matt. xxvii. 37. The Scripture teaches not only that the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and with Him Love, but also that He sheds abroad that Love in our hearts. This shedding abroad does not refer to the coming of the Holy Spirit's Person, for a person can not be shed abroad. He comes, takes possession, and dwells in us; but that which is shed abroad …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit The Prophet Jonah.
It has been asserted without any sufficient reason, that Jonah is older than Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Obadiah,--that he is the oldest among the prophets whose written monuments have been preserved to us. The passage in 2 Kings xiv. 25, where it is said, that Jonah, the son of Amittai the prophet, prophesied to Jeroboam the happy success of his arms, and the restoration of the ancient boundaries of Israel, and that this prophecy was confirmed by the event, cannot decide in favour of this assertion, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament And V the Kingdom Undivided and the Kingdom Divided
THE HISTORICAL BOOKS: I and II Samuel. I and II Kings. I and II Chronicles. NOTE.--As these three pairs of books are so closely related in their historical contents, it is deemed best to study them together, though they overlap the two divisions of IV and V. I. CHARTS Chart A. General Contents +--+ " I AND II SAMUEL " +-------------+-----+------+ "Samuel "Saul "David " +-------------+-----+------+----------+ " " " " I AND II KINGS "NOTE.--Biblical …
Frank Nelson Palmer—A Bird's-Eye View of the Bible Divers Matters.
I. Beth-cerem, Nehemiah 3:14. "The stones, as well of the altar, as of the ascent to the altar, were from the valley of Beth-cerem, which they digged out beneath the barren land. And thence they are wont to bring whole stones, upon which the working iron came not." The fathers of the traditions, treating concerning the blood of women's terms, reckon up five colours of it; among which that, "which is like the water of the earth, out of the valley of Beth-cerem."--Where the Gloss writes thus, "Beth-cerem …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Ramah. Ramathaim Zophim. Gibeah.
There was a certain Ramah, in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:25, and that within sight of Jerusalem, as it seems, Judges 19:13; where it is named with Gibeah:--and elsewhere, Hosea 5:8; which towns were not much distant. See 1 Samuel 22:6; "Saul sat in Gibeah, under a grove in Ramah." Here the Gemarists trifle: "Whence is it (say they) that Ramah is placed near Gibea? To hint to you, that the speech of Samuel of Ramah was the cause, why Saul remained two years and a half in Gibeah." They blindly …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica The King --Continued.
The years thus well begun are, in the historical books, characterized mainly by three events, namely, the bringing up of the ark to the newly won city of David, Nathan's prophecy of the perpetual dominion of his house, and his victories over the surrounding nations. These three hinges of the narrative are all abundantly illustrated in the psalms. As to the first, we have relics of the joyful ceremonial connected with it in two psalms, the fifteenth and twenty-fourth, which are singularly alike not …
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting I Will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding Also-
OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING PRAYER; WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY DISCOVERED, 1. WHAT PRAYER IS. 2. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT. 3. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO. WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1662. PUBLISHED, 1663. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:--the Spirit--helpeth our infirmities" (Rom 8:26). ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. There is no subject of more solemn importance to human happiness than prayer. It is the only medium of intercourse with heaven. "It is …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Samuel 1:18 NIV1 Samuel 1:18 NLT1 Samuel 1:18 ESV1 Samuel 1:18 NASB1 Samuel 1:18 KJV
1 Samuel 1:18 Commentaries
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