Feature 2 for May 2021: “Hanna’s Vow” (Albert Stuart)

Hannah was a young woman in Israel with all of the normal expectations of life. She wanted to serve God and have a family. In time, Hannah married Elkanah. He loved her very much, and she loved him.

The normalcy of life was interrupted because Hannah could not conceive. Twice we read in Scripture

“the LORD had closed her womb” (1 Sam. 1:5-6 NKJV).

It is very important for barren women to know that God is in control of their wombs. For His own purposes He allows or withholds conception. Regardless,

“children are a heritage from the LORD. The fruit of the womb is a reward” (Ps. 127:3).

Hannah was distressed and went to the LORD. She made a vow to Him and kept her promise.

A Future Mother’s Heart

Hannah longed to have children but could only watch as Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, had at least four (1 Sam. 1:4). The Bible does not give any details about Hannah’s interaction with Peninnah’s children. As all women, Hannah had a strong desire to have her own children. She had a future mother’s heart but did not understand what the LORD was doing in withholding children from her.

The trial brought out at least three things.

Peninnah was Hannah’s rival and provoked her.

Peninnah had borne children for her husband, yet she

“provoked [Hannah] severely, to make her miserable, because the LORD had closed her womb” (v.6).

This mother made herself Hannah’s rival and was jealous of her. They were one family, and Hannah needed empathy; instead she was attacked within the household.

Jealousy is a work of the flesh (Gal. 5:20) and can lead to provoking in the bad way. As believers, let us instead

“consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Heb. 10:24 KJV).

Elkanah’s perception as to Hannah’s concerns was dull, or insensitive.

“Then Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” (1 Sam. 1:8 NKJV).

He did not understand his goodness to her could not replace her need for children. Although he asked four rhetorical questions, he quite loudly made the wrong statement. Husbands need to be more perceptive when it comes to comforting their wives in very sensitive situations.

Hannah felt the full weight of her burden.

The provocation from Peninnah made her distraught. She was depressed, cried and lost her appetite. Quite apparently, the comment by her husband did not comfort her either. Finally, she went to the right person: she took the matter to the LORD in prayer (vv.10-15). Unfortunately, like us, her care had become cares, but she cast them on Him (1 Pet. 5:7). Hannah, with the heart of a future mother, asked the LORD for a son.

A Vow Made

Hannah was very specific in her prayer and was determined that she would raise her son, if the LORD gave her one, for Him.

“She made a vow and said, O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant, and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head” (1 Sam. 1:11).

Hannah recognized the power of the LORD to open her womb. She had confidence in His ability and knew His compassion.

In turn, Hannah vowed to give him back to the LORD all the days of his life. She would raise him as a Nazarite from her womb. The Nazarite was one totally consecrated to the Lord (Num. 6:1-8). The difficulties in her life had brought her to this point. Because of these things, she would not be just another woman in Israel having children. Instead, she would be Hannah, the one who gave back to the LORD the son that she so desperately wanted. Also, she would be Hannah, the mother in Israel who was abundantly thankful to dedicate her son to the service of God. Believers should not make vows to the Lord because often we do not keep them. But isn’t it wonderful to see that Hannah’s vow was simple and heartfelt.

As parents we are instructed to raise our children for the Lord. We are taught to “give them back” to Him in a sense.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).

A Vow Kept

In addition to the abuse from Peninnah and the insensitivity of her husband, Hannah was further falsely accused of drunkenness by Eli the priest (1 Sam. 1:13-14). But she left the tabernacle with peace because she had unburdened her soul before the LORD:

“the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad” (v.18).

The hymn writer Joseph M. Scriven (1819–1886) articulated so appropriately,

“O what peace we often forfeit, / O what needless pain we bear / All because we do not carry / Everything to God in prayer” (“What A Friend We Have In Jesus”).

The LORD answered Hannah’s prayer and gave her a son, whom she gave the wonderful name of Samuel. That name means “asked for of the LORD.”

Hannah did not take Samuel up to the tabernacle at Shiloh for the yearly sacrifice until he was weaned. We read:

“but Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, ‘Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the LORD and remain there forever’” (v.22).

Elkanah understood. She was able to tell the child all about the LORD as she weaned him. Then, Hannah kept her vow.

Samuel’s dedication to the LORD was beautiful. Hannah reminded Eli that she had prayed for this child. They worshiped the LORD as seen in the three bulls, one ephah of flour and a skin of wine. Samuel, with no resistance on his part, was dedicated to the LORD’s work and stayed in the tabernacle. The boy was content. Let us, as parents, likewise wean our children off of the things of this world and dedicate them to the Lord. Indeed Hannah kept her promise.

Thanksgiving And Praise

Thanksgiving and praise are always appropriate for answered prayer. Hannah worshiped the Lord for giving her a son. Many wonderful things are stated in 1 Samuel 2, but verse 5 stands out:

“...even the barren has borne seven.”

The LORD, in His faithfulness to Hannah gave her five more children –

“three sons and two daughters” (v.21).

The LORD is no man’s debtor. Hannah started with grief and pain and ended with six children to raise for Him.

Hannah’s Watchfulness

Hannah was attentive to Samuel’s growth.

“Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice” (v.19).

Undoubtedly the robes were made according to his physical development, but it is clear that she was also attentive to his spiritual growth. He was in the tabernacle under the instruction of Eli. Through this, Samuel was learning and growing spiritually, and because his mother had given him to the LORD she was interested in his spiritual progress. Hannah had become the mother of Samuel the prophet, the priest and the judge.

Hannah received her son out of the exercises that result from barrenness and its accompanying challenges. Indeed, the woman with a mother’s heart became a mother and an example to us all.

Conclusion

It is natural for women to want children, and God graciously gives. In His wisdom, sometimes He withholds them. We remember that He is omniscient, or all knowing. Yet let us pray for women who are unable to have children.

Peninnah provoked Hannah, Elkanah was dull, and Eli the priest falsely accused Hannah of being drunk. Instead,

Christian women need our prayerful support.

Difficult circumstances often lead to prayerful exercises. They did for Hannah!

Whether one is a mother biologically or spiritually, the goal is to raise the children for Christ:

“Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Lk. 2:52).

The children God has given to us as parents are not under our care for very long; time flies by too quickly. Let us be like Hannah who kept her vow.

By Albert Stuart