Passage Overview · Free · 1 Samuel 1:1–11
Hannah’s Barrenness and Prayer
Start here: The story opens by introducing Elkanah, a man with two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was barren, which brought her deep sorrow. Her pain was intensified by Peninnah’s constant provocation, a reminder of the cultural stigma of childlessness in ancient Israel. Each year they traveled to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice at the tabernacle. Despite Elkanah’s love for her, Hannah’s grief was unbearable. In her anguish, she poured out her soul before the Lord, vowing that if God granted her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service for life.