Hannah

I don’t necessarily have a favorite Bible character; I only have many favoriteS, and Hannah is most certainly one of my favorite ladies in the Bible. I had posted this on my own blog months ago, and I decided to archive it and edited it a little bit.

1Samuel 1:10-18 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 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. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 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. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. 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.

Hannah is a Godly woman, and just like prior to other Godly women in the Bible, she had to wait on the Lord for her heart's sole desire. She was barren. Not only so, but she was provoked by her adversary (1 Samuel 1:10), mocked because the Lord had shut up her womb. That caused her great sadness, so much so, she would not eat (v.7). In verse 10, we are told that she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore.

She was a smart woman, what I like to call "a prayer warrior", quick to get on her knees and unashamed of pouring her heart out at the altar of the Lord. She speaks, reasons and makes a vow with Him (v.11), that if He would look on her affliction and give her a man child she would dedicate Him unto the Lord all the days of His life.

She prayed with sincerity and didn't hold back anything. She prayed in her heart, probably with an attitude of humility. Hannah certainly did not lack belief in the Lord. After having prayed and having received a blessing from Eli (v.18) Hannah gets back on her way, eats and her countenance was no more sad!

Two verses below, she conceives Samuel and Hannah remembers to keep her vow unto the Lord:

1Sa 1:21-28 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 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. 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. 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. And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 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. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 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.

In chapter two, we read a most beautiful prayer by Hannah. Not only does she keep her vow unto God but gets right back on those prayer knees which served her well. In verse 5, she says "so that the barren hath borne 7". Just a few verses below, in verse 21, Hannah conceives again and bares three more sons and two daughters!

Prayer is a must, but for Hannah (and for us), it would have been in vain had she not trusted that the Lord would hear her cry and fulfill her heart's desire in due time. There comes that belief again! There was a change in her attitude, in her countenance, prior to the answered prayer.

Moreover, it is so important and crucial to keep our vows and to remember the Lord who beheld our affliction, just as Hannah accomplished, and in return, the Lord blessed her yet more!