Discover your Passion 1 Sam 1

The first chapter of 1 Samuel introduces a difficult time in Israel’s history through the story of Hannah. Elkanah, from the hill country of Ephraim, had two wives: Peninnah, who had children, and Hannah, who was barren. Every year the family went to Shiloh to worship, where Peninnah cruelly mocked Hannah for not having children. Deeply distressed, Hannah prayed bitterly at the tabernacle and made a vow: if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord for his whole life as a Nazirite. Eli the priest initially mistook her silent prayer for drunkenness, but then blessed her. God answered Hannah’s prayer, and she gave birth to Samuel (“asked of the Lord”). When the boy was about three years old, she kept her promise and brought him to Shiloh to serve the Lord under Eli. Key Lessons: • Polygamy always brings pain and complications. • Broken people often hurt others with their “sharp edges.” • We should be careful not to judge others too quickly. • True passion for God leads us to make big sacrifices and serve Him wholeheartedly. This chapter shows us that God hears the desperate prayers of His people.