Hannah Keeps Her Promise

1 Samuel 1:21-28

Key Verses 1:27-28

“²⁷ I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. ²⁸ So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.”

Many people earnestly pray to God and make a vow when they have a serious life problem, but often forget when God answers their prayer as Jacob did (Ge28:20). However, in the old testament time, the vow was a serious matter, which was like a binding contract between God and a man (Numbers 30:2). This passage teaches us how Hanna kept her vow after she had received God’s grace.

1. Read verses 21-23. How did Elkanah continue to serve God? (3, 21) What was Hannah’s plan for her son? (22) What was Elkanah’s response to Hannah’s plan? (23, Numbers 30:10-15)

1. Read verses 21-23.

²¹ When the man Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, ²² Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.” ²³ “Do what seems best to you,” Elkanah her husband told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his^[a] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

1-2) How did Elkanah continue to serve God? (3, 21)

Elkanah faithfully made vows to the Lord as he prayed for God’s blessing on his crops and flocks, and fulfilled those vows at the Feast of Tabernacles by offering the annual sacrifice to the Lord. He seemed to serve God faithfully. He went up to Shiloh with all his family, where the priests resided (1:3).

1-3) What was Hannah’s plan for her son? (22)

However, Hannah had her own plan this time. She did not go with her husband. She did not forget her vow to God and she planned to take her son after the boy would be weaned and present him before the Lord, and he would live there always. It would be extremely difficult decision for her, because the boy was the only one she got after many tears. But she believed the living God who answered her prayer. As we all know, keeping the blessing by fulfilling the vow is much more difficult than receiving the God’s blessing. In that sense, Hannah was not only the woman of faith but also the wise woman.

It was customary in the East at that time to nurse children for three years or longer.

1-4) What was Elkanah’s response to Hannah’s plan? (23, Numbers 30:10-15)

V23,  “Do what seems best to you,” Elkanah her husband told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his^[a] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

When Elkanah listened to Hannah’s plan, he did not object or nullify her vow. He respected her vow and trusted her. At that time, the husband could nullify the wife’s vow if he wished (Numbers 30:10-15)

Numbers 30:10-15

¹⁰ “If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath ¹¹ and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. ¹² But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the Lord will release her. ¹³ Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. ¹⁴ But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. ¹⁵ If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he is responsible for her guilt.”

2. Read verses 24-28. After being childless for so long, how might Hannah have felt toward her son? After weaning him, what did she do? (1:24–25) What was her testimony to Eli? (1:26–28) Did she follow through in fulfilling her vow?

2-1) Read verses 24-28.

²⁴ After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,^[b] an ephah^[c] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. ²⁵ When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli, ²⁶ and she said to him, “As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. ²⁷ I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. ²⁸ So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

2-2) After being childless for so long, how might Hannah have felt toward her son?

Samuel was Hannah’s only son after being childless for so long time. We can imagine how precious he was to her. However, she remembered God who was the source of all things and gave Samuel instead of clinging to God’s blessing.

2-3) After weaning him, what did she do? (1:24–25)

²⁴ After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,^[b] an ephah^[c] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. ²⁵ When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli

It seems like Abraham who went to the region of Moriah with his only son Isaac to obey God’s command (Ge 22). However, there was no God’s explicit command to Hannah here. Samuel would be away from her and would be God’s. However, it was her vow directing her action. She prepared for the sacrifice of a three-year –old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine with the boy.

2-4) What was her testimony to Eli? (1:26–28)

²⁶ and she said to him, “As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. ²⁷ I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. ²⁸ So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

2-5) Did she follow through in fulfilling her vow?

Yes, there was no trace of sadness or regret in her action. She was willingly and joyfully serving God, who is living and is listening to our prayer. She fulfilled her vow wholeheartedly.

Conclusion:

In this passage, we learn how Hannah kept her vow before God after God listened to her tearful prayer and showed her mercy. Keeping vow means we believe the living God who listens to our prayer. God blesses those who keep their vow. Amen.

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