1 Samuel 2:21

21 So ADONAI took notice of Hannah, and she conceived and bore three more sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Sh'mu'el grew in the presence of ADONAI.

1 Samuel 2:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 2:21

And the Lord visited Hannah
In a way of mercy, approving and confirming the blessing of Eli; or rather granting the blessing he prayed for, by giving her power to conceive, bear, and bring forth children, as the following words explain it:

so that she conceived and bare three sons and two daughters;
whereby the prophecy of Hannah was fulfilled, ( 1 Samuel 2:5 ) , and was no doubt matter of great joy to her, though of these children we nowhere else read, nor even of their names. Josephus ^F19 says, Elkanah had other sons by Hannah, and three daughters; which agrees not with the text:

and the child Samuel grew before the Lord:
in age and stature, in grace and goodness, and improved much in the worship and service of God, both in the theory and practice of it; or became great with him, high in his esteem and favour, and was blessed with much of his presence, and with large gifts of his grace.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 10. sect. 3.

1 Samuel 2:21 In-Context

19 Each year his mother would make him a little coat and bring it when she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.

20 'Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, "May ADONAI give you children from this woman because of the boy you have loaned to ADONAI"; then they would go home.

21 So ADONAI took notice of Hannah, and she conceived and bore three more sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Sh'mu'el grew in the presence of ADONAI.

22 When 'Eli was very old, he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Isra'el, and that they were having sex with the women doing service at the door of the tent of meeting.

23 He asked them, "Why are you doing things like this? I am hearing bad reports about you from all these people.