1 Samuël 1

1 Daar was een man van Ramathaim-Zofim, van het gebergte van Efraim, wiens naam was Elkana, een zoon van Jerocham, den zoon van Elihu, den zoon van Tochu, den zoon van Zuf, een Efrathiet.

2 En hij had twee vrouwen; de naam van de ene was Hanna, en de naam van de andere was Peninna. Peninna nu had kinderen, maar Hanna had geen kinderen.

3 Deze man nu ging opwaarts uit zijn stad van jaar tot jaar om te aanbidden, en om te offeren den HEERE der heirscharen te Silo; en aldaar waren priesters des HEEREN, Hofni, en Pinehas, de twee zonen van Eli.

4 En het geschiedde op dien dag, als Elkana offerde, zo gaf hij aan Peninna, zijn huisvrouw, en aan al haar zonen en haar dochteren, delen.

5 Maar aan Hanna gaf hij een aanzienlijk deel, want hij had Hanna lief; doch de HEERE had haar baarmoeder toegesloten.

6 En haar tegenpartijdige tergde haar ook met terging, om haar te vergrimmen, omdat de HEERE haar baarmoeder toegesloten had.

7 En alzo deed hij jaar op jaar; van dat zij opging tot het huis des HEEREN, zo tergde zij haar alzo; daarom weende zij en at niet.

8 Toen zeide Elkana, haar man: Hanna, waarom weent gij, en waarom eet gij niet, en waarom is uw hart kwalijk gesteld? Ben ik u niet beter dan tien zonen?

9 Toen stond Hanna op, nadat hij gegeten, en nadat hij gedronken had te Silo. En Eli, de priester, zat op een stoel bij een post van den tempel des HEEREN.

10 Zij dan viel bitterlijk bedroefd zijnde, zo bad zij tot den HEERE, en zij weende zeer.

11 En zij beloofde een gelofte, en zeide: HEERE der heirscharen, zo Gij eenmaal de ellende Uwer dienstmaagd aanziet, en mijner gedenkt, en Uw dienstmaagd niet vergeet, maar geeft aan Uw dienstmaagd een mannelijk zaad, zo zal ik dat den HEERE geven al de dagen zijns levens, en er zal geen scheermes op zijn hoofd komen.

12 Het geschiedde nu, als zij evenzeer bleef biddende voor het aangezicht des HEEREN, zo gaf Eli acht op haar mond.

13 Want Hanna sprak in haar hart; alleenlijk roerden zich haar lippen, maar haar stem werd niet gehoord; daarom hield Eli haar voor dronken.

14 En Eli zeide tot haar: Hoe lang zult gij u dronken aanstellen? Doe uw wijn van u.

15 Doch Hanna antwoordde en zeide: Neen, mijn heer! ik ben een vrouw, bezwaard van geest; ik heb noch wijn, noch sterken drank gedronken; maar ik heb mijn ziel uitgegoten voor het aangezicht des HEEREN.

16 Acht toch uw dienstmaagd niet voor een dochter Belials; want ik heb tot nu toe gesproken uit de veelheid van mijn gedachten en van mijn verdriet.

17 Toen antwoordde Eli en zeide: Ga heen in vrede, en de God Israels zal uw bede geven, die gij van Hem gebeden hebt.

18 En zij zeide: Laat uw dienstmaagd genade vinden in uw ogen! Alzo ging die vrouw haars weegs; en zij at, en haar aangezicht was haar zodanig niet meer.

19 En zij stonden des morgens vroeg op, en zij aanbaden voor het aangezicht des HEEREN, en zij keerden weder, en kwamen tot hun huis te Rama. En Elkana bekende zijn huisvrouw Hanna, en de HEERE gedacht aan haar.

20 En het geschiedde, na verloop van dagen, dat Hanna bevrucht werd, en baarde een zoon, en zij noemde zijn naam Samuel: Want, zeide zij, ik heb hem van de HEERE gebeden.

21 En die man, Elkana toog op met zijn ganse huis, om den HEERE te offeren het jaarlijkse offer, en zijn gelofte.

22 Doch Hanna toog niet op; maar zij zeide tot haar man: Als de jongen gespeend is, dan zal ik hem brengen, dat hij voor het aangezicht des HEEREN verschijne, en blijve daar tot in eeuwigheid.

23 En Elkana, haar man, zeide tot haar: Doe, wat goed is in uw ogen; blijf, totdat gij hem zult gespeend hebben; de HEERE bevestige naar Zijn woord! Alzo bleef de vrouw, en zoogde haar zoon, totdat zij hem speende.

24 Daarna, als zij hem gespeend had, bracht zij hem met zich opwaarts, met drie varren, en een efa meels, en een fles met wijn; en zij bracht hem in het huis des HEEREN te Silo; en het jongsken was zeer jong.

25 En zij slachtten een var; alzo brachten zij het kind tot Eli.

26 En zij zeide: Och, mijn heer! zo waarachtig als uw ziel leeft, mijn heer! Ik ben die vrouw, die hier bij u stond, om den HEERE te bidden.

27 Ik bad om deze jongeling, en de HEERE heeft mij mijn bede gegeven, die ik van Hem gebeden heb.

28 Daarom heb ik hem ook den HEERE overgegeven al de dagen, die hij wezen zal; hij is van den HEERE gebeden. En hij bad aldaar den HEERE aan.

1 Samuël 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

In this book we have an account of Eli, and the wickedness of his sons; also of Samuel, his character and actions. Then of the advancement of Saul to be the king of Israel, and his ill behaviour, until his death made way for David's succession to the throne, who was an eminent type of Christ. David's patience, modesty, constancy, persecution by open enemies and feigned friends, are a pattern and example to the church, and to every member of it. Many things in this book encourage the faith, hope, and patience of the suffering believer. It contains also many useful cautions and awful warnings.

Elkanah and his family. (1-8) Hannah's prayer. (9-18) Samuel, Hannah presents him to the Lord. (19-28)

Verses 1-8 Elkanah kept up his attendance at God's altar, notwithstanding the unhappy differences in his family. If the devotions of a family prevail not to put an end to its divisions, yet let not the divisions put a stop to the devotions. To abate our just love to any relation for the sake of any infirmity which they cannot help, and which is their affliction, is to make God's providence quarrel with his precept, and very unkindly to add affliction to the afflicted. It is evidence of a base disposition, to delight in grieving those who are of a sorrowful spirit, and in putting those out of humour who are apt to fret and be uneasy. We ought to bear one another's burdens, not add to them. Hannah could not bear the provocation. Those who are of a fretful spirit, and are apt to lay provocations too much to heart, are enemies to themselves, and strip themselves of many comforts both of life and godliness. We ought to notice comforts, to keep us from grieving for crosses. We should look at that which is for us, as well as what is against us.

Verses 9-18 Hannah mingled tears with her prayers; she considered the mercy of our God, who knows the troubled soul. God gives us leave, in prayer, not only to ask good things in general, but to mention that special good thing we most need and desire. She spoke softly, none could hear her. Hereby she testified her belief of God's knowledge of the heart and its desires. Eli was high priest, and judge in Israel. It ill becomes us to be rash and hasty in censures of others, and to think people guilty of bad things while the matter is doubtful and unproved. Hannah did not retort the charge, and upbraid Eli with the wicked conduct of his own sons. When we are at any time unjustly censured, we have need to set a double watch before the door of our lips, that we do not return censure for censure. Hannah thought it enough to clear herself, and so must we. Eli was willing to acknowledge his mistake. Hannah went away with satisfaction of mind. She had herself by prayer committed her case to God, and Eli had prayed for her. Prayer is heart's ease to a gracious soul. Prayer will smooth the countenance; it should do so. None will long remain miserable, who use aright the privilege of going to the mercy-seat of a reconciled God in Christ Jesus.

Verses 19-28 Elkanah and his family had a journey before them, and a family of children to take with them, yet they would not move till they had worshipped God together. Prayer and provender do not hinder a journey. When men are in such haste to set out upon journeys, or to engage in business, that they have not time to worship God, they are likely to proceed without his presence and blessing. Hannah, though she felt a warm regard for the courts of God's house, begged to stay at home. God will have mercy, and not sacrifice. Those who are detained from public ordinances, by the nursing and tending of little children, may take comfort from this instance, and believe, that if they do that duty in a right spirit, God will graciously accept them therein. Hannah presented her child to the Lord with a grateful acknowledgment of his goodness in answer to prayer. Whatever we give to God, it is what we have first asked and received from him. All our gifts to him were first his gifts to us. The child Samuel early showed true piety. Little children should be taught to worship God when very young. Their parents should teach them in it, bring them to it, and put them on doing it as well as they can; God will graciously accept them, and will teach them to do better.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL

\\OTHERWISE CALLED\\ \\THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS\\

This book, in the Hebrew copies, is commonly called Samuel, or the Book of Samuel; in the Syriac version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet; and in the Arabic version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet, which is the First Book of the Kings; and the Septuagint version, the Book of the Kingdom: it has the name of Samuel, because it contains an history of his life and times; and the Jews say {a} it was written by him; and as it may well enough be thought to be, to the end of the twenty fourth chapter; and the rest might be written by Nathan and Gad, as may he gathered from 1Ch 29:29 as also the following book that bears his name; and both may be called the Books of Kings, because they give an account of the rise of the kings in Israel, and of the two first of them; though some think they were written by Jeremiah, as Abarbinel; and others ascribe them to Ezra: however, there is no doubt to be made of it that this book was written by divine inspiration, when we consider the series of its history, its connection and harmony with other parts of Scripture; the several things borrowed from it, or alluded to in the book of Psalms, particularly what is observed in Ps 113:7,8, seems to be taken out of 1Sa 2:8, and the sanction which the Lord gives to it, by referring to a fact in it, whereby he stopped the mouths of the Scribes and Pharisees cavilling at his disciples, Mt 12:3,4, compared with 1Sa 21:3-6, yea, even, as Huetius {b} observes, some Heathen writers have by their testimonies confirmed some passages in these books, which they seem to have been acquainted with, as Nicolaus of Damascus {c}, and Eupolemus {d}; it contains an history of the government of Eli, and of the birth of Samuel, and his education under him; of the succession of Samuel in it, and the resignation of it to Saul, when he was chosen king; of his administration of his office, and of things done in the time of it, both before and after his rejection, and of the persecution of David by Saul, and is concluded with his death.

{a} T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 2. {b} Demonstrat. Evangel. Prop. 4. p. 199. {c} Apud Joseph. Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect. 2. {d} Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 30.

\\INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 1\\

This chapter gives an account of the parents of Samuel, of the trouble his mother met with from her rival, and comfort from her husband, 1Sa 1:1-8, of her prayer to God for a son, and of her vow to him, should one be given her, 1Sa 1:9-11 of the notice Eli took of her, and of his censure on her, which he afterwards retracted, and comforted her, 1Sa 1:12-18 of her conception and the birth of her son, the nursing and weaning of him, 1Sa 1:19-23 and of the presentation of him to the Lord, with a sacrifice, 1Sa 1:24-28.