In the days of the judges in ancient Israel, there lived a woman named Hannah whose story teaches us about faith, perseverance, and the power of prayer. The story of Hannah and Peninnah in the Bible reveals how God sees our hearts and responds to sincere prayers, even in our most difficult moments.

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Hannah's journey from barrenness to motherhood shows us that God has a perfect plan and timing for our lives. Though she faced mockery and heartache, Hannah remained faithful and poured out her soul before the Lord, giving us one of the most beautiful examples of answered prayer in Scripture.

Hannah and Peninnah: A Tale of Two Wives

Chapter 1: A Family Divided

In the hill country of Ephraim lived a man named Elkanah. He was a faithful Israelite who regularly traveled to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 1:2, "He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none."

In those ancient times, having children was considered a great blessing from God. A woman's worth was often measured by her ability to bear children, especially sons who would carry on the family name. While Peninnah enjoyed the blessing of motherhood with several sons and daughters, Hannah remained childless.

Each year, Elkanah would take his family to the house of the Lord at Shiloh to offer sacrifices. During these special feasts, Elkanah would give portions of the sacrificial meat to his family. The Scripture tells us in 1 Samuel 1:5, "But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb."

Although Elkanah clearly loved Hannah more, his special treatment only intensified the rivalry between the two women. Peninnah, perhaps feeling insecure despite her fertility, used her advantage to wound Hannah deeply.

Chapter 2: The Painful Provocation

Year after year, whenever the family went to the house of the Lord, Peninnah would taunt and provoke Hannah because of her barrenness. We read in 1 Samuel 1:6-7, "Because the Lord had closed Hannah's womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat."

The bitter rivalry between the two women created a painful household dynamic. While Peninnah had children to love and nurture, she lacked the full affection of her husband. Hannah had Elkanah's love but yearned for a child. Each woman had what the other wanted.

Peninnah's cruel taunts hit Hannah at her most vulnerable point. Being unable to bear children in that culture brought not only personal heartache but also public shame. People might have whispered that God was withholding children because of some hidden sin. The psychological and emotional torment became almost unbearable for Hannah.

Elkanah tried to comfort his beloved wife, saying in 1 Samuel 1:8, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" Though well-intentioned, his words could not fill the emptiness in Hannah's heart.

Chapter 3: A Prayer from the Depths

During one particularly difficult pilgrimage to Shiloh, after enduring Peninnah's mockery once again, Hannah reached her breaking point. The Bible describes a powerful moment of desperate prayer in 1 Samuel 1:9-11:

"Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord's house. In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, 'Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.'"

Hannah's prayer revealed the depth of her faith. Even in her greatest sorrow, she turned to God rather than becoming bitter. She approached the Lord with complete honesty and vulnerability, pouring out her heart before Him.

Notice the extraordinary nature of Hannah's vow. She didn't simply ask for a son to silence Peninnah's taunts or to secure her position in the household. Hannah promised to give her son back to God as a lifelong Nazirite, dedicated to serving the Lord. She sought a child not merely for herself, but for God's service.

As Hannah prayed silently, moving her lips but making no sound, Eli the high priest noticed her. Mistaking her fervent prayer for drunkenness, he rebuked her in 1 Samuel 1:14: "How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine."

Chapter 4: Faith Found Favor

Hannah humbly responded to Eli's accusation in 1 Samuel 1:15-16: "Not so, my lord. I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."

Touched by her sincerity, Eli blessed Hannah with these words in 1 Samuel 1:17: "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him." Hannah's entire countenance changed upon receiving this blessing. The Scripture tells us in 1 Samuel 1:18, "She said, 'May your servant find favor in your eyes.' Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast."

What a beautiful transformation! Before Hannah even received her answer, her faith allowed her to leave her burden at the altar. She trusted God with her request and found peace in the midst of her ongoing trial.

The next morning, the family worshipped before the Lord once more and then returned home to Ramah. The Bible then records a simple yet profound statement in 1 Samuel 1:19-20: "Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, 'Because I asked the Lord for him.'"

The name Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for "heard by God" or "asked of God." Every time Hannah spoke her son's name, she would remember God's faithfulness in answering her prayer.

Chapter 5: A Promise Fulfilled

When the time came for the annual sacrifice, Elkanah prepared to go to Shiloh with his family. But Hannah, nursing her infant son, told her husband in 1 Samuel 1:22, "After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always." Elkanah supported her decision, saying, "Do what seems best to you. Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his word."

Hannah's integrity shines through this part of the story. Despite the joy her son brought her and the validation his birth gave her in the eyes of others (including Peninnah), she did not forget her vow. She understood that Samuel was a gift from God, entrusted to her care for only a short time.

When Samuel was weaned, probably around three years old, Hannah faithfully brought him to Eli at the tabernacle in Shiloh. Imagine the emotional weight of this moment as she reminded Eli in 1 Samuel 1:26-28:

"'Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 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."

In this profound act of surrender, Hannah fulfilled her vow. She gave back to God the very blessing she had so desperately sought. Rather than clinging to Samuel, she entrusted him to the Lord's service.

Chapter 6: Hannah's Song of Praise

Instead of leaving the tabernacle in tears, Hannah offered an extraordinary prayer of thanksgiving and praise. Her prayer, recorded in 1 Samuel 2:1-10, is one of the most beautiful songs in Scripture and foreshadows Mary's Magnificat in the New Testament.

Hannah began: "My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God."

Her prayer reflected a deep understanding of God's character and sovereignty. She acknowledged that God is the one who reverses fortunes—making the barren woman a mother of children, lifting the poor from the dust, and bringing down the proud. Hannah saw beyond her personal situation to God's grand purposes in history.

Though she left her only son at the tabernacle, Hannah went home with a heart full of gratitude and praise. The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 2:19, "Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice." This yearly visit and handmade gift showed her continuing love and investment in Samuel's life.

Chapter 7: God's Greater Blessing

Hannah's faithfulness did not go unnoticed by God. After she gave Samuel to the Lord's service, Eli blessed her and Elkanah, saying in 1 Samuel 2:20, "May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord."

The Scripture then tells us in 1 Samuel 2:21, "And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord."

God multiplied Hannah's sacrifice by giving her five more children! The woman once mocked for her barrenness became the mother of six. Meanwhile, her firstborn Samuel grew to become one of Israel's greatest prophets and the last of the judges. He would later anoint both Saul and David as kings over Israel.

As for Peninnah, the Bible falls silent about her fate. Her role in the narrative was to be the catalyst for Hannah's deeper relationship with God. Through Hannah's trial and Peninnah's provocation, God worked out His sovereign plan to raise up Samuel as a leader for Israel at a crucial time in their history.

What Can We Learn from This Story?

1. God sees our pain - Even when others mock or misunderstand us, God knows our hearts and sees our tears. He heard Hannah's silent prayers and understood her deepest longings.
2. Prayer changes things - Hannah's sincere, heartfelt prayer moved God's hand. When we pour out our souls before the Lord in honest prayer, He listens and responds according to His will.
3. Faith leads to peace - After praying and receiving Eli's blessing, Hannah found peace before actually receiving her answer. True faith trusts God regardless of circumstances.
4. Keeping promises matters - Hannah fulfilled her vow to God, even though it meant giving up her precious son. Her integrity honored God and resulted in even greater blessings.
5. God's plans are bigger than our problems - What began as a personal struggle between two women resulted in the calling of one of Israel's greatest prophets. God used Hannah's trial to accomplish His purposes for the nation.

Activities for Children

1. Prayer Journal Craft - Help children create their own prayer journals where they can write or draw their prayers to God. Discuss how Hannah poured out her heart to God and how we can do the same.
2. Samuel's Robe - Cut out simple robe shapes from colored paper or felt. Let children decorate "little robes" like Hannah made for Samuel each year. Talk about how Hannah continued to show love for her son even though he lived at the tabernacle.
3. Thankfulness Game - Sit in a circle and take turns sharing something you're thankful for, starting each statement with "My heart rejoices in the Lord because…" just like Hannah's prayer began. This helps children practice gratitude even in difficult circumstances.
4. Role Play - Assign children to play the roles of Hannah, Eli, Elkanah, Samuel, and Peninnah. Act out different scenes from the story to help children understand the emotions and choices of each character.
5. "God Remembers" Name Tags - The name Samuel means "heard by God" or "asked of God." Have children create name tags that include their own names and what their names mean. If you don't know the meanings, help them create new meanings that remind them God knows their names and hears their prayers.

Would you like to learn about another powerful mother in the Bible? Check out The Story of Jochebed: Moses' Brave Mother Who Trusted God to discover how another woman's faith and courage changed history!