1 Samuel 1:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"

NIV: Her husband Elkanah would say to her, "Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?"

NASB: Then Elkanah her husband would say to her, 'Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you not eat, and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?'

CSB: "Hannah, why are you crying?" her husband Elkanah would ask. "Why won’t you eat? Why are you troubled? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

NLT: Why are you crying, Hannah?' Elkanah would ask. 'Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me — isn’t that better than having ten sons?'

KJV: Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

NKJV: Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Hannah is weeping and cannot eat. She is not comforted by the special double portion of sacrifice Elkanah has given to honor her. She carries constant grief about her inability to have children, which is exploited and inflamed every year at the family feast and sacrifice in Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:1–4). Every year, Elkanah honors his wife for all to see although she cannot give him children. Every year, his other wife torments Hannah out of apparent jealousy, perceiving that Elkanah loves Hannah more (1 Samuel 1:5–7).

Here, Elkanah shows deep concern for Hannah along with a clumsy lack of understanding of her grief. Apparently unaware that Peninnah has been tormenting Hannah, Elkanah asks why she is crying and not eating. He asks why her heart is sad, though he knows at least one reason is that she cannot have children. Almost every husband has experienced the helpless feeling of wanting to "fix" a wife's sadness, but not knowing what to do.

Elkanah's last question reveals a level of immaturity, at least, if not a bit of arrogance. He may have intended it to be romantic, yet it misses the ache of his wife's heart. There is a desire he cannot meet. He doesn't mean "ten children," literally, but wants to comfort her with the idea of his great love. He wants to be enough for her on his own. As far as we can tell from this passage, he doesn't understand that this is not a perfect substitute for having children.

In addition to wanting to be a mother, Hannah's situation is difficult for other reasons. Elkanah can honor her publicly and show how much he values her. Yet that cannot take away the public shame and stigma placed upon infertile women in this era. Many falsely believed that since God gives children, He must be cursing those who cannot conceive. A "barren" woman was thought to be sinful, lesser, and not worthy of honor in the community.

Practically speaking, Hannah also faced an uncertain future. One role of children in that society was to care for aging parents. Women had very few options when it came to providing for themselves. It was clear that Elkanah's other wife—and perhaps her children as well—would not be motivated to care for Hannah if something happened to Elkanah. She could very well end up alone and without provision.

In short, Hannah was entirely dependent on the Lord. She understood this completely.

First Samuel 1:1–20 describes how Samuel the prophet came to be born. His mother Hannah was barren and mocked by her husband's other wife, who had many children. During a family feast at Shiloh, Hannah prayed out of her deep despair. She vowed to give her son back to God if He would allow her to conceive. Once Eli, the priest, understood that Hannah was not drunk, he told her the Lord would grant her request. Satisfied, she returned home and soon gave birth to a boy. She named him Samuel.

Elkanah lives in Ephraim with two wives. Hannah is barren, while his other wife has many children. At the annual family sacrifice and feast in Shiloh, Hannah weeps and pours out her grief before the Lord. She vows to give a son to Him for lifelong service if the Lord gives her a boy. After confronting Hannah for drunkenness and then seeing that she was praying from her depth of emotion, Eli the priest blesses Hannah and affirms her prayer. Elkanah and Hannah conceive, and she gives birth to a son that she names Samuel. Once he is weaned, she presents him to Eli at the temple and gives him over to the Lord as long as he lives.

First Samuel 1 begins the story of Samuel with the account of his unlikely-seeming birth. Samuel's mother Hannah is barren. During a family trip to temple of the Lord in Shiloh, she weeps bitterly before the Lord and pours out her grief. She vows to give a son back to the Lord if He will allow her to bear one. Eli the priest blesses her and affirms her prayer. Before long, Samuel is conceived and born. Once he is weaned, Hannah brings the boy and a large sacrifice to the temple. She gives Samuel over to the Lord.

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.