Audio Download

1 Samuel 1:1–28 The Birth of Samuel

[Study Aired January 5, 2026]

Today’s study focuses on the two wives of Elkanah – Peninnah and Hannah. The study goes into details about Hannah’s struggle with her barrenness, which was ordained by the Lord, and Peninnah’s endless torment of Hannah to make her miserable. In Hannah’s desperation, she made a vow to the Lord that if the Lord will give her a man-child, then she will give him to the Lord as long as he lives. The Lord answered Hannah’s prayer as she gave birth to a boy called Samuel, who was eventually given to the Lord to work under Eli, the High Priest. 

As we are aware, it is the spirit that gives life, the flesh or the letter, profits nothing. In this study of the Book of Samuel, we shall look at the spiritual significance and not focus on the stories which will not benefit us.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

Introducing Hannah

1Sa 1:1  And there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim from the hills of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 
1Sa 1:2 And he had two wives, the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 

Elkanah means ‘God has possessed.’ He was an Ephrathite who lived with His two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. As we are aware, a woman represents a church, either positively or negatively.  The fact that Peninnah had many children while Hannah was barren means that Peninnah represents the church system of this world or Babylon or Jerusalem which has many children but is in bondage with her children. In other words, the church system of this world has many members while the church of the firstborn or the Lord’s elect has few people.

Gal 4:22  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 
Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 
Gal 4:24  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 
Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 

The name Peninnah suggests the kind of woman she signifies. Peninnah means ‘coral’ which is a hard stony substance secreted by certain marine creatures in the sea. In simple terms, Peninnah represents the woman dominated by the sea of flesh (hard stony substances from the sea) which cannot submit to the Lord. 

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

On the other hand, Hannah symbolizes the church of the Lord’s elect or Jerusalem which is above. Her barrenness was ordained by the Lord to show us how His church must be barren in this age, until the lake of fire age, when His elect as saviors shall bring salvation to the whole of the human race from Adam to date. 

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.   

The name Hannah means grace, and we know that it is by grace through faith that we are saved. Every elect knows that our salvation is not by our own selves. It is the work of the Lord.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  

1Sa 1:3  And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
1Sa 1:4  And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 
1Sa 1:5  But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. 

Shiloh means ‘rest’, and therefore the Lord of hosts being at Shiloh signifies that knowing Jesus entails being at rest in Him. 

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

However, when we are operating under the law of Moses, we find no rest in the Lord, because being under the law of Moses is about trying to obey the laws by ourselves. This brings about frustration because we end up failing to obey. 

Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

Elkanah’s religious adherence to the yearly worship and sacrifice to the Lord at Shiloh together with his wives, signifies that the church of the Lord’s elect, together with the church system of this world all start their walk with the Lord with the law of Moses, which does not bring us the way of peace or rest. 

Isa 59:8  The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
Isa 59:9  Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 
Isa 59:10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 

The mention of Hophni and Phinehas as priests of the Lord at that time in Shiloh is to make us aware of the deplorable state of the leaders of the church system of this world into which we were ushered at the beginning of our walk with Christ. This is what the word of the Lord says about Hophni and Phinehas, who were sons of Eli, the high priest:

1Sa 2:12  Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. 

1Sa 2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD. 

According to Strong, the sons of Eli being referred to as sons of Belial is to show us their deplorable state as they epitomize wickedness. One of the principles of the word of the Lord is the ‘is, was, and will be’ nature. If at the time of Hannah, the leaders of the church system of her day were sons of wickedness, then it means that the situation today is the same, that is, evil men are in leadership. 

Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

Mic 3:11  Your leaders exchange justice for bribes. Your priests teach for a price. Your prophets tell the future for money. But they rely on the LORD when they say, “After all, the LORD is with us. Nothing bad will happen to us.”
Mic 3:12 Because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble, and the temple mountain will become a worship site covered with trees. (GW)  

Jer 5:30  A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 
Jer 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? 

As we can see from verse 3 and 5 of I Samuel chapter 1 above, the Lord, represented here by Elkanah, in His wisdom has given to both the church system of this world represented by Peninnah and the church of the Lord’s elect something to offer to Him. 

Psa 116:12  What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? 
Psa 116:13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 

However, as we can see in verse 5, the Lord always gives His elect a worthy portion to offer because He loves His elect.  

Jer 31:3  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. 
Jer 31:4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

In spite of the Lord’s love for the church of the firstborn or of His elect, He has shut her womb. This is signified by Hannah not able to give birth despite the love that the husband Elkanah had for her.

Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 

1Sa 1:6  And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. 
1Sa 1:7  And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 
1Sa 1:8  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? 

What happened to Hannah is the same that is happening to the church of the elect in every generation. To our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world, we are barren, and therefore, the established church system of this world or Babylon is always provoking us sorely. They do not know that the Lord’s plan entails having few people as His elect in this age as saviors for the whole of humanity. 

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.    

This brings to mind the three hundred men who were chosen by Gideon to engage the Midianites in a battle. To a carnal man, they are too few or barren compared with the total army strength of thirty-two thousand men who initially assembled to take on the Midianites. 

Jdg 7:2  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
Jdg 7:3  Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 
Jdg 7:4  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 
Jdg 7:5  So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 
Jdg 7:6  And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 
Jdg 7:7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. 

It is insightful to note in verse 8 that Elkanah was doing everything possible to comfort Hannah and letting her know that having him as a husband is better than ten sons. The Lord is always with us, comforting and urging us on and letting us know that when we have Him, He is more than ten sons. In other words, when we have Him as our husband, He is more than having all fleshly men (the significance of ten men) on our side. Do you feel that you are alone in all your struggles? No, you are not alone! You have Jesus and an innumerable company of angels on your side. Here is what the word of the Lord says about this:

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 

The Birth of Samuel

1Sa 1:9  So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD
1Sa 1:10  And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
1Sa 1:11  And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 

When we are under the judgment of the Lord, we are in bitterness of soul, and our recourse is to pray to the Lord who is able to make a way of escape with the purpose of making us able to bear it. 

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

There is nothing wrong in weeping when we are under the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh. However, the Lord has assured us that after weeping comes joy in the morning. 

Psa 30:2  O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 
Psa 30:3  O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 
Psa 30:4  Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Psa 30:5  For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psa 30:11  Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 
Psa 30:12  To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.  

In verse 11, we see the purpose of the church of the Lord’s elect, represented here by Hannah’s promise that if she gives birth to a man child, she will wholly dedicate him to the Lord. The church’s purpose is to bring forth a man-child dedicated wholly to the Lord. We can say in a negative sense that since Hannah was under the law of Moses, she can signify the woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, who travailed in birth and brought forth a man child who was caught up to God.

Rev 12:1  And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
Rev 12:2  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Rev 12:3  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 
Rev 12:4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 
Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

1Sa 1:12  And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. 
1Sa 1:13  Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 
1Sa 1:14  And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 
1Sa 1:15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
1Sa 1:16  Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

As Hannah continued to groan before the Lord, Eli, who represents the leadership of the church system of this world, thought she was drunk. Indeed, our brothers and sisters think that there is something wrong with us, just as on the day of Pentecost, the church system of the disciples’ days thought that the disciples were drunk. 

Psa 38:9  Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

Psa 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 
Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 
Act 2:3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 
Act 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

Act 2:12  And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 
Act 2:13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. 

1Sa 1:17  Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. 
1Sa 1:18  And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. 

Our petition before the Lord shall not go unanswered. These are some of the assuring words that the Lord has given to us to wait in expectation:

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Isa 65:23  They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. 
Isa 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

Verse 18 shows us that after Hannah had prayed to the Lord, she went her way and did eat, after which her countenance was no more sad. This is another way of saying the following:

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1Sa 1:19  And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. 
1Sa 1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

It takes the Lord’s remembrance for things to happen. Our efforts are in vain without the Lord’s remembrance. This does not mean that the Lord forgets. It is a biblical expression to show us that when the set time comes according to the Lord’s agenda, He performs it.

Psa 98:3  He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Psa 105:8  He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

Psa 105:42  For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

Hannah’s pregnancy and everything that pertains to the birth of Samuel are all written in the Lord’s Books. In other words, the Lord has written everything we will do in this life before we were born.

Psa 139:15  Nothing about me is hidden from you! I was secretly woven together deep in the earth below, 
Psa 139:16 but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do. (CEV)

Therefore, when we find ourselves in difficult situations with no way of escape, we must remember that what we are going through is all written in His book, and therefore, at the right time, the Lord will intervene in our circumstance and bring us to an expected end. He will never leave us alone!

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 
Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 
Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Jer 29:14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

There are times that I go through certain situations when I wonder whether all of these were written in His books concerning me. Then it will dawn on me that all these are written and therefore the solutions to all these challenges are also written concerning me. That is when I come to realize that whatever situation I find myself in, it shall not hold me back from the love of the Lord.  

Samuel Given to the Lord

1Sa 1:21  And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 
1Sa 1:22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide forever. 

Hannah did not go to offer the yearly sacrifice and her vows because she wanted the child to be weaned and presented to the Lord as a mature young boy so that he would abide in the Lord’s presence forever. The focus of the church of the Lord’s elect is therefore to prepare God’s people to mature so that we shall abide permanently in the house of the Lord. This preparation involves helping the Lord’s people to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, fearing no evil and knowing that His rod and staff are comforting us. Being mature also entails seeing the goodness and mercy of the Lord which will make us dwell in the house of the Lord forever!!

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psa 23:5  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 

1Sa 1:23  And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

The Lord has already shown what is good to us, that is, the church must focus on the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry and edifying of the body of Christ so that we all come in the unity of the faith. In other words, the church must wean the babies in Christ. That is what the Lord, through Elkanah, was telling the church, represented by Hannah. 

Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 

1Sa 1:24  And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. 
1Sa 1:25  And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 
1Sa 1:26  And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. 
1Sa 1:27  For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 
1Sa 1:28  Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

In the Old Testament time, those who offered a bullock or ox as sacrifice to the Lord were regarded as very rich. 

Pro 14:4  Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. 

Hannah offering three bullocks therefore implies that it is through the process of spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgment that the church of the Lord’s elect becomes spiritually rich. Offering three bullocks, an ephah of flour and a bottle of wine implies that the church of the firstborn is spiritually rich in the knowledge of the truth of the word of the Lord, as flour and wine are all symbols of the word of the Lord. 

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

In these verses, Eli represents the Lord. Leaving Samuel under the care of Eli as long as he lives is the same as having lent Samuel to the Lord. According to Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB), lent can mean to borrow. This shows that Samuel being lent to the Lord means borrowing from the Lord. Samuel here signifies the elect, and therefore Samuel being lent to the Lord means that we, His elect, are debtors to the Lord. As the parable of the unforgiving servant suggests, we are all debtors to Christ because of sins. By the death of Christ, we are set free from being debtors because of sin. However, as the word of the Lord shows us, we are still debtors, but in this case, it is in regard to putting to death the evil deeds of the flesh.

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

May the Lord help us to walk in the spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Amen!