Chapter One

The birth of Samuel and his dedication to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:1. There was a certain man from Ramathaim-Zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph – an Ephraimite; “Ramathaim-Zophim” – otherwise Samuel’s Ramah (see 1 Sam 1:19) – a locality in the hills of Ephraim, located to the northwest of Jerusalem. “Ephraimite” not in the sense of “Bethlehemite” (Gen 35:1): Bethlehem is located to the south of Jerusalem, but in the sense of “Ephraimite”, according to his place of origin. Ephrath, Ephraimite, Ephraim, Ephraim, Ephraimite come from one and the same Hebrew root פרה – to sprout, to be fruitful, to produce fruit, to be fertile.

1 Samuel 1:3. And this man went out from his city on the appointed days to worship and offer a sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh; there were [Eli and] his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord. In Shiloh (to the north of Jerusalem, in the tribe of Ephraim) the House of the Lord, that is, the Tabernacle, was at this time. Eli was the high priest at it (and at the same time judge of the people), and Hophni and Phinehas were priests. The “appointed days” on which Elkanah went to Shiloh to offer sacrifices to the Lord God were festivals: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, when all Hebrew males were obligated to (Exod 34:23; Deut 16:16) appear at the Tabernacle and offer their sacrifices there. As regards women, the aforementioned law was not obligatory, both because men were considered representatives of their entire family, and also because the comparative weakness and certain peculiarities of women’s physical life made it difficult for them to fulfill the prescription with proper exactitude. But the absence of a direct prescription did not prevent, of course, pious women, if possible, from voluntarily accompanying men on their pilgrimage to the House of the Lord, as we see from the subsequent verses of the chapter.

1 Samuel 1:4. On the day when Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he gave portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; Reference is made to a peace offering. Its characteristic feature was that, after the burning of the fat on the altar and the setting apart of the breast and shoulder for the priests, all the rest was returned to the offerer and usually served for a sacred meal near the Tabernacle, as a sign of communion with God. Besides the family of the one making the offering, Levites, as well as slaves and the poor, took part in the sacred meal of a pious Israelite (Lev 7:11; Deut 16:11).

1 Samuel 1:5. But to Hannah he gave a special portion [because she had no children], for he loved Hannah [more than Peninnah], even though the Lord had closed her womb. “A special portion”, that is, one chosen with special care and affection. “Even though the Lord had closed her womb.” In discussing these words, blessed Theodoret remarks: “This teaches readers not to place hope in marriage, but to call upon the Creator for help. For just as it belongs to the farmer to cast seeds into the earth, and to God to bring what is sown to perfection, so to marriage belongs the union, but to help nature and form a living creature is God’s work” (Commentary on 1 Samuel, question 3).

1 Samuel 1:11. And she made a vow, saying, Lord [Almighty God] of Hosts! If you will look upon the affliction of your maidservant and remember me, and not forget your maidservant and give your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord [as a gift] all the days of his life, [and neither wine nor strong drink shall he drink,] and no razor shall touch his head. Reference is made to a Nazirite vow. See note on the book Num 6. Proceeding from the assumption that Elkanah belonged to the tribe of Levi (1 Chr 6:27-28), they say that Samuel, as a Levite, should have served the Lord at the Tabernacle. Of course, as a Levite, Samuel should have served the Lord at the Tabernacle, but not his whole life, only from the age of 25 or 30 years to 50 (Num 4:3; Num 8:24), and moreover without the obligation to undertake those ascetic labors that are connected with the Nazirite vow.

1 Samuel 1:20. After some time, Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, saying [she said], from the Lord [God of Hosts] I have requested him. The word “Samuel” from Hebrew means “asked of God”.

1 Samuel 1:21. And her husband Elkanah and all his household went [to Shiloh] to perform the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and his vows [and all the tithes from his land]. Levites were not exempted from the giving of tithes for the benefit of priests (Num 18:26; Neh 10:38).

1 Samuel 1:23. And Elkanah, her husband, said to her: Do as it seems good to you; remain until you have weaned him; only may the Lord establish the word [that came from your mouth]. And his wife remained and nursed her son until she had weaned him. “May establish”, that is, make firm, unchanging, the “word” of the promise “that came from your mouth”.

1 Samuel 1:25. [And they brought him before the Lord; and his father offered the sacrifice that he offered on the appointed days to the Lord. And they brought the boy] and slaughtered a bull; and she brought the boy [Hannah, his mother] to Eli. “And his father offered the sacrifice that he offered on the appointed days to the Lord.” See note on 1 Sam 1:8. The expression “appointed days”, when compared with the expression 1 Sam 1:3 “in the appointed days”, gives reason to suppose that the arrival at the tabernacle of Elkanah, Hannah, and Samuel coincided with one of those three yearly festivals (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles) when Elkanah and his family appeared at the tabernacle and offered their sacrifices there.

1 Samuel 1:28. And I give him to the Lord all the days of his life, to serve the Lord. And she bowed down before the Lord there. Subsequent events showed that Samuel’s lifelong service to the Lord was not limited to the performance of simple duties in the tabernacle service. Called by God as a prophet and judge of the Hebrew people, Samuel zealously served the Lord among the entire Hebrew nation.