1 Samuel 1:1-20 (NASB)
1 Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; 5 but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. 8 Then 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 better to you than ten sons?” 9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 She made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” 12 Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you.” 15 But Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.” 19 Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah [g]had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 It came about [h]in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the Lord.”
Spiritual barrenness: reason, response and result
The book of Samuel is one of the most astounding stories passed down to us from the ancient world.[1] It not only shows the societal change within Israel (from judges to kings)[2] but it also details other historical events that have significant contemporary relevance. The first of these being a fertility scenario pregnant with deeper meaning. Using family stories to explain truths is common in Biblical Hebrew writing. This may be because Israeli theological thinking was closely linked to the lives of people[3] and generally favours showing rather than telling (utilising characters and plot sequence).[4] The result is a bible story full of characters, plots and meaning, a principle clearly seen in Hannah’s barrenness. Hannah’s barren situation is part of a larger narrative (called the Deuteronomistic History) and was likely read as part of a broader story – God’s interaction with Israel.[5] Her story is no doubt intended to represent Israel’s story[6] and her barrenness is used to illustrate Israel’s spiritual state. As Hannah is physically barren, so Israel is spiritually barren.[7] Elkanah’s family situation is parabolic,[8] Israel was God’s barren wife, having failed to give him the children of faith he desired.[9] For the exilic reader (to whom Samuel was predominantly written) the image of infertility would have been hugely symbolic and would have depicted the long periods of national spiritual barrenness.[10] The tribes of Israel, like Hannah, are barren, broken, in conflict and in need of a miracle.[11] It is clear that 1 Samuel 1:1-20 is not just about a family but a nation. Hannah’s domestic life reflects Israel’s spiritual condition and her infertility mirrors Israel’s barren spirituality. The passage introduces a transition (between judges and kings) but also addresses the barren Christian condition – the reason, response and result.
Reason
In the Christian Bible (the Greek ordering of scripture) 1 Samuel comes after the book of Ruth. In the Hebrew scriptures, however, 1 Samuel is immediately preceded by Judges[12] and it is this period that sheds light on the reason for Israel’s spiritual barrenness. The period of Judges has ended[13] and 1 Samuel 1:1-20 is set against the social, moral, ethical and spiritual condition of Israel at that time.[14] It was a dark period in Israel’s history.[15] “By the end of the book of Judges, Israel is shown to be a community in moral chaos, engaged in brutality (chs. 19-21) and betrayed by undisciplined religion (chs. 17-18). Israel does not seem to have the ability to rid itself from spiritual barrenness”.[16] The Israelites were in dire straits. The priesthood was defiled,[17] there was no prophetic message, the nation was adrift without moral conscience[18] and God’s law was being ignored.[19] Israel was rife with sexual misconduct,[20] violence, civil, mass slaughter and kidnapping. God’s people had hit rock bottom morally, ethically, spiritually[21] and the book of Judges ends by saying “in those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit”.[22] As a result of this apostasy,[23] Israel falls into what is commonly known as ‘the cycle of judges’ (a cycle of sin and deliverance).[24] In this cycle, the nation falls into apostasy and a foreign oppressor dominates. Israel then appeal to God, who sends a judge and then the land rested. But after the judge dies, apostasy is renewed, the cycle begins again[25] and the root reason why Israel is barren spiritually continues.
What caused their barrenness can also cause ours. Any cycle of sin poses a danger to a Christians walk with Christ. When we turn away from God, we may find ourselves spiritually barren, ‘dry’ and in desperate need of something only Jesus can supply.[26] Increasingly, the temptation to fall into cycles of unfaithfulness is all too easy in contemporary Western society. Western culture bears many of the negative moral and spiritual hallmarks of Israeli culture at the time of Judges. The tendency to adopt and embrace these popular values and practices is all too easy. Our contemporary culture is swamped in violence, sexual misconduct and humanistic tendencies. We prefer to ‘do what is right in our own eyes’. In light of this, the New Testament Christian must pay careful attention to Israel’s unfaithful history so as not to gain their barren future. Nevertheless, there is hope. Hannah’s story moves from reason to response and clearly illustrates that the cycle of barrenness can be broken through the right response.
Response
Similar to ‘the judges cycle’ that never reached a definitive solution, how will Hannah respond to the cycle of barrenness that is happening year by year?[27] Who will she turn to when fleeing Peninnah’s provocative mockery? Hannah found no comfort in her husband’s well-meant but inadequate sympathy and not even the clergy understood her.[28] Fertility goddess Asherah was always an option. Especially at a time when Israel’s religion was syncretistic (amalgamating different beliefs) and involved worship to both Yahweh and Asherah.[29] Nevertheless, in contrast to the culture that surrounded her, Hannah “prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly”.[30] Her reaction to this cycle of barrenness was prayer.[31] With violent weeping[32] and Psalm like honest prayer,[33] Hannah’s pours out her anguish and turns to Yahweh. And God allows it.[34] “Hannah was bold enough to believe that God would hear and answer her prayer. And he did!”[35] She had no son, no inheritor and no future prospects, yet Hannah’s response was to pray and the outcome was a son given.[36] The answered prayer of a barren Israelite must be one of the central theological points that emerges from our passage.[37] A prayerful response is how God would require Israel (and later Christians) to respond.[38]
Every Christian that finds themselves caught in a cycle of spiritual barrenness has Hannah’s response as an example to follow. We must take Hannah as our schoolmistress to lead us to Christ. What God shows through Hannah is relevant for every Christian and Church when life and zeal seem barren. She models for us the grace-seeking prayer that we need to offer in a season of spiritual barrenness. Like Israel, the Christian and Church, are to turn to God in prayer and pour themselves before him. Realising that, our God allows and encourages us to pour out our pain and perplexities at the foot of the cross. This is how salvation begins for any barren soul or spiritually barren Christian. It starts by crying out to God. What God desired from Israel, he also wants from us. We need to prayerfully seek after him and his grace.[39] This requires a faith that will not surrender to emotions, but rather, will let circumstances drive us to pray. A faith that uses unendurable taunting and the misunderstandings of life as a catalyst to drive us to prayer. Hannah’s remarkable faith surpassed the pain. She is an object lesson demonstrating Gods desire to bless anyone who possesses a tenacious prayer filled faith.[40]
Result
1 Samuel 1:1-20 is a birth story, significantly, the book of Samuel begins with this type of event. New births are used throughout the bible to signify new beginnings, turning points and significant episodes of deliverance.[41] And this was the result that Hannah experienced. Through the power of God, a miracle child was born, Israel’s cyclic distress was relieved[42] and Israel’s new life emerged out of barrenness.[43] God’s remembering of Hannah’s plea gives hope that God will remember and provide for Israel’s future.[44] “The power of God, which can make the barren woman rejoice, can also transform threatened tribal Israel into a kingdom”.[45] The result of God’s grace is Samuel, a man that will eventually anoint King David, who will later establish Israel as a kingdom. Interestingly, the resultant miracle is birthed through a woman whose name in Hebrew means ‘grace’.[46] Evidently, God wanted Israel to recognise that this deliverance did not come through their own making, it was a gift of Grace from Yahweh. A gift of grace that pointed to something greater. The gift of Samuel represented God’s gift of King Jesus. Samuel is a type of Christ, [47] a miracle son born to be offered up for the service of Yahweh. A king of kings who shifts the kingship model to the eternal. In turn, breaking spiritual barrenness once and for all.[48] “We must see this story in the context of Israel’s unfolding history and God’s ultimate plan to send the true and perfect messianic king”.[49]
The results of Hannah’s prayer, displayed in 1 Samuel 1:1-20, speak boldly to the Christian community. The passage reminds all those facing spiritual barrenness that Gods power can turn barrenness to birth, distress to praise and an uncertain future into a secure hope. 1 Samuel 1:1-20 is a witness to God’s transformative power accessible to all those trapped in a barren cycle. To Christians, the passage declares that God creates new possibilities where there are none and He asserts his will to begin again in the life of all.[50] The miracle Hannah received suggests that “our hopelessness and our helplessness are no barrier to His work. Indeed our utter incapacity is often the prop he delights to use for his next act”.[51] When we are without strength, resource, hope or ability, it is then that God brings forth the impossible and turns our total inability into his starting point. Often our pain and grief become but preludes to divine breakthrough, and therefore, challenges us to moderate our despair to match his power.[52] Ultimately, the passage also points us to Jesus, the miracle son offered up to deliver us from spiritual barrenness. Jesus Christ is Gods ultimate result.
[1] Robert Alter, ed., The David Story: A Translation with Commentary of 1 and 2 Samuel (New York: W.W. Norton, 1999), ix.
[2] R. P. Gordon, 1 & 2 Samuel, Old Testament guides 2 (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1984), 1.
[3] Antony F. Campbell, 1 Samuel, The forms of the Old Testament literature v. 7 (Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans, 2003), 23.
[4] Stephen B. Chapman, 1 Samuel as Christian Scripture: A Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2016), 73.
[5] Robert Alter, ed., Ancient Israel: The Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings: A Translation with Commentary, 1st ed. (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2013), xv.
[6] Bruce C. Birch, ed., A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament, 2nd ed. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2005), 224.
[7] Keith Bodner, 1 Samuel: A Narrative Commentary, Hebrew Bible monographs 19 (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2008), 30.
[8] Leander E. Keck, ed., Volume II, Nachdr., vol. 2, The New Interpreter’s Bible (Nashville, Tenn: Abingdon Press, 1999), 973.
[9] Richard D. Phillips, 1 Samuel, 1st ed., Reformed expository commentary (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Pub, 2012), 8.
[10] Bodner, 1 Samuel, 12.
[11] Paul S. Evans, Tremper Longman, and Scot McKnight, 1-2 Samuel, The story of God Bible commentary. Old Testament series 9 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 39.
[12] Bodner, 1 Samuel, 2–3.
[13] Birch, A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament, 215.
[14] Campbell, 1 Samuel, 34.
[15] David Toshio Tsumura, The First Book of Samuel, The new international commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, Mich: William B. Eerdmans, 2007), 103.
[16] Walter Brueggemann, First and Second Samuel, Interpretation, a Bible commentary for teaching and preaching (Louisville, Ky: John Knox Press, 1990), 10.
[17] Phillips, 1 Samuel, 6.
[18] Bill T. Arnold, 1 and 2 Samuel: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text– to Contemporary Life, The NIV application commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2003), 54.
[19] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Successful: Attaining Wealth That Money Can’t Buy: OT Commentary, 1 Samuel, Second edition. (Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2010), 18.
[20] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, The new American commentary v. 7 (Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman & Holman, 1996), 57.
[21] Robert B. Chisholm, 1 and 2 Samuel, Teach the text commentary series (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2013), 8.
[22] Judges 21:25 NIV
[23] Campbell, 1 Samuel, 34.
[24] Ibid., 40.
[25] David Jobling, 1 Samuel, Berit olam (Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press, 1998), 44.
[26] Arnold, 1 and 2 Samuel, 60.
[27] Campbell, 1 Samuel, 40.
[28] Dale Ralph Davis, I Samuel: Looking on the Heart (Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2007), 18.
[29] Francesca Aran Murphy, 1 Samuel, Brazos theological commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids, Mich: Brazos Press, 2010), 4.
[30] 1 Samuel 1:10 NASB
[31] Campbell, 1 Samuel, 39.
[32] Serge Frolov, The Turn of the Cycle: 1 Samuel 1 – 8 in Synchronic and Diachronic Perspectives, Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 342 (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2004), 63.
[33] Ralph W. Klein et al., 1 Samuel, vol. 10, Word biblical commentary [General ed.: David A. Hubbard; Glenn W. Barker. Old Testament ed.: John D. W. Watts. New Testament ed.: Ralph P. Martin]; Vol. 10 (Waco, Tex: Word Books, Publ, 1983), 4.
[34] Davis, I Samuel, 19.
[35] D. J Wiseman, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2008), 54.
[36] Brueggemann, First and Second Samuel, 12.
[37] Bodner, 1 Samuel, 22.
[38] Arnold, 1 and 2 Samuel, 63.
[39] Phillips, 1 Samuel, 9.
[40] Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, 61.
[41] Arnold, 1 and 2 Samuel, 57.
[42] Campbell, 1 Samuel, 41.
[43] Brueggemann, First and Second Samuel, 15.
[44] Birch, A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament, 224.
[45] Bodner, 1 Samuel, 28.
[46] Birch, A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament, 224.
[47] Ibid.
[48] Arnold, 1 and 2 Samuel, 63.
[49] Kay Gabrysch, 1 & 2 Samuel: Rise of the Lord’s Anointed (New Jersey: P & R Publishing, 2014), 9.
[50] Brueggemann, First and Second Samuel, 12.
[51] Davis, I Samuel, 13.
[52] Ibid., 18.