1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

12 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 2007 EditionSamuel may have been as old as three years before Hannah weaned him and brought himto the sanctuary (v. 23; cf. 2 Macc. 7:27). The three-year-old bull and the flour (v. 24)were evidently for a burnt offering (an offering that represented the worshipper's totaldedication to God, Lev. 1) and for food respectively. 27 Hannah could have offered a lessexpensive animal sacrifice (Lev. 12:6), but she was very grateful.The beginning of Samuel's worship 1:28b"The future of the story now to be told in I and II Samuel concerns notonly the newly born son, but the rule of Yahweh to whom laments areaddressed and thanksgiving uttered. No wonder the narrative ends withyielding, grateful, trusting worship." 28The "he" who worshipped before the Lord (v. 28) may refer to Elkanah, the leader of thefamily and the main man in the context. It might also refer to Eli to whom Hannah wasspeaking. 29 I think it probably refers to Samuel, the most immediate antecedent of "he" inverse 28. If this interpretation is correct, this reference marks the beginning of Samuel'sministry that all of chapter 1 anticipates.Hannah obeyed the Mosaic Law when she fulfilled her vow (vv. 24-28). This contrastswith the disobedience of Eli's sons (2:11-36). In Deuteronomy 28 Moses predicted theoutcome of these two responses to God's Word, and the writer of this book illustrated it in1 Samuel 1 and 2.Hannah's obedience resulted in great blessing. God blessed her with fertility, He blessedher and her husband with this child and other offspring (2:20-21), and He blessed Israelwith a spiritual leader."This beautiful story of a faithful mother in Israel whom God honored bygiving her a son is the crown jewel in the argument of the book. Yahwehlooks for faithful, godly men and women whom He can set over HisPeople." 30Godly parents should give their children away—to the Lord for His service.2. Hannah's song 2:1-10Some commentators have seen Hannah's prayer as a non-essential song of praise includedin the text for sentimental reasons. But this magnificent prayer provides the key tointerpreting the rest of 1 and 2 Samuel. In this prayer, which contains no petition, Hannah27 The Hebrew word for flour used here, qemah, never occurs in a sacrificial context except once where it isunaccompanied by an animal sacrifice (Num. 5:15).28 Brueggemann, p. 39.29 Youngblood, p. 575.30 Homer Heater Jr., "A Theology of Samuel and Kings," in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, pp.121-22.