("grace")
Wife of Elkanah, who preferred her to his other wife, Peninnah. The fertile Peninnah made life a misery for Hannah who was barren. Hannah directed strenuous effort towards the seemingly impossible goal of becoming a mother. She went to the Shiloh temple and vowed that if God granted her a son, she would dedicate him to God as a Nazirite (I Sam 1:11). The priest Eli observed her prayer and assured her that it would be answered (I Sam 1:12-17). Samuel was duly born, and when three years old he was brought to the sanctuary and placed under the care of Eli (I Sam 1:21-28). Eventually, he grew up to be a priest, judge and leader. Hannah's supreme sacrifice of separation from her long-awaited child was amply rewarded: her son became a great man and God granted her additional children, both male and female (I Sam 2:21).
I Samuel 2:1-10 is a thanksgiving hymn attributed to Hannah who supposedly composed and recited it after placing her son at the Shiloh sanctuary. The attribution may refer to the verse which states that God can make a barren mother give birth to many children (I Sam 2:5).
Concordance
I Sam 1:2, 5,8-9, 13, 15,19-20, 22; 2:1,21
