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1 SAMUEL 1

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS *

* Although they are not inspired, paragraph divisions are the key to understanding and following the original author's intent. Each modern translation has divided and summarized the paragraphs. Every paragraph has one central topic, truth, or thought. Each version encapsulates that topic in its own distinct way. As you read the text, ask yourself which translation fits your understanding of the subject and verse divisions.

In every chapter we must read the Bible first and try to identify its subjects (paragraphs), then compare our understanding with the modern versions. Only when we understand the original author's intent by following his logic and presentation can we truly understand the Bible. Only the original author is inspired - readers have no right to change or modify the message. Bible readers do have the responsibility of applying the inspired truth to their day and their lives.

Note that all technical terms and abbreviations are explained fully in the following documents: Hebrew Grammatical Tems, Textual Criticism, and Glossary.

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:1-2
  ¹Now 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. ²He 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.

1:1 "Ramathaim-sophim" From vv. 19; 2:11; 7:17, we know this family was from "Ramah" (BDB 928 II, which means "height" and , therefore, was a common name).

1. ABD, vol. 5, p. 613, suggests the emendation to "from Ramah, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim" (i.e., central Palestine). Zuph was near the border of Benjamin but still associated with Ephraim's territory. The MT has literally, "the two heights."
2. The UBS Text Project, p. 146, suggests "from Ramathaim of the Zuphites" (cf. 1 Chr. 6:35-36 and LXX).
3. The MT has "Ramathaim-Zophim." UBS Text Project gives "Zuphim" a "C" rating (considerable doubt).

▣ "Elkanah" See his lineage in 1 Chr. 6:22-28; see note online there. If this is the same Elkanah then he is a Levite, but this is uncertain. Nothing in the book of Samuel states he was of the tribe of Levi. Verse 1:1 implies he is of the tribe of

1. Ephraim
2. possibly Benjamin
3. or even Judah

See Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, p. 361 and Hard Sayings of the Bible, p. 220.

1:2 "he had two wives" This was allowed in the Mosaic Law (cf. Deut. 21:15-17; see full note online at Deut. 21:15).

For a brief discussion on polygamy see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 24-26.

▣ "Hannah" The name (BDB 336) is a FEMININE form of the NOUN "favour," "grace," or "elegance."

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:3-8
  ³Now 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. ⁴When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; ⁵but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb. ⁶Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. ⁷It 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. ⁸Then 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?"

1:3 "go up from his city yearly" This is surprising because all male Israelites were to appear before the Lord at the temple three times a year (cf. Exod. 34:23).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FEASTS OF ISRAEL

▣ "worship" See SPECIAL TOPIC: WORSHIP.

▣ "sacrifice" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SACRIFICIAL SYSTEMS OF THE ANE.

▣ "Lord of hosts" See SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord OF HOSTS.

▣ "Hophni and Phinehas" These were selfish, evil men but because of their tribal lineage, they were priests.

1:4 "he would give portions" This implies the sacrifice was a "Peace Offering," where the offerer got some of the meat back to eat.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PEACE OFFERING

The MT has "one portion" but with the added word "faces," which seems, in context, to imply a double share (Aramaic usage).

▣ "a double portion" This was normally the way to distinguish the firstborn son who became the leader of the family, but here, it just denotes that Hannah was the favorite wife.

▣ "but the Lord had closed her womb" The OT attributes all causality to YHWH. It was a way to assert His sovereignty (i.e., 2 Chr. 20:6; Eccl. 7:14; Isa. 14:24-27; 43:13; 45:7; 54:16; Jer. 18:11; Lam. 3:33-38; Amos 3:6).

Several times in Genesis the Patriarchs had many barren women. This allowed God to demonstrate His power by "opening" their wombs.

1. Sarai, Gen. 11:30; 16:1
2. Rebekah, Gen. 25:21
3. Leah, Gen. 29:31
4. Rachel, Gen. 30:1
5. Manoah's wife, Jdgs. 13:2,3
6. generic, Ps. 113:9

1:6 Peninnah would make fun of Hannah's barrenness, possibly in ways similar to Job 24:21.

1:7 "the house of the Lord" This refers to the tabernacle of the wilderness to which they had added a tent for eating and fellowship.

SPECIAL TOPIC: TABERNACLE OF THE WILDERNESS (chart)

▣ "Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D.

1:8 "weep. . .not eat" See SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES.

▣ "heart" See SPECIAL TOPIC: HEART.

▣ "better than ten sons" This was the symbolic number of "completeness."

SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE, #5

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:9-11
  ⁹Then 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. ¹⁰She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. ¹¹She 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."

1:9 "was sitting on the seat by the doorpost" This seat was positioned on the wall between the holy place and the tent of fellowship (cf. 1 Sam. 4:13,18).

1:10 "greatly distressed" This is an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB of the same root (BDB 113, KB 129), which was a grammatical way to denote intensity.

1:11 "she made a vow" Vows were very binding in Israel because they involved the name of YHWH (cf. Leviticus 27).

SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH (OT)

▣ "indeed look" This is another INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECT VERB of the same root (BDB 906, KB 1157).

▣ "then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life" This was the vow.

▣ "a razor shall never come on his head" See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAZIRITE VOW.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:12-18
  ¹²Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. ¹³As 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. ¹⁴Then Eli said to her, "How long will you make yourself drunk? Put away your wine from you." ¹⁵But 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. ¹⁶Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation." ¹⁷Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him." ¹⁸She said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

1:12 Apparently this verse denotes two things.

1. Most people prayed out loud in this period (v. 13).
2. There was a lot of drunkenness connected to worship and sacrifice at the tabernacle (v. 14).

1:14 "Put away your wine from you" This is a Hiphil IMPERATIVE (BDB 693, KB 747). It must be remembered that wine was a part of sacrifices and special dinners. It is not wine that is condemned but drunkenness.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WINE AND STRONG DRINK

The MT has an ADJECTIVE (BDB 904) and NOUN (BDB 924) CONSTRUCT which means "troubled in spirit."

SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE

1:16 "Do not consider" This is a Qal IMPERFECT (BDB 678, KB 733) used in a JUSSIVE sense."

The MT has "a daughter of worthlessness" (BDB 815 CONSTRUCT BDB 123 I and BDB 116). "Worthlessness" is related to the false god Belial (cf. 1 Sam. 2:12; 10:27; 25:17; 30:22; 2 Cor. 6:14-18).

1:17 Eli responds to her

1. Go in peace, BDB 229, KB 246, Qal IMPERATIVE
2. May the God of Israel grant your petition, BDB 678, KB 733, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PEACE (OT)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:19-20
  ¹⁹Then they arose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. ²⁰It came about 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."

1:19 "had relations" This is literally "know."

SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW

SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SEXUALITY

1:20 The one possible meaning of the name Samuel comes from this verse, "asked of El."

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:21-28
  ²¹Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow. ²²But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord and stay there forever." ²³Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems best to you. Remain until you have weaned him; only may the Lord confirm His word." So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. ²⁴Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, although the child was young. ²⁵Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli. ²⁶She said, "Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. ²⁷For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. ²⁸So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord." And he worshiped the Lord there.

1:22 "weaned" This weaning of children in the ANE was a long process, even up to four years of age (i.e., II Macc. 7:27). The ancients believed that a woman could not become pregnant as long as they were nursing (i.e., a type of birth control mythology).

▣ "that he may appear before the Lord and stay there forever" The VERB "appear" (BDB 906, KB 1157, Niphal PERFECT with waw) is literally "see," but in sacrificial context, it denotes the action of a priest approaching the altar of sacrifice or entering the holy place (i.e., Exod. 23:25,27).

In some texts it refers to offering in general (i.e., Exod. 34:20,23,24; Deut. 16:16; 31:15).

Notice the vow had a time element (cf. 1 Sam. 1:11,28). This was a permanent Nazirite Vow.

For "forever" see SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam).

1:23 "only may the Lord confirm His word" Samuel's father is asking for a sign from YHWH that the permanent gift of his son was accepted by Him.

The LXX, NEB/REB and DSS have "your word." the UBS Text Project, p. 148, gives the MT a "B" rating (some doubt).

The MT has "three bulls." The UBS Text Project gives the emendation a "B" rating (some doubt).

It is possible the age of the bull corresponded to the age of Samuel when he was presented to YHWH at the tabernacle.

▣ "ephah" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

▣ "wine" It was obviously part of the sacrifice.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WINE AND STRONG DRINK

The MT has the VERB "to ask" or "to borrow" (BDB 981, KB 1371, Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE; the Hiphil PERFECT form occurs early in the verse). This word can have the connotation of "give permanently" (cf. Exod. 12:35-36; Jdgs. 8:24).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Is Samuel a Levite?
2. Was the tabernacle at Shiloh?
3. Who is the Lord of Hosts?
4. How does one interpret the second part of v. 5?
5. Was Samuel a Nazirite?
6. How long did weaning last in the ANE?

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