1 Samuel 1:11 Komentář

The history of Samuel here begins as early as that of Samson did, even before he was born, as afterwards the history of John the Baptist and our blessed Saviour. Some of the scripture-worthies drop out of the clouds, as it were, and their first appearance is in their full growth and lustre. But others are accounted for from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception. What God says of the prophet Jeremiah is true of all: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee," Jer 1:5. But some great men were brought into the world with more observation than others, and were more early distinguished from common persons, as Samuel for one. God, in this matter, acts as a free agent. The story of Samson introduces him as a child of promise, Jdg. 13. But the story of Samuel introduces him as a child of prayer. Samson's birth was foretold by an angel to his mother; Samuel was asked of God by his mother. Both together intimate what wonders are produced by the word and prayer. Samuel's mother was Hannah, the principal person concerned in the story of this chapter. I. Here is her affliction - she was childless, and this affliction aggravated by her rival's insolence, but in some measure balanced by her husband's kindness (Sa1 1:1-8). II. The prayer and vow she made to God under this affliction, in which Eli the high priest at first censured her, but afterwards encouraged her (Sa1 1:9-18). III. The birth and nursing of Samuel (Sa1 1:19-23) IV. The presenting of him to the Lord (Sa1 1:24-28).

This chapter gives an account of the parents of Samuel, of the trouble his mother met with from her rival, and comfort from her husband, Sa1 1:1, of her prayer to God for a son, and of her vow to him, should one be given her, Sa1 1:9 of the notice Eli took of her, and of his censure on her, which he afterwards retracted, and comforted her, Sa1 1:12 of her conception and the birth of her son, the nursing and weaning of him, Sa1 1:19 and of the presentation of him to the Lord, with a sacrifice, Sa1 1:24.

And she vowed a vow,.... Which might be confirmed by her husband; otherwise the vow of a woman, if disapproved of by her husband, was not valid, Num 30:8 and Elkanah might make the same vow his wife did, and so it stood; for as this was a vow of Nazariteship, it is a tradition of the Jews (r), that a man may vow his son to be a Nazarite, but a woman may not; but as this instance contradicts the tradition, they endeavour to explain away this vow, as it may respect a Nazarite, as will be observed hereafter: and said, O Lord of hosts; this is properly the first time this title was used by any that we know of; for though it is expressed in Sa1 1:3 there it is used as the words of the writer of this history, and so long after this prayer was put up; See Gill on Sa1 1:3; and it is an observation in the Talmud (s), that from the day God created the world, no man called him the Lord of hosts till Hannah came and called him so: if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thine handmaid the sorrow of heart she had, the reproach she met with, on account of her having no children: and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid; which petitions are the same in other words, and are repeated to denote her vehemence and importunity in prayer, and may allude to usages among men, that will look upon a person in distress, and turn away and forget them, and never think of them more; which she deprecates may not be her case with God: but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child; or, "a seed of men" (t); a son in the midst of men, as the Targum; such as is desirable by men, as a male child for the most part is; though some Jewish writers interpret it of the seed of righteous, wise, and understanding men, such as be fit to serve the Lord, which seems to be a sense foreign to the text; a man child she asks, because no other could serve the Lord in the temple; and that she meant by this phrase such an one is clear, because she vowed that a razor should not come on its head, which is never said of females, as Kimchi observes: then will I give him unto the Lord all the days of his life; to serve him, and minister unto him in the sanctuary; being born a Levite, it was incumbent on him to serve the Lord, and he had a right to his service; but then a common Levite did not enter on it until twenty five or thirty years of age, and was not always serving, but was dismissed from it at fifty Num 8:24; but the child she vows, if the Lord would give her such an one, should be trained up in his service from his infancy, and continue it all the days of his life; and was to be also a perpetual Nazarite, as Samson was, as follows: and there shall no razor come upon his head; as was not to come upon a Nazarite, during his Nazariteship, Num 6:5 and as such a vow made by a woman contradicts the tradition of the Jews before mentioned, they give another sense of this clause; as the Targum, which paraphrases it,"and the fear of man shall not be upon him;''but about this there is a division (u); but that Samuel was Nazarite, and a perpetual one, is the sense of their best interpreters. (r) Misn. Sotah. c. 3. sect. 8. (s) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 31. 2. (t) "semen virorum", Montanus. (u) Misn. Nazir, c. 9. sect. 5.

What did she say? Instead of saying anything at first, she began with wailing and shed warm floods of tears. And just as, when rain storms fall, even the harder ground is moistened and softened and easily bestirs itself to produce crops, so too did this happen in the case of this woman: as though softened by the flood of tears and warmed with the pangs, the womb began to stir in that wonderful fertility.

“And she stood,” it says, “before the Lord”; and what are her words? “Adonai, Lord, Eloi Sabaoth!” and this is, being interpreted, “O Lord, the God of Hosts.” Her tears went before her speech. By these she hoped to prevail with God to bend to her request. Where tears are, there is always affliction also; where affliction is, there is great wisdom and attentiveness. She continues, “If you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid and will give to your handmaid a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.” She said not “for one year” or “for two” as we do; nor did she say, “If you will give me a child, I will give you money”; but, “I give back to you the very gift itself entirely, my firstborn, the son of my prayer.” Truly here was a daughter of Abraham. He gave when it was demanded of him. She offers even before it is demanded.

Take note of the woman’s reverence: she did not say, “If you give me three, I shall give you two;” or “if two, I shall give you one.” Instead, “If you give me one, I shall dedicate the offspring wholly to you.” “He will not drink wine or strong drink.” She had not yet received the child and was already forming a prophet, talking about his upbringing and making a deal with God. What wonderful confidence on a woman’s part! Since she could not make a deposit on account of not having anything, she pays the price from what is coming to her. Just as many farmers who are living in extreme poverty but have no money to buy a calf or sheep, get them on credit from their masters by pledging to pay the price from the crops that are due, just so did she do, too—or rather much more: she did not take her son from God on credit but on condition of returning him wholly to him once again and reaping the fruit of his upbringing. She regarded it as sufficient reward, you see, to devote her labors to God’s priest.

There were two women with the honored name of Anna: one married, who gave birth to holy Samuel; the other a widow, who recognized the Saint of saints when he was still an infant. The married one prayed with grief of soul and affliction of heart, because she had no sons. In answer to her prayer Samuel was given to her, and she offered him to God as she had vowed in her prayer to do. It is not easy to see how her prayer agrees with the Lord’s Prayer, except, perhaps, in those words, “Deliver us from evil,” because it seemed no slight evil to be married and to be deprived of the fruit of marriage, when the sole purpose of marriage is the begetting of children.

23. What does it mean that Anna requests a male child from the Lord, except that those whom holy Church desires to bring forth by preaching, she longs for them to be strong in Evangelical perfection? For in comparison with Evangelical perfection, those works of the Law which seemed strong were not strong, but weak. For there it was commanded: "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy" (Lev. 19:18). But in the Gospel the Lord commands, saying: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" (Matt. 5:44). There the uncleanness of fornication is cut away from the body, so that the strength of conduct might excel as if by the male sex; here impure thought is also cut away from the heart: "Whoever looks at a woman to lust after her," he says, "has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matt. 5:28). Therefore the Synagogue, which brought forth the Jewish people through the weakness of its precepts, did not bear the male sex, but rather the female. And so when Anna requests that a male child be given to her by the Lord, what else is she seen to desire, except to bring forth through the Gospel such ones as would appear strong, both in outward purity of body and in inward charity? 24. And because the order of preachers does not seek human glory from the conversion of the Gentiles, it is added: "I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life." For he gives a son to the Lord who does not claim anything for his own praises from the one whom he begets through preaching. He also gives him to the Lord all the days of his life who ascribes nothing to his own favor from the virtues in which his subject advances by improving. For the days of life of the chosen subject are the holy virtues, which illuminate his soul by their radiance lest it be darkened by the night of vices on the way to the heavenly homeland. 25. But the perfect order of the preacher, while he despises having favors from the profit of preaching, does not take away the temporal goods of his subjects by coveting them. Hence it is well added there: "And no razor shall come upon his head." When a razor comes upon the head, it shaves the hair. For what is designated by hairs, which are superfluous to the body, except the abundant supply of earthly substance? And what is expressed by the razor except the greed of evil pastors? By which razor the head of a born son is shaved, when the goods of subjects are seized through the greed of preachers. Hence also it is said to sinning Judea through the prophet: "Your shepherds are wolves of the evening, not leaving anything in the morning" (Zeph. 3:3). For in the evening the shepherds become wolves, because as this world grows dark and declines toward its end, they do not fear to seize the goods of their subjects. They do not leave anything in the morning, because while they gape after temporal things, as the coming of the future judgment grows bright, they do not reserve for themselves the rewards to be given. These indeed Micah denounces, saying: "The prophets who seduce my people, who bite with their teeth and preach peace; and if anyone does not give something into their mouth, they sanctify war against him" (Mic. 3:5). For the prophets seduce the people of the Lord when reprobate preachers confuse the judgments of their hearers. And biting with their teeth they announce peace, because in the appetite of their rapacity, while they look up to the earthly gifts of the wicked, they promise them the security of divine indulgence. But they sanctify war against those who do not give something into their mouth, because they terrify even the just with harsh sentences, who do not offer them earthly things according to their desire. These indeed place a razor upon the head of the son, because under the pretext of charity they preach heavenly things, so that they may take earthly things from them through greed. That holy Church does not have this razor for the plundering of subjects, the excellent teacher shows in himself, saying: "I do not seek the gift, but I seek the fruit" (Phil. 4:17). Hence he also says: "Let him who preaches the Gospel live by the Gospel. But I have not used this power" (1 Cor. 9:14, 15). For he who does not care to receive necessary sustenance from his subjects clearly shows with what sublimity of worldly contempt he would reject shameful gains and illicit gifts. Therefore when Hannah vows that a razor shall not come upon the head of her son, she openly suggests the customs of holy Church, which brings forth the elect to eternal life by speaking, but never takes away their temporal goods through avarice. But because this is said of Hannah still vowing and not yet giving birth, it is fittingly added: (Verse 12.) "And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Eli observed her mouth."

(Moral Exposition) She vows her son to Almighty God who seeks the joy of contemplation for the fruit of the mind, not for the favor of vanity. But carnal superiors are accustomed to resist vehemently those who rightly seek the desire of contemplation; for they think that those desiring a more secluded life act all the more foolishly, because they themselves are ignorant of the power of interior sweetness. If they sometimes rage against spiritual subjects with the voice of harsh rebuke, they must be calmed by the most humble reasoning. For if they unreasonably rise up against those acting rightly, the reverence due to the higher order requires that they be honored even when they exceed the measure of reason.

And Anna made a vow, etc. The Church vows, if the word would be entrusted to the nations, and the grace of faith would be granted, and a people strong in virtues would arise from them, that they would serve the Lord until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, and never in the example of the Jews, they would bend the knee to Baalim and Astarte, and the other idols of the nations. But if you understand the days allegorically as virtues, all the days of their life are given to the Lord; whatever honest life they live, whatever clear thing they bear in mind or body, they attribute not to themselves, but with the Apostle they proclaim: By the grace of God I am what I am (1 Cor. XV).

And a razor shall not come upon his head. And the reproof of sin shall not violate his conscience; but as far as it is possible for man, he endeavors to consecrate all his thoughts, words, and deeds, which gradually proceed as if from the brain of the heart, to Christ as a true Nazarite. Consequently, the hair of the apostles, because they are holy, cannot perish from their head (Luke XXI). However, the leprous, unclean person, and the woman captured by enemies, and others of that kind, are commanded to shave not only all the hair of their heads but also the hairs of their entire body, because they are vile and polluted; so that once the excess of mortal actions is cut off, whatever is found of living perfection in them may be more freely consecrated to the Creator. But we say these things, not because we believe that any saint has lived this life without the stain of sin, nor that what is said applies to anyone except Christ: And whatever he does shall prosper (Psalm I); but because we all ought to strive to serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness before him all our days (Luke I); according to him who said: I have sworn and determined to keep the judgments of your justice (Psalm CXVIII). Yet it is not in vain that it is preached elsewhere, saying: And do not enter into judgment with your servant, because no living person shall be justified in your presence (Psalm CXLII). Hence, more truly, these words of Anna can be understood as spoken by the Church about the Lord himself; whom she always desires to be generated in her and her members by the grace of new virtue. For he alone, because he lived without sin in the flesh, was given to the Lord all the days of his life, finding nothing in himself whatsoever that he would cut off by repenting.

Some account of Elkanah and his two wives, Peninnah and Hannah, Sa1 1:1, Sa1 1:2. His annual worship at Shiloh and the portions he gave at such times to his wives, Sa1 1:3-5. Hannah, being barren, is reproached by Peninnah, especially in their going up to Shiloh; at which she is sorely grieved, Sa1 1:6, Sa1 1:7. Elkanah comforts her, Sa1 1:8. Her prayer and vow in the temple, that if God would give her a son, she would consecrate him to His service, Sa1 1:9-11. Eli, the high priest, indistinctly hearing her pray, charges her with being drunk, Sa1 1:12-14. Her defense of her conduct, Sa1 1:15, Sa1 1:16. Eli, undeceived, blesses her; on which she takes courage, Sa1 1:17, Sa1 1:18. Hannah and Elkanah return home; she conceives, bears a son, and calls him Samuel, Sa1 1:19, Sa1 1:20. Elkanah and his family go again to Shiloh to worship; but Hannah stays at home to nurse her child, purposing, as soon as he is weaned, to go and offer him to the Lord, according to her vow, Sa1 1:21-23. When weaned, she takes him to Shiloh, presents hear child to Eli to be consecrated to the Lord, and offers three bullocks, an ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, for his consecration, Sa1 1:24-28.

I will give him unto the Lord - Samuel, as a descendant of the house of Levi, was the Lord's property from twenty-five years of age till fifty; but the vow here implies that he should be consecrated to the Lord from his infancy to his death, and that he should not only act as a Levite, but as a Nazarite, on whose head no razor should pass.

OF ELKANAH AND HIS TWO WIVES. (Sa1 1:1-8) a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim--The first word being in the dual number, signifies the double city--the old and new town of Ramah (Sa1 1:19). There were five cities of this name, all on high ground. This city had the addition of Zophim attached to it, because it was founded by Zuph, "an Ephrathite," that is a native of Ephratha. Beth-lehem, and the expression "of Ramathaim-zophim" must, therefore, be understood as Ramah in the land of Zuph in the hill country of Ephratha. Others, considering "mount Ephraim" as pointing to the locality in Joseph's territory, regard "Zophim" not as a proper but a common noun, signifying watchtowers, or watchmen, with reference either to the height of its situation, or its being the residence of prophets who were watchmen (Eze 3:17). Though a native of Ephratha or Beth-lehem-judah (Rut 1:2), Elkanah was a Levite (Ch1 6:33-34). Though of this order, and a good man, he practised polygamy. This was contrary to the original law, but it seems to have been prevalent among the Hebrews in those days, when there was no king in Israel, and every man did what seemed right in his own eyes [Jdg 21:25].

HANNAH'S PRAYER. (Sa1 1:9-18) she prayed . . . she vowed a vow--Here is a specimen of the intense desire that reigned in the bosoms of the Hebrew women for children. This was the burden of Hannah's prayer; and the strong preference she expressed for a male child originated in her purpose of dedicating him to the tabernacle service. The circumstance of his birth bound him to this; but his residence within the precincts of the sanctuary would have to commence at an earlier age than usual, in consequence of the Nazarite vow.

I. History of the People of Israel Under the Prophet Samuel - 1 Samuel 1-7 The call of Samuel to be the prophet and judge of Israel formed a turning-point in the history of the Old Testament kingdom of God. As the prophet of Jehovah, Samuel was to lead the people of Israel out of the times of the judges into those of the kings, and lay the foundation for a prosperous development of the monarchy. Consecrated like Samson as a Nazarite from his mother's womb, Samuel accomplished the deliverance of Israel out of the power of the Philistines, which had been only commenced by Samson; and that not by the physical might of his arm, but by the spiritual power of his word and prayer, with which he led Israel back from the worship of dead idols to the Lord its God. And whilst as one of the judges, among whom he classes himself in Sa1 12:11, he brought the office of judge to a close, and introduced the monarchy; as a prophet, he laid the foundation of the prophetic office, inasmuch as he was the fist to naturalize it, so to speak, in Israel, and develope it into a power that continued henceforth to exert the strongest influence, side by side with the priesthood and monarchy, upon the development of the covenant nation and kingdom of God. For even if there were prophets before the time of Samuel, who revealed the will of the Lord at times to the nation, they only appeared sporadically, without exerting any lasting influence upon the national life; whereas, from the time of Samuel onwards, the prophets sustained and fostered the spiritual life of the congregation, and were the instruments through whom the Lord made known His purposes to the nation and its rulers. To exhibit in its origin and growth the new order of things which Samuel introduced, or rather the deliverance which the Lord sent to His people through this servant of His, the prophetic historian goes back to the time of Samuel's birth, and makes us acquainted not only with the religious condition of the nation, but also with the political oppression under which it was suffering at the close of the period of the judges, and during the high-priesthood of Eli. At the time when the pious parents of Samuel were going year by year to the house of God at Shiloh to worship and offer sacrifice before the Lord, the house of God was being profaned by the abominable conduct of Eli's sons (1 Samuel 1-2). When Samuel was called to be the prophet of Jehovah, Israel lost the ark of the covenant, the soul of its sanctuary, in the war with the Philistines (1 Samuel 3-4). And it was not till after the nation had been rendered willing to put away its strange gods and worship Jehovah alone, through the influence of Samuel's exertions as prophet, that the faithful covenant God gave it, in answer to Samuel's intercession, a complete victory over the Philistines (1 Samuel 7). In accordance with these three prominent features, the history of the judicial life of Samuel may be divided into three sections, viz.: 1 Samuel 1-2; 3-6; 7.