God Answers Hannah’s Prayer

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 1 Samuel 1:15-28. In this Scripture, we see how God answers Hannah’s prayer. In the previous lesson, we saw that Hannah was distraught because she couldn’t have a baby. She wept and prayed to God begging Him to give her a son. The priest saw her and thought she was drunk. Why did the priest think she was drunk?

Hannah answered Eli saying, “No, I am not drunk. I am very upset. I just poured my soul out to the LORD.” She told Eli not to count her as a daughter of the devil. Eli told her to go in peace and blessed her saying, “May the God of Israel grant your request.” Hannah found grace in God and in Eli. After she prayed to God and Eli blessed her she went to eat and was no longer sad. She found hope in the LORD and believed He would answer her prayer.

The next morning Hannah and her family got up early and worshiped the LORD, then they traveled back home to Ramah. That night Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah. The LORD remembered Hannah’s cry. He blessed her and she conceived a son. When the child was born Hannah named him Samuel because she asked for him from the LORD. Samuel was a gift to Hannah from the LORD.

The next year when Elkanah and the rest of the family went on their yearly journey to the temple in Shiloh, Hannah and Samuel didn’t go. Hannah told her husband she would stay home until Samuel was weaned from breastfeeding. Then, she would take him, dedicate him to the LORD, and he would stay there forever. Elkanah told Hannah she could do whatever she thought was right, after all, it was her and God who made the agreement.

After Hannah weaned Samuel she took him, three bullocks, one ephah of flour and a bottle of wine along with her to the temple in Shiloh. Biblical scholars believe that Samuel was probably about three years old when they went to the temple. Mothers nursed their babies for a long time in biblical times, though they also fed them solid food once they were old enough to eat it. They sacrificed the bullock and took Samuel to Eli, the priest, to present him to the LORD.

Hannah told Eli that she was the woman who had been crying and praying to the LORD for a child. She told him that this is the child she had prayed for; the LORD answered her prayer and blessed her with a son. Hannah promised God if He gave her a son she would lend him to the LORD all the days of his life. God answered her prayer and Hannah kept the promise she made to the LORD. Can you imagine how hard it was for Hannah to take her son and leave him at the temple because he was still a little boy?

Daily Bible Reading:

1 Samuel 1:15-28

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.

27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.

Things to think about:

Does God always answer our prayers immediately? If not, how should we react in the meantime?
Does God always say yes to our prayers? If not, what are some other ways He may respond to our prayers?
What do you think it took for Hannah to be able to keep her promise to the LORD?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this Scripture where we see how You answered Hannah’s prayer. Thank You that You hear our prayers and answer them. Help us to understand that the answer might not come today. The answer may be for us to wait, the answer may be no, but You always hear and answer our prayers. Help us to keep our promises to You as Hannah did. In Jesus’ name, we pray. We love you, LORD. Amen.

– This is an excerpt from our new release The Book of 1 Samuel: Prophets, Priests, and Kings

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The Book of 1 Samuel: Prophets, Priests, and Kings

by Deborah H. Bateman

About the Book:

The Book of 1 Samuel: Prophets, Priests, and Kings by Deborah H. Bateman is a Daily Bible Reading Study of the book of 1 Samuel. This is the 31st book in the Daily Bible Reading Series. The book of 1 Samuel is found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

The Book of 1 Samuel not only discusses the life and call of Samuel as prophet but also includes events that happened during his lifetime. The people of Israel insisted on having a king and even though Samuel tried to warn them of the dangers of appointing a king, they insisted. So God chose Saul to be their king. A good portion of the book includes the events during the reign of King Saul including the ongoing rivalry between King Saul and David.

The Book of 1 Samuel: Prophets, Priests, and Kings contains 71 Daily Bible Reading Lessons. Each lesson consists of a commentary by the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scripture, a few questions for contemplation or discussion, and a prayer to go along with the lesson. This Bible study is great as a personal daily devotional or a group Bible study.

For those of you interested in Bible journaling, pick your favorite Bible verse from each lesson and journal about it. This will be a great reminder of the lessons you learn as you read and study this book.

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