And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
Hannah continued praying silently before the Lord while Eli watched her mouth. Her moving lips were a heartfelt, grief-stricken plea to God, not drunken speech. Eli mistook that grief-stricken prayer for drunkenness because irreverent feasting and drunkenness were common at Shiloh even during religious festivals.
Eli misjudged Hannah while she prayed and rebuked her as though she were drunk. The account sets Hannah's faithfulness and self-denial against Eli's sinful indulgence and neglect. His readiness to censure her stands in contrast to his excuses for his sons' sins. Her patient, prayerful, and persevering fidelity is the quality needed in the church, the Sabbath school, and society.
Hannah continued praying silently before the Lord while Eli watched her mouth. Her moving lips were a heartfelt, grief-stricken plea to God, not drunken speech. Eli mistook that grief-stricken prayer for drunkenness because irreverent feasting and drunkenness were common at Shiloh even during religious festivals.
Eli misjudged Hannah while she prayed and rebuked her as though she were drunk. The account sets Hannah's faithfulness and self-denial against Eli's sinful indulgence and neglect. His readiness to censure her stands in contrast to his excuses for his sons' sins. Her patient, prayerful, and persevering fidelity is the quality needed in the church, the Sabbath school, and society.