1 Samuel 1:28, commentary and pictures

Hannah fulfilled her vow by returning the son granted in answer to prayer and lending him to the Lord for lifelong service from childhood at Shiloh. She gave him up after weaning to be trained under Eli in the house of God, with sorrow and great self-denial in parting from her only son, yet with gratitude and joy. His dedication had begun in the home, where during his first three years she taught him to love and revere God, to regard himself as the Lord's, and to look to the Creator in every familiar object and daily event. That early training kept him from seeking the evil ways of Eli's sons amid corrupt influences at the tabernacle, and he grew in godliness and integrity into a pure and useful servant of God from childhood. Her faithful self-denial stands in contrast to Eli's indulgent failure to train and restrain his own sons, and shows the power of a mother's patient, prayerful influence to shape character for heaven and consecrate children wholly to God's service.

Hannah's Vow Fulfilled

The verse belongs to the account of Hannah's long childlessness and distress, when Elkanah showed her special affection by giving her a double portion and tried to comfort her. It means that Hannah gratefully fulfilled her vow because God had granted her prayer for a child. The child received as an answer to prayer was returned to God as a consecrated gift, entrusted to Him and presented at Shiloh for lifelong service to the Lord from childhood. In this she recognized that he belongs to God, an example of parents cooperating with God in their responsibility for the child.

She gave him up after he was weaned, with sorrow, sacrifice and great self-denial in separation from the only son she loved, yet gratefully and joyfully. She placed him under the care of Eli the high priest to be trained for service in the house of God at the tabernacle. Her willingness to give up her child's daily company and entrust him to another's care for service to God is illustrated by leaving Henry with a trusted family, the Howland family, for five years to devote herself to religious work. Her yearly gift of a little coat reflected her continuing care amid that sacrifice.

Eli was humbled by her sacrifice, which exposed his indulgent and selfish love as a father, and he bowed before the Lord and worshiped there. God accepted Hannah's offering of Samuel for sacred work and service from childhood, bringing her gratitude and joy. He was consecrated to God from childhood, his life given to God, who accepted him and used him as a channel of light. Hannah was later blessed with other children to raise.

Her self-denial in giving Samuel stands in contrast with Eli's failure to train his sons and restrain them from dishonoring God, so that the aged priest who neglected his duty was passed by.

Training Children for God

Dedication began at home long before presentation at Shiloh, from the earliest dawn of understanding during the first three years of life. In those years the mother faithfully taught the child to love and revere God, to regard himself as belonging to the Lord, and to distinguish between good and evil. By every familiar object around him she led his thoughts up to the Creator, associating thoughts of God with daily events, providence, and eternal hopes. That godly home instruction prepared him to hear and respond to God's truth.

Separation did not end her care, for she continued in prayer for him and in support after they were parted. Each year she made and brought him a little coat, a continuing token of love and sacrifice in giving up his daily company. In those prayers and in that yearly robe was her desire that he be pure, noble and true, that he honor God and bless others. The offering was accepted, bringing her gratitude and joy.

Though his youth was passed at the tabernacle devoted to worship, he was not free from evil influences and sinful example, for the sons of Eli feared not God nor honored their father. Yet early training led him not to seek their company nor follow their evil ways, and he maintained his integrity amid corruption. He grew in godliness and service, becoming a useful, well-formed, principled man, a precious gift to Israel whom God used from childhood as a pure channel of light. His life, given to God from childhood, was accepted for sacred service.

She was later blessed with other children to raise, and her reward encourages faithfulness in leading children to consecrate themselves wholly to God. The account shows a mother's patient, prayerful, persevering faithfulness and the power of a mother's influence to shape character from the earliest years. Children, as the younger members of the Lord's family, are to be led to consecrate themselves wholly to God, sharing spiritual as well as temporal burdens and trained to be helpful in serving the Saviour. Parents in dedicating their children thus cooperate with God, seeking the greatness heaven values rather than worldly greatness, while God watches forming character with deep interest and can entrust consecrated youth with important work.

That willingness to give up a child's daily company and entrust him to another's care for service to God is illustrated by leaving Henry with a trusted family for five years to devote herself to religious work. As she gave Samuel to the Lord and lent him to Eli's care, so his mother gave up his daily company while the parents went out to labor. The comparison emphasizes a parent's sacrifice in placing a child in another's care for the sake of God's service.