Hannah
suffered from bullying and depression (1 Samuel 1: 1-28).
Like her matriarchal sisters, Sarah and Rachel, Hannah is a “barren woman.” In an agrarian culture that prized children and demanded them of women, infertility is seen as a curse. Something’s wrong with you. In the Bible—and until recently—infertility was a woman’s problem, never a man’s. So things could hardly be worse for Hannah.
But they are. When Hannah is unable to conceive a child, her husband Elkanah takes another wife, Peninnah, who of course produces one a year. Her rival wife “used to provoke her sorely, to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.”
In addition to her rival’s taunting, Hannah has to endure a husband who loves her, but doesn’t understand her suffering. “Hannah, why do you weep?” he asks (in too nice a voice). “And why do you not eat? And why is your heart so sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
Her anguish goes on for years like this. Then one day, unable to contain her grief, she goes to the temple and pours out her heart at the altar. Eli the priest sees her in this state and reviles her for being “a drunken woman.” But, bless her, Hannah pushes back. “No, my lord, I am a woman sorely troubled.”
Hannah is a quiet, determined fighter. She doesn’t get angry with the husband who doesn’t quite “get it,” she doesn’t get even with wicked Peninnah, she doesn’t tell the priest to get lost. She just quietly follows her heart, persistently praying for what she needs and knows will one day be hers.
When Hannah politely but firmly puts the priest in his place, Eli repents. “Go in peace,” he prays, “and the God of Israel grant your petition.” The next day, Hannah conceives a son, the great prophet Samuel.
P.S. Tomorrow’s music is… “I Still Believe.”
COMPANIONS ON THE WAY
Introduction
Stories of Turning
Week One
Stories of Wild Places
Week Two
Stories of Dogged Faith
Week Three
Stories of Mercy & Forgiveness
Week Four
Stories of Simplicity & Joy
Week Five
Stories of Prayer & Surrender
Week Six
Stories of Transforming Love
These stories, of which I know very little of any of them, are amazing! Hannah can’t get pregnant so her husband goes out and finds another wife who can, and then he can’t understand why her heart might be sad?! 😲. I mean I’m not the most in tune person on the planet, but that is something special. Jesus from the Canaanite reading yesterday and the priest today seem very similar, and impressively they both pull it together and admit their wrongs before all is lost. Admitting mistakes with humility, another area where I can use some work. And Hannah and the Canaanite woman standing their ground which must have been extremely difficult, especially back then. Love this David thank you, such great lessons for me.
Well, it was acceptable and expected that if a woman couldn’t conceive, that a man could take another woman. And of course this was a polygamous culture. But in the midst of this, as you note, all these women just step up and shine.