Hannah

Hannah (Hebrew: חַנָּה‎, Ḥannāh) is a figure recorded in the Old Testament Book of Samuel. She was one of Elkanah’s wives and the mother of Samuel. The name “Hannah” means “grace” in Hebrew.

According to the Bible, Hannah was one of two wives of Elkanah, who was from the tribe of Ephraim. His other wife was named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah remained childless. However, her husband Elkanah favored Hannah. Each year, when Elkanah went to the tabernacle in Shiloh to offer sacrifices, he gave Hannah a double portion of the meat. One day, Hannah went to the tabernacle, where she prayed silently. Eli the priest was sitting on his seat beside the doorpost of the tabernacle. He saw Hannah only moving her lips in silent prayer and thought she was drunk. After understanding that she was sober and the motive behind her prayer, he blessed her. Shortly after Hannah returned home, she conceived and gave birth to a son, Samuel. After he was weaned, she, as promised, brought the child to the tabernacle, dedicating him there to be a Nazirite, and offered a “Song of Hannah.” Later, Hannah made a small robe for Samuel each year and brought it when they came for the sacrifice. Eli then blessed Hannah again, and Hannah bore three more sons and two daughters. The rise of the prophet Samuel brought an end to the dark era of the Judges for the Jewish people. God discarded the family of the old priest Eli and replaced them with Samuel, thereby ushering in a new historical period for the nation of Israel.

Hannah was clearly a person specially chosen by God. Her life experienced God’s leading and blessing. She transitioned from bitterness to sweetness, shaped by God through life’s hardships and setbacks, ultimately becoming one of the most outstanding female figures in Jewish history, recorded in the Bible, and serving as a role model for millions.

Hannah was childless, without hope, and subjected to humiliation—a person whose life was long filled with difficulties. Yet, these difficulties did not cause Hannah to sink into despair; instead, they spurred her to pray unceasingly. Hannah was drawn by God into an intimate relationship with Him, becoming a vessel useful for His purposes.