Elkanah
Hannah’s husband, who loved her deeply, and let her keep her promise to give Samuel to God.
Old Testament · c. 1100 BC · 1 Samuel · Also known as Husband of Hannah, Father of Samuel
About Elkanah
Elkanah was "a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim," with two wives: Peninnah, who had children, and Hannah, who had none. Every year he "went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh," and "unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah." Seeing her weep, he asked, "am not I better to thee than ten sons?" When God gave them Samuel, Elkanah supported Hannah’s vow to give him to the LORD: "Do what seemeth thee good... only the LORD establish his word." Eli blessed them, and they had five more children.
Ramah lay in the hill country of Ephraim, a day or two’s walk from Shiloh, where the tabernacle stood. Chronicles lists Elkanah among the Levites. Under the law a husband could cancel his wife’s vow when he heard it; Elkanah upheld Hannah’s.
The story
Yearly to Shiloh
"Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah." He had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. "And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh." At the feast he gave portions to Peninnah and her children, "but unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah."
1 Samuel 1:1-5
Better to thee than ten sons
Peninnah provoked Hannah year after year, and Hannah wept and would not eat. "Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?"
1 Samuel 1:6-8
Only the LORD establish his word
God answered Hannah’s prayer, and she bore Samuel. She would not go up to Shiloh until he was weaned. "And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word." Then they brought the boy to Eli, and he stayed to serve the LORD.
1 Samuel 1:19-28
Eli blessed Elkanah
"And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD." "And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters."
1 Samuel 2:19-21
Key moments
- Worships at Shiloh yearly: "To worship and to sacrifice." (1 Samuel 1:3)
- Comforts Hannah: "Am not I better to thee than ten sons?" (1 Samuel 1:8)
- Samuel is born: An answer to Hannah’s prayer. (1 Samuel 1:20)
- Upholds Hannah’s vow: "Only the LORD establish his word." (1 Samuel 1:23)
- Blessed by Eli: Five more children. (1 Samuel 2:20-21)
Questions about Elkanah
In meetBible these answers are given in Elkanah’s voice. They are written by hand and checked against Scripture.
Did you understand Hannah’s sadness?
I tried. I said, "Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?" I meant it with love, and I did love her: I gave her "a worthy portion." But my words couldn’t reach her grief. She took it to God instead, and He heard her.
Why did you have two wives?
Scripture simply records it: "he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah." Having more than one wife happened in Israel then, but the Bible’s stories keep showing the pain it caused. In my house it brought rivalry: Peninnah "provoked her sore, for to make her fret." The pattern from the beginning was one man and one woman.
Did you agree to give Samuel to God?
Yes. Under the law, a husband could cancel his wife’s vow on the day he heard it. I didn’t. I told Hannah, "Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word." When the time came, we brought him to Eli together, and Eli blessed us "for the loan which is lent to the LORD."
Connected people
Read it yourself
Start with 1 Samuel 1:1-8, 19-28; 2:19-21.