HANNAH PRAYS TO THE LORD

1 Samuel 1:1-2:11

Key Verse: 1:10-11

• HANNAH PRAYS WITH A VOW (1:1-20)

1. How is Elkanah’s family described? (1:1-2; Jdg21:25; for more on Elkanah, see 1Ch6:1,25-27) What were the agonies of this family and how were these exposed in their annual worship at Shiloh? (1:3-8) What does “the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb” imply? Why was Hannah not satisfied with Elkanah’s love? (1:8)

2. Read 1:9-11. What was Hannah’s condition? What did she do and how was she different from Peninnah? In her prayer, about what was she mainly concerned? (1:11a) For what did she ask God? What did she vow to God, and what does this reveal about her?

3. How is Hannah’s prayer described? (1:12-13a,15-16) Why did she devote herself to prayer like this? (Ps18:6) Who was Eli, how did he misunderstand, and why? (1:9,13b-14) How did she answer respectfully, and how did he bless her? (1:15-17) After prayer, how was she different? (1:18; 1Jn5:14-15) How did God answer her? (1:19-20)

• HANNAH KEEPS HER VOW (1:21-28)

4. How did Elkanah continue to serve God and give a good influence to Hannah? (1:21-23) What was her plan? (1:22)

5. After being childless for so long, how might Hannah have felt toward Samuel? After weaning him, what did she do? (1:24-25) What did she say to Eli? (1:26-28) In what ways did she express her faith? (see also 2:11) How did God continue to bless her? (2:20-21)

• HANNAH PRAISES THE LORD (2:1-11)

6. In her prayer, what was Hannah’s source of joy? (2:1) Through her struggles what did she come to learn about God and his sovereignty? (2:2-9) What was her vision? (2:10)