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I Samuel 1

שמואל א׳ פרק א׳

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: I Samuel | Chapter: 1 of 31 | Day: 46 of 742

Date: March 29, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

The opening chapter of I Samuel is one of the great threshold narratives of the Hebrew Bible, marking the transition from the chaotic period of the Judges to the era of prophecy and monarchy. At its center stands Hannah, a barren woman whose personal anguish becomes the catalyst for national transformation. The Talmud (Berakhot 31a-b) derives numerous laws of prayer from Hannah’s silent supplication, recognizing in her not merely a desperate mother but a theological innovator who modeled a new form of communion with God.

The chapter’s opening genealogy situates Elkanah in Ramathaim-Zophim, in the hill country of Ephraim. Rashi, following the Talmud (Megillah 14a), explains that the name Zophim alludes to prophecy, hinting that this family already carries prophetic lineage. Radak elaborates that Elkanah was a Levite from the sons of Korah who dwelt in Ephraimite territory, and he notes the deliberate contrast with the previous narrative of the concubine at Gibeah — another Levite from Mount Ephraim whose story brought catastrophe, whereas this one brings redemption.

The domestic drama between Hannah and Peninnah plays out against the backdrop of annual pilgrimage to the Tabernacle at Shiloh. Peninnah’s provocation of Hannah is described with the verb “thunder,” suggesting a sustained campaign of humiliation. Yet Elkanah’s love for Hannah, expressed through the double portion, cannot compensate for her barrenness.

Hannah’s vow to dedicate her son as a nazirite “all the days of his life” echoes the Samson narrative but with crucial differences. Where Samson’s mother received a passive angelic announcement, Hannah actively initiates her covenant with God. Eli the priest, witnessing her moving lips without sound, mistakes her for a drunkard — an irony the rabbis note with care. The chapter concludes with the birth of Samuel and Hannah’s fulfillment of her vow, bringing the weaned child to Shiloh for lifelong service.

פרק א׳ · Chapter 1

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַיְהִי֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד מִן־הָרָמָתַ֛יִם צוֹפִ֖ים מֵהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וּשְׁמ֡וֹ אֶ֠לְקָנָ֠ה בֶּן־יְרֹחָ֧ם בֶּן־אֱלִיה֛וּא בֶּן־תֹּ֥חוּ בֶן־צ֖וּף אֶפְרָתִֽי׃

English:

There was a man from Ramathaim of the Zuphites,aRamathaim of the Zuphites Heb. “Ramathaim-zophim.” In 1.19; 2.11; 7.17; 15.34; 19.18, etc., the town is called Ramah; and 9.5ff. shows that it was in the district of Zuph. in the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

The book opens by introducing Elkanah, a Levite from the hill country of Ephraim. Rashi explains that his family carried prophetic lineage, and Radak notes the deliberate contrast with the Levite from the concubine story in Judges -- that one brought catastrophe, this one brings redemption.

רש״יRashi

וַיְהִי אִישׁ אֶחָד. ״הַכֹּל לְפִי הַסֵּדֶר, מֹשֶׁה מָסַר אֶת הַתּוֹרָה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לִזְקֵנִים, וְשׁוֹפֵט מָסַר לְשׁוֹפֵט, עַד שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לְעֵלִי, וּמִמֶּנּוּ לִשְׁמוּאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ (אבות א א): ״וּזְקֵנִים לִנְבִיאִים: מִן הָרָמָתַיִם צוֹפִים. שְׁתֵּי רָמוֹת הָיוּ, שֶׁצּוֹפוֹת וְרוֹאוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ. וְיוֹנָתָן תִּרְגֵּם: צוֹפִים, ״מִתַּלְמִידֵי נְבִיאַיָא״: אֶלְקָנָה. לֵוִי הָיָה, מִבְּנֵי אֲבִיאָסָף בֶּן קֹרַח, כֵּן נִתְיַחֵס בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (דברי הימים א ה:ח): אֶפְרָתִי. יוֹנָתָן תִּרְגֵּם: ״בְּטוּרָא דְבֵית אֶפְרַיִם״ (בְּהַר אֶפְרַיִם). וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה (ילקוט שמעוני שמואל א רמז עז): אֶפְרָתִי. בֶּן פַּלְטִין אַבְגִינוֹס, אָדָם חָשׁוּב, כְּמוֹ (בבא מציעא קיט.): אַפִּרְיוֹן נִמְטְיֵיהּ לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, לְשׁוֹן חֵן:

And there was a man. It all follows the order: Moshe gave over the Torah to Yehoshua and Yehoshua to the Elders and each Judge to his successor until it reached Eili who gave it over to Shmuel1I.e., the “ו” of וְאֵלֶה links the Book of Shmuel with the preceeding Book of Shoftim and serves as a link between the oral tradition as stated in the Mishnah, “…and the Elders…” as we learned (in the Mishnah), "… and the Elders [gave it over] to the Prophets…"2Maseches Avos 1:1. From Ramasayim Tsofim. There were two hills each visible to the other.3Elkonoh lived in Romoh, see below verse 19; and he prophesied in Tsofim—Da’as Sofrim.4Maseches Megillah 14a. Targum Yonoson renders צוֹפִים: "of the disciples of prophets." Elkonoh. He was a Levite of the sons of Aviosof, the son of Korach —his ancestry is thus recorded in Divrei Hayomim.5I Divrei Hayomim 6:19-23. From the land of Ephrayim. [Targum] Yonoson renders "on the mountain of the house of Ephrayim." The Midrash Aggadah [renders] אֶפְרָתִי —a palace dweller, an important person,6Rashi emphasizes that אֶפְרָתִי does not mean that he was from the tribe of Ephrayim because it has already been established that he was from the tribe of Leivi. as in "let us extend אַפִּרְיוֹן to Rabbi Shimon,"7Maseches Bava Metzia 119a. [meaning] an expression of favor.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

מן הרמתים צופים. הוא שם מקום, על שם שהיו בה שתי גבעות רמות, צופים ומקבילים זה מול זה: אפרתי. על צוף יאמר, שהיה גם הוא מהר אפרים, ולא מבני אפרים, כי לוי היה ומבני קרח:

Ramatayim of the Tzufites: That is the name of the place, due to there being two tall (ramot) mountains, viewing (tzofot) one across from the other. Efrati (Ephraimite): It is speaking about Tzuf. As he too was from Mount Ephraim, but not from the Children of Ephraim. From he was a Levite, specifically from the sons of Korach.

רד״קRadak

ויהי איש אחד מן הרמתים צופים. כבר כתבנו בתחילת ספר יהושע כי הוי"ו תמצא בלשון הקדש בתחילת הדברים מנהג וכן לשון ישמעאל ודקדוק מלת יהי כתבנו שם ג"כ: מן הרמתים. כתבו רבותינו ז"ל שתי רמות הם שצופות זו את זו וא"כ ששתי רמות הם והמלה מוכיחה כן שהיא בלשון שנים יהיה פירוש מן הרמתים מאחת משתי רמות כמו ויקבר בערי גלעד, בשתים תתחתן בי והדומים להם, וטעם צופים על הרמתים כמו שפירשנו, ויש לפרש צופים נביאים ומן שזכר עומד במקום שנים כאלו אמר מן צופים כלו' ממשפחת צופים וכן ת"י מתלמידי נביאיא כי הנביא יקרא צופה כמו צופה נתתיך וזהו פירוש הנכון כי ממשפחת נביאים היה כי מבני קרח היה כמו שמפורש יחסו בדברי הימים ובני קרח נביאים היו והם אסיר ואלקנה ואביאסף ואלקנה אבי שמואל היה מבני בניו של אלקנה בן קרח: מהר אפרים. לוי היה והיה גר בארץ אפרים ואפשר כי לטעם זה נסמך מעשה פלגש בגבעה לסיפור הזה בדבר אלקנה ותולדות שמואל שגם הוא לוי הי' והיה גר בירכתי הר אפרים ומסבתו באה רעה גדולה לישראל ומסבת זה באה טובה גדולה לישראל ושמואל בנו החזיר ישראל לדרך טובה: אפרתי. על שני פנים נאמר האחד מיוחס על השבט על מי שהוא משבט אפרים או על מי שהוא גר בארץ אפרים כמו האפרתי אתה והאחד מיוחס למקום הנקרא בית לחם אפרת כמו ודוד בן איש אפרתי מחלון וכליון אפרתים וזה הוא מיוחס אל הר אפרים כמו שאמר מהר אפרים ולכך קראו אפרתי כי לא נוכל לפרש שהיה אפרתי מיוחס לשבט אפרים כי לוי היה אם כן מה שאמר אפרתי שהיה מהר אפרים, ויש לתמוה אחר שאמר מהר אפרים למה אמר אפרתי אחר כן ואפשר שאמר גם כן לפי שהוא ואבותיו היו גרים שם ועל צוף אמר אפרתי לא על אלקנה כי על אלקנה כבר פירש מהר אפרים זהו נכון לפי הפשט ומה שאמר כי הוא ואבותיו היו גרים בהר אפרים נראה כי נחלתם היתה שם כי מבני קהת היו ובני קהת להם ערים בהר אפרים כמו שאמר בספר יהושע ולמשפחות בני קהת הלוים וגו' את שכם ואת מגרשיה בהר אפרים ובדרש מפרש אותו לשון גדולה וחשיבות: אפרתי. אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי פלאטיני וי"ת אפרתי גברא פליג חולק בקודשיא בטורא דבית אפרים:

And there was (Vayehi) a man from Ramatayim of the Tzufites: We have already written at the beginning of the book of Yehoshua that the you will find that the [letter,] vav (usually meaning, and), is customary in the Hebrew language at the beginning of things, and likewise in the language of Yishmael (Arabic). And we also wrote about the grammar of the word, yehi, there. From Ramatayim: Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed wrote, they were two tall (ramot) mountains, viewing (tzofot) one another. And if so - that they were two mountains, and the word indicates so, since it is an expression of duality - the explanation of, "from the two tall mountains," would be, from one of the two tall mountains. This is like, "and he was buried in the hills of Gilead" (Judges 12:4); "with two can you be my son-in-law" (I Samuel 18:21), and that which is similar to them. And the meaning of Tzufites, is that it is [speaking] about the high mountains, as we explained. But Tzufites can [also] be explained as prophets. And the, "from," that it mentioned is in the place of two, as if to [also] say from the family of Tzufites. And so did Yonatan translate it [in the Targum], "from the students of the prophets." As a prophet is [also] called a tzofeh (seer or scout), as in, "I have given you as a tzofeh" (Ezekiel 33:7). And this is the correct explanation, since he was from a family of priests. For he was from the sons of Korach, as his lineage is detailed in Chronicles; and the sons of Korach were prophets - Asir, Elkanah and Aviasaf. And Elkanah, the father of Shmuel, was from the descendants of Elkanah, the son of Korach. From Mount Ephraim: He was a Levite and lived in the Land of Ephraim. And it is possible that it is for this reason that the story of the concubine at Givea was made adjacent to this story about the matter of Elkanah and the proceedings of Shmuel. For [the protagonist in the other story] also lived in the foothills of Mount Ephraim and he was the cause of much evil to Israel; whereas this one was the cause of great goodness to Israel - and his son, Shmuel, brought Israel back to the proper path. An Efrati:. This is said about two facets. The one relates to the tribe, concerning one who is from the tribe of Ephraim, or someone who lives in the Land of Ephraim - as in, "Are you an Efrati" (Judges 12:5). And the [other] relates to Beit Lechem-Efrat - as in, "and David was an Efrati" (I Samuel 17:12); "Machlon and Khiliyon were Efrati" (Ruth 1:2). And this concerns Mount Ephraim, as it stated (here), "from Mount Ephraim." And that is why, it called him an Efrati. For we can not explain that he was an Efrati concerning the tribe of Ephraim, since he was a Levite. If so, that which it stated, "an Efrati," is that he was from Mount Ephraim. But it is a wonder - after it stated, "from Mount Ephraim," why did it state, "an Efrati," afterwards? And it is possible that it also said it because he and his forefathers lived there. So it stated, "Efrati," about Tzuf, not about Elkanah. For it already explained about Elkanah, "from Mount Ephraim." This is correct, according to the simple understanding. And that which it stated that he and his forefathers had lived in Mount Ephraim appears to be because their inheritance was there, as they were from the sons of Kehat. And the sons of Kehat had cities in Mount Ephraim, as it stated in the book of Yehoshua (Joshua 21:20), "And to the sons of Kehat, the Levites, etc. Shechem and its fields on Mount Ephraim." But the homiletical teaching explains it as an expression of greatness and importance: Efrati: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "Noble." And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "a man who was distinguished by holiness on the Mountain of the House of Ephraim."

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וְלוֹ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֔ים שֵׁ֤ם אַחַת֙ חַנָּ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פְּנִנָּ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י לִפְנִנָּה֙ יְלָדִ֔ים וּלְחַנָּ֖ה אֵ֥ין יְלָדִֽים׃

English:

He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וְעָלָה֩ הָאִ֨ישׁ הַה֤וּא מֵֽעִירוֹ֙ מִיָּמִ֣ים ׀ יָמִ֔ימָה לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֧ת וְלִזְבֹּ֛חַ לַיהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת בְּשִׁלֹ֑ה וְשָׁ֞ם שְׁנֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עֵלִ֗י חׇפְנִי֙ וּפִ֣נְחָ֔ס כֹּהֲנִ֖ים לַיהֹוָֽה׃

English:

This manbThis man I.e., he with his household. used to go up from his town every year to worship and to offer sacrifice to GOD of Hosts at Shiloh.—Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of GOD there.

Elkanah's annual pilgrimage to the Tabernacle at Shiloh is described. The Midrash says he would take a different route each year to encourage others to join. The mention of Eli's corrupt sons Hophni and Phinehas foreshadows the crisis at Shiloh.

רש״יRashi

וְעָלָה הָאִישׁ. לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה הוּא, הָיָה עוֹלֶה מִזְּמַן מוֹעֵד לְמוֹעֵד לְשִׁילֹה. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה (ילקוט שמעוני שם): בְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה עוֹלֶה בְּשָׁנָה זוֹ, לֹא הָיָה עוֹלֶה בְּשָׁנָה אַחֶרֶת, כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁמִיעַ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיַעֲשׂוּ כְמוֹתוֹ:

This man would go up. This is the present tense, i.e., he would go up from one appointed season to another, to Shilo.8He would go to Shiloh on the three pilgrimage festivals of Pesach, Shavuos and Sukkos. The Midrash Aggadah [renders] that the route he followed this year he did not take the next year in order to publicize [his pilgrimage] to the Bnei Yisroel that they should do likewise.9See Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachos 9:5.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

ועלה האיש ההוא. מעולם היה מנהגו לעלות אל שילה בכל שנה ושנה, להשתחות ולזבוח לה׳: כהנים. רוצה לומר: סגני הכהונה, כי עלי אביהם שימש בכהונה גדולה:

This man used to go up: His custom was always to go up to Shiloh every year, to bow down and sacrifice to God. Priests: Meaning to say, assistants of the [high] priesthood. As their father, Eli, served as the high priest.

רד״קRadak

ועלה. כן היה עושה בכל שנה ושנה שהיה עולה לשילה לזבוח ומה שאמר מעירו לומר שהיה מזרז בני עירו לעלות, ובדרש לא בדרך שהיה עולה בשנה זו היה עולה בשנה אחרת אלא בכל שנה היה עולה בדרך אחרת בשביל להשמיע את ישראל ולהעלות אותן לשילה: מימים ימימה. משנה לשנה כמו ושמרת את החקה הזאת למועדה מימים ימימה או פי' ממועד למועד וכת"י מזמן מועד למועד: להשתחוות ולזבוח. להתפלל לפני ה' ולזבוח שם זבח המועד, ובדרש ר' אלעא בשם רבי יצחק שקולה תפילה כנגד הקרבנות שנאמר להשתחוות ולזבוח ורבנן אמרי חביבה תפילה יותר מכל הקרבנות דכתיב להשתחוות ואחר כך לזבוח: ושם שני בני עלי. זכרם על הזבחים לפי מה שעתיד לזכור עליהם מה שהיו עושים בקרבנות:

And he went up: So would he do every year, as he would go up to Shiloh to sacrifice. And that which it stated, "from his city," is to say that he would encourage the people of his city to go up. And in the homiletical teachings - he would not go next year the way that he went this year, but would rather go a different way each year in order to make Israel know [about this] and to bring them up to Shiloh. Year by year (lit., from days to days): From year to year, as in, "And you shall keep this statute in its time, from days to days" (Exodus 13:10). Or (alternatively), its explanation is from the set time to the set time; and likewise Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "from the time of the set time to the set time." To bow down and to sacrifice: To pray before the Lord and to sacrifice the sacrifice of the holiday there. And in the homiletical teachings: Rabbi Elah in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak, "Prayer is equal to the sacrifices, as it is stated, 'to bow down and to sacrifice.'" But the Sages say, "Prayer is more beloved than all of the sacrifices, as it is [first] written, 'to bow down,' and afterwards, 'to sacrifice.'" And the sons of Eli were there: It mentioned them concerning the sacrifices, on account of what it will mention in the future about them, that which they would do with the sacrifices.

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיִּזְבַּ֖ח אֶלְקָנָ֑ה וְנָתַ֞ן לִפְנִנָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּֽלְכׇל־בָּנֶ֛יהָ וּבְנוֹתֶ֖יהָ מָנֽוֹת׃

English:

One such day, Elkanah offered a sacrifice. He used to give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters;

Elkanah distributes portions of the peace-offering to Peninnah and all her children. Radak explains this was customary at pilgrimage festivals, and the multiple portions given to Peninnah's family highlighted Hannah's painful isolation.

רש״יRashi

וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם. ״תַּרְגּוּם: ״וַהֲוָה יוֹם מוֹעֲדָא:

It happened on the day. It happened on the festive day.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

ויהי היום. רוצה לומר ; וכאשר בא היום של הבאת קרבנותיו, היה אלקנה זובח שלמים, והיה נותן לפנינה וכו׳ מנות מזבח השלמים:

And it was on that day: Meaning to say, when the day came that he would bring his sacrifices, Elkanah would sacrifice peace-offerings and he would give portions to Peninah, etc. from the sacrifice of the peace-offerings.

רד״קRadak

ויהי היום. יום מועד וכת"י יומא דמועדא ובדרש ר' יהושע בן לוי אומר זה יומא של עצרת: ונתן לפנינה. מן השלמים שהיה זובח:

And it was on that day: The day of the set time; and likewise did Yonatan translate it [in the Targum] as, "the day of the set time." And in the homiletical teachings: Rabbi Yehoshua be Levi said, "This was the day of Shavuot." And he would give to Peninah from the peace-offerings that he would sacrifice.

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וּלְחַנָּ֕ה יִתֵּ֛ן מָנָ֥ה אַחַ֖ת אַפָּ֑יִם כִּ֤י אֶת־חַנָּה֙ אָהֵ֔ב וַיהֹוָ֖ה סָגַ֥ר רַחְמָֽהּ׃

English:

but to Hannah he would give one portion only—thoughconly—though Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Hannah was his favorite—for GOD had closed her womb.

Elkanah gives Hannah a single distinguished portion, expressing his love despite her childlessness. The commentators debate the meaning of 'apayim' -- Rashi reads it as a choice portion meant to show affection, while Radak's father interprets it as given 'in anger' at her barrenness.

רש״יRashi

מָנָה אַחַת אַפָּיִם. (תרגום:) ״חוּלַק חַד בְּחִיר״, הָרָאוּי לְהִתְקַבֵּל בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת:

One choice portion. One choice portion which is fit to be accepted with a friendly countenance.10אַפָּיִם referring to the face rather than to the portion. Ralbag renders “a double sized portion.”

מצודת דודMetzudat David

מנה אחת. רוצה לומר: מיוחדת ביופי, ולתוספת ביאור אמר ׳אפים׳, רוצה לומר: הראויה לקבל אותה בסבר פנים יפות: וה׳ סגר רחמה, ולא ילדה, והיתה מצירה ולזה הראה לה חיבה יתירה להפיג צערה:

One portion: Meaning to say, unique in its fineness. And to explain further, it said, "apayim (face)" - one fitting to be received with a joyful face. But the Lord had closed her womb: So she did not give birth and she was distressed. And that is why he showed her extra love, to mitigate her pain.

רד״קRadak

ולחנה יתן. כמו נתן כמו אז יבנה יהושע אז יבדיל משה והדומים להם: מנה אחת אפים. מנה אחת נכבדת להשיב אפה וכעסה וכן ארך אפים ארך כעס ויונתן תרגם חולק חד בחיר ר"ל מנה הראויה להתקבל בסבר פנים יפות, ובדרש מהו אפים בנפילת אפים בסבר פנים יפות אפים כנגד פנינה וילדיה ואדוני אבי ז"ל פי' אפים כעס כלומר בכעס היה נותן לה מנה אחת לבד לפי שהש"י סגר את רחמה ולא היו לה בנים שיתן לה מנות כמו לבני פנינה היה לו כעס ועצב בזה לפי שהיה אוהב חנה והיה מתאוה להיות לו ממנה בנים: וה' סגר את רחמה. תרגם יונתן מן קדם ה' איתמנע לה ולד:

But to Hannah he would give (lit., he will give): It is like, he gave - like (other examples of the future tense indicating the past), "Then Yehoshua will build" (Joshua 8:30); "Then Moshe will separate" (Deuteronomy 4:41). One portion, apayim (face)": One distinguished portion to assuage her rage and her anger. And likewise, "long of face (arekh apayim)," is long to anger. And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "a choice portion" - meaning to say, a portion fitting to be received with a joyful face. And in the homiletical teachings: What is "face?" For the falling of the face, with a pleasant face. Face corresponding to Peninah and her children. But my master, my father, may his memory be blessed, explained apayim as anger. That is to say, he would give her only one portion in anger, because God, may He be blessed, sealed her womb, and she did not have children for him to give portions to her, like with the children of Peninah. He was angry and sad about this, since he loved Channah and desired to have children from her. But the Lord had closed her womb: Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "She was prevented from having a child before God. "

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וְכִעֲסַ֤תָּה צָרָתָהּ֙ גַּם־כַּ֔עַס בַּעֲב֖וּר הַרְּעִמָ֑הּ כִּֽי־סָגַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד רַחְמָֽהּ׃

English:

Moreover, her rival, to make her miserable, would taunt her that GOD had closed her womb.

Peninnah deliberately provokes Hannah about her barrenness, asking mocking questions about buying clothes for children she does not have. The Talmud (Bava Batra 16a) controversially suggests Peninnah had good intentions -- to drive Hannah to pray more fervently.

רש״יRashi

צָרָתָהּ. אֵשֶׁת בַּעְלָהּ, פְּנִנָּה: גַּם כַּעַס. כַּעַס אַחַר כַּעַס, תָּמִיד, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ׳גַּם כַּעַס׳, הָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת לָהּ: כְּלוּם קָנִית הַיּוֹם מַעֲפוֹרֶת לִבְּנֵךְ גָּדוֹל, אוֹ חָלוּק לִבְּנֵךְ קָטָן: בַּעֲבוּר הַרְעִמָהּ. שֶׁתִּתְאוֹנֵן, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (בבא בתרא טז.): בַּעֲבוּר הַרְעִימָהּ, שֶׁתִּתְפַּלֵּל, וְלְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם נִתְכַּוְּנָה: בְּעַד רַחְמָהּ. כְּנֶגֶד רַחְמָהּ, וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן ׳בְּעַד׳:

Her rival. Her husband's other wife, Penina. Frequently anger. Anger after anger, i.e., always.' Therefore it is written 'also [גֵם] anger.' She would say to her, "Did you buy your older son a cloak today, or your younger son, a shirt?" In order that she should complain. In order to make her complain. Our Rabbis explain, 'in order to make her storm,' that she pray. Penina had good intentions.11 Maseches Bava Basra 16a. Her womb. Lit., opposite her womb, and so is every expression of the word .12See Rashi, Bereishis 7:16.בְּעַד

מצודת דודMetzudat David

וכעסתה צרתה. פנינה צרתה, היתה מכעסת אותה, בדברים: גם כעס. רוצה לומר: וחוזרת ומכעסת פעמים רבות: בעבור הרעימה. בכדי שתהיה חנה זעופה וקצופה: כי ה׳ סגר רחמה. רוצה לומר: ובזה היה מקום לפנינה להכעיסה, וכמו שאמרו רבותינו ז״ל (ילקוט שמעוני רמז עז): שאמרה לה בדרך לעג, כלום קנית מעפורת לבנך הגדול, או חלוק לבנך הקטן והיא גם היא נפשה מרה לה בעבור עקרותה, ונוח הדבר להכעיסה:

And her rival would anger her: Peninah, her rival wife, would anger her with words. Very much anger: Meaning to say, she would repeat it and anger [her] often. So that she should complain: In order that Channah would be furious and fume. Because the Lord had shut up her womb: Meaning to say, and there was room for Peninah to anger her with this. And it is like our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said, "She said to her mockingly, 'Did you buy your older son a cloak today, or your younger son, a shirt?'" And she was bitter-spirited as well on account of her barrenness, and the matter would easily anger her.

רד״קRadak

צרתה. פנינה שהיתה צרה לה וכן כל שתי נשים לאיש אחד נקראות צרות לפי שהן אויבות זו לזו ברוב וכן במשנה פוטרות צרותיהן: גם כעס. כעס אחר כעס היתה אומרת לה דברים של כעס לפי שלא היו לה בנים, ובדרש מכעסת וחוזרת ומכעסת מה היתה אומרת לה זבנת לבריך רבה סודר או לתניינא חלוק: בעבור הרעימה. מן רעמו פנים ענין זעף ורי"ש הרעימה דגושה שלא כמשפט ובא כן לחזק קריאת הרי"ש כמו קוף ונתקנוהו מן העיר וזולתו מן הדגושים לתפארת הקריאה וי"ת הרעימ' לאקניות' כלומר שתהא לה קנאה ממנה היתה אומרת בפניה דברים של גידולי בנים וכיוצא בהם כדי שתהא לה קנאה ויכאב לבה: בעד רחמה. על רחמה כמו בעד השלח יפולו וכפר בעדו:

Her rival (tzarah): Peninah, who was a tribulation (tzarah) to her. And likewise, all two wives [married] to the same man are called tribulations (tzarot), since they are generally each other's enemies. And likewise in the Mishnah (Yevamot 1), "exempt their tzarot." Very much anger: One anger after another. She would say things [that cause] anger, since she did not have children. And in the homiletical teachings: She would anger [her] and anger [her] again. What would she say to her? "Did you buy your older son a cloak today, or your younger son, a shirt?" So that she should harraeim: From [the same usage as] (Ezekiel 27:35), "raamu panim (contorted [their] faces)." And the [letter], reish, in harraeimah is accented, against the rules, to strengthen the reading - as with the kof in (Judges 20:13), "netakkenhu (we shall draw them) from the city," and others that are accented for the beauty of the reading. And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, harraeimah, as "to make her jealous." Meaning to say, in order that she would be jealous, she would say things about childraising in front of her and that which is similar, so that she would be jealous and her heart would ache. Before (be'ad) her womb: Upon her womb, like (Joel 2:8), "before they fell before (be'ad) the loopholes"; (Leviticus 16:6), "and atoned before (be'ad) him" (in both of these cases, be'ad means, upon).

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וְכֵ֨ן יַעֲשֶׂ֜ה שָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֗ה מִדֵּ֤י עֲלֹתָהּ֙ בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה כֵּ֖ן תַּכְעִסֶ֑נָּה וַתִּבְכֶּ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תֹאכַֽל׃

English:

This happeneddThis happened Lit. “Thus he did.” year after year: Every time she went up to the House of GOD, the other would taunt her, so that she wept and would not eat.

The cycle of suffering repeats annually: Elkanah shows Hannah love through his portion, Peninnah responds with intensified taunting, and Hannah is reduced to weeping and refusing food. Rashi explains that the greater Elkanah's affection, the more Peninnah provoked her.

רש״יRashi

וְכֵן יַעֲשֶׂה. אֶלְקָנָה: שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה. נוֹתֵן לָהּ חֵלֶק מוּבְחָר, לְהַרְאוֹתָהּ שֶׁמְּחַבְּבָהּ. וְצָרָתָהּ, לְפִי חִבָּה שֶׁבַּעְלָהּ מַרְאֶה לָהּ, כֵּן תַּרְבֶּה גַּם הִיא לְהַכְעִיסָהּ:

He would do this. Elkonoh. Year after year. He would give her a choice portion to demonstrate to her that he loved her; and her rival, according to the affection which her husband demonstrated to her, would anger her more and more.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

וכן יעשה. כן עשה אלקנה בכל שנה, לתת לחנה מנה אחת אפים: כן תכעיסנה. כמו וכן תכעיסנה, ורוצה לומר: הוא עשה את שלו להראות לה חיבה, וכן פנינה עשתה את שלה: ותבכה. בכל עת בואה אל שילה, בכתה מרוב התוגה, ובעבור זה נמנע ממנה תאות האכילה:

And as he would do this: Elkanah would do this each year, to give Channah a choice portion. So she would anger her: Like, so she would anger her (the spelling of the word could also be read as, "So would she get angry.") And it is meaning to say, he would do his [part] to show love to her, and Peninah would likewise do her [part, to anger her]. And she wept: Every time they would come to Shiloh, she would cry from the great grief. And because of that, she was prevented from having the desire to eat.

רד״קRadak

וכן יעשה. אלקנה היה עושה כן שנה בשנה לעלות בית ה' עם ביתו ופנינה ג"כ היתה מכעיסה חנה בכל פעם מדי עלותה בית ה' כי בדבר המנות היתה מכעסת אותה שהיו לה ולבניה מנות ולחנה לא היתה אלא מנה אחת לפי שלא היו לה בנים שיקחו מנות:

And as he would do this: Elkanah would do this every year, to go up to the House of the Lord with his household. And Peninah would also anger Channah each time when she would go up to the House of the Lord, since she would anger her about the matter of the portions - that there were portions for her and her children, whereas Channah only had one portion since she did not have children who would take portions.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָ֜הּ אֶלְקָנָ֣ה אִישָׁ֗הּ חַנָּה֙ לָ֣מֶה תִבְכִּ֗י וְלָ֙מֶה֙ לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְלִ֔י וְלָ֖מֶה יֵרַ֣ע לְבָבֵ֑ךְ הֲל֤וֹא אָֽנֹכִי֙ ט֣וֹב לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲשָׂרָ֖ה בָּנִֽים׃

English:

Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why aren’t you eating? Why are you so sad? Am I not more devoted to you than ten sons?”

Elkanah tries to comfort Hannah with three questions and an expression of devotion. Radak debates whether 'ten sons' refers literally to Peninnah's children or is a figurative expression of great love. Despite good intentions, his words reveal he cannot fully understand her pain.

רש״יRashi

אָנֹכִי טוֹב לָךְ. מְחַבְּבָךְ: מֵעֲשָׂרָה בָנִים. שֶׁיָּלְדָה לִי פְּנִנָּה:

Am I not better to you. Don't I love you more dearly. Than ten sons. That Penina has borne to me.13Others interpret that Elkonoh did not mean literally ten sons and with reference to Penina, but rather he was expressing his love to Chana and happened to pick that number , as we find the same number in Vayikra 26:26.—Radak

מצודת דודMetzudat David

ולמה ירע לבבך. למה יהיה לבבך נשבר מתוגיון חסרון בנים: הלא אנכי. תרגם יונתן: הלא רעותי. רצה לומר: הלא רצוני אליך ואהבתי לך, טובה היא לך מאלו ילדת עשרה בנים:

And why is your heart grieved: Why should your heart be broken from grieving for the lack of children? Am I not: Yonatan [ben Uzziel] translated [it as], "Is not my wish" - meaning to say, "Is not my wish towards you and my love for you better to you than if you had given birth to ten sons?"

רד״קRadak

הלא אנכי. כתרגומו הלא רעותי טבא ליך כלומר רצוני אליך ואהבתי אותך טוב לך מעשרה בנים וי"מ אנכי טוב לך יותר ממה שאני טוב לעשרה בנים שיש לי מפנינה כלומר יותר אני אוהב אותך ממה שאני אוהב את בני ואמרו כי עשרה בנים היו לפנינה ולפירושנו יהיה טעם עשרה דרך כלל חשבון כמו ואפו עשר נשים מעשרה שליטים שבע כחטאתיכם שבע יפול צדיק והדומים להם:

Am I not: It is like the Targum [Yonatan], "Is not my wish better to you" - meaning to say, "Is not my wish towards you and my love for you better to you than ten sons?" But some explain, "Am I not better to you than I am to the ten sons I have from Peninah" - meaning to say, I love you more than I love my sons. And he said this because Peninah had ten sons. But according to our explanation, the reason for [the word], "ten," is by way of a general (figurative) count - as in (Leviticus 26:26), "and ten women will bake"; "than ten rulers" (Ecclesiastes 7:19); "seven times like your sins" (Leviticus 26:21); "seven times does a righteous one fall" (Proverbs 24:16); and that which is similar to them.

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַתָּ֣קׇם חַנָּ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֛י אׇכְלָ֥הֿ בְשִׁלֹ֖ה וְאַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁתֹ֑ה וְעֵלִ֣י הַכֹּהֵ֗ן יֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־הַכִּסֵּ֔א עַל־מְזוּזַ֖ת הֵיכַ֥ל יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose.erose Septuagint adds “and stood before GOD.”—The priest Eli was sitting on the seat near the doorpost of the temple of GOD.—

Hannah rises after the meal to pray at the Tabernacle. Rashi notes that this was the day Eli was first appointed judge over Israel, sitting on a large seat by the doorpost. The Talmud derives from this scene that prayer should follow a settled state of mind.

רש״יRashi

אָכְלָה בְשִׁלֹה. לֹא מַפִּיק ה״א, וְהָאַלֶ״ף חֲטַף קָמַ״ץ, וְהוּא כְּמוֹ: אַחֲרֵי אָכֹל בְּשִׁלֹה וְאַחֲרֵי שָׁתֹה. וְהַלָּשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל בֵּין לְזָכָר בֵּין לִנְקֵבָה, אַחֲרֵי אָכְלָה, לְשׁוֹן פָּעוּל, כְּמוֹ לְאָכְלָה, לְשׁוֹן לִפְעוֹל: וְעֵלִי הַכֹּהֵן יֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא. אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם יָשַׁב עַל כִּסֵּא גָּדוֹל, שֶׁנִּתְמַנָּה שׁוֹפֵט (ובילקוט שמעוני: כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל) עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל: עַל מְזוּזַת. כְּמוֹ: אֵצֶל מְזוּזַת:

Eating in Shilo. The 'ה' is not dotted and the 'א' is voweled with a short kametz and its [meaning is] 'after eating in Shilo and after drinking,'14Eili therefore suspected that she was drunk because prayer usually takes place before eating or drinking—Da’as Sofrim. and this expression is properly used both for masculine and feminine. After אָכְלָה is a gerund. It is constructed like ,15Vayikra 25:6.לְאָכְלָה an expression equivalent to an infinitive [i.e., לֶאֶכוֹל]. And Eili the kohen was sitting on the chair. On that day he was seated on a large chair,16The defective spelling of ישֵׁב [instead of יוֹשֵׁב] indicates that he just recently sat down because he was a newly appointed judge. See Rashi Bereishis 19:1. for he was appointed Judge over Yisroel. Near the doorpost. [Lit. on the doorpost] meaning near the doorpost.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

ותקם חנה. ללכת אל בית ה׳: אחרי אכלה. עם שנאמר למעלה ותבכה ולא תאכל, מכל מקום אכלה מעט להחיות את הנפש:

Channah rose to go to the House of the Lord. After eating: Even if it is stated above (I Samuel 1:7), "and she wept and would not eat," she nevertheless ate a little to keep herself alive.

רד״קRadak

אכלה. מקור בתוספת ה"א ואין הה"א לנקבה כי איננה מפיק וכן שתה מקור ופירוש אחרי שאכלו ושתו ואפשר כי חנה גם כן אכלה אף על פי שאמר ותבכה ולא תאכל אפשר כי אחר שאמר לה בעלה ולמה לא תאכלי ופצר בה אכלה מעט ובעל הדרש אמר שתה ולא שתתה לא דקדק: ועלי הכהן ישב על הכסא על מזוזת היכל ה'. פירוש סמוך למזוזות כי המזוזות הם לחיי השערים לא המפתן וכן ועליו מטה מנשה סמוך לו וזבחת עליו סמוך לו וכת"י בסטר סיפא דהיכלא דה' ויש מרבותינו ז"ל שאמרו כי אין ישיבה בעזרה אפי' למלכי בית דוד אלא לכהן גדול שנאמר ועלי הכהן יושב על הכסא על מזוזת אבל ויבא דוד וישב לפני ה' פירשוהו שישב עצמו לתפלה ודרשו רבותינו ישב שהוא חסר וי"ו ואמרו ישב כתיב מלמד שבאותו היום מינוהו כהן גדול:

Eating (Achlah): It is the infinitive with the addition of a hey; but the hey is not for the feminine, as it is not dotted (mapik). And likewise, drinking (shatah) is the infinitive. So its explanation is that they ate and they drank. But it is possible that Channah also ate. Even though it stated (I Shmuel 1:7), "and she wept and would not eat," it is possible that after her husband said to her, "But why don't you eat," and pleaded with her, she ate a little. And a master of homiletical teachings said (Ketuvot 65a), "'He drank (shatah),' but she did not drink (shatatah). But he was not exact. And Eli the priest was sitting on the seat upon (al) the doorpost of (mezuzat) the chamber of the Lord: The explanation [of, "upon,"] is close to the doorposts. For the doorposts (mezuzat) are the sides of the gates, not the lintel. And likewise (Numbers 2:20), "And upon it, the tribe of Menashe," is, close to it; "and sacrifice upon it" (Exodus 20:21), is, close to it. And likewise did Yonatan translate it [in the Targum] as, "at the side of the gate of the chamber of the Lord." And there are some of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, who said that not even the kings of the House of David may sit in the [Temple] courtyard - only the high priest - as it is stated, "And Eli the priest was sitting on the seat upon (al) the doorpost." And the explanation of, "And [...] David came and sat before the Lord," is that he sat himself down to pray [elsewhere]. And our Rabbis expounded (Seder Olam 13) - sitting (yoshev) is lacking a [letter,] vav (making the default reading, yashav, in the past). So they said, it is written, "he sat" - teaching that they appointed him high priest that day.

פסוק י״ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וְהִ֖יא מָ֣רַת נָ֑פֶשׁ וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל עַל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וּבָכֹ֥ה תִבְכֶּֽה׃

English:

In her wretchedness, she prayed to GOD, weeping all the while.

Hannah's prayer emerges from the depths of anguish -- she is described as 'bitter of soul.' The phrase 'prayed to God' (al Hashem) rather than the usual 'el Hashem' suggests she prayed with extraordinary intensity, directing her words upon God's mercy.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

והיא מרת נפש. בבואה להתפלל, היתה נפשה מרה לה במאוד:

And she was bitter in spirit: When she came to pray, her spirit was very bitter.

רד״קRadak

ותתפלל על ה'. כמו אל ה' וכן ונתן הספר על יודע ספר כמו אל יודע ספר על שפן כמו אל שפן:

So she prayed upon (al) the Lord: It is like, to (el) the Lord. Likewise (Isaiah 29:11-12), "And he gave the book upon someone who [...] knows books," is like, to someone; (II Kings 22:8) "upon Shafan," is like to Shafan.

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַתִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר וַתֹּאמַ֗ר יְהֹוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אִם־רָאֹ֥ה תִרְאֶ֣ה ׀ בׇּעֳנִ֣י אֲמָתֶ֗ךָ וּזְכַרְתַּ֙נִי֙ וְלֹא־תִשְׁכַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְנָתַתָּ֥ה לַאֲמָתְךָ֖ זֶ֣רַע אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וּנְתַתִּ֤יו לַֽיהֹוָה֙ כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו וּמוֹרָ֖ה לֹא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

English:

And she made this vow: “O GOD of Hosts, if You will look upon the suffering of Your maidservant and will remember me and not forget Your maidservant, and if You will grant Your maidservant a child like the othersfthe others I.e., Peninah and Elkanah; cf. Josephus. have, I will dedicate it to GOD for all the days of its life; and no razor shall ever touch its head.”ga child … its head Or “a male child, I will dedicate him to GOD for all the days of his life; and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

Hannah's vow is remarkable for its structure and ambition -- she pledges to dedicate her son as a nazirite for life. The Talmud (Berakhot 31b) notes her bold use of 'Lord of Hosts,' and the triple repetition of 'Your maidservant' from which the rabbis derive laws about the structure of petition in prayer.

רש״יRashi

ה׳ צְבָאוֹת. לָמָּה נִתְיַחֵד שֵׁם זֶה כָּאן, אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שְׁנֵי צְבָאוֹת בָּרָאתָ בְּעוֹלָמְךָ. הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, לֹא פָּרִים וְלֹא רָבִים וְלֹא מֵתִים. וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, פָּרִים וְרָבִים וּמֵתִים. אִם אֲנִי מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, אֶהְיֶה פָּרָה וְרָבָה וּמֵתָה, וְאִם אֲנִי מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, לֹא אָמוּת. זוֹ מָצָאתִי בְּאַגָּדָה שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי (פסיקתא רבתי). וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ בְּמַסֶּכֶת בְּרָכוֹת (לא:) מַה שֶּׁדָּרְשׁוּ: עַד הֵנָּה לֹא הָיָה אָדָם שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ לְהַקָּבָּ״ה ׳צְבָאוֹת׳, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מִכָּל צְבָאוֹת שֶׁבָּרָאתָ בְּעוֹלָמְךָ קָשֶׁה בְּעֵינֶיךָ לִיתֵּן לִי בֵּן אֶחָד: אִם רָאֹה תִרְאֶה. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ בוֹ בְּמַסֶּכֶת בְּרָכוֹת (שם) מַה שֶּׁדָּרְשׁוּ: אֲמָתֶךָ. הָאָמוּר שָׁלוֹש פְּעָמִים בַּמִּקְרָא, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה מְצֻוָּה עֲלֵיהֶם: זֶרַע אֲנָשִׁים. ״צַדִּיקִים, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (מלכים א ב:לב): ״בִּשְׁנֵי אֲנָשִׁים צַדִּיקִים: אֲנָשִׁים. ״חֲשׁוּבִים, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים א:יג): ״אֲנָשִׁים חֲכָמִים וִידֻעִים: וּנְתַתִּיו לַה׳. שֶׁיְּהֵא רָאוּי לְתִתּוֹ לַה׳: וּמוֹרָה. ״תִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן: ״וּמָרוּת אֱנָשׁ לָא תְהֵא עֲלוֹהִי:

Adonoy of Hosts. Why was this Name designated here? She [Chana] said before Him, "Lord of the universe, You created two hosts in Your world. The heavenly beings neither multiply nor do they die; the earthly beings both multiply and die. If I am of the earthly beings, let me multiply and die, and if I am of the heavenly beings, let me not die." I found [this explanation] in the Aggadah of R. Eliezer the son of R. Yose Haglili. Our Rabbis in Maseches Berachos,17 expounded what they expounded: —Until then, there was no one person who called the Holy One, Blessed is He, [Master of] Hosts. She said thus before Him; "Lord of the universe, of all the hosts which You created in Your world, is it difficult for you to grant me one son?" If You look at. In Maseches Berachos,18Ibid. our Sages expounded what they expounded. Your maidservant. [The word 'maidservant'] is stated three times in this verse, corresponding to the three mitzvos which a woman is commanded to observe.19They are the laws of: 1. Menstruation .2 נִדָּה Separation of the dough .3 חַלָּה Kindling of the Shabbos lights [הַדְלָקַת הַנֵּר]. Male offspring. I.e., righteous men, as it is written, "Two men [אֲנָשִׁים] who were righteous."20I Melachim 2:32. Males. I.e., important men,21 See Maseches Berachos 31b. as it is written, "wise… and known men ]אֲנָשִׁים[.22Devarim 1:13. Then I will give him to Adonoy. I.e., that he be fit to be given to Adonoy. And a razor.23See Maseches Nazir 66a where the very same difference of opinion is discussed. R. Nehorai renders מוֹרָה meaning a razor as Scripture states regarding Shimshon, in Shoftim 13:5, “the razor [מוֹרָה] must not be wielded on his head.” And R. Yose holds that [מוֹרָה] is a connotation referring to the fear of man. Targum Yonoson renders, "and the fear [וּמַרְוַת] of man will not be upon him."

מצודת דודMetzudat David

בעני. במה שאני מעונה בצער ותוגיון: וזכרתני ולא תשכח. כפל הדבר במלות שונות לתוספת ביאור, וכדרך המתפללים: זרע אנשים. רוצה לומר: בנים זכרים: ונתתיו לה׳. רוצה לומר: אקבל עלי בנדר, שאתן אותו לה׳: כל ימי חייו. רוצה לומר: תמיד יתבודד בעבודת ה׳: ומורה וכו׳. יהיה נזיר עד עולם, לבל יתגלח וכדין הנזיר:

Upon the affliction: Upon that which I am afflicted with pain and grief. And You will remember me and not forget: It repeated the thing with different words for further clarification and in the way of those praying. The offspring of men: Meaning to say, male children. Then I will give him to the Lord: Meaning to say, I will take it upon myself as a vow that I will give him to the Lord. All the days of his life: Meaning to say, he will always dedicate himself to the service of the Lord. And a razor, etc.: He will be a nazerite forever without shaving, and like the law of a nazerite.

רד״קRadak

ותדור נדר. אני תמה איך חל נדרה על בנה שיהיה נזיר ועוד שלא היה בעולם ואיך חל הנדר עליו ואפילו היה בעולם הרי אמרו האיש מדיר את בנו בנזיר ואין האשה מדרת את בנה בנזיר ואפילו באיש לא מצאו בו טעם אלא אמרו הלכה היא בנזיר ואם תאמר כי אלקנה עשה הנדר גם כן אחרי ששמע מאשתו זה לא ראינו והיאך הניח הפסוק לספור עיקר הנדר וכתב נדר חנה שאינו נדר זה רחוק ויותר אני תמיה איך לא דברו רבותינו ז"ל בזה הדבר כי לא מצאתי בדבריהם בזה שום דבר לא במדרש ולא בתלמוד: ה' צבאות. דרשו רבותינו ז"ל לפי שלא מצאנו עד הנה אדם שקראו ה' צבאות כי מה שאמ' למעלה לה' צבאות בשילה הוא סיפור דברים ממחבר הספר לפיכך אמרו למה נתיחד כאן בשם הזה אמרה חנה לפני הקב"ה שני צבאות בראת בעולמך העליונים לא פרים ולא רבים ולא מתים התחתונים פרים ורבים ומתים אם מן התחתונים אני אהיה פרה ורבה אם מן העליונים אני אהיה בחיים ולא אמות ועוד אמרו רבותינו ז"ל אמר רב פעמי רגלים היו עולים אמרה חנה לפני הקב"ה רבון העולמים מכל אוכלוסין שיש לפניך אין אתה פוקדני באחד מהן: אם ראה תראה. דרשו מפני הכפל ואין צריך כי כן מנהג הלשון לצרף המקור עם הפעלים כמו אם שמוע תשמעון ואמר כי לחזק הדבר הוא זה הצירוף והם ז"ל דרשו בו אם ראה מוטב ואם לאו תראה אני מקנאה לאלקנה בעלי ואני יולדת כמו שכתבת בתורתך ואם לא נטמאה האשה וטהורה היא וגו': בעני אמתך. שלשה יש בפסוק כמו אלה תולדות נח וישראל חמשה בפסוק כי כן דרך המקראות לצחות ודרשו בו אמרה חנה שלש מצות נצטותה האשה ולא עברתי על אחת מהן: וזכרתני ולא תשכח את אמתך. הכפל לחזק התפלה והבקשה וכן זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלק לא תשכח לחזק המצוה ודרשו רבותינו ז"ל וזכרתני בזכרים ולא תשכח את אמתך בנקבות: זרע אנשים. פי' זכרים ומה שאמר ומורה לא יעלה על ראשו מוכיח כי על זכרים אמרה כי לא יאמר זה על הנקבות וי"ת בר בגו בני אנשא, ובדרש זרע אנשים שלא יהו פניהם דומים לא לקוף ולא לסריס, ד"א זרע אנשים חכמים כמא דאת אמר אנשים חכמים ונבונים אנשים נביאים כד"א וישארו שני אנשים ועוד אמרו זרע ששקול כשני אנשים ומאי נינהו משה ואהרן שנא' משה ואהרן בכהניו ושמואל בקוראי שמו: ונתתיו לה'. שיהיה נזיר קדש לה' וי"ת ואמסריניה דיהא משמש קדם ה' ואם כן לדבריו מה נתנה לו חנה והלא כל הלוים לה' נתונים נוכל לפרש כי שאר הלוים היו באין לעבודת ה' מבן עשרים וחמש שנה והיא נתנה אותו לה' כל ימיו ובדרש אמרו לה לחנה למה את מבקשת זרע אנשים חכמים זרע אנשים נביאים אמרה להם שיהא ראוי לתתו לה' וזהו ונתתיו לה': ומורה. תער כמו ומורה לא יעלה על ראשו דשמשון וי"ת של שמשון ומספר ותרגם זה ומרות אנש לא תהא עלוהי ועניינו לפי דעתו כמו באל"ף ובדברי רבותינו ז"ל מחלוקת בזה ר' נהוראי אומר נזיר היה שמואל שנאמ' ומורה לא יעלה על ראשו מה מורה האמורה בשמשון נזיר אף מורה האמורה בשמואל נזיר אמר ר' יוסי אין מורה אלא של בשר ודם אמר לו ר' נהוראי והלא כתיב ושמע שאול והרגני הרי שכבר היה עליו מורא של בשר ודם אמר רב יוסף כמאן מתרגמי' ומרות אנש לא תהא עלוהי כמאן כרבי יוסי ובדרש מפ' למה נקרא תער מורה א"ר אמי לא תבא שמה יראת שמיר ושית מה הדין מורה לא מדחיל אלא מן פרזלא אף הדין שערא לא מדחיל אלא מן פרזלא:

And she made a vow: I wonder how her vow attached itself upon her son, such that he be a nazerite? Moreover, he was not in the world, so how could the vow attach itself to him? And even if he was in the world, behold they said (Sotah 3:8), "A man can vow that his son be a nazirite, but a woman cannot vow that her son be a nazirite!" And even with a man, they did not find a reason, but rather said it is a law [transmitted without explanation] in the case of a nazerite. And if you would say that Elkanah also made the vow after he heard [it] from his wife - we have not seen this! And how did the verse leave out the main vow and write the vow of Channah, which is not a [true] vow? That is remote. And I wonder [even] more how our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, did not say anything about this thing. For I did not find anything at all about this in their words, not in the Midrash and not in the Talmud. O Lord of hosts: Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, expounded - since until then, we did not find one person who called the Lord, the Lord of Hosts. For what it stated above (I Samuel 1:3), "to the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh," is the narrative from the writer of the book. Hence they said, "Why did this name come specifically here? Channah said before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'You created two hosts in Your world. The heavenly beings neither multiply nor do they die; the earthly beings multiply and die. If I am of the earthly beings, let me multiply, and if I am of the heavenly beings, let me not die." And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, also said, "Rav said, 'The steps of the pilgrims were going up. Channah said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the worlds, From all of these masses that you have before You, can you not remember me with one of them?"'" If You will surely look (lit., look, you will look): They expounded because of the doubling (of the word, look). But it is not necessary, for this is the way of the language, to join the infinitive with verbs, like (Jeremiah 17:24), "if you will surely listen (lit., listen, you will listen). And it said [it], because this combination is to strengthen the matter. And they, may their memory be blessed, expounded about it (Berakhot 31b), "If You will look, fine; but if not, You will look: I will go and have Elkanah, my husband, be jealous of me, and I will give birth, as You have written in Your Torah, (Numbers 5:28), 'But if the woman was not defiled and she is pure [... and shall bear seed].'" Upon the affliction of your maidservant: [The word, "your maidservant," appears] three times in the verse; like [Noach, in] "These are the generations of Noach" (Genesis 6:9); and Israel, five times, in the verse (Numbers 8:19). For this is the way of the Scriptures, to embellish. But they expounded about it (Pesikta Rabbati 43:1) - Channah said, "A woman is commanded with three commandments, and I have not transgressed [even] one of them." And You will remember me and not forget your maidservant: The repetition is to strengthen the prayer and the request. And likewise (Deuteronomy 25:17-18), "Remember that which Amalek did to you [...] do not forget," is to strengthen the commandment. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, expounded (Pesikta Rabbati 43:1), "'And You will remember me,' with males; 'and not forget your maidservant,' with females." The offspring of men: Its explanation is males; and that which it stated, "and a razor shall never come on his head," shows that she said it about males. For this is not said about females. And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "a son amidst people." And in the homiletical teachings: The offspring of men, that their faces not be similar to a monkey, nor to a eunuch. Another explanation - the offspring of men, wise men, as you say (Deuteronomy 1:13), "wise and understanding men"; men, prophets, as you say (Numbers 11:26), "And two men remained." And they also said, offspring that is equivalent to two men. And who were they? Moshe and Aharon, as it is stated (Psalms 99:6), "Moshe and Aharon among His priests, and Shmuel among those who call His name." Then I will give him to the Lord: That he should be a holy nazirite before the Lord. And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "and I will give him over to serve before the Lord." But if it is like his words, what did Channah give to Him; are not all Levites given to the Lord? We can [however] explain that the other Levites would come to the service of the Lord from twenty-five years old, whereas she gave him to the Lord "all his days." And in the homiletical teachings: They said to Channah, "Why are you requesting the offspring of wise men, the offspring of prophetical men?" She said to them, "So that he be suitable to give him to the Lord." And a morah: It is a razor, like (Judges 13:5), "And no razor (morah) shall come upon his head," about Shimshon. But Yonatan translated the one about Shimshon [in the Targum], "razor," and this one, "and there shall be no fear of people upon him." And its content, according to his opinion, is like it would be with an alef [at the end of the word, instead of a hey]. And there is a disagreement about this in the words of our Rabbis (Nazir 9:5): Rabbi Nehorai says, "Shmuel was a nazirite, as it is stated, 'and no morah shall come upon his head.' Just as that which is stated with regard to Shimson [means he was] a nazirite, so too morah that is stated with regard to Shmuel [means he was] a nazirite." Rabbi Yose said, "Morah means nothing other than [the fear of] flesh and blood." [Rabbi Yosef said, "Like whom do we translate, 'and there shall be no fear of people upon him?' Like whom? Like Rabbi Yose."] And in the homiletical teaching, it explains why a razor is called a morah: Rabbi Ammi said, "'The fear yiratof worm and snail will not come there' (Isaiah 7:25) - just as this stalk only fears iron, so too does this hair only fear iron."

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י הִרְבְּתָ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁמֵ֥ר אֶת־פִּֽיהָ׃

English:

As she kept on praying before GOD, Eli watched her mouth.

As Hannah continues her prolonged prayer, Eli the priest observes her mouth moving. This sets up the pivotal misunderstanding that follows, and the Talmud derives from Eli's watching that a person's prayer should be visible through lip movement.

רש״יRashi

שֹׁמֵר אֶת פִּיהָ. ״מְצַפֶּה מָתַי תַּפְסִיק, כָּךְ תִּרְגְּמוֹ יוֹנָתָן: ״וְעֵלִי אוֹרִיךְ לָהּ עַד דְּתִפְסוֹק: שֹׁמֵר. לְשׁוֹן הַמְתָּנָה, כְּמוֹ: ״שָׁמַר אֶת הַדָּבָר״ (בראשית לז:יא); ״לֹא תִשְׁמֹר עַל חַטָּאתִי״ (איוב יד:טז):

Watched her mouth. He waited for her to stop, as Targum Yonoson renders, 'and Eili waited until she stopped.' Watched. An expression of waiting, as in, "[and his father] kept the matter in mind ]שָׁמַר["24Bereishis 37:11. i.e., waited, [and similarly] "do not wait [תִשְׁמוֹר] for my sin."25Iyov 14:16.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

שומר את פיה. רוצה לומר: היה מסתכל לשמור מוצא שפתיה, לשמוע מדבריה:

Watched her mouth: Meaning to say, he would watch what came out of her lips, to hear her words.

רד״קRadak

והיה כי הרבתה. בדרש ר"ש בשם רבי חלפתא ובשם ר"מ מכאן כל המרבה בתפילה נענה מחלפא שטתיה דר"מ תמן אמר רבי אבהו בריה דרב פפי ור' יהושע דסכנין בשם דרבי לוי בשם ר' מאיר בכל עצב יהיה מותר ודבר שפתים אך למחסור חנה על ידי שהרבתה בתפלה קצרה ימיו של שמואל שנאמר וישב שם עד עולם ואין עולם של לוים אלא חמשים שנה דכתיב ומבן חמשים שנה וגו' והא אינון נ"ב אמר ר' יוסי בר בון תרתי שגמלתו: שומר את פיה. היה שומר ומעיין את פיה מה היתה זאת התפלה הארוכה לא ישמע קולה רק שפתיה נעות לפיכך היה חושב אותה שהיא שכורה ות"י שומר כמו ממתין כמו שמר את הדבר לא תשמר על חטאתי ופירוש את פיה כמו מאמרה ודבריה וכן תרגם יונתן ועלי אוריך לה עד דתפסוק:

And as she kept on: In the homiletical teachings (Talmud Yerushalmi Berakhot 4:1): Rebbi Levi said [that] Rabbi Shimon [said] in the name of Rabbi Chalafta and in the name of Rabbi Meir, "From here, [we learn that] everyone who increases his prayers will be answered." The position of Rabbi Meir is inverted. There Rabbi Abbahu, the son of Rabbi Pappai and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sakhnin in the name of Rebbi Levi say, "'In all excitement there is something superfluous; and the word of the lips is but for deficit' (Proverbs 14:23) - Hannah, because she prayed too long, reduced the years of Samuel. As it is stated (I Samuel 1:22), 'He shall dwell there forever'; and 'forever,' for a Levite is only fifty years, as it is written (Numbers 8:25), 'And from age fifty, [he should return, etc.].'" Yet he was fifty-two! Rabbi Yose bar Bun said, "[That was because of the] two [years until] she weaned him." Watched (shomer) her mouth: He watched and analyzed her mouth - what was this long prayer? He did not hear her voice, "only her lips moved." Therefore he thought her to be drunk. And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, shomer, like, await - as in (Genesis 37:11), "he shamar the thing"; (Job 14:16), "and not tishmor my sin." And the explanation of, "her mouth," is like her utterance and her speech. And likewise did Yonatan translate it as, "and he waited for her until she ceased."

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וְחַנָּ֗ה הִ֚יא מְדַבֶּ֣רֶת עַל־לִבָּ֔הּ רַ֚ק שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ נָּע֔וֹת וְקוֹלָ֖הּ לֹ֣א יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ עֵלִ֖י לְשִׁכֹּרָֽה׃

English:

Now Hannah was praying in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.

This verse is the primary source for the laws of the Amidah prayer (Berakhot 31a). Hannah innovated silent prayer -- lips moving, heart speaking, voice inaudible. Eli's mistaking devotion for drunkenness reveals the spiritual decline at Shiloh, where such prayer was unknown.

רש״יRashi

וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ עֵלִי לְשִׁכּוֹרָה. שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ רְגִילִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּלַחַשׁ:

Eili thought she was drunk. Because they were not accustomed to praying silently.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

וחנה. אבל חנה היתה מדברת על לבה, רוצה לומר: בלחש, כאלו מדברת אל לבה, ולא היה נשמע לעלי: ויחשבה עלי לשכורה. כי כן דרך השכור לנענע בשפתיו, ואין אומר ואין דברים:

And Channah: But, "Channah was praying in her heart" - meaning to say, in a whisper, as if she was speaking to her heart, so it was not audible to Eli. And he thought she was drunk: For this is the way of a drunkard to move his lips, but there is 'no speech and no words.'

רד״קRadak

מדברת על לבה. כתרגומו היא מצליא בלבה כלומר שהיתה מכוונת את לבה בתפלתה:

Spoke in her heart: It is like its translation [in Targum Yonatan], "she prayed in her heart." Meaning to say, she concentrated [with] her heart in prayer.

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ עֵלִ֔י עַד־מָתַ֖י תִּשְׁתַּ��ָּרִ֑ין הָסִ֥ירִי אֶת־יֵינֵ֖ךְ מֵעָלָֽיִךְ׃

English:

Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Sober up!”hSober up Lit. “Remove your wine from you.”

Eli rebukes Hannah harshly, demanding she remove her wine. The commentators note the irony -- the high priest who should recognize sincere prayer instead assumes the worst. Rashi points out this was a sharp accusation for a woman praying at the Tabernacle.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

תשתכרין. תראי בעצמך את השכרות זה זמן מרובה, ועד מתי: הסירי את יינך. אם שתית יין הרבה, עסקי להסיר שכרות היין בשינה וכדומה:

Will you be drunk: Will you show yourself to be drunk a long time; and until when? Remove your wine: If you drank much wine, do something to remove the drunkenness of the wine, through sleep and that which is similar.

רד״קRadak

עד מתי תשתכרין. עד מתי תראי עצמך כאילו את שכורה שאת מתנועעת בשפתי פיך ואין דבריך נשמעין: הסירי את יינך. והתפקחי כי את נראת כשכורה ואין את עושה כשאר המתפללין שאומרים בקשתם בדרך שתוכל לשמוע ואף ע"פ שלפעמים המתפלל אומר דבריו בחשאי קצת אפי' הכי צועק ומתפלל במקצת דבריו גם כן ואת הרבית כל כך להתפלל ולא נשמע קולך ומתוך זה נר' כי שכורה את וי"ת עד אימתי את משתטיא הלא תפיגין ית חמריך מניך:

Will you be drunk: Until when will you show yourself as if you were drunk; since you move the lips of your mouth, but your words are not heard. Remove your wine: And sober up, since you appear like a drunkard and you do not act like other people who pray, who say their requests in a way that you can hear. And even though sometimes someone who prays says his words a little secretly, nevertheless he also yells out and prays some of his words. But you proceeded to pray so much, yet your voice was not heard. And from this, it appears that you are drunk. And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "Until when will you act foolishly; will you not temper the wine from yourself?"

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַתַּ֨עַן חַנָּ֤ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲדֹנִ֔י אִשָּׁ֤ה קְשַׁת־ר֙וּחַ֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שָׁתִ֑יתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

And Hannah replied, “Oh no, my lord! I am a very unhappy woman. I have drunk no wine or other strong drink, but I have been pouring out my heart to GOD.

Hannah's dignified response corrects Eli without disrespect, calling herself 'hard of spirit' rather than drunk. The Talmud (Berakhot 31b) derives from her reply that one who is wrongly suspected must inform the accuser of the truth.

רש״יRashi

לֹא אֲדֹנִי. לֹא אָדוֹן אַתָּה בְּדָבָר הַזֶּה, גִּלִּיתָ בְּעַצְמְךָ שֶׁאֵין רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שׁוֹרָה עָלֶיךָ שֶׁתֵּדַע שֶׁאֵינִי שִׁכּוֹרַת יַיִן:

No, my lord. You are not master in this matter. You have revealed that the Holy Spirit is not resting upon you, otherwise you would have known that I am not intoxicated from wine.26Maseches Berachos 31b.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

לא אדני. רוצה לומר: אתה אדוני, לא כן הדבר, אבל אני אשה קשת רוח, רוצה לומר: מצרה ודאגה, ומדעת באתי הנה להתפלל, ולא מבלי דעת כשכור, כי יין ושכר לא שתיתי: ואשפוך וכו׳. רוצה לומר: ואל תתמה על מה זה שפתי נעות וקולי לא ישמע, כי הלא לפני ה׳ אשפוך נפשי, ומה לי להרים קול להשמיע לזולת:

No, my lord: Meaning to say - you, my lord, the matter is not like this. Rather, "I am a woman of troubled spirit," meaning to say, distressed and worried. But I have come here knowingly to pray; and not without intention like a drunkard. For "I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink." But I have been pouring out, etc.: Meaning to say, and do not wonder about that which my lips move but my voice is not heard. For is it not that it is before the Lord that I have been pouring out my soul? So why should I raise my voice to make it heard to another?

רד״קRadak

לא אדני. אינני שכורה כמו שתחשוב אלא אשה קשת רוח אנכי רוחי קשה עלי מרוב צרתי וסמיכות קשת רוח כסמיכות נובלת עליה מגלחי זקן קרועי בגדים והדומים להם: ויין ושכר. כתרגומו חמר חדת ועתיק וכן אומר בדרש יין זה חדש שכר זה ישן ויתכן לפרש שכר הנעשה מהפירות: ואשפוך את נפשי. ברוב התפלה כאילו שפכה נפשה כמו שפכו לפניו לבבכם וי"ת ואמרית עולבן נפשי בצלו קדם ה':

No, my lord: I am not drunk, as you think. Rather, "I am a woman of a troubled spirit" - my spirit is troubled about me, from my great distress. And the construct form (smikhut) [of, "a troubled spirit"] is like, "of fallen leaves" (Isaiah 1:30); "of shaven beards" (Jeremiah 41:5); of torn clothes" (II Samuel 13:31). Wine nor strong drink: It is like its translation [in Targum Yonatan], "new wine and old." And likewise is it said in the homiletical teachings - wine is new and strong drink (shekhar) is old [wine]. But it is likely to be explained, shekhar is that which is made from [other] fruits. But I have been pouring out my soul with much prayer. It was as if she poured out her soul - like (Psalms 62:9), "they poured their hearts before Him." And Yonatan translated it as, "and she said, 'My soul is humbled in prayer before the Lord.'"

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

אַל־תִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ לִפְנֵ֖י בַּת־בְּלִיָּ֑עַל כִּֽי־מֵרֹ֥ב שִׂיחִ֛י וְכַעְסִ֖י דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי עַד־הֵֽנָּה׃

English:

Do not take your maidservant for a worthless woman; I have only been speaking all this time out of my great anguish and distress.”

Hannah explains that her extended prayer came from overwhelming grief, not worthlessness. The term 'daughter of Belial' (worthless woman) is strong language, and her willingness to use it shows both her emotional state and her insistence on being taken seriously.

רש״יRashi

אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת אֲמָתְךָ. כְּלַפֵּי שֶׁאָמְרָה לוֹ דָּבָר קָשֶׁה, חָזְרָה וּפִיְּסָתוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְּנֶנָּה הֶפְקֵר וּבִזָּיוֹן לִפְנֵי צָרָתָהּ בַּת בְּלִיַּעַל: כִּי מֵרֹב שִׂיחִי. דִּבַּרְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ קוֹשִׁי: שִׂיחִי. יֵשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן אֲנִינוּת לֵב. דָּבָר אַחֵר: מֵרֹב שִׂיחִי; ״כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ: ״אֲרֵי מִסְגֵי אַקְנָיוּתִי וְאַרְגָּזְוָתִי אוֹרֵיכִית בִּצְלוֹ עַד כְּעַן: וְכַעְסִי. שֶׁצָּרָתִי מַכְעֶסֶת אוֹתִי: אַל תִּתֵּן. לְשׁוֹן מְסִירָה, כְּמוֹ: ״אַל תִּתְּנֵנִי בְּנֶפֶשׁ צָרָי״ (תהלים כז:יב):

Do not deliver your maidservant. Because she had spoken harshly to him, she tried to appease him, so that he deliver her not, unprotected and disgraced, to her rival, the wicked woman. For it is out of much grievance. That I have spoken harshly to you. Grievance. In some instances, it [שִֹיחִי] is an expression of heartache. Another explanation of מֵרֹב שִֹיחִי, according to Targum, "because of much provocation and anger, I have prolonged my prayer until now." And anger. My rival angers me. Do not deliver. An expression of giving over, as in, "'Do not deliver me to the will of my tormentors."27Tehillim 27:12.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

אל תתן. אל תחשבני לבת בליעל לבוא שכורה לבית ה׳, כלומר, אם האמת כדבריך, מה לי להאריך בתפלה כל כך: כי מרוב שיכי וכעסי. כי בעבור רוב ספור התלאות והכעס אשר פנינה מכעסת אותי, דברתי לפני ה׳ עד הנה, היות רבים הם:

Do not take: Do not think of me as an unbridled woman, to come drunk to the House of the Lord. Meaning to say, if the truth is like your words, why should I prolong my words so much in prayer? For it is out of the greatness of my grievance and my anger: For it is due to the greatness of the telling of the troubles and the anger with which Peninah angered me that I spoke in front of the Lord until now, as they are great.

רד״קRadak

לפני בת בליעל. לפני ה' כבת בליעל כלומר אל תחשוב שאעמוד שכורה לפני ה' ית' כבת רשע וי"ת לא תכלים ית אמתך קדם בת רשיעא נראה מדבריו כי בת בליעל אמרה על פנינה צרתה ואמרה לו לא תכלימני בפניה כי היא תשמח לאידי והיא מכעיסה אותי, ופירוש אל תתן אל תתנני בזה הדבר הרע אל תכלימני בו לפני זאת האשה בת בליעל ונכון הוא הפירוש: כי מרוב שיחי וכעסי. כתרגומו ארי מסגי אקניותי וארגיזותי אורכית בצלו עד כען, כלומר מרוב שיש לי לשוח לפני האל הקנאות שמקנאה אותי צרתי ומכעיסה אותי דברתי לפני ה' ית' עד הנה:

As (lit., before) an unbridled woman: Before the Lord, as an unbridled woman. Meaning to say, do not think that I would stand drunk like an evil woman in front of the Lord, may He be blessed. And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "Do not embarrass your maidservant before an evil woman." It appears from his words that she said, "unbridled woman," about Peninah, her rival. So she said to him, "Do not embarrass me in front of her, for she will rejoice at my misfortune, and she angers me." And the understanding of, "Do not place," is do not place me in this bad thing - do not embarrass me with it in front of this woman that is unbridled. And this explanation is correct. For it is out of the greatness of my grievance and my anger: It is like its translation [in Targum Yonatan], "because of the abundance of my provocations and my anger did I prolong my prayer until now." Meaning to say, it is from the abundance that I have to speak before God [of] provocations that my rival provokes and angers me that I spoke in front of the Lord, may He be blessed, until now.

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֧עַן עֵלִ֛י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְכִ֣י לְשָׁל֑וֹם וֵאלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל יִתֵּן֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣לָתֵ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖לְתְּ מֵעִמּֽוֹ׃

English:

“Then go in peace,” said Eli, “and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked.”

Eli's response transforms from rebuke to blessing -- he invokes God to grant her petition. The Talmud discusses whether this constituted a prophetic statement or simply a priestly blessing, and whether Eli understood what she had actually requested.

רש״יRashi

אֶת שֵׁלָתֵךְ. חָסֵר א׳, לִדְרוֹשׁ בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן בָּנִים, כְּמוֹ: ״וּבְשִׁלְיָתָהּ הַיּוֹצֵאת וְגוֹ׳״ (דברים כח:כז): יִתֵּן אֶת שֵׁלָתֵךְ. בִּשְּׂרָהּ שֶׁנִּתְקַבְּלָה תְפִלָּתָהּ:

Your request. The א is missing, to infer [שֵׁלָתֵךְ] an expression of children,28Others render שֵׁלָתֵך as being derived from שָׁלָל [=plunder], meaning that her soon to be born son will “take of the goods [שָׁלָל of the Torah,” i.e., he will gain much knowledge and understanding of the Torah.—Radak as in, "and her young [וּבְשִׁלְיָתָהּ] who emerges from…."29Devarim 28:57. Will grant the request. He foretold to her that her prayer had been accepted.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

יתן את שלתך. ימלא את בקשתך, ובדרך תפלה אמר:

He grant what you have asked: Fulfill your request. And he said [this] in the way of a prayer.

רד״קRadak

יתן ה' את שלתך. חסר האל"ף והוטלה תנועתה על השי"ן כי משפטו שאלתך ופי' דרך תפלה או אמר לה כך דרך נבואה כי נביא היה ואמר לה לכי לשלום כי אלהי ישראל יתן את שאלתך לפיכך הטיבה את לבה ואכלה כי קותה לדברי הנביא ואמרה לו תמצא שפחתך חן בעיניך על דרך אמצא חן בעיני אדוני כי נחמתני ולפי' הראשון יהיה פי' תמצא שפחתך חן בעיניך שתתפלל עלי עוד ולפיכך הטיבה את לבה ואכלה כי חשבה כי תפלת עלי תועיל לה, ובדרש נראה כי דרך נבואה אמר לה לכי לשלום אמר לה הדין שלמא מן דידי ברם שלמיך מן ברייך: ואלהי ישראל יתן את שלתך. שלתך כתיב אמר לה הבן הזה שאתה עתידה להעמיד הרבה שלל עתיד הוא לשלול מן התורה:

May [the Lord] grant what you have asked: The [letter,] alef is missing (in shelatekh) and its movement is placed upon the shin. As its rule (it usual spelling) is [with an alef]. And its explanation is that it is in the way of a prayer. Or he said it in the way of prophecy, for he was a prophet. So he said to her, "Go in peace," because "the Lord of Israel will grant you what you asked." Hence her heart was gladdened and she ate, for she hoped [about the fulfillment of] the words of the prophet. And she said, "May your maidservant find favor in your eyes" - in the way of (Ruth 2:13), "May I find favor in the eyes of my master, since you have comforted me." But according to the first explanation, the explanation would be, may your maidservant find favor in your eyes, that you should still pray more for me. And hence her heart was gladdened and she ate, since she thought that Eli's prayer would be effective for her. And in the homiletical teachings, it appears that he spoke in the way of prophecy: He said to her, "Go in peace" - he said to her, "This peace is from me; however your peace is from your children." And may the God of Israel grant what you have asked (shelatekh): It is written, shaltekh - he said to her, "This son that you will establish in the future will capture much booty (lishlol harbeh shelal) from the Torah.

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַתֹּ֕אמֶר תִּמְצָ֧א שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֨לֶךְ הָאִשָּׁ֤ה לְדַרְכָּהּ֙ וַתֹּאכַ֔ל וּפָנֶ֥יהָ לֹא־הָֽיוּ־לָ֖הּ עֽוֹד׃

English:

She answered, “You are most kind to your handmaid.” So the woman left, and she ate, and was no longer downcast.

The immediate transformation in Hannah is striking -- she eats and her face is no longer sad. The commentators explain that Eli's blessing gave her confidence that her prayer was accepted, demonstrating the power of a priestly blessing to provide certainty and peace of mind.

רש״יRashi

תִּמְצָא שִׁפְחָתְךָ חֵן. לְבַקֵּשׁ עָלֶיהָ רַחֲמִים: וּפָנֶיהָ לֹא הָיוּ לָהּ. פָּנִים שֶׁל זַעַם:

May your maidservant find favor. To beg for compassion on her behalf. And no longer had the [sad] look on her face. Meaning the face of anger.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

תמצא. רוצה לומר: הנה מצאתי חן בעיניך, כי מה שבקשת עלי רחמים, יחשב לי למציאות חן, והחזיקה לו טובה בדבריה: ותאכל. מעתה אכלה כל צרכה, ולא היה לה עוד הזעם שהיה לה מאז, כי בטחה בתפלת עלי:

May she find: Meaning to say, behold I have found favor in your eyes. For I consider that which you requested mercy upon me, to be finding favor. So she showed thankfulness with her words. And she ate: From now on, she ate all she needed and she no longer had the fury that she had for a long time. For she trusted in Eli's prayer.

רד״קRadak

לדרכה. הלכה לה לביתה ואכלה נראה שלא אכלה עם בעלה או אפשר כי אכלה מעט בהפצר בעלה ועכשיו הטיבה את לבה ואכלה, ובדרש מהו לדרכה שפירסה נדה כמו כי דרך נשים לי: ופניה. פניה הרעים לא היו לה עוד וכת"י ואפין בישין:

On her way: She went to her home and ate. It appears that she had not eaten with her husband; or it is possible that she ate a little when her husband had pleaded. But now her heart was gladdened and she ate. And in the homiletical teachings: What is, "on her way" - that she began to menstruate, like (Genesis 31:35), "since the way of women is with me." And her face: She no longer had a [long] face. And likewise did Yonatan translate [in the Targum], "and a bad face."

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ בַבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיָּשֻׁ֛בוּ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־בֵּיתָ֖ם הָרָמָ֑תָה וַיֵּ֤דַע אֶלְקָנָה֙ א��ת־חַנָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַֽיִּזְכְּרֶ֖הָ יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

Early next morning they bowed low before GOD, and they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah knewiknew Cf. note at Gen. 4.1. his wife Hannah and GOD remembered her.

The family returns home to Ramah after morning worship. The phrase 'God remembered her' echoes the language used for Rachel (Genesis 30:22) and signals divine response to sincere prayer. Conception follows as a direct answer to Hannah's vow.

רש״יRashi

וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל בֵּיתָם וַיֵּדַע אֶלְקָנָה. מִכָּאן לְאַכְסְנַאי שֶׁאָסוּר בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה:

And came to their home… and Elkonoh knew. From here [we learn] that a traveler is forbidden to have marital relations.30Maseches Kesubos 65a.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

ויזכרה ה׳. עלתה זכרונה לפניו לטובה:

And the Lord remembered her: Her recollection came up before Him for the good.

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וַֽיְהִי֙ לִתְקֻפ֣וֹת הַיָּמִ֔ים וַתַּ֥הַר חַנָּ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֤א אֶת־שְׁמוֹ֙ שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כִּ֥י מֵיְהֹוָ֖ה שְׁאִלְתִּֽיו׃

English:

Hannah conceived, and at the turn of the year bore a son. She named him Samuel,jSamuel Connected with shaʼul me-ʼEl “asked of God”; cf. vv. 17, 27–28. meaning, “I asked GOD for him.”

The naming of Samuel (Shmuel) embodies Hannah's experience -- 'because I asked him from God.' Rashi and Radak note the wordplay: 'shemu-El' means 'heard by God' or 'asked of God,' permanently encoding the miracle of answered prayer into the child's identity.

רש״יRashi

לִתְקֻפוֹת הַיָּמִים. מִיעוּט תְּקוּפוֹת שְׁתַּיִם, מִיעוּט יָמִים שְׁנַיִם, לְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים וּשְׁנֵי יָמִים. מִכָּאן הַיּוֹלֶדֶת לְשִׁבְעָה, יוֹלֶדֶת לִמְקֻטָּעִים: שְׁמוּאֵל. עַל שֵׁם אֵל וְעַל שֵׁם הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הוּא נִקְרָא, כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁאִלְתִּיו:

And as the seasons and days passed. The minimum of seasons [תְּקוּפוֹת] is two, and the minimum of days [יָמִים] is two. Hence, [she gave birth] after six months [=two seasons] and two days.31Maseches Rosh Hashanah 11a. From here [we learn] that a woman who gives birth in her seventh month of pregnancy, can give birth after entering part of the seventh month. Shmuel. After the Name of God [א־ל], and in reference to the incident he was so called, for I requested [שָׁאַל] him of הַשֵׁם[=מא־ל].

מצודת דודMetzudat David

לתקופות הימים ותהר חנה. רוצה לומר: לעת הקיף תשלום ימי ההריון, מעת אשר הרתה חנה: ותלד בן. בתשלום ההיקף: כי מה׳ שאלתיו. והוא לשון נופל על הלשון:

As the cycles and days Channah conceived passed: Meaning to say, at the time of the completion of the cycle of days of the pregnancy from the time that Channah conceived. And she gave birth to a son, at the end of the cycle. For I requested him from the Lord: And it is a play on words.

רד״קRadak

לתקופות הימים. ימי העבור כתרגומו לזמן משלם יומיא, ופי' ותהר חנה שהרתה כבר כי כאשר שבו משילה ידעה אלקנה בעלה והרתה כמ"ש ויזכרה ה' לתקופת הימים זהו כשהשלים ימי ההריון ילדה בן ויש ווי"ן כזאת מורות לשעבר כמו הן אתה קצפת ונחטא ויבקעו המים והדומים להם ואמרו רבותינו ז"ל כי ימי הריונה היו ו' חדשים ושני ימים מיעוט תקופות שתים מיעוט ימים שנים והתקופה היא ג' חדשים ולמדנו מזה היולדת לשבע' יולד' למקוטעות: שמואל. הורכבה המלה בזה הטעם מן כי מה' שאלתיהו כי יש באותיות שמואל שאול ויש באותיותיו ג"כ מאל כאילו אמרה שאול מאל: כי מה' שאלתיו. חסר מלת אמרה כלו' למה קראה שמו שמואל כי אמרה מה' שאלתיו. וכתרגום יונתן ארי אמרת מן קדם ה' שאלתיה:

As the cycles and days passed: The days of her pregnancy - like its translation [in Targum Yonatan], "at the time of the completion of the days." And the explanation of, "and Channah conceived," is that she had already conceived. For when they returned from Shiloh, Elkanah, her husband, knew her intimately; and she conceived - as it is written [in the previous verse], "and the Lord remembered her." "The cycles and days" - that is when the days of pregnancy were completed, she gave birth to a son. And there are [instances of the letter,] vav [such as at the beginning of this verse] like this, indicating the past - like (Isaiah 64:4), "indeed, You were angry and we sinned" (the vav here changes the second phrase from being future to being past); (Exodus 14:21) "and the waters were split" (the vav here too changing the future to past); and those similar to them. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said that the days of her pregnancy were six months and two days - the minimum of "cycles" is two, and the minimum of "days" is two; and a cycle is three months. And we learn from this [that] a woman who gives birth in her seventh month can give birth with cut off (partial) [months]. Shmuel: This word is constructed for this reason from, "I requested him from the Lord." As there are the letters of, shaul (requested), in Shmuel, and there are also the letters of, me'El (from God). It as is if she said, "Requested from God." For I requested him from the Lord: It is lacking the word, said. Meaning to say, why did she call his name Shmuel? Because she said, "I requested him from the Lord." And it is like the Targum Yonatan, "For I said, 'I requested him before the Lord.'"

פסוק כ״א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֛עַל הָאִ֥ישׁ אֶלְקָנָ֖ה וְכׇל־בֵּית֑וֹ לִזְבֹּ֧חַ לַיהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־זֶ֥בַח הַיָּמִ֖ים וְאֶת־נִדְרֽוֹ׃

English:

And when this man Elkanah and all his household were going up to offer to GOD the annual sacrifice and his votive sacrifice,

Elkanah goes up for the annual pilgrimage with his household, now also bringing a votive offering. The mention of a special votive sacrifice alongside the regular annual offering suggests Elkanah too had made commitments connected to Hannah's prayer.

רש״יRashi

אֶת זֶבַח הַיָּמִים. (תרגום:) ״יָת דְּבַח מוֹעֲדַיָּא״: וְאֶת נִדְרוֹ. נְדָרִים שֶׁנָּדַר בֵּין רֶגֶל לְרֶגֶל הָיָה מַקְרִיב בָּרֶגֶל:

The festival offering. [Targum renders] the sacrifices of the appointed seasons. And his vow. The vows he made between festivals he would offer on the next festival.32Ibid., 6a.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

ויעל. כשבא עת עליתו, עלה לזבוח: את זבח הימים. מה שהיה רגיל לזבוח בכל שנה: ואת נדרו. מה שנדר כל השנה והוא בביתו, הביאם לזבוח בעת עלותו:

Went up: When the time of his going up arrived, he went up to sacrifice. The annual sacrifice: What he was accustomed to sacrificing every year. And his vow: He brought that which he vowed the whole year and was in his house, to sacrifice them at the time of his going up.

רד״קRadak

וכל ביתו. כתרגומו וכל אנש ביתיה: את זבח הימים. כתרגומו ית דבח מועדיא: ואת נדרו. לזבוח את זבח הימים שהיה רגיל לזבוח את זבח המועד מימים ימימה ועלה גם כן לזבוח נדרו כי נדר קרבן לה' על בנו וכן תירגם יונתן ולאשלמא ית נדריה:

And all his household (lit., house): It is like its translation [in Targum Yonatan], "And all the people of his house." The annual sacrifice (lit., of the days): It is like its translation [in Targum Yonatan], "the sacrifice of the appointed time." And his vow: [He went up] to sacrifice the yearly sacrifice that he was accustomed to sacrificing and the sacrifice of the appointed time as of yore, but he also went up to sacrifice his vow-offering. For he had vowed a sacrifice to the Lord for his son. And so did Yonatan translate [in the Targum], "and to fulfill his vow."

פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וְחַנָּ֖ה לֹ֣א עָלָ֑תָה כִּֽי־אָמְרָ֣ה לְאִישָׁ֗הּ עַ֣ד יִגָּמֵ֤ל הַנַּ֙עַר֙ וַהֲבִאֹתִ֗יו וְנִרְאָה֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וְיָ֥שַׁב שָׁ֖ם עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

English:

Hannah did not go up. She said to her husband, “When the child is weaned, I will bring him. For when he has appeared before GOD, he must remain there for good.”

Hannah delays her pilgrimage, explaining she will bring Samuel to Shiloh only after weaning -- and then he will stay permanently. This verse reveals the weight of her vow: she is preparing to give up her long-awaited son forever, fulfilling her promise to dedicate him to lifelong Temple service.

רש״יRashi

עַד יִגָּמֵל. לְסוֹף עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם (ספרים אחרים: עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה) חֳדָשִׁים, שֶׁכָּךְ זְמַן תִּינוֹק לִינַק: וְיָשַׁב שָׁם עַד עוֹלָם. עוֹלָמָם שֶׁל לְוִיִּם חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּמִבֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה יָשׁוּב מִצְּבָא הָעֲבוֹדָה״ (במדבר ח:כה), וְכָךְ הָיוּ יָמָיו שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל, חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֵלִי שָׁפַט אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, וּבְיוֹם תְּפִלַּת חַנָּה נִתְמַנָּה שׁוֹפֵט, צֵא אוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה לְעִבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל, נִשְׁתַּיְּרוּ שְׁלוֹשִׁים וָתֵשַׁע, וּשְׁמוּאֵל פִּרְנֵס אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשֶּׁמֵּת עֵלִי שְׁלוֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי יוֹם שֶׁמֵּת עֵלִי גָּלָה הָאָרוֹן וְיָשַׁב בִּשְׂדֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים שִׁבְעָה חֳדָשִׁים (שמואל א ו:א), מִשָּׁם בָּא לְקִרְיַת יְעָרִים, עַד שֶׁהֶעֱלָהוּ דָוִד, מִשֶּׁמָּלַךְ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּחֶבְרוֹן עַל יְהוּדָה, וְהִמְלִיכוּהוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲלֵיהֶם, וּכְתִיב (שמואל א ז:ב): ״וַיְהִי מִיּוֹם שֶׁבֶת הָאָרוֹן בְּקִרְיַת יְעָרִים וַיִּרְבּוּ הַיָּמִים וַיִּהְיוּ עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה״, צֵא מֵהֶן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שֶׁמָּלַךְ דָּוִד בְּחֶבְרוֹן, נִמְצָא מִשֶּׁגָּלָה הָאָרוֹן עַד שֶׁמֵּת שָׁאוּל שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְשִׁבְעָה חֳדָשִׁים, וּשְׁמוּאֵל מֵת לִפְנֵי שָׁאוּל אַרְבָּעָה חֳדָשִׁים:

When [the boy] will be weaned. At the end of twenty-two (other versions, twenty-four) months, for that is the period for a child to nurse. And shall remain there forever. Forever in the Levitic sense,33It can also refer to the fifty year period of Yoveil. i.e., fifty years as it is said, "from the age of fifty he shall retire from the work force."34Bamidbar 8:25. Figuring as follows, we determine that Shmuel's lifetime was fifty-two years: Eili judged Yisroel for forty years.35I Shmuel 4:18. On the day of Chana's prayer he was appointed judge.36Above verse 9. By subtracting the year in which Chana conceived Shmuel, there remain thirty-nine years. Shmuel governed Yisroel from the time of Eili's death for thirteen years, as follows: On the day of Eili's death, the Ark was captured, and it remained in the land of the Philistines for seven months.37Below 6:1. From there, it was brought to and remained in Kiryas Yearim until Dovid brought it up after he had reigned seven years in Chevron over Yehudah, and all of Yisroel had accepted him as their king. And it is written, "From the day the Ark came to rest in Kiryas Yearim, there ensued many days, and they became twenty years."38I Shmuel 7:2. Subtracting from them seven years which Dovid reigned in Chevron discloses that from the time the Ark was captured until Shaul's death, were thirteen years and seven months; and Shmuel died four months before Shaul.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

לא עלתה. בהשנה ההיא: עד יגמל הנער. רוצה לומר: לא אזוז מביתי עד יגמל הנער, ואחרי הגמלו, אביא גם אותו אל בית ה׳, ונראה את פני ה׳ להשתחוות לפניו ולהודות לו על הנער היולד: וישב שם. הנער ישב שם עד עולם, רוצה לומר: כל ימי עלי, בכדי לשמש אותו:

Did not go up: That year. Until the boy will be weaned: Meaning to say, I will not move from here "until the boy will be weaned." But after he is weaned, "I will bring him" also to the House of the Lord, "that he may appear before the Lord," to bow down before Him; and to thank Him for the boy that was born. And he shall abide there: The boy will abide there forever - meaning to say, all the days of Eli, so that he may serve him.

רד״קRadak

עד יגמל. עד תשלם יניקתו והוא עשרים וארבע חדש שהתינוק יונק ואעפ"י שהיו חייבין להביאו משום יראה כל זכורך אמרו רבותינו ז"ל כי ראתה חנה בנער שהיה מעונג וחלוש וחששה שמא יחלה מפני הדרך: וישב שם עד עולם. כמו שנדרה עליו ונתתיו לה' ופי' עד עולם כל ימי חייו ורבותינו ז"ל דרשו עד עולם עולם הלוים שהיו משרתים עד נ' שנה כמו שכתוב ומבן חמשי' שנה ישוב מצבא העבודה ואמרו כל שנותיו של שמואל לא היו אלא נ"ב שנה כי כבר אמרה חנה ונתתיו לה' כל ימי חייו ואמר וישב שם עד עולם והוא עולם של לוים שהם נ' שנה ומשבא לבית ה' עד יום מותו נ' שנה ושתי שנים שינק כמ"ש עד יגמל הנער ודרך הנער לינק כ"ד חדשים הרי נ"ב שנה:

Until the boy will be weaned: Until the end of his nursing, and that is the twenty-four months that an infant nurses. And even though they were obligated to bring him [to Shiloh] on account of, "every male shall appear" (Exodus 23:17) - our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said it was because she saw that he was pampered and weak, so she was concerned lest he fall sick because of the travel. And he shall abide there forever: As she had vowed about him, "and I will give him to the Lord" (I Samuel 1:11). And the explantion of, "forever," is all the days of his life. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, expounded - the forever of the Levites, since they would serve fifty years, as it is written (Numbers 8:25), "From the age of fifty he shall retire from the work force." And they said that all the days of Shmuel were only fifty-two years: As Channah had already said, "and I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life." And she said, "And he shall abide there forever" - and that is the forever of the Levites, which is fifty years. And from when he came to the House of the Lord until the day of his death was fifty years. And the [other] two years were when he nursed, as it is written, "until the boy will be weaned." And it is the way of a child to nurse twenty-four months. There you have fifty-two years.

פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהּ֩ אֶלְקָנָ֨ה אִישָׁ֜הּ עֲשִׂ֧י הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינַ֗יִךְ שְׁבִי֙ עַד־גׇּמְלֵ֣ךְ אֹת֔וֹ אַ֛ךְ יָקֵ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־דְּבָר֑וֹ וַתֵּ֤שֶׁב הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וַתֵּ֣ינֶק אֶת־בְּנָ֔הּ עַד־גׇּמְלָ֖הּ אֹתֽוֹ׃

English:

Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do as you think best. Stay home until you have weaned him. May GOD’s word be fulfilled.”kGOD’s word Septuagint and 4QSamᵃ (a Samuel fragment from Qumran) read “the utterance of your mouth.” So the woman stayed home and nursed her son until she weaned him.

Elkanah defers entirely to Hannah's judgment about when to bring the child to Shiloh, adding only a prayer that God fulfill 'His word.' Radak notes this may refer to Eli's blessing, treating it as a divine promise that extends beyond the birth itself.

רש״יRashi

אַךְ יָקֵם ה׳ אֶת דְּבָרוֹ. אֶת שֶׁשָּׁאַלְתְּ מִמֶּנּוּ זֶרַע אֲנָשִׁים, וְעֵלִי בִּשְּׂרֵךְ בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ ״אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִתֵּן אֶת שֵׁלָתֵךְ״ – יָקֵם ה׳ אֶת דְּבָרוֹ, וְזֶהוּ לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק אָמַר: בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם בַּת קוֹל יוֹצֵאת וּמְפוֹצֶצֶת בָּעוֹלָם וְאוֹמֶרֶת: עָתִיד צַדִּיק אֶחָד לַעֲמוֹד וּשְׁמוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל, וְכָל אִשָּׁה שֶׁהָיְתָה יוֹלֶדֶת בֵּן, הָיְתָה קוֹרְאָה שְׁמוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיוּ רוֹאִים אֶת מַעֲשָׂיו, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים אֵין זֶה שְׁמוּאֵל, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנּוֹלַד זֶה וְרָאוּ מַעֲשָׂיו, אָמְרוּ דּוֹמֶה שֶׁזֶּה הוּא, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר: יָקֵם ה׳ אֶת דְּבָרוֹ, שֶׁיְּהֵא זֶה שְׁמוּאֵל הַצַּדִּיק:

But may Adonoy fulfill His word. Because you requested of Him male offspring,39Above, verse 11. and Eili foretold you through Divine inspiration, "the God of Yisroel will grant your request,"40Above, verse 17. may 'ה fulfill His word. This is the simple interpretation. In Midrash Aggadah, however, Rabbi Nechemyah said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel, the son of Rabbi Yitzchok: Every day a Divine voice would resound throughout the world and say, "A righteous man is destined to arise, by the name of Shmuel." Thereupon, every woman who bore a son, would name him Shmuel. Once they saw his deeds, they would say, "This is not [the] Shmuel." But when this one [Shmuel] was born and people saw his deeds, they said, "Apparently this one is the one [i.e., expected righteous man]." This is what he [Elkonoh] meant when he said, "May Adonoy fulfill His word," i.e., that this be the righteous Shmuel.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

הטוב בעיניך. רוצה לומר: כפי חפצך עשי, ושבי עד גמלך אותו: אך יקם ה׳ את דברו. רצה לומר: מה שאמרת פה שתשבי עד גמלך, הנה הדבר הזה מסור בידך לעשות בעצמך כאשר תרצי, אך אשר דברת על הנער, שהוא ישב בבית ה׳ עד עולם, הנה דבר זה אין בידך להדירו, אך ה׳ יקם את הדבר אשר דברת על הנער, והוא יתן בלבו לשבת בביתו עד עולם (ומלת דברו מוסב על הנער, רצה לומר: דבר הנאמר בו ועליו): ותשב האשה. בביתה, ולא עלתה:

What is proper in your eyes: Meaning to say, do according to your wish, and remain until you wean him. But may the Lord fulfill His/his word: Meaning to say, that which you said here that you will remain until you wean [him], behold this thing is given over to your hands, to do with yourself as you want. But that which you said about the boy, that he should abide in the House of the Lord forever, behold that thing is not in your hands to vow it. However, "May the Lord fulfill" the word that you said about the boy, and He place it into his heart to abide in His house forever. (And the word, "his word," is referring to the boy, meaning to say, the word that was said about the boy and regarding him.) So the woman remained in her home and did not go up.

רד״קRadak

יקם ה' את דברו. הפסו' מוכיח כי מה שאמר עלי יתן ה' את שאלתך דרך נבואה אמר שיתן לה ה' את שאלתה והנה שאלתה היתה שיהיה לה זרע אנשים ושיהיה לה' לפי' אמר יקם ה' את דברו פי' אשר דבר ע"י הנביא שיתן שאלתה והוא בן שיחיה ויהיה לה', ובדרש אך יקם ה' את דברו בכל יום ויום היתה בת קול יוצאת ומפוצצת בעולם ואומרת עתיד צדיק אחד לעמוד ושמו שמואל וכל אשה שהיתה יולדת בן היתה מוציאה שמו שמואל כיון שהיו רואין את מעשיו היו אומרים אין זה שמואל כיון שנולד זה וראו מעשיו אמרו דומה שזה הוא וז"ש יקם את ה' את דברו:

May the Lord fulfill His word: The verses show that what Eli said (I Samuel 1:17), "May (the Lord) grant what you have asked," was by way of prophecy - that the Lord would grant her what she asked. And behold what she asked was that she should have offspring of men and that he should be for the Lord. Hence [Elkanah] said, "May the Lord fulfill His word" - the explanation of which is, that which he spoke through the prophet, that He will grant you what you asked. And that is a son that will live and who will be for the Lord. And in the homiletical teachings: "But may the Lord fulfill His word" - every day, a heavenly voice would come out and clamor in the world and say, "In the future, a righteous one will arise, and his name is Shmuel." So every woman who would give birth to a son, would bring out his name as Shmuel. Once they saw his deeds, they would say, "This is not Shmuel." When this one was born and they saw his deeds, they said, "It appears that this is he." And that is what is written, "May the Lord fulfill His word"

פסוק כ״ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

וַתַּעֲלֵ֨הוּ עִמָּ֜הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר גְּמָלַ֗תּוּ בְּפָרִ֤ים שְׁלֹשָׁ��֙ וְאֵיפָ֨ה אַחַ֥ת קֶ֙מַח֙ וְנֵ֣בֶל יַ֔יִן וַתְּבִאֵ֥הוּ בֵית־יְהֹוָ֖ה שִׁל֑וֹ וְהַנַּ֖עַר נָֽעַר׃

English:

When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls,lthree bulls Septuagint and 4QSamᵃ read “a three-year-old [cf. Gen. 15.9] bull and bread”; cf. v. 25. one ephah of flour, and a jar of wine. And though the boy was still very young,mthough the boy was still very young Meaning of Heb. uncertain. she brought him to the House of GOD at Shiloh.

Hannah brings the weaned Samuel to Shiloh with substantial offerings -- three bulls, flour, and wine. The generous sacrifices underscore the solemnity of the moment, as she fulfills her vow by presenting both offerings and her son to the service of God.

רש״יRashi

וְאֵיפָה אַחַת קֶמַח. שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּשֵׁם רַבֵּינוּ יִצְחָק הַלֵּוִי, אֵיפָה אַחַת קֶמַח, שָׁלֹשׁ סְאִין, לְהוֹצִיא מִמֶּנָּה שְׁלֹשָׁה עֶשְׂרוֹנִים סֹלֶת הָרָאוּי לַפָּר הָאֶחָד, כְּדִתְנַן (מנחות עו:) ״לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה עֶשְׂרוֹנִים מֵעֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע סְאִין״, עִשָּׂרוֹן סֹלֶת לִסְאָה חִטִּין: וְנֵבֶל יָיִן. לְנַסֵּךְ: וְהַנַּעַר נָעַר. (תרגום:) ״וְרַבְיָא הֲוָה יָנִיק״:

One eiphah of flour. I heard in the name of Rabbi Yitzchok Halevi, that she brought one eiphah of flour, the equivalent of three seahs, from which to extract three tenths of an eiphah of fine flour, the required amount for one bull.41See Bamidbar 15:8-9. As we learned in the Mishnah:42Maseches Menachos 76b. The showbread was made of twenty-four tenths of an eiphah from twenty-four seahs; i.e., one tenth part of an eiphah of fine flour from each seah of wheat. And a flask of wine. For a libation. Though the child was still a lad. The Targum renders, 'though the child was still young.'

מצודת דודMetzudat David

בפרים שלשה. עם שלשה פרים לזבוח לה׳, והקמח למנחות, והיין לנסכים: ותביאהו. את הנער: והנער נער. רצה לומר: הנער היה עודנו נער קטן ורך, ועם כל זה לא נמנעה מלהביאו כאשר גמלתו:

With three bulls: With three bulls to sacrifice to the Lord, and the flour for the grain offering and the wine for the libations. And she brought him: The lad. And the lad was a lad: Meaning to say, the lad was a small and delicate lad. Yet, in spite of all this, it did not prevent her from bringing him when she weaned him.

רד״קRadak

בפרים שלשה. מהם לאכול ומהם לזבוח לה' וכן ואיפה אח' קמח לאכול ולהקריב ממנה מנחה וכן ונבל יין לשתות ולהסיך ממנו לפיכך אמר וישחטו את הפר ולא אמר הפרים ר"ל הפר שהקריבו לה': והנער נער. כלומר עודנו נער קטן ורך ואעפ"י כן לא המתינה לו עד שיתחזק אלא כיון שגמלתו כלו' שהשלימה לו יניקתו לסוף כ"ד חדשים שנולד מיד העלתהו עמה בית ה' וי"ת ורביה הוה יניק ואין ר"ל שהיה יונק עדיין שהרי אומר כאשר גמלתו ששלמה יניקתו אלא יניק ר"ל נער קטן כי כן לשון ארמי קוראין לנער יניק כמו שמצאנו בדברי רבותינו ז"ל יניק וחכים מר ינוקא ומר קשישא, וי"מ והנער נער חריף יודע בין טוב לרע כמו המנער שמנער את הפסולת מן הפשתן:

With three bulls: Some of them to eat and some of them to slaughter to the Lord. And likewise, "one ephah of flour," to eat and to offer a grain-offering from it; and likewise, "and a jar of wine," to drink and to pour [a libation] from it. Hence it stated (I Samuel 1:25), "And they slaughtered the bull," and it did not say, "the bulls" - meaning to say, the bull that they offered to the Lord. And the lad was a lad: Meaning to say, the lad was still a small and delicate lad. Yet, in spite of this, she did not wait for him until he became stronger, but rather once she weaned him - meaning to say, when she completed his nursing at the end of twenty-four months [from] when he was born - she brought him up immediately with her to the House of the Lord. And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "and the lad was a yanik." But this does not mean that he was still nursing (yonek). For behold, it states, "when she weaned him" - when she finished nursing him. Rather yanik means to say, a young lad. For this is the way of Aramaic, they call a lad a yanik - as we have found in the words of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, "a yanik who is wise"; "the yanuka master and the old master." But some explain, "and the lad was a lad (naar) is [that] he was sharp and knew [the difference] between good and evil, like a shaker (menaer), who shakes off the waste from the flax.

פסוק כ״ה · Verse 25

Hebrew:

וַֽיִּשְׁחֲט֖וּ אֶת־הַפָּ֑ר וַיָּבִ֥אוּ אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר אֶל־עֵלִֽי׃

English:

After slaughtering the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.

The sacrifice precedes the presentation of the child to Eli, following proper ritual order. This moment marks the formal transfer of Samuel from his parents to the priesthood at Shiloh, beginning his lifelong service.

רש״יRashi

וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַנַּעַר אֶל עֵלִי. לִרְאוֹת שֶׁנִּתְקַיְּמָה נְבוּאָתוֹ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ מַה שֶּׁדָּרְשׁוּ, שֶׁהוֹרָה הֲלָכָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ כֹּהֵן לִשְׁחִיטַת קָדָשִׁים, כִּדְאִיתָא בִּבְרָכוֹת (לא:):

They brought the child to Eili. To show that his prophecy was fulfilled. Our Sages expounded what they expounded, explaining that he [Shmuel] ruled on a point of law, that a kohein is not necessary for sacrificial slaughter, as it is stated in [Maseches] Berachos.43 31b.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

וישחטו וכו׳. רוצה לומר: כאשר שחטו הפר הראשון, הביאו את הנער אל עלי, להראותו שנתקבלה תפלתו:

And they slaughtered, etc.: Meaning to say, when they slaughtered the first bull, they brought the lad to Eli to show him that his prayer was accepted.

רד״קRadak

ויביאו את הנער. אלקנה וחנה אחרי ששחטו את הפר לקרבן הביאו את הנער בית ה' אל עלי להיות יושב ולומד לפניו ושיחנך אותו לכל תורה ומצוה והדרש אין צריך לכתוב כי נודע הוא והוא רחוק:

They brought the boy: After they slaughtered the bull for a sacrifice, Elkanah and Channah brought the boy to the House of the Lord to Eli, to reside and study before him; and that [Eli] should educate him about all the Torah and the commandment[s]. And there is no reason to write the homiletical teaching, as it is well-known and it is remote.

פסוק כ״ו · Verse 26

Hebrew:

וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י חֵ֥י נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אֲדֹנִ֑י אֲנִ֣י הָאִשָּׁ֗ה הַנִּצֶּ֤בֶת עִמְּכָה֙ בָּזֶ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

She said, “Please, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you and prayed to GOD.

Hannah identifies herself to Eli as the very woman he once accused of drunkenness. This moment of recognition transforms their earlier encounter -- the woman Eli misjudged now stands before him with proof of God's answer to the prayer he had dismissed.

רש״יRashi

בִּי אֲדֹנִי. לָתֵת עֵינֶיךָ עָלָיו שֶׁיְּהֵא תַלְמִידְךָ. וּלְפִי מִדְרַשׁ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲנִישֵׁהוּ מִיתָה:

Please my lord. Take care of him, that he become your disciple. But according to the Midrash of our Sages, [she asked of Eili] not to punish him with death.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

בי אדני. בקשה מעלי והשביעתו בחיי נפשו, לשום עינו על הנער: הנצבת. אשר עמדתי פה בהיותך גם אתה יושב פה, כמו שכתוב למעלה: ועלי הכהן יושב וגו׳:

Please, my lord: She requested from Eli, and made him swear by his own soul, to keep his eye on the lad. Who stood: Who stood here when you too were here sitting, as it is written above (I Samuel 1:9), "and Eli the priest sat, etc."

רד״קRadak

בי אדוני. ענין תחנה ובקשה כתרגומו בבעו רבוני חי נפשך שתתן עיניך על הנער הזה ותלמדהו כי אני האשה שהתפללתי אל ה': עמכה. כלומר לפניך ובמעמדך שהיית אתה שם בהתפללתי ובעבור הנער הזה התפללתי ונתן לי ה' את שאלתי כמו שבשרתני אתה וה"א עמכה כה"א אשר שלחתי בשמכה ספרים והיו לאות על ידכה והדומים לה כי הנח פעמים יכתב ופעם לא יכתב ויש בו דרש מכאן לד' אמות של תפלה:

Please, my lord: It is a matter of a supplication and a request - like its translation [in Targum Yonatan], "please, my master" - as you live, that you should keep your eyes upon this lad and teach him, for "I am the woman" who prayed to the Lord. With you: Meaning to say, before you and in your presence - as you were there when I prayed. And I prayed for this lad and the Lord granted me what I asked, as you proclaimed to me. And the [letter,] hey [at the end of the word, imcha (with you)] is like the hey in (Jeremiah 29:25), "that you sent books in your name"; (Exodus 13:16) "and they will be a sign upon your hand"; and those that are similar to it. As leave it alone - sometimes it is written and sometimes it is not written. And there is a homiletical teaching about it - from here, [we learn about] the four cubits of prayer.

פסוק כ״ז · Verse 27

Hebrew:

אֶל־הַנַּ֥עַר הַזֶּ֖ה הִתְפַּלָּ֑לְתִּי וַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהֹוָ֥ה לִי֙ אֶת־שְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖לְתִּי מֵעִמּֽוֹ׃

English:

It was this boy I prayed for; and GOD has granted me what I asked.

Hannah declares that Samuel is the living fulfillment of her prayer. The verb 'sha'al' (asked) connects directly to the child's purpose and foreshadows the wordplay with 'Shaul' (Saul) -- the one who was asked for, who will himself anoint the one who is asked for.

רש״יRashi

אֶל הַנַּעַר הַזֶּה הִתְפַּלָּלְתִּי. אַל תֹּאמַר: זֶה יָמוּת וְיִנָּתֵן לְךָ אַחֵר:

This is the child that I prayed for. Do not say, "this one shall die and another shall be given to you."44Ibid.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

אל הנער הזה התפללתי. רוצה לומר: התפלה שהתפללתי אז, היתה לשאלת בן, והנה זהו אשר ילדתי:

It was this boy I prayed for: Meaning to say, the prayer that I had prayed then was to ask for a son. And behold, this is the one to whom I gave birth.

רד״קRadak

אל הנער. בעבור הנער:

To (el) the boy: For the boy.

פסוק כ״ח · Verse 28

Hebrew:

וְגַ֣ם אָנֹכִ֗י הִשְׁאִלְתִּ֙הוּ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה כׇּל־הַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֔ה ה֥וּא שָׁא֖וּל לַיהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ שָׁ֖ם לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃ {ס}

English:

I, in turn, hereby lendnlend From the same root as that of the verb rendered “asked for” in v. 20. him to GOD. For as long as he lives he is lent to GOD.” And theyothey Heb. “he”; cf. 2.11. A reading in the Talmud (Berakhot 61a) implies that Elkanah was there. bowed low there before GOD.

Hannah completes the circle of her vow: she 'asked' the child from God and now 'lends' him back. The Hebrew root sh-a-l serves double duty -- asking and lending -- capturing the theology that what we receive from God is ultimately returned to divine service.

רש״יRashi

וְגַם אָנֹכִי הִשְׁאִלְתִּיהוּ לַה׳. כְּאָדָם הַמַּשְׁאִיל כְּלִי לְרַבּוֹ, אוֹ מַשְׁאִילוֹ בְּנוֹ לְשַׁמְּשׁוֹ: הוּא שָׁאוּל. אנפרוצטי״ץ בְּלַעַ״ז, כְּלוֹמַר אֵין אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְעָנְשׁוֹ, הַקָּבָּ״ה נַעֲשָׂה עָלָיו שׁוֹאֵל, כִּי הִשְׁאִלְתִּיו לוֹ, וְעָלָיו לְהַחֲזִירוֹ לִי: וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ שָׁם. שְׁמוּאֵל, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אֶלְקָנָה:

And I have dedicated him to Adonoy. Just as a person who lends a utensil to his master, or lends him his son to serve him. He is dedicated. Enpruntez in Old French, i.e., you have no right to punish him, for the Holy one, Blessed is He, has become his borrower; because I have lent [Shmuel] to Him, He must return him to me.45Another interpretation of “שָׁאוּל” is that it refers to Shaul. She stated by Divine inspiration, “as long as Shmuel lives, Shaul will live.” Shmuel was no longer alive at the time of Shaul’s death. He then prostrated himself. Shmuel. Others say, Elkonoh.

מצודת דודMetzudat David

וגם וכו׳. רוצה לומר: גם בעת התפלה נדרתי אז להשאילו לה׳, להתבודד תמיד בעבודתו: אשר היה. כמו אשר יהיה, רוצה לומר: כל זמן אשר יהיה בזה העולם, הוא שאול לה׳: וישתחו שם לה׳. השתחוה להודות לה׳, אשר שם חלקו מעובדי ה׳:

And also: Meaning to say, also at the time of the prayer, I then vowed to lend him to the Lord, to always dedicate himself to His service. That he was (lived): It is like, as he will be - meaning to say, all the time that he will be in this world, he is lent to the Lord. And he bowed down to the Lord there: He bowed down to thank the Lord, who set up his portion to be among the servants of the Lord.

רד״קRadak

השאלתיהו. החזרתי לו השאלה שהוא נתן לי וי"ת מסרתיה דיהא משמש קדם ה': אשר היה. כמו אשר יהיה ורבים כמוהו: הוא שאול. כמו נתון כלומר הוא שהיה שאול הנה הוא נתון לה' ויש בו דרש באותה שעה נצנצה בה רוח הקדש ואמרה כל זמן ששמואל קיים שאול קיים ז"ש שאול לה': וישתחו. אלקנה כנוטל רשות לצאת מבית ה' או פירושו וישתחו שמואל אעפ"י שלא היה אלא בן שתי שנים למדוהו להשתחות לה':

I lent him: I returned the loan to Him that He gave me. And Yonatan translated it [in the Targum] as, "I gave him over, that he should serve before the Lord." That he was (lived): It is like, that he would be. And there are many [cases] like this. He is lent (shaul): It is like, given - meaning to say, he who was lent is now truly given to the Lord. And there is a homiletical teaching about it: At that time, the holy spirit blossomed in her, and she said, "All the time that Shmuel is alive, Saul is alive." And that is [the meaning of] that which it is written, "shaul to the Lord." And he bowed down: Elkanah, like someone getting permission to leave the House of the Lord. Or the explanation of, "And he bowed down," is Shmuel - even though he was only two years old, they taught him to bow down to the Lord.

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I Samuel 1

קלאוד על הנ״ך

פרק א׳ · Chapter 1

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

פסוק י״ · Verse 10

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

פסוק כ״א · Verse 21

פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22

פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23

פסוק כ״ד · Verse 24

פסוק כ״ה · Verse 25

פסוק כ״ו · Verse 26

פסוק כ״ז · Verse 27

פסוק כ״ח · Verse 28

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