In 1 Samuel 1, Hannah was barren and came before the LORD asking for a son. She said she would dedicate him to the LORD’s service if he gave her one. The LORD delivered and Hannah kept her promise. What is striking about this historical account is that she did not, once she had her son, flip on her commitment to YHWH and suddenly start complaining about wanting to keep her son. She was overjoyed and thankful to the LORD. She truly had faith to feel that good handing her long-awaited son over to Eli the priest to raise him in the service of the LORD.
Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving
1Then Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the LORD;
My horn is exalted in the LORD,
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2“There is no one holy like the LORD,
Indeed, there is no one besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.
3“Boast no more so very proudly,
Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;
For the LORD is a God of knowledge,
And with Him actions are weighed.
4“The bows of the mighty are shattered,
But the feeble gird on strength.
5“Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to hunger.
Even the barren gives birth to seven,
But she who has many children languishes.
6“The LORD kills and makes alive;
He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7“The LORD makes poor and rich;
He brings low, He also exalts.
8“He raises the poor from the dust,
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of honor;
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S,
And He set the world on them.
9“He keeps the feet of His godly ones,
But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
For not by might shall a man prevail.
10“Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered;
Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;
And He will give strength to His king,
And will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
11Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.
For those of us who have trouble with Hannah giving away her son, remember that YHWH did not ask her to do so. She made that promise of her own volition. We should take care in any promises we make to YHWH. Scripture is clear, however, once we make a promise to the LORD, we should keep it. If for some reason you make a promise that is too hard to keep, then I suppose you humbly go before the LORD and ask forgiveness in not fulfilling or strength to fulfill it. In either case, it is better not to promise him something at all rather than promise and not fulfill.
Keep in mind that in Hannah’s view, the child would not exist without YHWH’s intervention to open her womb. She therefore was expressing her thankfulness to the LORD by dedicating her son to his service. It was an act of strong faith.
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