TRV
Translation
King James Version
And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
Complete Jewish Bible
The husband, Elkanah, went up with all his household to offer the yearly sacrifice to ADONAI and fulfill his vow.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow,
American Standard Version
And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto Jehovah the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
World English Bible Messianic
The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
Geneva Bible (1599)
So the man Elkanah and all his house went vp to offer vnto the Lord the yeerely sacrifice, and his vowe:
Young's Literal Translation
And the man Elkanah goeth up, and all his house, to sacrifice to Jehovah the sacrifice of the days, and his vow.
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Commentary on 1 Samuel 1 verses 19–28
19 ¶ And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.
23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.
25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.
27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
Here is, I. The return of Elkanah and his family to their own habitation, when the days appointed for the feast were over, Sa1 1:19. Observe how they improved their time at the tabernacle. Every day they were there, even that which was fixed for their journey home, they worshipped God; and they rose up early to do it. It is good to begin the day with God. Let him that is the first have the first. They had a journey before them, and a family of children to take with them, and yet they would not stir till they had worshipped God together. Prayer and provender do not hinder a journey. They had spent several days now in religious worship, and yet they attended once more. We should not be weary of well-doing.
II. The birth and name of this desired son. At length the Lord remembered Hannah, the very thing she desired (Sa1 1:11), and more she needed not desire, that was enough, for then she conceived and bore a son. Though God seem long to forget his people's burdens, troubles, cares, and prayers, yet he will at length make it to appear that they are not out of his mind. This son the mother called Samuel, Sa1 1:20. Some make the etymology of this name to be much the same with that of Ishmael - heard of God, because the mother's prayers were remarkably heard, and he was an answer to them. Others, because of the reason she gives for the name, make it to signify asked of God. It comes nearly to the same; she designed by it to perpetuate the remembrance of God's favour to her in answering her prayers. Thus she designed, upon every mention of his name, to take the comfort to herself and to give God the glory of that gracious condescension. Note, Mercies in answer to prayer are to be remembered with peculiar expressions of thankfulness, as Psa 116:1, Psa 116:2. How many seasonable deliverances and supplies may we call Samuels, asked of God; and whatever is so we are in a special manner engaged to devote to him. Hannah intended by this name to put her son in mind of the obligation he was under to be the Lord's, in consideration of this, that he was asked of God and was at the same time dedicated to him. A child of prayer is in a special manner bound to be a good child. Lemuel's mother reminds him that he was the son of her vows, Pro 31:2.
III. The close attendance Hannah gave to the nursing of him, not only because he was dear to her, but because he was devoted to God, and for him she nursed him herself, and did not hang him on another's breast. We ought to take care of our children, not only with an eye to the law of nature as they are ours, but with an eye to the covenant of grace as they are given up to God. See Eze 16:20, Eze 16:21. This sanctifies the nursing of them, when it is done as unto the Lord. Elkanah went up every year to worship at the tabernacle, and particularly to perform his vow, perhaps some vow he had made distinct from Hannah's if God would give him a son by her, Sa1 1:21. But Hannah, though she felt a warm regard for the courts of God's house, begged leave of her husband to stay at home; for the women were not under any obligation to go up to the three yearly feasts, as the men were. However Hannah had been accustomed to go, but now desired to be excused, 1. Because she would not be so long absent from her nursery. Can a woman forget her sucking child? We may suppose she kept constantly at home, for, if she had gone any where, she would have gone to Shiloh. Note, God will have mercy and not sacrifice. Those that are detained from public ordinances by the nursing and tending of little children may take comfort from this instance, and believe that, if they do that with an eye to God, he will graciously accept them therein, and though they tarry at home they shall divide the spoil. 2. Because she would not go up to Shiloh till her son was big enough, not only to be taken thither, but to be left there; for, if once she took him thither, she thought she could never find in her heart to bring him back again. Note, Those who are stedfastly resolved to pay their vows may yet see good cause to defer the payment of them. Every thing is beautiful in its season. No animal was accepted in sacrifice till it had been for some time under the dam, Lev 22:27. Fruit is best when it is ripe. Elkanah agrees to what she proposes (Sa1 1:23): Do what seemeth thee good. So far was he from delighting to cross her that he referred it entirely to her. Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is, when yoke-fellows thus draw even in the yoke, and accommodate themselves to one another, each thinking well of what the other does, especially in works of piety and charity. He adds a prayer: Only the Lord establish his word, that is, "God preserve the child through the perils of his infancy, that the solemn vow which God signified his acceptance of, by giving us the child, may be performed in its season, and so the whole matter may be accomplished." Note, Those that have in sincerity devoted their children to God may with comfort pray for them, that God will establish the word sealed to them at the same time that they were sealed for him.
IV. The solemn entering of this child into the service of the sanctuary. We may take it for granted that he was presented to the Lord at forty days old, as all the first-born were (Luk 2:22, Luk 2:23): but this is not mentioned, because there was nothing in it singular; but now that he was weaned he was presented, not to be redeemed. Some think it was as soon as he was weaned from the breast, which, the Jews say, was not till he was three years old; it is said she gave him suck till she had weaned him, Sa1 1:23. Others think it was not till he was weaned from childish things, at eight or ten years old. But I see no inconvenience in admitting such an extraordinary child as this into the tabernacle at three years old, to be educated among the children of the priests. It is said (Sa1 1:24), The child was young, but, being intelligent above his years, he was no trouble. None can begin too soon to be religious. The child was a child, so the Hebrew reads it, in his learning-age. For whom shall he teach knowledge but those that are newly weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts? Isa 28:9. Observe how she presented her child, 1. With a sacrifice; no less than three bullocks, with a meat-offering for each, Sa1 1:24. A bullock, perhaps, for each year of the child's life. Or one for a burnt-offering, another for a sin-offering, and the third of a peace-offering. So far was she from thinking that, by presenting her son to God, she made God her debtor, that she thought it requisite by these slain offerings to seek God's acceptance of her living sacrifice. All our covenants with God for ourselves and ours must be made by sacrifice, the great sacrifice. 2. With a grateful acknowledgement of God's goodness in answer to prayer. This she makes to Eli, because he had encouraged her to hope for an answer of peace (Sa1 1:26, Sa1 1:27): "For this child I prayed. Here it was obtained by prayer, and here it is resigned to the prayer-hearing God. You have forgotten me, my lord, but I who now appear so cheerful am the woman, the very same, that three years ago stood by thee here weeping and praying, and this was the child I prayed for." Answers of prayer may thus be humbly triumphed in, to the glory of God. Here is a living testimony for God. "I am his witness that he is gracious (see Psa 66:16-19); for this mercy, this comfort, I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition." See Psa 34:2, Psa 34:4, Psa 34:6. Hannah does not remind Eli of it by adverting to the suspicion he had formerly expressed; she does not say, "I am the woman whom you passed that severe censure upon; what do you think of me now?" Good men ought not to be upbraided with their infirmities and oversights. They have themselves repented of them; let them hear no more of them. 3. With a full surrender of all her interest in this child unto the Lord (Sa1 1:28): I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth. And she repeats it, because she will never revoke it: He shall be (a deodand) lent or given to the Lord. Not that she designed to call for him back, as we do what we lend, but she uses this word Shaol, lent, because it is the same word that she had used before (Sa1 1:20, I asked him of the Lord), only in another conjugation. And (Sa1 1:27) the Lord gave me the petition which I asked (Shaalti, in Kal), therefore I have lent him (Hishilti, the same word in Hiphil), and so it gives another etymology of his name Samuel, not only asked of God, but lent to God. And observe, (1.) Whatever we give to God, it is what we have first asked and received from him. All our gifts to him were first his gifts to us. Of thy own, Lord, have we given thee, Ch1 29:14, Ch1 29:16. (2.) Whatever we give to God may upon this account be said to be lent to him, that though we may not recall it, as a thing lent, yet he will certainly repay it, with interest, to our unspeakable advantage, particularly what is given to his poor, Pro 19:17. When by baptism we dedicate our children to God, let us remember that they were his before by a sovereign right, and that they are ours still so much the more to our comfort. Hannah resigns him to the Lord, not for a certain term of years, as children are sent apprentices, but durante vita - as long as he liveth, he shall be lent unto the Lord, a Nazarite for life. Such must our covenant with God be, a marriage-covenant; as long as live we must be his, and never forsake him.
Lastly, The child Samuel did his part beyond what could have been expected from one of his years; for of him that seems to be spoken, He worshipped the Lord there, that is he said his prayers. He was no doubt extraordinarily forward (we have known children that have discovered some sense of religion very young), and his mother, designing him for the sanctuary, took particular care to train him up to that which was to be his work in the sanctuary. Note, Little children should learn betimes to worship God. Their parents should instruct them in his worship and bring them to it, put them upon engaging in it as well as they can, and God will graciously accept them and teach them to do better.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 19–28. Public domain.
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Commentary on Samuel
But the man Elkanah went up, etc. Let each one abound in his own understanding (Rom. XIV). The Lord and the Church of the perfect, which is his house and seat, ascended to offer to the Father who is in heaven the vows of their works, and the Church still remains at home in those who cannot yet use the solid food of the word. Some, having received the rudiments of faith, are still children in understanding (Hebr. V). But the time will come when they also will grow, and with the grace of Christ dwelling in them, they will begin to have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil; and they will say with the Apostle: When I became a man, I put away childish things (I Cor. XIII). And now they may be such, worthy in the sight of the Lord, remaining in the calling in which they were called with God, and able to partake in the priesthood and to eat the things of the altar, and to hear even the highest things of divinity, discerning the mysteries by reading. Such is the progress of all who believe in Christ: such were the beginnings of the converted Gentiles among the learned and teachers of the Jews, as the sons of Peninnah.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
1 Samuel 1:21 vividly portrays Elkanah, the head of his household and father of the future prophet Samuel, as a man of exemplary piety and consistent devotion. This verse details his annual pilgrimage with his entire family to Shiloh, the central place of worship, to offer the prescribed yearly sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill any personal vows he had made. It establishes Elkanah's faithful adherence to the Mosaic covenant and sets the spiritual stage for the unfolding narrative of Hannah's fervent prayer, her miraculous conception, and the subsequent dedication of Samuel.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices to convey its meaning and set the stage for the unfolding narrative. Characterization is prominently featured, as Elkanah is immediately portrayed as a devout and responsible patriarch. His consistent actions, particularly the annual pilgrimage and the fulfillment of a personal vow, establish him as a man of integrity and piety, creating a stark contrast with the spiritual laxity prevalent in the era of the Judges. Foreshadowing is subtly yet powerfully present with the mention of "his vow." This detail prepares the reader for the more prominent and impactful vow that Hannah will make concerning her barrenness and the dedication of her future son, Samuel, to the LORD. The description of the "yearly sacrifice" functions as Repetition of a motif, emphasizing the established rhythm of their religious life and highlighting Elkanah's steadfastness and the family's adherence to covenant obligations. Furthermore, the phrase "all his house" going up suggests Synecdoche, where the part (Elkanah's leadership) represents the whole (the family's collective spiritual participation and the corporate nature of worship).
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Samuel 1:21 powerfully illustrates the theological significance of consistent, corporate worship and the sanctity of personal vows within the covenant relationship with God. Elkanah's actions reflect a profound understanding that true faith is not merely a private affair but involves communal participation and unwavering adherence to divine commands. This commitment to the LORD, even amidst the spiritual decline of the Judges period, serves as a beacon of faithfulness, demonstrating that God honors those who honor Him. The verse underscores the principle that God is attentive to the devotion of His people, setting the stage for His divine intervention in Hannah's life. It also highlights the critical importance of integrity in keeping promises made to God, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture, emphasizing God's expectation of faithfulness from His people in all their commitments.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Elkanah's consistent journey to Shiloh, bringing his entire household to offer the yearly sacrifice and fulfill his vow, offers a profound and enduring model for contemporary believers. It serves as a powerful reminder that spiritual discipline is not a sporadic act but a sustained commitment, a regular rhythm woven into the very fabric of our lives and families. In a world often characterized by spiritual apathy, transactional faith, or individualism, Elkanah's example calls us to prioritize corporate worship, to faithfully engage with God's presence among His people, and to intentionally lead our households in devotion. It challenges us to examine the integrity of our own commitments to God—are we diligent in fulfilling the vows we make, whether explicit promises or implicit commitments in our daily walk with Him? This verse encourages us to cultivate a faith that is both deeply personal and robustly communal, demonstrating our love for God through consistent obedience and heartfelt worship, recognizing that true devotion is often found in the steadfast, ordinary acts of faithfulness that build a legacy of godliness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the "yearly sacrifice" that Elkanah offered?
Answer: The "yearly sacrifice" refers to the annual pilgrimage festivals prescribed by Mosaic Law, where all Israelite males were required to appear before the LORD at the central sanctuary (Shiloh, in this period). These included Passover, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles). During these festivals, various sacrifices were offered, including burnt offerings, peace offerings, and fellowship offerings, as acts of worship, thanksgiving, and atonement. Elkanah's participation, bringing his entire household, indicates his faithful adherence to these communal obligations, as commanded in Deuteronomy 16:16.
What is the significance of "his vow" being mentioned alongside the yearly sacrifice?
Answer: The mention of "his vow" (Hebrew: neder) indicates a personal, solemn promise Elkanah made to God, distinct from the communal, obligatory yearly sacrifice. Vows in ancient Israel were serious commitments, often made in times of distress or as expressions of deep devotion, and were expected to be fulfilled Numbers 30:2. While the specific nature of Elkanah's vow is not detailed, its inclusion highlights his individual piety and foreshadows the pivotal vow Hannah makes later in the chapter regarding Samuel 1 Samuel 1:11, setting a thematic precedent for the importance of promises made to God in the narrative.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Elkanah's consistent pilgrimage to Shiloh, offering yearly sacrifices and diligently fulfilling his vows, serves as a profound foreshadowing of the ultimate and perfect worship offered to God in Jesus Christ. The "yearly sacrifice" points to the temporary and inherently repetitive nature of Old Covenant sacrifices, which could never fully take away sin or perfect the worshiper Hebrews 10:1-4. Christ, however, offered Himself "once for all" as the perfect, sufficient, and final sacrifice, thereby fulfilling every requirement of the Law and making true, eternal atonement for sin Hebrews 9:26-28. Furthermore, Elkanah's personal "vow" speaks to a human attempt to commit to God, but Christ embodies the ultimate fulfillment of God's own covenantal vows and promises to redeem humanity. Our worship is no longer tied to a physical pilgrimage or a specific earthly tabernacle like Shiloh, but is now spiritual and true, offered "in spirit and truth" through Christ, who is our true temple, high priest, and the living way of access to God John 4:23-24; Hebrews 10:19-22. In Christ, all our vows of faith are made possible and are perfected, as He is the faithful and true witness Revelation 3:14, enabling us to live lives of consistent devotion, not by our own strength, but by His indwelling Spirit who empowers us to walk in newness of life.