Lessons From the Biblical Story of Hannah and Samuel

Today we study a heartwarming Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) story about Hannah, who could not conceive a child when people thought having a "barren womb" meant that God did not favor you. Consequently, women plagued by that problem were disparaged. Meanwhile Hannah's husband Elkanah, had another wife named Peninnah who bore children. Scripture describes the contentious relationship between Hannah and "her rival" Peninnah: "Because the Lord had closed Hannah's womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat" (1 Samuel 1:6-7).