1 Samuel 1:18
in 1 Samuel 1“May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began eating again, and her face was no longer downcast.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat; and her countenance was no more sad.
KJV
And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 1
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
A beautiful example of the composing influence of prayer. Hannah had cast her burden upon the Lord, and so her own spirit was relieved of its load. She now returned to the family feast, and ate her portion with a cheerful heart. Act 2:46-47. The word “sad” is not in the Hebrew text, but it fairly supplies the meaning intended.
This site's exposition
may the God of Israel grant the petition
on 1 Samuel 1:17-18
Eli blesses her, “may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him”, before he knows what the petition was, and Hannah receives it as answered before any child comes. Her face “was no longer downcast” because she believed a word spoken over her while her circumstances stood unchanged. The older writers read this verse as the model of a faith that rests before it sees.
This site's exposition
“May your maidservant find favor with you,”
Hannah went back to the family meal at Shiloh and ate, though she had no son yet. Albert Barnes calls it the composing power of prayer, and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown say she heard Eli's words in verse 17 as a promise from the God of Israel. Her face changed before her womb did.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church3 voices
And the woman went on her way, and ate, etc. And the Church prospered in the hope of heavenly compassion, raised in the faith and love of Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life; refreshed by the consolatory and comforting feasts of …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 6 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The blessed Virgin is venerative and restorative of the honor taken from God, and a mother consenting that Christ be offered as the price. Therefore "she shall be praised." Anna was praised because she offered Samuel: whence it is said of her: "The woman went …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 1, Chapter 1 · Written before 604.
proposed
36. The woman went on her way, because the holy Church preached the word of faith to the Gentiles. Which the apostles also say, threatening the Jews: "Because you judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46). She is rightly called a woman when she departs, because through the preaching of the Redeemer she was about to produce among the Gentiles the fruit of great fruitfulness.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And she said, let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight,....
She begged the continuance of Eli's good opinion of her and his good prayers for her, and then she went her way and did eat of what remained of the peace-offerings (none of which was to be left until the morning), and her countenance was no more sad, no more as it had been, giving marks of inward trouble and discomposure; but she looked pleasant and cheerful, and all was well.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This mistaken impression was immediately removed, and, in the words, "God grant," or rather, "will grant," was followed by an invocation which, as Hannah regarded it in the light of a prophecy pointing to the accomplishment of her earnest desire, dispelled her sadness, and filled her with confident hope [1Sa 1:18].
Let thine handmaid find grace - Continue to think favorably of me, and to pray for me.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֹּ֕אמֶר | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| תִּמְצָ֧א | timtza' | may she find | H4672 → | 455 times |
| שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ | shifchatekha | maidservant your | H8198 → | 63 times |
| חֵ֖ן | chen | favor | H2580 → | 69 times |
| בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ | beeineikha | in view your | H5869 → | 887 times |
| וַתֵּ֨לֶךְ | vatelekh | and she went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| הָאִשָּׁ֤ה | haishah | the woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| לְדַרְכָּהּ֙ | ledarkah | to way her | H1870 → | 707 times |
| וַתֹּאכַ֔ל | vatokhal | and she ate | H398 → | 810 times |
| וּפָנֶ֥יהָ | ufaneiha | and face her | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הָיוּ־ | hayu- | they were | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לָ֖הּ | lah | to <the> her | ||
| עֽוֹד׃ | od | still | H5750 → | 490 times |
וַתֹּ֕אמֶרand she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
תִּמְצָ֧אmay she find
timtza'H4672 →455 times
שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛maidservant your
shifchatekhaH8198 →63 times
חֵ֖ןfavor
chenH2580 →69 times
בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָin view your
beeineikhaH5869 →887 times
וַתֵּ֨לֶךְand she went
vatelekhH1980 →1546 times
הָאִשָּׁ֤הthe woman
haishahH802 →781 times
לְדַרְכָּהּ֙to way her
ledarkahH1870 →707 times
וַתֹּאכַ֔לand she ate
vatokhalH398 →810 times
וּפָנֶ֥יהָand face her
ufaneihaH6440 →2123 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
הָיוּ־they were
hayu-H1961 →3559 times
לָ֖הּto <the> her
lah
עֽוֹד׃still
odH5750 →490 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 15:13Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.
- 2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
- Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17
Through
John 16:24Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
it leads to
- Matthew 7:7–8
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- James 4:2–3
You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
- John 15:11
I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
- Matthew 7:7–8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 6; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 1, Chapter 1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. G. Blaikie, The First Book of Samuel (Expositor's Bible).