1 Samuel 1:22
in 1 Samuel 1but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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 Jehovah, and there abide for ever.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 1
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Until the child be weaned - Hebrew mothers, as elsewhere in the East, usually suckled their children until the age of two complete years, sometimes until the age of three.
This site's exposition
to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD
on 1 Samuel 1:21-23
Hannah stays home until the boy is weaned, an interval ancient nursing measured in years. Elkanah's answer, “Only may the LORD confirm His word”, sets his headship under what Hannah has already promised. Numbers 30 lets a husband cancel his wife's vow on the day he hears it, and Elkanah confirms it instead, so the vow stands unbroken.
This site's exposition
but Hannah did not go
Exodus 23:17 required the men to appear at the feasts, and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown note that Hannah had gone up by choice. She stays home until the weaning, which Albert Barnes places at two or three years among Hebrew mothers. Then the boy would stay for good.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 1, Chapter 1 · Written before 604.
proposed
41. Infants are weaned when the little ones of Holy Church receive growth both in spiritual learning and in good conduct, and now seek not the plainer things of sacred speech but its deep mysteries. And the weaned infant is led to appear before the sight of the Lord when through the exhortation of preachers anyone who is subject and progressing well is adorned with good works. For he who is led to appear is brought not only to see but also to be seen.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
For the peace-offerings typified Christ's mediation, as well as the sin-offerings: since by this not only atonement is made for sin, but an answer to our prayers obtained. Give him - That is, consecrate him to God's service in his temple. No razor - That is, he shall be a perpetual Nazarite.
Weaned - Not only from the breast, but also from the mother's knee and care, and from childish food; 'till the child be something grown up, and fit to do some service in the tabernacle: for it seems that as soon as he was brought up he worshipped God, ver. 28, and presently after ministered to Eli, chap. ii, 11.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-28-anchored-22-22
But Hannah went not up,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But Hannah went not up--Men only were obliged to attend the solemn feasts (Ex 23:17). But Hannah, like other pious women, was in the habit of going, only she deemed it more prudent and becoming to defer her next journey till her son's age would enable her to fulfill her vow.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But Hannah went not up--Men only were obliged to attend the solemn feasts (Ex 23:17). But Hannah, like other pious women, was in the habit of going, only she deemed it more prudent and becoming to defer her next journey till her son's age would enable her to fulfill her vow.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְחַנָּ֖ה | vechanah | and Hannah | H2584 → | 13 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עָלָ֑תָה | ʾalatah | she went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אָמְרָ֣ה | ʾamerah | she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְאִישָׁ֗הּ | leishah | to husband her | H376 → | 1663 times |
| עַ֣ד | ʾad | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| יִגָּמֵ֤ל | yigamel | he will be weaned | H1580 → | 37 times |
| הַנַּ֙עַר֙ | hanaar | the lad | H5288 → | 239 times |
| וַהֲבִאֹתִ֗יו | vahaviotiv | and I will take him | H935 → | 2568 times |
| וְנִרְאָה֙ | venirah | and he will appear | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| פְּנֵ֣י | penei | [the] presence of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְיָ֥שַׁב | veyashav | and he will dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| שָׁ֖ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| עוֹלָֽם׃ | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
וְחַנָּ֖הand Hannah
vechanahH2584 →13 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
עָלָ֑תָהshe went up
ʾalatahH5927 →890 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
אָמְרָ֣הshe said
ʾamerahH559 →5305 times
לְאִישָׁ֗הּto husband her
leishahH376 →1663 times
עַ֣דuntil
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
יִגָּמֵ֤לhe will be weaned
yigamelH1580 →37 times
הַנַּ֙עַר֙the lad
hanaarH5288 →239 times
וַהֲבִאֹתִ֗יוand I will take him
vahaviotivH935 →2568 times
וְנִרְאָה֙and he will appear
venirahH7200 →1300 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
פְּנֵ֣י[the] presence of
peneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְיָ֥שַׁבand he will dwell
veyashavH3427 →1079 times
שָׁ֖םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
עוֹלָֽם׃perpetuity
olamH5769 →438 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
Deuteronomy 16:16Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast…
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:9–10
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
- Psalms 96:8
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering and enter His courts.
- Haggai 1:9
You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. And what you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the LORD of Hosts. Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you…
- Exodus 23:14–17
Three times a year you are to celebrate a feast to Me.
- Matthew 2:11
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense…
- Proverbs 3:9–10
Through
1 Samuel 1:11And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then…
it leads to
- Judges 13:5
For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. And no razor shall come over his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will…
- Numbers 6:5
For the entire period of his vow of separation, no razor shall pass over his head. He must be holy until the time of his separation to the LORD is complete; he must let…
- Judges 13:5
Through
Luke 2:22And when the time of purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
it leads to
- Leviticus 12:1–8
Then the LORD said to Moses,
- Leviticus 12:1–8
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 Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.