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1 Samuel 1:9

in 1 Samuel 1

So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah.

KJV

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.

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This verse in 1 Samuel 1

Commentary

9 notes on this verse
After they had eaten ... - Rather, “after she had eaten and after she had drunk,” which is obviously right. Hannah, in the bitterness of her spirit, could not enjoy her feast, and so, after eating and drinking a little, she arose and went to the temple, leaving her husband and Peninnah and her children at table, where she still found them on her return 1Sa 1:18. Upon a seat ... - Rather, “upon the throne,” the pontifical chair of state 1Sa 4:13, which was probably set at the gate leading into the inner court of the tabernacle.

This site's exposition

by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD

on 1 Samuel 1:9-11

The phrase “the temple of the LORD” occurs here for the first time in Scripture, said of the sanctuary at Shiloh long before Solomon builds. Hannah's vow that “no razor shall ever come over his head” repeats the Nazirite law of Numbers 6:5 and the angel's word over Samson at Judges 13:5. Samson broke that vow, and Hannah gives it to a son not yet conceived, who keeps it.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

HOMILIES ON HANNAH 1 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

You see, just as a widow who is destitute and all alone, much abused and wronged, will often not be alarmed at the imminent triumphal procession of emperor, bodyguards, shield bearers, horses, and all the rest of his advance retinue, but without need of a patron will brush past them all and with great confidence accost the emperor, exaggerating her own situation under pressure of her sense of need, so too this woman was not embarrassed, was not ashamed, though the priest was sitting there, to make her request in person and with great confidence approach the king. Instead, under the impulse of desire and in her mind ascending to heaven as though she saw God himself, she addressed him this way with complete ardor.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Samuel · Written before 735.

proposed

And Anna rose, etc. The Church rose from the prolonged grief of its desolation, having now received confidence in supplicating the Lord. After being refreshed by his sacred body and inebriated by the precious chalice of his blood, while the Jewish teachers still remained on …

A commentator

Gregory the Dialogist

Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 1, Chapter 1 · Written before 604.

proposed

20. For what was it then for the holy Church to eat, except to receive the food of consolation through divine encouragement? And what was it for her to drink, except to rejoice in the sweetness of inner consolation poured into her? For if food strengthens, drink cheers; therefore we take food when, having seen the eternal rewards, we are strengthened amid adversities.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The tabernacle is here called the temple, because it was now fixed, and served all the purposes of a temple. There Eli sat to receive addresses and give direction, and somewhere (it is probable in a private corner) he espied Hannah at her prayers, and by her unusual manner fancied she was drunken, and spoke to her accordingly (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drank,.... After dinner, after Elkanah and Peninnah, and their children, had eaten heartily, and drank freely, and made a comfortable meal, and even a feast of it, at the place where the tabernacle and altar were, and their peace offerings were offered up, part of which they had been regaling themselves with.
2 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Now concerning Hannah's prayer we may observe, 1. The warm and lively devotion there was in it, which appeared in several instances, for our direction in prayer. (1.) She improved the present grief and trouble of her spirit for the exciting and quickening of her pious affections in prayer: Being in bitterness of soul, she prayed,

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Eli - sat upon a seat - על הכסא al hakkisse, upon the throne, i.e., of judgment; for he was then judge of Israel. By a post of the temple of the Lord - I think this is the first place where היכל יהוה heychal Yehovah, “temple of Jehovah,” is mentioned. This gives room for a strong suspicion that the books of Samuel were not compiled till the first temple was built, or after the days of Solomon. After this the word temple is frequent in the books of Kings, Chronicles, and in the prophets. Perhaps those Psalms in which this word occurs were, like many others in the Psalms, not of David’s composition; some of them were evidently made long after his time.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

And she was bitter of soul and she prayed before the LORD and wept abundantly.
Targum · Targum Jonathan on I Samuel 1:10, via Sefaria, The Targum of Samuel; trans. E. van Staalduine-Sulman. Leiden: Brill, 2002

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

16 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַתָּ֣קָםand she arose

    vatakomH6965 →628 times

  • חַנָּ֔הHannah

    chanahH2584 →13 times

  • אַחֲרֵ֛יafter

    ʾachareiH310 →715 times

  • אָכְלָ֥הhad eaten

    ʾakhelahH398 →810 times

  • בְשִׁלֹ֖הin Shiloh

    veshilohH7887 →32 times

  • וְאַחֲרֵ֣יand after

    veachareiH310 →715 times

  • שָׁתֹ֑הhad drunk

    shatohH8354 →217 times

  • וְעֵלִ֣יand Eli

    veeliH5941 →33 times

  • הַכֹּהֵ֗ןthe priest

    hakohenH3548 →750 times

  • יֹשֵׁב֙[was] sitting

    yoshevH3427 →1079 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הַכִּסֵּ֔אthe seat

    hakise'H3678 →135 times

  • עַל־at

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • מְזוּזַ֖ת[the] doorpost of

    mezuzatH4201 →

  • הֵיכַ֥ל[the] temple of

    heikhalH1964 →

  • יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

8 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Samuel 3:3Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was located.7 worksPsalms 27:4One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple.6 works1 Samuel 4:13When he arrived, there was Eli, sitting on his chair beside the road and watching, because his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the whole city cried out.5 worksPsalms 5:7But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple.4 works1 Samuel 1:3Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD.4 works2 Samuel 7:2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”3 works
The other 2 cross-references, with their words ▾
Psalms 29:9The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!”2 works1 Samuel 3:15Samuel lay down until the morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Psalms 27:4

    One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the…

    it leads to

    • Psalms 26:8

      O LORD, I love the house where You dwell, the place where Your glory resides.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Psalms 23:6

      Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

    • Psalms 65:4

      Blessed is the one You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts! We are filled with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your temple.

    • Psalms 84:4

      How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You. Selah

    • Psalms 84:10

      For better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

  • Through

    Psalms 5:7

    But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 132:7

      Let us go to His dwelling place; let us worship at His footstool.

    • Psalms 138:2

      I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your loving devotion and Your faithfulness; You have exalted Your name and Your word above all else.

    • Hebrews 4:16

      Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Samuel

Anointing of David by Samuel, Félix-Joseph Barrias, 1842, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris. Public domain.
Anointing of David by Samuel, Félix-Joseph Barrias, 1842, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris. Public domain.
1 Samuel: the study guide →Read 1 Samuel 1 →
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; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 1, Chapter 1; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON HANNAH 1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and W. G. Blaikie, The First Book of Samuel (Expositor's Bible).

Read on in 1 Samuel 1 →