Hannah and Peninnah

Starting today, we begin our study of 1 Samuel. There was a man named Elkanah, who lived in the town of Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. Ramathaim-zophim is the same as Ramah. Elkanah had two wives. One was Hannah (meaning grace) and the other Peninnah (meaning pearl). Considering the customs and teachings of that time, we can assume that the following events likely took place: Elkanah first married Hannah, but since she did not have children, he took Peninnah as a second wife. Thus, conflict arose between Hannah, the barren woman, and Peninnah, who bore children.

How to understand infertility

Due to Hannah’s infertility, the narrative in 1 Samuel takes an unexpected turn. (1) In the cultural context of that time, infertility was often seen as a form of divine judgment, as indicated in Deuteronomy 7:14, “You shall be blessed above all peoples; there will be no sterile male or infertile female among you or among your cattle.” While infertility could indeed be seen as a form of divine judgment, it is essential to recognize that not all cases of infertility are interpreted this way. (2) Some women were temporarily kept in a state of infertility until the appointed time of God. Hannah serves as a good example of this. (3) There are also cases where women are placed in a state of infertility to welcome an adopted child and raise them. (4) Some may experience infertility to serve God more effectively. Such women often engage in remarkable service that would be impossible with the responsibility of raising children. We must never judge people based on appearances. Even behind the things that may seem like misfortune in human eyes, there often lies God’s great plan. Are you in grief carrying the things that may seem like human misfortune? Let’s remember that when we change our perspective, we may see God’s wonderful plan unfold and continue to rely on God.