A Little Robe Each Year

Hannah had brought Samuel to Eli and dedicated him to the LORD for as long as he lived. There at Shiloh, she prayed again. The woman whose lips had moved without a sound now spoke of her heart rejoicing and her mouth speaking boldly.

“My heart rejoices in the LORD in whom my horn is exalted. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation.” Hannah began with her own heart and her own voice. Then her prayer moved beyond the account of what had happened to her.

“There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God.” She addressed the LORD before turning to those who spoke proudly. Her words gave no name to an enemy.

“Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength.” In Hannah’s prayer, the strong and the weak changed places. The bow was broken; those who had lacked strength received it.

“The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.” Hannah spoke of hunger and children, things already close to her own story. Yet the woman in the prayer bore seven; Hannah had brought one boy to Shiloh.

“The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.” Her prayer moved through death and life, poverty and wealth. It reached from the lowest place to a seat of honor.

“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.”

“He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.” Hannah’s prayer had begun with her own rejoicing. It would end with words about the ends of the earth, a king, and the LORD’s anointed.

“Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, and Samuel stayed to minister before Eli. The boy wore a linen ephod. Each year Hannah made him a little robe and brought it when she came with her husband for the annual sacrifice.

The journey continued, and now there was a garment to bring. Eli blessed Elkanah and Hannah: “May the LORD give you children by this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD.” Afterward they went home. Samuel remained in Shiloh.

The account says that the LORD attended to Hannah, and she gave birth to three more sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD. The years held children at home and a robe carried to the child at Shiloh. But in the house where Samuel ministered, Eli’s own sons were doing things their father would have to hear.