The women of my church have recently started a Bible study following different women of the Bible. Most recently, we discussed and dove deeper into the story of Hannah from 1 Samuel 1 and 2. If you are unfamiliar with the story, you can find the verses here.

To give you a quick summary:

Hannah was married to Elkanah, who was also married to Peninnah. We cannot be certain, but scholars believe Hannah was actually Elkanah’s first wife. When Hannah was unable to bear children, Elkanah married Peninnah.

Now Peninnah was a real piece of work. We only catch a glimpse of the tormenting, but imagine living with a woman who has borne all of these sons and daughters for your husband, and then she continually rubs your face in it. 

Every year they would travel to Shiloh as a family to sacrifice to the Lord. This particular year, Hannah must have been at her limit. The priest, Eli, found her “praying to the Lord and weeping bitterly.” In that prayer, she made a vow to the Lord, saying if He gave her a son, then she would give him back to the Lord.

Eli initially thought Hannah was drunk, seeing her weeping and praying with her lips moving, but no words voiced. After clarification from Hannah, that she was just a woman “pouring out her soul to the Lord,” Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” 

After this trip, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel and eventually gave Samuel to the Lord, and he lived at the house of the Lord with Eli. 1 Samuel 2:1-11 is Hannah’s prayer, full of thanks and rejoicing to God for answering her prayer.

Let’s unpack this a bit. There is a lot to be learned from the story of Hannah. More than I initially thought when we started our Bible study a few weeks ago. 

We only read one sentence regarding Peninnah and Hannah’s relationship in verse 6. 

“Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.” 

We may overlook this if we are not reading carefully, but think about Hannah and her daily life with Peninnah. First of all, she is sharing a husband with Peninnah. Hannah is most likely helping raise Peninnah’s children as well.

Can you imagine? The woman is mocking Hannah about her inability to have children, all the while Hannah is probably helping Peninnah with her children daily.

As we all agreed in our Bible study, Hannah is a much stronger woman than all of us! We could all certainly agree Peninnah needs to be knocked down a peg or two, but Hannah did not return evil with evil. 

So, what did Hannah do?

Even when Hannah had been mocked, bullied, and her prayers went unanswered, she was still able to find contentment in the Lord. Hannah brought her sorrow and bitterness to the Lord, and she was reminded where her identity was found. She found comfort in her purpose as a child of God. 

Hannah also shared her struggles with a godly mentor, Eli, who pointed her back to Christ. It is important to remember, Hannah was uplifted and encouraged before she became pregnant with Samuel.

Her prayers had still not been answered when she left Eli. She was most likely still mocked by Peninnah on their way home, but God had already restored her. 

So, are you a Hannah or a Peninnah? I encourage you to search your heart and seek God for the answer. If you are a Hannah, keep fighting the good fight, girl. If you are a Peninnah, you do not have to act that way.

Remember the easy saying, “What would Jesus do?” He would not treat others in that manner. Seek out the Holy Spirit, and spend time with God. You are responsible for you, your words, and your actions. 

When we find our identity in Christ, we find peace, joy, and contentment there. If your heart is aching, know God will meet you there. You will find freedom, even in times of unanswered prayers, when you live in your purpose and identity as God’s child. He truly knows what is best for us and wants good for us. 

Like Hannah, it does not matter who you are, until you know whose you are. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Whitney can be described by the opening lyrics of a few Tom Petty songs. She's a good girl who grew up in a small Indiana town who loves her mama, Jesus, and America, too. She practices medicine as a physician assistant at an urgent care, and is a certified health coach. Whitney is a music enthusiast and leads worship at her church. She has a heart for people, and wants to help young girls and women find their worth in Christ rather than what the world says of them. Whitney loves a good dad joke, Southern manners, holistic wellness, attempting macrame crafts, and hiking and traveling with her husband, Alex, and their dog, Milly.