1 Samuel 1:12

12 It so happened that as she continued in prayer before God, Eli was watching her closely.

1 Samuel 1:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 1:12

And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord,
&c.] Being very earnest and importunate with him to grant her request, and therefore repeated her petition, and prolonged her prayer, being unwilling to let the Lord go, until she had a promise, or some satisfaction, that she should have the thing she liked; some think she continued an hour in prayer:

that Eli marked her mouth;
observed the motion of her lips, and no doubt her distorted countenance, and uplifted eyes and hands, but chiefly the former; not knowing what the woman was at, and what could be the meaning of such motions.

1 Samuel 1:12 In-Context

10 Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried - inconsolably.

11 Then she made a vow: Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain, If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me By giving me a son, I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I'll set him apart for a life of holy discipline.

12 It so happened that as she continued in prayer before God, Eli was watching her closely.

13 Hannah was praying in her heart, silently. Her lips moved, but no sound was heard. Eli jumped to the conclusion that she was drunk.

14 He approached her and said, "You're drunk! How long do you plan to keep this up? Sober up, woman!"