1 Samuel 1:16

16 Count not thine handmaid as a daughter of Belial, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto."

1 Samuel 1:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 1:16

Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial
A yokeless, a lawless, impudent, and abandoned creature; one of the most wicked, vilest, and most profligate wretches; as she must be to come drunk into the sanctuary of God; see ( 1 Samuel 25:17 1 Samuel 25:25 ) . Drunkenness in man is au abominable crime, but much more in a woman. The Romans ^F1 forbad wine to women, and drunkenness in them was a capital crime, as adultery, or any other; and indeed a drunken woman is liable to all manner of sin:

for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken
hitherto;
out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak, whether it is matter of trouble or of joy; the heart of Hannah was full of grief, and her mouth full of complaints, on which she long dwelt, in order to give vent thereunto, and ease herself.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 14. c. 13.

1 Samuel 1:16 In-Context

14 And Eli said unto her, "How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy wine from thee."

15 And Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Count not thine handmaid as a daughter of Belial, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto."

17 Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him."

18 And she said, "Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her countenance was no more sad.