1 Samuel 1:2

2 He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other P'ninah. P'ninah had children, but Hannah had no children.

1 Samuel 1:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 1:2

And he had two wives
Which, though connived at in those times, was contrary to the original law of marriage; and for which, though a good man, he was chastised, and had a great deal of vexation and trouble, the two wives not agreeing with each other; perhaps not having children by the one so soon as he hoped and wished for, he took another:

the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah;
the first name signifies "grace" or "gracious", and she was a woman who had the grace of God, and very probably was also very comely, beautiful, and acceptable, as she was in the sight of her husband; the other signifies a cornered gem, a precious stone or jewel, as the pearl, ruby, amethyst Very likely Hannah was his first wife, and having no children by her, he took Peninnah, who proved to be a rough diamond: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children; how many Peninnah had is not said, perhaps ten; see ( 1 Samuel 1:8 ) and that Hannah had none was not because she was naturally barren, but because the Lord had shut up her womb, or restrained her from bearing children, to put her upon praying for one, and that the birth of Samuel might be the more remarkable: see ( 1 Samuel 1:5 ) .

1 Samuel 1:2 In-Context

1 There was a man from Ramatayim-Tzofim, in the hills of Efrayim, whose name was Elkanah the son of Yerocham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tochu, the son of Tzuf, from Efrat.

2 He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other P'ninah. P'ninah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 This man went up from his city every year to worship and sacrifice to ADONAI-Tzva'ot in Shiloh. The two sons of 'Eli, Hofni and Pinchas, were cohanim of ADONAI there.

4 One day, when Elkanah was sacrificing, he gave a portion of the sacrifice to his wife P'ninah and portions to each of her sons and daughters;

5 but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved Hannah, even though ADONAI had kept her from having children.