1 Samuel 2:21

21 And the LORD blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD .

1 Samuel 2:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 2:21

And the Lord visited Hannah
In a way of mercy, approving and confirming the blessing of Eli; or rather granting the blessing he prayed for, by giving her power to conceive, bear, and bring forth children, as the following words explain it:

so that she conceived and bare three sons and two daughters;
whereby the prophecy of Hannah was fulfilled, ( 1 Samuel 2:5 ) , and was no doubt matter of great joy to her, though of these children we nowhere else read, nor even of their names. Josephus ^F19 says, Elkanah had other sons by Hannah, and three daughters; which agrees not with the text:

and the child Samuel grew before the Lord:
in age and stature, in grace and goodness, and improved much in the worship and service of God, both in the theory and practice of it; or became great with him, high in his esteem and favour, and was blessed with much of his presence, and with large gifts of his grace.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 10. sect. 3.

1 Samuel 2:21 In-Context

19 Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice.

20 Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the LORD give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the LORD . ”

21 And the LORD blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD .

22 Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

23 Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning?