1 Samuel 1:23

23 Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the Lord establish his word." ^[a] So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

1 Samuel 1:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 1:23

And Elkanah her husband said unto her, do what seemeth thee
good
He spake like a kind and indulgent husband, knowing that she would not thereby break any law of God; and it might be more for her own health, and the health of the child, to stay longer:

tarry till thou have weaned him;
when he would be more fit for the journey, and to be left behind:

only the Lord establish his word;
which some understand of the prophecy of Eli that God would grant her request, which being delivered under the direction of the Spirit of God, is called his word; but this was already fulfilled, and established by Hannah's bearing a son: or the word "his" refers not to the Lord, but to Samuel, and so may respect the word which his mother spake concerning him; either when she made her vow, as Abendana, that he should be a perpetual Nazarite, and the Lord's as long as he lived: and so Elkanah wishes that he might have health and grow strong, and be fit for the service of the Lord, and live many years to perform it; or what she had just now said, as Abarbinel, that he should abide in the house of God for ever, or as long as he lived:

so the woman abode;
at home, while Elkanah and his family went up to Shiloh:

and gave her son suck until she weaned him;
did not put him out to a wet or dry nurse, but suckled him herself with what nature had provided for his nourishment, as becomes women to do, if their circumstances of health, and the provisions of nature, will admit of it.

1 Samuel 1:23 In-Context

21 The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow.

22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the Lord, and remain there forever; I will offer him as a nazirite for all time."

23 Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the Lord establish his word." So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was young.

25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.

Footnotes

• [a]. MT: Q Ms Gk Compare Syr [that which goes out of your mouth]