Elkanah’s story is told in 1 Samuel 1-2
- Who is Elkanah?
- Elkanah hailed from the Levite tribe, specifically the Kohathite branch, the same as Moses and Aaron (1 Chronicles 6:22-28).
- He lived in Ramah, a town located in the hill country of Ephraim.
- Elkanah had two wives – Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, while Hannah was initially barren.
- After years of barrenness and prayer, Hannah gave birth to Samuel, who would grow up to become one of Israel’s greatest prophets.
- Strengths and Accomplishments
- Elkanah showed dedication to God by going to Shiloh every year to worship and sacrifice (1 Samuel 1:3).
- His piety is evident in his upbringing of Samuel, who became a significant prophet.
- He offered a double portion of his sacrifice to Hannah because he loved her, even though she was barren (1 Samuel 1:4-5).
- Weaknesses and Mistakes
- Polygamy: The practice of having multiple wives often led to familial strife and conflict, as it did between Hannah and Peninnah.
- Lack of understanding: Elkanah struggled to comprehend the depth of Hannah’s sorrow due to her barrenness, inadvertently belittling her pain (1 Samuel 1:8).
- Lessons from his Life
- Importance of Faithfulness: Elkanah’s annual sacrifices underscore the importance of faithfulness in our relationship with God.
- Compassion in Relationships: Elkanah’s love and support for Hannah during her distress, albeit not always understanding, sets a good example of empathy in relationships.
- Consequences of Polygamy: The familial discord exemplifies the biblical warning against polygamy, a topic discussed frequently in the Old Testament.
- Key Verses (NIV)
- “Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh…” (1 Samuel 1:3).
- “Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb.” (1 Samuel 1:4-5).
- “Her husband Elkanah would say to her, ‘Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?'” (1 Samuel 1:8).