1 Samuel 1:20 Meaning: Samuel: The Name That Holds a Story
When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of Yahweh.”
Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.
and it came to pass, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Jehovah.
and it cometh to pass, at the revolution of the days, that Hannah conceiveth, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Samuel, `for, from Jehovah I have asked him.'
And it came to pass when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bore a son, and called his name Samuel, [saying,] Because I have asked him of Jehovah.
Meaning in one sentence
Hannah named her son Samuel because she asked him of the Lord. The name also means 'God heard.' A story of prayer answered.
Context
The first chapter of 1 Samuel opens in a hard place. Hannah, one of Elkanah's two wives, is deeply loved but unable to have children. Her rival Peninnah taunts her year after year at the annual sacrifice in Shiloh. One day Hannah goes to the tabernacle and prays with such anguish that Eli the priest thinks she is drunk. She pours out her heart, and Eli blesses her, saying, 'Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition.' She leaves, and her face is no longer sad. The next morning the family returns home to Ramah. Elkanah knows his wife, and the Lord remembers her. This verse is the quiet, powerful moment when the waiting finally ends: Hannah conceives and gives birth to a son, and she gives him a name that will carry the story for a lifetime.
Key Words
Two Hebrew words stand together in this verse, and together they hold more than at first appears. The verb behind 'I have asked him' is sha'al (H7592). It means to ask, to request, even to borrow. Hannah had asked God for a son, and now she holds the answer in her arms. But the name she gives him, Shemuel (H8050), is built not from sha'al but from shama, 'to hear', and El, 'God.' Most commentators agree that Samuel means 'God heard' or 'heard of God.' So Hannah's explanation, 'Because I have asked him of Yahweh,' is not a strict dictionary definition. It is a lived one. She named him Samuel because her asking had been heard. The name itself is a constant reminder that God does not turn a deaf ear to the cries of His people. Every time she called his name, she remembered: the God who hears is the God who answers.
How Christians Read This Verse
Across Christian traditions, this verse is treasured as a testimony to answered prayer. Protestant readers often highlight Hannah's faith and persistence, seeing her as a model of pouring out one's heart to God. Catholic and Orthodox readers may also notice how her vow to dedicate the child to God reflects a life of offering back what has been given. Some commentators, like Matthew Henry, focus on the comfort that comes after a season of affliction. Others, like those in the Jewish tradition from which this story comes, see the name Samuel as marking a turning point in Israel's history, God raising up a prophet who will listen and speak for Him. All agree that this verse shows a God who remembers, who hears, and who gives in His own time.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to think the name Samuel directly means 'asked of God.' In fact, the name is built from Hebrew words for 'heard' and 'God', it means 'God heard.' Hannah's explanation, 'Because I have asked him of Yahweh,' is not an etymology but a personal story. She named him to mark the event: she asked, and God heard. The distinction matters because it shifts focus from our asking to God's listening. The name itself is a monument to divine attention, not merely a record of human request.
Living This Out
This week, think about something you have been asking God for, maybe for a long time. It might not be a child. It could be a change in a relationship, a direction for work, or patience for a hard season. Hannah shows us that it is right to keep asking, to be honest with God about the ache. But she also shows us what to do when the answer comes: name it. Give it a word that ties the gift back to the Giver. That could mean telling someone, writing it down, or simply pausing to say, 'This is from You.' Let the answer become a reminder that God heard.
Main takeaway: God hears the prayers of His people and answers in His time, and we are invited to remember His faithfulness with gratitude.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Hannah wanted a baby very much, and she asked God to give her one. God heard her prayer and gave her a son. She named him Samuel to help her remember that God heard her.
For ages 9, 12
Hannah had been praying for a child for years. When God finally answered, she named her son Samuel, which means 'God heard.' She didn't just forget about her prayer once it was answered, she gave her son a name that would always remind her of God's faithfulness. It's a good practice to remember and thank God when He answers our prayers, big or small.
Questions People Ask
What does the name Samuel mean?
The name Samuel (Hebrew Shemuel) most likely means 'God heard' or 'heard of God.' It combines a form of the word for 'heard' (shama) with the word for 'God' (El). Hannah’s explanation, 'Because I have asked him of Yahweh', gives the personal reason for the name rather than a strict translation.
Why did Hannah say she named him Samuel 'because I have asked him of Yahweh'?
Hannah had prayed fervently for a child, and God answered her prayer. By saying 'I have asked him of Yahweh,' she is connecting the child’s very existence to her petition and to God’s response. The name Samuel would remind her and everyone else that this child was a gift given in answer to prayer.
How does this verse connect to the rest of Hannah's story?
Earlier in 1 Samuel 1, Hannah prays at the tabernacle, making a vow to dedicate her son to God if He gives her one. Eli the priest blesses her. Verse 20 is the fulfillment: she conceives and bears Samuel. Later she brings him to the tabernacle to serve the Lord, keeping her promise. The verse is the hinge between her prayer and her dedication.
Is Samuel's name unique in the Old Testament?
The name Samuel appears for a few other individuals (Numbers 34:20; 1 Chronicles 7:2), but the most famous Samuel is the prophet and judge from this story. His name is closely tied to his role: he was 'heard of God' and he himself became one who heard from God and spoke for Him to Israel.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study