1 Samuel 1:21-23 Meaning: Waiting to Keep a Promise
21The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and his vow.
22But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahweh, and stay there forever.”
23Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may Yahweh establish his word.” So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.
21And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
22But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever.
23And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the Lord establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
21And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto Jehovah the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
22But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah, and there abide for ever.
23And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only Jehovah establish his word. So the woman tarried and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.
21And the man Elkanah goeth up, and all his house, to sacrifice to Jehovah the sacrifice of the days, and his vow.
22And Hannah hath not gone up, for she said to her husband, `Till the youth is weaned--then I have brought him in, and he hath appeared before the face of Jehovah, and dwelt there--unto the age.'
23And Elkanah her husband saith to her, `Do that which is good in thine eyes; abide till thy weaning him; only, Jehovah establish His word;' and the woman abideth and suckleth her son till she hath weaned him,
21And Elkanah her husband, and all his house, went up to sacrifice to Jehovah the yearly sacrifice and his vow.
22But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, [I will wait] until the child is weaned; then will I bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah, and there abide for ever.
23And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what is good in thy sight: abide until thou hast weaned him; only, may Jehovah fulfil his word. And the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
Meaning in one sentence
Hannah stayed home to care for Samuel before bringing him to the Lord. Her husband trusted her timing. What this delay teaches us about faithfulness.
Context
Months earlier, Hannah had wept in the tabernacle and vowed that if God gave her a son, she would give him back to the Lord for life. Now Samuel was born, and the household was preparing for the yearly trip to Shiloh. But Hannah did not go. She told her husband she would wait until the child was weaned, a process that could take two or three years, and then she would bring him to appear before Yahweh and stay there forever. Elkanah could have insisted she come, but he did not. Instead he told her to do what seemed good to her, and he prayed that the Lord would establish His word. So Hannah stayed home and nursed her son until the day she could keep her promise.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words anchor this scene. The verb for weaned (gamal) has a wider range than English suggests. It can mean to deal fully with someone, to ripen, or to bring something to completion. A weaned child was not just off the breast but ready for the next stage of life, old enough to be separated from his mother and placed into God's service. That is what Hannah was waiting for.
The word vow (neder) appears for both Elkanah and Hannah. He offered his own vows along with the yearly sacrifice. Some commentators think he added a vow of his own when he heard Hannah's prayer. Either way, the whole family was bound up in a promise to God.
And then there is word (davar). When Elkanah says, “Only may Yahweh establish his word,” he may mean Eli’s blessing back in verse 17, or the promise implied by Samuel’s birth, or Hannah’s own vow. The Hebrew leaves it open, like a prayer still being answered.
How Christians Read This Verse
Commentators differ on Elkanah’s vow. Adam Clarke and Wesley (Methodist) believe that verse 21 shows Elkanah made his own vow alongside Hannah’s, probably during her time of distress. The Geneva Bible notes treat both vows as part of the same dedication. Keil and Delitzsch (Lutheran) point out that the Septuagint even adds “and the tithes of his land,” suggesting a wider offering.
Other readers, like the Cambridge Bible (Anglican) and Barnes’ Notes, focus on Hannah’s vow as primary. For them, Elkanah’s role is support, not a separate promise. His words “Do what seems good to you” show trust in her judgment. Both traditions see the same thing: a husband and wife united in giving their son to God.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume Hannah was neglecting worship by staying home. In fact, Israelite law only required men to appear at the three annual festivals (Exodus 23:17). Women could attend but were not obligated. Hannah’s decision to stay was not disobedience, it was the faithful care of a child she had promised to give back to God. She was protecting her vow, not avoiding worship.
Living This Out
Most of us know what it feels like to make a promise to God and then wonder when we are supposed to keep it. Hannah could have rushed Samuel to Shiloh as soon as he was born. But she waited until he was weaned, until he could be separated from her, until he was ready to stay. In that waiting she was not stalling; she was preparing.
This week, you may have a commitment you are delaying. Maybe you need more time to get ready, or someone else’s needs come first. That delay is not failure. It can be the very thing that makes your promise sustainable. Like Elkanah, you might also be the person who trusts someone else’s timing and says, “Do what seems good to you.” Trust that God sees the waiting as part of the giving.
Main takeaway: Hannah cared for her son until he was ready to belong to God, and her husband trusted her to know the right time.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Hannah’s baby Samuel was growing. She stayed home to feed him and take care of him until he was big enough to go to God’s house. Then she kept her promise and brought him there. God loved how she cared for Samuel first.
For ages 9, 12
Hannah had promised God she would give Samuel back to serve Him. But she didn’t leave him at the tabernacle as a newborn. She waited until he was weaned, old enough to eat solid food and be away from her. That waiting wasn’t a delay; it was part of her faithfulness. She made sure Samuel was ready before she gave him to God’s work. Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is wait until the time is right.
Questions People Ask
Why did Hannah stay home instead of going to the yearly sacrifice?
Hannah was nursing Samuel and planned to bring him to the tabernacle permanently once he was weaned. The law did not require women to attend the festivals, so her staying home was not disobedient. She was preparing to fulfill the vow she had made to God.
How old was Samuel when he was weaned?
Ancient Hebrew mothers typically nursed children for two or three years. Weaning at that age was common in the ancient Near East, as supported by commentators like Barnes and the Cambridge Bible. The weaning feast in Genesis 21:8 suggests it was a significant milestone.
Did Elkanah make a vow as well?
The Bible says Elkanah went up to offer 'the yearly sacrifice and his vow.' Some interpreters, like Adam Clarke and Wesley, believe he also made a vow alongside Hannah's. Others see 'his vow' as his general religious commitments. The Hebrew text does not specify details, so both views are possible.
What does 'only may the Lord establish his word' mean?
Elkanah was referring to the word or promise connected to Samuel's birth. This could be Eli's blessing from 1 Samuel 1:17, Hannah's own vow, or God’s implied promise. The phrase is a prayer that God would complete what He had started.
Why does Hannah say Samuel will 'stay there forever' if he would eventually grow up?
The phrase 'forever' here means for his entire lifetime, a perpetual service to the Lord, not an endless stay. The Hebrew word olam can mean 'long duration' or 'complete life.' Samuel lived at Shiloh as a child and continued serving as a prophet and judge all his days.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study