I Samuel 2:19 · Bible study
1 Samuel 2:19 Commentary: Hannah's Little Robe
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the significance of Hannah's annual gift to Samuel, the little robe, and what it reveals about her ongoing devotion and Samuel's priestly service.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Hannah’s annual act of making a little robe for Samuel reveals her enduring love and care, and the robe’s form hints at Samuel’s special priestly calling.
- Key words: me‘il (robe/H4598), a garment of rank, also worn by priests; qaton (little/H6996); miyyamim yamimah (from year to year).
- Main debate: Is the robe simply practical clothing, or a deliberate echo of the high priest’s attire? Both views find support, but the majority of commentators see a priestly connotation.
- Theological theme: Faithfulness in small, repeated acts; God’s quiet preparation of a faithful leader in a time of spiritual corruption.
- Best use: A model of persistent parental love, a contrast between true and false priesthood, and a reminder that God sees the steady work of devotion.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Each year his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
KJV King James Version 1769
Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and a small upper coat doth his mother make to him, and she hath brought it up to him from time to time, in her coming up with her husband to sacrifice the sacrifice of the time.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to sacrifice the yearly sacrifice.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And his mother made him a little coat, which she brought to him on the appointed days, when she went up with her husband, to offer the solemn sacrifice.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y hacíale su madre una túnica pequeña, y traíasela cada año, cuando subía con su marido á ofrecer el sacrificio acostumbrado.
E fazia-lhe sua mãe uma túnica pequena, e a trazia a ele a cada ano, quando subia com seu marido a oferecer o sacrifício costumeiro.
Sa mère lui faisait chaque année une petite robe, et la lui apportait en montant avec son mari pour offrir le sacrifice annuel.
Dazu machte ihm seine Mutter ein kleines Oberkleid und brachte es ihm hinauf zu seiner Zeit, wenn sie mit ihrem Mann hinaufging, zu opfern das jährliche Opfer.
En zijn moeder maakte hem een kleinen rok, en bracht hem dien van jaar tot jaar, als zij opkwam met haar man, om het jaarlijkse offer te offeren.
Sua madre gli faceva ogni anno una piccola tonaca, e gliela portava quando saliva con suo marito ad offrire il sacrifizio annuale.
A matka jego uczyniwszy mu sukienkę małą, przynaszała mu co rok, gdy chadzała z mężem swym sprawować ofiarę uroczystą.
Верхнюю одежду малую делала ему мать его и приносила ему ежегодно, когда приходила с мужем своим для принесения положенной жертвы.
他母親 每年 為他 做 一件小 外袍，同著 丈夫 上來 獻 年 祭 的時候帶來 給他。
And his mother made him a little robe and took it to him every year when she came with her husband for the year's offering.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 2:19
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse shows Hannah’s sustained devotion to Samuel after surrendering him to the Lord’s service. Gill notes she made the robe each year from her own spinning and weaving, partly out of love and partly to help meet his needs. Barnes, the Cambridge Bible, and Keil & Delitzsch all point out that the Hebrew word me‘il (a long upper tunic) was the same term used for the high priest’s robe (Exodus 28:4). While Samuel’s robe was simpler, its description implies an extraordinary, priestly role for the boy in an era when the full Levitical system was not yet established. Hannah brought the robe when she and Elkanah came for the yearly sacrifice, affirming that her love for Samuel and her worship of God remained tightly woven together. All see this as a quiet but powerful contrast to the corruption of Eli’s sons (1 Samuel 2:12, 17).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Practical-garment view: The robe is simply warm clothing for a young boy; the common word me‘il can refer to any outer tunic (Adam Clarke).
- Priestly-garment view: The word me‘il is the same as the high priest’s robe (Exo 28:4); together with the linen ephod (v.18) it signals Samuel’s extraordinary priestly role in a time when the priesthood was failing (Barnes, Cambridge, Keil & Delitzsch).
What is clear: Hannah made a robe for Samuel each year and brought it when she came to worship; the act shows her continued devotion to her son and to God, and it contrasts with the wickedness of Eli’s sons.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the robe | The robe (me‘il) is an outer garment, handmade by Hannah each year. | Some (e.g., Adam Clarke) see it as a simple cloak for warmth and utility. Others (Barnes, Cambridge Bible) see it as resembling the high priest’s robe, pointing to Samuel’s extraordinary priesthood. |
| Yearly sacrifice timing | The family made an annual pilgrimage to Shiloh for sacrifice. | Which of the three pilgrim feasts (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles) is intended? The text does not specify, and commentators differ on whether it was a single annual event or one of the three. |
| Hannah’s motive | Hannah’s love for Samuel and her ongoing devotion to God are evident. | Gill emphasizes that she also sought to lessen the expense for Eli or the congregation; others see primarily maternal affection and fulfillment of her vow in small ways. |
| Priestly role of Samuel | Samuel served in the tabernacle from childhood, wearing a linen ephod. | Is the robe a sign of an actual, though irregular, priesthood? Some affirm it (Barnes, Keil), while others see it as a garment of service but not necessarily priestly office in the Levitical sense. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Israel’s worship life in the days of the Judges was uneven at best. Yet this verse captures a family that remained faithful. Elkanah and Hannah went up “from year to year” to Shiloh, likely for one of the three pilgrim feasts (Exodus 23:14). The “yearly sacrifice” (Hebrew zevach hayamim) probably included a peace offering, where the family would share a meal before the Lord. For Hannah, these trips were both an act of worship and a chance to see her young son.
The robe she made, the me‘il, was an outer garment worn by people of standing, kings, prophets, and women of rank. Most striking, it was the same word used for the high priest’s robe (Exodus 28:4). Samuel already wore a linen ephod (verse 18). The robe added a layer of dignity that matched his growing service. In an age when the priesthood was corrupt, Samuel’s garments signalled that God was raising up a faithful servant.
All weaving and garment-making in that culture fell to women. Hannah’s work with her hands was an expression of care she could not give daily. By bringing a new robe each year, she participated in Samuel’s life and ministry long after she had given him back to God.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for 1 Samuel 2:19. The Hebrew is stable across manuscripts, and the verse presents no major text-critical issues. The main interpretive questions centre on the meaning of the robe and the timing of the yearly sacrifice, not on the wording itself.
Reception History
This verse has been treasured across traditions as a portrait of faithful motherhood and quiet devotion. Jewish sources, including the Talmud (Yoma 35a), mention that priests sometimes wore garments made by their mothers, lending a concrete background to Hannah’s annual gift. Early Christian writers such as Origen and Chrysostom drew on the contrast between Samuel’s faithful service and the corruption of Eli’s sons, seeing in Hannah’s robes a symbol of the virtues a mother bestows on her child. In later centuries, the verse has been used in sermons on persistent parental prayer and on God’s ability to raise up leaders even when the established priesthood fails. It remains a favorite for its human warmth and its quiet assurance that God sees the small acts of love that others may overlook.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A mother’s love, sustained across the years. Hannah did not give Samuel at Shiloh and move on. Each year she brought a new robe, something small, personal, handmade. It shows that true devotion to God’s call does not end when we let go.
- A garment that pointed to a greater calling. The me‘il was not an ordinary coat. It echoed the high priest’s robe. Samuel’s place in the tabernacle was not accidental. God was preparing a faithful voice for a dark time.
- Worship and family woven together. Hannah’s trip was both a pilgrimage and a visit. Her worship of God and her love for her son were not separate lanes. The yearly sacrifice became an occasion for both.
Five-point outline
- Context: the corruption of Eli’s sons (v.12, 17) sets a dark backdrop.
- Contrast: Samuel, a child, ministers faithfully, clothed in a linen ephod (v.18).
- Care: Hannah makes and brings a little robe each year, a steady, tangible gift.
- Calling: the robe’s design points to a priestly role that goes beyond the current degraded priesthood.
- Blessing: Eli’s blessing (v.20) and God’s visitation on Hannah (v.21) show that faithfulness is never wasted.
Illustration hooks
- The care package. A parent sends a box of cookies or a warm sweater to a child away at boarding school or college. It is not about the object. It says, “I am still here. I still love you.” Hannah’s robe was her care package from Ramah to Shiloh.
- The homemade gift. A handmade present carries meaning a store-bought one cannot. The time, the thought, the stitching, all communicate love. Hannah’s spinning, weaving, and sewing each year cost her something.
- The annual reunion. Families who gather every year for a holiday know the rhythm of reunion. For Elkanah and Hannah, the yearly sacrifice was their sacred reunion with Samuel and with God.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I show ongoing love for someone I have entrusted to God’s care?
- What small, repeated acts of devotion might God be calling me to?
- Does my worship stay connected to my family life, or do I keep them separate?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits in the middle of a dark chapter. Eli’s sons are stealing from worshippers and sleeping with women at the tabernacle door. But here is a mother making a little robe. It is a small, steady act of faithfulness in a place where faithfulness seemed to be losing. As you enter this passage, notice what the narrator does not say. He does not preach a sermon. He shows a mother and a robe. That is enough.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the timing of Hannah’s gift? She brought it “from year to year,” when she came for the yearly sacrifice.
- Look at the word “robe” in the Hebrew. How does the connection to the high priest’s garment (Exodus 28:4) change the way you read this verse?
- Why do you think the narrator places this peaceful image of Hannah and Samuel right after the ugly description of Eli’s sons?
- Hannah had already given Samuel to the Lord permanently (1 Samuel 1:28). What does her continuing to make him a robe each year say about her understanding of giving?
- How does Samuel’s clothing (first a linen ephod, then a me‘il) help us understand his role in the tabernacle?
- Can you think of a situation where a small, repeated act of service has carried deep meaning for you or for someone else?
- What “little robes” might God be inviting you to create for others, not to earn favour, but to show love?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 23:14 | “You shall observe a feast to me three times a year. |
| Exodus 28:4 | These are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a fitted tunic, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. |
| I Samuel 1:3 | This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there. |
| I Samuel 1:21 | The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and his vow. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies Jacob's gift to Joseph as a practical outer cloak, not merely a decorative robe. He suggests it was meant to protect Joseph from cold and his other clothes from wear during servant duties, and that his mother likely provided a new one each year at the annual sacrifice.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that Samuel wearing the ephod and robe, garments of the high priest, points to an extraordinary priesthood he received by God's direct call. This was fitting in an age when the full Levitical system was not yet operational, and such irregular practices were the norm throughout the days of the Judges.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator suggests that Samuel's robe, normally worn by kings, prophets and priests, points to an extraordinary and irregular priesthood. This special role was called by God in an age when the full Levitical law was not yet in force, making Samuel's service unique.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that Hannah made Samuel a new coat each year and personally brought it when she came to worship. This annual gift shows her continued, tangible love for her son even after dedicating him to God's service, and it demonstrates her faithful participation in the yearly sacrifice.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasises that Hannah made Samuel a priestly coat, using the same Hebrew word as the priest's robe. Her labour came from deep love for her son and a desire to ease the expense borne by Eli and the congregation. She brought a new one each year when she came with her husband for the annual sacrifice.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Hannah provided Samuel with a new coat each year precisely because he was too young to perform any real service at the tabernacle. She willingly bore the expense herself. The excerpt also observes that in ancient times, weaving, cloth-making, and tailoring were all tasks undertaken by women.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stresses that Samuel's linen ephod was simple white cloth, unlike the high priest's ornate version. This modest dress suited his lifelong service at the sanctuary. Eli's blessing on his parents was fulfilled when God gave Hannah more children, while Samuel grew up near the Lord, protected and blessed.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights the sharp contrast between Samuel's faithful service and the corrupt priesthood of Eli's sons, who "knew not the Lord." He argues the priesthood had failed its mediating role, so God raised Samuel—a Levite, not a priest—as the true servant who would become the living center of the theocracy and the channel for new revelations.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry contrasts young Samuel's faithful ministry in the sanctuary with Eli's sons, who were wicked and profaned the offerings. While the sons abused their priestly position, Samuel grew in favor with God and man. God also blessed Hannah with more children, showing He never forgets what is lent to Him.