Elkannah had two wives, one of whom was unable to have children. Now there are immediately two important features here. First, it is the daughters who are important, one of whom is about to play a key role in the history of Israel. Throughout the Bible, Old and New Testament, women are seen as important and play a vital role in God's plans. Secondly, it is the one who is unable to have children who is going to be blessed. This leads us to two further points. Childlessness is seen as a curse in parts of the Bible. Now this does not mean that someone who cannot have children is somehow hated by God, or is second rate. Childlessness is, along with many other things, a result of the fall. All of us have some features of our life that are "a curse", they are part of God's judgement upon humanity for our sin, part of the consequences of our sin. But God still loves us, and He has sent Christ to redeem us from the curse. Secondly, it may seem that in some ways we are "second-class", we less favoured. This in no way means we cannot be blessed and used by God. Indeed He delights in choosing the weak and despised things of the world to demonstrate His glory and love.
Next we see that Elkannah himself loved Hannah, the wife who was unable to have children. He shared in her suffering, and valued her, and showed his love for her. Later she would receive love from the Lord, but receiving genuine love from people makes it easier for us to receive love from God. No human love can meet all our needs, but it opens the way for us to receive the love of God. If we make an idol out of human love we head for trouble, but if we have a right perspective, human love plays a vital and positive role in life. We see also the pain of Elkannah. Hannah had a need that he could not meet.
Hannah reacted to this in the right way, she prayed to God. We will always find that even those most close to us will not be able to meet all our needs. Not our parents, nor our wife or husband, or closest friend. There will be somethings that they cannot do. The wrong, but common, reaction is to become bitter. Instead we should seek God.
Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk and went to rebuke her. She corrected him, and Eli blessed her. The Lord answered Hannah's prayer and she became pregnant.
Grateful to the Lord, Hannah chose to dedicate Samuel to the Lord. Note the decisive role that Hannah has. She does not just have a child, but makes the vital decision to dedicate him to God. So Samuel was given to the Lord.
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