Once there was a woman named Hannah who lived in Israel with her husband, Elkanah. Hannah wanted something more than anything else in the world—a child. But sadly, she could not have children, and this made her very sad. Each year, Hannah and her husband traveled to the temple in Shiloh to worship and offer sacrifices to God. During one of these visits, Hannah felt especially heartbroken and went to the temple to pray.
As she prayed, she cried and asked God to bless her with a son. Hannah made a promise to God, saying, “O Lord, if You give me a son, I will give him back to You, and he will serve You all his life.” Hannah’s prayer was silent, and only her lips were moving. The priest Eli saw her and thought something was wrong, so he asked if she was okay. Hannah explained that she was deeply troubled and was pouring out her heart to God. Eli told her, “Go in peace, and may God grant you what you have asked of Him.”
After Hannah returned home, something amazing happened—God answered her prayer! She gave birth to a baby boy and named him Samuel, which means “heard by God,” because God had heard her prayers. Hannah loved Samuel very much, but she didn’t forget the promise she made to God.
When Samuel was still a young boy, Hannah kept her promise. She took Samuel to the temple and gave him to Eli the priest, saying, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has given me what I asked. Now I give him back to the Lord.” Samuel stayed at the temple, and Hannah would visit him every year, bringing him a little robe that she had made.
Though it must have been hard to give her son to God, Hannah was filled with joy and thankfulness. She prayed a beautiful prayer of praise, thanking God for His faithfulness. This prayer is found in the Bible and is called “Hannah’s Song.” In her prayer, Hannah praised God for His strength and kindness, saying that God lifts up the humble and cares for the needy. She also thanked God for the gift of her son, knowing that Samuel would grow up to serve the Lord.
God blessed Hannah for her faithfulness, and she had more children—three sons and two daughters! Meanwhile, Samuel grew up to become a great prophet and leader of Israel, guiding the people and sharing God’s messages.
Hannah’s story teaches us about the power of prayer, trust, and keeping promises. Even though Hannah faced many challenges, she never gave up on asking God for help. When God answered her prayer, she was faithful in giving back what she had promised. Hannah’s life is an example of how trusting in God’s plan, even when it’s difficult, can lead to amazing blessings.
