A Study of the Kings
1st Samuel 1 – A Tale of Two Wives: Part One –
“I Don’t Like My Part In This Production!”
What does it take to get your name mentioned in the Bible? Is there a requirement of some special type, or is it just that you had to be in the right place at the right (or wrong) time? I have never been able to establish a clear pattern as to how someone receives mention of their name in the Bible. Yet every person is important. I love to stop, during my reading of lists and genealogies, to consider the names mentioned…each one is an individual with a father and mother. Each individual had emotions and peculiarities that were unique to them, even if their plights were common to man. I have heard sermons on how we are not unique, we are not special, everybody is really all the same. While I understand the basic intent behind these messages…destroy the sinful pride of ego that claims special privilege (usually presented by a person with ego problems themselves), the premise is flawed. If we are not unique then why is it so important that he knows us by name and treats us as individuals? While the intent is good, the theology is bad.
God is not boring, nor does He do anything the same way twice. Each creation is just a little different than the last. Each moment is unique in history and will not come again. This is because His purposes are so much more vast and intricate than my wildest imaginations can fathom. I could never hope to discern a pattern unless He gives me a glimpse at the blueprints. Hence, the Law, Jesus (who fulfilled the law) and then the Bible…the story of God’s interaction with Earth and the chief creature of Earth (no, not the Humpback whale), but mankind. The Bible is a blueprint that gives us all we need to know and actually quite a bit more to chew on than we can grasp at any one time. So in this blueprint (actually quite small compared to some reference books) we see the names of individuals. Fearfully and wonderfully made individuals. Each one with unique traits given only to them. Even when they share multiple traits with other people, these individuals only see things through their own eyes, even with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they still view their world through their own perceptions.
So, back to the original question…what does it take to have your name mentioned in the Bible? No cheating and saying “God’s Will”. There is no growth or need for personal introspection in that answer. After all, God’s Will is sovereign. It will not be thwarted, it will be accomplished. Even the demons know that, albeit they are self decieved about the reality of it. Therefore, each individual mentioned, by name, in the scriptures is there for a reason. This, of course, doesn’t include the host of “a certain man” or “a certain woman” references. It doesn’t include “they”, “them”, “we”, or the broader definitions of racial or family names.
The reason I ask this question is to bring out the point that you are important. You are not just one of “those” or one of “them” on the pages of history. You are created and then given a name. God created you as an individual. He did not make a mistake with your personality, your traits, your emotional makeup, or where He placed you. You are not an “accident” born by chance. You are an individual with purpose; fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving and very inventive Creator.
“Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim- zophim, of the hill- country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite: and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah:and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice unto Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Jehovah, were there.
And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: but unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but Jehovah had shut up her womb. And her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of Jehovah, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons” 1 Samuel 1:1-8
Don’t forget Elkanah and focus only on Hannah. Don’t cruise over Peninnah and just hate her. Each of these three individuals were real, they lived, loved, laughed, cried and bore all the traits of mankind, each in their unique way. Also, notice the other individuals mentioned here. Jeroham, Elihu, Tohu, Zuph and Ephraim (the son of Joseph, the son of Jacob). They are not just names in a lineage, but each one of these lived and passed on traits that were culminated in Elkanah and then transferred to his son, Samuel. Then there is Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. If this were a movie, most of these folks would not be mentioned, because the dialogue to introduce them would be far to complex, but this isn’t make believe. It is real life and in real life, people count.
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pence? and not one of them is forgotten in the sight of God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not:ye are of more value than many sparrows” Luke 12:6,7
Hannah felt that her life was worthless, she was a byword in the history of mankind. She was sure that she was inferior because of her inability to bear children and sweet, dear Peninnah was happy to remind her that she was somehow deficient. Obviously Elkanah, in his sensitive male ego, realized that Hannah’s suffering was needless, since she had him. He chose to comfort her by reminding her that he was the center of her universe. Not such a comforting thought, is it? When we don’t have what we really, really want, a substitute does nothing to take the edge off of our discontent. Elkanah gave Hannah double portions, but she didn’t count her self-worth by what she received, but rather by what she was able to give.
Wait! Did you just see that? A character trait. Hannah’s first character trait of significance. She had not given her husband a child. Childbearing, especially male children, was a significant accomplishent for married women of that day. Hannah had an identity crisis based on her worth as a Mate. Hannah wanted children. We are also to understand from the text that God was responsible for closing up her womb. (Now don’t yell at me, that is what it says. Refer to verse 5.) That is really great for the ego when God says, I am withholding this from you. It just makes you want to sing and shout…right?
For this moment, let’s look at just two elements of this picture that has been painted. We have a rich family history (Elkanah’s) and two wives, one bearing children and one that was loved but barren. Our hat’s go off to Elkanah for not looking down on Hannah, but instead trying to cheer her up, in a very clumsy kind of way. I wonder what Elkanah was thinking? We can see that he truly loved Hannah and there is no indication of any reproach on her from him, unless his reproach was expressed by Peninnah because he was incapable of doing it?
Do you see how complex it is when we start to consider the motives and actions of these Bible characters. Everybody plays a part and everybody is who they are based on God’s original design and their choices concerning that design. Hannah was not deficient any more than Peninnah was totally functional. Hannah’s grief was real and palpable, because she thought of herself as less than whole. She is a part of a family that has a rich heritage. Ephraim was one of the foremost tribes of Israel. Ephraim was one of those younger sons that outdo the oldest son. Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim. This is not an insignificant family.
So many times we want a simplistic answer to our dilemna, to our life or the meaning of our existence. We want to have God’s knowledge of the future and be able to make our plans accordingly. We have our desires and we try to bring God around to looking at things our way. Very often, this is the place where we grow the most as individuals. The times when we don’t get what we want, when we want it.
Peninnah doesn’t appear to have any problems of this sort. She is probably not real happy with her “co-wife” who has no children to take care of when she is responsible for the upbringing of a whole brood. Any mother of multiple children (or even just one strong willed child) will tell you that it often does not feel like an honor at all. So instead of looking at Peninnah as a snooty little princess, view her as the overworked, underpaid mother of sons and daughters who, in the end, will never be mentioned individully. Even Samuel’s brothers and sisters (who are born later in the story) are not mentioned by name, yet they are a part of the story.
There is not one person in this narrative that is inconsequential to God. As we go through a study of the Kingdom years, following the Thread Method of Bible study, we will find people who choose to obey God, but nobody follows; people who choose to disobey God and get quite a long run of earthly success until they are eliminated; people who choose to obey God and are cut down in their prime; people who choose to obey God and bring the whole nation with them, only to have their son undo everything that they have accomplished and people who choose to obey God but are only mentioned in passing. None of these people is an accident and all have them had influence on the events of their day.
Two wives, one was being denied motherhood, the other was literally overflowing with motherhood and the husband was torn in his emotions and caught in the middle. All individuals, all with a choice to make and all capable of crying to God for their needs and praising God for His goodness.
Where are you at? Are you being denied by God? Are your dreams flourishing but you feel overwhelmed with the burden of it all? Are you caught in the middle, trying to make everyone feel good about themselves, yet still get something accomplished? The guarranty is that you are not a “bit” player in the drama of your life. You are the lead in God’s plan for you because only you have the choices that God has specifically given you. Nobody else has the opportunity or the responsibility to obey God for you, on your behalf. We are told in Revelation that Christ has given us a name that only He and we will know.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it.” Revelation 2:17
The next time you feel overlooked, look beyond what you want and instead to what God wants. He sees things at a higher level than any of us do. He is not slighting you if you are unhappy with circumstances any more than He is exalting the person who appears to have all the honor and the earthly blessing. In truth, God does exalt people and bring people low, but it does not always follow the course of our own opinion and perceptions. We only learn to play our part correctly when we relinquish our own perception of being “the center of the universe” and give God the authority and the recognition that we think we want. For further explanation look up everything in the Bible about Lucifer.
We’ll see in our next blog how Hannah chose to express her grief and how Peninnah just plain disappears from the story, as we continue a look at a tale of two wives.