ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Pulelulu Tisema 1, 2021 

ko ‘eku lilingi hoku loto ‘i he ‘ao ‘o Sihova

I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord

1 Samiuela 1 (1 Samuel 1)

(v. 14-16) Pea lea ‘a ‘Īlai ki ai, ‘E ‘osi ‘afē ho‘o tuku ke hā ho‘o konā? fai ha me‘a ke mole ‘a e uaine meiate koe. Pea tali ‘e ‘Ana, ‘o ne pehē, ‘Oku ‘ikai pehē, Tangata‘eiki; ko e fefine loto mafasia au: kuo ‘ikai te u inu ha uaine, pe ha kava mālohi, ka ko ‘eku lilingi hoku loto ‘i he ‘ao ‘o Sihova. ‘Oua te ke lau ho‘o kaunanga ko e hako‘i Pileali: he ko ‘eku lea ‘anenai na‘e tupu mei he lahi ‘o ‘eku hanu, mo hoku fakaehaua.

(v. 14-16) And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible (Intro)

     This book, and that which follows it, bear the name of Samuel in the title, not because he was the penman of them (except of so much of them as fell within his own time, to the twenty-fifth chapter of the first book, in which we have an account of his death), but because the first book begins with a large account of him, his birth and childhood, his life and government; and the rest of these two volumes that are denominated from him contains the history of the reigns of Saul and David, who were both anointed by him. And, because the history of these two kings takes up the greatest part of these books, the Vulgar Latin calls them the First and Second Books of the Kings, and the two that follow the Third and Fourth, which the titles in our English Bibles take notice of with an alias: otherwise called the First Book of the Kings, c. The LXX. calls them the first and second Book of the Kingdoms. It is needless to contend about it, but there is no occasion to vary from the Hebrew verity. These two books contain the history of the last two of the judges, Eli and Samuel, who were not, as the rest, men of war, but priests (and so much of them is an appendix to the book of Judges), and of the first two of the kings, Saul and David, and so much of them is an entrance upon the history of the kings. They contain a considerable part of the sacred history, are sometimes referred to in the New Testament, and often in the titles of David's Psalms, which, if placed in their order, would fall in these books. It is uncertain who was the penman of them it is probable that Samuel wrote the history of his own time, and that, after him, some of the prophets that were with David (Nathan as likely as any) continued it. This first book gives us a full account of Eli's fall and Samuel's rise and good government, 1 Samuel 1:1-8; 1 Samuel 1:1-8 Of Samuel's resignation of the government and Saul's advancement and mal-administration, 1 Samuel 9:1-15; 1 Samuel 9:1-15 The choice of David, his struggles with Saul, Saul's ruin at last, and the opening of the way for David to the throne, 1 Samuel 16:1-31; 1 Samuel 16:1-31 And these things are written for our learning.

David Guzik :: Study Guide for 1 Samuel 1

No, my lord: Hannah did not accept Eli’s accusation but she did not respond in a haughty or arrogant tone. She would explain herself but she did it remembering that he was her high priest.

b. I have poured out my soul before the Lord: This is exactly what Hannah needed to do. Instead of keeping the bitterness of soul and the anguish in her heart, she poured it out of her soul before the Lord.

The God of Israel grant your petition: Eli may have spoken this only as a kind wish; but it was in fact a word from the Lord.

Her face was no longer sad: The change in Hannah’s countenance shows that she received the promise with faith, something necessary if we will inherit the promises of God (Hebrews 6:12).

Hannah shows how we can regain the joy of fellowship in the house of the Lord again: by pouring out our heart before the Lord and by receiving His word with faith.