1Sa 1:13 | KingComments | STEP | The high priest Eli has no knowledge of God’s thoughts. He who, as a high priest, should intercede most of all for the greatest difficulties of the people, understands the least of a sorrowful woman. He treats Hannah mercilessly, while he should be merciful just as high priest. He brutally breaks off her fellowship with the LORD. She prays intensely and long because her grief and need are great. Eli proves his incompetence as high priest by not recognizing a praying woman as such. Apparently, he is more used to drunk women. But he should see the difference between a drunk woman, who behaves uncontrollably, and the praying Hannah. He has no insight into what occupies the heart of Hannah. He is incapable of sympathizing with the best spirit and mind of his time. When the church is born and the believers are filled with the Holy Spirit, the unbelieving people also think that the first Christians are drunk ( ). The spiritual man is always fooled by those who have no knowledge of the power of God in the inner man. If the highest priest already has such a misjudgment, how should the condition of the people be? Hannah is here the true priest who prays for the people. She is in the true priestly mind, for her desire is that the people return to God. Therefore, she prays for a male child. To bring the people back to God, she asks if God wants to raise up a man for this. She pours out her heart, but Eli only pays attention to her mouth. He judges by appearance, the outside, and thereby comes to the wrong verdict that she is drunk. Hannah’s reaction to the accusation is gentle and lovely. She addresses him with all the respect he deserves for his age and position. She does not blame him for the behavior of his sons and his failure to punish them. She does not throw at him that he should put his own house in order first, before he accuses and condemns others in a hard way. Instead of rebelling against him, she bows down before him. All she does is explain her behavior and asking for understanding. She has been more than just fervent in her prayer to God, and that, she tells him, is the true reason for the disorder in which she seemed to be. If we are unjustly reprimanded, we may try to declare our conduct is pure before the Lord. At the same time, by explaining our conduct, we may try to convince our brothers to what they have misunderstood.

‏ 1 Samuel 1:13

Eli and Hannah

The high priest Eli has no knowledge of God’s thoughts. He who, as a high priest, should intercede most of all for the greatest difficulties of the people, understands the least of a sorrowful woman. He treats Hannah mercilessly, while he should be merciful just as high priest. He brutally breaks off her fellowship with the LORD. She prays intensely and long because her grief and need are great.

Eli proves his incompetence as high priest by not recognizing a praying woman as such. Apparently, he is more used to drunk women. But he should see the difference between a drunk woman, who behaves uncontrollably, and the praying Hannah. He has no insight into what occupies the heart of Hannah. He is incapable of sympathizing with the best spirit and mind of his time.

When the church is born and the believers are filled with the Holy Spirit, the unbelieving people also think that the first Christians are drunk (Acts 2:13-15). The spiritual man is always fooled by those who have no knowledge of the power of God in the inner man. If the highest priest already has such a misjudgment, how should the condition of the people be?

Hannah is here the true priest who prays for the people. She is in the true priestly mind, for her desire is that the people return to God. Therefore, she prays for a male child. To bring the people back to God, she asks if God wants to raise up a man for this.

She pours out her heart, but Eli only pays attention to her mouth. He judges by appearance, the outside, and thereby comes to the wrong verdict that she is drunk. Hannah’s reaction to the accusation is gentle and lovely. She addresses him with all the respect he deserves for his age and position. She does not blame him for the behavior of his sons and his failure to punish them. She does not throw at him that he should put his own house in order first, before he accuses and condemns others in a hard way. Instead of rebelling against him, she bows down before him. All she does is explain her behavior and asking for understanding.

She has been more than just fervent in her prayer to God, and that, she tells him, is the true reason for the disorder in which she seemed to be. If we are unjustly reprimanded, we may try to declare our conduct is pure before the Lord. At the same time, by explaining our conduct, we may try to convince our brothers to what they have misunderstood.