Original Word: חַנָּה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: Channah
Pronunciation: khan-NAH
Phonetic Spelling: (khan-naw')
KJV: Hannah
NASB: Hannah
Word Origin: [from H2603 (חָנַן - To be gracious)]

1. favored
2. Channah, an Israelitess

Hannah

From chanan; favored; Channah, an Israelitess -- Hannah.

see HEBREW chanan

Word Origin
from chanan
Definition
mother of Samuel
NASB Translation
Hannah (13).

חַנָּה proper name, feminine ᵐ5 Ἄννα (compare Nabataean חנה Eut^{No. 20}), mother of Samuel 1 Samuel 1:2 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 1:5 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 1:8,9,13,15,19,20,22; 1 Samuel 2:1,21.

Identity and Setting

Hannah appears exclusively in 1 Samuel 1–2, a period bridging the judges and the monarchy. She is one of two wives of Elkanah, dwelling in the hill country of Ephraim. Her thirteen named appearances (1 Samuel 1:2, 1:2, 1:5, 1:5, 1:8, 1:9, 1:13, 1:15, 1:19, 1:20, 1:22, 2:1, 2:21) trace a movement from barrenness and distress to fruitfulness and prophetic praise, framing the birth narrative of the prophet Samuel.

Family Dynamics and Personal Trial

Elkanah loved Hannah, yet her closed womb created domestic tension exacerbated by Peninnah’s provocations. The yearly pilgrimages to Shiloh exposed her pain publicly, as Peninnah’s fruitful womb seemed, on the surface, to signal divine favor. By highlighting Hannah’s tears and fasting “year after year” (1 Samuel 1:7), Scripture presents a model of godly sorrow mingled with persevering worship.

Prayer as Theological Showcase

Hannah’s petition is one of the Old Testament’s most detailed portrayals of individual prayer. “In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD” (1 Samuel 1:10). Her vow—offering the long-desired son back to God as a lifelong Nazirite—reveals an alignment of personal desire with the purposes of God. Eli’s initial misreading of her silent lips underscores the sincerity of heartfelt prayer over ritual formality.

Divine Response and Reversal

The Lord “remembered her” (1 Samuel 1:19), a covenant-laden verb signaling faithful intervention. The birth of Samuel (“heard of God”) initiates a cascade of reversals: the barren bears, the humble are lifted, the proud brought low. Hannah’s later conception of three more sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21) magnifies the principle that God gives “far more abundantly than all we ask or imagine.”

The Magnificat of the Old Testament

Hannah’s song (1 Samuel 2:1-10) stands as a theological summit. It exalts God’s holiness, sovereignty, and justice, anticipating themes later echoed by Mary in Luke 1:46-55. Key lines—“The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up” (verse 6)—reveal a robust doctrine of resurrection power centuries before Isaiah or Ezekiel.

Contribution to Redemptive History

Through Hannah, Samuel is placed at the very heart of Israel’s transition to monarchy: the prophet who anoints both Saul and David. Her act of dedicating Samuel inaugurates a prophetic office that shapes Israel’s future and safeguards the Davidic promise leading ultimately to Messiah.

Typological Foreshadowing

Hannah typifies the faithful remnant awaiting divine intervention. Her barrenness parallels Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, underscoring that each pivotal birth in the covenant line is a gift of grace. Her vowed son, set apart from the womb, prefigures John the Baptist and, in ultimate fulfillment, the greater Prophet-Priest-King, Jesus Christ, who is likewise presented at the sanctuary.

Ministry Applications

• Intercessory Model: Persistent, honest, covenant-anchored prayer.
• Parenting and Stewardship: Children viewed as God’s possession entrusted for His service.
• Worship Beyond Circumstance: She rises from prayer with “her face no longer downcast” (1 Samuel 1:18), teaching joy before fruition.
• Praise as Theology: Her song supplies a template for doctrinally rich worship, spotlighting God’s sovereignty in everyday life.

Cultural and Historical Notes

Shiloh serves as the central sanctuary before Jerusalem. Hannah’s willingness to leave her only son under Eli’s imperfect supervision displays confidence in Yahweh rather than in religious leaders. Her handmade ephod and robe, delivered annually, illustrate covenant faithfulness expressed through maternal care.

Lasting Legacy

Hannah’s account assures believers that individual faithfulness advances God’s cosmic purposes. Barrenness yields prophetic blessing; private prayer births national renewal. By featuring her thirteen mentions in rapid succession, the Spirit concentrates attention on the transformative power of grace operating through one devoted woman.

וְחַנָּ֖ה וְחַנָּ֗ה וּלְחַנָּ֕ה וּלְחַנָּ֖ה וחנה ולחנה חַנָּ֔ה חַנָּ֖ה חַנָּ֣ה חַנָּ֤ה חַנָּה֙ חנה chanNah ḥan·nāh ḥannāh ū·lə·ḥan·nāh ulechanNah ūləḥannāh vechanNah wə·ḥan·nāh wəḥannāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts