1 Samuel 1:2
“He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.”
What does 1 Samuel 1:2 mean?
Elkanah, a faithful man who worshiped God regularly, had two wives, which was permitted in that ancient culture though it often created real tensions in households. While Peninnah had given him sons and daughters, Hannah remained childless, and in that time and place, a woman's identity and security were deeply tied to her ability to bear children. This simple statement sets up one of the Bible's most poignant stories, because it establishes both Hannah's longing and her vulnerability, the loneliness she would have felt even within her own family.