Hannah’s story would not be complete without the record of her obedience in fulfilling her vow to the Lord. Some time has passed since the birth of Samuel (vs. 20). And now it is time for Elkanah and his family to return to Shiloh to worship the Lord and make sacrifices. Little Samuel had not yet been weaned (which typically happened at about 3 years) so Hannah, with her husband’s blessing, elected to remain home with the baby. She will return to Shiloh once she is able to fulfill her vow.

The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that “it is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it” (5:5). And what a vow Hannah had made! With little Samuel in tow and a substantial thank offering, Hannah heads off for Shiloh to keep her promise to the Lord (vs. 24). Hannah serves as a model for us in this. We should be very careful in the promises we make to the Lord. Wedding vows and church membership vows come to mind but what about our promises to the Lord to mortify our sin, walk in holiness, and love our neighbors? Do we understand the responsibilities such promises place upon us?

The passage ends with mention that, after having been given over to Eli the priest, Samuel “worshipped the Lord there.” As Samuel grew under the guidance of Eli, he became a man dedicated to service to the Lord. Such a sacrifice from a mother can hardly be understood by modern westerners. But in the end, Hannah’s story is not about Hannah. Her story is about God and his sovereign purposes. It is about his care for his people. The way that the Lord intervenes for Hannah is unusual but that he cared and acted in particular ways is not unusual. “If we really understand God’s goodness and really appreciate God’s gifts, then there bubbles up inside an almost uncontrollable urge to respond in the fullest way we can imagine” (Evans, 29).