2. Samuel:
born 1100 BC
the last of 15 “judges” who led Israel for 330 years (1375 – 1045)

3. 1 Samuel 1:1-3
Elkanah
wife #1: Hannah (no children)
wife #2: Peninnah (children)
Eli (priest)
son: Hophni (priest)
son: Phinehas (priest)

4. widely accepted in Samuel’s day?
Why was polygamy
widely accepted in Samuel’s day?
The high value of large families (and sons)
more wives = more children.
if the first wife was barren….
Finances
more children = greater labor supply
polygamy gave financial stability to many women

5. God created marriage to be monogamous and between a man and woman.
Both the creation account (Genesis 2:24) and Jesus describe marriage as between a man and a woman.
Monogamy was commanded for leaders
kings (Deuteronomy 17:14-20)
church leaders (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)

6. Lesson 1: Honor marriage
Marriage must be respected by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge immoral people and adulterers (Hebrews 13:4).
We respect marriage by upholding it as it was created to be: a life-long, “one man, one woman,” covenant.
We keep the marriage bed undefiled by abstaining from sex in all relationships outside of marriage.

7. 4 Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters.  5 But he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved her even though the LORD had kept her from conceiving. 
1 Samuel 1:4-5

8. 6 Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because the LORD had kept Hannah from conceiving. 
7 Whenever she went up to the LORD’s house, her rival taunted her in this way every year. Hannah wept and would not eat. 
1 Samuel 1:6-7

9. 8 Elkanah asked Hannah,
“Why are you crying?”
“Why won’t you eat?
“Why are you troubled?”
“ Am I not better to you than 10 sons? ”
1 Samuel 1:8

10. Lesson 2
MEN: Show some empathy! Don’t just try and fix the problem. Ladies usually want our comfort before we offer our (really good!) solutions.

11. You don’t have to say everything you think.
Lesson 2
MEN: Show some empathy! Don’t just try and fix the problem. Ladies usually want our comfort before we offer our (really good!) solutions.
You don’t have to say everything you think.

12. Decision-making:
men: fact-based and logic-based
women: rely on intuition and feelings
Tasks:
men: focus on one task
women: multi-task
Processing of “life:”
Men are like waffles: they compartmentalize work, church, home, emotions, tasks, etc.
Women are like spaghetti: they interrelate work, church, home, parenting, etc.

13. Female
Male

14. I do not need to say everything I think!
I am a man.
I need to listen to the ladies in my life and show empathy when they are sad.
They need my comfort and understanding before I give them my good solutions!
I do not need to say everything I think!

15. 9 Hannah got up after they ate and drank (and went to) Shiloh
9 Hannah got up after they ate and drank (and went to) Shiloh. Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD’S tabernacle. 
10 Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. 
11 Making a vow, she pleaded, “LORD of Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant’s affliction, remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son, I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.”  
1 Samuel 1:9-11

16. 15 ”No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart
15 ”No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven’t had any wine or beer; I’ve been pouring out my heart before the LORD. 
16 Don’t think of me as a wicked woman; I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.”
17 Eli responded, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the petition you’ve requested from Him.”
18 “May your servant find favor with you,” she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.  
1 Samuel 1:15-18

17. 24-25 When Hannah had weaned Samuel, she took him with her to Shiloh…
24-25 When Hannah had weaned Samuel, she took him with her to Shiloh…. Though the boy was still young, she took him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh...and brought the boy to Eli.
26-28 “Please, my lord,” she said, “as sure as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD gave me what I asked Him for, I now give the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD.”
Then he bowed in worship to the LORD there.  
1 Samuel 1:24-28

18. Lessons Honor marriage. Men: show empathy and care!
If you “strike a deal” with God, you better hold up your end of the deal.

19. Lessons Honor marriage. Men: show empathy and care!
If you “strike a deal” with God, you better hold up your end of the deal.
Raising children who will choose to follow Jesus wholeheartedly is (should be!) the highest priority of Christian parents.