The Tribulation of Hannah

Can you imagine
What it would be like
To live in a house
With more than one wife

Where there’s competition
And constant contention
Disagreement over
Another’s affection

The life of Hannah
Was just such a story
She lived in turmoil
But still gave God glory

Elkanah, her husband
A God fearing man
A Kohathite Levite
From Ephraim

Elkanah loved Hannah
With all of his heart
To see her in anguish
Tore him apart

Peninnah was rival
As second wife
Antagonizing
And causing much strife

Penninah was jealous
That Hannah was favored
Taunting poor Hannah
Is what she savored

Hannah was barren
While Peninnah was not
Peninnah reminded her
Of that a lot

Having many children
Was everything
Whereas being barren
Meant you were lacking

Had her God Jehovah
Turned his back on her
Had he forgotten
It was him that she served

Why would Peninnah
Get all of the blessing
This lack of children
She was always stressing

Each annual trip
Up To Shiloh
Should have been a joy
But instead was a low

Peninnah intent
On making her pay
Intensified the attack
On Hannah that day

A sacrifice offered
By Elkanah
Portions were given
To Children of Peninnah

Hannah having
No children of her own
Got a special portion
His love was thus shown

Elkanah was baffled
By her reactions
Was his love not better
Than that of ten sons

At the Tabernacle
Hannah did pray
Hoping that Jehovah
Would hear her that day

She closed her eyes
And prayed very hard
She moved her lips
But uttered no word

The high priest named Eli
Thought she was drunk
This misunderstanding
She had to debunk

Hannah assured him
She had nothing to drink
She told Eli that…
“It’s not what you think.”

“I am praying to God,
I am under great stress,
You must believe me,
I am not worthless.”

Then Eli answered…
“Please go in Peace”
“May Jehovah grant
This thing that you seek”

No longer downtrodden
Hannah returned
It wasn’t much longer
When she finally learned

Jehovah had blessed her
And opened her womb
She would finally have
A little son soon

She named him Samuel
To God he belonged
Him she dedicated
For all his life long

To the Tabernacle
When weaned he did go
There little Samuel
Would continue to grow

Hannah went yearly
To visit her son
She made him a robe
Each year she took one

Jehovah blessed Samuel
In the work he did
Becoming a prophet
Though he was a kid

No longer barren
Distraught or downtrodden
Hannah was blessed
With five more children

Her patience and trust
Finally paid off
Penninah no longer
At her could scoff

Please take this lesson
From Hannah’s life
A house is more peaceful
With only one wife