The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 30

Yers. 19--:28. (RAMArr and SHILOH.):-Samuel's birtli and infancy. (Rejerences- 1 Chron. xx1x. 29, "the seer;" Ps. xc1x. 9; Jer. xv. 1 ; Acts iii. 24; xiii. 20 • Heb. xii. 32; Apoc. Ecclus. xlvi. 13-20.) Consolation and hope were from th'e first associate~ with _the birth of c\1ildren (Gen. iii. 15; iv. 1, 25; v. 29; xxi. 6). More than ordmary JOY (J_olm :1-v1. 24) was felt at the birth of Samuel by his mother, because of the peculiar cJreumstances connected therewith and the expectations entertained by her of the good which he might effect for' Israel. Often as she looked upon her God-given infant she would think, "What manner of child shall this be?" (Luke i. 66), and ask, "How shall we order the child, and how shall we de> unto him?" (Judges xiii. 12). Nor did she fail to do her utmost towards the fulfil- ment of her exalted hopes. The child was- I. REGARDED AS A DIVINE GIFT (Ps. cxxvii. 4). Every little infant bears the- impress of the" Father of spirits" (James iii. 9). " Trailing clouds of glory do we come From God, who is our home." The gift of a fresh, new, mysterious human life, with its vast capabilities, is a great gift, and demands grateful acknowledgment of the Divine goodness; but it is not an• absolute gift; it is rather a trust which involves serious responsibilities on the part of those into whose hands it is placed. God say~ in effect, "Take this child," &c. (Exod. ii. 9). . II. DESIGNATED BY AN APPROPRIATE NAME (ver. 20). Samuel= heard of God. "The mother names, the father assents, God approves, and time confirms the nomina- tion" (Hunter). Like other personal names in the Bible, it was full of significance; being a grateful memorial of the goodness and faithfulness of God in the past, and a constant incentive to faith and prayer in the future. " Our very names should mind us of our duty." The name "Samuel" was uttered by the Lord as mindful of his history, and recognising his special relation to himself (eh. iii. 10). The name of a child is not an unimportant matter, and it should be given with due consideration. When parents give their children names borne by excellent men, they should train them to follow in the footsteps of such men. . III. NURTURED WITH MOTHERLY TENDERNESS (vers. 22-25). His mother was herself his nurse (ver. 23), not intrusting him to others, and not neglecting him, whereby many young lives are sacrificed ; but thoug·htfully, carefully, and constantly ministering to his physical needs, praying over him, and directing his thoughts, with the earliest dawn of reason, toward the Lord of hosts. That she might th!' more perfectly fulfil her tru8t, she remained at home, and went not up to Shiloh until he was weaned. Her absence from the sanctuary was justifiable, her worship at home was acceptable, and tl1e service which she rendered to her child was a service rendered to God and to his people. "A mother's teachings have a marvellous vitality in them ; there is a strange living power in that good seed which is sown by a mother's hand in her child's heart in the early dawn of the child's being, when tliey two are alone together, and the mother's soul gushes forth on her child, and the chiid listens to his mother as a God ; and there is a deathless potency in a mother's prayers and tears for those whom she has borne which only God can estimnte" (W: L. Alexander). " Who is best taught? He that is taught of his mother" ('Talmud'). IV. PRAYED OVER WITH FATHERLY E0LICITUDE. Elkanah consented to the vow of Lis wife (Num. xxx. 6 7), and appears to have made it his own (ver. 21). He was zealous for its perforn'iance and whilst he agreed with her in the desire of its post- ponement for a brief peri~d, he expressed _the wish in prayer, "Only ~he L~rd establish his word" (ver. 23). " Word, that 1a, May he fulfil what he designs with l,im, and has promised by ],is birth (vera. 11, 20). The words refer, therefore, to the boy's de,;tinatwn to t!ie service of God, which the Eternal has in fact a< kn?wl_edgcd by the partial folfilment of the mother's wiijh" (Bunsen), His r.nAYER md1catee, on. t. 9-28.J Tirn FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL.