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praying & crying

1 Samuel 1:7-10
"7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore."

We are studying Women of Faith in the Holy Bible. This week is we look at Hannah in the first chapter of the book of First Samuel. Hannah was a young wife, married to Elkanah, who had another wife named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. They needed lots of hands to help around the house and farm. In other words they needed lots of children, or very big families. If, for some reason, a couple was not having children it was assumed that it was the woman's fault. (That was wrong, but that was the way it used to be.) 

This situation weighed heavy on Hannah. The other wife would ridicule Hannah for not having children. This made Hannah ANGRY and STRESSED. This motivated Hannah to PRAYER.

This rivalry and competition between the wives was having an adverse effect on the whole family. As we read in today's verses; "And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. And she was in bitterness of soul, and PRAYED unto the LORD, and WEPT sore."

Every year this faithful family made a pilgrimage to Shiloh to worship GOD and offer sacrifices. On these trips Hannah is taking the opportunity to pray to GOD at the tabernacle. She caught the eye of the priest Eli, probably her strong crying was inescapable. She would have been bitter and fervent in her prayers punctuated by strong crying and tears!
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