1 Samuel 1 16

1 Samuel 1:16 kjv

Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

1 Samuel 1:16 nkjv

"Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now."

1 Samuel 1:16 niv

Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."

1 Samuel 1:16 esv

Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation."

1 Samuel 1:16 nlt

Don't think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow."

1 Samuel 1 verses

1 Samuel 1 16 Meaning

Hannah clarifies to Eli, the High Priest, that her intense, prolonged prayer was not due to drunkenness or depravity, but was an overflow of her profound suffering and overwhelming sorrow poured out before the Lord. She firmly denies being a "daughter of Belial," emphasizing that her distress prompted her earnest communion with God.

1 Samuel 1 16 Context

The verse occurs during Hannah's annual pilgrimage to Shiloh, the central place of worship where the tabernacle was located during the period of the Judges. Hannah, beloved by her husband Elkanah, was deeply grieved by her barrenness, compounded by the constant provocation from Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah. Her desire for a child was immense, and in her profound anguish, she went to the tabernacle and poured out her soul to the Lord in earnest prayer, even making a vow. Eli, the High Priest, observing her trembling lips and intense focus, misjudged her silent, tearful devotion, concluding she was intoxicated. Verse 16 is Hannah's humble yet firm response, clarifying her state of deep sorrow and not drunken revelry. This encounter highlights the spiritual state of Israel's leadership, as Eli, the spiritual leader, fails to discern the sincere heart of a distressed worshipper.

1 Samuel 1 16 Word analysis

• "Count not thine handmaid":

  • "Count not": A polite, yet direct negation or request not to consider something as true.
  • "thine handmaid" (אָמָה, ʾamah): A common self-designation by a female demonstrating humility and respect, especially towards someone of authority like Eli. Hannah adopts a position of servitude, reinforcing her submission and proper demeanor, contrasting with Eli's false accusation of her being a worthless woman. It also implies a relationship of service and dependence on the Lord.

• "for a daughter of Belial":

  • "daughter of": A Hebrew idiom indicating characteristic quality or belonging. "Daughter of X" means one whose essence is X, or who behaves like X.
  • "Belial" (בְלִיָּעַל, bĕliyyaʿal): Literally "worthlessness" or "uselessness," often connoting depravity, wickedness, or destruction. It is not originally a proper name for a specific god or demon, but a descriptor for those who are utterly lawless, morally base, or evil. In the Old Testament, "sons/daughters of Belial" refer to scoundrels, rebels, or those characterized by extreme wickedness (e.g., people of Gibeah in Judg 19:22, or Eli's own sons in 1 Sam 2:12, ironically). Here, it implies an accusation of extreme moral laxity or debauchery, specifically suggesting she was drunk and behaving irreverently in the sacred precinct. This accusation would have been deeply insulting and spiritually damaging for Hannah.

• "for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief":

  • "for": Introduces the explanation for her perceived behavior.
  • "out of the abundance": Signifies a "fullness" or "overflow" from a deeply held source. It conveys the depth and intensity of her emotional state, a wellspring of overwhelming feelings.
  • "my complaint" (שִׂיחַ, siyach): Refers to meditation, reflection, mournful talk, or a heartfelt outpouring, often to God. It can signify the private musings or prayer arising from deep thought or distress. It's a communication of her inward state, not necessarily an outward noise.
  • "and grief" (כַּעַס, kaʿas): Meaning "vexation," "distress," "anger," or "provocation." For Hannah, this stemmed from her barrenness and the continuous taunting from Peninnah. It was a prolonged and painful emotional state that stirred her spirit to cry out to God.

• "have I spoken hitherto":

  • "have I spoken": Not just vocalizing, but expressing deeply. This emphasizes the continuous, pouring-out nature of her communication with God.
  • "hitherto" (עַד הֵנָּה, ʿad hēnnāh): Meaning "up until now" or "all this while." It highlights the sustained period of her intense prayer and weeping, explaining why Eli observed her in such a profound state for so long.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial": This phrase dramatically sets up the clash of perceptions. Hannah is presenting herself as a humble, pious servant while Eli misjudges her as a morally corrupt person. This direct rebuttal, delivered with humility but clarity, is pivotal to correcting Eli's error. The very term "daughter of Belial" underscores the severe insult and highlights Eli's complete lack of spiritual discernment at this moment.

  • "for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto": This is Hannah's heartfelt and potent explanation. It demonstrates that her communion with God was born of deep, overflowing anguish. It was not a superficial act or outward display, but an internal agony finding expression. This is a model for genuine prayer—a sincere, earnest outpouring of one's burdens to the Lord, however distressed one may be.

1 Samuel 1 16 Bonus section

• The irony in this verse is profound: Eli, whose own sons (Hophni and Phinehas) are explicitly called "sons of Belial" (1 Sam 2:12) later in the narrative due to their wicked behavior, misidentifies a truly godly and virtuous woman as such. This highlights the spiritual blindness and moral decline within the priesthood under Eli's leadership, which eventually leads to its downfall.
• Hannah's willingness to "pour out" her soul before the Lord is a demonstration of authentic spiritual vulnerability, where the sacred space of prayer becomes a haven for unfiltered human emotion, validating the rawness of prayer, as echoed throughout the Psalms.
• This exchange between Eli and Hannah also foreshadows the future state of the nation—a leadership unable to discern divine work and a faithful remnant (like Hannah) through whom God would begin His redemptive work, leading to the establishment of the monarchy.

1 Samuel 1 16 Commentary

1 Samuel 1:16 captures a deeply poignant moment of misunderstanding and genuine faith. Eli, in his role as High Priest, should have possessed spiritual discernment to recognize true devotion, yet his eyesight and perhaps spiritual perception had dimmed. His accusation of Hannah being a "daughter of Belial"—a woman of worthlessness or moral depravity—was a grave indictment, reflecting the spiritual decline prevalent in the priestly house, whose own "sons of Belial" (1 Sam 2:12) truly defiled the sanctuary.

Hannah's response is a model of humble yet resolute truth. She doesn't lash out in anger but explains her raw, honest emotional state. Her prayer was a testament to the fact that profound suffering often drives believers into the deepest intimacy with God. Her "complaint" (inner groanings and meditations) and "grief" (the cumulative pain of barrenness and provocation) became the abundant wellspring from which her sustained prayer flowed. This interaction illustrates that God values an honest, contrite heart poured out before Him more than external decorum or mere formality. It also sets the stage for God's divine intervention, as He hears Hannah's heartfelt prayer, granting her a son, Samuel, who would become Israel's great prophet and judge, ultimately rectifying the spiritual decay that Eli represented.

• Example for practical usage: When misunderstood for your commitment or earnestness in spiritual matters, respond with humility, truth, and grace, clarifying your motivations.
• Example for practical usage: When others exhibit distress, be slow to judge their outward expression; instead, seek to understand the depth of their inward experience, for their heart may be truly seeking God.