Women of the Bible No. 6 Hannah

The story of Hannah and her son Samuel is told in the First Book of Samuel, written between 931 and 722 BC.

This is a classic story of the oppressed woman; barren and as a consequence scorned in her own household, she cries to the Lord for a son and pledges him back to the service of the Lord.
Hannah is one of two wives of Elkanah, the other being Peninnah. We are told that Elkanah loved Hannah more than Peninnah. Peninnah had several children, sons and daughters, but Hannah was childless and this grieved her very much. It didn't help that Peninnah mocked her. Women can be very cruel to each other.
Every year the family would go to the Tabernacle in Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. There Hannah would become very miserable and would not eat, which perplexed her husband. Why, he said, didn't his love for her more than make up for the lack of children. Men can be very obtuse sometimes!
So Hannah silently prayed to the Lord from her heart for a son, and promised that if a son was born, he would be given back to the Lord.
Sure enough, a son was born to Hannah in the fullness of time, and she called him Samuel, and once he had been weaned, at perhaps the age of 2 or 3, he was taken according to her promise to the Tabernacle, together, we are told, with three bulls, (for ritual sacrifice), one ephah (about one half bushel) of flour, and a skin of wine....
...and Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord....

The First Book of Samuel: Chapter 1, and Chapter 3, v.20