Hannah’s Prayer

As was said, to teach Hannah to pray, the Lord closed her womb and raised up unto her an adversary -- this Peninnah, the other of Elkanah's two wives -- to taunt Hannah in her childless condition. Peninnah, as was explained, was the unloved wife. To compensate her for the want of her husband's affection, the Lord opened her womb, so that she bore Elkanah several children, sons and daughters. Still she was dissatisfied and fretful, as it was only too evident to her that Elkanah's heart was with...