But Samuel was ministering before the L-RD- a boy wearing a linen ephod. Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the L-RD give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the L-RD.” They they would go home. And the L-RD was gracious to Hannah; she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the L-RD.
Samuel wos ministering before the L-RD and grew up in His presence. And as a result of Hannah’s giving up the firstfruits of her very womb, according to the Law, G-d multiplied the fruit of her womb over and over and over again, to the point where she had FIVE chidlren besides Samue l, and they grew up in the presence of a mother and father who cherished them very much, and this modeled the love of G-d to the children, and for us to show us how well the L-rd carried for Samuel. This family, at least from the perspective of Hannah, had gone from being a dry barren desert, to a fruitful vineyard. And Hannah’s dedication of the firstfruits, Sameul, to the L-rd, was the breaking point for all of this.
It just shows that when we dedicate the first portion to the L-rd, in recognition that He owns everything, how much he can do with the rest and bless us above and beyond what we can ask, think, or imagine.
