But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.
But Hannah didn't go with them. She told her husband, 'I won't go until the child is weaned, and then I will bring him so he can appear before the LORD and stay there forever.'
Hannah is choosing to stay home with her baby Samuel until he's old enough to be weaned, after which she plans to dedicate him permanently to God's service.
📚 Historical Context
In the time of the judges in ancient Israel, families like Hannah's made annual pilgrimages to Shiloh to offer sacrifices and worship at the tabernacle, which was a central religious practice. Hannah had previously vowed to dedicate her son Samuel to God's service if He granted her a child, reflecting the cultural emphasis on fulfilling promises to the Lord amid personal hardships. Once Samuel was weaned, typically around age two or three, she intended to leave him at the tabernacle to live there permanently as part of her commitment.
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