A Man with Two Wives
Elkanah (4), from the tribe of Ephriam, has two wives. They are Hannah and Peninnah. Having two wives is never a smart idea. Conflict is sure to result. Such is the case between Elkanah’s two wives.
The text says Elkanah loves Hannah. The implication is that he does not love Peninnah. Or at least he does not love her as much. This escalates the tension between the two women.
Peninnah has many children, but Hannah has none. Peninnah torments the childless Hannah. Though Elkanah is aware of how Peninnah treats Hannah, he does nothing to protect her or stop the harassment.
His attitude is that he should be more important to her than even ten sons. In saying this he shows how highly he thinks of himself and how little he thinks of Hannah’s longing to have a son.
If we’re married, how well do we understand our spouse’s feelings and desires?
When we see one person treating another unfairly, do we ignore the situation or intervene?
[Read about Elkanah in 1 Samuel 1:1–8. Discover more in 1 Samuel 1:21–23.]
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Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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