Bible Strands
1 Samuel 1:5
But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes Elkanah’s ritual practice when presenting his sacrifice, noting his specific allocation of food to his two wives. He distributes a double portion to Hannah while Peninnah receives only one portion for herself and her children.
The words — The term אַפָּ֑יִם ('a.Pa.yim) literally means "double" or "two faces," modifying the singular portion (מָנָ֥ה, ma.Nah) to indicate two shares given to Hannah. The causal particle כִּ֤י (ki) explicitly links this preferential distribution to Elkanah’s stated affection for her.
The thread — This pattern of a husband favoring a barren wife appears in Genesis 29:30 and Genesis 30:2, where Jacob loves Rachel despite her childlessness, and in Genesis 16:1, which records Sarai’s inability to bear children.
Why it lands — The text records a factual household distribution driven by personal love rather than fertility or merit. It requires the reader to separate divine action regarding barrenness from human emotional response and material provision.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.
Cross-references
- Genesis 30:2 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
- Genesis 29:30 Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
- Genesis 16:1 Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.
- Genesis 20:18 for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.
- Genesis 45:22 He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
- Genesis 43:34 When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.
- Deuteronomy 21:15 If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son,