Last month for Mother’s Day, we considered the great Old Testament saint, Hannah. This month for Father’s Day, we study her exceptional son, Samuel.

Peculiar childhood

Like many Old Testament saints, Samuel’s birth and youth involved some unusual factors. His mother, Hannah, was barren but asked the Lord to bless her with a child. Her son, Samuel (whose name means “heard by God”), was dedicated to God via a Nazirite vow (1 Sam 1:11; Num 6:2-5). He was raised at the Tabernacle from the time he stopped weaning (1 Sam 1:24). Hannah’s willingness to give up her firstborn child for the