Elkanah (husband of Hannah)
Encyclopedia
Elkanah (meaning: God has purchased) was, according to the Books of Samuel
, the husband of Hannah
, and the father of her children including her first, Samuel. Elkanah practised polygamy
; his other wife, less favoured but bearing more children, was named Peninnah
. The names of Elkanah's other children apart from Samuel are not given. Elkanah plays only a minor role in the narrative, and is mostly a supporting character to Eli, Hannah, and Samuel.
Elkanah was the son of Jeroham, who was the son of Elihu, who was the son of Tohu, who was the son of Zuph
. Elkanah is described as having originated from Zuph
, specifically Ramathaim-Zophim
, which was part of the tribal lands of Ephraim
; however, the Books of Chronicles
state that he was a Levite
living amongst Ephraim rather than a member of Ephraim itself.
The Talmud
lists him as a prophet, along with his wife and son.
He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph.
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
, the husband of Hannah
Hannah (Bible)
Hannah is the wife of Elkanah mentioned in the Books of Samuel. According to the Hebrew Bible she was the mother of Samuel...
, and the father of her children including her first, Samuel. Elkanah practised polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
; his other wife, less favoured but bearing more children, was named Peninnah
Peninnah
Peninnah was one of Elkanah's two wives, briefly mentioned in the first Book of Samuel...
. The names of Elkanah's other children apart from Samuel are not given. Elkanah plays only a minor role in the narrative, and is mostly a supporting character to Eli, Hannah, and Samuel.
Elkanah was the son of Jeroham, who was the son of Elihu, who was the son of Tohu, who was the son of Zuph
Zuph
Zuph meaning honeycomb in Hebrew - is the Biblical name of:* A Kohathite Levite, ancestor of Elkanah and Samuel ; called also Zophai and Ziph....
. Elkanah is described as having originated from Zuph
Zuph
Zuph meaning honeycomb in Hebrew - is the Biblical name of:* A Kohathite Levite, ancestor of Elkanah and Samuel ; called also Zophai and Ziph....
, specifically Ramathaim-Zophim
Ramathaim-Zophim
Ramathaim-Zophim , also called Ramah and Ramatha in the Douay-Rheims, is a town that has been identified with the modern Neby Samwil , about 4 or 5 miles north-west of Jerusalem...
, which was part of the tribal lands of Ephraim
Ephraim
Ephraim ; was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Joseph and Asenath. Asenath was an Egyptian woman whom Pharaoh gave to Joseph as wife, and the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of On. Ephraim was born in Egypt before the arrival of the children of Israel from Canaan...
; however, the Books of Chronicles
Books of Chronicles
The Books of Chronicles are part of the Hebrew Bible. In the Masoretic Text, it appears as the first or last book of the Ketuvim . Chronicles largely parallels the Davidic narratives in the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings...
state that he was a Levite
Levite
In Jewish tradition, a Levite is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan, the Levites were the only Israelite tribe that received cities but were not allowed to be landowners "because the Lord the God of Israel himself is their inheritance"...
living amongst Ephraim rather than a member of Ephraim itself.
The Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
lists him as a prophet, along with his wife and son.
He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph.
See also
- Midrash SamuelMidrash SamuelMidrash Samuel , a aggadic midrash on the books of Samuel, is quoted for the first time by Rashi in his commentary on I Sam. ii. 30. In his Ha-Pardes Rashi again quotes from this midrash , saying that it is entitled "'Et la-'Asot la-Adonai"; it probably derived this name from Ps. cxix...