21 And the man Elkanah goeth up, and all his house, to sacrifice to Jehovah the sacrifice of the days, and his vow. 22 And Hannah hath not gone up, for she said to her husband, 'Till the youth is weaned—then I have brought him in, and he hath appeared before the face of Jehovah, and dwelt there—unto the age.' 23 And Elkanah her husband saith to her, 'Do that which is good in thine eyes; abide till thy weaning him; only, Jehovah establish His word;' and the woman abideth and suckleth her son till she hath weaned him, 24 and she causeth him to go up with her when she hath weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she bringeth him into the house of Jehovah at Shiloh, and the youth 'is but' a youth. 25 And they slaughter the bullock, and bring in the youth unto Eli, 26 and she saith, 'O, my lord, thy soul liveth! my lord, I 'am' the woman who stood with thee in this 'place', to pray unto Jehovah; 27 for this youth I prayed, and Jehovah doth give to me my petition which I asked of Him; 28 and also I have caused him to be asked for Jehovah, all the days that he hath lived—he is asked for Jehovah;' and he boweth himself there before Jehovah.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 1:21-28
Commentary on 1 Samuel 1:19-28
(Read 1 Samuel 1:19-28)
Elkanah and his family had a journey before them, and a family of children to take with them, yet they would not move till they had worshipped God together. Prayer and provender do not hinder a journey. When men are in such haste to set out upon journeys, or to engage in business, that they have not time to worship God, they are likely to proceed without his presence and blessing. Hannah, though she felt a warm regard for the courts of God's house, begged to stay at home. God will have mercy, and not sacrifice. Those who are detained from public ordinances, by the nursing and tending of little children, may take comfort from this instance, and believe, that if they do that duty in a right spirit, God will graciously accept them therein. Hannah presented her child to the Lord with a grateful acknowledgment of his goodness in answer to prayer. Whatever we give to God, it is what we have first asked and received from him. All our gifts to him were first his gifts to us. The child Samuel early showed true piety. Little children should be taught to worship God when very young. Their parents should teach them in it, bring them to it, and put them on doing it as well as they can; God will graciously accept them, and will teach them to do better.