Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Favour, grace, one of the wives of Elkanah the Levite, and the mother of Samuel (1 Sam. 1; 2). Her home was at Ramathaim-zophim, whence she was wont every year to go to Shiloh, where the tabernacle had been pitched by Joshua, to attend the offering of sacrifices there according to the law (Ex. 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:16), probably at the feast of the Passover (comp. Ex. 13:10). On occasion of one of these “yearly” visits, being grieved by reason of Peninnah’s conduct toward her, she went forth alone, and kneeling before the Lord at the sanctuary she prayed inaudibly.
Eli the high priest, who sat at the entrance to the holy place, observed her, and misunderstanding her character he harshly condemned her conduct (1 Sam. 1:14-16). ” Perhaps the story of the wife of Manoah was not unknown to her. ” After the child was weaned (probably in his third year) she brought him to Shiloh into the house of the Lord, and said to Eli the aged priest, “Oh my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. ). Her gladness of heart then found vent in that remarkable prophetic song (2:1-10; comp.
Luke 1:46-55) which contains the first designation of the Messiah under that name (1 Sam. 2:10, “Annointed” = “Messiah”). And so Samuel and his parents parted. ” And each year, when they came up to Shiloh, Hannah brought to her absent child “a little coat” (Heb. meil, a term used to denote the “robe” of the ephod worn by the high priest, Ex. 28:31), a priestly robe, a long upper tunic (1 Chr. 15:27), in which to minister in the tabernacle (1 Sam. 2:19; 15:27; Job 2:12). ” After Samuel, Hannah had three sons and two daughters.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(grace), one of the wives of Elkanah, and mother of Samuel. ) A hymn of thanks giving for the birth of her son is in the highest order of prophetic poetry, its resemblance to that of the Virgin Mary comp. (1 Samuel 2:1-10) with Luke 1:46-55 See also (Psalms 113:1) ... has been noticed.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
HAN'NAH (grace), one of the wives of Elkanah, and the mother of Samuel, whom she received in answer to prayer. Her song of praise on this occasion, 1 Sam 2:1-10, is a magnificent hymn to the holiness and justice of Jehovah, and has been compared with the song of Mary. Luke 1:46-55.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
gracious; merciful; he that gives