1 Samuel 1:10
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
Original Language Analysis
וְהִ֖יא
H1931
וְהִ֖יא
Strong's:
H1931
Word #:
1 of 8
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo
מָ֣רַת
And she was in bitterness
H4751
מָ֣רַת
And she was in bitterness
Strong's:
H4751
Word #:
2 of 8
bitter (literally or figuratively); also (as noun) bitterness, or (adverbially) bitterly
נָ֑פֶשׁ
of soul
H5315
נָ֑פֶשׁ
of soul
Strong's:
H5315
Word #:
3 of 8
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל
and prayed
H6419
וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל
and prayed
Strong's:
H6419
Word #:
4 of 8
to judge (officially or mentally); by extension, to intercede, pray
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
5 of 8
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
יְהוָ֖ה
unto the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֖ה
unto the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
6 of 8
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
Cross References
Job 7:11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.Job 10:1My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.Luke 22:44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.Hebrews 5:7Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;Psalms 91:15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.Isaiah 54:6For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.Judges 21:2And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;Isaiah 38:15What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.Psalms 50:15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.Job 9:18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern religious practice typically involved formal, ritualized prayers. Hannah's spontaneous, emotional prayer represents a distinct Israelite understanding of direct, personal access to God without mediating rituals.
Questions for Reflection
- Do you feel permission to bring raw, unfiltered emotions before God in prayer?
- How does Hannah's example challenge sanitized, emotionally distant approaches to prayer?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
The Hebrew expression 'bitterness of soul' (marat nephesh) describes extreme anguish reaching to the core of one's being. Hannah's prayer combined with weeping reveals integrated, whole-person engagement with God. The term 'wept sore' literally means 'weeping, she wept' - an intensive construction emphasizing the depth of her grief. Rather than suppressing her emotions before God, Hannah brought her raw pain into His presence. Biblical prayer does not require composed, polished words but honest expression of the heart's deepest cries.