"Why Does Your Heart Feel Bad?" - Continue

 Elkana loved Hannah the most. Jewish tradition has it that he married Hannah first and the Peninnah came along some years later. At any rate, Peninnah, who was deeply jealous of Hannah, found many ways to make her rival suffer. Peninnah's great advantage over Hannah had to do with fertility. Peninnah produced one offspring after another, and her self-importance grew with each new child. Instead of feeling sorry for Hannah and comforting her in her disappointment, Peninnah played on that sensitive point. The Bible says that Peninnah vexed Hannah sorely "for the sake of making her feel disconcerted." (1 Samuel 1::6) Peninnah's actions were deliberate. She wanted to hurt Hannah, and she succeeded. 

Peninnah's favorite opportunity, it seems, came at the time of the annual pilgrimage to Shiloh. To each of Peninnah's many children-"all her sons and her daughters"-Elkanah gave portions of the sacrifices offered to Jehovah. Beloved Hannah, though, received a special portion. Jealous Peninnah so lorded it over Hannah and reminded her of her barrenness that the poor woman gave way to weeping and even lost her appetite.  Elkanah could not help but notice that his dear Hannah was distressed and was not eating, so he attempted to comfort her. "Hannah," he asked, "why do you weep, and why do you not eat, and why does your heart feel bad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" -  1 SAMUEL 1:4-8.

Next time: "Why Does Your Heart Feel Bad?" - Conclusion

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