By the time Elkanah married Channah, Peninah had given him several children. But, to their great sorrow, he and Channah had realised that she would never have a child. Elkanah did not love her any less for it, but to Channah it was a dreadful thing, made worse by Peninah's constant mocking. Peninah was always jealous of Channah. She knew that her husband preferred his second wife, though he was always very kind to Peninah and the children. So she used Channah's childless state as a weapon against her.

"I wonder why my husband married YOU," she would say, scornfully looking Channah up and down. "You're not much good as a wife, are you? You can't even give your husband a son. You're a failure, Channah, that's what you are."

And Channah would hide herself and weep bitterly.

At first, they had all lived in the same house, until things became so difficult that Elkanah moved Peninah and her children into a second house nearby. But he insisted that every year, on the evening before they journeyed to Shiloh, the family should break bread together.

"For," he said, "we cannot go in enmity to worship the LORD."

Channah had agreed. They had their annual meal together. But it did nothing to stop Peninah's tongue. Every year she set out to torment Channah, making her weep.

Until one year, when something wonderful happened: God heard Channah's prayer for a son!

Now, although Channah did not dread that meal as she once had, she still did not enjoy it. Peninah no longer had a weapon to use against Channah, but she had not grown any more pleasant. Yet, in Channah's eyes were a new peace and joy that all Peninah's nasty remarks couldn't shake.

All this passed through Channah's mind in a moment.

She laid her hand on Elkanah's arm. "Do not sigh and be sad, my husband. We will have a good meal. The LORD God has again blessed me. We will soon have another child. Our third! A third child to her who was barren!"

She sang the words out as Elkanah's face broke into smiles.

"Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel!" He exclaimed joyfully.

Little Yudah, looking from one to the other, sensed joy and skipped madly about the room.

"Sami! Sami! We're going to see Sami!" he shouted.

His parents looked at him and laughed.

To Channah's surprise, the meal was not as unpleasant as she had feared it might be. Peninah seemed to have grown quieter over the past year. Channah looked at the faces round the laden table. She had to admit that Peninah had been a good mother. Her four children were quiet and well-behaved.

"How is Samuel, Aunt Channah?' asked Elihu, the eldest son.

"I understand he is very well, thank you," Channah smiled at him. "We are looking forward to seeing him tomorrow, aren't't we, Yudah?"

The small boy grinned and nodded.

© Emmie Goodenough, 1999