Who was Elkanah?

Faithful husband and father.

The story of Elkanah

Elkanah - Priest
Elkanah - Priest
Priest

Elkanah was a biblical figure from the Old Testament. He was the son of Jeroham and the husband of Hannah. He was a Levite from the tribe of Ephraim and lived in the town of Ramathaim-Zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. Elkanah is best known for being the father of the prophet Samuel. Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was barren. Elkanah loved Hannah deeply and provided her with a double portion of food at every meal, despite Peninnah's taunts. Hannah prayed to God for a son and promised to dedicate him to the Lord's service. God answered her prayer and she gave birth to Samuel. Elkanah took his family to Shiloh every year to offer sacrifices to the Lord. He also took Samuel with him and presented him to the priest Eli. Elkanah and Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord's service and left him in Eli's care. Elkanah is remembered for his faithfulness to God and his devotion to his family. He is an example of a loving husband and father who was willing to give up his son to serve the Lord. He is also remembered for his commitment to offering sacrifices to the Lord and for his role in the life of the prophet Samuel.

Name meaning

God has created

Name origin

Hebrew

Role

Priest

First mention

Exodus 6:24

Appearances in the Bible

20 mentions

Elkanah in the Bible

Explore all 8 chapters where Elkanah appears

Exodus

Chapter 6

God Promises to Deliver the Israelites

God reminds Moses of his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and confirms that he will free the Israelites from slavery ...

Read Chapter

1 Samuel

Chapter 1

Hannah's Prayer

A barren woman named Hannah prays for a son and dedicates him to God's service when he is born. She gives birth to Samue...

Read Chapter

1 Samuel

Chapter 2

Hannah's Song of Praise

Hannah sings a song of thanksgiving for God's blessing of a son, declaring that God lifts up the humble and brings down ...

Read Chapter

1 Chronicles

Chapter 6

Levi's Genealogy and Roles

A genealogy of each of the twelve tribes of Israel, detailing their family lineages and populations.

Read Chapter

1 Chronicles

Chapter 9

Genealogies and Roles of Returning Exiles

A genealogy of each of the twelve tribes of Israel, detailing their family lineages and populations.

Read Chapter

1 Chronicles

Chapter 12

Warriors Join David

Warriors join David

Read Chapter

1 Chronicles

Chapter 15

Ark Brought to Jerusalem Successfully

David's victories over the Philistines and other neighboring nations.

Read Chapter

2 Chronicles

Chapter 28

Ahaz's Apostasy and Defeat

Ahaz's reign marked by apostasy, foreign alliances, and military defeat, highlighting the destructive outcomes of turnin...

Read Chapter

Showing all 8 chapter appearances