The Meaning of 1 Samuel 1:2 Explained

1 Samuel 1:2

KJV: And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

YLT: and he hath two wives, the name of the one is Hannah, and the name of the second Peninnah, and Peninnah hath children, and Hannah hath no children.

Darby: And he had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

ASV: and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he had two  wives;  the name  of the one  [was] Hannah,  and the name  of the other  Peninnah:  and Peninnah  had children,  but Hannah  had no children. 

What does 1 Samuel 1:2 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 1:1-11 - Hannah's Prayer And Vow
Elkanah was evidently a kind husband to Hannah; but marriage had suffered from the general relaxation of morals, and the bitter effects of polygamy are illustrated here. Because Hannah was specially loved, Peninnah hated her.
The grief of the childless wife drove Hannah to God. There she found her only resource. When the heart is nigh to breaking, what else can we do than pour out our complaint before the One who is ever ready to hear our cry? We may trust God with our secrets; He will keep sacred our confidence. Elkanah's love may go a long way, but we have for the most part to tread the wine-press alone. After we have eaten and drunk before our friends, "anointing our head and washing our face," that they may not guess what is happening within, we must have a spot where we can unbend and open the sluice-gates of grief. And what place is so good as the Mercy-Seat? We need not vow our vows to bribe God to help us. The gifts of His love are more blessed for Him to give than for us to receive. But out of love we can vow what we will. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 1

1  Elkanah, a Levite, having two wives, worships yearly at Shiloh
4  He cherishes Hannah, though barren, and provoked by Peninnah
9  Hannah in grief prays for a child
12  Eli first rebuking her, afterwards blesses her
19  Hannah, having born Samuel, stays at home till he is weaned
24  She presents him, according to her vow, to the Lord

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 1:2 mean?

And he had two wives the name of the one [was] Hannah and the name of the second Peninnah and had Peninnah children but Hannah had no children
וְלוֹ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֔ים שֵׁ֤ם אַחַת֙ חַנָּ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פְּנִנָּ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י לִפְנִנָּה֙ יְלָדִ֔ים וּלְחַנָּ֖ה אֵ֥ין יְלָדִֽים

וְלוֹ֙  And  he  had 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אַב  
Sense: father.
שְׁתֵּ֣י  two 
Parse: Number, fdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
נָשִׁ֔ים  wives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
שֵׁ֤ם  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
אַחַת֙  of  the  one 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
חַנָּ֔ה  [was]  Hannah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חַנָּה  
Sense: the mother of Samuel, one of the wives of Elkanah.
וְשֵׁ֥ם  and  the  name 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית  of  the  second 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: שֵׁנִי  
Sense: second.
פְּנִנָּ֑ה  Peninnah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: פְּנִנָּה  
Sense: the other wife of Elkanah besides Hannah.
וַיְהִ֤י  and  had 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לִפְנִנָּה֙  Peninnah 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: פְּנִנָּה  
Sense: the other wife of Elkanah besides Hannah.
יְלָדִ֔ים  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
וּלְחַנָּ֖ה  but  Hannah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חַנָּה  
Sense: the mother of Samuel, one of the wives of Elkanah.
אֵ֥ין  had  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
יְלָדִֽים  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.