Elkanah is best known as the husband of Hannah and the father of Samuel. He appears at the start of 1 Samuel as a man who went up each year to offer “the yearly sacrifice, and his vow,” and who asked his grieving wife, “why weepest thou?” He could not mend her sorrow, but he stayed beside her, and later Eli blessed him and Hannah. Other men share the name, among them a Korhite in Exodus and an Ephraimite killed in 2 Chronicles. For the family story, begin at 1 Samuel 1.
10 verses
And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.
Matthew George Easton, 1897
God-created. (1.) The second son of Korah (Ex. 6:24), or, according to 1 Chr. 6:22, 23, more correctly his grandson.
(2.) Another Levite of the line of Heman the singer, although he does not seem to have performed any of the usual Levitical offices. He was father of Samuel the prophet (1 Chr. 6:27, 34). He was “an Ephrathite” (1 Sam. 1:1, 4, 8), but lived at Ramah, a man of wealth and high position. He had two wives, Hannah, who was the mother of Samuel, and Peninnah.
William Smith, 1884
(God-provided).
(1.) Son, or rather grandson, see (1 Chronicles 6:22,23) (1Chr 6:7,8) of Korah, according to (Exodus 6:24)
(2.) A descendant of the above in the line of Ahimoth, otherwise Mahath, (1Chr 6;26,35; Hebr 11:20
(3.) Another Kohathite Levite, father of Samuel the illustrious judge and prophet. (1 Chronicles 6:27,34) (B.C. about 1190.) All that is known of him is contained in the above notices and in (1 Samuel 1:1,4,8,19,21,23) and 1Sam 2:11,20
(4.) A Levite. (1 Chronicles 9:16)
(5.) A Korhite who joined David while he was at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:6) (B.C. 1054.)
(6.) An officer in the household of Ahaz king of Judah, who was slain by Zichri the Ephraimite when Pekah invaded Judah. (2 Chronicles 28:7) (B.C. 739.)