Story Time: NAVI #1, Elqanah

"so, there was this one guy..."
Elqanah starts our story. Knowing that he is a Levite will help us understand some details about the role of Samuel later-on.
He lives in the hill country of Ephrayim, and goes regularly to the Mishkan (tent of meeting) to sacrifice and worship. But, what does it mean to worship? its not just throwing a slaughtered animal on an alter, the part we rarely appreciate is that such sacrifices include a "feast"!
Worshipers would enjoy fellowship around the table, lots of food, drink too (sorry if that offends, but thats the fact). Folks who know what this type of fellowship is like can really appreciate how nice it is to eat, drink, and chat about faith in God.
BUT, problem... Elqanah has TWO wives 😳 and they don't get along well. While he is wanting to worship one wife teases the other about being barren. Oy vey! 🙄
Elqanah loves his first wife most of all, Khanah, but she's the one who has been barren all these years. Wife number two, Paninah teaser Khanah relentlessly! Cruelly!
Elkanah tried to comfort Khanah, but at the vore of her being she hurts and wants a son.
Khophni and Pichas are priests in the Mishkan, and their father Eli is high Priest. Check out Navi #2 and see how this unfolds.