CHARACTER STUDY ~ PENNINAH

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The name Penninah is a traditional Jewish name, meaning "precious stone" or "pearl" in Hebrew. She was the second wife of Elkanah a rival to Hannah. She was only briefly introduced in the early chapter of the first Book of Samuel.


Some Characteristics of Penninah:

✔ Penninah was the second wife of Elkanah and was blessed with children. It is the Lord that blesses couples to have children so all couples should look to God for the fruit of the womb.

✔ Penninah yearly goes to Shiloh with her husband and children to pray to God. This suggests that she knows God and has a relationship with Him. We must also approach the presence of God daily with thanksgiving and prayers.

✔ Penninah was never satisfied with the portion of meat her husband gave to her and her children. Elkanah often gives a portion of the meat to her and her children but to Hannah a double portion. We ought to learn to be content with whatever we are given so that we do not envy others.    

✔  Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. Making a mockery of people or provoking them is not the nature of a true child of God. We must avoid the seat of the scornful so that we can channel the energy to pray for the restoration of those in pain.   

✔ Penninah's taunting to some extent pushed Hannah to seek the Lord more in prayer and that stirred up miracles of having Samuel and other sons and daughters. But we must not taunt people with the hope of pushing them to God. The rate of suicide and mental health issues can have a relationship with people who have suffered silently from being taunted. Reach out to people hurting and intercede on their behalf in prayer.

✔ Penninah was never mentioned again and no record is kept of her death in the Bible although other Christian literature might have such accounts.   


Supporting Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-7

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