{
  "id": "dict_001654",
  "term": "Elkanah",
  "slug": "elkanah",
  "letter": "E",
  "entry_type": "biblical_person",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Elkanah is the Old Testament man best known as the father of Samuel and husband of Hannah; several other men in Scripture also bear this name.",
  "simple_one_line": "Elkanah was the father of Samuel and the husband of Hannah.",
  "tooltip_text": "Old Testament man best known as Samuel’s father and Hannah’s husband.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Hannah",
    "Samuel",
    "Shiloh",
    "Eli",
    "Levite",
    "1 Samuel"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Peninnah",
    "Ramathaim-zophim",
    "1 Chronicles 6"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Elkanah is the most prominent Old Testament figure with this name, remembered as the father of Samuel and the husband of Hannah.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A Levite associated with the hill country of Ephraim, Elkanah is best known in 1 Samuel for his worship at Shiloh and for his role in the birth and dedication of Samuel.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Best known as Samuel’s father",
    "husband of Hannah and Peninnah",
    "associated with regular worship at Shiloh",
    "one of several biblical men named Elkanah."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Elkanah is best known in 1 Samuel as the father of Samuel and the husband of Hannah and Peninnah. He is presented as a faithful worshiper who went regularly to Shiloh, where Hannah prayed for a son and later dedicated Samuel to the Lord. Because multiple Old Testament men bear this name, the entry should identify which Elkanah is in view.",
  "description_academic_full": "Elkanah is the name of several Old Testament figures, but the most prominent is the man introduced in 1 Samuel 1 as the father of Samuel. He lived in the hill country of Ephraim, was identified in genealogical notices with Levitical descent, and is described as a man who regularly worshiped the Lord at Shiloh. Scripture presents him especially in connection with his household, including Hannah’s grief over barrenness, her prayer for a son, and Samuel’s later dedication to the Lord’s service. Because the name refers to more than one biblical person, the safest treatment is biographical and disambiguated rather than theological.",
  "background_biblical_context": "Elkanah appears at the opening of 1 Samuel, where his yearly worship at Shiloh forms the setting for Hannah’s prayer and Samuel’s birth. His family story introduces the transition from the period of the judges into the rise of Samuel as prophet and judge.",
  "background_historical_context": "The setting reflects Israel’s life before the monarchy, when worship centered at the tabernacle location in Shiloh and families made periodic pilgrimages to present sacrifices and worship the Lord.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "The genealogical notices connect Elkanah to Levitical lines, showing the importance of family descent, covenant worship, and temple/tabernacle service in ancient Israelite identity.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "1 Samuel 1:1-3",
    "1 Samuel 1:19-28",
    "1 Samuel 2:11",
    "1 Chronicles 6:16-28"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "1 Samuel 1–2",
    "1 Chronicles 6"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Hebrew: Elqānāh. The name is commonly understood to mean something like “God has acquired” or “God has created,” though translations and nuances vary.",
  "theological_significance": "Elkanah matters chiefly as part of the biblical background to Samuel’s birth and calling. His steady worship, family leadership, and willingness to dedicate Samuel highlight faithful ordinary obedience in God’s providence.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "Elkanah is not a theological concept but a historical person whose life illustrates how private faithfulness and household decisions can become part of God’s larger redemptive plan.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not confuse this Elkanah with other Old Testament men of the same name. His importance should not be exaggerated beyond what the text says; the narrative focus remains on the Lord’s work through Hannah and Samuel.",
  "major_views_note": "Readers and commentators generally treat Elkanah as a historical individual, with discussion centered on his genealogy, location, and role in the Samuel narrative.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "This entry concerns a biblical person, not a doctrine. No doctrinal conclusion should be drawn beyond the text’s presentation of faithful worship and providential family history.",
  "practical_significance": "Elkanah reminds readers that steady worship, family faithfulness, and support for God’s work matter even when a person is not the central figure in the story.",
  "meta_description": "Elkanah was the Old Testament man best known as the father of Samuel and husband of Hannah; several biblical men shared the name.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/elkanah/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/elkanah.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}