1 Samuel 1:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Hannah asks Eli not to think of her as a worthless woman, for she has been speaking out of great grief.
What Does 1 Samuel 1:16 Mean?
Hannah continues her gentle reply, asking Eli not to regard her as a daughter of Belial, a worthless or wicked woman. Everything he saw, she explains, flowed from the abundance of her complaint and grief. She wants the priest to understand that her long, silent praying was sorrow brought to God, not sin.
Hannah refuses to let a false accusation define her, yet she answers with grace rather than indignation. She simply tells the truth about her pain. The word she uses for her outpouring carries the sense of heavy grief and anxious complaint, the kind of burden that words can barely hold. God invites exactly such honesty; we may bring Him our complaint and grief without fear. He does not count the brokenhearted as worthless but draws near to lift them up.
1 Samuel 1:16 in the Original Language
Belial (בְּלִיַּעַל), 'worthlessness' -- a term for what is wicked or good-for-nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 1:16
What does 1 Samuel 1:16 mean?
Hannah asks Eli not to think of her as a worthless woman, for she has been speaking out of great grief.