Matthew Henry Commentary 1 Samuel 1:1-8

"Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite: and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice unto Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Jehovah, were there. And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: but unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but Jehovah had shut up her womb. And her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb. And [as] he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of Jehovah, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. And Elkanah her husband said unto 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?" — 1 Samuel 1:1-8 (ASV)

Elkanah maintained his attendance at God's altar, despite the unhappy differences in his family. If a family's devotions do not prevail to end its divisions, yet let not the divisions stop the devotions. To lessen our due love for any relative on account of any weakness they cannot help, and which is their affliction, is to make God's providence conflict with His command, and very unkindly to add affliction to the afflicted.

It is a sign of a base character to delight in grieving those who are of a sorrowful spirit, and in upsetting those who are inclined to fret and be uneasy. We ought to bear one another's burdens, not add to them. Hannah could not bear the provocation.

Those who are of a fretful spirit, and are inclined to take provocations too much to heart, are their own enemies, and deprive themselves of many comforts in both life and godliness. We ought to pay attention to our comforts, to keep us from grieving over our crosses. We should consider what is in our favor, as well as what is against us.