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Elkanah

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Father of Samuel, a devout Levite who worshipped annually at Shiloh

Detailed Definition
Elkanah, husband of Hannah and Peninnah, exemplifies piety and family devotion in 1 Samuel 1–2. His annual pilgrimage and care for Hannah reflect covenantal faithfulness. In poetry, he embodies paternal tenderness, religious routine as devotion, and the quiet faith that precedes prophetic emergence.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Elkanah’s devotion at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1) frames Hannah’s prayer; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Elkanah’s fairness to both wives models domestic piety; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Drama of Exile," Elkanah symbolizes the faithful pilgrim; In John Keble’s "Lyra Innocentium," Elkanah represents the ordinary worshipper whose faith births prophets; In Christina Rossetti’s "Advent," Elkanah’s journey to the temple prefigures annual expectation; In T.S. Eliot’s "Four Quartets," Elkanah’s house becomes a cradle of sacred history.
Additional Notes
Elkanah: Father of Samuel, husband of Hannah and Peninnah (1 Samuel 1–2); a devout Levite who made annual pilgrimages to Shiloh. In poetry, Elkanah embodies patient piety, familial complexity (polygamy, favoritism), and the quiet support that enables prophetic emergence. His name (“God has created” or “possessed by God”) reflects covenantal identity. Though secondary to Hannah’s narrative, he models faithful presence—ideal for poems on parental sacrifice, liturgical rhythm, or the unsung roles that nurture greatness.
Also Known As
Elkanah father of Samuel Elkanah the Levite
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