A year after the birth of Samuel, the time arrives for the annual pilgrimage to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. Elkanah sets out to fulfill his religious duties and honor his promises. Despite the great miracle his family experienced and their answered prayers, Elkanah and his household make the journey alone. It appears he was unable to inspire the other people of his city to join them on this trip [מלבי״ם].
Notably, Hannah does not travel with the family. She chooses to remain at home until Samuel is weaned. Her plan is to bring him to the Tabernacle later, dedicating him to serve God for the rest of his life as a Levite. This period of service is calculated to last fifty years, meaning Samuel lives a total of fifty-two years [רלב״ג, צאינה וראינה].
The goal of this journey is specifically focused on offering sacrifices to God. Unlike previous years, there is no mention of bowing down in prayer. In the past, this act of intense prayer was deeply connected to Hannah pleading for a child. Now that her prayers have been answered, the primary focus of the pilgrimage has shifted [מלבי״ם].
Upon arriving at the Tabernacle, Elkanah offers two distinct types of sacrifices. The first consists of his regular, annual offerings [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. The primary approach among commentators is that these are the standard festival sacrifices appropriate for the season, most likely for the holiday of Sukkot [רש״י, רד״ק, רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל].
The second offering is brought to fulfill a vow. The primary approach among commentators is that this refers to general promises Elkanah made at home throughout the year, between the festivals, which he is now obligated to fulfill upon reaching the Tabernacle [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, some commentators connect this vow directly to the joy of the past year, explaining it as a special thanksgiving offering Elkanah promised to God following the birth of his son [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, צאינה וראינה, אברבנאל]. Another perspective suggests that the vow simply represents Elkanah's ongoing, permanent commitment to travel to the Tabernacle every single year [אברבנאל].