שמואל א, פרק ב׳, פסוק כ״א

The fulfillment of the divine promise brings abundance to the family of Elkanah and Hannah while highlighting the unique path of their eldest son. God remembers and watches over the family [מצודת ציון], confirming the blessing given earlier by Eli the Priest. After returning home with complete confidence in this blessing, Hannah and Elkanah are granted three more sons and two daughters. These new children serve to fill the empty space left in the family home by Samuel, who is dedicated entirely to God [אברבנאל].

As the family expands, a sharp contrast emerges between Samuel and his siblings. The younger children grow up in their parents' home like ordinary children, never reaching the profound spiritual heights of their older brother [מצודת דוד]. Samuel, by contrast, is raised completely apart from his mother and father [אברבנאל]. He spends his days actively serving and ministering before God [רד״ק]. His bond with the Tabernacle is so absolute that he hardly seems like Elkanah's son at all. Instead, he is like a sapling firmly planted in the house of God, steadily growing in both age and wisdom [מלבי״ם].