''The LORD give you children by this woman for the loan which she lent to the LORD....'' What was this loan?

Answer Details

This loan is mentioned in the Bible in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 1. It is part of a prayer made by a woman named Hannah, who was barren and had been unable to conceive a child. Hannah made a vow to the Lord that if he were to give her a son, she would dedicate him to serve in the temple. Hannah had lent herself to the Lord, meaning she had devoted herself to serving him. It was customary for people to make offerings and sacrifices to the Lord at the temple, and Hannah had likely made a vow to give something of value to the Lord in exchange for his blessing. This is referred to as a loan in the Bible, as Hannah was essentially borrowing God's favor in exchange for her promise to dedicate her child to his service. In summary, the loan mentioned in this passage refers to the vow made by Hannah to give her child to the Lord's service in exchange for his blessing and the ability to conceive a child.