In the Bible, who was Samuel's mother?

In the Bible, Samuel’s mother was Hannah. Her story is told primarily in the opening chapters of 1 Samuel, where she is described as one of Elkanah’s two wives. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, had children, while Hannah remained childless and suffered repeated provocation because of it.

During a pilgrimage to the sanctuary at Shiloh, Hannah prayed intensely for a son and vowed to dedicate him to God’s service. Eli, the priest, initially mistook her silent, tearful prayer for drunkenness, but later blessed her. Hannah conceived and gave birth to Samuel, whose name is connected in the biblical narrative with her asking the Lord for him.

After Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him to Shiloh and entrusted him to Eli’s care, fulfilling her vow. She later became associated with the Song of Hannah, a poetic prayer of thanksgiving. A common mix-up is Peninnah: she was Samuel’s father Elkanah’s other wife, not his mother.