1Sam 1:2

“In this [figurative] way, therefore, I think the marriages of the elders are interpreted more fittingly; in this way the unions entered by the patriarchs in their now final and weakened age are understood nobly; in this way I hold the necessary begetting of children should be reckoned. For young men are not so well fitted as old men for such marriages and for offspring of this kind. For to the extent that someone is feeble in the flesh, to such an extent will he be stronger in virtue of the soul and more fit for the embraces of wisdom. So also that just man Elkanah in the Scriptures is reported to have had two wives at the same time, one of whom was called Peninnah, the other Hannah, that is, "conversion" and "grace." And first, indeed, he is said to have had sons by Peninnah, that is, of conversion, and later by Hannah, that is, of grace.And indeed the Scripture designates the progress of the saints figuratively by marriages. Whence also you can, if you wish, be a husband of marriages of this kind. For example, if you freely practice hospitality, you will appear to have taken her as your wife. If you shall add to this care of the poor, you will appear to have obtained a second wife. But if you should also join patience to yourself and gentleness and the other virtues, you will appear to have taken as many wives as the virtues you enjoy. Thence it is, therefore, that Scripture recounts that some of the patriarchs had many wives at the same time, that others took other wives when previous wives had died. The purpose of this is to indicate figuratively that some can exercise many virtues at the same time; others cannot begin those which follow before they have brought the former virtues to perfection.”

“That the church which before had been barren should have more children from among the Gentiles than what the synagogue had had before. Isaiah said, "Rejoice, O barren one, that barest not; break forth and shout, who has not been in labor, for the deserted one will have more children than she who has a husband.…" So also, to Abraham, when his first son was born of a bondwoman, Sarah remained long barren, but later, in her old age, bore him her promised son Isaac, who was a type of the Christ. Jacob also took two wives: the elder, Leah, with weak eyes, was a type of the synagogue; the younger and beautiful Rachel, a type of the church, who also remained long barren and afterwards brought forth Joseph, who also was himself a type of Christ. And in 1 Kings [Samuel] it is said that Elkanah has two wives: Peninnah, with her sons; and Hannah, barren, from whom is born not according to the order of generation but according to the mercy and promise of God, when she had prayed in the temple; and Samuel, being born, was a type of Christ. Again in 1 Kings [Samuel]: "The barren has born seven; and she who had many children has grown weak."”

“8. What is expressed by Peninnah, except the Synagogue? And what is figured by Hannah, except the holy Church? For the children of Peninnah are reported to have existed: because when our Redeemer appeared in the flesh, through the Law which He had given, through the prophets whom He had sent, He found children brought forth in the faith of the synagogue. But Hannah had no children, because the holy Church, then new and recently joined to her heavenly spouse, was not yet giving birth through preaching. Hence also it is said to her in the voice of the same spouse in the Canticle: Our sister is little, and has no breasts (Song of Songs 8:8). Or certainly she is said not to have had children not because of inequality of age, but through the barrenness of sterility. What therefore is the sterility of Hannah, except the hardness of Judea? For she who could not convert the hard hearts of the Jews to faith in the Redeemer was indeed barren. But it should be noted that Peninnah, who is said to have given birth first, is named the second wife. For indeed the synagogue first brought forth children in the faith, but nevertheless she was lesser in dignity than the holy Church. Therefore she was the second wife, not in time of marital union, but in inequality of prerogative. There follows: (Verse 3) And that man went up from his city on appointed days, to worship and sacrifice to the Lord God of hosts in Shiloh.”

“(Moral Exposition) Hence he is described as having two wives, because he is joined to the active life through the fruitfulness of good works and to the contemplative life through the love of inner delight. Therefore Peninnah is said to have had children, but Anna is said to have had no children. For what are the children of the active life, except the fruits of good works? And what does it mean that Anna has no children, except that the untrained contemplation does not quickly obtain those joys of inner contemplation which it has already begun to love? Indeed, the joys of inner vision are the children of the contemplative life. But the mind that begins to contemplate eternal things arrives at receiving those joys with all the more difficulty, the more it fails to attend to their beauty. Who then is able to rejoice in the glory of a beauty that he does not see? But the mind that newly raises itself up in the contemplation of eternal goods rises to them all the more slowly, the more it does not quickly lay aside the familiar darkness of its humanity, because while it is unable to cast away worldly cares from itself, it carries dust in its eyes, as it were, by which it cannot see what it desires to see. Therefore the dust must first be cast out from the eye, then the eye must be restored. Dust is indeed cast out when all phantasms of bodily things are removed from the mind's attention, and the eye is restored when by the practice of continual meditation that same attention of the mind is raised up to eternal things. When this has learned through long custom to dwell in heavenly things, by that same length of custom it obtains the purity by which, while it more clearly beholds eternal things, it may more fully exult in their glory. Therefore Anna is said to have had no children, so that not only the imperfection of the beginner may be indicated, but also the loftiness of the contemplative life. For it is set upon a great height of merits, which cannot easily be had in the joy of its fruitfulness. Hence it is that Jacob desires to have Rachel as his wife (Gen. 29:18ff.), but nevertheless Leah is first given to him, so that in order to obtain her beauty the number of seven years must be doubled in service to his father-in-law, because the lover of the contemplative life desires to attain this quickly in the abundance of eternal joy, but nevertheless the Spirit, the giver of all gifts, does not quickly grant it to him, lest he despise what he has obtained as something cheap, if ease presents it to him according to his wish; but may he enjoy it all the more sweetly and guard it all the more carefully, the more difficultly he has earned it. Wherefore it also follows: (Verse 3.) And that man went up on the appointed days to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh.”

“And he had two wives, etc. Anna, whose name means 'grace,' represents the Church: Phenenna, whose name means 'conversion,' demonstrates the synagogue. And fittingly Anna is first, and Phenenna second; because the first times of the world had holy ones, who, living lives similar to ours without the ceremonies of legal sacrifices, sabbaths, new moons, circumcision, and various purifications, pleased God through the righteousness of faith alone, hoping to be saved by Christ's grace alone, from the time his incarnation was shown to the patriarchs. Thus finally, the conversion of the Synagogue from Egypt to the Lord is celebrated.”

“And Phenenna had children, etc. The synagogue, ever since she was betrothed to the Lord, has never ceased to generate spiritual children for him through teaching. Gentilitas, however, although it never ceased to be subject to his grace in some, albeit few, could not generate for him children who live spiritually through preaching; because she neither deserved to receive his testament openly, nor the prophecies, nor the oracles of angels.”