What does 1 Samuel 1:24 mean?

The time has come to take Samuel, now a young boy, to the temple in Shiloh and dedicate Him to the Lord for lifelong service. This was Hannah's vow, should the Lord grant her the ability to conceive and give birth to a son (1 Samuel 1:11; Numbers 30:10–15). She has delayed in paying the vow until Samuel was fully weaned and could eat independently of her (1 Samuel 1:22-23). Samuel might be three or four years old at this point.

It was common to offer sacrifices along with paying a vow to the Lord. The expensive sacrifices mentioned here show that Elkanah was wealthy and that the couple placed a high value on the gift God had given to them in Samuel. Throughout the narrative we see that Elkanah and Hannah regularly honored the Lord (1 Samuel 1:3, 15–16, 19–20, 21, 23). They seemed to worship Him in "spirit and truth" (John 4:23). Their sacrifices show not only the value they placed on God having given them a son but on God Himself.

Hannah is said to be the one to bring the sacrifices, but Elkanah was likely with her, as well. He had taken her vow as his own (Numbers 30:10–15; 1 Samuel 1:21). Together, they brought either a three-year-old bull or three bulls, depending on how the Hebrew is translated. They also brought an ephah of flour, which would have been around three-fifths of a bushel or twenty-two liters. They also brought a "skin" of wine, which scholars suggest was around six gallons or twenty-two liters. All of this would be offered to the Lord through the priests as part of dedicating Samuel to the Lord. It is possible some of these offerings were also part of the annual feast.