In her vow, Hannah made use of two words that connect her request for a son with Israel and the exodus. Firstly, she refers to misery,
a Hebrew word otherwise translated as affliction.
It is closely connected with the exodus from Egypt (see Exodus 3:7, Exodus 3:17; Exodus 4:31; Deuteronomy 16:3; Deuteronomy 26:7). Similarly, in calling on the Lord to remember her, there is another connection to the time of the exodus (cf. Exodus 2:24). This connection suggests that Hannah’s vow is not primarily or only about her own desire for a son, but rather it is a vow made for the sake of Israel as a whole.
11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”