The answer is: Peninnah

1 Samuel 1:4-6

In the heart of the narrative in 1 Samuel, we meet Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, confronted by Peninnah, Elkanah's other wife. This tumultuous trio infuses a wealth of emotion into these pages. Peninnah, having multiple children, takes every chance to throw Hannah's inability to conceive back in her face, making her life tumultuous and desperate.

Hannah's story is not just about rivalry but dives deep into societal values regarding fertility in the ancient world, where bearing children was a woman's most esteemed role. In this era, being childless was akin to carrying a stigma, elevating Peninnah's mockery to something cruelly impactful. Interestingly, the theme of struggle with infertility reappears throughout scripture—think of Sarah with Isaac and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist—illustrating a persistent faith in adverse circumstances. Notably, these biblical women’s drought led to incredibly important pregnancies and historical figures, indicating a miraculous courtship between suffering and hope.

Hannah's heartfelt prayer at the temple, where she vows to dedicate her future son to God, nudges us toward understanding the perceived Divine's value placed on Sam’s eventual birth, an origin point for the prophetic lineage. Her story resonates today, for it touches on themes of longing, devotion, and overcoming obstacles through faith, reflecting a universal experience that transcends generations and faiths.