Commentary for I Samuel 1:20

And as the seasons and days passed. The minimum of seasons [תְּקוּפוֹת] is two, and the minimum of days [יָמִים] is two. Hence, [she gave birth] after six months [=two seasons] and two days.³¹Maseches Rosh Hashanah 11a. From here [we learn] that a woman who gives birth in her seventh month of pregnancy, can give birth after entering part of the seventh month.

As the cycles and days Channah conceived passed: Meaning to say, at the time of the completion of the cycle of days of the pregnancy from the time that Channah conceived.

As the cycles and days passed: The days of her pregnancy - like its translation [in Targum Yonatan], "at the time of the completion of the days." And the explanation of, "and Channah conceived," is that she had already conceived. For when they returned from Shiloh, Elkanah, her husband, knew her intimately; and she conceived - as it is written [in the previous verse], "and the Lord remembered her." "The cycles and days" - that is when the days of pregnancy were completed, she gave birth to a son. And there are [instances of the letter,] vav [such as at the beginning of this verse] like this, indicating the past - like (Isaiah 64:4), "indeed, You were angry and we sinned" (the vav here changes the second phrase from being future to being past); (Exodus 14:21) "and the waters were split" (the vav here too changing the future to past); and those similar to them. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said that the days of her pregnancy were six months and two days - the minimum of "cycles" is two, and the minimum of "days" is two; and a cycle is three months. And we learn from this [that] a woman who gives birth in her seventh month can give birth with cut off (partial) [months].

Shmuel. After the Name of God [א־ל], and in reference to the incident he was so called, for I requested [שָׁאַל] him of הַשֵׁם[=מא־ל].

And she gave birth to a son, at the end of the cycle.

Shmuel: This word is constructed for this reason from, "I requested him from the Lord." As there are the letters of, shaul (requested), in Shmuel, and there are also the letters of, me'El (from God). It as is if she said, "Requested from God."

For I requested him from the Lord: And it is a play on words.

For I requested him from the Lord: It is lacking the word, said. Meaning to say, why did she call his name Shmuel? Because she said, "I requested him from the Lord." And it is like the Targum Yonatan, "For I said, 'I requested him before the Lord.'"