Chapter Two
Hannah’s Prayer
2:1 And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
Upon giving her son to Eli, the high priest, as a servant to God, Hannah offers a prayer (or song) of thanksgiving. She begins by rejoicing in YHWH as she is truly jubilant, her horn (Hebrew qǎr·ni’, a horn, the bony projection that grows out of heads of various animals, in the Bible the term describes strength, honor, and dignity, in context here would be a reference to the source of her strength, see also Psalm 75:4-5, 10; 89:17, 24; 92:10; 132:17) is exalted in YHWH, He is the provider of her strength. And her mouth derides (Hebrew rā·ḥǎḇ, to open wide) her enemies (some translate that to refer to speaking boldly against, others translate that to mean she is able to smile at her enemies). As she delights in God’s deliverance (Hebrew yšû·’āṯ, salvation, to rescue from distress, the root being yešû·’ā(h) which is the Hebrew equivalent for ‘Jesus’), being saved from further humiliation.
But who were her enemies? Was it the one who closed her womb? No, that was God Himself, He was not punishing her, but through divine guidance He was strengthening her faith. Her enemies were those who chided and mocked her, primarily Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, undoubtedly there were others.
2:2 “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.
Using an often expressed recognition of the uniqueness of God, Hannah notes that there is none like YHWH (see also Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 3:24; 2 Samuel 7:22; 1 Kings 8:23; 2 Chronicles 6:14; Psalm 86:8; 89:6, 8; Jeremiah 10:6). There is only one true God, all glory belongs to Him and Him alone (see Isaiah 42:8). Hannah calls God a rock, there is no greater firm foundation. The term rock in the Bible often points to Jesus (click here for more information).
Here Hannah begins to not only recognize God’s attributes, she is establishing an outlook of reality that could be described as a Biblical worldview (click here to read more).
2:3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
Now addressing her adversaries in her prayer, Hannah tells them to, “Stop acting so proud and haughty! Don’t speak with such arrogance! For the LORD is a God who knows what you have done; he will judge your actions.” (1 Samuel 2:3, NLT) Hannah calls YHWH the God of knowledge, while being an understatement, it is an attribute that is truly beyond our comprehension, but it does underscore an important lesson, He knows all! Including any gestures made, utterances under the breath, everything. He heard everything Peninnah said to Hannah and those words and actions will be judged.
2:4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
As a result of divine intervention the power of God can be seen, the bows (the weapons) of the mighty now fail while the feeble win the battle. And while those who had an abundance of bread, now hire themselves out in order to buy bread, but those who were hungry are no longer hungry. The childless woman now has seven children, in God’s Word the number seven represents completion (see below), we will soon learn that she gave birth to five more children in verse 21. But she who has many children is now forlorn (Hebrew ’ǔm·lā’lā(h), to languish, be exhausted)
This phrase is sometimes used as evidence that this prayer was not originally spoken by Hannah, since she is recorded as giving birth to only six children (see 2:21). Cf. Klein, 1 Samuel, 14. However, if this number is recognized to be used here poetically or rhetorically, this argument loses its strength.[1]
2:6 The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and on them he has set the world.
Hannah notes that God’s sovereign providence includes control over life, as He allows death, makes life possible, sends those who died to Sheol (Hebrew šeôhl’, can be translated as grave, most English Bibles transliterate as Sheol, as it refers to a specific location called Hades in the Greek, click here to read more), and God raises up, a reference to resurrection. God also has providence over finances, success, and who is exalted. He is able to raise up the poor and needy and bring them to sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor, for the pillars (foundation) of the earth are God’s and He has set the world on them, all of creation belongs to Him (see Considerations below regarding a potential contradiction). It is interesting to note that the Septuagint does not include the last sentence in verse eight, there is no reference to pillars, earth, world, or that they belong to God.
2:9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.
The Bible often metaphorically speaks about our walk, a reference to how we conduct our lives. We also read that God provides the illumination to the path we walk (see Psalm 119:105). Here Hannah adds that God will guard the feet of His faithful, protecting us as we walk. But as for the wicked (Hebrew rešā·’îm’, in the wrong, guilty) they will be “cut off” (Hebrew aid·dām’·mû, to be silent, to stand still) in darkness, away from the presence of God (click here to read more regarding post judgment for those who did not accept salvation from Jesus).
Hannah notes that human might is inadequate to prevail. Prevail what? The consequences of sin. There are several consistent themes in the Bible, but high on the list of importance is the point that humans on their own cannot save themselves, sin has condemned humanity, the efforts of man to change that status are insufficient. The prophet Zechariah recorded, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6, ESV) Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” (John 3:16-19, ESV) Hannah will now conclude her prayer with an amazing insight regarding the coming Messiah, Jesus.
2:10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
Those who oppose YHWH will be “broken to pieces” (Hebrew yē·ḥǎt’·tû, to be shattered, to be dismayed) and He will thunder against them from heaven. God will judge the ends (Hebrew ’ǎp̄·sê, ceasing, cease to exist) of the earth, referring to an end-times judgment. YHWH will give strength to His king and exalt the horn (the strength) of His anointed (Hebrew mešîḥ’, the anointed one, the Messiah). Hannah pronounces that there will be a king (even though Israel has no king at this time) and that God will give strength to His anointed (the Messiah, the Christ). This is the earliest mention that God (Jesus) being called the Messiah.
This is one of the great verses of Scripture and the first one to use the name Messiah—the word anointed is the Hebrew word Messiah. It is translated Christos in the Greek New Testament and comes to us as “Christ” in English. It is the title of the Lord Jesus. God is getting ready to set up a kingdom in Israel. Since Israel has rejected the theocracy, God is going to appoint them a king.[2]
2:11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest.
Elkanah and his family returned home to Ramah, but Samuel remained in Shiloh to grow in service to YHWH. He was left in the care of Eli the high priest.
Considerations
Undeserved Grace
Many make the comparison of Hannah’s prayer to the Song of Moses (see Exodus 15:1-21); David’s song of deliverance (see 2 Samuel 22:1-51) and Mary’s, the mother of Jesus, song (see Luke 1:46-55). All four of these ‘songs’ powerfully praise God, recognize Him to be all powerful, and tell of God’s grace to undeserving people and the granting of victory over an enemy, all through unique ways to accomplish His purposes.
Is That a Contradiction?
Hannah refers to pillars holding up the earth and in the book of Job he notes that the earth hangs on nothing (see Job 26:7). Many like to point out that both can’t be true, plus, science has firmly disproven any foundation or pillar holding the world. The following is an article from Answers in Genesis’ website that provides a solution:
The idea of earth having “pillars” and “foundations” seems to defy observations made by astronauts who have seen our planet from afar. To some, it may even sound vaguely like certain pagan beliefs, such as the Hindu idea that the earth is supported on the backs of four elephants that stand on the shell of a gigantic tortoise. But we should not view these biblical statements as myths, because God’s Word is truth (John 17:17).
The supposed contradiction quickly disappears when we examine the context of each passage and recognize it as figurative language. First Samuel 2:8 was spoken during a prayer by Hannah after she dedicated her son Samuel into the Lord’s service. Job spoke the other verse while talking with his friends about man’s weakness in light of God’s majestic power. This sort of poetic imagery (pillars, foundations, etc.) is commonly used in Scripture to describe how God upholds the world. For example, consider what the Lord said to Job:
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone[?] (Job 38:4–6)
We know that the earth does not literally have foundations and a cornerstone like a building; instead, God uses this figurative language to create a mental picture for Job. In the same way, animals do not talk and laugh, yet God also tells Job that the horse “laughs at fear” and “when the trumpet sounds, he says ‘Aha!’” (Job 39:22, 25, ESV).
This is something we are all familiar with in everyday speech. For example, if someone is not particularly sane, we might say he’s “got bats in the belfry,” “losing his marbles,” “coming unglued,” or “vacant upstairs.” All of these are obviously not literal statements but rather figures of speech that give a more interesting look at the concept being expressed.
Critics of our ministry often ridicule Answers in Genesis because we endorse the historical-grammatical hermeneutic. They claim that we must take everything in the Bible in a wooden literal sense. However, the historical-grammatical hermeneutic recognizes figures of speech are used in everyday language, and we should interpret them as such. When we interpret Scripture, we strive to find the author’s intended meaning. Just as we use figurative language today, so also the writers of Scripture often used figures of speech, especially in passages written using poetic language like the examples above.
So, God hangs the earth on nothing, but it’s not just dangling in space. He has firmly fixed an orbit for our planet and upholds it securely in its proper place in our solar system.[3]
The Bible utilizes a number of literary devices including figures of speech, click here to read more about them along with examples.
The Worthless Sons of Eli
2:12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD.
With the subject changing to Eli, the author presents the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas (first named introduced and named in 1 Samuel 1:3), as being “worthless men” (Hebrew benē’ ḇeliy·yã’·’ǎl, worthless sons, using the same word found in 1 Samuel 1:16 for worthless, click here to read more). The author tells us that they did not know YHWH. Our response should be, “What?!” How do two men become priests for YHWH without knowing Him? How can they intercede for someone if they do not know who they represent? The obvious answer is that they can’t. Apparently Eli did not teach them what they needed to know regarding God Himself, they may have understood proper protocol but even with that they pursued only what they could personally gain from.
2:13 The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, 14 and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.
When this text is first read it sounds like this was the established protocol for performing sacrifices, but these do not match the regulations outlined in the law (see Leviticus 7:28-36; 10:12-15; Deuteronomy 18:1-5). These verses reflect the methods Eli’s sons used. First, they did not interact with the people directly as they sent their servants to do that. When the meat was boiling they would thrust in their fork to whatever vessel they were using to grab a choice piece of meat for themselves. Secondly, they did this every time a sacrifice was to be made for the Israelites, potentially negating their offerings.
2:15 Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.
In addition they would take the meat before the fat was burned, as they demanded that they would be given the meat raw so that they could roast it instead of boiling it. If they were denied the meat, or told that the fat was to be burned first, they would take the meat by force. These two brothers took and consumed the meat that they wanted and also took the fat parts that belonged to God. The author states that they treated the offering with contempt, and that it was a great sin in the sight of YHWH.
Samuel Growing Up in Shiloh and Hannah is Blessed
2:18 Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy clothed with a linen ephod.
Samuel was raised by Eli and the other priests. We are told that he was ministering (Hebrew mešā·rēṯ’, to serve, considered a generic word that can describe a number of activities) before YHWH and that he was clothed with a linen ephod (click here to read about the garments the priests wore). Ephods are closely associated with priests (for official priests see Exodus 25:7; 28:4, 6, 12, 15, 25-31; 29:5; 35:9, 27; 39:1-2, 7-8, 18-22; Leviticus 8:7, for unofficial priests see Judges 8:27; 17:5; 18:14-20). Even though Samuel was not a priest he was given an ephod to wear.
2:19 And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the LORD give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the LORD.” So then they would return to their home.
During their annual trek to Shiloh, Hannah would give Samuel a new robe to wear. Eli would bless Elkanah and Hannah, asking God to grant them more children.
2:21 Indeed the LORD visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the LORD.
We are told that Hannah was blessed with three more sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, despite what we are told about Eli’s lack of discipline for his sons, Samuel grew in the presence of YHWH (reminiscent of Jesus growing up, see Luke 2:52).
Eli Attempts to Rebuke His Sons
2:22 Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
The situation regarding Eli’s sons is much worse than reported earlier, not only were they compromising the people of Israel’s sacrifices, they were also committing sexual immorality, possibly even rape, with the women who came to worship at the Tabernacle. Eli had heard and was aware of what they were doing.
2:23 And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad.
Eli inquires from his sons, “Why do you do such things?” He has been hearing about what they are doing but seems more concerned about the report the people are spreading around!
2:25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.
However, Eli does make an important observation, if someone sins against someone else, God can mediate for them (if they repent). But if someone sins against YHWH, who is going to intercede for them? The lack of discipline seems to have caught up, as the sons reject their father’s advice and refuse to repent or change. The text doesn’t make it clear if God had already decided to put them to death or that due to their lack of repentance they were to be put to death. Either way God, being omniscient, would have known their hearts.
2:26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man.
Samuel continued to grow physically and spiritually in favor with YHWH as well in favor of the Israelites.
YHWH Cuts Off Eli and His House
2:27 And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28 Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel.
An unnamed prophet comes to Eli and tells him that he has a question from God. He asks, when they were in Egypt and slaves to the house of Pharaoh, did He not reveal to the family of your ancestor Aaron that He had chosen him out of all the tribes to be My priest, to offer up burnt offerings, burn incense, and wear an ephod in my presence? And did He not give your ancestor’s family the responsibility to offer up the burnt offerings for the people of Israel? These two rhetorical questions would have cut to the heart, as they expose the simple fact that Eli, being the high priest, was not properly officiating and providing oversight for basic operations at the Tabernacle.
2:29 Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’
The prophet then asks, why then, does he despise and show contempt for God’s sacrifices and His offerings? He doesn’t wait for an answer and tells Eli, that he honors his sons more than he honors God, by making himself fat with the best part of all of the offerings that the people of Israel brought to them, as these sacrifices and offerings were prescribed so that God could dwell with them.
2:30 Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.
The prophet then proclaimed that YHWH, the God of Israel, declares that He had promised Eli’s family and his forefather’s family that they would “go in and out” (Hebrew yiṯ·hǎl·leḵû’, to walk, to go, carries the basic idea of movement) before Him forever, but now, the bad behavior must stop, for those priests that honor Him, He will honor, but for those priests that despise and ignore Him, they will be treated with contempt. The prophet then announced that God will punish by cutting short Eli’s family and his father’s family from service to Him. That none in his family will reach old age.
God had given the priesthood to Aaron and his descendants forever, and nobody could take this honor (Ex. 29:9; 40:15; Num. 18:7; Deut. 18:5). However, God’s servants can’t live any way they please and expect the Lord to honor them; for “them who honor me I will honor” (1 Sam. 2:30). The privilege of the priesthood would remain with the tribe of Levi and the house of Aaron, but God would take it away from Eli’s branch of the family. Eli’s descendants would become weak and die off and there would be no more old men like Eli in the family. They would have to beg for their food and would plead for an opportunity to serve (v. 36).[4]
2:32 Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men.
This punishment will occur in the future, here the prophet is referring to a future time when Israel is experiencing a time of prosperity, when Eli’s family will be envious as they will not live very long. The prophet adds that God will not cut off one who will be spared so that he could weep and grieve, seeing that all of Eli’s descendants die by the sword of others (the sword is from the Septuagint). This prophecy was fulfilled during Solomon’s reign when Abiathar, from Eli’s family, was deposed as the high priest and replaced with Zadok from a different family in the line of Aaron. Just as 1 Kings 2:27 records, “So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, thus fulfilling the word of the LORD that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.” (ESV)
2:34 And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.
Since this punishment was set in the future, the prophet gave Eli a sign to authenticate this prophecy, the sign was that his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will both die on the same day.
2:35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.
The prophet announces that God said He will raise up a faithful priest, one who will do as He desires. He will build for them a sure (Hebrew ně·’ěmān’, firmness, faithful, dependable) house that will walk before His anointed forever. Zadok will be that faithful priest who will replace Eli’s family line in the priesthood and serve as a model, a foreshadowing, of the ultimate High Priest Jesus. This prophecy will have a near-term fulfillment with the sign of Eli’s sons dying on the same day, a mid-term fulfillment with Zadok being the high priest, and distant-term fulfillment with Jesus being the eternal High Priest. Note again the use of the word anointed (Hebrew mešî·ḥi’, see verse ten) being His forever.
2:36 And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, “Please put me in one of the priests’ places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.” ’ ”
At that time anyone left in Eli’s family will beg for money or a loaf of bread and will plead for a priestly duty so that they can eat a scrap of bread. Interestingly this would fulfill Hannah’s prophecy, “Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread.” (1 Samuel 2:5, ESV)
Considerations
Did God Renege on a Promise?
No, the promise of Aaron’s lineage to serve as priests was not revoked, but it was modified slightly. Those that were willing to and desired to serve God in the capacity as His priests (intermediaries) between the Israelites and God would be honored. Those that do not desire to serve God will not be despised and eventually removed from that privilege. The Bible teaches that God will keep all of His promises (see Hebrews 10:23).
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[1] Bergen, R. D. (1996). 1, 2 Samuel (Vol. 7). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed., Vol. 2, p. 127). Thomas Nelson.
[3] Lutz, E. (2011, August 10). Contradictions: Hanging on Pillars of Nothing? Answers in Genesis. https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/earth/contradictions-hanging-on-pillars-of-nothing/
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (2001). Be successful (pp. 25–26). Victor/Cook Communications.