1 Samuel 2:1–11

2:2 Each of the three lines of this verse begins “there is none,” ruling out any possibility of a rival to the Lord: (1) He is “holy,” completely set apart from the realm he has created and untainted by any moral corruption. (2) “There is none besides you” repeats the declarations of Israel’s faith from earliest times, that the Lord is incomparable and quite unique, standing apart from all that others consider as divine (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 4:35; 32:39; see also Isa. 40:18; Jer. 10:6). (3) “Rock” presents the Lord as the enduring and effective source of refuge and protection for his people (Deut. 32:30–31; 2 Sam. 22:3; 23:3; Ps. 28:1), enabling them to weather any storm that may engulf their lives. “Our God” is the one with whom Hannah and all Israel are in covenant relationship. Her praise is stimulated not merely by gratitude for his gift of a son but also by the deeper understanding of God and his ways that she has gained.

2:3 Hannah then spells out the lesson to be learned from her spiritual experience: she urges those who vaunted themselves in their status or abilities to desist (“Talk no more”). “Very proudly” is literally “proud, proud,” a form of repetition characteristic of early Hebrew poetry. “Proud” is a metaphor based on the concept of height, the inappropriate self-exaltation of those who are full of themselves. Hannah advances two reasons for them to renounce such arrogant behavior: (1) “The Lord is a God of knowledge.” “Knowledge” is a plural term signifying comprehensive awareness; nothing and no one escapes God’s scrutiny (Ps. 33:13). (2) Moreover, his knowledge is accompanied by assessment, for “by him actions are weighed.”¹ As Proverbs states, “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit” (Prov. 16:2; see also Prov. 24:12). His is the decisive verdict on any individual or activity.

2:4–7 Hannah then employs a series of seven contrasts to show how the Lord characteristically intervenes in life to effect dramatic reversals of human expectations:

(1) “The bows of the mighty” (v. 4) refers to weaponry by which the mighty shoot arrows at their foes, but these items of military strength are destroyed by the Lord, who overwhelms the seemingly invincible. On the other hand, “the feeble,” those who are so weak that they stumble and fall, experience divine strengthening that enables them to engage successfully in combat.

(2) “Those who were full” (v. 5) describes individuals who once had plenty of food but whose economic circumstances have so changed that they now “have hired themselves out for bread” in order to eke out an existence. In contrast, those who had been disadvantaged and had lacked food “have ceased to hunger” (cf. Ps. 107:9).

(3) In 1 Samuel 2:5, divine reversals also occur in relation to domestic life and childbearing (cf. Ps. 113:9). The contrast is presented in reverse order, with the formerly disadvantaged woman being granted a family of “seven,” denoting completeness (cf. Ruth 4:15; Jer. 15:9). Hannah herself has three more sons and two daughters after the birth of Samuel (1 Sam. 2:21). On the other hand, the woman who had borne “many children” has become “forlorn”—withered and wasting away because her children have died, whether by illness, accident, or warfare.

(4) The references in verse 6 are to the Lord’s control over the key events of life, expressed using participles indicating what God characteristically does. He is the one who “kills,” that is, who determines when life ends, and the one who “brings to life,” that is, who restores those who were on the point of perishing. While Hannah probably has experiences of misfortune and danger in mind rather than physical resurrection from the grave, she attributes to God the same essential power and potential.

(5) The contrast is expressed in different terms in the second line of verse 6. “Sheol” is the realm of the dead, and to “[bring] down to Sheol” is to cause to experience life-threatening circumstances. But the Lord also “raises up” by reversing those dire conditions (Pss. 71:20; 86:13): “I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand” (Deut. 32:39).

(6) In the compressed contrast of the first line of 1 Samuel 2:7, the “poor” refers to those who were formerly rich, not simply those who have lived a life of poverty, just as “makes rich” refers to those who had been poor but whose economic circumstances have been turned around by the Lord.

(7) The second line of verse 7 focuses on the related contrast of social situation: “he brings low” those who had formerly enjoyed high status and “exalts” those who were formerly shunned so that they are accorded honor and respect (Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11). “It is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another” (Ps. 75:7).

2:8 This verse is concerned solely with the positive side of the Lord’s activity as he improves the lot of those who have always been “poor” and “needy.” “The dust” is made more specific in the parallel line by reference to “the ash heap,” the miserable condition of living in the local rubbish dump (Lam. 4:5). The Lord elevates the status of the poor in the community so that they figuratively become companions of princes and inherit (i.e., receive as a gift from the Lord) “a seat of honor” (cf. comment on 1 Sam. 1:9; cf. Ps. 113:7–8), perhaps a high position in the administration of the land (Isa. 22:23).

The final couplet of verse 8 explains why the Lord can make such far-reaching changes in the status and fortunes of individuals. The lines have been explained in two ways:

(1) “The pillars of the earth” may be taken to incorporate an early view of the foundations on which the earth is resting (Job 9:6; Ps. 75:3). Alternatively, the metaphor may be drawn from the construction of a building whose roof is supported by pillars (Judg. 16:26). In either case the focus is on the Lord’s universal sway over the world he has created (Pss. 22:28; 24:1) so that he can change it as he sees fit.

(2) Another approach narrows the focus to the Lord’s sovereignty over human society, with the pillars being those who set the social and moral tone of a community (Isa. 19:10; Gal. 2:9; Rev. 3:12). By God’s providential ordering of affairs, they have been brought to positions of prominence, and on their shoulders rests the maintenance of order in the world. Even so, they are not exempt from divine control. The first explanation, though common, does not really derive from the context; the second provides an entry point into the final verses, which climax in a divinely appointed ruler.

2:9 Hannah then considers how God’s control will be evident in the future. Positively, he will continue to protect “his faithful ones,” a collective singular term describing those who are loyal to the Lord and maintain his requirements by practicing the steadfast love (Hb. hesed; cf. comment on 2 Sam. 9:1) promoted by his covenant with his people. Their “feet” represent their whole physical frame, particularly with regard to their conduct and movement. Slipping or stumbling are symbols of overthrow and defeat (Pss. 56:13; 116:8; 121:3), from which they will be preserved.

On the other hand, “the wicked,” those guilty of perpetrating offenses against God’s order, “shall be cut off,” a euphemism for death. “In darkness” describes the condition of those consigned to remain in Sheol (Job 10:21–22). The final, parenthetical observation, “not by might shall a man prevail,” presents the reason for the destiny of the wicked. They had trusted in their own strength and abilities, deluded in thinking they could provide final security for themselves (Pss. 20:7–8; 33:16; 147:10).

2:10 The closing verse of Hannah’s prayer probes further why the wicked inevitably fail: because they must reckon with the reality of the Lord. Since “adversaries” is a legal term, the scene envisaged is probably the heavenly court, in which God’s verdict is handed down.

The second part of the verse also begins emphatically with “the Lord.” The full scope of his authority is expressed by the fact that he “will judge the ends of the earth,” which encompasses all that lies between those extremes. To “judge” is not merely to pronounce a verdict; it encompasses every aspect of the administration of God’s kingdom on earth, which is why the godly ultimately have nothing to fear.

In particular, Hannah praises God for providing a “king” for his people and endowing him with strength for his office. Indeed, God will ensure the success of his reign because he will “exalt the horn” of the king. The phrase “exalt the horn” is integral to the structure of the poem, forming an inclusio with its initial occurrence in verse 1. There is an additional wordplay to be appreciated here as we recognize that a horn was used to carry the oil with which a king was anointed (16:1).

“His anointed” is elsewhere transliterated as messiah. Sacral anointing involved pouring oil on a person’s head to set him apart for God’s service and to symbolize the Spirit’s presence to empower and guide him (see 10:1). This was carried out for priests and prophets, and here it is a king that is specifically in view. Given that the Lord had already provided that a king would play a decisive role in his purposes (cf. Introduction: Theology of 1–2 Samuel), it is not implausible that Hannah is entertaining the hope that God would relieve Israel’s distress by now providing that king. This promise is ultimately consummated in Christ, but a first step toward that goal was the appointment of a royal leader for the land.

2:11 This transitional verse concludes the narrative of Samuel’s birth. Elkanah (and his family, though that is not explicitly stated) returns to Ramah, but “the boy,” who is none other than Samuel himself, remains at Shiloh. Though the phrase “was ministering,” implying ongoing activity, might be employed in a secular sense of “attending to” without necessarily implying priestly duties (Gen. 39:4; 40:4; 1 Chron. 27:1), it was commonly used of priests as they carried out their appointed activities (Ex. 28:35, 43; 29:30).

Opinions are divided as to whether or not Samuel functioned as a priest in the full sense of the term. He clearly was a Levite in that he was descended from Kohath, the son of Levi (1 Chron. 6:1, 22–28, 33–35), and therefore qualified to act as Eli’s apprentice and assistant. The use of the term “ministering” (1 Sam. 2:11, 18), his wearing an ephod (2:18; cf. 22:18), his intercessory role (7:8–9, 12:16–19, 23) (though this was also a prophetic duty), and his function in connection with sacrifice (7:9; 9:12–13; 16:2) combine to give the impression that he fulfilled a priestly role. While he may have been considered eligible for this on the basis of his virtual adoption into Eli’s family, it more probably arose from his exceptional status at the heart of Israel’s life and national recovery, to which he was divinely appointed. He may therefore be termed a priest on much the same grounds as the designation is applied to Moses in Psalm 99:6.

This is the first of a series of notes addressing Samuel’s service that punctuate this and the following chapter (1 Sam. 2:11, 18; 3:1), along with annotations regarding his growth (cf. comment on 2:21). Together they function to mark the passage of time, and also set up a contrast between Samuel and Eli’s sons. So Samuel begins his service of the Lord under Eli’s tutelage (cf. 3:1) in his official capacity as “the priest.” Although Eli failed in his duty as regards his own sons, there is no suggestion that he is remiss in his training of Samuel.