1 Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. 2 ” There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. 3 ” Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed. 4 ” The bows of the mighty are shattered, But the feeble gird on strength. 5 “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes. 6 ” The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 ” The Lord makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts. 8 ” He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the world on them. 9 ” He keeps the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a man prevail. 10 ” Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed.” 11 Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the Lordbefore Eli the priest.
In contrast to the prayer that came from her bitterness in chapter one, Hannah prayed from joy in these verses. The preeminent idea in Hannah’s prayer is that the Lord is a righteous judge. He had brought down the proud (Peninnah) and exalted the humble (Hannah). The prayer has four sections: 1) Hannah prays to the Lord for His salvation ; 2) Hannah warned the proud of the Lord’s humbling ; 3) Hannah affirmed the Lord’s faithful care for His saints ; 4) Hannah petitioned the Lord to judge the world and to prosper His anointed king .
1. Hannah prays a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord. Who prayed a similar type prayer in the New Testament?
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me– holy is his name. Luke 1:46-49 (NIV)
1 Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2. What does the scripture mean when it talks about a horn? Is it appropriate to exult in the LORD?
A horn in scripture is a symbol of strength, power.
In majesty he is like a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. Dt 33:17
“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Cor 1:31 (ESV)
A recurrent theme of the New Testament is that our relationship with God is based solely on a free gift given to us, not of works or anything qualifying attribute of ours.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph 2:8-9 (ESV)
2 ” There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
3. How is God like a rock?
Rock is metaphor for God that emphasized His strength and the security of those who trust in Him.
That people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:6 (ESV)
Many of our problems result from an incorrect view of God.God is the maximally greatest being in reality or imagination. If anything greater can be imagined then that would be God. He does not exist as part of the created universe. He transcends all time, space, matter and energy. He is Aristotle’s prime mover. He is the cause of all, the source of all the laws of physics, laws of morality, and laws of logic. Without God it is not possible for mankind to think or exist.
Once we get our presuppositions correct then our Christian worldview logically falls into place.
3 ” Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.
4. Who are some proud and arrogant people?
proudly …arrogance.The majestic and powerful God humbles all those who vaunt themselves against Him. The idea of God’s humbling of the very proud is shown throughout 1, 2 Samuel, toward Peninnah, Eli’s sons, the Philistines, Goliath, Saul, Nabal, Absalom, Shimei, Sheba, and even David.
Pride and self love are the original problems.
O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:12-14 (KJV)
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Gen 3:4-5 (KJV)
Narcissistic Personality Disorder :
Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder generally believe that the world revolves around them. This condition is characterized by a lack of ability to empathize with others and a desire to keep the focus on themselves at all times.
Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus, founded around 307 BCE. His materialism led him to a general attack on superstition and divine intervention.Epicurus believed that pleasure is the greatest good.
4 ” The bows of the mighty are shattered, But the feeble gird on strength.
Seven contrasts are found in these 4 verses: 1) mighty and weak; 2) full and hungry; 3) barren and fertile; 4) dead and alive; 5) sick and well; 6) poor and rich; and 7) humbled and exalted.
5 “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes.
5. Are children a blessing or a curse?
Gives birth to seven. This is not a personal testimony since Hannah bore only 6 children (2:21). “Seven” here is a general reference to women whom God blesses.
“Look, I got two daughters — 9 years old and 6 years old,” he said. “I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby. Barak Obama
” The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 ” The Lord makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts. 8 ” He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the world on them. 9 ” He keeps the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a man prevail. 10 ” Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
6. The Lord Kills?
The whole thought in this passage is that God gives life. As Job said, “… the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Only God has the power to give life, and only He has the right to take it away. Until you and I have the power to give life, we have no right to take life away. So far only God has that power. Believe me, God will take the blame (if that is what you want to call it) for the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. He does not apologize for the fact that He intends to judge the wicked. They will go down into death and be separated from God. God does not apologize for what He does. Why? Because this is His universe; we are His creatures; He is running the universe His way. JVM
The Pillars of the earth, a figure of speech which pictures the earth’s stability. Thunder contrasts the power of God in comparison to the power of man.
11 Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the Lordbefore Eli the priest.
7. How would this young boy minister to the Lord?
Ministered to the Lord. As a Levite, the boy Samuel performed services that assisted Eli, the High-Priest. To serve in the presence of the Lord denotes to perform the duties of priests or Levites in connection with the worship of God. In such service Samuel took part as he grew up, under the superintendence of Eli and according to his instructions. WBC
12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the Lord 13 and the custom of the priests with the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14 Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. Thus they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Also, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat for roasting, as he will not take boiled meat from you, only raw.” 16 If the man said to him, “They must surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as you desire,” then he would say, “No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for the men despised the offering of the Lord.
8. What do we know about Eli and his two sons?
The sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD. Is it possible there are people working at churches who don’t know the Lord?
The custom of the priests. Not content with the specified portions of the sacrifices given to the priests: This is the share due the priests from the people who sacrifice a bull or a sheep: the shoulder, the jowls and the inner parts. 4 You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep, 5 for the Lord your God has chosen them and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the Lord’s name always. Deut 18:3-5
Eli’s sons would take for themselves whatever meat a 3-pronged fork would collect from a boiling pot. 2:15 before they burned the fat. The law mandated that the fat of the sacrificial animal was to be burned on the altar to the Lord (Lv 7:31). In contrast, Eli’s sons demanded raw meat, including the fat, from the worshipers.
This doesn’t sound like a big deal to us, but to God it is huge. The priest was to follow God’s directions to the letter. We must know more about the Levitical priests to fully grasp what is going on with the sons of Eli. It is Aaron and his sons who are first designated by God to serve as priests. Nadab and Abihu, the two oldest sons of Aaron, are put to death for failing to exercise their priesthood correctly. They offer “strange fire” and are put to death for it. They are then replaced by Aaron’s other sons, Eleazar and Ithamar.
The priests have various duties. They are to maintain and operate the. Included in these duties is the maintaining of the altar. They are to keep the ashes removed and the fire burning). God promises to be with them in a special way at the doorway of the tent of meeting . Because of their privileged position and close proximity to the Holy God, they are to be meticulous about not defiling themselves in any way that hinders their service. This includes avoiding strong drink, which may have been a contributing factor in the “strange fire” of Nadab and Abihu. They must not defile themselves by contact with the dead, by taking a harlot as a wife, or by having a daughter who is a harlot. A priest must not have any physical defect or conduct his priestly duties while ceremonially unclean . The Levitical priests are responsible for inspecting various medical maladies to determine if they are leprous, infectious or defiling. Levitical priests are to blow the trumpets which signal the Israelites. The priest’s duties are even more extensive than this, for they are to teach the people of Israel the Law of Moses, and they are to judge them. The priests’failure to do these things brings severe judgment upon them. Their garments, which include a tunic and a robe, are also symbols of the sanctity of their office and duties. God does not give the priests an inheritance like the other tribes. Instead, He provides for them in a special way. They are given a portion of the meat which they offer on behalf of the Israelites, and they are given the remainder of the tithes and offerings of the people which the people bring as an offering to God. They are also given the bread that is set out in the sanctuary to eat. God specifies the portion of the sacrificial animal the priests are given: the breast and the right thigh, but this is only after the fat has been burned on the altar . Bob Deffinbaugh
18 Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy wearing a linen ephod. 19 And his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him from year to year when she would come 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 from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the Lord.” And they went to their own home. 21 The Lordvisited Hannah; and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the Lord.
10. What biblical principles are illustrated here?
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Gal 6:7-8 (KJV)
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Gen 50:20 (KJV)
God uses the works of evil men to bring about good. God was good to Hannah. She had five other children, but she never forgot Samuel during all those years. Every year she made him a little coat. And, in spite of the bad environment of the tabernacle, Samuel grew before the Lord. JVM
22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 23 He said to them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people? 24 No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear the Lord’S people circulating. 25 If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for the Lord desired to put them to death.
11. What should Eli have done about this with these two scoundrels?
Eli should have dealt with them long before this time and removed them from their positions and driven them out of the camp.Eli’s sons had persisted in their evil ways for so long that God’s judgment on them was determined.
26 Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the Lordand with men. 27 Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘ Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? 28 ~’ Did I notchoose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to carry an ephod before Me; and did I not give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel? 29 ~’Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’ 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘ I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever’; but now the Lorddeclares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed. 31 ~’Behold, the days are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 ~’You will see the distress of My dwelling, in spite of all the good that I do for Israel; and an old man will not be in your house forever. 33 ~’Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar so that your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul grieve, and all the increase of your house will die in the prime of life. 34 ~’This will be the sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on the same day both of them will die. 35 ~’But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always. 36 ~’Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and say, “Please assign me to one of the priest’s offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.”
11. Who was this man of God? What is this man of God saying about the priesthood of Eli’s time?
God sent a prophet to old Eli who told him that God was through with him as the high priest. No longer would God move through the priest. Instead, God was now raising up a priest-prophet. It was going to be Samuel. He would minister for the Lord, and his office would be that of a prophet. JVM
- NIVSN……………….NIV Study Notes.
- JVM ………………….J Vernon McGee,
- ACC ………………… Adam Clarke’s Commentary
- BN ……………………Barnes Notes
- WBC………….…….Wycliffe Bible Commentary
- CN ……….…………..Constables Notes
- IC……………….…….Ironside Commentary
- NET…………….…….Net Bible Study Notes.
- JFB……………………Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary
- VWS………………….Vincent Word Studies
- CMM………………..Commentary on Matthew and Mark
- BDB……………..….Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT)
- Darby……………….John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT
- Johnson……………Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament.
- NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary: Matthew and Mark.
- EHS………………….Expositions of the Holy Scriptures
- CPP…………………The Complete Pulpit Commentary
- SBC…………………..Sermon Bible Commentary
- K&D…………………Keil and Deilitzsch Commentary on the OT
- EBC……………….…Expositors Bible Commentary
- CBSC……………….Cambridge Bible for Schools and College
- GC……………………Guzik Commentary
- RD…………………..Robert Deffinbaugh
- NSB …………………The Nelson Study Bible
- MHC…………………Matthew Henry Commentary
- ESVN……………..….ESV Study Bible Notes
- MSBN……………….MacArthur NASB Study Notes
- CSTTB………………..Chuck Smith Through the Bible
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