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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
1:1-7:17 The Story of Samuel. The birth of Samuel is God's answer to the prayer of a childless woman; he is also the answer to Israel's need for a prophet who will give God's guidance to his people in their transition from the period of the judges to the period of the kings.
1:1-4:1a Rise of Samuel as Prophet. Like the book of Ruth, 1-2 Samuel begins with the story of an ordinary Israelite family during the period of the judges. Through one woman's grief and faith, a child is born who will be instrumental in leading Israel to the next phase of its history, the establishment of the Davidic monarchy. This section also contains the "Song of Hannah," the prototype of the Magnificat (the "Song of Mary" in Luke 1:46-55). The story of another family appears here too. The Lord is worshiped, with sacrifices, at the sanctuary of Shiloh. The priesthood is descended from Aaron. Although Eli the head priest is a good man, he has weaknesses, especially in controlling his sons. They have no interest in the demands of God, only in what they get from their position. This section alternates between passages about the growth of the boy (Hb. na‘ar) Samuel and passages proclaiming the evil of the young men (also na‘ar, in plural), the sons of Eli. The two themes come together when the Lord gives young Samuel his first message as a prophet, announcing judgment on the house of Eli. The section ends with the statement that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord before all Israel.
1:1-28 Birth and Dedication of Samuel. Hannah, who has been barren, gives birth to Samuel and dedicates him to serve at the sanctuary.
1:1 Ramathaim-zophim is called Ramah in v. 19 and 2:11. Samuel later lived there (7:17; 8:4; 25:1), and it is presumably the city in the land of Zuph (named after Samuel's ancestor Zuph) where Saul meets him (9:5).
1:2 two wives. Probably Hannah was Elkanah's first wife, since she is named first. Presumably he married Peninnah because Hannah was barren; lack of an heir was a major problem in the ancient Near East, as in many other societies. Taking a second wife was one way to try to solve the problem (Gen. 16:2), as was levirate marriage (see note on Matt. 22:24; also Gen. 38:8; Deut. 25:6). Elkanah's pedigree suggests that it would be important to him to have an heir to continue the family and also that he was prosperous enough to afford a second marriage.
1:3 year by year. This may have been an annual family or clan gathering, celebrated by all its members, including women and children, such as the one later held by David's family (20:6). the Lord of hosts. This is the first appearance in the Bible of the title "the Lord of hosts," to whom Elkanah sacrifices and Hannah prays (1:11) at Shiloh. The title is used in Samuel several times and very frequently in the Psalms and the Prophets. "Hosts" (Hb. tseba’ot) is probably the plural of an abstract noun meaning something like "plentifulness" or "numberlessness." Hence, it refers to numerous entities such as heavenly bodies (Isa. 40:26), angelic beings (Josh. 5:14, "army of the Lord"), the armies of Israel (1 Sam. 17:45), or all creatures (Gen. 2:1). The title may originally have been particularly connected with worship at the Shiloh sanctuary (see 1 Sam. 4:4), in which case "hosts" would probably have referred to angelic beings, portrayed as God's "armies." Shiloh, the modern Khirbet Seilun, is
1:4 portions. Elkanah's sacrifice is a "peace offering," in which parts of the sacrificial animal are burned, parts are given to the priest, and parts are eaten by the people who brought the sacrifice (Lev. 7:11-36; see also 1 Sam. 2:12-17).
1:5 a double portion. The Hebrew is difficult here, literally "two noses as one portion," perhaps referring to two heads of sacrificed sheep. In ritual texts from the city of Emar, the head of a sacrificial animal is treated as a favored part. This probably means that Hannah was given a "double portion," possibly also of the most favored part.
1:6 her rival used to provoke her. Cf. Hagar's attitude towards Sarah after she became pregnant (Gen. 16:4).
1:7, 9 house of the Lord . . . temple of the Lord. Was this a "tent," or was it a building with solid walls? The word "house" refers to a dwelling without specifying the material. In 2 Sam. 7:2 David says that "the ark of God dwells in a tent," and in 2 Sam. 7:6 the Lord says, "I have not lived in a house . . . to this day." In 2 Samuel 7 the contrast is between a tent (i.e., a house of cloth) and a house of cedar. In 1 Sam. 2:22 there is a reference to the "tent of meeting," while "doorpost of the temple" (1:9) and "opened the doors" (3:15) suggest more of a building. Perhaps there was a more solid structure around a cloth structure. The word for "temple" (Hb. hekal) derives from the Sumerian word egal, meaning "big house." There are cases in Ugaritic and Mari documents where it in fact refers to a large and complex tent structure.
1:8 Elkanah is truly concerned for his wife, but the history of Israel at this point turns on Hannah's actions and the Lord's response. Am I not more to you than ten sons? Elkanah attempts to comfort Hannah, though he seems not to understand Hannah's deep yearning for a child.
1:9 The seat was a symbol of Eli's authority; normally people sat on the ground.
1:11 I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life seems to mean that Hannah will dedicate her son as a Nazirite. According to Numbers 6, people might make a special vow to separate themselves to the Lord for a time. This involved letting no razor . . . touch one's head, eating nothing from the grapevine, and not going near a dead body. Hannah mentions only the razor in the text, but that part of the vow probably stood for the whole of the regulations. According to Lev. 27:1-8, a person as young as a month old could be vowed to the Lord, apparently to work in the temple. The Leviticus passage deals with redeeming someone who has been dedicated, but Hannah does not intend to redeem her son.
1:12-19 Eli shows his piety in rebuking Hannah, whom he takes to be drunk (which would be an offense to the sanctuary). But Hannah explains that her visible display of emotion is genuine, due to deep anguish. Eli acknowledges his mistake and blesses Hannah--a blessing that proves effective.
1:20 The most natural meaning of the name Samuel is "name of God," or possibly "offspring of God." Samuel bore the name of God, who gave him to Hannah.
1:23 Elkanah has been in the background, but he supports Hannah and participates in the dedication (v. 25; 2:11).
1:24 Either a three-year-old bull or "three bulls" (ESV footnote). In either case Elkanah apparently was a prosperous man who was able to afford an expensive offering of a bull or bulls and large amounts of grain and wine. Three bulls would correspond to the priestly regulations, which specify that together with each bull sacrificed, three-tenths of an ephah of grain should be offered (Num. 15:9; 28:12, 20, 28). With three bulls, one would expect an offering of nine-tenths of an ephah, just a little less than the one ephah that Hannah offered. The skin (or "jar") may have held as much as
1:26 As you live, or "as your soul lives," is a common form of oath (2 Sam. 11:11; 14:19), as is the phrase "as the Lord lives" (see 1 Sam. 14:39; 26:16; Jer. 16:14-15). The two were often combined (1 Sam. 20:3; 25:26; 2 Kings 2:2).
1:27 And the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him repeats almost verbatim Eli's blessing in v. 17. Joyously, Hannah points to this child as the answer to her prayer. The words "petition" (here and v. 17), "asked" (v. 20), and "lent" (v. 28 twice) are all from the verbal root sha’al, so a wordplay may be intended.
2:1-10 Hannah's Song. Hannah's song fits well in the narrative and marks the end of the story of Samuel's birth. Many of Hannah's themes are found in the Magnificat of Mary (Luke 1:46-56). The reference to the "king" in 1 Sam. 2:10 also looks forward to the rest of the book. At the other end of the grand narrative of 1-2 Samuel are the songs of David in 2 Samuel 22-23. These three songs are a frame around the entire narrative of 1-2 Samuel. Hannah's song is really a song of praise, or a hymn, to the God who reverses human fortunes by his mighty power, the Creator beyond all human understanding who protects the faithful. There are many similarities to psalms and other passages of the OT, as the numerous ESV cross-references show. It is especially close to Psalm 113. It starts with Hannah's personal emotions, but it is not about gloating over Peninnah, who was presumably still living with her children in Elkanah's household. Rather, Hannah's emotions are a step toward glorifying the Lord for his guidance in human affairs. Hannah alternates between the themes of the Lord's holy sovereignty (1 Sam. 2:1b-3, 6-7, 8b-10a) and the reversal of human fortunes (vv. 4-5, 8a) and ends with the theme of kingship (v. 10b).
2:1 my strength is exalted in the Lord. The song both starts and ends with the declaration that the Lord exalts. The verb translated as "exalt" or "raise up" appears also in vv. 7, 8, and 10 and expresses the theme of the song. The Hebrew for "horn," translated as "strength" (here) and "power" (in v. 10), is often used as a symbol of strength (cf. Deut. 33:17; 2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 89:17; etc.). With the expression my enemies, Hannah is not making a personal attack on Peninnah (one person) but is speaking against God's enemies. His enemies are also Hannah's enemies, because his enemies attack her trust in God and his dealings with her (see Ps. 139:21-22). The climax of this verse is because I rejoice in your salvation.
2:2 The first and third lines of this verse are parallel: holy is parallel to rock, and the Lord is parallel to God, with different structure but similar meaning. The formula "there is no . . . like . . ." denotes incomparability. Thus, there is none besides you states that there is no absolutely holy being besides the Lord; moreover, only the Lord is God, i.e., "monotheism" is true (see Deut. 4:35; 32:39; 2 Sam. 22:32). "Rock," a common OT epithet for God (e.g., Deut. 32:4, 15; 2 Sam. 22:2; 23:3), indicates God's protection and strength. In Ps. 118:22 and Isa. 8:14; 28:16; as well as in 1 Pet. 2:6-8, "rock" has a messianic significance (see note on 1 Sam. 2:10). With "our God," Hannah speaks as a member of the covenant community, whom she addresses in the next verse.
2:3 by him actions are weighed. The ESV follows the "spoken" (Qere) Hebrew tradition, and means that God's knowledge extends even to the motives behind human actions. The "written" (Ketib) tradition, "actions are not weighed," would not make sense unless one added "his actions are not weighed," i.e., God is not subject to human judgment.
2:5 seven. Hannah herself actually bore only six children, including Samuel (v. 21), but this is a general statement, and seven is a poetic number for perfection. is forlorn. The Hebrew usually means "becomes a widow," but here it means "becomes childless."
2:6-7 The Lord has total authority over life and death, including material and social life. Verses 4-5 give examples of how the Lord reverses human fortunes; vv. 6-7 state it more generally. kills . . . brings to life, brings down . . . raises up, makes poor . . . makes rich, brings low . . . exalts. These are merisms, expressions in which two words on the extreme ends of a scale are used to express everything on the whole scale. The Lord controls not only birth and death, but also the whole of life in between.
2:6 Sheol here refers to the place of the dead. In the Bible, it is usually found in idiomatic expressions such as "go down to Sheol" or "come up from Sheol." God is also the One who raises up a soul from Sheol (e.g., Ps. 30:3), so he has authority over the dead as well as the living. He is the One who holds the key to Job's question: "If a man dies, shall he live again?" (Job 14:14). Job remains confident: "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth" (Job 19:25). Hannah affirms that same confidence.
2:8 The Lord is sovereign over life, for he created and owns the world. The exact meaning of the word pillars (Hb. metsuqe) is not known, but there are similar expressions using the ordinary word for "pillars" (Hb. ‘ammudim; Job 9:6; Ps. 75:3) or "foundations" (2 Sam. 22:16). The reference to the foundation or support ("pillars") of the earth is meaningful here, for the Lord upholds both the place where his people live as well as the moral order of this world; he protects his faithful, while he destroys the wicked (1 Sam. 2:9).
2:9 Darkness functions here as a metaphor for the silence brought upon the wicked in death (Ps. 35:6-8).
2:10 For the kingship of the Lord and his role as judge, see Ps. 96:10. The ends of the earth almost always appears in the context of describing the Lord's uniqueness, majesty, and dominion (e.g., Ps. 67:7; 98:3; Prov. 30:4; Isa. 52:10; Mic. 5:4; Zech. 9:10). Since there was as yet no king in Israel, it is possible that the last two lines are a comment by the narrator rather than part of Hannah's prayer. The law made provision for a king, however, and the institution was well known in Israel even before it was practiced (Judg. 8:22; 9:6; 1 Samuel 8), so there is no reason to think that these are not Hannah's words. His anointed, or "his messiah," appears here for the first time in the Bible (though Hb. mashiakh, "anointed," is used of priests, e.g., Lev. 4:3). In the OT, priests and prophets are also referred to as "anointed," but in Samuel most references are royal. Though the anointing of kings is known from various places in the ancient Near East, "messiah" as a royal title is attested only in the Bible. The song concludes with a twofold plea for the Lord to raise the king of Israel to a position of power and prominence worthy of the great God who appointed him.
2:11-36 Samuel, and Eli's Two Sons. At the same time that the boy Samuel is ministering to the Lord at Shiloh (vv. 11, 18; 3:1), Eli's own two sons are hindering the worship there.
2:12-17 The priest's servant (vv. 13, 15) was probably one of the worthless . . . sons of Eli (v. 12; cf. "young man" [Hb. na‘ar; vv. 13, 15, ESV footnote] with "young men" [Hb. ne‘arim, plural of na‘ar, v. 17]), rather than merely a servant. Some interpret vv. 13-14 as being the accepted, though degenerate, custom, and vv. 15-16 as representing the perversion of this custom. Another interpretation is that the author condemns both practices. This latter view is supported by the use of the word moreover (Hb. gam) at the beginning of v. 15. Thus in this passage there are two general statements about the sons (vv. 12, 17) framing descriptions of two of their wicked practices.
2:12-13 Custom (Hb. mishpat) usually means an expected standard (e.g., Deut. 18:3, "this shall be the priest's due [mishpat] from the people, from those offering a sacrifice"); it can also mean "justice" (cf. 1 Sam. 8:3). Although it is hardly likely that the young men were ignorant of the regulations, their lack of real knowledge of the Lord or even concern for his honor (They did not know the Lord) meant that they completely ignored his commands.
2:13-14 The priests were to be supported by portions of the sacrifices of the people. In various parts of the Mosaic law the portion to be given to the priests is specified for various sacrifices, e.g., Deut. 18:3 (shoulder, cheeks, and stomach) and Lev. 7:31-32 (breast and right thigh). But the practice in 1 Sam. 2:13-14 has little in common with the regulations on priestly rights.
2:15-16 This is an extraordinary situation: the priest, who was supposed to know the rules of sacrifice, was engaging in behavior that shocked even the ordinary worshiper. The fat was normally removed from certain internal organs and offered as a burnt offering to God (see Ex. 29:13; Lev. 3:3-5). Also, the priest would normally take his share right after killing the animal, before giving it to the worshiper.
2:17 It was because the sons of Eli did not know the Lord (v. 12) that they could treat with contempt his holy sacrifices that he had commanded for worship.
2:18-21 The story returns to another na‘ar ("young man, boy"), Samuel (cf. note on vv. 12-17, "young man"). Before, Samuel was ministering "in the presence of Eli the priest" (v. 11), but now he is ministering simply before the Lord, in the garment of a priest. The linen ephod was probably a simple tunic or apron worn by priests (22:18) or sometimes by others, as by David as he brought the ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:14).
2:22-23 The women were not Canaanite cult prostitutes, as is sometimes speculated. Lying with them was considered among the sons' evil dealings.
2:25 if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him? This shows the need for a mediator between man and God. Because of Eli's sons' willful rejection of him, it was the will of the Lord to put them to death. When God is determined to destroy, no human intercession is effective. For the writers of the Bible, the fact that divine providence and human character mingle means that destinies are regarded as ultimately the result of the divine will. The most obvious example is Pharaoh in Ex. 7:13, 22, etc. But this does not mean that people are not accountable; Hophni and Phinehas had rejected God, even ignoring their father's warning.
2:26 Similar language is used in Luke 2:52 to describe the physical and spiritual growth of the boy Jesus.
2:27-28 Did I indeed reveal . . . ? Did I choose him . . . ? These are rhetorical questions, expecting "Yes, indeed!" as an answer. The house of your father in vv. 27, 28, 30 is a technical term referring to Eli's extended family. "Your father" probably refers specifically to Ithamar, son of Aaron, who was made a priest of the Lord at Mount Sinai along with his father and brothers (Ex. 28:1; cf. 1 Chron. 24:3). Eli was a descendant of this house, according to 1 Chron. 24:3, where it is stated that his great-great-great-grandson Ahimelech was "of the sons of Ithamar." The descent from Eli to this Ahimelech is as follows: Eli--Phinehas--Ahitub (1 Sam. 14:3)--Ahimelech--Abiathar (22:20)--Ahimelech (2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Chron. 24:6). The duties of the priest were to go up to the Lord's altar, i.e.,
2:27 A man of God is a synonym for "prophet" (e.g., 9:6; 2 Kings 1:9). Thus the Lord has said is the regular prophetic "messenger formula." In Samuel this formula appears also in 1 Sam. 10:18; 15:2; 2 Sam. 7:5, 8; 12:7, 11; 24:12. In the ancient world, messengers were supposed to recite their messages verbatim, so the messenger would begin with "[The sender] has spoken thus" and use the first person in the body of the message (e.g., Gen. 45:9).
2:29 You is plural here. The form of the verb scorn indicates a habitual action. By scorning the offerings, Eli is scorning the Lord and honoring his sons, while the Lord honors those who honor him and lightly esteems those who despise him (v. 30).
2:30 Though the Lord promised, he can revoke his promise for willful disregard of the terms of the promise. Far be it from me is a statement of strong denial of the previous statement (e.g., Gen. 44:7; 1 Sam. 12:23; 2 Sam. 20:20; cf. also 1 Sam. 20:9).
2:31-34 This is a curse for breaking the Lord's covenant, with punishment given in words of curses similar to the curses in the covenant. Behold, the days are coming is an eschatological formula often found in the Prophets. The only one who shall be spared is Abiathar, who escaped when the priests of Nob were killed (22:20). Solomon later banished him to Anathoth; see 1 Kings 2:26-27, where it is stated that the banishment was a fulfillment of the prophecy against Eli. Jeremiah was probably descended from this house (Jer. 1:1). All the descendants is a general statement, because there are references to those who were left (see the previous clause in 1 Sam. 2:33, as well as v. 36). Eli will not live to experience the punishment, but the death of his two sons on the same day will be a sign to him that the prophecy is true.
2:35 The faithful priest with a sure house is probably Zadok, priest under David and a descendant of Ithamar's brother Eleazar, son of Aaron (2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Chron. 24:3; see also Judg. 20:28). The Hebrew word "faithful" is the same as "sure" later in the sentence: the ne’eman priest will have a ne’eman house. The anointed is the king. The wording here is similar to that in 2 Samuel 7, where David is promised a "sure" house (2 Sam. 7:16).
3:1-4:1a Call of Samuel as a Prophet. This passage tells how the Lord called Samuel to be a prophet--the prophet who will anoint the first two legitimate kings of Israel. As a true prophet, he must speak the words of God and never hide them; Israel is to respond by believing these words and obeying them. God repeats his judgment on the house of Eli (2:27-36), foreshadowing his rejection of the house of Saul. The passage begins with a situation ("the word of the Lord was rare," 3:1), which God then relieves (3:19-4:1a). The Lord calls Samuel three times, each call increasing in intensity; but Samuel thinks it is only his foster father Eli who is calling. Finally the elderly Eli perceives who is calling, and Samuel receives his first communication from the Lord. The events of 4:1b-7:1 probably take place while Samuel is growing up, before he is established as a prophet. He reappears in 7:3.
3:1 Samuel, like the natural sons of Eli (2:17), is a young man. The word of the Lord was rare in those days, but that is about to change.
3:3 The lamp of God was placed in the tent of meeting, outside the veil before the Most Holy Place, where the ark was, and burned every day from evening to morning (Ex. 27:20-21; Lev. 24:1-3). It had not yet gone out, so the time was probably just before dawn. The ark of God had probably been placed in Shiloh when the tent of meeting was set up there in Josh. 18:1. In Judg. 20:26-27 the ark is said to have been in Bethel, but it was apparently moved back to Shiloh.
3:7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord in a personal relationship, though of course he knew about him.
3:10 Samuel! Samuel! The Lord called other people twice by name at a crucial point in their lives; e.g., Abraham (Gen. 22:11), Jacob (Gen. 46:2), and Moses (Ex. 3:4).
3:11 This is the Lord's first word to Samuel as a prophet. It is often difficult for the recipient to receive the Lord's initial revelation; cf. Moses (Ex. 4:13) and Isaiah (Isa. 6:9).
3:13 The MT reads "blaspheming for themselves" (see ESV footnote). In Hebrew the phrases blaspheming God and "blaspheming for themselves" differ by just one consonant. That consonant was left out by pious scribes so that in copying they would not even need to write the offensive phrase "blaspheming God." Cf. Ex. 22:28; Lev. 24:15.
3:14 Eli's house has despised God's sacrifices and offerings (2:29), and hence these things will have no efficacy on their behalf. Though normal or inadvertent sins of priests could be atoned for by offering (Lev. 4:3-12), Eli's sons sinned defiantly, and their guilt could not be removed (Num. 15:30; see also Heb. 10:26), as Eli himself recognizes (1 Sam. 2:25).
3:17 May God do so to you and more also if is a form of solemn appeal to the Lord, a kind of oath. Cf. Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam. 14:44; 25:22; 2 Sam. 3:9; 19:13; 1 Kings 19:2.
3:18 It is the Lord. Eli accepts the judgment humbly.
3:19 the Lord . . . let none of his words fall to the ground. I.e., all that Samuel spoke was fulfilled, and thus he could be known as a prophet (Deut. 18:21-22). On the relationship between the prophet and the word of the Lord, see Jer. 20:8-9; Amos 3:8.
3:20 From Dan to Beersheba is the traditional limits of Israel to the north and south (Judg. 20:1; 2 Sam. 17:11).
