1 Samuel Chapter 2 Part Four (verses 27-36)

C. The announcement of God's judgment against Eli's house.
1. (1 Sam 2:27-33) An unknown man of God pronounces judgment to Eli: his family will be cut off from the office of High Priest.
(Verses 27-29) 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? Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel to be My priests, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me; and did I not give to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel? 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?' 

Then a man of God: We don't know who this was. This man of God was a prophet commissioned by God. It amazing to read that even when Israel was in the midst of such religious decay, God still raised up a messenger to deliver His message. The title man of God is applied throughout the Old Testament to prophets such as Moses, Samuel, Elijah and Elisha. It doesn't matter who this man is; he is a man of God, and God has raised him up to speak to Eli and Eli's whole family at this important time. (Side note: Until the sudden appearance of this man of God, no mention of a prophet in the story of Israel had been made since the days of Deborah (about 150 years prior to this event).)

Did I not indeed reveal Myself to the house of your father: The interrogations of God's message do not ask a question in hopes of receiving an answer. Rather, this is an appeal to Eli's conscience. These questions repeat well-known facts that Eli would have replied with a silent, "Yes." God often uses this method of interrogation when calling men to repentance. God shows His people His endless great mercies, which illuminates God's abundant kindnesses in the midst of man's abundant sins. One such example is Micah 6:3-5, " My people, what have I done to you, and how have I wearied you? Answer Me. Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt and ransomed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam. My people, remember now what Balak the king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you might know the righteous acts of the LORD." The house of you father refers to the house of Aaron, the first high priest, from whom, through Ithamar, the fourth son of Aaron, Eli was descended.

1 Samuel 2:28 is a wonderful summary of some of the duties of the priesthood in Israel.
1. To be My priest: First and foremost, the job of the High Priest was to minister to the LORD. Before he served the people, he was a servant of God. The High Priest was to uphold all of God's laws and serve Him first. A secondary job was to serve the people.

2. To offer upon My altar: The priest was to bring forth sacrifices for atonement and worship. The altar was the place where atoning blood was both shed and applied, blood that would cleanse from sin. The altar was also the place where were vows were paid, peace and thanksgiving offerings were made.

3. To burn incense: The burning of incense was a picture of prayer, because the smoke and the scent of the incense would ascend up to the heavens. The priest was to lead the nation in prayer, and to pray for the nation.

4. To wear an ephod before Me: The priest was clothed in specific garments, "for glory and for beauty" (Exodus 28:2). He was to represent the majesty, dignity, glory, and beauty of God to the people.

5. All the offerings: The priest was also charged with the responsibility to receive the offerings of God's people and to make good use of them. The priests and their family were allotted portions to eat from the offerings made at the altar. "Then Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, 'Take the grain offering that is left over from the LORD'S offerings by fire and eat it beside the altar, for it is most hold. You shall eat it, moreover, in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons' due out of the LORD'S offerings by fire; for thus I have commanded. The breast of the wave offering, however, and the thigh of the offering you may eat in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you; for they have been given as your due and your sons's due out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the sons of Israel. The thigh offered by lifting up and the breast offered by waving they shall bring along with the offerings by fire of the portions of fat, to present as a wave offering before the LORD; so it shall be a thing perpetually for you and your sons with you, just as the LORD has commanded'" (Leviticus 10:12-14).

Did I not choose them from all the tribes of Israel: After such abundant privileges had be bestowed upon this favored tribe of Israel, and such ample provision for all its wants had been made for it, it was a crime of the blackest intentions that its leading members should greatly dishonor their King and Benefactor by committing such lewd sins.  

Why do you kick at My sacrifice: The imagery is taken from Deuteronomy 32:15, "But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked--you are grown fat, thick and sleek--then he forsook God who made him, and scorned the Rock of his salvation." The image given is one from a pastoral life--the ox or the ass is over-fed, pampered and indulged. It then becomes unmanageable and refuses obedience to its kind master.

Honor your sons above Me: Although Eli knew what was right, he foolishly set his fondness for his sons above their wickedness and contempt for God. In essence, he is setting his love for his family above his love for his Creator. Jesus warns about loving our family above Him in Matthew 10:36-37, "'A man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." If we are to love God above all else--loving Him with all our heart, soul, strength and mind" (Luke 10:27), we must love Him more than our own family.

By making yourselves fat: To pamper yourselves. This they did not out of necessity, but out of luxury. 

With the choicest of every offering: Not contest with the parts which the LORD had allotted them, they indulged in the best parts reserved for God.

(Verses 30-33) 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 LORD declares, 'Far be it from Me--for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days are coming when I will break the strength of your father's house that there will not be an old man in your house. 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. 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.'"

I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever:  By Eli acting as an accomplice in the irreligion of his sons, he (and his descendants after him) will now suffer the consequences. The promise referred to is a promise God made to Aaron and his descendants in Exodus 29:9. God did not remove the priesthood from the line of Aaron, but He did remove it from the line of Eli. The promise made to Eli was conditional, and he failed to fulfill the conditions. God promises that the priestly line would not stay with Eli and his descendants, but would pass to another line of descendants from Aaron. This was fulfilled many years later, during Solomon's reign. Abiathar (from Eli's family) was deposed as High Priest and replaced with Zadok (who was a descendant of Eleazar). "Then to Abiathar, the priest, the king said, 'Go to Anathoth to you own field, for you deserve to die; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and because you were afflicted in everything with which my father was afflicted. So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD, which He had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh" (1 Kings 2:26-27).

 I will break the strength of your father's house: The literal Hebrew translation is: "I will cut off your arm." The arm in ancient Hebrew was the symbol of strength and power. It is used extensively in the Psalms (10:15, 37:17, 77:15, 78:61, 89:10, etc.). Cutting off one's arm was symbolic of someone losing their strength and power.

There will not be an old man in your house: Due to the severity of the sins committed by Eli and his sons, God promises a severe punishment: no one in the house of Eli will reach old age. The judgment is a harsh punishment and is repeated for a total of three times (verses 32 repeats the punishment and verse 33 uses slightly different words to repeat the judgment). The punishment is fulfilled by God. First, Hophni and Phinehas die by the sword (1 Samuel 4:10-11). Then at Nob, Doeg the Edomite slays the house of Eli at the command of Saul. ("Then the king said to Doeg, 'You turn around and attack the priest.' And Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests, and he killed that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; also oxen and donkeys and sheep he struck with the edge of the sword" 1 Samuel 22:18-19.)

You will see the distress of My dwelling: This gives reference to the capturing of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines during battle (1 Samuel 4:4-11). After the Ark of the Covenant was captured, the tabernacle would be robbed of it glory and pride. God used the Ark of the Covenant as a place to commune with His people. "There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the Ark of the Covenant of law, I will meet with you and give you all My commands for the Israelites" (Exodus 25:22).

Yet I will not cut off every man of yours: A remnant will survive to experience grieve and sorrow, which the sins of Eli and his sons have afflicted on their posterity. The phrase is similar to that of "Rachel weeping for her children" (Jeremiah 31:15). Although the actual person has perished, the pain and anguish continue to be mourned by the subsequent generations.

All the increase of your house will die in the prime of life: The prime of life in ancient Israel was thought to be around 30 years of age. At age thirty, the young man was able to enter the tabernacle and begin his service to the LORD as a priest (Numbers 4:3).

2. (1 Sam 2:34-36) The sign and the promise: both sons will die on the same day.

This will be a sign to you which will come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on the same day both of them will die. 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. Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a load of bread and say, 'Please assign me to one of the priest's offices so that I may eat a piece of bread.'"

This will be a sign to you: The immediate fulfillment of one prediction will serve as a sign of assurance that the rest of God's promises will not fail to come to pass. Such dual prophecies with one immediate sign and a promise for the future are common throughout Scripture. Examples include 1 Samuel 10:7-9, 1 Kings 13:2-3, 2 Kings 20:8-11, Luke 1:13-20.

On the same day both of them will die: The literal fulfillment occurs in 1 Samuel 4:11. This is a foreshadowing prediction of the horrible disaster that was about to happen to Eli's sons. Also, it serves as a confirmation that Eli's house will suffer early death and removal from God's presence in future generations.

A faithful priest: The faithful service to the LORD is here contrasted with the wicked and unfaithful sons of Eli. As seen throughout the Bible, whenever a corrupt leader arises, God always raises up another individual who is faithful and true to God's word. Many years to come, during the reign of King David, God will raise up Zadok (whose name means righteousness) to share the high priest role with Abiathar. Abiathar, who is a descendant of Eli, will  lose the high priest office during the reign of King Solomon. “And unto Abiathar the priest said the king (Solomon), ‘Get yourself to Anathoth, into your own fields, for you are worthy of death, but I will not at this time put you to death, because you have bared the ark of the Lord GOD before David, my father, and because you have been afflicted in all which my father was afflicted.’ So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD, that he might fulfill the word of the LORD, which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh”(1 Kings 2:26-27). King Solomon gives the high priest office solely to Zadok: “And Zadok the priest did the king put in the position of Abiathar”(1 Kings 2:35).

I will build him an enduring house: This prophesy is repeated again to the house of Zadok in Ezekiel 44, when God promises the sons of Zadok shall minister before Him in the yet-to-be-built temple. “But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister unto Me, and they shall stand before Me to offer unto Me the fat and the blood, says the LORD”(Ezekiel 44:16).

He will walk before My anointed always A better translation of this sentence would be: "He shall walk before My anointed all the days of his life." Zadok fulfilled this prophecy in his close relationship with King David and Solomon (and ultimately, when the sons of Zadok will minister before the LORD in the yet-to-be-built temple).

Everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver: Everyone left of Eli's house who do not perish shall be reduced to total poverty. This is a fitting judgment, since much of the sin of Eli's sons was greed and stealing from God's people. Instead of receiving the priestly portions which were rightfully theirs, Eli's family will one day be reduced to begging. An expansion of this prophecy can be seen in Ezekiel's prophecy about Israel's yet-to-be-built temple. "'But the Levites who went far from Me when Israel went astray, who went astray from Me after their idols, shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. Yet, they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house and ministering in the house; they shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them. Because they ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have sworn against them,' declares the Lord GOD, 'that they shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. And they shall not come near to Me to serve as a priest to Me, nor come near to any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they will bear the shame and their abominations which they have committed. Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the house, of all its service and of all that shall be done in it'" (Ezekiel 44:10-14).

1 Samuel Chapter 2 Part Three (Verses 18-26)

C. The Godly ministry of Samuel

1. (1 Sam 2:18-21) Samuel’s Ministry in the tabernacle

But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give you seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went to their home. And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

Samuel ministered before the LORD: After reading about the endless abuses of the wicked sons of Eli, now we are told about the godly ministry of Samuel. Although just a child, Samuel attends to the commands of Eli and is a faithful servant, serving the LORD.

Linen ephod: The ephod was a garment consisting of two pieces, which hung from the shoulders in front and back. They were joined at the top and were secured around the waist with a girdle. It was a priestly garment, but occasionally it was worn by others involved in religious ceremonies (2 Samuel 6:14). The high priest wore a special ephod which was decorated with gold, blue, scarlet and purple (Exodus 39:1-7).

A little coat: The little coat (in Hebrew meil) was very likely to closely resemble the meil (or robe) worn by the priests. The meil was an under garment of wool, woven through without a seam, with holes in the garment for the head and arms. The meil was long and reached nearly to the ground. The little meil that Samuel would have worn would have been for every day use, while the ephod would have been worn over the meil only for religious service.

(Side note: The meil of the high priest was blue and had ornamentation of golden bells and pomegranates around the hem of the garment. “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. There shall be an opening at its top in the middle of it; around its opening there shall be a binding or woven work, like the opening of a coat of mail, so that it will not be torn. You shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, all around on it hem, and bells of gold between them all around: a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around on the hem of the robe” (Exodus 28:31-34).)

The LORD give you seed: The manner in which Eli blesses Elkanah shows that the dedication and service of Samuel in the tabernacle was not thought of as a burden but as a valued gift. The words “loan” and “lent” are poorly translated in the English to understand the depth of meaning these words have in Hebrew. The Hebrew text gives the sense of a very costly gift given and coveys the idea that Samuel was given to Hannah by praying to the LORD for him. In a sincere act of gratitude for Samuel, Eli prays that God will bless Hannah with children of her own.

The LORD visited Hannah: In an act of mercy and by approving and confirming Eli’s words, the LORD blesses Hannah with children. In the Bible, the number five is symbolic of God’s grace. I find it fitting for God to bless Hannah (whose name means grace) with five children of her own.

Samuel grew before the LORD: Samuel not only grow in height and maturity, but he grew in his knowledge of the LORD. I hope everyday, we grow our faith by learning God’s Word and walking in His ways. I pray we continue to pursue our relationship with Jesus and we continue to “grow before the LORD”.

4. (1 Sam 2:22) The second offense of Eli's sons: sexual immorality.
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 

Eli was very old: This passage is more about Eli than it is about his sons. Eli probably had served Israel well in his former days, but now he was old and unable to control the actions of his sons. (We learn later in the book that Eli judges Israel 40 years and dies at the age of 98 (1 Samuel 4:15, 18). So it is very probable that Eli is around 80 years old during this time.) 

And he heard all that his sons were doing: The literal Hebrew is better translated "used to hear all that his sons were doing," which denotes a constant and habitual practice of his sons. Eli heard repeatedly what his sons were doing, but what did he do about it?

They lay with the women who served: This means that the sons of Eli were committing sexual immorality with the women serving at the tabernacle. The word "served" literally translates as "arranged in bands". This denotes that the women were many in number and had regular duties assigned to them, each one with a place and office. We first read about women serving in the tabernacle when Moses is constructing the tabernacle in the wilderness in Exodus 38:8: "Moreover he (Moses) made the laver of bronze with its base of bronze, from the mirrors of the serving women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting."

As if defiling the LORD'S ordinances and causing the people to despise giving sacrifices to God was not enough, the sons of Eli add sexual immorality to their list of sins. Often, sin starts small. A slight infringement on God's law. Receiving no correction for their misdeed, they then continue to sin a little bit more and more until their sins consume their lives. Perhaps if Eli would have adhered to the wisdom set forth in the Book of Proverbs, his sons may have corrected their behavior before it manifested into such wickedness. "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with a rod, they will not die" (Proverbs 23:13).

In Psalm 78, the psalmist records the punishment of the priests and the defiling of the tabernacle. "So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh, the tent which He had pitched among men, and gave up His strength to captivity and His glory into the hand of the adversary. He also delivered His people to the sword, and was filled with wrath at His inheritance. Fire devoured His young men, and His virgins had no wedding songs. His priests fell by the sword, and His widows could not weep" (Psalm 78:60-64).

5. (1 Sam 2:23-26) The vain, ineffective rebuke of Eli to his sons.
He said to them, "Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people? No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear, you make the LORD'S people transgress. 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. Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor with the LORD and with men.

Why do you do such things? It is a pointless question. Who cares "why" his sons were so wicked. Could there ever be an answer to justify such sinful behavior? Eli did about the worst things a parent can do--trying to correct his sons by talking to them. He does not execute punishment on them by taking action for their disobedient behavior. No, he only allows his empty words to fall on deaf ears. Instead of being a judge and doling verdicts out for sinful acts, the position appointed to him by God, Eli is comfortable with just being a gentle parent. 

You make the LORD's people to transgress: Again, this was the great sin of Eli's sons. It was bad enough that they stole and indulged their own lusts; but they also, by their corrupt behavior, made people hate to worship God with their offerings at the tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:17), and they led women into sexual immorality. Eli's sons corrupted the inner religious life of the whole people.

Sins against another: For man's offense against his fellow-man, there is a third party to arbitrate and correct the wrongs done. This is mainly done by God or God's representative, such as an appointed judge. 

God will mediate for him actually is a play on words. In the Hebrew, it literally translates "The Judge (Elohim) shall judge him".

Sins against the LORD: If a man deliberately sins against God (as Hophni and Phinehas did in willfully disobeying God's laws), then who can be the arbitrator to dole out the proper verdict? Fortunately, we are given the answer to this question by John in 1 John 2:1-2: "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." Praise be to God we have Jesus to intercede for us when we sin against the LORD.

They would not listen...the LORD desired to put them to death: In this verse, the mysteries connected with God's foreknowledge and man's free-will are touched upon. The LORD'S resolution to slay Hophni and Phinehas was founded on the eternal knowledge of their persistence in doing wrong. There seems to be a point in a sinner's life when the Spirit of God ceases to plead for him. Then the man is left to himself, and he no longer feels any remorse for evil he has done. This is spoken of in Exodus 4:21 as "hardening the heart". It should be noted that it is not until Pharaoh turned a deaf ear to the repeated warnings about letting Israel go that God hardens his heart. The same is true for Hophni and Phinehas. They have repeatedly ignored God's laws and did not heed the rebuke given by their father. Now Hophni and Phinehas reached the tipping point when the LORD intervenes. Since Eli did not punish his sons, God now finds it necessary to execute judgment. According to the Law given to Moses, the penalty for having sex outside marriage was death (Deuteronomy 22:22-27). It is through God's grace we are able to repent. Eli's sons sinned away God's grace, and now were left to the fate of their wicked desires.

Samuel was growing...with the LORD and with men: Like a breath of fresh air, we are again turned from the wicked ways of Hophni and Phinehas to the wonderful hope that rests in Samuel. Despite the bad influences of Eli's sons, Samuel continues to lead a godly life. The same phrasing is used to speak of Jesus' childhood. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52).

1 Samuel Chapter 2 Part Two (Verses 7-17)

4. (7-10) Hannah's confidence in the future is really confidence in the LORD.

He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the beggar from the ash heap,
To set them among princes
And make them inherit the throne of glory."

"For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
And He has set the world upon them.
He will guard the feet of His saints,
But the wicked shall be silent in darkness.
For by strength no man shall prevail.
The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces;
From heaven He will thunder against them.
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to His king,
And exalt the horn of His anointed."

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap: "To sit in the dust" or "in the ash heaps" are Oriental figures for a condition of extreme degradation and misery derived from the common practice observed by mourners. "O daughter of my people, put on sakcloth and roll in ashes; mourn as for an only son, a lamentation most bitter. For suddenly the destroyer will come upon us" (Jeremiah 6:26). "Those who ate delicacies are destitute in the street. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps" (Lamentations 4:5).

To set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory: To share the company of princes and occupy a throne of glory are metaphors for advancement and prosperity. "He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; but with kings on the throne He has seated them forever, and they are exalted" (Job 36:7).

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's: The "pillars of the earth" are the foundations which God created and upholds; He sustains the earth and all its inhabitants, as a building is supported with its pillars. The earth being founded and supported by the LORD, it is no mystery that all the inhabitants of it are in his power, so that he can dispose of them as He please. "It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, when He overturns them in His anger; who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble" (Job 9:6). "The earth and all who dwell in it melt; it is I who have firmly set its pillars" (Psalm 75:3).

He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness: It is God who guards His chosen ones from stumbling in their walk through life. "For You have delivered my soul from death, indeed my feet from stumbling, so that I may walk before God in the light of the living" (Psalm 56:13). It is God who leaves the wicked to perish miserably. "The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble" (Proverbs 4:19). "Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You; let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol" (Psalm 31:17).

(Side note: The word translated here as "His saints" is derived from the Hebrew word "chaciyd" which means pious--one loving disposed toward God. It is also translated as "His beloved" or "His chosen".  It is used in a different sense then when the word "saint" is used in the New Testament. (The word "saint" in the New Testament is derived from the Greek word "hagiazo" which means to be set apart, consecrated to God or to make holy.) 

For by strength no man shall prevail: A hard lesson for many of us, God does not need our strength to accomplish His will, and He often uses the weak and powerless. "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are" (1 Corinthians 1:27-28). Furthermore, it is only by God that we prevail. "Then he said to me, 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, "Not by might not by power, but by My spirit," says the LORD of hosts'" (Zechariah 4:6).

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces: The literal translation of this verse from the Hebrew is as follows: "God--they shall be broken in pieces, whosoever it be that contends with Him." The word "contends" having reference to contentions in a court of law, and the whole verse keeping the administration of justice in view.

From heaven He will thunder against them: God seated on His throne in heaven, shall, as the supreme Judge, utter the sentence. Thunder is often represented in the Old Testament as a synonym for God's voice. "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD is over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful, the voice of the LORD is majestic" (Psalm 29:3-4).

God uses His power to set things right: For by strength no man shall prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces. It isn't enough for us to believe God has this power; we must know He will use it for His glory and righteousness.

He will give strength to His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed: At this time, Israel did not have a king. So when Hannah speaks of His king, she is prophesying that Israel would have a king. It is also looking ahead to the Messiah, who will finally set all wrongs right. His anointed in this verse is the Hebrew word "Mashiach". Although "Mashiach means "His anointed", we usually translate the word as "Messiah". "Mashiach" translated into Greek is "Cristo". In English, we transliterate "Cristo" into the word "Christ". This is the first place in the Bible where the word "Messiah" is used. Hannah was the first person to apply to Jesus the remarkable name MESSIAH, which was adopted by David, Nathan, Ethan, Isaiah, Daniel, and the succeeding prophets of the Old Testament; and by the apostles and inspired writers of the New Testament.

Zecharias, the father of John the Baptist, quotes Hannah in Luke 1:69, when he prophetically calls Jesus "a horn of salvation", quoting from 1 Samuel 2:10. 

In summary, Hannah's song is echoed throughout the Bible, with the theme of humbling yourself before the LORD so that He can lift you up (James 4:10). Everything comes from God; he has the power to lift you up and to set you in the midst of turbulent trials. It is interesting to note that Psalm 75 draws many parallels to Hannah's prayer. What a blessing it is that when God has something to say, He repeats it many times over so that we have many chances to understand Him and grow in our relationship with Him.

5. (1Sa 2:11) Samuel ministers unto the LORD.

Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.

Then Elkanah went: After he had offered the sacrifice at the feast, worshiped the LORD and Hannah had delivered her song of praise, they left Samuel in the care of Eli. They did it. It was hard to do, to leave this little son behind, but they did it because they promised God that is what they would do.

But the child ministered to LORD before Eli the priest: Young as he was, Samuel started ministering to the LORD. Samuel's duties were probably very light--opening and closing the doors of the tabernacle, singing songs of praise, possibly playing a musical instrument and other such tasks. As he grew up, Samuel's tasks most likely increased to more vigorous skills such as chopping wood for the altar, trimming the wicks of the candles in the lampstand and possibly baking the bread for the table of shewbread. The word "minister" is used in Scripture to note the duties performed by Levites to aid the priests in the service before the LORD. The Living Bible translates it well: And the child became the Lord's helper. There are ways that even children can serve God and minister to Him. 

B. The wicked sons of Eli, the high priest.

1. (1Sa 2:12) The evil character of the sons of Eli.

Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD.

The sons of Eli were corrupt: Literally, the Hebrew calls them "sons of Belial". The phrase sons of Belial refers to worthless, wicked men--careless and irreligious, and scandalous in their habits. This was a significant problem, because the sons of Eli were to succeed him as high priest, and were already functioning in the priesthood.

They did not know the LORD: Even though their father Eli knew the LORD, that knowledge was not passed on to the sons of Eli. They had to know the LORD for themselves. Not knowing God, meant Eli's sons were ignorant of God and His laws. Unfortunately, this commonly happens today as well as in Israel's pass. "All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them which did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10).

It can be a difficult thing for a child to come to a true, genuine knowledge of the LORD when they have grown up in a Christian home. They just kind of assume they know the LORD because mom and dad do. But young people need to have a passionate commitment to knowing the LORD for themselves. And knowing about the LORD isn't enough; we must know Him ourselves, in a personal relationship.

2. (1Sa 2:13-17) Their first offense: stealing what was offered to God.

And the priests' custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling. Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. Also, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who sacrificed, "Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw." And if the man said to him, "They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires," he would then answer him, "No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force." Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

The priests' custom with the people: The law governing the peace and thanksgiving sacrifices directed the worshiper to present the priest the fat of the animal along with the breast and right shoulder (Leviticus 7:29-34). The fat was burned on the altar and was God's portion (Leviticus 3:3-5). The blood of the animal was sprinkled around the altar (Leviticus 3:8). The breast of the animal was offered up as a wave offering and belonged to priests and their sons (Leviticus 7:34). The right shoulder was given to the priest who offers the blood and fat from the animal (Leviticus 7:33). The rest of the animal offered as a peace or thanksgiving sacrifice belonged to the worshiper. But now, some four hundred years after the law of Moses was given, the priestly custom had changed - they would not take the prescribed portion of the breast and shoulder, but take whatever the fork brought up out of the pot.

The priest's servant would come: Although Hophni and Phinehas were the ones disobeying God's commands, they used a servant to carry out the sin against God. Eli's sons were not the ones directly threatening or using violence against the worshipers, but they are the ones who instigated all these new customs against God. It is as if Hophni and Phinehas think they can get away with the sin as long as they do not directly do the sin. How often are we guilty of this? It reminds me of Pontius Pilate washing his hands of Jesus' death. "When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's [Jesus'] blood,' he said. 'You shall bear the responsibility'" (Matthew 27:24). If we commit the sin, commission someone else to commit the sin or do nothing to prevent a sin from occurring, ultimately we are responsible for that sin. And we will be held accountable before Christ. "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).

While the meat was boiling: The Lord's part of the peace and thanksgiving offerings was burned upon the altar. The priest's and worshiper's portions were boiled.

The priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up: This was the new custom, Not content with the breast and right shoulder which were allotted to the priest by God (Exodus 29:27-28, Leviticus 7:31), the priests took part of the worshiper's share. Additionally, the meat was taken before it could be presented as a wave offering before the LORD, which is contrary to the law given in Leviticus 7:34.

So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there: Well, at least Hophni and Phinehas were fair. They did not discriminate against the rich or poor, men of high social status or low. They committed these trespasses to everyone who came to Shiloh to offer their sacrifices.

Before they burned the fat: The fat was not to be taken or eaten by anyone. It was God's portion which was to be burned by the priest on the altar (Leviticus 3:3,4,9,16, 7:23, 7:25, 7:30-31). The fat was thought to be the most luxurious, the best part of the animal, so that was given to God. The idea was that God should always get the best, and God should get His portion first. But in their pride, the sons of Eli took their portion before they burned the fat. Thus, they were robbing God and profaning the entire ceremony.

He will not take boiled meat from you, but raw: Why did the sons of Eli want raw meat? Perhaps it was so they could prepare it anyway they pleased. Or more likely, it was because raw meat was easier to sell. They could sell the meat and keep the profits for their own use.

No, but you must give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force: The greed of Eli's sons was so great, they did not hesitate to use violence and the threat of violence to get what they wanted.

The sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: It is such a pity that these men were in the midst of so much sin, and yet, their father did not deter them from their crimes. Like all great sin, things probably started off small. Perhaps, the sons of Eli first started taking more than their share of the offering from a few worshipers. Then, they started taking meat from a few more folks. Soon, their sin manifested into sinning against all people and against God. How quickly sin can spread and permeate so many aspects of our lives including our friends and family. There is no such thing as a private sin; all sin affects others and causes harm to those around us. "'But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi,' says the LORD of hosts. 'So I also have made you despised and abased before all people, just a you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction'" (Malachi 2:8-9).

For men abhorred the offering of the LORD: The greatness of the sin of Eli's sons was that they caused the worshipers to despise the practice of offering sacrifices to God. Hophni and Phinehas were turning people away from God by their evil and corrupt practices. How very sad; yet, how often does this happen in our own churches? Perhaps it is a greedy church official who steals the offerings to finance his personal life. Or it is a nosy church member who flippantly remarks at your contribution to a church project, "Is that all you are going to give?" It is so easy to allow other people's actions taint our relationship with Jesus. We must be vigilant to build up the church and not tear it down. We must hold fast to the words of Paul: "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for the edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:29, 31-32).

1 Samuel Chapter 2 Part One (Verses 1-6)

Hannah's Prayer
Now we come to one of the most beautiful exaltations in all the Bible. These verses in Scripture are often called Hannah's prayer, but is is also called Hannah's song. It is quite possible Hannah may have sung her prayer, similar to how many of the Psalms were sung. 

(Side note: Jewish prayers were always spoken aloud. This is one reason why Eli the high priest, when he saw Hannah's lips moving, but no sounding coming from her mouth, assumed she was drunk (1 Samuel 1:13). We see additional evidence that Jewish prayers were spoken aloud in the Book of Daniel chapter 6. When King Darius makes a decree that "anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, o king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions' den" (Daniel 6:7), Daniel "entered his house...and continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God" (Daniel 6:10). Subsequently, Daniel's revivals "found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God" (Daniel 6:12). Now if Daniel had been silently praying, his enemies would have had no idea who Daniel was praying to. Only if Daniel's prayer was spoken aloud would his revivals have had evidence that Daniel was praying to his God. Furthermore, it continues to this day, that when Jews pray, they pray aloud. I have been told by a Jewish acquaintance, silent prayer is the way of the Gentiles.)

Major Themes:
First, Hannah’s prayer is a psalm. A number of the translations indicate this by the way they format the text. It looks just like one of the psalms from the Book of Psalms. Hannah’s prayer employs parallelism and symbolism, which is typical of a psalm. One interesting element of the Hebrew language is it does not use amplifying words such as "very" or "really". When the dessert is very delicious, the Hebrew will often write the text as "the dessert is delicious delicious." If the dessert is one of the best thing you have ever tasted, in Hebrew it will be written "the dessert is delicious delicious delicious." The same idea occurs with Hebrew poetry. In English we might say, a flower is blue. In Hebrew poetry, it will be written two or three different ways: the flower is blue; the flower looks like a moonbeam; the flower shimmers like blue waters. In English, we call this repetitive and redundant. In Hebrew, they call it poetry.

Second, Hannah’s psalm is a prayer, a prayer Hannah may have prepared in advance for her worship. In the majesty of these words, let us not forget that this is Hannah’s prayer of praise. Hannah had spent 3-5 years raising her son, Samuel. During that time, it is easy to imagine Hannah spent many hours giving thanks to God and working on composing this prayer of thanksgiving to be recited at Samuel's dedication ceremony.

Third, Hannah’s psalm also appears to reflect Israel’s experiences with God in the past. Inspired Scripture has a way of linking itself with the rest of Scripture. Hannah’s words of praise in her psalm seem to flow, in part, from Israel’s experiences in the past, particularly the exodus. Often an inspired writer’s words or expressions are borrowed from other biblical texts, and sometimes they seem to be an almost unconscious part of the fabric of the author’s thinking. Hannah speaks of God as exalting her “horn” in verse 1; Moses uses the symbolism of the “horn” in Deuteronomy 33:17. Hannah speaks of God as her “rock” (verse 2). God is described as Israel’s “Rock” in Deuteronomy 32:30-31.When Hannah speaks of the weak and humble being elevated to power and prominence, was this not true of Israel at the exodus? When Israel speaks of the hungry being fed, was this not also true at the exodus? When she speaks of the powerful being humbled, was this not true of Egypt at the exodus? I believe Hannah viewed God’s work in her life through the perspective of God’s work in Israel’s history.

Fourth, Hannah’s prayer goes far beyond her own experience, focusing on the character of the one true God whom she worships and to whom she gives praise. Unlike Jonah’s “psalm” (Jonah 2), Hannah’s psalm does not concentrate on her sorrow, her suffering, or even on her blessings. Hannah’s psalm focuses on her God. Out of her suffering and exaltation, she comes to see God more clearly, and as a result, she praises Him for who and what He is. Her psalm speaks of God as holy (verse 2), as faithful (“rock,” verse 2), as omniscient (all knowing, verse 3), as gracious (verse 8), as all powerful (verse 6), as sovereign, the great reverser of circumstances (verses 6-10).

Fifth, Hannah’s prayer goes far beyond her experience, beyond the past and present, looking far ahead into the future. Hannah’s psalm is prophetic; it is prophecy. It looks forward to the time when Israel will have a king (verse 10). I believe it looks forward to the coming of the ultimate King, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate fulfillment of her messianic prophecy.

Sixth, we should not overlook that while Hannah’s psalm is the expression of her great joy and praise, it is offered at the time she must leave her son behind, never again to have him in her home. This is a time when Hannah expresses her joy and gratitude to God for Samuel, the answer to her prayer. It is a time when Hannah expresses her faith in God and her devotion to Him. But it is also a time of separation when she will leave Samuel in Shiloh and return to Ramah. God’s faithfulness in the past is her assurance of His faithfulness in the future, and thus she can give this child to God.

Seventh, Hannah’s song is very similar to Mary’s song in the Gospel of Luke 1:46-55. It is a worthwhile exercise to study these songs side by side. There are many, many similarities between these two songs, which helps confirm that Hannah's song is not only speaking of the future king to rule in Israel, but the king she is referring to is the King, Jesus Christ.

    

1. (1Sa 2:1-2) Thanksgiving and praise.

And Hannah prayed and said:

"My heart rejoices in the LORD;
My horn is exalted in the LORD.
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
No one is holy like the LORD,
For there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God."

Hannah’s song is a close match to the one David sings in 2 Samuel 22. Both begin with a reference to the strength of the Lord as a horn and rock. Both speak of a deliverer and salvation. Both end with the mention of His anointed. Hannah and David’s songs serve as bookends to the entire Book of Samuel. They both teach a similar lesson about the Lord and His ruling over His people.

And Hannah prayed and said: Unlike many of our prayers, Hannah's prayer is asking nothing from God; instead, it is full of praise and joy. Usually my prayers are full of requests: "Jesus heal Adrian from her cancer." "Lord, keep John and his wife safe as they travel home to Canada." "Lord, watch over, protect and guide the lives of the young ones in our church's children's ministeries." How many times do you pray to give thanks to the Lord, asking for nothing in return? Using Hannah's prayer as a model, I challenge us to give more prayers of thanksgiving to God.

My heart rejoices in the LORD: Hannah shows a depth of commitment and love for God. On the day she makes the biggest sacrifice she will ever make in her life, she rejoices in the LORD! Notice though, that she rejoices in the LORD, she does not, and she cannot, rejoice in the leaving behind of her son. But she can, and she does, rejoice in the LORD. In the most desperate situations, when we have nothing else to rejoice in, we can rejoice in the LORD. (“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Also worth noting, the word "rejoices" in Hebrew is very strong and would probably be better translated as "exalts" or "triumphs" in the LORD.

My horn is exalted in the LORD: The horn is an often used as a picture of strength in the Bible (Psalm 18:2 "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 112:9: "He has freely given to the poor, His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted in honor."). The symbolism is pulled from nature in which the strength of an ox or a steer is expressed in its horn. Hannah is speaking of her strength and power being exalted in the LORD. "To exalt the horn" signifies "to be raised to a position of power or authority" (Psalm 89:17: "For You are the glory of their strength, and by Your favor our horn is exalted." Psalm 148:14: "And He has lifted up a horn for His people, praise for all His godly ones; even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him, praise the LORD!").

My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies: In the King James Version, this phrase is translated as "my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies." This is the literal translation of the Hebrew; however, it is difficult to glean the meaning from this phrase. A better way to phrase this would be: "My mouth is opened wide, to pour forth abundant praises to God and to give a full answer to the ridicule brought forth by my enemies." Hannah, being tormented by Peninnah, kept silent due to her grief. Now, Hannah declares she can find strength in the face of her enemies because she finds joy in the salvation God brings. Hannah has a strong sense of vindication over her rival, Peninnah. Peninnah had cruelly brought Hannah low (1 Samuel 1:6-7), but now Hannah can rejoice because the LORD has lifted her up.

Because I rejoice in Your salvation: Salvation in the Old Testament means to deliver, to rescue from dangers or adversaries, or to receive help in times of trouble. (Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?")

There is none holy like the LORD: In this verse, Hannah shows a classic form of Hebrew poetry - a repetitive parallelism. To say the LORD is holy is to say He is completely set apart; that He is unique, and not like any other. So, when she continues in the same verse and says, "For there is none besides You," she is saying the same thing as "There is none holy like the LORD," only saying it in different words. When she says, "Nor is there any rock like our God," she is again saying the same thing in different words.

Hebrew poetry does not rhyme words by sound like English poetry. (One two, I love you. Three four, open the door.) Instead, it rhymes ideas. The ideas of the three lines of 1 Samuel 2:2 all rhyme together, having different words yet "sounding" the same. Beyond the literary structure, the idea is emphasized: God is so great, there is no one - not one in all the universe - who compares with Him. His power, wisdom and purity is of a different order than ours.

Nor is there any rock like our God: The word "rock" is a frequent metaphor used to describe the strength, faithfulness and unchangeableness of God. "The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He" (Deuteronomy 32:4). "For who is God besides the LORD? And who is a rock, besides our God?" (2 Samuel 22:32).

2. (1Sa 2:3) A warning to the arrogant and proud.

"Talk no more so very proudly;
Let no arrogance come from your mouth,
For the LORD is the God of knowledge;
And by Him actions are weighed."

Talk no more so very proudly: Hannah most likely has her rival in mind, her "fellow-wife" Peninnah here. But in some way, she sees Peninnah as just a representative of all the proud and arrogant people in the world. Hannah wisely tells the proud to talk no more and to let no arrogance come from your mouth. Pride can be expressed in many ways, but it usually is expressed by our words. Psalms and Proverbs are filled with warnings about prideful speech. “May the LORD silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue” (Psalm 12:3). “A fool’s mouth lashed out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them” (Proverbs 14:3). “Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous” (Psalm 31:18).

For the LORD is the God of knowledge: This, of course, is the best reason to forsake our pride. Next to God, we all know nothing, and since we are all far from God, we are all far from all knowledge.

By Him actions are weighed: God knows the hearts of men and knows the true value of men's actions. God is the supreme Judge and He ultimately is the one to give a verdict on the true thoughts and intents of man's heart. "All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives" (Proverbs 16:2). 

3. (4-6) Hannah gives glory to the God who often humiliates the strong and exalts the weak.

"The bows of the mighty men are broken,
And those who stumbled are girded with strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
And the hungry have ceased to hunger.
Even the barren has borne seven,
And she who has many children has become feeble.
The LORD kills and makes alive;
He brings down to the grave and brings up.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
He brings low and lifts up.

The bows of the mighty men are broken: The bow was the major weapon of war and was used extensively for hunting. A broken bow meant a warrior was defenseless in battle; a broken bow in the hand of a hunter meant he would go hungry. Thus, a broken bow is a symbol of defeat."The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow to cast down the afflicted and the needy, to slay those who are upright in conduct. But their swords will pierce their own heart, and their bows will be broken" (Psalm 37:14-15). "His tabernacle is in Salem; His dwelling place also is in Zion. The He broke the flaming arrows, the shield and the sword and the weapons of war" (Psalm 76:3).

And those who stumbled are girded with strength: "To be girded with strength" is a figure derived from the practice of "girding up the loins" (i.e., tying up the long robes the Israelites used to wear) in order to prepare for activities which required a lot of movement such as running, jumping and fighting a battle.Those who are weak, who are ready to fall down at every challenge they meet, they are clothed with strength by the LORD. Using the LORD's strength, the weak can go through every trial, perform all their duties and be of service to those around them and can oppose all their enemies. "It is God that girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect" (Psalm 18:32). "For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me" (Psalm 18:39).

Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread: They who formerly lived in the abundance of their riches have been forced to labor hard for their daily bread.

And the hungry have ceased to hunger: Those who were hungry are now at rest. They no longer toil in their hunger pain, but have now have food to satisfy their tummies.

Even the barren has borne seven: Seven can mean many and can also mean complete. (Some examples of the number seven found in the Bible are: Noah brought seven pairs of clean animals onto the ark (Genesis 7:2), seven stems are on the tabernacle's lampstand (Exodus 25:37), seven things the LORD hates in Proverbs 6:16, seven parables in Matthew 13 and seven woes in Matthew 23). A woman with seven sons is thought to have a complete family as seen in the Book of Ruth. "Then the women said to Naomi, 'Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel. May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him'" (Ruth 4:14-15).

And she who has many children has become feeble: Those who have had many children, God can bring them low by taking away their physical strength and by taking away her children. A very similar illustration is seen in Jeremiah 15, when God proclaims judgment on His people for straying away from Him and following other gods. "She who bore seven has grown feeble; she has fainted away; her sun went down while it was yet day; she has been ashamed and disgraced. And the rest of them I will give to the sword before their enemies, declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 15:9).

The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up: The power of life an death are in the hands of God. Who He chooses, He takes out of this world; whom He chooses, He preserves, even bringing back people on the brink of death. (King Hezekiah comes to mind here: "In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live."' Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, and said, 'Remember me now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, 'Go and tell Hezekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years."'" (Isaiah 38:1-5) And with that, Hezekiah lived another 15 years.)

(Side note: Many translations incorrectly translate this verse, as well as many other verses, using the word "grave". The Hebrew word here is Sheol, and Sheol is NOT the grave! Sheol is the abode of the dead. It is a physical place located down toward the center of the earth. Before Christ, everyone who died went to Sheol. Sheol was divided into a lovely place where the righteous folks went, and a place of torment where the wicked went. This can be best seen in Jesus' story about Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31). After Jesus Christ died, He freed the righteous abiding in Sheol and they ascended to heaven. Thereafter, Sheol became only the place for the wicked, and the righteous ascend to heaven and dwell with Jesus. In the New Testament, the Greek equivalent, "Hades" is used. 

Lastly, people often call Sheol/Hades "hell". This is VERY WRONG! "Hell" is the place of eternal punishment and is often called the "lake of fire" in the Book of Revelation. The lake of fire is yet a future place of torment, prepared especially for the beast, false prophet and Satan. Ultimately, death and Hades/Sheol will be thrown into the lake of fire. "And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Revelation 19:20). "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10). "Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14-15).)

We should be humble before God because He knows how to humble the strong: the bows of the mighty men are broken … those who were full are now begging, and she who has many children has become feeble. If we are strong now, or exalted now, we should be humble, because the LORD can change our place quickly.

We should be humble before God because He knows how to exalt the weak. Those who stumbled are girded with strength … those who were hungry have ceased to hunger … even the barren has borne seven. If we are weak now, or in a low place, we should wait humbly before God and let Him lift us up. God delights to assist those who gird themselves with His strength. “The righteous cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:17-19).

In Luke chapter 14, Jesus said when we have the opportunity to set ourselves high, we should take a low place instead. Then, when someone sets us in a higher place, it will be a pleasant experience. “’When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, “Give your place to this man,” and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has incited you comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher,”; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted’” (Luke 14:8-11).

A very similar passage about setting ourselves on high is also seen in Proverbs 25:6-7: "Don't demand an audience with the king or push for a place among the great. It is better to wait for an invitation to the head table than to be sent away in public disgrace."

Hannah knew all this intimately in her life. She was barren “because the LORD had closed her womb” (1 Samuel 1:6). She knew The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. God had first set her low, and then brought her high. She could see the hand of the LORD in it all. The Lord helps those who cannot help themselves. None of us can truly help ourselves, but we often make the mistake of thinking we can. When this happens, we risk not leaving room for God to bless us. How many blessings have we missed because we have decided to go our own way. We neglect to “trust in the LORD with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).