This verse highlights the LORD’s power to transform lives and circumstances, making the humble strong and the needy filled with blessing.
When Hannah, the mother of Samuel, offers her prayer of thanks, she proclaims, “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.” (v.5). These poetic words form part of Hannah’s song of praise immediately after the birth of her son Samuel, an event that came about after she fervently vowed to the LORD to dedicate her child to Him if He would only remove her barrenness. In the time of 1 Samuel, around 1100 BC, Israel’s sanctuary was located at Shiloh in the territory of Ephraim, roughly twenty miles north of where Jerusalem would later arise. Shiloh had housed the tabernacle from around 1350-1100 BC, making it a central hub of worship until it was destroyed (1 Samuel 4:11). Amid this historical backdrop, Hannah’s words serve as both gratitude and a theological reminder that God holds power over the destinies of His people, reversing their fortunes in miraculous ways.
In “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread” (v.5), Hannah points to the stark reversal that God often brings upon the proud or self-sufficient. Whether describing military triumphs, daily bread, or personal status, Hannah highlights that no gain is permanent unless granted by the LORD. By contrast, she declares that “those who were hungry cease to hunger” (v.5), illustrating how God satisfies the physical and spiritual needs of the humble. Such a theme resonates into the New Testament, where Jesus says that the poor in spirit are blessed, and where Mary’s Magnificat proclaims that God fills the hungry with good things (Luke 1:53). Hannah’s prayer shows the continuity of God’s nature as one who exalts the lowly and humbles the mighty.
The second half of the verse, “Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes,” (v.5) amplifies Hannah’s personal testimony. Once barren herself, she experienced God’s miraculous power to overcome her infertility. Her mention of “seven” symbolizes fullness and divine favor, suggesting that nothing is beyond the possibility of God’s reversal—for He can replace mourning with joy and despair with abundant blessing. In Hannah’s case, what was once impossible became reality, reflecting a God who responds to heartfelt petitions in His perfect timing.
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1 Samuel 2:5 meaning
When Hannah, the mother of Samuel, offers her prayer of thanks, she proclaims, “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.” (v.5). These poetic words form part of Hannah’s song of praise immediately after the birth of her son Samuel, an event that came about after she fervently vowed to the LORD to dedicate her child to Him if He would only remove her barrenness. In the time of 1 Samuel, around 1100 BC, Israel’s sanctuary was located at Shiloh in the territory of Ephraim, roughly twenty miles north of where Jerusalem would later arise. Shiloh had housed the tabernacle from around 1350-1100 BC, making it a central hub of worship until it was destroyed (1 Samuel 4:11). Amid this historical backdrop, Hannah’s words serve as both gratitude and a theological reminder that God holds power over the destinies of His people, reversing their fortunes in miraculous ways.
In “Those who were full hire themselves out for bread” (v.5), Hannah points to the stark reversal that God often brings upon the proud or self-sufficient. Whether describing military triumphs, daily bread, or personal status, Hannah highlights that no gain is permanent unless granted by the LORD. By contrast, she declares that “those who were hungry cease to hunger” (v.5), illustrating how God satisfies the physical and spiritual needs of the humble. Such a theme resonates into the New Testament, where Jesus says that the poor in spirit are blessed, and where Mary’s Magnificat proclaims that God fills the hungry with good things (Luke 1:53). Hannah’s prayer shows the continuity of God’s nature as one who exalts the lowly and humbles the mighty.
The second half of the verse, “Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes,” (v.5) amplifies Hannah’s personal testimony. Once barren herself, she experienced God’s miraculous power to overcome her infertility. Her mention of “seven” symbolizes fullness and divine favor, suggesting that nothing is beyond the possibility of God’s reversal—for He can replace mourning with joy and despair with abundant blessing. In Hannah’s case, what was once impossible became reality, reflecting a God who responds to heartfelt petitions in His perfect timing.