The prophet Samuel’s mother, Hannah, proclaims God’s sovereign power over the circumstances of life when she says, “The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts” (v.7). This declaration comes within Hannah’s prayer of praise, a prayer spoken in ancient Israel around the early 11th century BC in the town of Shiloh, located in the hill country of Ephraim. At this time, Israel was transitioning from the period of the Judges to the period of the monarchy. Hannah’s words exalt the LORD as the true source of honor and humbling, reminding the people of Israel that all material blessings and societal positions are granted or withheld by the hand of God alone.
When she proclaims that “the LORD makes poor and rich” (v.7), Hannah is asserting that financial conditions are not outside of God’s purview. Worldly wealth or poverty can appear random or dependent on human effort, but God remains sovereign over every outcome. This theme is echoed in other Biblical passages that declare God’s ongoing involvement in the lives of His people, revealing that human success or hardship should be understood in the light of divine guidance. Jesus draws on this same principle in His teachings about the way God lifts up the humble and shows mercy to those who recognize their spiritual need (Luke 1:51-53).
Hannah also underscores that “He brings low, He also exalts” (v.7) to illustrate that powerful kingdoms and influential people do not hold the highest authority—God is the architect of true exaltation. By acknowledging God’s absolute authority, Hannah sets the tone for the coming era, in which her son Samuel would help establish Israel’s first kings. This verse calls believers to humility and trust, confirming that the LORD alone raises someone up or brings such a person down, in His perfect timing.
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1 Samuel 2:7 meaning
The prophet Samuel’s mother, Hannah, proclaims God’s sovereign power over the circumstances of life when she says, “The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts” (v.7). This declaration comes within Hannah’s prayer of praise, a prayer spoken in ancient Israel around the early 11th century BC in the town of Shiloh, located in the hill country of Ephraim. At this time, Israel was transitioning from the period of the Judges to the period of the monarchy. Hannah’s words exalt the LORD as the true source of honor and humbling, reminding the people of Israel that all material blessings and societal positions are granted or withheld by the hand of God alone.
When she proclaims that “the LORD makes poor and rich” (v.7), Hannah is asserting that financial conditions are not outside of God’s purview. Worldly wealth or poverty can appear random or dependent on human effort, but God remains sovereign over every outcome. This theme is echoed in other Biblical passages that declare God’s ongoing involvement in the lives of His people, revealing that human success or hardship should be understood in the light of divine guidance. Jesus draws on this same principle in His teachings about the way God lifts up the humble and shows mercy to those who recognize their spiritual need (Luke 1:51-53).
Hannah also underscores that “He brings low, He also exalts” (v.7) to illustrate that powerful kingdoms and influential people do not hold the highest authority—God is the architect of true exaltation. By acknowledging God’s absolute authority, Hannah sets the tone for the coming era, in which her son Samuel would help establish Israel’s first kings. This verse calls believers to humility and trust, confirming that the LORD alone raises someone up or brings such a person down, in His perfect timing.