What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 2:5? The well-fed hire themselves out for food • Hannah pictures those who once sat at overflowing tables now scrambling for a day’s wage. • God turns earthly security upside down, proving that plenty without Him is fragile (Proverbs 11:28; James 1:10-11). • The reversal echoes Mary’s later praise: “He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1:53). but the starving hunger no more • The same Lord who topples the self-satisfied lifts the needy, satisfying both body and soul (Psalm 34:10; 107:9). • His care is not abstract; it is literal provision, just as Israel tasted manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4). • Jesus extends the promise to every believer: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). The barren woman gives birth to seven • Hannah’s own story headlines the truth: barrenness is no match for the Creator (1 Samuel 1:19-20). • “Seven” signals fullness; yet the verse is literal first—God can and does open wombs (Psalm 113:9; Deuteronomy 7:14). • Each child testifies that life begins because the Lord wills it, not because nature happened to favor us (Genesis 30:22). but she who has many sons pines away • Households once bustling with children can fade when God withdraws favor (Jeremiah 15:9). • Earthly advantage cannot guarantee lasting joy; only walking with the Lord sustains strength (Psalm 127:1; 1 Samuel 2:20-21 shows Hannah thriving while proud Peninnah fades). • The warning is tender but firm: fruitfulness without faith will wither. summary 1 Samuel 2:5 celebrates God’s power to reverse every human condition. He empties the self-reliant, fills the needy, opens barren wombs, and humbles the seemingly strong. The verse calls us to rest in His sovereign care, knowing He still overturns circumstances to display His glory and bless those who trust Him. |
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