1 Samuel 2 1

1 Samuel 2:1 kjv

And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

1 Samuel 2:1 nkjv

And Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

1 Samuel 2:1 niv

Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.

1 Samuel 2:1 esv

And Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

1 Samuel 2:1 nlt

Then Hannah prayed: "My heart rejoices in the LORD!
The LORD has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.

1 Samuel 2 verses

1 Samuel 2 1 Meaning

Hannah's prayer expresses profound joy and triumph in the Lord (YHWH). Her "heart rejoices" and her "horn is lifted high," symbolizing an elevation of strength, dignity, and power given by God. She proclaims victory and exultation over her adversaries, not due to her own might, but because her delight and confidence are entirely rooted in God's saving power and deliverance. It marks a moment of intense gratitude and prophetic insight after the birth of Samuel, demonstrating her recognition of God's miraculous intervention in her barrenness.

1 Samuel 2 1 Context

1 Samuel chapter 2 verse 1 initiates Hannah's great prayer of thanksgiving, often called "Hannah's Song" (1 Sam 2:1-10), immediately following the dedication of her son Samuel to the Lord at Shiloh (1 Sam 1:24-28). The immediate context is Hannah's personal story: she was barren and mocked by Peninnah, her rival wife (1 Sam 1:6-7), and had earnestly pleaded with God for a child (1 Sam 1:10-11). The birth of Samuel was a direct answer to her prayer and a testament to God's intervention.

This verse, therefore, marks Hannah's triumphant shift from sorrow and barrenness to joyful praise and vindication. Historically, this song provides a profound theological overture to the book of Samuel, establishing themes that will recur throughout Israel's history, particularly concerning God's sovereignty over kingship, battle, life, and death. It prefigures God's consistent work of reversing human expectations – humbling the proud and exalting the humble – a pattern vividly displayed in the rise of David from obscurity and the fall of Saul.

1 Samuel 2 1 Word analysis

• And Hannah prayed: (וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל חַנָּה, va-ttitpallēl Channah)
  • וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל (va-ttitpallēl): A form of the verb "to pray" (palal), implying intense, heartfelt supplication and communion with God. This is not a casual utterance but a profound outpouring from the soul, showing deep reverence and earnestness. It emphasizes her direct relationship and dependency on God.
  • חַנָּה (Channah): Her name means "grace" or "favor." Her life exemplifies God's grace, as He opened her barren womb and bestowed upon her the favor of bearing Samuel.
• and said: (וַתֹּאמַר, va-ttomār) - Standard connector, indicating the verbalization of her prayer.
• My heart rejoices in the Lord: (עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּיהוָה, ‘alats libbī ba-YHWH)
  • עָלַץ (‘alats): To exult, be jubilant, to leap for joy. This is a powerful expression of profound internal gladness, a spontaneous burst of triumph and exhilaration. It speaks of a joy that goes beyond mere happiness, touching on spiritual elation.
  • לִבִּי (libbī): "My heart." In Hebrew thought, the "heart" is the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and spiritual life. Her entire being is involved in this joy.
  • בַּיהוָה (ba-YHWH): "In the Lord," specifying the unique covenant name of God (Yahweh). Her joy is rooted exclusively in YHWH, not in circumstance or any human agent. This points to the source and object of her profound inner delight.
• my horn is lifted high in the Lord. (רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּיהוָה, rāmah qarnī ba-YHWH)
  • רָמָה (rāmah): From rum, meaning "to be high, exalted, lifted up." Implies elevation in status, power, and dignity.
  • קַרְנִי (qarnī): "My horn." The "horn" in ancient Near Eastern culture (and throughout Scripture) symbolizes strength, power, honor, dignity, and often, triumph or authority (like an animal's strength from its horn). Here, it signifies her restored dignity, victory over barrenness, and elevated status due to God's favor. It's not her own strength, but the strength God has given her.
  • בַּיהוָה (ba-YHWH): Again, emphasizing that this elevation and strength come solely "in the Lord" and from Him.
• My mouth boasts over my enemies, (רָחַב פִּי עַל-אוֹיְבַי, rāḥav pī ‘al-’ōyḇay)
  • רָחַב פִּי (rāḥav pī): "My mouth is widened," or "made large/open." Metaphorically, to speak expansively, boldly, triumphantly, often in a boastful manner. It refers to speaking freely and triumphantly, especially after long silence or oppression. Her "enemies" were not necessarily military foes but those who oppressed or ridiculed her, particularly Peninnah (1 Sam 1:6).
  • עַל-אוֹיְבַי (‘al-’ōyḇay): "Over my enemies" or "adversaries." These were her personal antagonists who ridiculed her barrenness, making her life bitter. Her boasting is a declaration of vindication against them.
• because I delight in your salvation. (כִּי שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ, kī śāmachtī biyshu‘ātêkhā)
  • כִּי (kī): "Because," providing the reason or ground for her preceding statements of joy and triumph.
  • שָׂמַחְתִּי (śāmachtī): "I delight," or "I rejoice/am glad." A deep, heart-felt pleasure and satisfaction.
  • בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ (biyshu‘ātêkhā): "In your salvation/deliverance." This is the ultimate source of her delight. "Salvation" (yeshu'ah) here primarily refers to God's deliverance from her barrenness and suffering, vindication from her adversaries. It's a broad term for God's saving act and His ultimate rescue, hinting at greater redemptive acts to come. Her joy is not in her child alone, but in God's act of saving deliverance.

1 Samuel 2 1 Bonus section

• Hannah’s prayer serves as a prophetic overture to the book of 1 Samuel, outlining the theological principles that govern the subsequent narrative, particularly the rise of David (from obscurity to kingship) and the downfall of Saul (from exalted status to rejection).
• The "horn" metaphor foreshadows the concept of a "horn of salvation" that will be raised by God (Lk 1:69), ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, demonstrating God's consistent work through salvation history.
• Hannah's spiritual focus is key; her joy is in the Lord, her horn is lifted in the Lord, and her delight is in His salvation. This repeated emphasis shows a deep theological understanding that her blessing is merely a conduit to glorify God, rather than an end in itself.
• The personal struggle of barrenness, deeply painful in ancient Israelite culture, becomes the context for God to reveal His sovereign power and deliver Hannah in a way that magnifies His name, transforming private sorrow into public praise and prophetic revelation.

1 Samuel 2 1 Commentary

1 Samuel 2:1 captures the essence of a worshiper whose deep distress has been supernaturally transformed into overwhelming joy by the power of God. Hannah’s prayer is not merely a personal expression of thanks but a profound theological declaration. She begins by proclaiming an inner, heartfelt joy that originates entirely "in the Lord" (YHWH), not in the blessing itself, but in the Giver of the blessing. This God-centeredness distinguishes her praise. The imagery of the "horn lifted high" powerfully communicates a reversal of fortunes: from humiliation and low status as a barren woman, God has elevated her to dignity, strength, and triumph. This lifting is explicitly "in the Lord," emphasizing that the source of her new status is divine grace, not her own effort or a human achievement.

Her declaration of boasting over her enemies, far from being vindictive, is a righteous expression of God's justice and vindication. It is not an unholy pride, but a celebration of divine righteousness prevailing over mocking adversity. This confidence stems not from her newfound fruitfulness but from the unwavering certainty that God has intervened. The foundation for her entire prayer of exuberant praise is explicitly stated: "because I delight in your salvation." This points to God's act of deliverance, both personal (her conception of Samuel) and implicitly universal, as this yeshu'ah (salvation) prefigures the ultimate deliverance brought by the Messiah. Hannah's song sets a theological precedent for the entire narrative of 1 Samuel, highlighting God's power to humble the proud, exalt the humble, and bring about His will through unlikely means, a theme deeply echoed in the Magnificat of Mary and the overarching narrative of biblical salvation history.