The
first 10 verses of Chapter 2 have been classified as “The Song of
Hannah.” Dummelow’s Commentary on the Bible points out that
the Virgin Mary’s "song" is closely modeled on it (Luke 1:46-55). Dummelow points out that the poem is more likely to have been composed by some
public person than by Hannah herself.
A
prayer of exultation!
Hello!
In verse 12 we find that the sons of Eli the priest, to whom Hannah entrusted
Samuel, were classified as “sons of Belial”, the explanation in this case
being that they “knew not the Lord.” What a burden for a priest!
Surely
Hannah and Elkanah’s original prayer must have expected a complete healing of
barrenness, for they went on to have a further three sons and two daughters –
blessed by Eli the priest.
Eli’s
sons Hophni and Phinehas have a very bad press in this chapter.
Chapter
3 brings us the familiar story of Samuel’s calling by God. My marginal
note points out that by verse 10 the voice of the Lord became a vision: “And
the Lord came and stood, and called…”
Samuel
is told the bad news about Eli and the iniquity of his house which could not be
purged with sacrifice. Although
he is reluctant, he tells Eli what the Lord has said about the fate of his
family. His reply is that of a holy man: “It is the Lord: let him do
what seemeth him good.”
Joyce Voysey
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