1 Samuel 2:4 Commentary and Bible Study

These are going to all be sentiments which show the grace of God, in one verse after another. Now she is opening up a great principle. She has proved it; it applies to her. Of course she doesn't know this quite yet, but where did the great prophet and judge, Samuel, come from? A barren woman who had no children. She has seen it in the life. God takes the one who is weak and humbled, and uses instrumentally and wonderfully. So this is the theme now: God uses the humble; God uses the lowly. The bows of the mighty men are broken. If God moves he can break a whole army and they that stumbled – who couldn't cope, who stumbled away from the battle in disgrace – in the Lord are suddenly girded with strength. The proud and the powerful and the self-confident and the self-reliant: ultimately they will fall, even if it's only when they know their demise in old age and death. ‘They that were full’ – you see them hiring themselves out in service to get bread. ‘And they that were hungry, ceased from hunger.’ And then she applies to herself, ‘so that the barren hath born seven’ – the perfect number. Hannah would have five more children to her amazement and happiness – she never asked for that – but she wouldn't have seven. ‘And she that hath many children is waxed feeble.’ This is clearly a reference to Peninnah, but she is a type of all unbelievers, characteristed by her cruel words and her desire to be prevail over the godly.