1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
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2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 <strong>Samuel</strong> 13articulated her belief that God rewards trust with blessing. He turns barrenness int<strong>of</strong>ertility, not just in her case but universally. Mary, the mother <strong>of</strong> Jesus, incorporatedsome <strong>of</strong> Hannah's song in her own "Magnificat" (Luke 1:46-55)."The Song <strong>of</strong> Hannah appears near the beginning <strong>of</strong> 1 <strong>Samuel</strong>, and theSong <strong>of</strong> David appears near the end <strong>of</strong> 2 <strong>Samuel</strong>. These two remarkablysimilar hymns <strong>of</strong> praise thus constitute a kind <strong>of</strong> inclusio, framing themain contents <strong>of</strong> the books and reminding us that the two books wereoriginally one. Both begin by using 'horn' (1 Sam 2:1; 2 Sam 22:3) as ametaphor for 'strength,' referring to God as the 'Rock,' and reflecting ondivine 'deliverance/salvation' (1 Sam 2:1-2; 2 Sam 22:2-3). Both end byparalleling 'his king' with 'his anointed' (1 Sam 2:10; 2 Sam 22:51)." 31Hannah praised God because He had provided salvation for His people (vv. 1-2). She hadlearned that God will humble people who view themselves as self-sufficient (vv. 3-4), butHe will help those who cast themselves on Him asking Him to provide what they need(vv. 5-8). Therefore the godly and the wicked will experience vastly different fates (vv.9-10). The Old Testament writers spoke <strong>of</strong> Sheol (v. 6), the abode <strong>of</strong> the dead, as thoughit was a huge underground cave where judgment takes place (cf. Deut. 32:22; Ps. 88:3-6;et al.). The whole point <strong>of</strong> this inspired poetic prayer is that people should trust in theLord. Hannah had done this, and God had blessed her miraculously.Hannah's song contains a reference to a king that God would raise up as His anointedrepresentative to lead Israel (v. 10). This is one <strong>of</strong> a few such references made by anordinary Israelite that God recorded in Scripture (cf. Judg. 8:22-23). God had revealedthrough Moses that in the future He would provide a king for His people (Deut. 17). Godrevealed His purpose to set up a king over His people as early as Genesis (Gen. 17:6, 16;35:11; 49:10; cf. Gen. 1:26-28). Hannah's reference to this king shows that the people <strong>of</strong>Israel looked forward to the fulfillment <strong>of</strong> that promise. Shortly after this the peopledemanded a king from God (8:4-7)."This is the first reference in the OT to the king as the anointed <strong>of</strong> theLord. Later, in the eschatological thought <strong>of</strong> Judaism, this expressionbecame the characteristic title <strong>of</strong> the expected Deliverer, the Messiah orthe <strong>Christ</strong>, who would alleviate world troubles in a Messianic era." 32The motif <strong>of</strong> God making the barren fertile in response to their trust and obedience runsthrough the rest <strong>of</strong> 1 and 2 <strong>Samuel</strong> (cf. <strong>Samuel</strong>). So does the corollary truth that God willmake the "powerful" who are not trusting and obedient infertile and ultimately dead (cf.Saul). Likewise the motif <strong>of</strong> the Lord's anointed king is a major one in 1 and 2 <strong>Samuel</strong>(cf. David). Thus this prayer prepares the reader for the rest <strong>of</strong> the book.In 1:1—2:10 we also find for the first time the reversal <strong>of</strong> fortune motif that is a majorliterary device in 1 and 2 <strong>Samuel</strong>. People apparently unimportant become important, and31 Youngblood, p. 579.32 Fred E. Young, "First and Second <strong>Samuel</strong>," in The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 276.