1 Samuel 2:5
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Notice how the verse doesn't just say things changed, but it flips the established order entirely. The once satisfied are now desperate, and the once desperate are now content, highlighting God's radical power to reorder lives and circumstances according to His will.
This is Hannah's prayer of exultation after God has blessed her with a son, Samuel, whom she has just brought to the temple. It's a song of praise that flips the world upside down, showing how God elevates the humble and brings down the proud, contrasting her own past barrenness and suffering with the current good fortune of her enemies. The prayer continues by describing God's ultimate power over all earthly authority.
Ever feel like the world's system is rigged? Like the rich get richer and the poor stay poor? This verse shouts against that reality.
Hannah's prayer isn't just a song; it's a theological bombshell! She's describing how God's reign flips everything we expect.
From Plenty to Poverty
The ones who had so much they didn't need anyone, now have to work for basic food. Their full bellies led them to pride, and now they're humbled.
From Scarcity to Satisfaction
Conversely, the ones who were starving, whose lives were marked by need, find their hunger satisfied. God meets their deepest needs.
This isn't about temporary luck; it's about God actively intervening to bring justice and set things right.
In a culture that valued large families, being barren was a deep shame and sorrow. Yet, Hannah's prayer promises a surprising fertility.
Hannah herself was once barren, a source of deep pain and public humiliation (1 Samuel 1:6). Her prayer celebrates God's power to bring life where there was none.
The Unexpected Gift
'The barren has borne seven' speaks of a miraculous abundance of children, turning profound grief into overflowing joy. This is God's doing, a sign of His favor and power.
The Downfall of Plenty
Meanwhile, 'she who has many children is forlorn' – her numerous offspring bring no comfort, perhaps due to neglect, tragedy, or simply the emptiness of a life not centered on God. It highlights that quantity doesn't equal true blessing.
Understand the original words
‘aqarah · Hebrew Adjective
Barrenness in the Old Testament was viewed as a significant social and personal crisis, often perceived as a lack of divine blessing. Yet, God frequently intervenes to grant fruitfulness to the barren, highlighting His sovereignty over life and progeny.
Hannah's song, which this verse is part of, stands in stark contrast to the corrupt system in place at Shiloh. It highlights God's intervention on behalf of the oppressed and faithful, turning the tables on those who exploited and despaired.
c. 1050 BC
Eli's Wicked Sons
Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of High Priest Eli, abused their priestly authority, demanding the best sacrifices for themselves and disrespecting the Lord. This created deep dissatisfaction and corruption within the sanctuary.
c. 1050 BC— this verse
Hannah's Prayer and Samuel's Birth
Hannah, barren for years and deeply distressed by the corruption and her own inability to have children, prays fervently at Shiloh. God answers her prayer, and she conceives and bears Samuel.
c. 1050 BC
Hannah Dedicates Samuel
True to her vow, Hannah brings young Samuel to serve the Lord at the sanctuary under Eli's tutelage, despite the surrounding spiritual decay.
c. 1050 BC
Eli's Decline
Eli grows old and weak, his authority undermined by his sons' wickedness. The spiritual and moral state of Israel is at a low point.
This passage echoes the same theme of reversal, where the humble and hungry are lifted up, and the proud and full are brought low, directly mirroring Hannah's song.
Psalm 113:7-9This psalm beautifully describes God lifting the poor and needy, making the barren woman a joyful mother, which directly parallels the circumstances described in 1 Samuel 2:5.
Matthew 5:6Jesus' teaching here on the Beatitudes speaks to the blessedness of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, aligning with the idea that true fulfillment comes from God, not earthly abundance.
1 Samuel 1:20This verse shows the direct fulfillment of the prayer that led to Hannah's song, where the barren woman (Hannah) finally conceives, highlighting God's intervention in her situation of longing.
Notice how the verse doesn't just say things changed, but it flips the established order entirely. The once satisfied are now desperate, and the once desperate are now content, highlighting God's radical power to reorder lives and circumstances according to His will.
This is Hannah's prayer of exultation after God has blessed her with a son, Samuel, whom she has just brought to the temple. It's a song of praise that flips the world upside down, showing how God elevates the humble and brings down the proud, contrasting her own past barrenness and suffering with the current good fortune of her enemies. The prayer continues by describing God's ultimate power over all earthly authority.
This is Hannah's prayer of exultation after God has blessed her with a son, Samuel, whom she has just brought to the temple. It's a song of praise that flips the world upside down, showing how God elevates the humble and brings down the proud, contrasting her own past barrenness and suffering with the current good fortune of her enemies. The prayer continues by describing God's ultimate power over all earthly authority.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about 1 Samuel 2:5 is available in the Sola app.
c. 1050 BC
Hannah's Song of Praise
Hannah offers a powerful song of praise, celebrating God's justice and power to reverse fortunes—lifting the lowly and casting down the proud. This song is what we read in 1 Samuel 2.
c. 1020 BC
Philistine Victory and Ark Capture
The corrupt sons of Eli are killed in battle, and the Ark of the Covenant is captured by the Philistines. Eli also dies upon hearing the news. This marks a national catastrophe and a judgment on Eli's house.
"Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn." — Notice how the verse doesn't just say things changed, but it flips the established order entirely. The once satisfied are now desperate, and the once desperate are now content, highlighting God's r…
