Samuel Grows Spiritually and Physically

Click here to read I Samuel 2.

Chapter 2 records Hannah's song of thanksgiving and Samuel's growth both spiritually and physically. It also tells of the great wickedness of Eli's sons. Eli's two sons were priests by birthright not by the calling of God. "They never knew the Lord." Notice they were caught stealing from the sacrifices at the Tabernacle. The Priests were allowed a certain portion of the sacrifices but these two would send their servants and demand more than was rightfully theirs. As so often happens, this brought dishonor upon the Tabernacle but Samuel stepped in and kept the honor of the service at the Tabernacle. Eli made a week attempt to reprove his sons but they did not listen to him. Eli's two sons were called Hophni and Phinehas. In the King James Version, they are called Belial (Beelzebub) to designate that they were wicked. In the New Testament this term is synonymous with Satan.

Then Eli was visited by a "man of God". We are not told who this Prophet was. He warned Eli about the sins of his sons, and the consequences. "Both of them shall die on the same day and I shall raise up for myself a faithful priest." This foretold of the fall of Eli and coming to power of Samuel. It also ended the linage of Aaron as High Priest of Israel. (Aaron, Eleazar, Ithamar, Eli, Hophni and Phinehas)

Before we leave chapter 2 lets look at the five points of Hannah's song (prayer).

1. She now had satisfaction, and for this she phrased Him.
   1. The Lord had given her a son.
   2. The Lord had given her an answer for those who questioned her ability to have children.
2. She now could say to Peninnah,
   1. Stop acting so proud and arrogant.
   2. The Lord knows the pain that you caused me.
3. She was thankful that everything had reversed:
   1. The "mighty" was mighty no more.
   2. The "weak" was strong.
4. She was thankful that she was no longer barren:
   1. The "barren" woman had 7 children. (This perhaps was her desire. At this point, she only had one. Later she was to have 5 more, 3 sons and 2 daughters. Perhaps she considered Samuel to count for two.)
5. She was thankful that she had many children and would have no more. (Tradition has it that every time Hannah had a child, two of Peninnah's died.) The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. He cuts one down, He lifts another up.

The prayer tells us a great deal about the two women and their attitude toward one another. Also about God's dealing with each of them.

Meanwhile Samuel was ministering before the Lord. Each year Elkanah and Hannah, his parents, would come to the Tabernacle to see him and while there, Eli would bless them. And each year Hannah would bring Samuel a new robe like the Priests wore, one that she had made him, and Samuel grew in the service of the Lord.

The chapter ends with an account of Samuel's destiny:

I will raise up a faithful Priest who will serve me. I will bless his descendants and his family will be Priests to my kings forever. Your descendants (Eli's descendants) will bow down before him begging for food and money.

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