(2:1) Hannah is Thankful - Hannah praised God for his answer to her prayer for a son. Her confidence in God's sovereignty and her thankfulness for everything he had done are the themes of her poetic prayer. Mary, the mother of Jesus, modeled her own praise song, called the Magnificat, after Hannah's prayer (Luke 1:46-55). Like Hannah and Mary, we should be confident in God's ultimate control over the events in our lives, and we should be thankful for the ways God has blessed us. By praising God for all good gifts, we acknowledge his ultimate control over all the affairs of life.

(2:2) Hannah Praises God - Hannah praised God for being a Rock-firm, strong, and unchanging. In our fast-paced world, people come and go, and circumstances change. It's difficult to find a solid foundation that will not change. Those who devote their lives to achievements, causes, or possessions try to find security in what is finite and changeable. The possessions that we work so hard to obtain will all pass away. But God is always present. Hope in him. He will never fail.

(2:3) Hannah Leaves Judgement to the Lord - No doubt as Hannah said these words, she was thinking of Peninnah's arrogance and rebuking. Hannah did not have to get even with Peninnah. She knew that God is all-knowing and that he will judge all sin and pride. Hannah wisely left judgment up to God. Resist the temptation to take justice into your own hands. God will weigh your deeds as well as the deeds of those who have wronged you.

(2:10) Hannah Sees God's Character - Because we live in a world where evil abounds and where war and terrorism always threaten, we may forget that God is in control. Hannah saw God as (1) solid as a rock (2:2), (2) the one who knows what we do (2:3), (3) sovereign over everything and everyone (2:4-8), and (4) the supreme Judge who administers perfect justice (2:10). Remembering God's sovereign control helps us put both world and personal events in perspective.

(2:11,18) Samuel Helps Eli - Samuel "did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest." In other words, Samuel was Eli's helper or assistant. In this role, Samuel's responsibilities would have included opening the tabernacle entrances each morning (35), cleaning the furniture, and sweeping the floors. As he grew older, he would have assisted Eli in offering sacrifices. Wearing a special linen garment like those worn by the priests (in Hebrew called an ephod) showed that he was a priest-in-training. Because Samuel was Eli's helper, he was God's helper too. When we serve others- even in carrying out ordinary tasks--we are serving God. In God's service, every job has dignity.

(2:12-36) Eli's Sons Misuse their Position - The law stipulated that the needs of all the Levites were to be met through the people's tithes (Numbers 18:20-24; Joshua 13:14.33). Because Eli's sons were priests, they were to be provided for in this way. But Eli's sons took advantage of their position to satisfy their lust for power, sex, possessions, and control. Their contempt and arrogance toward both people and worship undermined the integrity of the whole priesthood. Their evil ways contrasted sharply with young Samuel's attitudes and values, which showed complete commitment to God. Eli knew that his sons were evil, but he did little to correct or stop them, even when the integrity of God's sanctuary was threatened. As the high priest, Eli should have responded by banishing or even executing his sons Numbers 15:22-31). No wonder he chose not to confront the situation. But by ignoring their selfish actions, Eli let his sons ruin their own lives and the lives of many others. It can be especially hard to confront serious sin issues in the lives of those closest to us. But there are times when serious problems must be confronted, even if the process and consequences will be painful.

(2:13-17) Eli's Sons Mishandle the Offering - What were Eli's sons doing wrong? They were taking parts of the sacrifices before they were offered to God on the altar. They were also eating meat before the fat was burned off, A which was against God's law (Leviticus 3:3-5). In effect, Eli's sons were treating God's offerings with contempt. Offerings were given to show honor and respect to God while seeking forgiveness for sins, but through their irreverence, Eli's sons were actually sinning while making the offerings. To add to their sins, they were also sleeping with the women who served at the tabernacle (1 Samuel 2:22). Like Eli's sons, some religious leaders look down on the faith of ordinary people and treat their offerings to God casually or even with contempt. God harshly judges those who lead his people astray or scorn what has been devoted to him Numbers 18:32).

(2:13-14) The Fleshook - This fleshhook was a utensil used in the tabernacle to handle the sacrificial meat. Made of bronze (Exodus 27:3), it usually had three prongs to hook the meat as it was put on the altar or cooked in a boiling pot. Eli's sons used this fleshhook to take more meat from the pot than was due them. Though the burnt offerings were burned completely on the altar, some of the other offerings were cooked and shared among the priests and worshipers in a celebration feast. So in addition to other sins, Eli's sons were stealing more than their share of meat from the families worshiping at the tabernacle.

(2:17) Samuel Ministers Before the Lord - Samuel was a young child, and yet he "ministered before the LORD." Children can often serve God just as effectively as adults. God will use anyone who is willing to learn from him and serve him. He has no age limits. We shouldn't discount the faith of a child or let age keep anyone from serving God. (See also the note on 1 Timothy 4:12).

(2:18) Samuel wore a special linen garment, in Hebrew called an ephod. These long, sleeveless vests made of plain linen were worn by all priests. The high priest's ephod carried special significance. It was embroidered with a variety of bright colors. Attached to it was the breastplate, a bib-like garment with gold embroidered shoulder straps. Twelve precious gemstones were attached to the breastplate, each stone representing one of the tribes of Israel. This breastplate also provided a pouch to hold the Urim and the Thummim, two small objects used to determine God's will in certain national matters.

(2:21) God Honored Hannah - God honored the desires of faithful Hannah. We never hear about Peninnah or her children again, but Samuel was used mightily by God. God also gave Hannah five children in addition to Samuel. God often blesses us in ways we do not expect. Hannah didn't dare expect to have a child at her age, much less six children! Fight the temptation to resent God's timing when he tells you to wait. His blessings might not be immediate, but he will bless us if we are faithful to do what he says in his Word.

(2:23-25) Don't Ignore God's Warnings on Sin - Eli's sons knew better, but they continued to disobey God deliberately by cheating, seducing, and robbing the people. Therefore, God planned to execute them. Any sin is wrong, but sin carried out deliberately and deceitfully, especially in a religious context, is the worst kind. When we sin out of ignorance, we deserve punishment. But when we sin intentionally, the consequences will be more severe. Don't ignore God's warnings about sin. When we find ourselves continuing in habitual sin, we need to reach out to God and other believers to seek forgiveness and find help in turning from it.

(2:25) God Withdrew His Presence - Does our loving God really will or want to put people to death? Consider the situation in the tabernacle. A person would make an offering in order to have sin forgiven, and Eli's sons would steal the offering and make a sham of the person's repentant attitude. God, in his love for Israel, could not permit this situation to continue. He allowed Eli's sons to die as a result of their own boastful presumption. They took the ark into battle, thinking it would protect them. But God withdrew his protection, and the wicked sons of Eli were killed (4:4-11).

(2:26) God's Hand is on Samuel - The record of Samuel's growth and maturity compares to the description of Jesus in Luke 2:52. God's hand was certainly on him.

(2:29) Eli Fails to Discipline His Sons - Eli had a difficult time raising his sons. He apparently did not take any strong disciplinary action with them when he became aware of their wrongdoing. But Eli was not just a father trying to handle his rebellious sons; he was the high priest ignoring the sins of priests under his supervision. As a result, the Lord took the necessary disciplinary action that Eli would not. Eli was guilty of honoring his sons above God by letting them continue their sinful actions. Is there a situation in your life, family, or work that you allow to continue even though you know it is wrong? If so, you may become as guilty as those engaged in the wrong act. Honor God more highly than anything else, and don't wait for him to intervene for you.

(2:31-36) Predictions Are Fulfilled - For the fulfillment of this prediction, see 1 Kings 2:26-27. Here, Solomon removed Abiathar from his position, thus ending Eli's line. Then God raised up Zadok, a priest under David and then high priest under Solomon. Zadok's line was probably still in place as late as the days of Ezra.