Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
1 Samuel
Book: 1 Samuel
Chapter: 2
Overview:
Hannah's song of thanksgiving.
(1-10) The wickedness of
Eli's
sons,
Samuel's ministry.
(11-26) The
Prophecy against
Eli's
family.
(27-36)
1-10 Hannah's
Heart rejoiced, not in
Samuel, but in the
Lord.
She looks
Beyond the
Gift, and praises the Giver. She rejoiced
in the
Salvation of the
Lord, and in expectation of His coming,
who is the whole
Salvation of his people. The strong are soon
weakened, and the weak are soon strengthened, when
God pleases.
Are we
Poor?
God made us
Poor, which is a good reason why we
should be content, and make up our minds to our condition. Are
we rich?
God made us rich, which is a good reason why we should
be thankful, and serve him cheerfully, and do good with the
abundance he gives us. He respects not
Man's
Wisdom or fancied
excellences, but chooses those whom the world accounts foolish,
teaching them to feel their guilt, and to value his free and
precious
Salvation. This
Prophecy looks to the kingdom of
Christ, that kingdom of
Grace, of which
Hannah speaks, after
having spoken largely of the kingdom of
Providence. And here is
the first time that we meet with the name
Messiah, or his
Anointed. The subjects of
Christ's kingdom will be safe, and the
enemies of it will be ruined; for the Anointed, the
Lord Christ,
is able to save, and to destroy.
11-26 Samuel, being devoted to the
Lord in a special manner,
was from a
Child employed about the
Sanctuary in the services he
was capable of. As he did this with a pious disposition of mind,
it was called ministering unto the
Lord. He received a blessing
from the
Lord. Those young people who serve
God as
Well as they
can, he will enable to improve, that they may serve him better.
Eli shunned trouble and exertion. This led him to indulge his
children, without using parental authority to restrain and
correct them when young. He winked at the abuses in the service
of the
Sanctuary till they became customs, and led to
abominations; and his sons, who should have taught those that
engaged in the service of the
Sanctuary what was good, solicited
them to wickedness. Their
Offence was committed even in
Offering
the sacrifices for sins, which typified the
Atonement of the
Saviour! Sins against the remedy, the
Atonement itself, are most
dangerous, they tread under foot the
Blood of the
Covenant.
Eli's reproof was far too mild and gentle. In general, none are
more abandoned than the degenerate children of godly persons,
when they break through restraints.
27-36 Those who allow their children in any evil way, and do
not use their authority to restrain and punish them, in effect
honour them more than
God. Let
Eli's
Example excite parents
earnestly to strive against the beginnings of wickedness, and to
train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord. In the midst of the sentence against the
House of
Eli,
Mercy is promised to
Israel.
God's work shall never fall to the
ground for want of hands to carry it
On.
Christ is that merciful
and
Faithful High
Priest, whom
God raised up when the Levitical
priesthood was thrown off, who in all things did his
Father's
mind, and for whom
God will build a sure
House, build it
On a
Rock,
So that
Hell cannot prevail against it.