In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah offers a prayer of praise and thanksgiving for the son she had long desired. She exults, “My heart exults in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD…” (1 Samuel 2:1). This prayer emphasizes God’s sovereignty, His compassion on the humble, and His power over life’s circumstances. Hannah’s song serves as an introduction to the way God will raise up the lowly and bring down the proud throughout the continuing narrative of Samuel’s life. This parallels New Testament themes where God often chooses the humble to display His power and grace (Luke 1:52).

The chapter then contrasts the righteous gratitude of Hannah with the sinful actions of Eli’s sons. Scripture notes how Eli’s sons “did not know the LORD” and despised the sacrifices of their people (1 Samuel 2:12). Shiloh, where the tabernacle was located at this point in Israel’s history (around the late 11th century BC), became a stage for this disregard. Eli’s aged leadership oversaw the Israelite worship at Shiloh, but his sons’ corrupt behavior threatened to bring disrepute upon a sacred place, demonstrating how spiritual negligence can flourish if not confronted.

God eventually sends a warning through an unnamed “man of God,” predicting judgment upon Eli’s household because of the incessant transgressions of his sons. The prophecy indicates that God will remove Eli’s lineage from priestly service and raise up a faithful priest (1 Samuel 2:35). This introduces the principle that God will uphold righteousness, even if it requires overturning an entire priestly family. The chapter is thus a reminder that abusing spiritual authority is dangerous, and no rank or title is exempt from God’s discipline.

In the broader narrative of 1 Samuel, this passage lays the foundation for young Samuel’s rise and establishes a key biblical theme: God honors humility and obedience. The prophecy regarding a faithful priest finds its ultimate fulfillment in God’s plan of redemption, culminating in the perfect High Priest—Jesus (Hebrews 4:14). Thus, 1 Samuel 2 connects the faithfulness of Hannah and subsequent judgment of Eli’s descendants to a long-term vision of godly leadership and the hope found in the LORD’s promised deliverance.