1 Samuel 2:5 Meaning and Explanation
“They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Hannah continues the theme of reversal: the full grow needy, the hungry are filled, and the barren woman bears many children.
What Does 1 Samuel 2:5 Mean?
Still singing of God's reversals, Hannah names the well-fed who must now labor for bread and the hungry who hunger no more. Then she touches her own story directly: 'the barren hath born seven,' while the woman once rich in children grows weak.
Hannah had borne only one son at this point, yet she sings of seven, the number of fullness, trusting God's abundance beyond what she had yet seen. Her gratitude reads her single answered prayer as a sign of God's overflowing goodness. Faith counts God's kindness generously, knowing the One who opened her womb is able to do far more than she asked.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 2:5
What does 1 Samuel 2:5 mean?
Hannah continues the theme of reversal: the full grow needy, the hungry are filled, and the barren woman bears many children.