1 Samuel 2:5

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.

1 Samuel 2:5 (KJV)

Context

Hannah speaks these words in prayer after dedicating her son Samuel to the Lord at the tabernacle. The verse is part of a song that celebrates God’s power to reverse human circumstances. The preceding line tells of mighty bows broken and the stumbling made strong. The following line declares that the Lord kills and makes alive, bringing down to the grave and bringing up. Together these lines show that the reversal in verse 5 is God’s own work, not chance.

Meaning

The verse contrasts two groups. Those who were full now hire themselves out for bread, a sign of extreme poverty. Those who were hungry cease, meaning their hunger ends completely. Then the barren woman bears seven children, while the woman with many children grows feeble. The number seven often symbolizes completeness in Scripture, suggesting the fullness of God’s blessing. The reversal is deliberate: God humbles the proud and exalts the lowly.

Biblical connections

This theme of divine reversal appears in the Magnificat, where God fills the hungry and sends the rich away empty (Luke 1:53). That connection shows the same pattern of God caring for the needy and humbling the self-sufficient.

Application

Worldly wealth and status are transient. Security rests not in possessions but in God alone. Those who rely on themselves may fall, while those who trust God receive His care. This verse warns against pride and self-sufficiency, and it encourages believers to depend on God’s providence.

Reflection

God sees the marginalized and the barren. He alone determines rise and fall. Trust Him with your circumstances, knowing that His justice and mercy are perfect.