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In the original Hebrew Bible, this writing is a single book, not two. It’s simply called “shemū'ēl” (שְׁמוּאֵל).

The division into 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel came later, when the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (the Septuagint, LXX) about 200 years before the ministry of Jesus. Since Greek required more space due to longer word forms and script style, the book was split into two scrolls for easier handling. This two-part division continued in the Latin Vulgate and was retained in most Christian Bibles today.

This entire writing spans less than 100 years, compared to many of the historical writings the cover hundreds of years and many leaders. This writing highlights the lives of 3 leaders: Samuel, King Saul, & King David.

Catch the Context

Samuel is written on the heels of JUDGES, where the Hebrew people’s relationship with Yahweh was up and down.

Yahweh had not given them a human king because HE was the One in charge. When the people will disobey Him He would bring discipline, the people would repent and call to Him for help, and Yahweh would raise up a judge to guide them back to following Him. They would respond and do right during the life of the judge, but the next generation would go off track and this cycle continued over and over. That is the context of Samuel.

HORN?

Horns of animals are weapons to attack & defend. This imagery is used in the Scriptures to refer to the authority or strength of a person (e.g. a king). Hannah’s “horn” is likely referring to her authority & honor. Now Hannah’s name - meaning “favored” - is being lifted up by the LORD. Where she once hung her head in shame, now her head is lifted up by Yahweh!

ENEMIES?

My enemies could certainly be referring to Peninnah, the 2nd wife - who would taunt her because Hannah couldn’t have children. But now that can no longer take place as Yahweh has delivered her from this dishonor. In fact, the Hebrew term translated as “salvation” in the CSB (+ESV, NAS) is translated as “delivered” by the NET & NIV. The NLT translates this phrase: “I rejoice because you rescued me.”

HOLY ROCK

Holy means set apart, different from all others. The LXX (Septuagint - Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) says,

“there is none righteous like our God.” Hannah knows who is the King over all creation, Yahweh the Creator, different from all others - righteous in all He does, the most stable rock Whom our lives can be built on, and where we can find protection.

Our knowledge, compared to the God who created our minds, is is infinitesimal. God knows our actions & intentions, and He is the righteous judge over all those things. God is NEVER taken advantage of. He knows our actions & intentions.

Notice the reversal of futures. You do realize, don’t you, that you’re life can change in an instant? 

• The real question that needs to be posed is this: WHO are you TRUSTING in? - Your own strength? Your own wealth? OR, are you trusting in Yahweh - the One who can and does answer prayer?

Hannah understands that Yahweh is the Creator and sustainer of all things! He is the King of Creation, the King over life & death, the King over poverty & wealth, the King of Character who can humble you, the King of Compassion who raise you up!

In the end, Yahweh will judge everyone with His full knowledge of our actions & intentions. 

• When it all shakes out, which will you be considered by Him - one of His faithful ones - trusting in Yahweh’s strength & obeying His commands OR…a wicked person - who has trusted in your own strength, who has stood against His commands?

There was NO KING in Israel at this point, there had never been a king in Israel. Yet, Hannah is given the insight to foresee what is coming - a King, and more than that, His anointed king! (A king had been mentioned earlier in Scripture - (see Genesis 17:6, 16; 35:11; Numbers 24:7; Deuteronomy 17:14–20)

When a king was crowned, he was anointed by the priest. That man, that priest, still just a boy, was continuing the journey to become the man who would anoint God’s king.  

This is the first time in all the Scriptures that a king is referred to as “anointed” - the Hebrew word Messiah (מָשִׁיחַ [mashiyach /maw·shee·akh) - is mentioned.

2 kings will be anointed in the writing we call Samuel - the 1st kings - Saul & David, BUT…there IS an ultimate anointed King, an ultimate Messiah who will come through the bloodline of King David - the LAST King of Israel and the One who is worthy to be KING over your life…TODAY.