I Samuel 2:10 · Bible study
1 Samuel 2:10 Commentary: The First "Anointed" in Scripture
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Hannah's song closes with the first use of 'anointed' (Messiah) in Scripture, pointing to the future King who embodies God's reign.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Hannah closes her prayer by prophesying that God will defeat all enemies, judge the whole earth, and empower a coming king, the Messiah.
- Key words: strive (ribh, to contend legally), thunder (ra'am, often linked with divine war), anointed (meshiach, first biblical use for a king).
- Main debate: Whether the verse refers only to an immediate Israelite king (e.g. David) or directly to Jesus the Messiah; most commentators see a typological fulfillment that includes both.
- Theological theme: The sovereignty of God over history, judgment and salvation, and the emergence of the messianic hope.
- Best use: A foundation for preaching and teaching on Old Testament messianic prophecy, especially in Advent or Christmas seasons.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. “Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
KJV King James Version 1769
The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
They that strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces; Against them will he thunder in heaven: Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth; And he will give strength unto his king, And exalt the horn of his anointed.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Jehovah--broken down are His adversaries, Against them in the heavens He thundereth: Jehovah judgeth the ends of earth, And giveth strength to His king, And exalteth the horn of His anointed.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
They that strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces; in the heavens will he thunder upon them. Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth; and he will give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The adversaries of the Lord shall fear him: and upon them shall he thunder in the heavens: The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, and he shall give empire to his king, and shall exalt the horn of his Christ.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Delante de Jehová serán quebrantados sus adversarios, y sobre ellos tronará desde los cielos: Jehová juzgará los términos de la tierra, y dará fortaleza á su Rey, y ensalzará el cuerno de su Mesías.
Diante do SENHOR serão quebrantados seus adversários, E sobre eles trovejará desde os céus: o SENHOR julgará os termos da terra, E dará força a seu Rei, E exaltará o poder de seu ungido.
Les ennemis de l’ Éternel trembleront;
Die mit dem HERRN hadern, müssen zugrunde gehen; über ihnen wird er donnern im Himmel. Der HERR wird richten der Welt Enden und wird Macht geben seinem König und erhöhen das Horn seines Gesalbten.
Die met den HEERE twisten, zullen verpletterd worden; Hij zal in den hemel over hen donderen; de HEERE zal de einden der aarde richten, en zal Zijn Koning sterkte geven, en den hoorn Zijns Gezalfden verhogen.
Gli avversari dell’Eterno saran frantumati. Egli tonerà contr’essi dal cielo; l’Eterno giudicherà gli estremi confini della terra, darà forza al suo re, farà grande la potenza del suo unto”.
Pan pokruszy przeciwniki swoje, a zagrzmi na nie z nieba; Pan będzie sądził granice ziemi, a da moc królowi swemu, i wywyższy róg pomazańca swego.
Господь сотрет препирающихся с Ним; с небес возгремит на них. [Господь свят. Да не хвалится мудрый мудростью своею, и да не хвалится сильный силою своею, и да не хвалится богатый богатством своим, но желающий хвалиться да хвалится тем, что разумеет и знает Господа.] Господь будет судить концы земли, и даст крепость царю Своему и вознесет рог помазанника Своего.
與耶和華 爭競的，必被打碎；耶和華 必從天上 以雷 攻擊他，必審判 地 極的人，將力量 賜 與所立的王，高舉 受膏者 的角。
Those who make war against the Lord will be broken; against them he will send his thunder from heaven: the Lord will be judge of the ends of the earth, he will give strength to his king, lifting up the horn of him on whom the holy oil has been put.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 2:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators universally read this verse as a prophetic climax to Hannah's song, looking beyond her immediate circumstances to a coming king. Matthew Henry, Wesley, and Barnes each note the clear reference to Christ, with Barnes calling it "a clear and distinct prophecy of the Kingdom and glory of the Christ of God." The Cambridge Bible agrees, stating that Hannah's prayer "reaches forward to Him whom the Jewish kings foreshadowed." Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that Hannah, filled with the Spirit, saw in her own deliverance a pledge of God's saving work for the whole nation, culminating in a king who would bring strength and exaltation. All agree that the word "anointed" (meshiach) here appears for the first time in connection with a kingly figure, establishing the messianic hope that runs through the Old Testament. The mention of "king" and "anointed" is not anachronistic; it rises from the promises to Abraham and the longing for a righteous ruler expressed elsewhere in the Pentateuch. Thus the consensus holds that Hannah prophesies of the ultimate Anointed One, Jesus the Messiah.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Immediate reference to a future Israelite king: The monarchy was established soon after; the term may apply to Saul or David as God's anointed, and the ends of the earth could refer to the borders of the land (Poole, Cambridge).
- Direct prophecy of Jesus the Messiah: The unique use of 'anointed' and universal scope ('ends of the earth') point to a king greater than any human ruler; NT fulfillment in Luke 1:69 and the early Christian reading (Barnes, Wesley, Matthew Henry).
What is clear: The verse declares that God alone is sovereign, He will defeat all enemies, and He will establish a king whom He anoints — a hope that later believers recognize as fully realized in Jesus Christ.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| First mention of 'anointed' | All commentators note this is the first biblical occurrence of 'meshiach' in connection with a king. | Some argue the term here applies strictly to the immediate future king (Saul/David), while others see a direct prophecy of Jesus Christ; most accept a typological reading where the immediate king points to the ultimate Messiah. |
| Authenticity of the song's date | Traditional commentators (Keil, Clarke, Henry) accept Hannah as the author and the song as an authentic prophecy given before the monarchy. | Some modern critical scholars (mentioned by Keil) date the song to the monarchic period because of its reference to a king; Keil defends the early date as evidence of prophetic illumination. |
| Scope of 'the ends of the earth' | Interpreters agree the phrase extends the promise beyond Israel to include all nations. | Some take 'earth' as the land of Canaan (Poole: the Philistines at the far borders), while others see a universal judgment of the whole world. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Hannah speaks these words at Shiloh, the central sanctuary of Israel, after dedicating her newborn son Samuel to lifelong service as a Nazirite. The setting is the late period of the judges, a time marked by religious corruption (Eli's sons are described as wicked men who "did not know Yahweh," 1 Samuel 2:12) and political instability. No king rules Israel. Yet Hannah, in her song of praise, suddenly speaks of "his king" and "his anointed." This is remarkable because the monarchy has not yet been established; the first king, Saul, will be anointed only decades later.
But the idea of a king was not foreign to Israel. God had promised Abraham that kings would come from him (Genesis 17:6). Moses gave laws for a future king (Deuteronomy 17:14-20). Gideon was offered a hereditary throne (Judges 8:22). Anointing was already the rite for installing a ruler (Judges 9:8). So Hannah's words emerge from the nation's growing hope for a deliverer who would unite and protect them. The Cambridge Bible notes that "amid the prevalent anarchy and growing disintegration of the nation...the desire for a king was probably taking definite shape in the popular mind." Hannah, inspired by the Spirit, sees beyond the immediate chaos to God's ultimate plan.
The reference to thunder "against them in the sky" would later find a concrete echo in 1 Samuel 7:10, when Yahweh thundered against the Philistines during Samuel's ministry. This reinforces the historical credibility of the song: its imagery matches later events in the life of Samuel, the very son she has just dedicated. Yet the song's scope is universal: "the ends of the earth" and the exaltation of the anointed one point to a kingdom that transcends national boundaries.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note two textual features. First, the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) inserts a lengthy passage drawn from Jeremiah 9:23-24 after the clause "broken to pieces," warning the wise not to boast. Adam Clarke and the Cambridge Bible both observe this addition, and Cambridge suggests it may have originated as a marginal gloss that later entered the text. Second, Gill mentions that the Septuagint reads "the Lord ascended to heaven and thundered", a slight expansion not present in the Hebrew. The Hebrew text gives no significant variants; the passage is generally stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
This verse has been treasured in Christian tradition as the first Scriptural anticipation of the title "Messiah." The Septuagint translators rendered "his anointed" as Christos, the term that would become the Greek name for Jesus. Early church writers, such as Procopius Gazaeus (cited by Gill), saw in the verse a prophecy of the ascension, the Holy Spirit's outpouring, and the apostolic preaching to the ends of the earth. The Vulgate's translation preserved the messianic reading: exaltabit cornu Christi sui. During the Reformation, both Catholic and Protestant interpreters continued to read the verse as a clear prophecy of Christ, often linking it to Mary's Magnificat. Jewish interpreters (noted in the Targum referenced by Clarke) understood the passage to refer to the kingdom of the Messiah. The verse thus became a meeting point for Jewish and Christian messianic expectation, though Christians see its fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God breaks His adversaries, The verse opens with divine judgment on those who strive with Yahweh. The language is violent, but it assures the faithful that no power stands against God. This is not mere vengeance; it is the clearing of space for righteousness.
- God judges the whole earth, Yahweh's jurisdiction is not limited to Israel. He judges the ends of the earth, affirming His sovereignty over all nations and history. This global scope prepares the way for the messianic king's universal reign.
- God exalts His Anointed King, The climax is the empowerment and exaltation of "his king, his anointed." This is the first appearance of the word "messiah" in the Old Testament. Hannah's personal thanksgiving swells into a prophecy of the coming Christ.
Five-point outline
- Contention with God ends in ruin. The verb "strive" (ribh) connotes legal or personal opposition. Those who take up a case against Yahweh lose.
- Heaven itself takes sides, thunder as divine weapon. God thunders from the sky, a symbol of His irresistible power (see 1 Samuel 7:10).
- Judgment extends to the remotest parts of the earth. No corner is beyond His reach. This is a global theocracy.
- God empowers His chosen king. The king is not self-made; strength is given. Human leadership is derivative, not autonomous.
- The horn of the Anointed is exalted. The horn symbolizes power and honor. This anointed one (meshiach) is the vessel of God's definitive victory.
Illustration hooks
- A mother's answered prayer, Hannah prayed for a son; she got Samuel. But she saw in that small mercy a picture of God's greater deliverance. Many of us have received a blessing that hints at something larger.
- A courtroom drama, "Those who strive with Yahweh" suggests adversaries who bring a legal case. Imagine a defendant who picks a fight with the judge, the outcome is certain. God is not merely a participant; He presides.
- A relay race, Hannah passes the baton of hope to Samuel, who will anoint David, whose lineage leads to Jesus. The verse is a handoff in a long story.
Questions your congregation is asking
- "How can I trust God when evil seems to win?", The verse promises that God will judge and break His enemies; His king will ultimately prevail.
- "Does God care about my small story?", Hannah's personal song becomes the vehicle for one of the Bible's greatest prophecies. God weaves our stories into His grand plan.
- "Who is this Anointed One?", For Christians, this is the first trace of a trail that ends at Bethlehem and Golgotha. The verse fuels our longing for Jesus.
Leading a Discussion
This verse stands at the hinge of Hannah's song, where personal praise gives way to a prophetic declaration. Read the full song (1 Samuel 2:1-10) together, then focus on verse 10. Notice the shift from what God has done for Hannah to what He will do for the whole world through a coming King. This passage invites us to see our own experiences of God's grace as part of a much larger story.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What actions does the verse attribute to God? List them.
- Observation: Who are "those who strive with Yahweh"? Based on the surrounding context (especially verses 3 and 9), how might Hannah define an "adversary" of the Lord?
- Interpretation: Why does the promise that "Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth" matter in a time when Israel has no king?
- Interpretation: The word "anointed" (meshiach) appears here for the first time in the Bible. How does its meaning develop throughout the Old Testament? What does Hannah's use teach us about the identity of this figure?
- Interpretation: Compare this verse with the song of Mary (Luke 1:46-55). What themes do they share? How does Mary see the fulfillment of Hannah's prophecy?
- Application: Hannah saw God's big plan while she lived in a small, painful moment. How can we train our eyes to see beyond present circumstances to God's ultimate purposes?
- Application: Who is "the King" and "the Anointed" for you today? How does this verse strengthen your hope in Jesus?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 15:6 | Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power. Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces. |
| Judges 5:31 | “So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years. |
| I Samuel 7:10 | As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel. |
| I Samuel 12:3 | Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.” |
| I Samuel 12:13 | Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, Yahweh has set a king over you. |
| I Samuel 12:18 | So Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel. |
| I Samuel 15:28 | Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. |
| I Samuel 16:1 | Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided a king for myself among his sons.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies the Lord's adversaries as those who sin, oppose the gospel, or persecute believers. He interprets the spread of God's empire as the result of preaching the everlasting gospel, and the
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees this verse as a remarkably clear prophecy pointing directly to the kingdom and glory of the coming Christ of God. He emphasizes that the promise of strength here belongs not to a general divine help but to the specific hope of Messiah's reign.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary stresses that Hannah’s song is true prophecy. She sees her personal deliverance as one instance of God’s universal moral government, which finds its fullest expression in the exaltation of the Lord’s Christ. The song looks ahead to the Messiah, the anointed King, in whom its lofty hopes are completely realized.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note reads this verse as a twofold promise: God will thunder from heaven to destroy His enemies, and He will strengthen and exalt His appointed King. The emphasis falls on divine power displayed in judgment and in the specific empowerment of God's anointed ruler.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads Hannah's prophecy as a direct foreshadowing of the Messiah, the Lord's anointed. He identifies the king and anointed one as Christ, not Israel's early kings. The breaking of adversaries and thunder from heaven point to God's final judgment through Christ, culminating in his exaltation and reign over all the earth.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights that the word "anointed" or "Messiah" appears here for the first time in Scripture. Since Israel had no king when Hannah sang, they see this as pointing directly to Christ, not an earthly ruler. The song also strikingly foreshadows Mary's Magnificat in Luke.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch see Hannah's song as prophetic, not merely personal. She discerns in her own experience the pattern of God's entire kingdom plan: how He humbles the ungodly within Israel and exalts the pious. Her praise already looks ahead to the future king God will give His people.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry sees Hannah's song as more than personal gratitude; it is prophetic. He notes that her words, inspired by the Spirit, look beyond her own story to declare God's sovereign rule over human affairs and to foretell the coming of His anointed King.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads the passage as pointing beyond David to Christ, the singular anointed King. David's victories and dominion were real but partial; the Son of David will receive the whole earth and see his power exalted until every enemy lies under his feet.