I Shmuel 2: One of Seven

Traditionally, there are seven prophetesses: Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Chanah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther. Chanah never speaks directly to God, and she never has a vision. So where is her prophecy? It may be found here, in her prayer: “He raises the poor from the dust, lifts up the needy from the dunghill, setting them with nobles, granting them seats of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s; He has set the world upon them” / מֵקִים מֵעָפָר דָּל מֵאַשְׁפֹּת יָרִים אֶבְיוֹן לְהוֹשִׁיב עִם־נְדִיבִים וְכִסֵּא כָבוֹד יַנְחִלֵם כִּי לַה׳ מְצֻקֵי אֶרֶץ וַיָּשֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶם תֵּבֵל (verse 8). This verse may sound familiar because it reappears in Psalms 113, which is also part of Hallel. Shmuel, Chanah’s son, will eventually anoint Israel’s first two kings—Shaul and David. One might have expected those first kings to come from prominent families, perhaps from the children of previous judges or other established leaders. Instead, both Shaul and David emerge from more modest beginnings. They are lifted from the dust and seated among nobles. When King David later echoes Chanah’s language, he may be acknowledging that her prayer was not only gratitude, but prophecy. The Navi quietly confirms this in the first verse of chapter 3: “Young Samuel was in the service of the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; prophecy was not widespread.” / וְהַנַּעַר שְׁמוּאֵל מְשָׁרֵת אֶת־ה׳ לִפְנֵי עֵלִי וּדְבַר־ה׳ הָיָה יָקָר בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֵין חָזוֹן נִפְרָץ Chanah’s prophecy was remarkable precisely because it appeared in a time when God’s word was scarce and the people’s connection to Him was frayed. Years later, through her son, Chanah’s prayer became the blueprint for Israel’s monarchy.