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Contemporary English Version

1 Samuel 2:5

People who once had plenty to eat must now hire themselves out for only a piece of bread. But you give the hungry more than enough to eat. A woman did not have a child, and you gave her seven, but a woman who had many was left with none.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Barrenness;   Hannah;   Joy;   Poetry;   Praise;   Pride;   Psalms;   Samuel;   Satire;   Seven;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Hannah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Missionaries, All Christians Should Be as;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Seven;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Hannah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Poor and Poverty, Theology of;   Providence of God;   Samuel, First and Second, Theology of;   Wages;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Jesus Christ;   Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Child;   Mary;   Seven;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Obed;   Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hunger;   Magnificat;   Poetry;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hannah;   Joy;   Mary;   Medicine;   Priests and Levites;   Psalms;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Hymn;   Mary, the Virgin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Hannah ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Hannah;   Hophni;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Eli;   Hannah;   Samuel first and second books of;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Han'nah;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Barren;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Seven;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Samuel the Prophet;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Barren;   Hannah;   Hire;   Intercession;   Number;   Poetry, Hebrew;   Prayer;   Samuel, Books of;   Woman;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Prayer;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Those who are full hire themselves out for food,but those who are starving hunger no more.The woman who is childless gives birth to seven,but the woman with many sons pines away.
Hebrew Names Version
Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread; Those who were hungry have ceased [to hunger]: Yes, the barren has borne seven; She who has many children languishes.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
Those who were full must hire themselves out for bread, but those who are hungry will become fat. As for the infertile, she will bear seven, but she who has many sons withers away.
English Standard Version
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
New Century Version
Those who once had plenty of food now must work for food, but people who were hungry are hungry no more. The woman who could not have children now has seven, but the woman who had many children now is sad.
New English Translation
Those who are well-fed hire themselves out to earn food, but the hungry no longer lack. Even the barren woman gives birth to seven, but the one with many children withers away.
Amplified Bible
"Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease [to hunger]. Even the barren [woman] gives birth to seven, But she who has many children withers away.
New American Standard Bible
"Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to be hungry. Even the infertile woman gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes.
Geneva Bible (1587)
They that were full, are hired foorth for bread, and the hungrie are no more hired, so that the barren hath borne seuen: and shee that had many children, is feeble.
Legacy Standard Bible
Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,But those who were hungry cease to hunger.Even the barren gives birth to seven,But she who has many children languishes.
Complete Jewish Bible
The well-fed hire themselves for bread, while those who were hungry hunger no more. The barren woman has borne seven, while the mother of many wastes away.
Darby Translation
They that were full have hired themselves out for bread; and the hungry are [so] no more: Even the barren beareth seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
Easy-to-Read Version
People who had plenty of food in the past must now work to get food. But those who were hungry in the past now grow fat on food. The woman who was not able to have children now has seven children. But the woman who had many children is sad because her children are gone.
George Lamsa Translation
Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread; and those who were hungry have food left over; the barren has given birth and is satisfied; and she who has many children is lonely.
Good News Translation
The people who once were well fed now hire themselves out to get food, but the hungry are hungry no more. The childless wife has borne seven children, but the mother of many is left with none.
Literal Translation
They that were full have hired themselves out for bread; and the hungry have ceased, while the barren has borne seven; yea, she who had many sons has languished.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They that were fylled afore, are solde for bred: and they that were hongrie, are satisfied: vntyll the baren bare seuen, and tyll she that had many childre, was become weake.
American Standard Version
They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; And they that were hungry have ceased to hunger: Yea, the barren hath borne seven; And she that hath many children languisheth.
Bible in Basic English
Those who were full are offering themselves as servants for bread; those who were in need are at rest; truly, she who had no children has become the mother of seven; and she who had a family is wasted with sorrow.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They that were full, haue hyred out them selues for bread, and they that were hungry, ceasse, tyll the barren hath borne seuen, and she that had many children, is waxed feeble.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry have ceased; while the barren hath borne seven, she that had many children hath languished.
King James Version (1611)
They that were full, haue hired out themselues for bread: and they that were hungry, ceased: so that the barren hath borne seuen, and she that hath many children, is waxed feeble.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
They that were full of bread are brought low; and the hungry have forsaken the land; for the barren has born seven, and she that abounded in children has waxed feeble.
English Revised Version
They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry have ceased: yea, the barren hath borne seven; and she that hath many children languisheth.
Berean Standard Bible
The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Men fillid bifore settiden hem silf to hire for looues, and hungri men ben fillid; while the bareyn womman childide ful manye, and sche that hadde many sones, was sijke.
Young's Literal Translation
The satiated for bread hired themselves, And the hungry have ceased. While the barren hath borne seven, And she abounding with sons hath languished.
Update Bible Version
Those that were full have hired out themselves for bread; And those that were hungry have ceased [to hunger]: Yes, the barren has borne seven; And she that has many sons languishes.
Webster's Bible Translation
[They that were] full have hired out themselves for bread; and [they that were] hungry ceased: so that the barren hath borne seven; and she that hath many children is become feeble.
World English Bible
Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread; Those who were hungry have ceased [to hunger]: Yes, the barren has borne seven; She who has many children languishes.
New King James Version
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble.
New Living Translation
Those who were well fed are now starving, and those who were starving are now full. The childless woman now has seven children, and the woman with many children wastes away.
New Life Bible
Those who were full go out to work for bread. But those who were hungry are filled. She who could not give birth has given birth to seven. But she who has many children has become weak.
New Revised Standard
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The sated, have, for bread, taken hire, But, the famished, have left off their toil, - So that, the barren, hath given birth unto seven, While, she that hath many sons, languisheth:
Douay-Rheims Bible
They that were full before, have hired out themselves for bread: and the hungry are filled, so that the barren hath borne many: and she that had many children is weakened.
Revised Standard Version
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, But she who has many children languishes.

Contextual Overview

1 Hannah prayed: You make me strong and happy, Lord . You rescued me. Now I can be glad and laugh at my enemies. 2 No other god is like you. We're safer with you than on a high mountain. 3 I can tell those proud people, "Stop your boasting! Nothing is hidden from the Lord , and he judges what we do." 4 Our Lord , you break the bows of warriors, but you give strength to everyone who stumbles. 5 People who once had plenty to eat must now hire themselves out for only a piece of bread. But you give the hungry more than enough to eat. A woman did not have a child, and you gave her seven, but a woman who had many was left with none. 6 You take away life, and you give life. You send people down to the world of the dead and bring them back again. 7 Our Lord , you are the one who makes us rich or poor. You put some in high positions and bring disgrace on others. 8 You lift the poor and homeless out of the garbage dump and give them places of honor in royal palaces. You set the world on foundations, and they belong to you. 9 You protect your loyal people, but everyone who is evil will die in darkness. We cannot win a victory by our own strength. 10 Our Lord , those who attack you will be broken in pieces when you fight back with thunder from heaven. You will judge the whole earth and give power and strength to your chosen king.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

full: Psalms 34:10, Luke 1:53, Luke 16:25

the barren: 1 Samuel 1:20, Psalms 113:9

waxed feeble: 1 Samuel 1:6, Isaiah 54:1, Jeremiah 15:9, Galatians 4:27

Reciprocal: Genesis 30:2 - Am I Genesis 33:3 - seven times Leviticus 26:18 - seven times Job 18:12 - hungerbitten Job 27:14 - his offspring Psalms 68:6 - God Psalms 107:11 - contemned Psalms 107:39 - they are Ecclesiastes 3:2 - time to be born Luke 6:25 - full

Cross-References

Genesis 2:9
The Lord God placed all kinds of beautiful trees and fruit trees in the garden. Two other trees were in the middle of the garden. One of the trees gave life—the other gave the power to know the difference between right and wrong.
Genesis 2:11
The first one is the Pishon River that flows through the land of Havilah,
Genesis 2:12
where pure gold, rare perfumes, and precious stones are found.
Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God sent them out of the Garden of Eden, where they would have to work the ground from which the man had been made.
Genesis 4:2
Later she had another son and named him Abel. Abel became a sheep farmer, but Cain farmed the land.
Genesis 4:12
If you try to farm the land, it won't produce anything for you. From now on, you'll be without a home, and you'll spend the rest of your life wandering from place to place.
Job 5:10
God sends showers on earth and waters the fields.
Psalms 104:14
You let the earth produce grass for cattle, plants for our food,
Psalms 135:7
The Lord makes the clouds rise from far across the earth, and he makes lightning to go with the rain. Then from his secret place he sends out the wind.
Jeremiah 14:22
Idols can't send rain, and showers don't fall by themselves. Only you control the rain, so we put our trust in you, the Lord our God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They that are full have hired out themselves for bread,.... Such as have been full of the good things of this life have been stripped of all, and reduced to such circumstances as to be obliged to hire themselves out to persons to labour under them for their bread. Hannah has either respect to some instances she had known, or prophesies of what would be hereafter, and was fulfilled in the Israelites, when in the hands of the Egyptians and Assyrians, Lamentations 4:6 and may be exemplified in the case of the prodigal son, Luke 15:13 and is true of such who have larger gifts, but not grace, and which they exercise for lucre sake, and are mere hirelings; and of self-righteous persons who are full of themselves, of their goodness and righteousness, purity, and power; are quite mercenary do all they do for gain, work for life, and labour for perishing meat, and for that which is not bread, and is unsatisfying:

and they that were hungry ceased; that is, from being hungry, being filled with good things, having a large and sufficient supply to satisfy their craving desires, Luke 1:53. Such are the changes sometimes in Providence, that those who have lived in great plenty and fulness are obliged to work for their bread; and, on the other hand, such as have been starving, and in furnishing circumstances, have been brought into very plentiful and affluent ones. The "hungry", in a spiritual sense, are such who hunger an thirst after Christ, and his righteousness, for justification before God; after him and his blood for the remission of their sins, and the cleansing of their souls; after him, and salvation by him, in whom alone it is to be had; after a view of interest in him, and a greater degree of knowledge of him; and after more communion with him in his word and ordinances; and after the enjoyment of them for that purpose: now when they enjoy what they are craving after, they cease to hire out themselves for bread, as others do; they do not cease from working, but from dependence on their works, on which they cannot feed and live, having found and got other and better bread to feed upon; they cease to be hungry, for they are filled and satisfied with the love of God, with the righteousness of Christ, with the blessings of grace, and salvation by him, with the goodness of his house, and with all the fulness of God and Christ; and so having what satisfies them, they desire no other food, shall have no more want, or be in a starving condition any more, especially this will be the case hereafter:

so that the barren hath born seven; meaning herself, who had born many, even five children besides Samuel, 1 Samuel 2:20 which either was the case before this song was delivered; or rather what she believed would be the case after Eli had blessed her, and prayed for the children by her; seven being a number put for many, Proverbs 24:16

and she that hath many children is waxed feeble; and incapable of bearing more; and stripped of what she had; this may be understood of Peninnah, concerning whom the Jews have this tradition o, which Jarchi relates, that when Hannah bore one child, Peninnah buried two; and whereas Hannah had five, Peninnah lost all her ten children. This may be applied to the case of the Gentile and Jewish churches, under the Gospel dispensation, when more were the children of the desolate or barren, the Gentiles, than of the married wife, the Jews, Isaiah 54:1.

o Vid. Hieron, Trad. Heb. in. lib. Reg. fol. 34. K.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See an instance in 1 Samuel 2:36. See, too, in Ezekiel 13:19, another example of hire paid in bread.

Ceased - i. e. were at rest, did no work. The general sense is expressed by the translation of the Latin Version, “they were filled.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 2:5. They that were full — All the things mentioned in these verses frequently happen in the course of the Divine providence; and indeed it is the particular providence of God that Hannah seems more especially to celebrate through the whole of this simple yet sublime ode.


 
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