The birth of Samuel marks the start of a new age—not just for Hannah’s family but also for Israel. Through Samuel, the last judge of Israel, God anoints a king: Saul and later David. We know that through the Davidic line God fulfills the promise of establishing a kingdom that will last forever. Though the theme of barrenness dominates the history of Israel’s matriarchs (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel), it seems to end with Hannah as a culmination of God’s agency of reversal from that of despair to blessing, from childlessness to an assurance of Israel’s future through the line of David.
Not only does Hannah’s life testify to God’s faithfulness to her family, her thanksgiving becomes a prophetic voice for Israel’s story. Before her, we read of God speaking to the Patriarchs in their narratives. Rarely did prophets speak on behalf of God before kings ruled in Israel. But in this passage we hear God’s message of assurance and anointing through one from the margins; one who was oppressed, one who was judged for murmuring, one who was a woman! An unthinkable possibility during her time, but Hannah’s God does not stand on predictability.
Hannah looked to the Lord in her time of dire need and expressed her innermost desires. God employs her situation to display divine faithfulness both to Hannah as God’s servant and to Israel as God’s people. Hannah may have been unaware of the prophetic promise she declares, but God uses Hannah’s utmost gratitude to usher in God’s reign.