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And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
1 Samuel 2:1 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Hannah prayed, and said: “My heart exults in Yahweh! My horn is exalted in Yahweh. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
  • BSB At that time Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the LORD in whom my horn is exalted. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation.
  • NKJV And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
  • NASB Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
  • NLT Then Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Hannah's song begins with exultant joy in the Lord and His salvation. Her prayer turns personal deliverance into praise of God's saving power.

Overview

Hannah's song, like Mary's Magnificat which echoes it, rejoices not merely in a son but in the God who saves the lowly. The 'horn' is a symbol of strength and dignity, here exalted by the Lord. Her praise lifts her eyes beyond her own circumstances to God's wider work of salvation, anticipating the gospel theme of God exalting the humble.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 29

  • Luke 1:46–56And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
  • Ps 13:5But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
  • Isa 12:2–3Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
  • Phil 4:6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
  • Ps 92:10But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
  • Ps 89:17For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
  • Ps 20:5We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
  • Ps 35:9And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
  • Ps 9:14That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.
  • Phil 4:4Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
  • Judg 5:1–2Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
  • Ps 118:14The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
  • Exod 15:21And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
  • Phil 3:3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
  • Exod 15:1Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
  • Ps 89:24But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
  • Hab 3:18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
  • 1 Sam 2:1–10And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
  • 1 Pet 1:8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
  • Ps 18:2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
  • Ps 112:8–9His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.
  • Ps 51:15O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
  • Rom 5:11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
  • Hab 3:1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.
  • Ps 71:8Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
  • Ps 75:10All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
  • Rev 18:20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
  • Neh 11:17And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
  • Luke 1:69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (10)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 Samuel 2:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.

How 1 Samuel 2:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.