1 Samuel 2:4

4 The bow of strong men is overcome, and feeble men be girded with strength.

1 Samuel 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 2:4

The bows of the mighty men are broken
Hannah, from relating gracious experiences, and celebrating, the divine perfections of holiness, omniscience, and sovereignty, passes on to take notice of the dealings of God with men in providence and grace; bows are here put for all military arms, which men of might and war make use of, and which God can easily break in pieces, and so make war to cease in the earth, and hinder warlike men from doing what they design and attempt; they are enfeebled and weakened by him, and their hands cannot perform their enterprises: so the bows of Satan, and his principalities and powers, are broken, and his fiery darts are quenched, and the people of the Lord enabled to stand against him, and wrestle with him and them, being strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, as it follows:

and they that stumbled are girt with strength;
who, through weakness, are ready to stumble at everything they meet with in the way; yet, being girded with strength by the Lord, are able to do great exploits, as David did, that being his case, ( Psalms 18:29 Psalms 18:32 ) , so such as are weak in grace, in faith, in knowledge, and ready to stumble at every trial and exercise, let it come from what quarter it will; yet being girded by the Lord with strength, are able to exercise grace, perform duty, go through every service they are called to, whether in a way of doing or suffering, to bear the yoke and cross of Christ, to oppose every enemy, to walk on in the ways of God, and to persevere in faith and holiness to the end.

1 Samuel 2:4 In-Context

2 None is holy as the Lord is; for none other is, except thee, and none is strong as our God. (No one is as holy as the Lord is; for there is no other, except thee, and no one is as strong as our God.)

3 Do not ye multiply to speak high things, and have glory therein; eld things go away from your mouth; for God is Lord of knowings, and thoughts be made ready to him. (Do not ye continue to speak proud things, and have glory in it; let not proud words come out of your mouth; for God is the Lord of all knowledge, and he judgeth all that people do.)

4 The bow of strong men is overcome, and feeble men be girded with strength.

5 Men full-filled before, setted themselves to hire for loaves, and hungry men be filled; while the barren woman childed full many, and she that had many sons, was made sick. (Men filled full before, now hire themselves out to work for loaves, and hungry men be filled; while the barren woman bare a great many, and she who had many sons, was made feeble, or weak.)

6 The Lord slayeth, and quickeneth; he leadeth forth to hells, and bringeth again. (The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he leadeth down to Sheol, or into the grave, and bringeth up again.)