Hannah: Jewish Leadership in Times of Crisis - The Seven Prophetesses of the Torah

מגילה י״ד א:י״ג
שֶׁבַע נְבִיאוֹת מַאן נִינְהוּ? שָׂרָה, מִרְיָם, דְּבוֹרָה, חַנָּה, אֲבִיגַיִל, חוּלְדָּה וְאֶסְתֵּר.
Megillah 14a:13
§ The Gemara asks with regard to the prophetesses recorded in the baraita: Who were the seven prophetesses? The Gemara answers: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther.

Middot (Qualities of Character)

Sarah: Chessed - kindness
Miriam: Gevurah - strength,
Deborah: Tiferet - balance (between chessed & gevurah), beauty, glory, truth
Hannah: Netzach - victory (to overcome), eternity,
Abigail: Hod - splendor, beauty,
Huldah: Yesod - foundation,
Esther: Malchut - majesty, royalty.

שמואל א א׳:א׳-כ״ח

(א) וַיְהִי֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד מִן־הָרָמָתַ֛יִם צוֹפִ֖ים מֵהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וּשְׁמ֡וֹ אֶ֠לְקָנָ֠ה בֶּן־יְרֹחָ֧ם בֶּן־אֱלִיה֛וּא בֶּן־תֹּ֥חוּ בֶן־צ֖וּף אֶפְרָתִֽי׃

(ב) וְלוֹ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֔ים שֵׁ֤ם אַחַת֙ חַנָּ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פְּנִנָּ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י לִפְנִנָּה֙ יְלָדִ֔ים וּלְחַנָּ֖ה אֵ֥ין יְלָדִֽים׃

(ג) וְעָלָה֩ הָאִ֨ישׁ הַה֤וּא מֵֽעִירוֹ֙ מִיָּמִ֣ים ׀ יָמִ֔ימָה לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֧ת וְלִזְבֹּ֛חַ לַה' צְבָא֖וֹת בְּשִׁלֹ֑ה וְשָׁ֞ם שְׁנֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עֵלִ֗י חׇפְנִי֙ וּפִ֣נְחָ֔ס כֹּהֲנִ֖ים לַה'׃

(ד) וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיִּזְבַּ֖ח אֶלְקָנָ֑ה וְנָתַ֞ן לִפְנִנָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּֽלְכׇל־בָּנֶ֛יהָ וּבְנוֹתֶ֖יהָ מָנֽוֹת׃

(ה) וּלְחַנָּ֕ה יִתֵּ֛ן מָנָ֥ה אַחַ֖ת אַפָּ֑יִם כִּ֤י אֶת־חַנָּה֙ אָהֵ֔ב וַה' סָגַ֥ר רַחְמָֽהּ׃

(ו) וְכִעֲסַ֤תָּה צָרָתָהּ֙ גַּם־כַּ֔עַס בַּעֲב֖וּר הַרְּעִמָ֑הּ כִּֽי־סָגַ֥ר ה' בְּעַ֥ד רַחְמָֽהּ׃

(ז) וְכֵ֨ן יַעֲשֶׂ֜ה שָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֗ה מִדֵּ֤י עֲלֹתָהּ֙ בְּבֵ֣ית ה' כֵּ֖ן תַּכְעִסֶ֑נָּה וַתִּבְכֶּ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תֹאכַֽל׃

(ח) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָ֜הּ אֶלְקָנָ֣ה אִישָׁ֗הּ חַנָּה֙ לָ֣מֶה תִבְכִּ֗י וְלָ֙מֶה֙ לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְלִ֔י וְלָ֖מֶה יֵרַ֣ע לְבָבֵ֑ךְ הֲל֤וֹא אָֽנֹכִי֙ ט֣וֹב לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲשָׂרָ֖ה בָּנִֽים׃

(ט) וַתָּ֣קׇם חַנָּ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֛י אׇכְלָ֥הֿ בְשִׁלֹ֖ה וְאַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁתֹ֑ה וְעֵלִ֣י הַכֹּהֵ֗ן יֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־הַכִּסֵּ֔א עַל־מְזוּזַ֖ת הֵיכַ֥ל ה'׃

(י) וְהִ֖יא מָ֣רַת נָ֑פֶשׁ וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל עַל־ה' וּבָכֹ֥ה תִבְכֶּֽה׃

(יא) וַתִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר וַתֹּאמַ֗ר ה' צְבָא֜וֹת אִם־רָאֹ֥ה תִרְאֶ֣ה ׀ בׇּעֳנִ֣י אֲמָתֶ֗ךָ וּזְכַרְתַּ֙נִי֙ וְלֹֽא־תִשְׁכַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְנָתַתָּ֥ה לַאֲמָתְךָ֖ זֶ֣רַע אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וּנְתַתִּ֤יו לַֽה' כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו וּמוֹרָ֖ה לֹא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

(יב) וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י הִרְבְּתָ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י ה' וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁמֵ֥ר אֶת־פִּֽיהָ׃

(יג) וְחַנָּ֗ה הִ֚יא מְדַבֶּ֣רֶת עַל־לִבָּ֔הּ רַ֚ק שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ נָּע֔וֹת וְקוֹלָ֖הּ לֹ֣א יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ עֵלִ֖י לְשִׁכֹּרָֽה׃

(יד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ עֵלִ֔י עַד־מָתַ֖י תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִ֑ין הָסִ֥ירִי אֶת־יֵינֵ֖ךְ מֵֽעָלָֽיִךְ׃

(טו) וַתַּ֨עַן חַנָּ֤ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲדֹנִ֔י אִשָּׁ֤ה קְשַׁת־ר֙וּחַ֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שָׁתִ֑יתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לִפְנֵ֥י ה'׃

(טז) אַל־תִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ לִפְנֵ֖י בַּת־בְּלִיָּ֑עַל כִּֽי־מֵרֹ֥ב שִׂיחִ֛י וְכַעְסִ֖י דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי עַד־הֵֽנָּה׃

(יז) וַיַּ֧עַן עֵלִ֛י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְכִ֣י לְשָׁל֑וֹם וֵאלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל יִתֵּן֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣לָתֵ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖לְתְּ מֵעִמּֽוֹ׃

(יח) וַתֹּ֕אמֶר תִּמְצָ֧א שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֨לֶךְ הָֽאִשָּׁ֤ה לְדַרְכָּהּ֙ וַתֹּאכַ֔ל וּפָנֶ֥יהָ לֹא־הָֽיוּ־לָ֖הּ עֽוֹד׃

(יט) וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ בַבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י ה' וַיָּשֻׁ֛בוּ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־בֵּיתָ֖ם הָרָמָ֑תָה וַיֵּ֤דַע אֶלְקָנָה֙ אֶת־חַנָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַֽיִּזְכְּרֶ֖הָ ה'׃

(כ) וַֽיְהִי֙ לִתְקֻפ֣וֹת הַיָּמִ֔ים וַתַּ֥הַר חַנָּ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֤א אֶת־שְׁמוֹ֙ שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כִּ֥י מֵה' שְׁאִלְתִּֽיו׃

(כא) וַיַּ֛עַל הָאִ֥ישׁ אֶלְקָנָ֖ה וְכׇל־בֵּית֑וֹ לִזְבֹּ֧חַ לַה' אֶת־זֶ֥בַח הַיָּמִ֖ים וְאֶת־נִדְרֽוֹ׃

(כב) וְחַנָּ֖ה לֹ֣א עָלָ֑תָה כִּֽי־אָמְרָ֣ה לְאִישָׁ֗הּ עַ֣ד יִגָּמֵ֤ל הַנַּ֙עַר֙ וַהֲבִאֹתִ֗יו וְנִרְאָה֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י ה' וְיָ֥שַׁב שָׁ֖ם עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

(כג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהּ֩ אֶלְקָנָ֨ה אִישָׁ֜הּ עֲשִׂ֧י הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינַ֗יִךְ שְׁבִי֙ עַד־גׇּמְלֵ֣ךְ אֹת֔וֹ אַ֛ךְ יָקֵ֥ם ה' אֶת־דְּבָר֑וֹ וַתֵּ֤שֶׁב הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וַתֵּ֣ינֶק אֶת־בְּנָ֔הּ עַד־גׇּמְלָ֖הּ אֹתֽוֹ׃

(כד) וַתַּֽעֲלֵ֨הוּ עִמָּ֜הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר גְּמָלַ֗תּוּ בְּפָרִ֤ים שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ וְאֵיפָ֨ה אַחַ֥ת קֶ֙מַח֙ וְנֵ֣בֶל יַ֔יִן וַתְּבִאֵ֥הוּ בֵית־ה' שִׁל֑וֹ וְהַנַּ֖עַר נָֽעַר׃

(כה) וַֽיִּשְׁחֲט֖וּ אֶת־הַפָּ֑ר וַיָּבִ֥אוּ אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר אֶל־עֵלִֽי׃

(כו) וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י חֵ֥י נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אֲדֹנִ֑י אֲנִ֣י הָאִשָּׁ֗ה הַנִּצֶּ֤בֶת עִמְּכָה֙ בָּזֶ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל־ה'׃

(כז) אֶל־הַנַּ֥עַר הַזֶּ֖ה הִתְפַּלָּ֑לְתִּי וַיִּתֵּ֨ן ה' לִי֙ אֶת־שְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖לְתִּי מֵֽעִמּֽוֹ׃

(כח) וְגַ֣ם אָנֹכִ֗י הִשְׁאִלְתִּ֙הוּ֙ לַֽה' כׇּל־הַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֔ה ה֥וּא שָׁא֖וּל לַה' וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ שָׁ֖ם לַֽה'׃ {ס}

I Samuel 1:1-28

(1) There was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

(2) He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

(3) This man used to go up from his town every year to worship and to offer sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh.—Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD there.

(4) One such day, Elkanah offered a sacrifice. He used to give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters;

(5) but to Hannah he would give one portion—though Hannah was his favorite—for the LORD had closed her womb.

(6) Moreover, her rival, to make her miserable, would taunt her that the LORD had closed her womb.

(7) This happened year after year: Every time she went up to the House of the LORD, the other would taunt her, so that she wept and would not eat.

(8) Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why aren’t you eating? Why are you so sad? Am I not more devoted to you than ten sons?”

(9) After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose.—The priest Eli was sitting on the seat near the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.—

(10) In her wretchedness, she prayed to the LORD, weeping all the while.

(11) And she made this vow: “O LORD of Hosts, if You will look upon the suffering of Your maidservant and will remember me and not forget Your maidservant, and if You will grant Your maidservant a male child, I will dedicate him to the LORD for all the days of his life; and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

(12) As she kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth.

(13) Now Hannah was praying in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.

(14) Eli said to her, “Remove your wine from you.” [Sober up!”]

(15) And Hannah replied, “Oh no, my lord! I am a very unhappy woman. I have drunk no wine or other strong drink, but I have been pouring out my heart to the LORD.

(16) Do not take your maidservant for a worthless woman; I have only been speaking all this time out of my great anguish and distress.”

(17) “Then go in peace,” said Eli, “and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him.”

(18) She answered, “You are most kind to your handmaid.” So the woman left, and she ate, and was no longer downcast.

(19) Early next morning they bowed low before the LORD, and they went back home to Ramah.
Elkanah knew his wife Hannah and the LORD remembered her.

(20) Hannah conceived, and at the turn of the year bore a son. She named him Samuel, meaning, “I asked the LORD for him.”

(21) And when the man Elkanah and all his household were going up to offer to the LORD the annual sacrifice and his votive sacrifice,

(22) Hannah did not go up. She said to her husband, “When the child is weaned, I will bring him. For when he has appeared before the LORD, he must remain there for good.”

(23) Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do as you think best. Stay home until you have weaned him. May the LORD fulfill His word.” So the woman stayed home and nursed her son until she weaned him.

(24) When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a jar of wine. And though the boy was still very young, she brought him to the House of the LORD at Shiloh.

(25) After slaughtering the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.

(26) She said, “Please, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you and prayed to the LORD.

(27) It was this boy I prayed for; and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him.

(28) I, in turn, hereby lend him to the LORD. For as long as he lives he is lent to the LORD.” And they bowed low there before the LORD.

Tension with Peninnah

The Rabbis relate that Hannah was Elkanah’s first wife. Only after he saw that she had not borne any children during their first ten years of marriage did he marry Peninnah (Pesikta Rabbati 43). The Mishnah rules that if a couple has been married for ten years without having any children, the husband is obligated to take another (or additional) wife, in order to fulfill the commandment to be fruitful and multiply (M Yevamot 6:6). The midrash maintains that Elkanah was compelled to marry Peninnah because of Hannah’s barrenness, thus explaining his preference for Hannah, his first wife. The midrash also states that Peninah had ten sons (Pesikta Rabbati 43).
(Kadari, Tamar. "Hannah: Midrash and Aggadah.")

The tension between Peninnah and Hannah because of the latter’s barrenness is portrayed in I Sam. 1:6: “Moreover, her rival, to make her more miserable, would taunt her that the Lord had closed her womb.” In the midrashic expansion, Peninnah would annoy Hannah by asking her: “Did you buy a sweater for your eldest son?,” “Did you buy a shirt for your second son?” (Midrash Samuel 1:8). According to a different midrashic tradition, early in the morning Peninnah would question Hannah: “Aren’t you getting up to wash your children’s faces before they go to school?” And six hours later she would ask: “Aren’t you going to greet your children when they come home from school?” (Pesikta Rabbati 43). In this midrashic retelling, Peninnah would harness ordinary everyday activities as barbs against Hannah, by reminding her, at all hours of the day, of the difference between them.
(Kadari, Tamar. "Hannah: Midrash and Aggadah."Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. 31 December 1999. Jewish Women's Archive. (Viewed on November 28, 2023) <https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/hannah-midrash-and-aggadah>.)

Alternate Portrayal of Peninnah

The Rabbis feel that Peninnah’s unseemly conduct was the cause of Hannah finally being blessed with a child. God said to Peninnah: “You vexed Hannah [“to vex her (harimah),” I Sam. 1:6]—by your life, there is no thunder [re’amim] that is not followed by rain. I will immediately remember her [i.e., bless her with child]” (Pesikta Rabbati loc. cit.). This midrashic wordplay uses the two meanings of ra’am: (1) anger and (2) thunder. The barren wife is compared to arid soil and her being blessed with child is portrayed as the rain that falls and sates the earth, causing it to be fertile.
A completely different midrash casts Peninnah in a favorable light. Her intentions were for the sake of Heaven and she grieved Hannah so that the latter would pray to the Lord (BT Bava Batra 16a). Peninnah wanted to aid Hannah and she knew that only the latter’s prayer to God could be of help. She therefore vexed Hannah at Shiloh, thereby causing her distraught rival wife to pray fervently. Thanks to Peninnah, Hannah’s prayer was answered, and she gave birth to children.
(Kadari, Tamar. "Peninnah: Midrash and Aggadah." Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. 31 December 1999. Jewish Women's Archive. (Viewed on November 28, 2023) <https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/peninnah-midrash-and-aggadah>.)

Hannah the Prophetess

מגילה י״ד א:י״ח

חַנָּה — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל חַנָּה וַתֹּאמַר עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּה׳ רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּה׳״. ״רָמָה קַרְנִי״, וְלֹא רָמָה פַּכִּי. דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁנִּמְשְׁחוּ בְּקֶרֶן — נִמְשְׁכָה מַלְכוּתָן, שָׁאוּל וְיֵהוּא שֶׁנִּמְשְׁחוּ בְּפַךְ — לֹא נִמְשְׁכָה מַלְכוּתָן.

Megillah 14a:18

Hannah was a prophetess, as it is written: “And Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord” (I Samuel 2:1), and her words were prophecy, in that she said: “My horn is exalted,” and not: My pitcher is exalted. As, with regard to David and Solomon, who were anointed with oil from a horn, their kingship continued, whereas with regard to Saul and Jehu, who were anointed with oil from a pitcher, their kingship did not continue. This demonstrates that Hannah was a prophetess, as she prophesied that only those anointed with oil from a horn will merit that their kingships continue.

The Prayer of Hannah

מלבי"ם על שמואל א א׳:ט׳:ב׳

ותקם הנה עד עתה סמכה את עצמה על תפלת בעלה שהיה צדיק, ועתה שראתה שהוא מתיאש מן הרחמים התעוררה להתפלל בעצמה...

Malbim on I Samuel 1:9:2

"So Hannah rose up...(Samuel I 1:9)" - until now she had relied solely upon her husband, who was a righteous man, to pray for her, and now that she saw that he had given up on compassion, she was aroused to prayer for herself...

The prayer of Hannah was unique among prayers, since it was answered without being heard. The midrash cites a series of Biblical prayers in descending order of length and ascending potency. Some prayers are answered after thirty years, as with Joseph, whose dreams came to pass when he was thirty years of age (Gen. 41:46). Other prayers are granted after three days, such as the prayer of Jonah in the fish’s belly (Jonah 2:1). Yet other prayers are answered before they have had time to leave the mouth of the one who cries out, such as that of Moses: “Then the Lord said to Moses: ‘Why do you cry out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward’” (Ex. 14:15). Hannah’s prayer, however, was in a whisper heard by none and already granted (Midrash Samuel 4:1).
(Kadari, Tamar. "Hannah: Midrash and Aggadah.")

The Rabbis state that several important laws of prayer may be learned from Hannah’s prayer. The words “I am the woman who stood here beside you” (v. 26) teach that Hannah prayed while standing, from which the Rabbis concluded that she recited the Amidah prayer (the Shemoneh Esreh). The laws derived from Hannah’s prayer also relate to the Amidah:

It is said of Hannah: “In her wretchedness [or: bitterness of soul], she prayed to the Lord” (v. 10), thus showing that one should stand up to recite the Amidah only in a reverent frame of mind (BT Berakhot 30b).
From the words “now Hannah was praying in her heart” (v. 13) we learn that the one reciting the Amidah must have intent.
The words “only her lips moved” (ibid.) teach that thinking to oneself the words of the prayer is not sufficient; they must be pronounced with one’s lips.
The words “but her voice could not be heard” (ibid.) indicates that, even though a person must pronounce the words, he must not raise his voice during the Amidah.
“So Eli thought she was drunk” (ibid.) teaches that one who is intoxicated may not pray (BT Berakhot 31a).
When Hannah meets Eli for the second time, she tells him “I am the woman who stood here beside you” (v. 26), from which the Rabbis deduce that Eli also stood while Hannah prayed; consequently, it is forbidden to sit within four cubits of someone reciting the Amidah and one must stand until the person finishes (BT Berakhot 31b).

(Kadari, Tamar. "Hannah: Midrash and Aggadah.")

The Song of Hannah

The midrash states that Hannah became pregnant on Rosh Hashanah, because the Bible says of her (v. 19) “and the Lord remembered her [va-yizkereha],” and Rosh Hashanah is called (Lev. 23:24) “a sacred occasion commemorated [zikhron] with loud blasts” (BT Rosh Hashanah 11a). Hannah was one hundred and thirty years old when she became pregnant, as was Jochebed (Midrash Samuel 4:1); this midrash is part of the Rabbinic trend to compare Samuel with Moses.
(Kadari, Tamar. "Hannah: Midrash and Aggadah.")

I Samuel 2:1-10
א. וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל חַנָּה֙ וַתֹּאמַ֔ר עָלַ֤ץ לִבִּי֙ בַּֽה' רָ֥מָה קַרְנִ֖י בַּֽה' רָ֤חַב פִּי֙ עַל־א֣וֹיְבַ֔י כִּ֥י שָׂמַ֖חְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃
ב. אֵין־קָד֥וֹשׁ כַּה' כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֥ין צ֖וּר כֵּאלֹקֵֽינוּ׃
ג. אַל־תַּרְבּ֤וּ תְדַבְּרוּ֙ גְּבֹהָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה יֵצֵ֥א עָתָ֖ק מִפִּיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י אֵ֤ל דֵּעוֹת֙ ה' (ולא) [וְל֥וֹ] נִתְכְּנ֖וּ עֲלִלֽוֹת׃
ד. קֶ֥שֶׁת גִּבֹּרִ֖ים חַתִּ֑ים וְנִכְשָׁלִ֖ים אָ֥זְרוּ חָֽיִל׃
ה. שְׂבֵעִ֤ים בַּלֶּ֙חֶם֙ נִשְׂכָּ֔רוּ וּרְעֵבִ֖ים חָדֵ֑לּוּ עַד־עֲקָרָה֙ יָלְדָ֣ה שִׁבְעָ֔ה וְרַבַּ֥ת בָּנִ֖ים אֻמְלָֽלָה׃
ו. ה׳ מֵמִ֣ית וּמְחַיֶּ֑ה מוֹרִ֥יד שְׁא֖וֹל וַיָּֽעַל׃
ז. ה׳ מוֹרִ֣ישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁ֑יר מַשְׁפִּ֖יל אַף־מְרוֹמֵֽם׃
ח. מֵקִ֨ים מֵעָפָ֜ר דָּ֗ל מֵֽאַשְׁפֹּת֙ יָרִ֣ים אֶבְי֔וֹן לְהוֹשִׁיב֙ עִם־נְדִיבִ֔ים וְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד יַנְחִלֵ֑ם כִּ֤י לַֽה' מְצֻ֣קֵי אֶ֔רֶץ וַיָּ֥שֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם תֵּבֵֽל׃
ט. רַגְלֵ֤י חֲסִידָו֙ יִשְׁמֹ֔ר וּרְשָׁעִ֖ים בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יִדָּ֑מּוּ כִּי־לֹ֥א בְכֹ֖חַ יִגְבַּר־אִֽישׁ׃
י. ה׳ יֵחַ֣תּוּ מְרִיבָ֗ו עָלָו֙ בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יַרְעֵ֔ם ה' יָדִ֣ין אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְיִתֶּן־עֹ֣ז לְמַלְכּ֔וֹ וְיָרֵ֖ם קֶ֥רֶן מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃ {פ}

I Samuel 2:1-10
1. And Ḥannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies; because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside You: neither is there any rock like our God.
3. Talk no more so very proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry have ceased: while the barren has born seven; and she that has many children has become wretched.
6. The Lord kills, and gives life: he brings down to the grave, and brings up.
7. The Lord makes poor, and makes rich: he brings low, and raises up.
8. He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he has set the world upon them.
9. He will keep the feet of his pious ones, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for it is not by strength that man prevails.
10. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; out of heaven shall He thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength to His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.

The midrash relates that Hannah’s song saved the wicked. When she sang her song (I Sam. 2:6)—“The Lord deals death and gives life, casts down into Sheol and raises up”—she saved the company of Korah who had been swallowed up by the ground (as portrayed in Num. 16:31–33). They descended to Sheol until Hannah prayed for them, whereupon they rose (Midrash Samuel 5:12).
(Kadari, Tamar. "Hannah: Midrash and Aggadah.")