Poole on 1 Samuel 2:2: Hannah's Song, Part 2

Verse 2:[1] (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 3:24; 32:4; Ps. 86:8; 89:6, 8) There is none holy as the LORD: for there is (Deut. 4:35; 2 Sam. 22:32) none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

[There is no other holy, as the Lord is] With divine blessing received, she undertakes divine praises; and those she begins from the holiness of God, both because this is more well-known to us than the other attributes of God; and because God glories in no other thing more than His holiness, Psalm 138:2;[2] Isaiah 6:3; Amos 4:2; Revelation 4:8, and elsewhere. And Christ taught that this is especially to be prayed for, that the name of God might be hallowed, Matthew 6:9 (Mendoza): because God in the offspring of Hannah declared Himself holy, 1. by defending her innocence and uprightness against Peninnah; 2. by holily fulfilling the faith given concerning offspring; 3. by giving Samuel as a most holy Prophet (Lapide). Moreover, God alone is independently and most perfectly holy; both by essence or nature; and both in act and in potency, because He has not, nor is even able to have, any blemish (Mendoza). There is none holy, which is to say, no other ought to be worshipped besides the Lord, for He is most merciful, etc. By holinessshe understands Mercy, Clemency, Righteousness, and all other virtues (Vatablus).

There is none holy as the Lord; none so perfectly, unchangeably, and constantly holy, as God hath showed himself to be in this act of grace to me, whereby he hath both checked the proud and mighty, and pleaded the cause of his afflicted servant that trusted in him, and also fulfilled his promise in giving me a son, whom he hath sanctified by his grace to his service; all which are the proper effects of God’s holiness.

[There is no other beside thee, כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ] Because not (or nothing [Tigurinus]; indeed, no one [Junius and Tremellius, Vatablus]), understanding, is there(Pagnine, Junius and Tremellius), beside thee (thus the Septuagint); which is to say, Thou alone art holy (Vatablus). No other is holy beside the Lord, or without the Lord; or, who does not participate in holiness from the Lord. Or, there is no God beside thee (Arabic). Thus is denied any other Deity, as in Isaiah 43:10; 44:6 (Mendoza). There is not beside thee. God alone actually is, because He is of Himself, and because He is eternal. For, to be signifies to be eternal (Drusius). Of God alone is it said, I am, Exodus 3:14;[3]John 8:58.[4] But of the creature it is said that it is not, Isaiah 40:17[5] (Mendoza).

There is none beside thee; not only none is so holy as thou art, but in truth there is none holy (which word is easily understood out of the former clause) besides thee, to wit, entirely or independently, but only by participation from thee. Or, as none have any holiness like thine, so none have any being besides thee, unless by derivation from thee.

[Neither is there one mighty like our God (thus Pagnine, similarly Jonathan, Syriac, Munster), וְאֵ֥ין צ֖וּר כֵּאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃] And no rock like our God (Montanus). There is no rock like God (Junius and Tremellius, Drusius). צוּר is a Proper Epithet of God. See Deuteronomy 32:4[6] (Malvenda); Psalm 18:2,[7] 31,[8] 46;[9] 2 Samuel 22:2, 3,[10] 32,[11] 47;[12] Psalm 73:26[13] (Mendoza). Rockhere denotes, either, the strength and omnipotence of God (Malvenda) (thou art a צוּר/rock, O God, which is to say, thou art most powerful [Vatablus]): or, rather, a fortress, keep, and refuge, which He furnishes for those that flee to Him (Drusius). A Rock, in which we are made safe and secure against tempests and hunters, according to Psalm 104:18. Or, there is an allusion to the cliffs in Canaan, in which were caves, to which the Israelites fled from pursuing enemies [as previously noted]. God is that rock of refuge, in the fissures of which doves are received, and protected (Mendoza). In this place, God shows His power in three ways: 1. In performing miracles, and in making Hannah, previously barren, fruitful. 2. In defending Hannah in her weakness. 3. And in subduing the pride of Peninnah. Moreover, our God is added, namely, the God of Israel, to distinguish Him from false gods (Mendoza).

Neither is there any rock like our God; thou only art a sure defence and refuge to all that flee to thee, and trust in thee, as I have found by my experience.

[1]Hebrew: אֵין־קָד֥וֹשׁ כַּיהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֥ין צ֖וּר כֵּאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ [2]Psalm 138:2: “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name (כִּֽי־הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ עַל־כָּל־שִׁ֜מְךָ֗ אִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃; quoniam magnificasti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum, for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all, in the Vulgate).” [3]Exodus 3:14: “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM (אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה): and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM (אֶהְיֶה) hath sent me unto you.” [4]John 8:58: “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am (πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι, ἐγώ εἰμι).” [5]Isaiah 40:17: “All nations before him are as nothing (כְּאַיִן, as there is not); and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity (מֵאֶ֥פֶס וָתֹ֖הוּ).” [6]Deuteronomy 32:4: “He is the Rock (הַצּוּר), his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” [7]Psalm 18:2: “The Lord is my rock (סַלְעִי), 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.” [8]Psalm 18:31: “For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock (צוּר) save our God?” [9]Psalm 18:46: “The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock (צוּרִי); and let the God of my salvation be exalted.” [10]2 Samuel 22:2, 3: “And he said, The Lord is my rock (סַלְעִי), and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my rock (צוּרִי); in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.” [11]2 Samuel 22:32: “For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock (צוּר), save our God?” [12]2 Samuel 22:47: “The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock (צוּרִי); and exalted be the God of the rock (צוּר) of my salvation.” [13]Psalm 73:26: “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength (צוּר) of my heart, and my portion for ever.”