The Meaning of 1 Samuel 2:9 Explained

1 Samuel 2:9

KJV: He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

YLT: The feet of His saints He keepeth, And the wicked in darkness are silent, For not by power doth man become mighty.

Darby: He keepeth the feet of his saints, but the wicked are silenced in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

ASV: He will keep the feet of his holy ones; But the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; For by strength shall no man prevail.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He will keep  the feet  of his saints,  and the wicked  shall be silent  in darkness;  for by strength  shall no man  prevail. 

What does 1 Samuel 2:9 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 2:1-11 - The God Of The Lowly
Hannah's song was to inspire David, the Virgin-Mother, and countless others to sing hymns of praise. So the song of a bird will set the whole woodland ringing with the minstrelsy of a feathered chorus. We, too, shall sing someday! God will turn the waters of our tears, which fill the jars to their brim, into the wine of joy. You, also, my friend, shall someday take your harp from the willows and get from it music which will go through the world to stir men's sad hearts.
How full of the Lord the song is! The overflowing heart ascribes its rapture to the Rock of Ages. He saves; He is holy; He knows; He weighs; He kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and up; He will vindicate our trust. We do not prevail by strength, but by yielding ourselves into His hands. God answers our prayers thoroughly. The gifts that come from above are good and perfect. Bereaved mother, your little child is yours still, though hidden from your eyes! Try to think of your beloved one as ministering to the Lord in the eternal temple! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 2

1  Hannah's song in thankfulness
12  The sin of Eli's sons
18  Samuel's ministry
20  by Eli's blessing Hannah is more fruitful
22  Eli reproves his sons
27  A prophecy against Eli's house

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 2:9 mean?

The feet of His saint His saints He will guard but the wicked in darkness shall be silent for no by strength shall prevail man
רַגְלֵ֤י [חסידו] (חֲסִידָיו֙) יִשְׁמֹ֔ר וּרְשָׁעִ֖ים בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יִדָּ֑מּוּ כִּֽי־ לֹ֥א בְכֹ֖חַ יִגְבַּר־ אִֽישׁ

רַגְלֵ֤י  The  feet 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
[חסידו]  of  His  saint 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
(חֲסִידָיו֙)  His  saints 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָסִיד  
Sense: faithful, kind, godly, holy one, saint, pious.
יִשְׁמֹ֔ר  He  will  guard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
וּרְשָׁעִ֖ים  but  the  wicked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ  in  darkness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹשֶׁךְ  
Sense: darkness, obscurity.
יִדָּ֑מּוּ  shall  be  silent 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּמַם 
Sense: to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb.
לֹ֥א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בְכֹ֖חַ  by  strength 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
יִגְבַּר־  shall  prevail 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּבַר  
Sense: to prevail, have strength, be strong, be powerful, be mighty, be great.
אִֽישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.