1 Samuel 7 Study Notes

7:10 The phrase as the Philistines approached suggests urgency; Samuel raced to offer the sacrifice as the enemy approached, knowing that God’s favor was essential for victory. The Lord . . . threw them into . . . confusion as he had done with his enemies in other battles (Ex 14:24; Jos 10:10). That they were defeated by Israel highlights the Philistines’ rout.

7:11 The exact site of Beth-car is unknown; the Israelites probably chased the Philistines back down the ridge route toward Philistine territory (v. 7).

7:12 The location of Shen (lit “The Tooth,” perhaps referring to some sharp crag or cliff) is unknown. Ebenezer (Hb, “Stone of Help”) marks the extent of the Israelite victory and is a different place from the site of Israel’s earlier encampment (4:1).

7:13 Samuel’s life as judge conformed to the principle in Jdg 2:18 (see R. P. Gordon).

7:14 Such cities as Ekron and Gath were open to attack because they lay along Israelite-Philistine border territory. Amorites probably denotes Canaanite remnant populations in the land.

7:15 Samuel judged Israel throughout his life, though his ministry seemed to decline somewhat (at his own initiative) following the appointment of Saul as Israel’s king (chap. 12).

7:16 The cities of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah lay in the territory of Benjamin. Bethel’s location is identified with modern Ramallah north of Jerusalem. Gilgal sat in the Jordan Valley near Jericho and was Israel’s base camp during the days of Joshua’s conquest (Jos 4:19). On Mizpah, see note at 1Sm 7:5.

7:17 The name Ramah is preserved in the name el-Aram, an Arab village located on the site of ancient Ramah five miles north of Jerusalem. Samuel’s establishment of an altar to the Lord further suggests Shiloh had been destroyed. Deuteronomy 12:13-14 had warned against building local altars.