1 Samuel 7:1-14

Deliverance from the Philistines

1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the LORD and ¹brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

2 From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "²If you return to the LORD with all your heart, ³remove the foreign gods and the ⁴Ashtaroth from among you and ⁵direct your hearts to the LORD and ⁶serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines."

4 So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone.

5 Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to ⁷Mizpah and ⁸I will pray to the LORD for you."

6 They gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and ⁹poured it out before the LORD, and ¹⁰fasted on that day and said there, "¹¹We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

7 Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, ¹²they were afraid of the Philistines.

8 Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, "¹³Do not cease to cry to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines."

9 Samuel took ¹⁴a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD; and Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel and ¹⁵the LORD answered him.

10 Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But ¹⁶the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and ¹⁷confused them, so that they were routed before Israel.

11 The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below * Beth-car.

12 Then Samuel ¹⁸took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named * it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us."

13 ¹⁹So the Philistines were subdued and ²⁰they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and ²¹the Amorites.

1 Samuel 7:1-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 7

This chapter gives an account of the ark being brought to Kirjathjearim, where it continued twenty years, 1Sa 7:1,2 of the exhortation of Samuel to the people of Israel to reform from idolatry, and which had its desired effect, 1Sa 7:3,4 of Samuel's praying for the people, and offering sacrifices for them, and of the success thereof, victory over their enemies, 1Sa 7:5-14, and of his administration of justice to them, and constancy in it, 1Sa 7:15-17.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Samuel 6:3, 4
• 2. 1 Kings 8:48; Isaiah 55:7; Hosea 6:1; Joel 2:12-14
• 3. Genesis 35:2; Joshua 24:14, 23; Judges 10:16
• 4. Judges 2:13; 1 Samuel 31:10
• 5. Deuteronomy 13:4; 2 Chronicles 19:3
• 6. Deuteronomy 6:13; Deuteronomy 10:20; Deuteronomy 13:4; Joshua 24:14; Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8
• 7. Judges 10:17; Judges 20:1
• 8. 1 Samuel 8:6; 1 Samuel 12:17-19
• 9. 1 Samuel 1:15; Psalms 62:8; Lamentations 2:19
• 10. Leviticus 16:29; Nehemiah 9:1
• 11. Judges 10:10; 1 Kings 8:47; Psalms 106:6
• 12. 1 Samuel 13:6; 1 Samuel 17:11
• 13. 1 Samuel 12:19-24; Isaiah 37:4
• 14. Leviticus 22:27
• 15. Psalms 99:6; Jeremiah 15:1
• 16. 1 Samuel 2:10; 2 Samuel 22:14, 15; Psalms 29:3, 4
• 17. Joshua 10:10; Psalms 18:14
• 18. Genesis 35:14; Joshua 4:9; Joshua 24:26
• 19. Judges 13:1-15
• 20. 1 Samuel 13:5
• 21. Numbers 13:29; Joshua 10:5-10

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "voice"
• [b]. Lit "smitten"
• [c]. I.e. The stone of help