1 Samuel 7:11-17

11 The men of Israel ran out of Mizpah and chased the Philistines almost to Beth Car, killing the Philistines along the way.

12 After this happened Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named the stone Ebenezer, saying, "The Lord has helped us to this point."

13 So the Philistines were defeated and did not enter the Israelites' land again. The Lord was against the Philistines all Samuel's life.

14 Earlier the Philistines had taken towns from the Israelites, but the Israelites won them back, from Ekron to Gath. They also took back from the Philistines the lands near these towns. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.

15 Samuel continued as judge of Israel all his life.

16 Every year he went from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah and judged the Israelites in all these towns.

17 But Samuel always went back to Ramah, where his home was. There he judged Israel and built an altar to the Lord.

1 Samuel 7:11-17 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.