1 Samuel 7:2-17 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Samuel as Judge. Philistines subdued by Divine intervention; probably an ideal picture, by the Deuteronomic writer, of the happy results of Israel's repentance and Samuel's piety peace, victory, and orthodoxy. The section is the typical form of the Deuteronomic accounts of the Judges apostasy, oppression, repentance, deliverance. The statements that the Philistines ceased to invade Israel, and that the Israelites recovered the Philistine cities from Ekron to Gath, are inconsistent with the older narratives. On the other hand, the writer sees no difficulty in Samuel building an altar at Ramah, because his view was that the limitation of sacrifice to a central sanctuary did not come into force till Solomon built the Temple.

1 Samuel 7:2-4. The return of the Ark leads the people to repent; Samuel encourages them in this by promising deliverance if they worship Yahweh only.

1 Samuel 7:2. that the time. twenty years: probably these words should be omitted so that repentance immediately follows the return of the Ark.

1 Samuel 7:3. lamented: probably read repented.

1 Samuel 7:3 f. Ashtaroth. Baalim: see Judges 2:11-13 *.

1 Samuel 7:5-12. Samuel calls all Israel together at Mizpah, N. of Jerusalem (Judges 20:1), for fasting and confession; the Philistines suspect that the assembly has a warlike purpose, and advance to attack Israel; Samuel intercedes; Yahweh routs the Philistines by a thunderstorm (cf. Joshua 10:11); Israel pursues and slaughters; Samuel sets up a memorial stone, Eben-ezer, Stone of Help (see 1 Samuel 4:1).

1 Samuel 7:6. water, etc.: cf. David at Adullam, 2 Samuel 23:16.

1 Samuel 7:12. Shen: tooth, i.e. crag, but perhaps Jeshanah, 2 Chronicles 13:19, should be read with LXX: site unknown.

1 Samuel 7:13-17. Israel lives in complete peace under Samuel.

1 Samuel 7:16. Beth-el: Genesis 12:8. Gilgal: Deuteronomy 11:30.

1 Samuel 7:17. Ramah: Joshua 18:25.

Related Commentaries of 1 Samuel 7:2

1 Samuel 7:2-17

2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Ceasea not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heardb him.

10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer,c saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went from year to year in circuitd to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.