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.
Ver. 3. And Samuel spahe unto all the house of Israel.] He doth not presently cheer them up, but presseth them to a thorough reformation: and giveth them to know that their sorrow must bear some proportion to their sin. See the like done by Peter, in Acts 2:37,38 .
If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts.] Not giving the half turn only, as temporaries, but doing it truly, that there be no halting, and totally, that there be no halving. Some think that the sullen Israelites, offended at God's severity against the Beth-shemites, had neglected the ark, and gone after strange gods; till now that, heavily oppressed by the Philistines, they "lamented after the Lord": and Samuel, taking that opportunity, persuadeth them to return to him who had smitten them.
Put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth.] Away with them all, but especially Ashtaroth, because that ye do most doat upon. "Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence." Isa 30:22
And prepare your hearts unto the Lord.] Devote them wholly to his fear, divide them not betwixt him and idols.