And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
The word of Samuel came to all Israel. The character of Samuel as a prophet was now fully established. The want of an "open vision" was supplied by him, because 'none of his words were let fall to the ground' (1 Samuel 3:19); and to his residence in Shiloh all the people of Israel repaired, to consult him as an oracle, who, as the medium of receiving the divine command, or, by his gift of a prophet, could inform them what was the mind of God. It is not improbable that the rising influence of the young prophet had alarmed the jealous fears of the Philistines, who, having kept the Israelites in some degree of subjection ever since the death of Samson, were determined, by a further crushing, to prevent the possibility of their being trained by the counsels, and under the leadership, of Samuel to re-assert their national independence. At all events, the Philistines were the aggressors (1 Samuel 4:2). But, on the other hand, the Israelites were rash and inconsiderate in rushing to the field without obtaining the sanction of Samuel as to the war, or having consulted him as to the subsequent measures they took.
Israel went out against the Philistines to battle - i:e., to resist this new incursion.
Ebenezer, х haa-'Eben-haa-`eezer (H72)]
Aphek, х 'Apeeq (H663)]. Both words are preceded by the definite article. Aphek, which means 'strength,' 'firmness,' is a name applied to any fort or fastness. There were several Apheks in Palestine. Many consider this Aphek to have occupied the site of the modern village el-Fuleh, the Castellum Foba of the Crusaders, or its neighbour, el-'Afuleh, in the plain of Esdraelon (the valley of Jezreel) (Robinson's 'Biblical Researches,'
iii., p. 176; Wilson's 'Lands, of the Bible,' 2:, p. 89; Drew's 'Scripture Lands,' part 3:); but the mention of Eben-ezer determines this "Aphek" to be in the south, near the western entrance of the pass of Beth-horon, and consequently on the borders of the Philistine territory. The first encounter at Aphek being unsuccessful, the Israelites determined to renew the engagement in better circumstances.