NOTES for Sa1 7:1-17
1 And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. |
2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, 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, Cease 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 heard 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 Beth-car. |
12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, 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 circuit 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. |
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After the Philistines had to return the Ark of the Covenant, Samuel called the people to repentance. Once again the people had to be called back to faithfulness to their Lord. Samuel understood that without a genuine return to God, possession of the sacred object would not help them, and that the diseases which had struck the Philistines, who were far from true knowledge of God, could strike the Israelites as well, especially since pagan cults had spread widely among the people.
This time the people rejected the pagan gods, and their return to the Lord resulted in victory over the Philistines. Once again, as in ancient times, the Lord granted victory to the people who had returned to Him. It is no accident that the account of the battle does not mention the names of military commanders, but emphasizes the help of the Lord, who struck the Philistines with terror, and Samuel's prayer, which defended the people as a spiritual weapon.
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