1 Samuel 7
7
Samuel’s Victory at Mizpah
1Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came and fetched up the ark of Adonai, brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of Adonai.
2From the day the ark rested in Kiriath-jearim it was a long time, 20 years, and the whole house of Israel yearned after Adonai.
3Then Samuel spoke to the whole house of Israel saying, “If you are returning to Adonai with all your heart, then remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, direct your hearts to Adonai and serve Him only. Then He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4So Bnei-Yisrael removed the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served Adonai alone.
5Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to Adonai for you.”
6So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water and poured it out before Adonai. They fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against Adonai.” Then Samuel was judging Bnei-Yisrael at Mizpah.
7Now when the Philistines heard that Bnei-Yisrael had assembled at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines marched against Israel. When Bnei-Yisrael heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8So Bnei-Yisrael said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to Adonai our God for us, so He may save us from the hand of the Philistines!”
9Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to Adonai. Then Samuel cried out to Adonai for Israel and Adonai answered him.
10As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But Adonai thundered with loud thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them so that they were defeated before Israel.
11Then the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down all the way to below Beth-car.
12Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named Eben-ezer saying, “Thus far Adonai has helped us.”
13So the Philistines were subdued and they did not invade the border of Israel anymore. The hand of Adonai was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel, from Ekron to Gath, were restored to Israel, and Israel recovered its territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15Now Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16He used to go annually on a circuit to Beth-el and Gilgal and Mizpah, and would judge over Israel in all those places.
17Then his return was to Ramah, because his home was there, and from there he would judge Israel. So he built an altar to Adonai there.
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1 Samuel 7: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
1 Samuel 7
7
1The people of Kiriath-Jearim got the chest and took it to Abinadab's house, which was on a hill in their town. They chose his son Eleazar to take care of it,#2 S 6.2-4; 1 Ch 13.5-7. 2and it stayed there for twenty years.
During this time everyone in Israel was very sad and begged the LORD for help.#7.2 Israel…help: Or “Israel turned to the Lord and begged him for help.”
Samuel as the leader of Israel
The people of Israel turn back to the LORD
3One day, Samuel told all the people of Israel, “If you really want to turn back to the LORD, then prove it. Get rid of your foreign idols, including the ones of the goddess Astarte. Turn to the LORD with all your heart and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”
4The people got rid of their idols of Baal and Astarte and began worshipping only the LORD.
5Then Samuel said, “Tell everyone in Israel to meet together at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”
6The Israelites met together at Mizpah with Samuel as their leader. They drew water from the well and poured it out as an offering to the LORD. On that same day they went without eating to show their sorrow, and they confessed they had been unfaithful to the LORD.
The Philistines attack Israel
7When the Philistine rulers found out about the meeting at Mizpah, they sent an army there to attack the people of Israel.
The Israelites were afraid when they heard that the Philistines were coming. 8“Don't stop praying!” they told Samuel. “Ask the LORD our God to rescue us.”
9-10Samuel begged the LORD to rescue Israel, then he sacrificed a young lamb to the LORD. Samuel had not even finished offering the sacrifice when the Philistines started to attack. But the LORD answered his prayer and made thunder crash all around them. The Philistines panicked and ran away. 11The men of Israel left Mizpah and went after them as far as the hillside below Beth-Car, killing every enemy soldier they caught.
12-13The Philistines were so badly beaten that it was quite a while before they attacked Israel again. After the battle, Samuel set up a monument between Mizpah and the rocky cliffs. He named it “Help Monument”#7.12,13 Help Monument: Or “Ebenezer”. to remind Israel how much the LORD had helped them.
For as long as Samuel lived, the LORD helped Israel fight the Philistines. 14The Israelites were even able to recapture their towns and territory between Ekron and Gath.
Israel was also at peace with the Amorites.#7.14 Amorites: In this verse, the non-Israelite peoples of Canaan.
Samuel is a leader in Israel
15Samuel was a leader#7.15 leader: The Hebrew word could mean an army commander, a judge, and a religious leader. in Israel all his life. 16Every year he would go around to the towns of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah where he served as judge for the people. 17Then he would go back to his home in Ramah and do the same thing there. He also had an altar built for the LORD at Ramah.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012