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Texts -- 1 Samuel 7:1-8 (NET)

Context
7:1 Then the people of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord ; they brought it to the house of Abinadab located on the hill . They consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord .
Further Conflict with the Philistines
7:2 It was quite a long time – some twenty years in all– that the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim . All the people of Israel longed for the Lord . 7:3 Samuel said to all the people of Israel , “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts , remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth . Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines .” 7:4 So the Israelites removed the Baals and images of Ashtoreth . They served only the Lord . 7:5 Then Samuel said , “Gather all Israel to Mizpah , and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf .” 7:6 After they had assembled at Mizpah , they drew water and poured it out before the Lord . They fasted on that day , and they confessed there , “We have sinned against the Lord .” So Samuel led the people of Israel at Mizpah . 7:7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah , the leaders of the Philistines went up against Israel . When the Israelites heard about this, they were afraid of the Philistines . 7:8 The Israelites said to Samuel , “Keep crying out to the Lord our God so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines !”

Pericope

NET
  • 1Sa 7:2-17 -- Further Conflict with the Philistines

Bible Dictionary

  • Samuel

    [ebd] heard of God. The peculiar circumstances connected with his birth are recorded in 1 Sam. 1:20. Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah, who came up to Shiloh to worship before the Lord, earnestly prayed to God that she might...
    [smith] was the son of Elkanah and Hannah, and was born at Ramathaim-zophim, among the hills of Ephraim. [RAMAH No. 2] (B.C. 1171.) Before his birth he was dedicated by his mother to the office of a Nazarite and when a young child, 1...
    [nave] SAMUEL Miraculous birth of, 1 Sam. 1:7-20. Consecrated to God before his birth, 1 Sam. 1:11, 22, 24-28. His mother's song of thanksgiving, 1 Sam. 2:1-10. Ministered in the house of God, 1 Sam. 2:11, 18, 19. Blessed of Go...

  • Philistines

    [nave] PHILISTINES Descendants of Mizraim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Called Cherethites, 1 Sam. 30:14-16; Ezek. 25:16; Zeph. 2:5; Casluhim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Caphtorim, Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Territory of...

  • David

    [ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...

  • PRAYER

    [ebd] is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching t...
    [isbe] PRAYER - prar (deesis, proseuche, (enteuxis; for an excellent discussion of the meaning of these see Thayer's Lexicon, p. 126, under the word deesis; the chief verbs are euchomai, proseuchomai, and deomai, especially in Luke...

  • Abinadab

    [ebd] father of nobleness; i.e., "noble." (1.) A Levite of Kirjath-jearim, in whose house the ark of the covenant was deposited after having been brought back from the land of the Philistines (1 Sam. 7:1). It remained there twenty...
    [isbe] ABINADAB - a-bin'-a-dab ('abhinadhabh, "father of willingness," or, "my father is willing." This is according to the ordinary usage of the second word in the name--"willing" rather than "munificent" or "noble"): (1) The man ...
    [smith] A Levite, a native of Kirjath-jearim, in whose house the ark remained 20 years. (1 Samuel 7:1,2; 1 Chronicles 13:7) (B.C. 1124.) Second son of Jesse, who followed Saul to his war against the Philistines, (1 Samuel 1...
    [nave] ABINADAB 1. A Levite, in whose house the ark of God rested twenty years, 1 Sam. 7:1, 2; 2 Sam. 6:3, 4; 1 Chr. 13:7. 2. Son of Jesse, 1 Sam. 16:8; 17:13. 3. Called also Ishui, son of Saul, 1 Sam. 14:49; 31:2. 4. Father of ...

  • Mizpah

    [ebd] or Miz'peh, watch-tower; the look-out. (1.) A place in Gilead, so named by Laban, who overtook Jacob at this spot (Gen. 31:49) on his return to Palestine from Padan-aram. Here Jacob and Laban set up their memorial cairn of s...
    [smith] and Miz?peh (a watch-tower), the name of several places in Palestine. The earliest of all, in order of the narrative, is the heap of stones piled up by Jacob and Laban, (Genesis 31:48) on Mount Gilead, ver. (Genesis 31:25) t...
    [nave] MIZPAH 1. A city allotted to Benjamin, Josh. 18:26. The Israelites assemble at, Judg. 20:1-3; and decree the penalty to be visited upon the Benjamites for their maltreatment of the Levite's concubine, Judg. 20:10. Assemble...

  • JUDGES, PERIOD OF

    [isbe] JUDGES, PERIOD OF - || I. SOURCES II. CHRONOLOGY III. GENERAL POLITICAL SITUATION 1. The Canaanites 2. Foes Without IV. MAIN EVENTS 1. Struggles of Individual Tribes 2. Civil Strife 3. The Six Invasions 4. Need of Central Go...

  • Intercession

    [isbe] INTERCESSION - in-ter-sesh'-un (pagha`, "to make intercession"; originally "to strike upon," or "against"; then in a good sense, "to assail anyone with petitions," "to urge," and when on behalf of another, "to intercede" (Ru...
    [nave] INTERCESSION. Of One Person with Another 1 Sam. 2:25 Instances of: Reuben for Joseph, Gen. 37:21, 22. Judah for Joseph, Gen. 37:26, 27. Pharaoh's chief baker for Joseph, Gen. 41:9-13, with Gen. 40:14. Jonathan for David...

  • Revivals

    [nave] REVIVALS. Religious Zech. 8:20-23. Prayer for, Hab. 3:2. Prophecies concerning, Isa. 32:15; Joel 2:28; Mic. 4:1-8; Hab. 3:2. Instances of Under Joshua, Josh. 5:2-9; Samuel, 1 Sam. 7:1-6; Elijah, 1 Kin. 18:17-40; Jehoas...

  • Eleazar

    [ebd] God has helped. (1.) The third son of Aaron (Ex. 6:23). His wife, a daughter of Putiel, bore him Phinehas (Ex. 6:25). After the death of Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:12; Num. 3:4) he was appointed to the charge of the sanctuary ...
    [isbe] ELEAZAR - el-e-a'-zar, e-le-a'-zar ('el-`azar; Eleazar, "God is helper"): (1) The 3rd son of Aaron by Elisheba (Ex 6:23; Nu 3:2). He married one of the daughters of Putiel, who bore him Phinehas (Ex 6:25). With his father an...
    [smith] (help of God). Third son of Aaron. After the death of Nadab and Abihu without children, (Leviticus 10:6; Numbers 3:4) Eleazar was appointed chief over the principal Levites. (Numbers 3:32) With his brother Ithamar he ministe...
    [nave] ELEAZAR 1. Son of Aaron, Ex. 6:23; 28:1. Married a daughter of Putiel, who bore him Phinehas, Ex. 6:25. After the death of Nadab and Abihu is made chief of the tribe of Levi, Num. 3:32. Duties of, Num. 4:16. Succeeds Aar...

  • Repentance

    [isbe] REPENTANCE - re-pen'-tans: I. OLD TESTAMENT TERMS 1. To Repent--"to Pant," "to Sigh" 2. To Repent--"to Turn" or "Return" II. NEW TESTAMENT TERMS 1. Repent--"to Care," "Be Concerned" 2. Repent--"to Change the Mind" 3. Repent-...
    [nave] REPENTANCE Attributed to God, Gen. 6:6, 7; Ex. 32:14; Deut. 32:36; Judg. 2:18; 1 Sam. 15:11, 29, 35; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Chr. 21:15; Psa. 106:45; 110:4; 135:14; Jer. 15:6; 18:8, 10; 26:3; 42:10; Joel 2:13; Amos 7:3, 6; Jonah 3:9...

  • Judges, Book of

    [ebd] is so called because it contains the history of the deliverance and government of Israel by the men who bore the title of the "judges." The book of Ruth originally formed part of this book, but about A.D. 450 it was separate...

  • Ashtoreth

    [ebd] the moon goddess of the Phoenicians, representing the passive principle in nature, their principal female deity; frequently associated with the name of Baal, the sun-god, their chief male deity (Judg. 10:6; 1 Sam. 7:4; 12:10...
    [isbe] ASHTORETH - ash'-to-reth, ash-to reth (`ashtoreth; plural `ashtaroth; Astarte): 1. Name and Origin 2. Attributes of the Goddess 3. Ashtoreth as a Moon-Goddess 4. The Local Ashtaroth 1. Name and Origin: The name of the suprem...
    [nave] ASHTORETH An idol of the Philistines, Zidonians, and Phoenicians. Probably identical with queen of heaven, Jer. 7:18. Worshiped by Israelites, Judg. 2:13; 10:6; 1 Sam. 7:3, 4; 12:10; 1 Kin. 11:5, 33; 2 Kin. 23:13. Temple o...

  • Ark

    [ebd] Noah's ark, a building of gopher-wood, and covered with pitch, 300 cubits long, 50 cubits broad, and 30 cubits high (Gen. 6:14-16); an oblong floating house of three stories, with a door in the side and a window in the roof....
    [nave] ARK 1. Noah's. Directions for building of, Gen. 6:14-16. Noah and family preserved in, Gen. 6:18; 7:8; Matt. 24:38; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:20. Animals saved in, Gen. 6:19, 20; 7:1-16. 2. Of Bulrushes, Ex. 2:3. 3. In the Tab...

  • SAMUEL, BOOKS OF

    [isbe] SAMUEL, BOOKS OF - || I. PLACE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL IN THE HEBREW CANON II. CONTENTS OF THE BOOKS AND PERIOD OF TIME COVERED BY THE HISTORY III. SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS 1. Life of Samuel (1 Samuel 1 through 15) 2. Reign and D...

  • MEDIATION; MEDIATOR

    [isbe] MEDIATION; MEDIATOR - me-di-a'-shun, me'-di-a-ter: I. INTRODUCTORY 1. The Terms (1) Mediation (2) Mediator 2. The Principle of Mediation II. MEDIATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 1. Negative Teaching in the Old Testament 2. The Pos...

  • Kirjath-jearim

    [ebd] city of jaars; i.e., of woods or forests, a Gibeonite town (Josh. 9:17) on the border of Benjamin, to which tribe it was assigned (18:15, 28). The ark was brought to this place (1 Sam. 7:1, 2) from Beth-shemesh and put in ch...
    [nave] KIRJATH-JEARIM, called also Baalah, one of the four cities of the Gibeonites. Inhabitants of, not killed, on account of the covenant made by the Israelites with the Gibeonites, but put under servitude, Josh. 9:17, with verses...

  • IDOLATRY

    [smith] strictly speaking denotes the worship of deity in a visible form, whether the images to which homage is paid are symbolical representations of the true God or of the false divinities which have been made the objects of worshi...

  • SOREK, VALLEY OF

    [isbe] SOREK, VALLEY OF - so'-rek (nachal soreq, "the valley of the choice (soreq) vine" (see VINE); sorech): "(Samson) loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah" (Jdg 16:4). Jerome (OS, 153 f, 6) mentions a Caph...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...
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Arts

Questions

  • Curtis Mitchell's article in Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol 147 #588 Oct 1990 answers this question well. The Practice of Fasting in the New Testament Is religious fasting a legitimate practice for today? If it is, how and wh...
  • The Ark of the Covenant was definitely real and was a part of the tabernacle, being placed in the Holy of Holies behind the curtain. I will include articles below from three Bible Dictionaries that will give you some informat...

Sermon Illustrations

I Samuel 7:12

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The translation "again did"in verse 1 implies that the Philistine oppression followed the Ammonite oppression chronologically. However the Hebrew idiom these words translate does not necessarily mean that. It can also mean, a...
  • Statements in the Book of Samuel imply that someone who had witnessed at least some of the events recorded wrote it. However the original writer must have written most of it after Samuel's death (i.e., -1 Sam. 25-2 Sam. 24) a...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • I. Eli and Samuel chs. 1-3A. The change from barrenness to fertility 1:1-2:101. Hannah's condition 1:1-82. Hannah's vow 1:9-183. Hannah's obedience 1:19-284. Hannah's song 2:1-10B. The contrast between Samuel and Eli's sons 2...
  • Most serious students of 1 Samuel have noted the writer's emphasis on the ark of the covenant beginning here in the text. Critical scholars have long argued that 4:1b-7:1 and 2 Samuel 6 are the only remaining fragments of an ...
  • A new subject comes to the forefront in this section and continues to be a significant motif throughout the rest of Samuel. It is the ark of the covenant. The writer drew attention to the ark in this chapter by mentioning it ...
  • The Philistines, as we have already seen in Judges, were Israel's primary enemy to the west at this time. Samson, too, fought the Philistines (Judg. 13-16).52There are about 150 references to the Philistines in 1 and 2 Samuel...
  • Not all the people who later assembled to see the ark were as careful as those from Bethshemesh, however. The Mosaic Law specified that no one was to look into the ark or that person would die (Num. 4:5, 20; cf. 2 Sam. 6:6-7)...
  • As a totally dedicated Nazarite who followed the stipulations of the Mosaic Covenant as best he could, Samuel became a source of deliverance for Israel. The writer recorded two deliverances in this chapter.This section sounds...
  • Twenty years after the Philistines had taken the ark Samuel led the people in national repentance.83The Philistine oppression resulted in the Israelites turning to Yahweh for help (v. 2). Samuel told the people what they need...
  • Mizpah (lit. watchtower, signifying an elevated site) was about two miles northwest of Samuel's hometown, Ramah, on the central Benjamin plateau. Pouring out water symbolized the people's feeling of total inability to make an...
  • "Saul's rise to kingship over Israel took place in three distinct stages: He was (1) anointed by Samuel (9:1-10:16), (2) chosen by lot (10:17-27), and (3) confirmed by public acclamation (11:1-15).112Saul's anointing had been...
  • The writer wrote chapters 12-15 very skillfully to parallel chapters 8-11. Each section begins with Samuel warning the people about the dangers of their requesting a king (chs. 8 and 12). Each one also follows with a descript...
  • "In the short pericope 13:7b-15a obedience was the stone on which Saul stumbled; here it is the rock that crushes him."147Chapter 15 records one of the battles Saul had with the Amalekites, Israel's enemy to the south (cf. 14...
  • The exciting story of David and Goliath illustrates what it was that God saw in David's heart that led Him to choose David for the position of king. It also shows how and why others in Israel began to notice David. David foug...
  • Ackroyd, Peter R. The First Book of Samuel. Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible series. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1971._____. "The Verb Love--'Aheb in the David-Jonathan Narratives--A Footnote."Vetus ...
  • Students of David's lament over Saul and Jonathan's deaths have called it the Song of the Bow (cf. v. 22).10Many people in Judah learned and sang it (v. 18). The Book of Jasher (v. 18) is no longer extant (cf. Josh. 10:13)."H...
  • This time in response to David's prayer the Lord prescribed an attack from the rear (v. 23). The sound of marching in the tree tops among which the Israelites took cover (wind?) would be the sign that the Lord was going befor...
  • In response to David's desire to honor God (ch. 6), God promised to honor David with a line of descendants that would continue to rule Israel (ch. 7). Thus God would not only establish David's reign as long as he lived but fo...
  • Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
  • At first, David piously tried to salve Joab's conscience for his complicity in Uriah's death (11:25). The Hebrew word translated "displease"literally means "be evil in your sight."David was calling what was sin something othe...
  • Nebuzaradan, Nebuchadnezzar's commander-in-chief, returned to destroy Jerusalem more thoroughly and to preclude any successful national uprising in Judah.His burning of Yahweh's house (v. 9) was a statement that the Babylonia...
  • 132:6-8 The antecedent of "it"(v. 6) is the ark (v. 8). Ephrathah (Ephratah) is an old name for the area around Bethlehem (Gen. 35:16, 19; 48:7). Jaar evidently refers to Kiriath-jearim, the town where the ark rested for 20 y...
  • The national defeat pictured in this lament was a serious one. It may have been the first Babylonian invasion of Judah in 597 B.C., which resulted in severe destruction and exile for some Judeans.14:17 Jeremiah was to tell th...
  • This account describes other things associated with Jeremiah's being set at liberty. It contains more detail than 39:11-14.40:1 Evidently after Jeremiah's release in Jerusalem Babylonian soldiers rounded him up when they saw ...
  • The target audience of this warning passage was originally the leaders as well as the ordinary citizens of Israel.5:1 Hosea called on the Israelite priests, the whole population of Israel, and the royal household to hear this...
  • Joel called on the priests not only to mourn (v. 13) but also to assemble all the people at the temple for a solemn fast. Such fasts indicated national repentance in Israel's history (cf. 1 Sam. 7:6; Neh. 9:1-2; Jer. 36:9; Jo...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • 1 Samuel 4:1-18The first words of verse 1 are closely connected with the end of chapter 3.,and complete the account of Samuel's inauguration. The word of the Lord' came to Samuel, and the word of Samuel came to all Israel.' T...
  • 1 Samuel 7:1-12The ark had spread disaster in Philistia and Beth-shemesh, and the willingness of the men of Kirjath-jearim to receive it was a token of their devotion. They must have been in some measure free from idolatry an...
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