7:5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.”
7:1 Then the people 1 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.
15:22 Then Samuel said,
“Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as he does in obedience? 2
Certainly, 3 obedience 4 is better than sacrifice;
paying attention is better than 5 the fat of rams.
5:1 Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, you Israelites! 6
Listen closely, 7 O king! 8
For judgment is about to overtake you! 9
For you were like a trap 10 to Mizpah, 11
like a net 12 spread out to catch Tabor. 13
1 tn Heb “men.”
2 tn Heb “as [in] listening to the voice of the
3 tn Heb “look.”
4 tn Heb “listening.”
5 tn The expression “is better” is understood here by ellipsis (see the immediately preceding statement).
6 tn Heb “O house of Israel” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV); NLT “all of Israel’s leaders.”
7 tn Heb “Use the ear”; ASV “give ear.”
8 tn Heb “O house of the king” (so KJV); NIV “O royal house.”
9 tn Heb “for the judgment is to you”; or “For this accusation is against you.” Cf. NIV “This judgment is against you.”
10 sn The noun פַּח (pakh, “trap”) is used (1) literally of a bird-trap, used in similes and metaphors (Amos 3:5; Prov 7:23; Eccl 9:12), and (2) figuratively to refer to (a) calamities and plots (Job 18:9; 22:10; Pss 91:3; 119:110; 124:7; 140:6; 141:9; 142:4; Prov 22:5; Isa 24:17-18; Jer 18:22; 48:43-44; Hos 9:8) and (b) a source of calamity (Josh 23:13; Pss 11:6; 69:23; Isa 8:14; Hos 5:1; BDB 809 s.v. פַּח).
11 tn Heb “you were a trap to Mizpah.”
12 sn The noun רֶשֶׁת (reshet, “net”) is used (1) literally of a net used to catch birds (Prov 1:17) and (2) in figurative descriptions of the wicked plotting to ensnare their victims (Prov 29:5; Pss 9:16; 10:9; 25:15; 31:5; 35:7; 57:7; 140:6; Job 18:8; BDB 440 s.v. רֶשֶׁת).
13 tn Heb “and a net spread out over Tabor.”