The First Book of Samuel, otherwise called the First Book of the Kings
1 Samuel 7
Chapter VII · Vol. II, pp. 638–640
1 The men of Kirjath-jearim bring the ark into the house of Abinadab, and sanctify Eleazar his son to keep it. 2 After twenty years 3 the Israelites, by Samuel's means, solemnly repent at Mizpeh. 9 While Samuel prayeth and sacrificeth, the Lord discomfiteth the Philistines by thunder at Ebenezer. 13 The Philistines are subdued. 15 Samuel peaceably and religiously judgeth Israel.
1 And the men aof Kirjath-jearim came and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar1 his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
B.C. 1075 or 1095.
a ch.6.21. Ju.18.12. Ps.132.6. 2 Sa.6.2,4.
1 Eleazar was sanctified; that is, appointed and dedicated to keep the ark; but the public services of feasts and solemnities were intermitted or suppressed during the ascendency of the Philistines.—C.
2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was blong; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel clamented after the LORD.2
b 2 Sa.6.4. Ps.132.1-6.
2 After twenty years from the captivity of the ark a religious revival commenced in a universal lamentation after the Lord; that is, sorrow for past neglect of his service, and anxiety for a gracious outpouring of his Spirit, and restoration of his ordinances.—C.
3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye ddo return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then eput away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and fprepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
d Joel 2.12. 1 Ki.18.21. 2 Ki.17.35.
e Jos.24.14,23. Ge.35.2. Ju.2.13; 10.6.
4 Then the children of Israel gdid put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.3
g Ju.10.15,16. Ho.14.3,8. Ge.35.4.
3 'And the children of Israel put away the Baals and Ashtaroths, and worshipped Jehovah alone.'—P.
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to hMizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
h Ju.20.1. 2 Ki.25.30, not that Ge.31.49. Ju.11.11.
6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and idrew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and kfasted on that day, and said there, Wel have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel mjudged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.4
A.M. 2929 B.C. 1075
i Ju.2.4,5. Ps.6.6; 119.136; 42.3. Job 16.20. Je.9.1. La.2.11,18; 3.49.
k 2 Ch.xx. Ezr.ix.x.; 8.21. Ne.ix. Da.ix. Jonah iii. Pr.28.13.
l Ezr.9.5-10. Job 40.4; 42.6. Ps.38.3-8. ch.12.10. Je.31.19. Lu.15.18.
m Ju.2.16; 3.10. Ne.9.27. Eze.20.4.
4 Mizpeh of Benjamin, where the people had assembled at the time of the war with Benjamin.—P.
7 And when the Philistines nheard 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 oafraid of the Philistines.
8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Ceasep not to cry5 unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 And Samuel qtook a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering wholly unto the LORD: and rSamuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard6 him.
10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD sthundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
s ch.2.10. Jos.10.10,11. Ju.4.15; 5.20. Zec.4.6.
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 ttook a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it uEben-ezer,7 saying, xHitherto hath the LORD helped us.8
t Ge.28.18; 31.45; 35.14. Is.19.19. Jos.7.26. Ju.15.19.
u That is, the stone of help, ch.4.1; 5.1.
7 Ebenezer signifies the stone of help; an appropriate memorial of human weakness and divine assistance.—Note, When men are silent to the ear, stones can speak to the memory and tell what God has mercifully and mightily wrought for his church, Lu.19.40.—C.
x Ac.26.22. Ps.71.6,15. Is.46.3,4; 63.7-13.
8 For the site of Mizpeh see note on Ju.20.1. Bethcar lay west of Mizpeh, apparently on the eastern brow or declivity of the mountain range; but its exact position is unknown. Beneath it, probably on the border of the Philistine plain, was the spot where the stone was set up and called Ebenezer.—P.
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 Philistines9 all the days of Samuel.1
9 During Samuel's government alone.
1 The great characteristic of Scripture is the universal acknowledgment of God, Pr.3.6. Neither the piety, nor the wisdom, nor the firmness, nor the military talents of Samuel, are once noticed, yet these were all his distinguished gifts; to the hand of the Lord all the deliverance of Israel is ascribed.—C.
14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekrony even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And zthere was peace between Israel and the Amorites.2
y Jos.15.45,46. ch.5.8.
A.M. 2929 B.C. 1075
z Ps.106.34. Ju.4.17. De.7.2,16.
2 A historic type of the blood of the cross taking away the enmity, and so making peace between Jew and Gentile. See also Pr.16.7.—C.
15 And Samuel ajudged Israel all the days of his life.
a Ju.3.10,11. ch.25.1. Ac.13.21.
16 And he bwent from year to year in circuit3 to cBeth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
17 And his return was to dRamah; for there was his house: and there he judged Israel; and ethere he built an altar unto the LORD.
d Jos.18.25. Ju.4.5. ch.1.19; 8.4; 15.34; 16.13; 19.18; 22.6; 25.1. 1 Ki.15.17. Je.31.15.
e Ju.21.4. ch.11.15. 2 Sa.24.25. 1 Ki.18.30-36. Ge.12.7,8; 33.20; 35.7.
Notes
[Ver. 2. The meaning is not that the whole period of the residence of the ark at Kirjath-jearim was only 20 years. It was much more; for it continued there during the whole reign of Saul, and part of the reign of David, 2 Sa. vi. It is here affirmed that 20 years of deep anxiety, in consequence of the Lord's withdrawal from Israel, passed. During these long and painful years there was no manifestation of divine power on their behalf; but at the close of that period Samuel exhorted the people to put away the strange gods; they hearkened, and gained a signal victory over their enemies. P.]
Ver. 4. [Served the Lord only. Samuel announces the very principle enforced by our Lord, Mat. 6. 24, 'no man can serve two masters;' and therefore requires, both as a test of sincerity and a means of reformation, the utter putting away of the idols Baalim and Ashtaroth; and a return to the sole worship of Jehovah.—Note, The same obstruction stands in the way of revival with Christians that stood in the way of Israel; Baalim—lordly passions, such as pride, ambition, false honour; Ashtaroth—fleshly affections, such as gluttony, drunkenness, licentiousness; all these must be cast out of the heart where the Spirit of God resides, 2 Co. 7. 1. C.]
Ver. 6. [Drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. According to some, shed tears, and poured out, that is, their hearts, in penitential sorrow, 'before the Lord;' others consider the pouring out of the water emblematic of penitence; but as there was no ceremonial law appointed for such drawing and outpouring of water, we are slow to admit an act of will-worship where a Levitical rite will account for what is done. Is it not, therefore, to be considered as the extempore adoption of the laver, an essential preparative for the sacrifice that Samuel was about to offer? comp. Ex. 30. 17-21 with 1 Sa. 7. 9. C.]
Ver. 8. [Cry unto the Lord our God for us. Observe here the spiritual use of temporal calamities. The service of God is forsaken for Baalim and Ashtaroth, till the oppression of the Philistines compels them to cry to Jehovah. C.]
Ver. 9. [Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it for a burnt-offering. Samuel, as appears from ch. 1. 1, was not a priest, though a Levite; he could not therefore legally perform an act of sacrifice, nor is it necessary to suppose he did so in his own person; for according to the language of Scripture, see Le. 2. 1-14; 3. 1, 3, 7, 9, 12, he offers a sacrifice who furnishes it to the priest, which is all that Samuel, as a well-instructed Levite and prophet, would do. C.]
Ver. 17. [There he built an altar unto the Lord. Not as a second or rival to Shiloh, for that would have been illegal; but Shiloh having been deserted since the capture of the ark, Samuel, in virtue of his prophetic office, reinstitutes the tabernacle service at Ramah. C.]
Reflections.—God's ordinances will still find a place somewhere; and if priests neglect them, pious Levites or Israelites will take care of them. The church may continue long in a wilderness state; but when men begin to lament after a hiding God and departed ordinances, their deliverance is nigh. If we wish remarkable interposals of Providence for our relief, we must put away our idols, and apply ourselves to solemn repentance, fasting, and supplication. God saves men from their sins, not in them. But it is a great mercy to have a noted favourite of Heaven with us on critical occasions. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. And a minister's other labours, without earnest prayers, seldom avail to the reformation of the world or the edification of souls. The first struggles for glory are often the hardest. Scarcely can men begin to repent, but hell and earth will be in arms against them. But the prayer of faith, fixed on Jesus' atoning sacrifice, will make things easier than could have been expected. Whatsoever we ask, believing, we shall receive; and when God arises, his enemies must be scattered. But let us remember that noted answers of prayer deserve memorials of gratitude: and while we gratefully acknowledge past help, we may depend on future protection. When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes his enemies to be at peace with him. Prayer and penitence can do more for a nation than the mightiest armies. And every blessing may be expected in that land where magistrates or ministers unite remarkable diligence, equity, and faithfulness, with exemplary holiness and ardent devotions.