1 Samuel 7: Israel turns back to Yahweh at Mizpah, and Samuel sets up Ebenezer
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What happens?
The ark is brought to the house of Abinadab at Kiriath Jearim and stays there twenty years, and all Israel laments after Yahweh. Samuel tells Israel to put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth and serve Yahweh only, and they do. At Mizpah they pour out water before Yahweh, fast and say, "We have sinned against Yahweh," and Samuel judges Israel there. When the Philistines come up against them, Samuel offers a lamb and cries to Yahweh, and Yahweh thunders against the Philistines, so that they are beaten before Israel. Samuel sets up a stone and names it Ebenezer, saying, "Yahweh helped us until now." The Philistines do not come into Israel's land again, Yahweh's hand is against them all the days of Samuel, the cities they took are given back, and Samuel judges Israel all his life, going around to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah, and coming home to Ramah.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words in this chapter. Samuel speaks to Israel in verses 3 and 5, and names the stone in verse 12. The people say "We have sinned against Yahweh" in verse 6, and ask Samuel to keep crying to Yahweh for them in verse 8. Verse 9 says that Yahweh answered Samuel, and verse 10 that Yahweh thundered, but the text gives no words of Yahweh. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1The men of Kiriath Jearim came and took Yahweh’s ark, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep Yahweh’s ark.
In plain English: The men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up Yahweh's ark. They brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and set apart (this Bible: consecrated) his son Eleazar to guard (this Bible: keep) Yahweh's ark.
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2From the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, the time was long—for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.
In plain English: From the day the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim, a long time passed: twenty years. And all the house of Israel mourned after (or: gathered after; this Bible: lamented after) Yahweh.
The Hebrew word: "Lamented" is nahah, which the dictionary gives as "to groan, i.e. bewail; hence (through the idea of crying aloud), to assemble (as if on proclamation)". It is in only 3 verses.
What changes: Read as "lamented after Yahweh", Israel mourned and longed for Yahweh. Read as "gathered after Yahweh", they came together to follow him. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "looked after the Lord". Either way, the next verse has Samuel speak to "all the house of Israel" about turning back to Yahweh.
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3Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
In plain English: Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are turning back to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you. Set (this Bible: direct) your hearts on Yahweh and serve him only, and he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines."
Good to know: The Ashtaroth are named with the Baals in and (see the note on Judges 2:13). In the gods of the Philistines are also among the gods Israel served.
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4Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only.
In plain English: So the Israelites put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only.
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5Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you.”
In plain English: Samuel said, "Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you."
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6They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
In plain English: They gathered at Mizpah. They drew water and poured it out before Yahweh, and they fasted that day. There they said, "We have sinned against Yahweh." And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
Good to know: The text does not say what the poured-out water meant. In David also pours out water "to Yahweh". "Judged" is shaphat, the word used of the judges in the book of Judges (see the note on ). Verses 15 to 17 tell how Samuel judged Israel all his life.
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7When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
In plain English: When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
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8The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.”
In plain English: The Israelites said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying out (literally: do not be silent from crying out) to Yahweh our God for us, so that he will save us from the hand of the Philistines."
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9Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him.
In plain English: Samuel took a lamb that was still nursing (this Bible: a suckling lamb) and offered it as a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Samuel cried out to Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him.
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10As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.
In plain English: While Samuel was offering the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to fight Israel. But that day Yahweh thundered with a great thunder (literally: a great voice) against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were beaten before Israel.
Good to know: "Thundered" is ra'am, the word in Hannah's song, "He will thunder against them in the sky" ().
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11The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them until they came under Beth Kar.
In plain English: The men of Israel went out from Mizpah, chased the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth Kar.
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12Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Yahweh helped us until now.”
In plain English: Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Yahweh has helped us until now (or: up to this place)."
The Hebrew words: "Ebenezer" is Even ha-ezer: even, which the dictionary gives as "a stone", and ezer, "aid", so "the stone of the help". The text gives the reason in Samuel's own words: "Yahweh helped us". "Helped" is azar, which the dictionary gives as "to surround, i.e. protect or aid". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "Abenezer, stone of the helper".
What changes: "Until now" is ad henna. The dictionary gives henna as "hither or thither (but used both of place and time)". Read of time, Samuel says Yahweh has helped Israel up to this day. Read of place, he says Yahweh has helped them all the way to this spot. Either way, the stone is named for Yahweh's help.
Good to know: Israel had camped by a place called Ebenezer before the battles of chapter 4, in which the ark was taken (, ). The text does not say whether it is the same place. Where the Hebrew has "Shen", the old Greek (Brenton) has "the old city".
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13So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped coming within the border of Israel. Yahweh’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
In plain English: So the Philistines were brought low (this Bible: subdued), and they did not come into Israel's territory again. Yahweh's hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
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14The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered its border out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
In plain English: The cities the Philistines had taken from Israel were given back to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel rescued their land (literally: border) from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
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15Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
In plain English: Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
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16He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.
In plain English: Year after year he went around to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places.
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17His return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to Yahweh there.
In plain English: Then he would come back (literally: his return was) to Ramah, because his home was there, and he judged Israel there. He built an altar to Yahweh there.
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