1 Sam 7:2-17 · Read 10 min · think and write 15 min
In the last lesson, the LORD called Samuel at Shiloh, and “All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD” (1 Sam 3:20).
Later Israel fought the Philistines and was defeated. The elders said: “Let’s get the ark of the LORD’s covenant out of Shiloh and bring it to us, that it may come among us and save us out of the hand of our enemies” (1 Sam 4:3). But Israel was defeated again, and “God’s ark was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain” (1 Sam 4:10-11). When Eli heard that the ark was taken, he “fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died” (1 Sam 4:18).
“The LORD’s ark was in the country of the Philistines seven months” (1 Sam 6:1). Later it was sent back, and the men of Kiriath Jearim “brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill” (1 Sam 7:1). This lesson begins after the ark came back.
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 the LORD.
3Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to the LORD, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
4Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”
6They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
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.
8The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying to the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.”
9Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.
10As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.
11The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them until they came under Beth Kar.
12Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “The LORD helped us until now.”
13So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped coming within the border of Israel. The LORD’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
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.
15Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.
17His return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to the LORD there.
Twenty years. “From 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 the LORD” (v. 2).
Put away. Samuel said: “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to the LORD, and serve him only” (v. 3). “Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only” (v. 4).
Mizpah. Samuel said: “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you” (v. 5). They “drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, ‘We have sinned against the LORD’” (v. 6).
Afraid. “When 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” (v. 7). They said to Samuel: “Don’t stop crying to the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines” (v. 8).
Answered. “Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him” (v. 9). “The LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel” (v. 10).
Ebenezer. “Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, ‘The LORD helped us until now’” (v. 12). Earlier, when Israel was defeated and the ark was taken, the passage says they “encamped beside Ebenezer” (1 Sam 4:1).
In a circuit. “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” (v. 15). “He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places” (v. 16). “His return was to Ramah, for his house was there,” and “he built an altar to the LORD there” (v. 17).
The book of Judges speaks of that age like this: “The LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them” (Judg 2:16); “When the LORD raised up judges for them, then the LORD was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge” (Judg 2:18).
This lesson says: “The LORD’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel” (v. 13), and “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” (v. 15).
Readers can see this: Samuel was a prophet, and also a judge; he cried out to the LORD for the people, and year by year he went on his circuit and judged Israel.
Perhaps something frightens you right now, too: a piece of news, an illness, a debt, or someone you can hardly bring yourself to speak of.
This lesson does not say that if you confess and pray, what you fear will never come. The Philistines still came up, and the Israelites were still afraid (v. 7). What it shows you is this: when they were afraid, they asked Samuel to cry out for them; “and the LORD answered him” (v. 9). Afterward, Samuel set up a stone and said: “The LORD helped us until now” (v. 12). A psalm says: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1).
This week: Tell one person you trust the thing you are most afraid of right now, and ask them to pray for you once. Then find a small object — a stone or a card will do — write on it ‘The LORD helped me until now,’ and put it where you can see it.
Scripture: World English Bible.