13 So the Philistines H6430 were subdued, H3665 and they came H935 no more H3254 into the coast H1366 of Israel: H3478 and the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was against the Philistines H6430 all the days H3117 of Samuel. H8050
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 evil H7451 again H3254 in the sight H5869 of the LORD; H3068 and the LORD H3068 delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of the Philistines H6430 forty H705 years. H8141
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, H2030 and bear H3205 a son; H1121 and no razor H4177 shall come H5927 on his head: H7218 for the child H5288 shall be a Nazarite H5139 unto God H430 from the womb: H990 and he shall begin H2490 to deliver H3467 Israel H3478 out of the hand H3027 of the Philistines. H6430
Saul H7586 reigned H4427 one year; H1121 H8141 and when he had reigned H4427 two H8147 years H8141 over Israel, H3478 Saul H7586 chose H977 him three H7969 thousand H505 men of Israel; H3478 whereof two thousand H505 were with Saul H7586 in Michmash H4363 and in mount H2022 Bethel, H1008 and a thousand H505 were with Jonathan H3129 in Gibeah H1390 of Benjamin: H1144 and the rest H3499 of the people H5971 he sent H7971 every man H376 to his tent. H168 And Jonathan H3129 smote H5221 the garrison H5333 of the Philistines H6430 that was in Geba, H1387 and the Philistines H6430 heard H8085 of it. And Saul H7586 blew H8628 the trumpet H7782 throughout all the land, H776 saying, H559 Let the Hebrews H5680 hear. H8085 And all Israel H3478 heard H8085 say H559 that Saul H7586 had smitten H5221 a garrison H5333 of the Philistines, H6430 and that Israel H3478 also was had in abomination H887 with the Philistines. H6430 And the people H5971 were called together H6817 after H310 Saul H7586 to Gilgal. H1537 And the Philistines H6430 gathered themselves together H622 to fight H3898 with Israel, H3478 thirty H7970 thousand H505 chariots, H7393 and six H8337 thousand H505 horsemen, H6571 and people H5971 as the sand H2344 which is on the sea H3220 shore H8193 in multitude: H7230 and they came up, H5927 and pitched H2583 in Michmash, H4363 eastward H6926 from Bethaven. H1007
And Jonathan H3083 said H559 to the young man H5288 that bare H5375 his armour, H3627 Come, H3212 and let us go over H5674 unto the garrison H4673 of these uncircumcised: H6189 it may be that the LORD H3068 will work H6213 for us: for there is no restraint H4622 to the LORD H3068 to save H3467 by many H7227 or by few. H4592 And his armourbearer H5375 H3627 said H559 unto him, Do H6213 all that is in thine heart: H3824 turn H5186 thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. H3824 Then said H559 Jonathan, H3083 Behold, we will pass over H5674 unto these men, H582 and we will discover H1540 ourselves unto them. If they say H559 thus unto us, Tarry H1826 until we come H5060 to you; then we will stand still H5975 in our place, and will not go up H5927 unto them. But if they say H559 thus, Come up H5927 unto us; then we will go up: H5927 for the LORD H3068 hath delivered H5414 them into our hand: H3027 and this shall be a sign H226 unto us. And both H8147 of them discovered H1540 themselves unto the garrison H4673 of the Philistines: H6430 and the Philistines H6430 said, H559 Behold, the Hebrews H5680 come forth H3318 out of the holes H2356 where they had hid H2244 themselves. And the men H582 of the garrison H4675 answered H6030 Jonathan H3129 and his armourbearer, H5375 H3627 and said, H559 Come up H5927 to us, and we will shew H3045 you a thing. H1697 And Jonathan H3129 said H559 unto his armourbearer, H5375 H3627 Come up H5927 after H310 me: for the LORD H3068 hath delivered H5414 them into the hand H3027 of Israel. H3478 And Jonathan H3129 climbed up H5927 upon his hands H3027 and upon his feet, H7272 and his armourbearer H5375 H3627 after H310 him: and they fell H5307 before H6440 Jonathan; H3129 and his armourbearer H5375 H3627 slew H4191 after H310 him. And that first H7223 slaughter, H4347 which Jonathan H3129 and his armourbearer H5375 H3627 made, H5221 was about twenty H6242 men, H376 within as it were an half H2677 acre H4618 of land, H7704 which a yoke H6776 of oxen might plow. And there was trembling H2731 in the host, H4264 in the field, H7704 and among all the people: H5971 the garrison, H4673 and the spoilers, H7843 they also trembled, H2729 and the earth H776 quaked: H7264 so it was a very great H430 trembling. H2731 And the watchmen H6822 of Saul H7586 in Gibeah H1390 of Benjamin H1144 looked; H7200 and, behold, the multitude H1995 melted away, H4127 and they went H3212 on beating down H1986 one another.
And Saul H7586 and all the people H5971 that were with him assembled H2199 themselves, and they came H935 to the battle: H4421 and, behold, every man's H376 sword H2719 was against his fellow, H7453 and there was a very H3966 great H1419 discomfiture. H4103 Moreover the Hebrews H5680 that were with the Philistines H6430 before H865 that time, H8032 which went up H5927 with them into the camp H4264 from the country round about, H5439 even they also turned to be with the Israelites H3478 that were with Saul H7586 and Jonathan. H3129 Likewise all the men H376 of Israel H3478 which had hid H2244 themselves in mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 when they heard H8085 that the Philistines H6430 fled, H5127 even they also followed hard H1692 after H310 them in the battle. H4421 So the LORD H3068 saved H3467 Israel H3478 that day: H3117 and the battle H4421 passed over H5674 unto Bethaven. H1007
And David H1732 put H7971 his hand H3027 in his bag, H3627 and took H3947 thence a stone, H68 and slang H7049 it, and smote H5221 the Philistine H6430 in his forehead, H4696 that the stone H68 sunk H2883 into his forehead; H4696 and he fell H5307 upon his face H6440 to the earth. H776 So David H1732 prevailed H2388 over H4480 the Philistine H6430 with a sling H7050 and with a stone, H68 and smote H5221 the Philistine, H6430 and slew H4191 him; but there was no sword H2719 in the hand H3027 of David. H1732 Therefore David H1732 ran, H7323 and stood H5975 upon the Philistine, H6430 and took H3947 his sword, H2719 and drew H8025 it out of the sheath H8593 thereof, and slew H4191 him, and cut off H3772 his head H7218 therewith. And when the Philistines H6430 saw H7200 their champion H1368 was dead, H4191 they fled. H5127 And the men H582 of Israel H3478 and of Judah H3063 arose, H6965 and shouted, H7321 and pursued H7291 the Philistines, H6430 until thou come H935 to the valley, H1516 and to the gates H8179 of Ekron. H6138 And the wounded H2491 of the Philistines H6430 fell down H5307 by the way H1870 to Shaaraim, H8189 even unto Gath, H1661 and unto Ekron. H6138 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 returned H7725 from chasing H1814 after H310 the Philistines, H6430 and they spoiled H8155 their tents. H4264
Now Samuel H8050 was dead, H4191 and all Israel H3478 had lamented H5594 him, and buried H6912 him in Ramah, H7414 even in his own city. H5892 And Saul H7586 had put away H5493 those that had familiar spirits, H178 and the wizards, H3049 out of the land. H776 And the Philistines H6430 gathered themselves together, H6908 and came H935 and pitched H2583 in Shunem: H7766 and Saul H7586 gathered H6908 all Israel H3478 together, H6908 and they pitched H2583 in Gilboa. H1533 And when Saul H7586 saw H7200 the host H4264 of the Philistines, H6430 he was afraid, H3372 and his heart H3820 greatly H3966 trembled. H2729
Now the Philistines H6430 fought H3898 against Israel: H3478 and the men H582 of Israel H3478 fled H5127 from before H6440 the Philistines, H6430 and fell down H5307 slain H2491 in mount H2022 Gilboa. H1533 And the Philistines H6430 followed hard H1692 upon Saul H7586 and upon his sons; H1121 and the Philistines H6430 slew H5221 Jonathan, H3083 and Abinadab, H41 and Malchishua, H4444 Saul's H7586 sons. H1121 And the battle H4421 went sore H3513 against Saul, H7586 and the archers H3384 H582 H7198 hit H4672 him; and he was sore H3966 wounded H2342 of the archers. H3384 H582 H7198 Then said H559 Saul H7586 unto his armourbearer, H5375 H3627 Draw H8025 thy sword, H2719 and thrust me through H1856 therewith; lest these uncircumcised H6189 come H935 and thrust me through, H1856 and abuse H5953 me. But his armourbearer H5375 H3627 would H14 not; for he was sore H3966 afraid. H3372 Therefore Saul H7586 took H3947 a sword, H2719 and fell H5307 upon it. And when his armourbearer H5375 H3627 saw H7200 that Saul H7586 was dead, H4191 he fell H5307 likewise upon his sword, H2719 and died H4191 with him. So Saul H7586 died, H4191 and his three H7969 sons, H1121 and his armourbearer, H5375 H3627 and all his men, H582 that same day H3117 together. H3162 And when the men H582 of Israel H3478 that were on the other side H5676 of the valley, H6010 and they that were on the other side H5676 Jordan, H3383 saw H7200 that the men H582 of Israel H3478 fled, H5127 and that Saul H7586 and his sons H1121 were dead, H4191 they forsook H5800 the cities, H5892 and fled; H5127 and the Philistines H6430 came H935 and dwelt H3427 in them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 7
Commentary on 1 Samuel 7 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 7
1Sa 7:1, 2. The Ark at Kirjath-jearim.
1. the men of Kirjath-jearim—"the city of woods," also Kirjath-baal (Jos 15:60; 18:14; 1Ch 13:5, 6). It was the nearest town to Beth-shemesh and stood on a hill. This was the reason of the message (1Sa 6:21), and why this was chosen for the convenience of people turning their faces to the ark (1Ki 8:29-35; Ps 28:2; Da 6:10).
brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill—Why it was not transported at once to Shiloh where the tabernacle and sacred vessels were remaining, is difficult to conjecture.
sanctified … his son—He was not a Levite, and was therefore only set apart or appointed to be keeper of the place.
2. the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim … twenty years—It appears, in the subsequent history, that a much longer period elapsed before its final removal from Kirjath-jearim (2Sa 6:1-19; 1Ch 13:1-14). But that length of time had passed when the Israelites began to revive from their sad state of religious decline. The capture of the ark had produced a general indifference either as to its loss or its recovery.
all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord—They were then brought, doubtless by the influence of Samuel's exhortations, to renounce idolatry, and to return to the national worship of the true God.
1Sa 7:3-6. The Israelites, through Samuel's Influence, Solemnly Repent at Mizpeh.
3-6. Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel—A great national reformation was effected through the influence of Samuel. Disgusted with their foreign servitude, and panting for the restoration of liberty and independence, they were open to salutary impressions; and convinced of their errors, they renounced idolatry. The re-establishment of the faith of their fathers was inaugurated at a great public meeting, held at Mizpeh in Judah, and hallowed by the observance of impressive religious solemnities. The drawing water, and pouring it out before the Lord, seems to have been a symbolical act by which, in the people's name, Samuel testified their sense of national corruption, their need of that moral purification of which water is the emblem, and their sincere desire to pour out their hearts in repentance before God.
6. Samuel judged … Israel in Mizpeh—At the time of Eli's death he could not have much exceeded twenty years of age; and although his character and position must have given him great influence, it does not appear that hitherto he had done more than prophets were wont to do. Now he entered on the duties of a civil magistrate.
1Sa 7:7-14. While Samuel Prays, the Philistines Are Discomfited.
7-11. when the Philistines heard, &c.—The character and importance of the national convention at Mizpeh were fully appreciated by the Philistines. They discerned in it the rising spirit of religious patriotism among the Israelites that was prepared to throw off the yoke of their domination. Anxious to crush it at the first, they made a sudden incursion while the Israelites were in the midst of their solemn celebration. Unprepared for resistance, they besought Samuel to supplicate the divine interposition to save them from their enemies. The prophet's prayers and sacrifice were answered by such a tremendous storm of thunder and lightning that the assailants, panic-struck, were disordered and fled. The Israelites, recognizing the hand of God, rushed courageously on the foe they had so much dreaded and committed such immense havoc, that the Philistines did not for long recover from this disastrous blow. This brilliant victory secured peace and independence to Israel for twenty years, as well as the restitution of the usurped territory.
12. Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen—on an open spot between the town and "the crag" (some well-known rock in the neighborhood). A huge stone pillar was erected as a monument of their victory (Le 26:1). The name—Eben-ezer—is thought to have been written on the face of it.