Bible Commentaries
1 Samuel 7

Verses 1-17

1 Samuel 7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

1 Samuel 7:5 Word Study on “Mizpeh” Strong says the Hebrew name “Mizpeh” ( מִצְפָּה ) (H4709) means, “a watchtower.”

1 Samuel 7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

1 Samuel 7:9 “and the Lord heard him” - Comments - A better word is “hearkened,” or answered him. God continued to provide help for Samuel all the days of his life (1 Samuel 7:13). One prayer brought a lifetime of answered prayers from God.

1 Samuel 7:13, “So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.”

1 Samuel 7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

1 Samuel 7:10 Comments - We read of a similar victory for Israel by God’s mighty hand of deliverance in 2 Chronicles 20:22, “And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”

1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

1 Samuel 7:12 Word Study on “Ebenezer” Strong says the Hebrew name “Ebenezer” ( אֶבֶן הָעֵזֶֶר ) (H72) means, “stone of the help.” Even though this place is named at this time in Israel's history, the name of this place is used earlier in the book of 1 Samuel (1 Samuel 4:1; 1 Samuel 5:1).

1 Samuel 4:1, “And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer : and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.”

1 Samuel 5:1, “And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.”

1 Samuel 7:17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

1 Samuel 7:17 “And his return was to Ramah” Comments - PTW says that Ramah is the same as Ramathaim Zophim. Therefore, Samuel lived in same city where his family lived (1 Samuel 1:1). He probably saw his parents and other family members often.

1 Samuel 1:1, “Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:”