1 Sam. 7 The ark is placed in Kirjath-jearim; Eleazar’s son is sanctified to keep it, 1 Sam. 7:1–2. Samuel exhorts them to repent, and put away their idols; they obey him. A fast at Mizpeh, 1 Sam. 7:3–6. The Philistines intend to set upon the Israelites, who are afraid, 1 Sam. 7:7.

The men of Kirjath-jearim gladly embraced the motion, as wisely considering that their great calamity was not to be charged upon the ark, but upon themselves, and their own carelessness, irreverence, and presumption, in looking into the ark.

The ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, and was not carried to Shiloh, its former place, either because that place was destroyed by the Philistines when the ark was taken, as may be gathered from this history, compared with Jer. 7:12, Jer. 7:14, Jer. 26:6, Jer.

Unto all the house of Israel; to all the rulers and people too, as he had occasion in his circuit, described below, 1 Sam. 7:16, mixing exhortations to repentance with his judicial administrations.

To Mizpeh; not that beyond Jordan, of which Judg. 11:11, Judg. 11:29; but another in Canaan, where the Israelites used to assemble, Judg. 20:1, 1 Sam. 10:17. Drew water, and poured it out; which they did either, 1.

The lords of the Philistines went up, to wit, with all army, 1 Sam. 7:10, suspecting the effects of their general convention, and intending to nip them in the bud. They were afraid; being a company of unarmed persons, and unfit for battle.

We are ashamed and afraid to look God in the face, because of our great wickedness this day remembered and acknowledged; do thou therefore intercede for us, as Moses did for his generation.

It might be a sucking lamb, though it was more than eight days old, and so that law, Ex. 23:19, was not violated. Offered it; either himself by Divine instinct, which was a sufficient warrant; or rather by a priest, as Saul is afterwards said to have offered, 1 Sam. 13:9.

Either by the lightnings, or thunderbolts, or other things which accompanied the cracks of thunder; or by the Israelites, who perceiving them to be affrighted and flee away, pursued and smote them, as the next verse mentions.

Quest. Whence had they weapons wherewith to smite them? Answ. Divers of them probably brought them to the assembly; others borrowed them at Mizpeh, or the neighbouring places; and the rest might be the arms of the Philistines, which they threw away to hasten their flight, as is usual in such cases.

A stone; a rude, unpolished stone, which was not prohibited by that law, Lev. 26:1, there being no danger of worshipping such a stone, and this being set up only as a monument of the victory. Eben-ezer; by which, compared with 1 Sam.

They came no more into the coast of Israel, i.e. they came not with a great host, as now they did, but only molested them with straggling parties, or garrisons; as 1 Sam. 10:5; and they came not, to wit, all the days of Samuel, as it follows, i.e.

The cities were restored to Israel by the Philistines, who, it seems, were frightened into this restitution by their dread of Samuel, and of the Divine vengeance. Object. The Philistines had cities and garrisons in Israel’s land after this time; as 1 Sam. 10:5, 1 Sam. 13:3. Answ.

For though Saul was king in Samuel’s last days, yet Samuel did not then quite cease to be a judge, being so made by God’s extraordinary call, which Saul could not destroy; and therefore Samuel did sometimes, upon great occasions, though not ordinarily, exercise the office of a judge after the…

Beth-el; either a place known by that name, or the house of God, to wit, Kirjath-jearim, where the ark was. Gilgal; in the eastern border. Mizpeh; towards the west.

That by joining sacrifices with his prayers he might the better obtain direction and assistance from God upon all emergencies. Object. It was unlawful to build another altar for sacrifice besides that before the tabernacle, Deut. 12:5, Deut. 12:13. Answ.