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._ Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord. Samuel was not a priest, nor of the priestly tribe; yet, as the priesthood lay at that time prostrate, he offered sacrifices, no doubt with the divine sanction: the sacrifices were not offered at the altar of the tabernacle, but at Mizpeh, in that as in other things exempting himself from the law in a troublous and corrupt age (Delitzsch). This fact will serve to explain several anomalies in the life of Samuel-not only his offering sacrifices, but his wearing an ephod, consecrating kings, and being classed (Psalms 99:6) with persons of the priestly order. He was only a Levite, and therefore, by an unalterable statute in the divine law,

7-12 The Philistines invaded Israel. When sinners begin to repent and reform, they must expect that Satan will muster all his force against them, and set his instruments at work to the utmost, to oppose and discourage them. The Israelites earnestly beg Samuel to pray for them. Oh what a comfort it is to all believers, that our great Intercessor above never ceases, is never silent! for he always appears in the presence of God for us. Samuel's sacrifice, without his prayer, had been an empty shadow. God gave a gracious answer. And Samuel erected a memorial of this victory, to the glory of God, and to encourage Israel. Through successive generations, the church of God has had cause to set up Eben-ezers for renewed deliverances; neither outward persecutions nor inward corruptions have prevailed against her, because "hitherto the Lord hath helped her:" and he will help, even to the end of the...

Verse 1 Samuel 7:9. _SAMUEL TOOK A SUCKING LAMB_] This sucking lamb must have been _eight days under its mother_ before it could be offered, as the law says, Leviticus 22:27. Though Samuel was not a _priest_, yet he offered this sacrifice; or he might have ordered _Eleazar_ to offer it, and still be said to have done it himself: _Qui facit per alterum, facit per se_; "He who _procures_ a thing to be done, may be said to _do_ it _himself_." His not sacrificing at the _tabernacle_ was justified by the necessity of the case; neither tabernacle nor ark was at hand....

Samuel’s preparation for intercessory prayer, namely, the offering up an atoning sacrifice, is most significant (compare Luke 1:9). The term here used for a “lamb” does not occur in the Pentateuch; indeed it is only found besides this place in Isaiah 65:25. The offering is in accordance with Leviticus 22:27. THE LORD HEARD HIM - Better as in margin. The “answer” was not simply the granting the asked-for deliverance, but the great thunder 1 Samuel 7:10, which was “the voice of the Lord,” the same voice with which the Lord answered Moses...

EXPOSITION 1 SAMUEL 7:1 At Kirjath-jearim the people reverently undertook the charge of the ark, and carried out their arrangements so carefully that no further calamity occurred. On its arrival they placed it in THE HOUSE OF ABINADAB IN THE HILL. More probably _at Gibeah, _as it is translated in 2 Samuel 6:3, 2 Samuel 6:4. In Joshua 15:57 a village of this name is mentioned in the tribe of Judah not far from Kirjath-jearim (_ibid. _Joshua 15:60), and probably Abinadab, who lived there, was a L

AND SAMUEL TOOK A SUCKING LAMB,.... Which it might be, and yet more than eight days old, for under that it might not be sacrificed, Exodus 22:30 AND OFFERED IT FOR A BURNT OFFERING WHOLLY UNTO THE LORD; the whole of it was burnt, skin and all, whereas the skin was the priest's in other burnt offerings; and this is remarked m as one of the three things in which it differed from other offerings; the word being feminine, the Jews gather from hence, as Jarchi notes, that females might be offered at a private altar: AND SAMUEL CRIED UNTO THE LORD FOR ISRAEL; not only offered a sacrifice for them, but prayed for them: AND THE LORD HEARD HIM; and answered him, either by causing fire to come down on the sacrifice, by which it was consumed, or by the voice of thunder, which frightened and discomfited the Philistines; and the event of things m

7. THE RETURN UNTO JEHOVAH AND THE DELIVERANCE CHAPTER 7:3-14 _ 1. Samuel's message and the response of the people (1 Samuel 7:3)_ 2. Gathered at Mizpah (1 Samuel 7:5) 3. The deliverance (1 Samuel 7:7) Samuel now is seen beginning his great national ministry. The message he brings is the message of repentance and the assurance of faith. In simple words he addressed the people, who no doubt were prepared for it by their long period of humiliation. He demands that their true return to the Lord must be practical; the strange gods and Ashtaroth must be put away. If they serve the Lord only, deliverance out of the hands of the Philistines would come. The message was at once obeyed. Every true

SAMUEL AS JUDGE. Philistines subdued by Divine intervention; probably an ideal picture, by the Deuteronomic writer, of the happy results of Israel's repentance and Samuel's piety peace, victory, and orthodoxy. The section is the typical form of the Deuteronomic accounts of the Judges apostasy, oppression, repentance, deliverance. The statements that the Philistines ceased to invade Israel, and that the Israelites recovered the Philistine cities from Ekron to Gath, are inconsistent with the older narratives. On the other hand, the writer sees no difficulty in Samuel building an altar at Ramah, because his view was that the limitation of sacrifice to a central sanctuary did not come into force till Solomon built the Temple. 1 SAMUEL 7:2. The return of the Ark leads the people to repent; Samuel encourages them in this by promising deliverance if they worship Yahweh only....

SAMUEL TOOK. Samuel was. Levite, and according to 1 Chronicles 23:27 could do this; though according to Numbers 18:3 he could not have acted in the holy place. OFFERED. offered up. See App-43....

Total Rout of the Philistines at Ebenezer 7. _when the Philistines heard_, &c. The lords naturally regarded a national assembly of their vassals as a preliminary step towards revolt, and mustering the army of the confederation, marched up towards Mizpah....