This verse belongs more properly to 1 Samuel 6. Abinadab and his sons were probably of the house of Levi. The catastrophe at Bethshemesh must inevitably have made the Israelites very careful to pay due honor to the ark in accordance with the Law: but to give the care of the ark to those who were not... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL LAMENTED ... - The occupation of the country about Shiloh by the Philistines 1 Samuel 7:3 was partly the reason for the ark being kept so long at Kirjath-jearim. But another reason seems to have been the fall of the Israelites into idolatry, which made them neglect the ar... [ Continue Reading ]
Compare the marginal references. Twenty years of Samuel’s life had passed away since the last mention of him 1 Samuel 4:1. Now he appears in the threefold character of prophet, Judge, and the acknowledged leader of the whole people. His words were an answer to a profession of repentance on the part... [ Continue Reading ]
Two rites are brought together here which belong especially to the Feast of Tabernacles and the Day of Atonement, respectively, namely, drawing and pouring out water, and fasting. Hence, some think that Samuel chose the Feast of tabernacles, and the fast which preceded it, as the occasion for assemb... [ Continue Reading ]
This implies a united invasion by the whole Philistine force. Hence, the terror of the Israelites. (Compare Judges 15:11.)... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Levitic... [ Continue Reading ]
BETH-CAR - This place is nowhere else mentioned. It seems to have stood on a hill overhanging the road from the Philistine territory to Mizpeh, and close to Ebenezer, 1 Samuel 4:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
Shen was a tooth-pointed or sharp-pointed rock (see 1 Samuel 14:4), nowhere else mentioned and not identified.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE DAYS OF SAMUEL - Not (as in 1 Samuel 7:15), all the days of his life, but all the days of his “government”, when as Judge he ruled over Israel, before they asked for a king.... [ Continue Reading ]
This shows the vigour and success of Samuel’s government. He seems not only to have expelled the Philistines from the interior of the Israelite country, but to have attacked them in their own land, and taken from them the cities, with the adjacent territory, which properly belonged to Israel, but wh... [ Continue Reading ]
SAMUEL JUDGED ISRAEL ... - The repetition of the phrase in 1 Samuel 7:16, in connection with Samuel’s circuit, is a proof that it is his civil judgeship which is meant. The military leadership of course belonged to Saul, when he became king.... [ Continue Reading ]
GILGAL - It is uncertain whether Gilgal in the valley of the Jordan, or the modern Jiljulieh, the Gilgal of 2 Kings 2:1; 2 Kings 4:38, be meant; but far more probably the former (see 1 Samuel 11:14 and note).... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE HE BUILT AN ALTAR - Whether this altar was in connection with the tabernacle or not we have no means of deciding, since we are in complete ignorance as to where the tabernacle was at this time, or who was High Priest, or where he resided. It is quite possible that Samuel may have removed t... [ Continue Reading ]