1 Samuel Chapter 7
Samuel as Judge
A. Samuel leads the nation in repentance.
1. (1 Samuel 7:1–2) The ark at Kirjath Jearim.
“Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath Jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.”
The men of Kirjath Jearim showed proper reverence toward the Ark of the Covenant, understanding its sacred significance and the holiness of God it represented. However, instead of bringing it to the tabernacle where it rightly belonged, they placed it in the house of Abinadab. This act, though respectful, revealed a measure of spiritual confusion in Israel. The ark, which symbolized God’s presence, was now separated from the central place of worship ordained by God.
Eleazar, the son of Abinadab, was consecrated to keep the ark. The text does not specify whether he was of the Levitical lineage of Kohath, to whom such duties rightly belonged according to Exodus 29, yet his consecration still indicated a desire to do what was right before God. Though Israel possessed the Ark once again, their condition had not changed, for the people were still far from the Lord. Outward symbols cannot replace inward repentance.
“All the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.” This phrase captures the brokenness and spiritual dissatisfaction of a people who recognized that something was deeply wrong. The presence of the Ark did not restore their peace, their victory, or their fellowship with God. Their cities remained desolate, their armies weakened, and their hearts cold. Their mourning was not merely over political or military loss but over the absence of God’s favor.
As Charles Spurgeon observed, “It may very naturally be asked, ‘Where was Samuel all that time?’ I know not what he was doing during those twenty years; but I have a suspicion, I may say, I have a firm persuasion, that he was going from place to place, preaching in quiet spots wherever he could gather an audience; warning the people of their sin, and stirring them up to seek Jehovah, thus endeavouring to infuse some spirituality into their national life.” This period of silence was not inactivity, but likely preparation—God was working through Samuel to ready the nation’s heart for repentance.
2. (1 Samuel 7:3–4) Samuel preaches repentance, both outward and inward.
“And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve Him only: and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.”
Samuel emerged as both prophet and judge, calling the nation to genuine repentance. He had been absent during the earlier episode when Israel treated the Ark like a good luck charm in battle (1 Samuel 4:1–11), and now he returned with a message that went beyond ritual to the very heart of faithfulness. His words cut through Israel’s hypocrisy, exposing their false sense of security in religious symbols and demanding a return to wholehearted devotion.
“If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts,” Samuel began, stressing that repentance begins inwardly. The heart must first turn before the hands or habits follow. He then commanded them to “put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth,” calling for the outward evidence of their inward change. This is a biblical pattern—true repentance always bears visible fruit. The heart may be unseen, but its transformation manifests in obedience.
“Prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve Him only.” The Hebrew word for “prepare” means to fix firmly or establish. Samuel urged them to anchor their hearts in singular devotion to God, rejecting syncretism—the blending of pagan worship with the worship of the true God. The Israelites did not think they had forsaken the LORD; they simply added other gods alongside Him. Samuel’s command shattered this delusion, for the LORD tolerates no rivals.
Their response was immediate: “Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.” Baal was worshipped as the god of weather and prosperity, promising abundant harvests and material success. Ashtaroth, or Astarte, was the goddess of fertility, love, and sensual pleasure. Together, these idols appealed to both the greed and lust of human nature. Turning from them meant surrendering the very sins that held Israel captive.
Joyce Baldwin notes, “Ashtoreth was worshipped over a wide area as the goddess of fertility, love and war, and plaques of naked female figures from the Bronze and Iron Ages in Palestine are numerous. The Baals were the corresponding male deities.” This confirms the pervasive nature of this idolatry—it was not mere superstition but a deeply ingrained cultural corruption.
Similarly, Youngblood comments, “Baal, god of fertility and the storm, was believed to be the son of Dagon, god of grain. Ashtoreth, goddess of love and fertility, vied for supremacy with Asherah, mother-goddess and consort of El... The association of Baal, Asherah, and Ashtoreth with fertility, particularly as expressed in depraved sexual ritual at Canaanite shrines, made them especially abominable in the Lord’s eyes.”
Israel’s spiritual renewal began not in building armies or reclaiming land, but in breaking idols. True revival always begins with repentance. When the people turned from their false gods and served the LORD alone, they began to see restoration take root.
2. (1 Samuel 7:5–6) The nation repents at Mizpah.
“And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto the LORD. And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.”
Samuel now called for a national assembly at Mizpah, the place where Jacob and Laban made a covenant and named it Mizpah, meaning “watchtower,” saying, “The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another” (Genesis 31:49). This site later became a place associated with solemn gatherings, separation from sin, and national repentance, as seen in Judges 20:1, where Israel had also assembled in unity before the LORD. Samuel’s choice of location was therefore significant—it called the people back to a remembered place of covenant and commitment.
When Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto the LORD,” it demonstrated the intercessory heart of a true prophet. Though Israel had begun to repent by putting away their idols, Samuel knew that no human effort alone could complete the work of restoration. Only prayer could bring the spiritual cleansing and divine favor they needed. Samuel stood before the people as both prophet and intercessor, much like Moses had done for their fathers. His leadership was marked by spiritual depth rather than military strategy.
“So they gathered together to Mizpah.” This phrase signifies the nation’s unity under conviction and their willingness to respond to Samuel’s call. They did not merely feel sorrow for their condition but acted upon it. Genuine repentance is always followed by obedient movement toward God. As the commentary rightly notes, the experience of conviction proves nothing by itself; only the response to conviction demonstrates true repentance.
The people then “drew water, and poured it out before the LORD.” This act, symbolic and ceremonial, represented the pouring out of their souls in humility and contrition before God. They acknowledged their emptiness and dependence upon His mercy. The Chaldean translation interprets this beautifully: “They poured out their hearts like water in penance before the LORD.” In essence, they said, “We would shed as many tears for our sins as there are drops in this vessel, but because we cannot, we do what we can.” This action expressed a posture of total surrender and spiritual bankruptcy before God. It echoes the lament of Lamentations 2:19, which says, “Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the LORD: lift up thy hands toward Him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.”
Next, they “fasted on that day.” Fasting in Scripture represents self-denial and an intensified focus upon the spiritual rather than the physical. It communicates that nothing else matters except being right with God. Their fasting was accompanied by confession, for they said plainly, “We have sinned against the LORD.” This simple, direct confession is one of the most powerful forms of repentance recorded in Scripture. It mirrors David’s response to the prophet Nathan when confronted over his sin: “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13) The same spirit of humility and acknowledgment of guilt is present here.
The Apostle John also affirms this principle in 1 John 1:8–9, saying, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” True confession restores fellowship with God and removes the barriers that hinder spiritual communion. Israel’s open acknowledgment of sin signified that they had moved beyond remorse to repentance.
Finally, “Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.” As the last of Israel’s judges, Samuel’s role was not like those of the earlier deliverers such as Gideon or Samson, who exercised primarily military authority. Samuel’s leadership was moral and spiritual, guiding the nation by the Word of God rather than by the sword. He functioned as a prophet, priest, and judge—a man who not only ruled but prayed, taught, and exemplified righteousness. His ministry at Mizpah marked the beginning of national renewal and the restoration of Israel’s relationship with the LORD.
B. Samuel leads the nation to victory.
1. (1 Samuel 7:7) The Philistine threat.
“And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.”
When the Philistines heard that the Israelites were gathered together at Mizpah, they saw this as a potential uprising and mobilized to crush it before it could become a threat. The Philistines ruled over Israel at this time and had no tolerance for a national assembly that could signify rebellion. However, they misjudged what was taking place. The Israelites were not gathering for war but for repentance. The Philistines, being pagans, could not comprehend the power that would soon be unleashed through Israel’s return to God.
The text says, “When the Philistines heard,” and in truth, they should have been the ones to fear, for a humble and repentant Israel walking in fellowship with the LORD was an unconquerable force. The same God who had delivered them from Egypt and shattered Jericho’s walls was about to fight for them again. Yet, from a human perspective, the Philistines likely saw weakness. They may have mocked the Israelites, saying, “Look at them weeping and praying instead of sharpening their swords.” But what looked like weakness before men was power before God. The LORD delights in the humility of His people because it invites His strength.
The passage continues, “And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.” Israel still struggled to walk in full confidence of God’s deliverance. Though they had turned from idols and confessed their sins, their memories of past defeats haunted them. This reveals that repentance does not immediately remove fear, but it prepares the heart for faith. Israel’s fear was natural, yet unnecessary, for the LORD was now with them.
There is a striking contrast between this fear and their earlier presumption in 1 Samuel 4:5, where they shouted so loudly that the earth rang when the Ark was brought into their camp. Then, they had great confidence—but in a false object. Their misplaced faith led to defeat. Now they trembled, yet their trembling was before the LORD, not before idols, and therefore it would soon lead to victory. This teaches a profound spiritual principle: small faith in the true and living God is far greater than great faith in a false hope. As our Lord said, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:20)
2. (1 Samuel 7:8–9) Samuel prays for the nation.
“And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.”
When the Israelites cried, “Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us,” they demonstrated a new heart posture. In earlier days, their trust was in ritual and relics; they had treated the Ark like a talisman that guaranteed success. Now, they placed their faith not in a symbol, but in the living God who hears prayer. This time, they asked Samuel to intercede for them—a mark of humility and dependence on God’s appointed mediator.
Samuel responded by offering a suckling lamb as a whole burnt offering. This act was more than ceremonial—it was deeply theological. The sacrifice pointed directly to the necessity of atonement. Before prayer could ascend, blood had to be shed, because sinful man cannot approach a holy God apart from substitutionary sacrifice. The suckling lamb, pure and innocent, symbolized the price of sin. Its throat was slit, its blood spilled, and its body consumed by fire. It had done no wrong, yet it bore the punishment that belonged to another.
This vivid image prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. As John the Baptist declared, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Every Old Testament sacrifice pointed toward Calvary. Just as Samuel’s lamb was offered before God in substitution for Israel, so Christ offered Himself once for all, satisfying divine justice and securing eternal redemption. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Samuel’s prayer, therefore, was not merely emotional but anchored in the atoning blood. The text declares, “And the LORD heard him.” Before the battle began, victory was already secured because God had accepted both the sacrifice and the intercession. Israel’s deliverance was certain not because of military strength but because of divine favor.
The Psalmist later included Samuel among the great men of prayer: “Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name; they called upon the LORD, and He answered them.” (Psalm 99:6) This verse immortalizes Samuel’s faithfulness as an intercessor who knew how to move the hand of God through prayer.
3. (1 Samuel 7:10–12) The LORD fights for Israel.
“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. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car. 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.”
As Samuel offered the burnt offering, the Philistine army drew near, confident that Israel’s gathering at Mizpah made for an easy victory. But while Samuel prayed, heaven moved. The text says, “The LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day.” This was no ordinary storm but a supernatural act of divine intervention. The thunder of God’s voice was often associated with His judgment and power, as in Psalm 18:13, which declares, “The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave His voice; hail stones and coals of fire.”
This thunder was both a weapon and a message. It struck terror into the Philistine army, throwing them into confusion, while the Israelites, hearing the same sound, were emboldened. God’s intervention was not only atmospheric but psychological. The LORD sent both physical chaos and spiritual courage. The Philistines fled, their battle plans shattered, while Israel advanced under the divine protection of Jehovah.
This was the victory Israel had longed for in earlier days when they carried the Ark into battle as a charm in 1 Samuel 4. Then, they were defeated because they trusted in a symbol rather than in the LORD Himself. Now, in humility and repentance, they experienced the kind of triumph they had once tried to manufacture through superstition. God gave them what they had always wanted—but only when they were ready to honor Him.
Samuel then took a stone and set it up as a memorial, calling it Ebenezer, meaning “stone of help.” The name itself carries powerful theological significance. The prophet desired that the people never forget that victory belonged solely to the LORD. Israel did not win through swords or numbers, but through faith and obedience. The monument stood as a visible reminder that divine help is the foundation of every true success.
Samuel’s statement, “Hitherto hath the LORD helped us,” expressed gratitude for the present and faith for the future. The Hebrew phrase can mean both “up to this time” and “up to this place.” Thus, Samuel acknowledged both God’s past faithfulness and His ongoing guidance in bringing them to that moment. It is as if he were saying, “The LORD has brought us this far, and He will bring us further still.” God’s past deliverance is always a pledge of His future help, as reflected in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
4. (1 Samuel 7:13–14) The success of Samuel as a judge over Israel.
“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. And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.”
The results of Israel’s repentance and God’s intervention were lasting. The Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israel again throughout Samuel’s lifetime. The text attributes this peace not to military power but to the hand of the LORD, emphasizing divine sovereignty. The same hand that had once been heavy against Israel for sin was now strong against their enemies because of obedience.
The recovery of cities from Ekron to Gath represented full restoration of what had been lost. When Israel turned from idols and returned to the LORD, He gave back what disobedience had forfeited. This pattern is consistent throughout Scripture: repentance brings restoration. As Joel later declared, “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.” (Joel 2:25)
Moreover, there was peace not only with the Philistines but also with the Amorites, signifying that Israel’s righteousness brought blessing even in its foreign relations. God gave them rest on every side. Samuel’s success as a leader was rooted in his submission to the LORD’s authority. He led not as a warrior-king but as a prophet and intercessor. The LORD Himself was Israel’s defender.
5. (1 Samuel 7:15–17) Samuel’s service as a circuit judge.
“And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. 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.”
Samuel’s lifelong ministry was marked by consistency, humility, and faithfulness. Unlike some judges who ended in failure or apostasy, Samuel finished his race well. The statement “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” speaks of enduring devotion. His integrity remained intact from youth to old age, and he never wavered in obedience.
He established a circuit of judgment, traveling annually to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah to administer justice and teach righteousness. This circuit system demonstrates his diligence; Samuel labored tirelessly for the spiritual and moral well-being of the people. His leadership was pastoral in nature—he shepherded the nation by ensuring that God’s Word and standards were upheld in every region.
Samuel always returned to Ramah, his home, where he had built an altar unto the LORD. This detail is not incidental. The altar symbolized personal worship, continual thanksgiving, and a life centered on God’s presence. Though Samuel was busy in public ministry, he maintained private communion with God. He was a man who balanced duty with devotion.
In this, Samuel prefigures the ideal servant-leader: one who judges righteously, works tirelessly, and worships faithfully. His ministry united the prophetic, priestly, and judicial roles, making him a pivotal figure in Israel’s history. Under his guidance, the nation transitioned from the chaos of the Judges to the monarchy—grounded once again in obedience to God’s covenant.
