1Sa 7:3-10 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Sam 7:3-10: 7:3-10 The change in the people’s standing with God, not the presence of the Ark (see 4:3-11 ), led Israel to victory against the Philistines. 7:3 People cannot expect God’s blessing unless they get rid of what is contrary to his will (see Gen 35:2 ; Josh 24:14 ). • Ashtoreth was the Canaanite goddess of fertility associated with Baal (1 Sam 7:4 ). Worship of Canaanite deities was an ongoing problem throughout Israel’s history. The people started worshiping idols during the twenty-year period mentioned in 7:2 , or perhaps they had done so ever since the days of the judges (8:8 ; Judg 6:25 ; cp. Amos 5:25-26 ). Israel’s devastating defeat by the Philistines was due not only to the sins of Eli’s two sons but to several generations of unfaithfulness to God.

Summary for 1Sam 7:3-10: 7:3-10 ^a The change in the people’s standing with God, not the presence of the Ark (see 4:3-11 ^b), led Israel to victory against the Philistines. 7:3 ^c People cannot expect God’s blessing unless they get rid of what is contrary to his will (see Gen 35:2 ^d; Josh 24:14 ^e).

• Ashtoreth was the Canaanite goddess of fertility associated with Baal (1 Sam 7:4 ^f). Worship of Canaanite deities was an ongoing problem throughout Israel’s history. The people started worshiping idols during the twenty-year period mentioned in 7:2 ^g, or perhaps they had done so ever since the days of the judges (8:8 ^h; Judg 6:25 ⁱ; cp. Amos 5:25-26 ^j). Israel’s devastating defeat by the Philistines was due not only to the sins of Eli’s two sons but to several generations of unfaithfulness to God.
7:5 ^k Mizpah was an administrative center and rallying point for the nation (see 7:16 ^l; 10:17 ^m; Judg 20:1 ⁿ).

• I will pray ... for you: Eli’s question in 1 Sam 2:25 ^o is answered here; Samuel was the intercessor Israel needed.
7:6 ^p drew water ... poured it out: This type of ceremony is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament.

• At times Israelites went without food to express grief or to seek the Lord’s favor (2 Sam 1:12 ^q; 12:22-23 ^r; 1 Kgs 21:27 ^s; Ezra 8:21-23 ^t; Neh 9:1 ^u; Esth 4:3 ^v, 16 ^w; Joel 2:12 ^x; cp. Luke 2:37 ^y; Acts 13:2-3 ^z; 14:23 ^aa).

• To have Samuel as Israel’s judge was refreshing compared to Eli’s failed leadership (see 1 Sam 4:18 ^ab and corresponding study note) and the leadership of some other judges (e.g., Gideon, Judg 8:22-27 ^ac; Jephthah, Judg 11:30–12:7 ^ad; and Samson, Judg 13:1–16:21 ^ae).
7:9 ^af The whole burnt offering was probably for forgiveness of sin (see Lev 1:1-4 ^ag).

• The Lord answered with a forceful thunderclap (1 Sam 7:10 ^ah).
7:10 ^ai voice of thunder: See 2:10 ^aj. God often used similar tactics to throw Israel’s enemies into confusion and defeat them (e.g., Exod 14:24 ^ak; 23:27 ^al; Josh 10:10 ^am; Judg 4:15 ^an).