1 Samuel 7 – Repentance, Deliverance, and Remembrance

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 20 Sept. 2020

Omitting greyed-out text should bring presentation time down to 40 minutes.

Introduction

A) vs. 1-2 Faithful Priests Eleazar and Aminidab’s Ark Care

B) vs. 3-6 Faithful Prophet Samuel’s Purge of Idolatry

C) vs. 7-17 Judge Samuel’s Faith-filled Defeat of Philistines

Conclusion

1 Samuel 7 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton (LXX)

DRB (Vulgate)

KJV

NAW

Masoretic Txt



1 καὶ ἔρχονται οἱ ἄνδρες Καριαθ­ιαριμ καὶ ἀνάγ­ουσιν τὴν κιβωτὸν διαθήκης κυρίου καὶ εἰσάγουσιν αὐτὴν εἰς οἶκον Αμιναδαβ τὸν ἐν τῷ βουνῷ· καὶ τὸν Ελεαζαρ υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἡγίασαν φυλάσσειν τὴν κιβωτὸν διαθήκης κυρίου.

1 And the men of Cariathiarim come, and bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord: and they bring it into the house of Aminadab in the hill; and they sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

1 And the men of Cariathiarim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and carried it into the house of Abinadab, in Gabaa: and they sanctified Eleazar, his son, to keep the ark of the Lord.

1 And the men of Kirjathjearim 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 keepB the ark of the LORD.

1 So the men of Kiraith-Jearim came and took up the ark {of the covenant} of Yahweh, and they brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill, and they consecrated his son Eleazar to keep the ark {of the coven­ant} of Yahweh.

1 וַיָּבֹאוּ אַנְשֵׁי קִרְיַת יְעָרִים וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶת-אֲרוֹן C יְהוָה וַיָּבִאוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל-בֵּית אֲבִינָדָב D בַּגִּבְעָה וְאֶת- אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ קִדְּשׁוּE לִשְׁמֹר אֶת-אֲרוֹן יְהוָה: פ



2 Καὶ ἐγενήθη ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡμέρας ἦν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν Καριαθ­ιαριμ, ἐπλήθυναν αἱ ἡμέραι καὶ ἐγένοντο εἴκοσι ἔτη, καὶ ἐπέβλεψενF πᾶς οἶκος Ισραηλ ὀπίσω κυρίου.

2 And it came to pass from the time that the ark was in Cariathiarim, the days were multiplied, and the time was twenty years; and all the house of Israel looked after the Lord.

2 And it came to pass, that from the day the ark of the Lord abode in Cari­ath­iarim, days were multiplied (for it was now the 20th year) and all the house of Israel rested, following the Lord.

2 And it came to pass, while the ark abodeG in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

2 And the days increased from the day the ark began to reside in Kiraith-Jearim ‘til it had been twenty years, and the whole community of Israel was going after Yahweh, mourning.

2 וַיְהִי מִיּוֹם שֶׁבֶת הָאָרוֹן בְּקִרְיַת יְעָרִים וַיִּרְבּוּ הַיָּמִים וַיִּהְיוּ עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וַיִּנָּהוּH כָּל-בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵלI אַחֲרֵי יְהוָהJ: ס



3 καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς πάντα οἶκον Ισραηλ λέγων Εἰ ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν ὑμεῖς ἐπιστρέφετε πρὸς κύριον, περιέλετε τοὺς θεοὺς τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους ἐκ μέσου ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ ἄλση καὶ ἑτοιμά­σατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν πρὸς κύριον καὶ δουλεύσατε αὐτῷ μόνῳ, καὶ ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς ἀλλοφύλων.

3 And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do with all your heart return to the Lord, take away the strange gods from the midst of you, and the groves, and prepare your hearts to serve the Lord, and serve him only; and he shall deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.

3 And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying: If you turn to the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, [Baalim] and Astaroth: and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your heart[s], then put awayK the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare X your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

3 Then Samuel spoke to the whole community of Israel saying, “If it is with all your heart that y’all are turning to Yahweh, you will remove foreign gods from among yourselves – and the goddesses too, and y’all will set the course for your heart toward Yahweh and serve Him only, and He will deliver y’all from the hand of the Philistines.”

3 וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-כָּל-בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אִםבְּכָל-לְבַבְכֶם אַתֶּם שָׁבִיםL אֶליְהוָה הָסִירוּ אֶתאֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר מִתּוֹכְכֶם וְהָעַשְׁתָּרוֹת וְהָכִינוּM לְבַבְכֶם אֶל-יְהוָה וְעִבְדֻהוּ לְבַדּוֹ וְיַצֵּל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים:



4 καὶ περιεῖλον οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ τὰς Βααλιμ καὶ τὰ [ἄλση] Ασταρωθ καὶ ἐδούλευσαν κυρίῳ μόνῳ.

4 And the children of Israel took away Baalim and the [groves of] Astaroth, and served the Lord only.

4 Then the children of Israel put away Baalim and Astaroth, and served the Lord only.

4 Then the childrenN of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

4 And the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths and served Yahweh only!

4 וַיָּסִירוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶתהַבְּעָלִים וְאֶת­הָעַשְׁתָּרֹת וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֶת-יְהוָה לְבַדּוֹ: פ



5 καὶ εἶπεν Σαμου­ηλ Ἀθροίσατε πάντα Ισραηλ εἰς Μασσηφαθ, καὶ προσεύξομαι περὶ ὑμῶν πρὸς κύριον.

5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Massephath, and I will pray for you to the Lord.

5 And Samuel said: Gather all Israel to Masphath, that I may pray to the Lord for you.

5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all of Israel at Mizpah and I will pray on behalf of y’all to Yahweh.”

5 וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל קִבְצוּ אֶת-כָּל- יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּצְפָּתָהO וְאֶתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְכֶם אֶל-יְהוָה:



6 καὶ συνήχθησαν εἰς Μασσηφαθ καὶ ὑδρεύονται ὕδωρ [καὶ ἐξέχεαν] ἐνώπ­ιον κυρίου ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐνήστευσαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ εἶπαν X Ἡμαρτή­καμεν ἐνώπιον κυρίου· καὶ ἐδίκαζεν Σαμουηλ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ εἰς Μασσηφαθ.

6 And they were gathered together to Massephath, and they drew water, and poured it out [upon the earth] before the Lord. And they fast­ed on that day, and said X, We have sinned before the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Massephath.

6 And they gathered together to Masphath, and they drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and they fasted on that day, and they said there: We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Masphath.

6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, 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 Mizpeh.

6 So they assembled at Mizpah, and they drew and poured out water before the face of Yahweh, and they fasted during that day and they said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh!” And Samuel presided as judge with the children of Israel in Mizpah.

6 וַיִּקָּבְצוּ הַמִּצְפָּתָה וַיִּשְׁאֲבוּ-מַיִם וַיִּשְׁפְּכוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וַיָּצוּמוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיֹּאמְרוּ שָׁםP חָטָאנוּ לַיהוָה וַיִּשְׁפֹּט שְׁמוּאֵל אֶתבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּצְפָּה:



7 καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι ὅτι συνηθροίσθησαν [πάντες] οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ εἰς Μασση­φαθ, καὶ ἀνέβησαν σατράπαι ἀλλο­φύλων ἐπὶ Ισραηλ· καὶ ἀκούουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν ἀπὸ προσώπου ἀλλοφύλων.

7 And the Philis­tines heard that [all] the children of Israel were gathered together to Masse­phath: and the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel: and the children of Israel heard, and they feared before the Philistines.

7 And the Philis­tines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Masphath, and the lords of the Philis­tines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard this, they were afraid of the Philistines.

7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid X of the Philistines.

7 Meanwhile, the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had assembled themselves at Mizpah, and the lords of the Philis­tines mounted [an ssault] against Israel. When the children of Israel heard, then they became afraid of the Philistine’s presence.

7 וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים כִּי-הִתְקַבְּצוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּצְפָּתָה וַיַּעֲלוּ סַרְנֵי-פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶל-יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּרְאוּ מִפְּנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים:



8 καὶ εἶπαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ πρὸς Σαμουηλ Μὴ παρασιωπήσῃς ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν τοῦ μὴ βοᾶν πρὸς κύριον θεόν σου, καὶ σώσει ἡμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς ἀλλοφύλων.

8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry to the Lord thy God for us, and he shall save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

8 And they said to Samuel: Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

8 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.

8 And the children of Israel said to Sam­uel, “Don’t let there be silence from us; you keep crying out to Yahweh our God so He will save us from the hand of the Philistines!”

8 וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְנֵי­יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל­שְׁמוּאֵל אַל-תַּחֲרֵשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ Qמִזְּעֹק אֶל-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְיֹשִׁעֵנוּ מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים:



9 καὶ ἔλαβεν Σαμ­ουηλ ἄρνα γαλαθη­νὸν ἕνα καὶ ἀνήνεγ­κεν αὐτὸν ὁλο­καύτ­ωσιν σὺν παντὶ [τῷ λαῷ] τῷ κυρίῳ, καὶ ἐβόησεν Σαμ­ουηλ πρὸς κύριον περὶ Ισραηλ, καὶ ἐπήκου­σεν αὐτοῦ κύριος.

9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it up as a whole-burnt-offering with all [the people] to the Lord: and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.

9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it whole for a holocaust to the Lord: and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.

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.

9 So Samuel took one suckling lamb and offered it up whole as a burnt offering to Yahweh, and Samuel cried out to Yahweh in behalf of Israel, and Yahweh answered him!

9 וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל טְלֵה חָלָב אֶחָד וַיַּעֲלֶהR עוֹלָה כָּלִיל לַיהוָה וַיִּזְעַק שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-יְהוָה בְּעַד יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעֲנֵהוּS יְהוָה:



10 καὶ ἦν Σαμουηλ ἀναφέρων τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν, καὶ ἀλλόφυλοι προσ­ῆγον εἰς πόλεμον ἐπὶ Ισραηλ. καὶ ἐβρόντησεν κύριος ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους, καὶ συνεχύθησανT καὶ ἔπταισαν ἐνώπιον Ισραηλ.

10 And Samuel was offering the whole-burnt-offering; and the Philistines drew near to war against Israel; and the Lord thundered with a mighty sound in that day upon the Philistines, and they were confounded and overthrown before Israel.

10 And it came to pass, when Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Phil­istines began the battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philis­tines, and terrified them, and they were overthrown before the face of Israel.

10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunderU on that day upon the Philis­tines, and discomfited them; and they were smittenV before Israel.

10 So, there was Sam­uel, offering up the whole burnt offering while the Phil­istines engaged in battle with Israel, and then Yahweh rum­bled with a loud voice on that day against the Phil­is­tines and made a com­mo­tion among them, so that they were routed in front of Israel!

10 וַיְהִי שְׁמוּאֵל מַעֲלֶה הָעוֹלָה וּפְלִשְׁתִּים נִגְּשׁוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּרְעֵם יְהוָה בְּקוֹל- גָּדוֹל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עַל-פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְהֻמֵּםW וַיִּנָּגְפוּ לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:



11 καὶ ἐξῆλθαν ἄνδρες Ισραηλ ἐκ Μασσηφαθ καὶ κατεδίωξαν τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους καὶ ἐπάταξαν αὐτοὺς ἕως ὑποκάτω τοῦ Βαιθχορ.

11 And the men of Israel went forth out of Massephath, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them to [the parts] under Baethchor.

11 And the men of Israel going out of Masphath, pursued after the Philistines, and made slaughter of them till they came under Bethchar.

11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smoteX them, until they came under Bethcar.

11 Then the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and they struck them down as far as below Beth-Car.

11 וַיֵּצְאוּ אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן- הַמִּצְפָּה וַיִּרְדְּפוּ אֶת-פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּכּוּם עַד-מִתַּחַת לְבֵית כָּרY:



12 καὶ ἔλαβεν Σαμ­ουηλ λίθον ἕνα καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὸν ἀνὰ μέσον Μασση­φαθ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς παλαιᾶςZ καὶ ἐκάλε­σεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Αβενεζερ, [Λίθος τοῦ βοηθοῦ], καὶ εἶπεν Ἕως ἐνταῦθα ἐβοή­θησεν ἡμῖν κύριος.

12 And Samuel took a stone, and set it up between Massephath and the old city; and he called the name of it Abenezer, [stone of the helper]; and he said, Hitherto has the Lord helped us.

12 And Samuel took a stone, and laid it between Masphath and Sen: and he called the place The stone of help. And he said: Thus far the Lord hath helped us.

12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, X saying, HithertoAA hath the LORD helped us.

12 Therefore Samuel took one rock and placed it between Mizpah and Shen, and he named it “Rock of the Help” and he said, “Yahweh has helped us up to this point!”

12 וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶבֶן אַחַת וַיָּשֶׂם בֵּין-הַמִּצְפָּה וּבֵין הַשֵּׁן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמָהּ אֶבֶן הָעָזֶר וַיֹּאמַר עַד-הֵנָּהBB עֲזָרָנוּ יְהוָה:



13 καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν [κύριος] τοὺς ἀλλο­φύλους, καὶ οὐ προσ­έθεντο ἔτι προσ­ελθ­εῖν εἰς ὅριον Ισραηλ· καὶ ἐγενήθη χεὶρ κυρ­ίου ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀλλο­φύλους πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ Σαμουηλ.

13 So [the Lord] humbled the Philis­tines, and they did not anymore come into the border of Israel; and the hand of the Lord was against the Philis­tines all the days of Samuel.

13 And the Philis­tines were humbled, and they did not come any more into the borders of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philis­tines, all the days of Samuel.

13 So the Philis­tines were subdued, and they X X came no more into the coastCC of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

13 So, the Philis­tines were subordinated and did not try again to invade the territory of Israel, for the hand of Yahweh was against the Philis­tines all the days of Samuel.

13 וַיִּכָּנְעוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים וְלֹא- יָסְפוּ עוֹד לָבוֹא בִּגְבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵלDD וַתְּהִי יַד- יְהוָה בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים כֹּל יְמֵי שְׁמוּאֵל:



14 καὶ ἀπεδόθησαν αἱ πόλεις, ἃς ἔλαβον οἱ ἀλλό­φυλοι παρὰ [τῶν υἱῶν] Ισραηλ, [καὶ ἀπέδωκαν αὐτὰς τῷ Ισραηλ ἀπὸ Ἀσκα­λῶνος ἕως Αζοβ,] καὶ τὸ ὅριον Ισραηλ ἀφείλαντο ἐκ χειρὸς ἀλλοφύλων. καὶ ἦν εἰρήνη ἀνὰ μέσον Ισραηλ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ Αμορραίου.

14 And the cities which the Philis­tines took from [the children of Israel] were restored; [and they restored them to Israel from Asca­lon to Azob:] and they took the coast of Israel out of the hand of the Philis­tines; and there was peace between Israel and the Amorite.

14 And the cities which the Philis­tines had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Accaron to Geth, and their borders: and he delivered Israel from the hand of the Philis­tines, and there was peace between Israel and the Amorrhites.

14 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 hand[s]EE of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

14 And the cities which the Philis­tines had taken from Israel went back to belonging to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath. Israel also delivered the border-country from the control of the Philistines, and it became peaceful between Israel and the Amorites.

14 וַתָּשֹׁבְנָה הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ- פְלִשְׁתִּים מֵאֵת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֶקְרוֹן וְעַד-גַּת וְאֶת-גְּבוּלָן הִצִּיל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְהִי שָׁלוֹם בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵין הָאֱמֹרִי:



15 καὶ ἐδίκαζεν Σαμουηλ τὸν Ισ­ραηλ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ·

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life:

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

15 And Samuel presided as judge with Israel all the days of his life.

15 וַיִּשְׁפֹּט שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּל יְמֵי חַיָּיוFF:



16 καὶ ἐπορεύετο κατ᾿ X ἐνιαυτὸν ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ ἐκύκ­λου Βαιθηλ καὶ τὴν Γαλγαλα καὶ τὴν Μασσηφαθ καὶ ἐδίκαζεν τὸν Ισ­ραηλ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς [ἡγιασ­μένοις] τούτοις,

16 And he went X year by year, and went round Baeth­el, and Galgala, and Masse­phath; and he judged Israel in all these [consecrated] places.

16 And he went every year about to Bethel and to Galgal and to Masphath, and he judged Israel in the foresaid places.

16 And he went from X year to year in circuit [to] Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

16 And he would periodically travel, year by year, and make a circuit of Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he would judge Israel at all these places,

16 וְהָלַךְ מִדֵּי שָׁנָה בְּשָׁנָה וְסָבַב בֵּית­אֵל וְהַגִּלְגָּל וְהַמִּצְפָּה וְשָׁפַט אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל-הַמְּקוֹמוֹתGG הָאֵלֶּה:



17 ἡ δὲ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς Αρμα­θαιμ, ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἦν ὁ οἶκος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐδίκαζεν ἐκεῖ τὸν Ισραηλ καὶ ᾠκοδό­μησεν ἐκεῖ θυσιασ­τήριον τῷ κυρίῳ.

17 And his return was to Armathaim, because there was his house; and there he judged Israel, and built there an altar to the Lord.

17 And he returned to Ramatha: for there was his house, and there he judged Israel: he built also there an altar to the Lord.

17 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.

17 but his returning-place was to Ramah because his house was there, and he judged Israel there, and he had built an altar to Yahweh there.

17 וּתְשֻׁבָתוֹHH הָרָמָתָה כִּי-שָׁם בֵּיתוֹ וְשָׁם שָׁפָט אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּבֶן- שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַיהוָה: פ





1Antiquities l. 6. c. 1. sect. 4.

2“[T]he most probable opinion is, that so many yeares were alreadie expired, since the first remooue of the Arke to Kiriathiearim, unto the solemne time here mentioned of the conuersion, and returning of the people to God, and forsaking of their filthie idols.” ~Willett (Goldman, Tsumura, Gill, and Henry agreed with this assessment.)

3Procopius Gazaeus observes, from ‘aster’, a star; but the word signifies flocks of sheep… female deities, such as with other nations went by the name of Juno, Venus, &c. so the Arabic version,"the idols of the women ye secretly worship.'' ~John Gill

4Nowhere else in the Bible does that happen again, so there is some conjecture as to what it meant.

5Gill added another possible meaning gleaned from Rashi: “and of the atonement and expiation of their sins, which passed away as water to be remembered no more” Henry liked this position and supported it from 2 Sam. 14:14.

6Note every instance of “drawing” water up to this point: Gen. 24:11-20, 43-45; Deut. 29:10; Josh. 9:21-27; Ruth 2:9

7This was suggested by Goldman and Gill. Other Bible scholars (Abarbinel, Gill) argue that the Jews didn’t have to do any fighting at all, but v.11 seems to indicate they did kill some in battle.

8according to Jewish tradition in the Targum and Josephus’ Antiquities 6.3.1

9David Tsumura, in the New International Commentary on the Old Tes­tament. John Gill and Keil & Delitzsch agreed with this, but Andrew Willett argued against “the usuall interpretation, which taketh Bethel for a proper name” and for translating (“House of God”) rather than transliterating (“Beth-el”) the name, citing Junius for support.

10[T]he whole sequence assumes a landscape of several sacred locations” ~D.E. Fleming, quoted by Tsumura

11[T]hough he were but a Levite, and so ordinarily was not to offer sacrifice; yet by the extraordinarie calling of a Pro­phet, he had warrant to do it: and therefore it is said afterward, v. 17. that he built an altar unto God. So the Prophet Elias also offered sacrifice, 1 Ki. 18. this is also the opinion of D. Kimchi… [Despite the prohibition in Deuteronomy against building an altar anywhere but where God appointed His tabernacle, Samuel’s construction of an altar in Ram­ah instaed of Kiriath Jearim was warranted by reason of] no certen place beeing yet appointed for the resiance of the Arke [it being kept in a private residence], and the propheticall & extraordinarie direction that Samuel had.~Willett

12Kimchi, Goldman, Kirkpatrick, and Gill solved the problem by saying that this peaceful time was only during Samuel’s active judgeship, but Keil & Delitzsch noted, “this is at variance with v.15, where Samuel is said to have judged Israel all the days of his life.”

13“The somewhat idealized picture of domestic stability and of territorial integrity is manifestly intended to demonstrate the sufficiency of the old theocratic order which is about to be called in question.” ~R.P. Gordon, quoted by Tsumura

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing any part of 1 Samuel 7 is 4Q51 Samuela, which contains fragments of v. 1 (highlighted in purple), and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS supports the LXX with text not in the MT, I highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English.

BNIV = guard, ESV = have charge of

CAlthough obliterated at this point, there is too much room between the legible words before and after this in the DSS for the text of the MT. This would support the insertion of the word “covenant” here which is in the LXX. That doesn’t change the story, for it is the same ark.

DThe letters shin and resh, which are not in the MT, appear here in the DSS, and the rest of the chapter is obliterated. Perhaps it is the second and third letter of the Hebrew relative pronoun “which,” further introducing the information about Abinadab’s house and changing nothing of the meaning. There is no relative pronoun in the LXX or Vulgate here.
Abinadab means “my father is generous”

E“Not as priest, but as guardian of the ark.” ~Goldman

FLucian recension of the LXX reads epestreyen (turned unto”)

GNASB/NIV = remained, ESV = was lodged

Hנָהָה, to lament or complain ([Only other Hebrew Bible occurrences are] Mic. 2:4; Eze. 32:18). ‘The phrase, to lament after God, is taken from human affairs, when one person follows another with earnest solicitations and complaints, until he at length assents. We have an example of this in the Syrophenician woman in Matt 15.’(Keil & Delitzsch, quoting Seb. Schmidt)

IThe phrase “all the house of Israel” which occurs here and in the next verse only occurs 10 other places in the Hebrew Bible: Exod. 40:38; Lev. 10:6; Num. 20:29; Jer. 13:11; Ezek. 3:7; 5:4; 20:40; 36:10; 37:11; 39:25.

JOf the 9 other times this phrase “after Yahweh” occurs in the Hebrew Bible, three include the verb “went/walked” (Num. 32:12; 2 Chr. 34:31; Hos. 11:10, and six are like this instance which omit the verb (Deut. 1:36; 13:5; Jos. 14:8-9, 14; 1 Ki. 11:6), but all are descriptions of faith.

KNASB = remove, NIV = rid

Lthe turning of the people to the Lord their God had already inwardly commenced, and indeed, as the participle שָׁבִים expresses duration~K&D

MCf. Psalm 78:8, 2 Chron. 30:19

NNASB = sons, NIV omits, ESV = people (same in vs. 6, 7, 8)

O"Samuel appointed Mizpeh, i.e., Nebi Samwil, on the western boundary of the tribe of Benjamin (see Josh. 18:26), as the place of meeting, partly no doubt on historical grounds, viz., because it was there that the tribes had formerly held their consultations respecting the wickedness of the inhabitants of Gibeah, and had resolved to make war upon Benjamin (Jdg. 20:1.), but still more no doubt, because Mizpeh, on the western border of the mountains, was the most suitable place for commencing the conflict with the Philistines." ~K&D

PThe word “there” is missing in the Septuagint as well as a couple of Hebrew manuscripts and Latin and Syriac editions; the story is not changed by its omission.

QPrivative min… lit., ‘from’...” ~Tsumura cf. Psalm 28:1

RMasorite scribes have suggested adding a 3rd person singular pronomial suffix (“it”) by adding a vav (Qere = וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ) or a long “u” vowel under the final letter (as the BHS did here). There is such a pronoun there in the Septuagint and Vulgate. On the next two words, cf. Psalm 51:19, the only other verse in the Hebrew Bible with both ‘olah and caliyl.
Gill noted: the whole of it was burnt, skin and all, whereas the skin was the priest's in other burnt offerings; and... the word being feminine, the Jews gather from hence, as Jarchi notes, that females might be offered at a private altar.
K&D add: "
כָּלִיל is not synonymous with עֹולָה, but simply affirms that the lamb was offered upon the altar without being cut up or divided”

Scf. Psalm 99:6

TOther Greek versions from the 2nd and 4th centuries follow the MT with an active verb with a singular subject followed by a plural object: Aquila = efagedainisen autouV (“he devoured(?) them”), Theodotian = exesthsen autouV (“he ousted them”)

UESV = mighty sound

VNASB/NIV = routed, ESV = defeated

Wcf. when the LORD threw the Egyptian army into “confusion” in Ex. 14:24

XNIV = slaughtering

YJosephus (Antiqu. 6.2.2) calls this place Corraea and the “boundary of the Philistines’ flight;” and in the Targum it is Bethsaron, which signifies a fruitful field or champaign country.

ZIn the 2nd century AD, instead of transliterating the Hebrew word into Greek (Shen), Symmachus translated it akrw­thriou (“high point”), for the Hebrew word shen means “tooth/sharp point/cliff.” The Syriac and LXX editors came up with “old place” under the assumption that the root is ישן, as Tsumura put it, “the semi-vowel [y] assimilating to the following consonant.” Commentators McCarter and R.P. Gordon followed by Tsumura therefore translated it “Jeshen” (or some spelling variant thereof), noting a person by that name in 2. Sam. 23:32. Willet’s commentary is: “The most make it the proper name of a place, and call it ‘Shen’ (Chaldee ‘Sinai’)... But I rather assent unto Junius, which translateth it scopulum, a rocke, or rather the crag of a rocke; which hangeth ouer like a tooth, for so shen signifieth: and so Pagnine here readeth: and it appeareth to be so upon these reasons: 1. because this word shen is so taken [in 1 Sam.] 14:5. 2. in the former v[erse] the name of this rocke is set down, it is there called Bethcar: and hereunto Josephus consenteth, who saith, that this stone was set up among the Coreans (whence Bethcar hath the name) in the coasts of the Philistims.” (John Gill agreed with this.)

AANASB/NIV = thus far, ESV = ‘till now

BB“… has both spacial and temporal significances… Both interpretations are not only possible but also probably intended by Samuel.” ~Tsumura (cf. Paul’s similar statement in Acts 26:22)

CCNASB = border, NIV/ESV = territory

DD“While Samuel lived, Saul beeing king, the Israelites were much anoyed by the Philistims, as is shewed in the 13. and 14. chapters: therefore this must so be understood, that the Philistims inuaded not Israel to inlarge their bounds, and to take from them their cities, nor yet obtained any victorie ouer Israel: yet the Philistims had their garrisons, and maintained and kept that which they had gotten: as it is evident, c. 10.5. and 13.3.” ~Willett

EENIV = power

FF“How [is] Samuel said to have judged Israel all the days of his life, seeing while he lived Saul was made king? 1. Although Saul were anointed king by Samuel, who lived divers yeares after Sauls election to the kingdome; yet Samuel altogether gave not ouer the regiment, but continually watched ouer the people, to direct them in the ways of the Lord. Osiand. 2. And therefore Saul and Samuel are joyned together, c. 11.7 ‘Whosoever commeth not after Saul and Samuel, so shall his oxen be served.’ Hereof also it is, that Act. 13.21. fourtie yeares of gouernment are given unto Saul and Samuel joyntly, as having one common and joynt administration of the kingdome.” ~Willett

GG“But here this doubt ariseth, how Samuel could absent himself from the Lords house, & keepe at Ramah, seeing he was consecrated unto God by his mother, during his life, c. 1.28. Some thinke, that it was lawfull for Samuel, when the time of his ministerie and service was ouer, to goe unto his owne house: Pellican. but Annahs vow was more strict, for she did give him so unto the Lord, that he should abide there for ever, c. 1.22. and if he had departed from the Lords house, when his course of serving had beene past, he had beene no more tied, then other common Levites. 3. Therefore the better solution is, that so long as the house of God was knowne to be at Shiloh, Samuel was bound unto that place by his vow: but now Shiloh beeing desolate, and no certaine place appointed of God, where the Arke should be setled, Samuel in that behalfe was freed of his vow, with the which, necessitie in this case dispensed. Borr. The like we read of the sons of Rechab, who were bound by their fathers vowe to dwell in tents: yet in case of necessitie, when the host of the Chaldeans had inuaded the land, they went to dwell in Ierusalem for feare of the enemie. Ierem. 35.11. 4. Further it may be answered, that vowes so long hold, till Gods pleasure be otherwise knowne: Samuel beeing now called to be a Judge, could not be confined to a certaine place: God therefore dispensed with that vow.” ~Willett

HHEvery other instance of this noun means the annual season of “spring” (2 Sam. 11:1; 1 Ki. 20:22, 26; 1 Chr. 20:1; 2 Chr. 36:10), but the pronomial suffix leads most folks away from that interpretation.