Table of Contents
1 Samuel 7
1 Samuel 7
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 keep the ark of the Lord.
2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
3 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.
4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
12 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.
13 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.
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 hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
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.
Notes
Cross Reference
Commentary
Rashi
Verse 1
<html><b>They appointed.</b> Designated.</html>
Verse 2
<html><b>From the time the Ark came to rest in Kiryas Yearim.</b> And they saw the retribution which befell them because of the sin of Eili's family, and the mighty deed which the Holy One, Blessed is He, had visited upon the Philistines. <b>The house … was drawn after Adonoy.</b> Through Shmuel who would travel from city to city, judging and reproving them. <span>וַיִנָּהוּ</span>' is an expression of drawing; in Aramaic, '<span>תִּתְּנֵהוּ לְפוּלְחָנִי</span>' [they were drawn after My worship]. And similarly '<span>וְלֹא נֹהַּ בָּהֶם</span>' it is no use to attract them to good.1<i class=“footnote”> Yechezkeil 7:11.</i> Menachem classifies '<span>וַיִנָּהוּ</span>' as an expression of lamentation, as in '<span>נְהִי נִהְיָה</span>' [a lament has come to be].2<i class=“footnote”>Michoh 2:4.</i> And similarly '<span>וְלֹא נֹהַּ בָּהֶם</span>' [is rendered as, 'and they will have no remorse']. And the meaning of '<span>וַיִנָּהוּ אַחֲרֵי ה</span>' is, “they lamented their evil deeds, and returned after '<span>ה</span>.” Another explanation is that '<span>וַיִנָּהוּ</span>' means 'and they gathered,' as in, “And all the nations will be gathered into it [Yerusholayim]”3<i class=“footnote”>Yirmiyohu 3:17.</i> which the Targum renders, “And all nations will gather into it to worship.” In this manner, the ==== Verse '<span>וְלֹא נֹהַּ בָּהֶם</span>' may be rendered <span>לֹא מֵהֶם</span> “neither from them,” <span>וְלֹא מֵהֲמוֹנָם</span> “nor from their multitude <span>וְלֹא [מִ]נֹהַּ [שֶׁ]בָּהֶם</span> meaning nor from their gathering.</html>
Verse 6
<html><b>They drew water and poured it out.4<i class=“footnote”>Perhaps as Dovid did in II Shmuel 23:16.</i></b> Targum Yonoson renders, “and they poured out their hearts like water, in repentance, before '<span>.”5<i class=“footnote”>See Eichah 2:19.</i></span><span>ה</span> And according to its simple meaning, it is merely symbolic of humility, [i. e.,] we are before You like these poured out waters.6<i class=“footnote”>Water may also be referring to the Torah which is often compared to water. By filling their hearts with Torah, the Bnei Yisroel were able to recognize their sins, feel the need to change their ways and return to ‘<span>ה</span>.</i> <b>Shmuel judged.</b> Between two litigants regarding monetary matters between them,7<i class=“footnote”>People sought to cleanse themselves of sins that had been committed between their fellow man. They first had to rectify their misdeeds. They therefore went to Shmuel, for him to judge them and to determine who owed what to whom and what wrongs had to be corrected.</i> or concerning sins which they had committed.</html>
Verse 9
<html><b>And offered it all as a burnt offering.</b> The <span>כְּתִיב</span> is '<span>וַיַעֲלֶהָ</span>' because it was a female.8<i class=“footnote”>Although the <span>קְרִי</span> is in the male form.</i> From here our Rabbis deduced that a female animal is acceptable as a burnt offering on a private altar.9<i class=“footnote”></i></html>
Verse 11
<html><b>Until below Beis Kor.</b> Below Beis Sharon.</html>
Verse 12
<html><b>And Shein.</b> The peak of the rock.10<i class=“footnote”>Or <span>שֵׁן</span> may denote the shape of the rock, i.e. it was shaped like a tooth; and it may be the same crag referred to below in 14:5.—Da’as Sofrim.</i></html>