SNC Sunday School

Samuel, The Upright Judge

1 Samuel 7:12 NIV - Anglicised

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.”

1 Samuel 7:3 NIV - Anglicised

And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

1 Samuel 7:4 NIV - Anglicised

So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

1 Samuel 7:5 NIV - Anglicised

Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the Lord for you.”

1 Samuel 7:6 NIV - Anglicised

When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah.

1 Samuel 7:7 NIV - Anglicised

When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.

1 Samuel 7:8 NIV - Anglicised

They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.”

1 Samuel 7:9 NIV - Anglicised

Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.

1 Samuel 7:10 NIV - Anglicised

While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.

1 Samuel 7:11 NIV - Anglicised

The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.

1 Samuel 7:12 NIV - Anglicised

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.”

1 Samuel 7:13 NIV - Anglicised

So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.