1 Samuel 7

1 Samuel 7

Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission 1 Samuel Chart from Charles Swindoll TIMELINE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS & CHRONICLES 1107 1011 971 931 853 722 586 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 1 Kings 2 Kings 31 1-4 5-10 11-20 21-24 1-11 12-22 1-17 18-25 1 Chronicles 10 1 Chr 11-19 1 Chr 20-29 2 Chronicles 1-9 2 Chronicles 10-20 2 Chronicles 21-36 Legend: B.C. dates at top of timeline are approximate. Note that 931BC marks the division of the Kingdom into Southern Tribes (Judah and Benjamin) and Ten Northern Tribes. To avoid confusion be aware that after the division of the Kingdom in 931BC, the Southern Kingdom is most often designated in Scripture as "Judah" and the Northern Kingdom as "Israel." Finally, note that 1 Chronicles 1-9 is not identified on the timeline because these chapters are records of genealogy. The Ryrie Study Bible Map on Left ESV Global Study Bible, on right Jensen's Survey of the OT The Man Samuel in 1 Samuel 1-8 1 Samuel 7:1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. BGT 1 Samuel 7:1 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 KJV 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. NET 1 Samuel 7:1 Then the people of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the LORD; they brought it to the house of Abinadab located on the hill. They consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the LORD. CSB 1 Samuel 7:1 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it to Abinadab's house on the hill. They consecrated his son Eleazar to take care of it. ESV 1 Samuel 7:1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the LORD. NIV 1 Samuel 7:1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD. They took it to Abinadab's house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the LORD. NLT 1 Samuel 7:1 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the LORD. They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it. NRS 1 Samuel 7:1 And the people of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD, and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. They consecrated his son, Eleazar, to have charge of the ark of the LORD. RSV 1 Samuel 7:1 And the men of Kiriathjearim came and took up the ark of the LORD, and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill; and they consecrated his son, Eleazar, to have charge of the ark of the LORD. YLT 1 Samuel 7:1 And the men of Kirjath-Jearim come and bring up the ark of Jehovah, and bring it in unto the house of Abinadab, in the height, and Eleazar his son they have sanctified to keep the ark of Jehovah. NKJ 1 Samuel 7:1 Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. NJB 1 Samuel 7:1 The men of Kiriath-Jearim came and, taking up the ark of Yahweh, brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of Yahweh. NAB 1 Samuel 7:1 So the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, appointing his son Eleazar as guardian of the ark of the LORD. LXE 1 Samuel 7:1 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. ASV 1 Samuel 7:1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah. Kiriath-jearim: 1Sa 6:21 Jos 18:14 2Sa 6:2 1Ch 13:5,6 Ps 132:6 Abinadab: 2Sa 6:3,4 1Ch 13:7 Isa 52:11 1 Samuel 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Kiriath-jearim next destination for the Ark GOD'S ARK SETTLES IN KIRIATH-JEARIM Woodhouse makes an interesting point - The chapter divisions usually stand at obvious literary breaks, but in a number of places, such as 1 Samuel 7, they seem incorrect. It does seem strange to put a break between 1 Samuel 6:21 and 7:1, 2. The three verses are tightly woven together, dealing with the request to the people of Kiriath-jearim (6:21), their response (7:1), and the outcome (7:2). However, the chapter division, if it is allowed to influence the reader, will have the effect of highlighting (a) the request to Kiriath-jearim as the end of the story of the Beth-shemeshites, and (b) the bringing of the ark to Kiriath-jearim and its long sojourn there as the immediate background to events at Mizpah that chapter 7 is about to recount. (Preaching the Word: 1 Samuel—Looking for a Leader) And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill (gibah) - The Ark was not returned to Shiloh, supporting the premise that it had been destroyed, a destruction that ultimately was carried out in some way (possibly using the Philistines) by Yahweh Himself (see Jer 7:12, 13, 14, Ps 78:60). The Ark remained at the house of Abinadab for 20 years (and then many years after that - see note on 1Sa 7:2). It was as if Israel "shelved" the Ark and forgot it and the God of the Ark for many years! Was Abinadab a Levite? Possibly but we cannot be dogmatic. There are other men named Abinadab in 1 Samuel (1Sa 16:8; 17:13; also 1Ch 2:13, one of Saul’s sons 1Sa 31:2; also 1Ch 8:33; 9:39; 10:2), but this is all we know about Abinadab. Was the Ark literally in Abinadab's house? The text does not tell us. It does say the house was on the hill implying a prominent place, and possibly one of the "high places," (see discussion of gibah) that had been used for cultic worship, but more than that we simply cannot say. The text is silent. Abinadab, the father of Eleazar, as stated may have been a Levite, which would have been a reason for bringing the Ark to his house. Eleazar his son is set apart for all practical purposes to function like a priest over the Ark. Given that there is no description of deaths associated with the Ark at Abinadab's house, Eleazar appears to be knowledgeable of the Levitical rules for reverentially caring for the Ark. Sadly, having the Ark of the One True God back in Israel did not cure Israel of the sin of idolatry, of the worship of false gods! So during this 20 year "spiritual hiatus" (see "Judges Cycle" below) we see that while... The ark had been returned to Israel, Israel had not returned to the Lord! What was God doing during this "spiritual hiatus"? As Spurgeon suggests, Samuel may have been ministering to some of the people from place to place, giving them the Word of God, but for most of time he was in the background, and is literally not mentioned from 1Sa 4:1b to 1Sa 7:3! In 1Sa 7:3 Samuel steps on stage to call the people to repent and return to the Lord. How tragic that Israel had fallen into such a state of defeat and disrepute because of their idolatry! Are you listening America? And consecrated (qadash; Lxx = hagiazo = set apart) Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD - Eleazar had a great name, "God has helped," and it relates to another great name in this chapter - Ebenezer, stone of help. He was set apart to care for the Ark, but we do not know if he was of the line of Levi (and Aaron). Was he a legitimate priest according to Exodus 29+? We simply cannot say. Bergen - No genealogical information regarding Abinadab of Kiriath Jearim or Eleazar his son is provided in the Bible; however, Eleazar is a common priestly name in the Old Testament (cf. Exod 6:23; 1 Chr 9:20; 23:21; Ezra 8:33) and it is possible both men were members of the Levitical tribe. The fact that the ark was taken to Kiriath Jearim and not back to Shiloh suggests strongly that the Shiloh worship center had been destroyed by the Philistines the previous fall. Further evidence is found in the fact that, though Samuel was given to the Lord at Shiloh to serve as a lifelong Nazirite, he is never associated with Shiloh after 4:1. Instead, his residence in subsequent chapters is in Ramah. Both the Books of Psalms (Ps 78:60) and Jeremiah (7:12, 14; 26:6, 9) express a tradition suggesting that Shiloh was ransacked earlier in Israelite history. It is important to note that archaeological evidence coming from the site of Shiloh seems to confirm an eleventh century b.c. destruction of the site. Cf. I. Finkelstein, “Shiloh Yields Some, But Not All, of Its Secrets,” 22–41. (Borrow 1 & 2 Samuel - New American Commentary) Psalm 78:58-60 For they provoked Him with their high places And aroused His jealousy with their graven images. 59 When God heard, He was filled with wrath And greatly abhorred Israel; 60 So that He abandoned the dwelling place at Shiloh, The tent which He had pitched among men, Jer 7:12-14 “But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My name dwell at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. 13 “And now, because you have done all these things,” declares the LORD, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you but you did not answer, 14 therefore, I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave you and your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. Jer 26:4-6 And you will say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, “If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, 5to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened; 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth.”’” Kiriath-Jearim (07157) Qiryath Yearim or Qiryath Arim - Located about 8 miles west of Jerusalem. Means "city of forests" or "city of thickets." Also known as Kiriath-Baal (Josh 18:14,15, 15:60). One of the four chief cities of the Gibeonites (Josh 9:17); a city ,of Judah (Josh 15:60), evidently an ancient, Semitic "high place", hence, the name "Kiriath-Baal" (same place) ; it was one of the places on the border line between Judah and Benjamin (Josh 18:14,15; 15:11 (where it is called "Baalah"); compare 1 Ch 13:6). It is mentioned as in Judah (Josh 15:60; 18:14; Jdg 18:12), but if KIRIATH (which see) is identical with it, it is mentioned as belonging to Benjamin (Josh 18:28; in 2 Sam 6:2, Baale-judah). It concluded a deceitful treaty with the Israelites (along with Gibeon and Beer) so that Israel was not able to destroy its inhabitants (Josh. 9:17). The men were reduced to woodcutters and water carriers (Josh. 9:18-21). The city produced at least one prophet (Jer. 26:20). It was resettled by returned exiles (Neh. 7:29). Found in 20x/19v - Kiriath(1), Kiriath-arim(1), Kiriath-jearim(18). - Jos. 9:17; Jos. 15:9; Jos. 15:60; Jos. 18:14; Jos. 18:15; Jos. 18:28; Jdg. 18:12; 1 Sam. 6:21; 1 Sam. 7:1; 1 Sam. 7:2; 1 Chr. 2:50; 1 Chr. 2:52; 1 Chr. 2:53; 1 Chr. 13:5; 1 Chr. 13:6; 2 Chr. 1:4; Ezr. 2:25; Neh. 7:29; Jer. 26:20 Gilbrant - The city of Kiriath-Jearim formed an alliance with the Hivite cities of Gibeon, Kephirah and Beeroth (Josh. 9:17). This coalition sent a delegation from Gibeon who successfully deceived Joshua into signing a peace treaty. Three days later, the ruse was discovered, and Joshua subjugated the Hivites to the household slave duties of woodcutters and water carriers rather than annihilation (Josh. 9:16f). Kiriath-Jearim is later identified as occupying the western boundary of Benjamin's territorial allotment (Josh. 18:14). Later, soldiers from the tribe of Dan encamped at Kiriath-Jearim on their way to attack the Ephraimites (Jdg. 18:12). The location was then known as Mahaneh Dan, "the camp of Dan." After the Philistines returned the Ark of the Covenant to Israel, the men of Beth-Shemesh had it taken to the house of Abinadab, in Kiriath-Jearim where it resided for the next twenty years (1 Sam. 7:1ff). With some difficulty, King David had the Ark removed from Kiriath-Jearim in order to transfer it Jerusalem. However, Uzzah was killed when he touched the sacred object, and fearful David placed it in the house of Obed-Edom instead (1 Chr. 13:5-14). Finally, David had the Ark delivered to Jerusalem and stored in the tent which had been constructed for it (2 Sam. 6:12-17; 1 Chr. 15; 2 Chr. 1:4). Men from Kiriath-Jearim are listed as returning exiles in both Ezra's and Nehemiah's accounts (Ezra 2:25; Neh. 7:29). Elsewhere, Uriah the son of Shemaiah hailed from Kiriath-Jearim and prophesied a similar message to Israel that Jeremiah had (Jer. 26:20). A man named Kiriath-Jearim is identified as a Calebite descendant of Judah (1 Chr. 2:50, 52f). (Complete Biblical Library) Hill (01389)(gibah) refers to a hill but generally smaller than a mountain. Some references describe the hill as a place to worship false gods and abominable fertility cult practices as in the phrase "on every high hill (gibah) and under every green tree" (or similar phrase) (See Deut. 12:2; 1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 16:4; 2 Kings 17:10; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 17:2; Ezekiel 6:13; Hosea 4:13; 2 Chron. 28:4) See also High Place smf What is the significance of high places in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Gilbrant - This is the common Hebrew noun "hill," and has a common secondary meaning, referring to an open air Canaanite cultic locations. As in English, this Hebrew noun usually refers to an elevation of sloping relief and moderate elevation (opposed to a mountain, which is characterized by sharp relief and high elevation). It refers to terrain in general (e.g., 2 Sam. 2:25). It is also used in phrases to point to notable geographic locations. Examples include "hill of the foreskins," where Joshua circumcised the males of the wilderness generation (Josh. 5:3), or hill of Ammah, where a truce was called by the commanders of David's and Ishbaal's (the son of Saul) armies (2 Sam. 2:24). It is used parallel to mountain (har) in a number of poetic contexts. Isaiah 42:14 speaks of the restoration of Israel, that the inhabitants shall "thresh the mountains and crush them and you shall make the hills like chaff." In other contexts hills are grouped with mountains in contrast to other terrain. In the well known passage of the voice crying out in the wilderness, the voice cries, "every valley shall be lifted up every mountain and hill shall be made low" (Isa. 40:4). A common and significant usage of this noun is to demarcate the location of a Canaanite cultic shrine. These were usually open air sanctuaries. The couplet "on every high hill and under every green tree" appears sixteen times. It is an indictment against practicing Canaanite religion, and an apropos way to describe the sanctuary. Precisely how these high places were constructed and what the rituals involved are not completely clear. The term bamah, "high place," was probably a generic noun covering a wide variety of types of cultic structures. The building of religious structures upon elevations was a perpetual practice among ancient Near Eastern cultures. The presence of trees had to do with Asherah worship, which played a role in the practice of the religion. The phrase is used as an indictment, as justification for Yahweh's judgment. His favor was the product of the inhabitants of the land worshiping Him alone. Once the people violated the covenant with Him by worshiping other gods, He was freed from his covenantal obligations to the people (e.g., to give them the land, etc.). The phrase underscores that the people had willfully and completely violated the covenant. It was not an isolated incident; the bulk of the population throughout the land worshiped at these shrines. Gibah - 70v - Gibeath-haaraloth*(1), hill(30), hills(39). - Gen. 49:26; Exod. 17:9; Exod. 17:10; Num. 23:9; Deut. 12:2; Deut. 33:15; Jos. 5:3; Jdg. 7:1; 1 Sam. 7:1; 1 Sam. 10:5; 1 Sam. 10:10; 1 Sam. 23:19; 1 Sam. 26:1; 1 Sam. 26:3; 2 Sam. 2:24; 2 Sam. 2:25; 2 Sam. 6:3; 2 Sam. 6:4; 1 Ki. 14:23; 2 Ki. 16:4; 2 Ki. 17:10; 2 Chr. 28:4; Job 15:7; Ps. 65:12; Ps. 72:3; Ps. 114:4; Ps. 114:6; Ps. 148:9; Prov. 8:25; Cant. 2:8; Cant. 4:6; Isa. 2:2; Isa. 2:14; Isa. 10:32; Isa. 30:17; Isa. 30:25; Isa. 31:4; Isa. 40:4; Isa. 40:12; Isa. 41:15; Isa. 42:15; Isa. 54:10; Isa. 55:12; Isa. 65:7; Jer. 2:20; Jer. 3:23; Jer. 4:24; Jer. 13:27; Jer. 16:16; Jer. 17:2; Jer. 31:39; Jer. 49:16; Jer. 50:6; Ezek. 6:3; Ezek. 6:13; Ezek. 20:28; Ezek. 34:6; Ezek. 34:26; Ezek. 35:8; Ezek. 36:4; Ezek. 36:6; Hos. 4:13; Hos. 10:8; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13; Mic. 4:1; Mic. 6:1; Nah. 1:5; Hab. 3:6; Zeph. 1:10 Consecrated (Sanctify, make holy) (06942) qadash means to set apart for a specific use. Removed from common use. To be holy. To show one's self to be holy. To consecrate or dedicate. To set apart a person or thing from all common or secular purposes to some religious use. Everything consecrated to God was separated from all profane use. WARREN WIERSBE'S CHAPTER SUMMARY - Chapter 7 is a study in revival. God first raised up a man, Samuel, who called the people to repentance, confession, and cleansing. Intercession was made through the blood of a lamb (a type of Calvary’s Lamb), and then there was victory. These are the steps to individual as well as national revival. (Borrow With the Word - excellent resource for summarizing chapters) Cleaning up. The ark had been returned to Israel, but Israel had not returned to the Lord, so Samuel called them to repentance. They put away their foreign gods and then met at Mizpah to renew their covenant with the Lord. For years, God had been preparing Samuel for this strategic ministry, and he rescued the nation. Looking up. The Philistines thought that the assembly at Mizpah was preparation for war; however, Israel was not equipped for battle. But God’s people use spiritual weapons to defeat the enemy (2Cor 10:3-5): Samuel prayed, and God sent the enemy back in confusion. Samuel was born in answer to prayer, and he lived in dependence on prayer. Setting up. Ebenezer means “stone of help.” It was a memorial to God’s helping His people from the beginning to that very day. Missionary Hudson Taylor had a plaque in his home that read, EBENEZER and JEHOVAH-JIREH. That means, “Thus far the Lord has helped us—The Lord will see to it.” (ED: OR "THE LORD WILL PROVIDE") This takes care of the past and the future, so why worry about the present? God is in control! (ED: SEE J VERNON MCGEE'S SIMILAR DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT BELOW) The Journey of the Ark of the Covenant 1–2 Samuel Adapted from ESV Study Bible Journey of First 8 Stop of the Ark 1 Sam. 3:3 The Lord calls to Samuel who is sleeping in the tent of meeting, “where the ark of God was” 1 Samuel 4 Philistines capture the ark (for seven months: 1 Sam. 6:1) 1 Sam. 5:1–7 Philistines bring the ark to Ashdod, setting it up next to the idol Dagon 1 Sam. 5:8–9 Philistines bring the ark to Gath 1 Sam. 5:10–12 Philistines send the ark to Ekron 1 Sam. 6:10–15 Philistines return the ark with guilt offering to Beth-shemesh 1 Sam. 6:19–21 The Lord strikes 70 men for looking upon the ark 1 Sam. 7:1–2 Men of Kiriath-jearim take the ark to the house of Abinadab (where it stays for 20 years) 1 Sam. 14:18 Saul commands Ahijah to bring the ark to the war camp 2 Sam. 6:2–5 David begins to move the ark to Jerusalem on a cart 2 Sam. 6:6–7 The Lord strikes Uzzah dead for holding on to the ark 2 Sam. 6:10–11 David takes the ark to the house of Obed-edom, where it stays for three months 2 Sam. 6:12–17 David brings the ark to Jerusalem, and places it inside the tent he pitched for it 2 Sam. 15:24–25 Zadok brings the ark to David, who commands him to carry it back to Jerusalem 2 Sam. 15:29 Zadok and Abiathar carry the ark back to Jerusalem 1 Samuel 7:2 From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. BGT 1 Samuel 7:2 καὶ ἐγενήθη ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἡμέρας ἦν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐν Καριαθιαριμ ἐπλήθυναν αἱ ἡμέραι καὶ ἐγένοντο εἴκοσι ἔτη καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν πᾶς οἶκος Ισραηλ ὀπίσω κυρίου KJV 1 Samuel 7:2 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. NET 1 Samuel 7:2 It was quite a long time– some twenty years in all– that the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim. All the people of Israel longed for the LORD. CSB 1 Samuel 7:2 Time went by until 20 years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel began to seek the LORD. ESV 1 Samuel 7:2 From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. NIV 1 Samuel 7:2 It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD. NLT 1 Samuel 7:2 The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time-- twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the LORD had abandoned them. NRS 1 Samuel 7:2 From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. RSV 1 Samuel 7:2 From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriathjearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. YLT 1 Samuel 7:2 And it cometh to pass, from the day of the dwelling of the ark in Kirjath-Jearim, that the days are multiplied -- yea, they are twenty years -- and wail do all the house of Israel after Jehovah. NKJ 1 Samuel 7:2 So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. NJB 1 Samuel 7:2 From the day when the ark was installed at Kiriath-Jearim, a long time went by -- twenty years -- and the whole House of Israel longed for Yahweh. NAB 1 Samuel 7:2 From the day the ark came to rest in Kiriath-jearim a long time-twenty years-elapsed, and the whole Israelite population turned to the LORD. LXE 1 Samuel 7:2 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. ASV 1 Samuel 7:2 And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah. Lamented: Jdg 2:4 Jer 3:13,22-25 31:9 Zec 12:10,11 Mt 5:4 2Co 7:10,11 1 Samuel 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Judges 2:4+ When the Angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. (UNFORTUNATELY NOT TEARS OF REPENTANCE BUT ONLY OF REMORSE AS SUBSEQUENT APOSTARY PROVES) 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (A REVIVAL ROADMAP) “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, 14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. LANGUISHING LAMENTATION DURING 20 YEARS OF "SILENT SAMUEL" Remember that these first chapters in 1 Samuel are at the tail end of the dark days of Judges (see timeline above) and it appears that Israel is again in a "Sin Cycle" (see above) as it was in the time of the Judges. Israel had again fallen into the sin of idolatry (cf "the Baals and the Ashtaroth" - 1Sa 7:4) and God had given them over to the hand of the Philistines ("Israel is enslaved"). And for 20 years, we find Israel lamenting after the LORD, their hearts being prepared for God's judge Samuel (cf 1Sa 7:6). Obedience to the judge would result in Yahweh granting deliverance from the Philistines (1Sa 7:13). From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years - The Ark of the LORD was back in Israel, but Israel was not back with the Lord and were under Philistine domination (cf 1Sa 7:13,14). It is also notable that Kiriath-jearim did not replace Shiloh as a worship center for the nation (Shiloh was apparently destroyed by the Philistines). Furthermore, there is no mention that the Tent of Meeting (or Tabernacle) was at Kiriath-jearim (at least there is no text stating that fact). There is also no record of a national assembly there (see 1Ch 6:28, 31, 32). One wonders how Israel kept the annual feasts during this 20 years or if they even kept the feasts at all during this time of relative apostasy? We simply cannot tell from the Biblical text. Technical Note - The Tent of Meeting is mentioned in 1Sa 2:22 and then not mentioned again until 1Ch 6:31-33 - "Now these are those whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after the ark rested there. 32 They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem; and they served in their office according to their order. 33 These are those who served with their sons: From the sons of the Kohathites were Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel," Twenty years refers to the time from the Ark's arrival (1Sa 6:21) at Kiriath-jearim until Samuel's address in 1Sa 7:3. The ark remained at Kiriath-jearim for twenty years during this period preceding national revival in chapter 7. The Ark continued to remain there until David retrieved it in 2Sa 5:5; 6:2 (cf 1Ch 13:5, 6, 2Ch 1:4). Although the exact time the Ark was at Kiriath-jearim is not absolutely certain, it would have been 20 years plus 40 years of Saul's reign and part of David's reign. So it must have been there longer than 80 years (See Wiersbe's note below). After twenty years we see that Israel begins to turn to God. THOUGHT - This is one of those passages that have caused scholars to jettison a literal reading of the text so that they can give several different interpretations. Presumably they are led to do this because they simply cannot believe the prophet Samuel is quiet for 20 years. This is another reason you dear reader always need to observe the literal text for yourself and decide based on how the Spirit is teaching you (in context), so that you are not confused by the commentators, who may have MDiv's and doctorates making you think that they are correct and you are not. John alludes to this is when he says " As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; (HE IS NOT SAYING WE NEVER NEED TEACHERS!) but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him."(1Jn 2:27+) John's point is that you have as much of the Holy Spirit as any of the writers of the commentaries and if your interpretation after reading the text literally is different, you would be wise to stick with your interpretation! In summary, I think the prophet Samuel was relatively silent in Israel for 20 years.