What does 1 Samuel 7:13 mean?
The defeat of the Philistines by the Lord and the people of Israel (1 Samuel 7:10–11) was decisive. So overwhelming, in fact, was the Israeli victory that the enemy retreats entirely from Israelite territory. God's hand stays against the Philistines for the remainder of Samuel's life. This follows the pattern of the victories over Israel's enemies in the book of Judges (Judges 3:30; 4:23–24; 8:28; 11:33). God subdues the nations oppressing Israel, followed by a season of rest and peace during the lifetime of the deliverer (Judges 2:16–23).Instead of God's hand being against His own people for their sinful worship of foreign gods, His hand turns to be against Israel's enemies while Israel remains faithful to Him.