1 Samuel 7:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So they gathered at Mizpah 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 people of Israel at Mizpah.

NIV: 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.' Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.

NASB: So they gathered to Mizpah, 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 sons of Israel at Mizpah.

CSB: When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord's presence. They fasted that day, and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the Lord." And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

NLT: So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)

KJV: 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.

NKJV: So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

Samuel has called for the nation of Israel to gather at Mizpah, where he has said he will pray for them to the Lord (1 Samuel 7:5). Once assembled, the people fast from eating and, it seems, even drinking water. They draw water up and pour it out on the ground "before the Lord." This seems to symbolize a pouring out of their hearts in repentance and need. It might also have symbolic ties to the concept of cleansing.

The point of this time of fasting is for the people of Israel to show true repentance before God. They had been worshiping foreign gods. The people agree with God that they have sinned against Him. Confession is essential to repentance (1 John 1:9). The sin must be admitted before it can be repented of.

Samuel's term as judge over Israel is said to begin here and now; this will last for the rest of his life (1 Samuel 7:15). The role of judge is an official office. The judge is not a king or a president. He or she is often a military leader, the one raised up by the Lord to deliver the people from the oppression of their enemies. The judge is also a spiritual leader, raised up by the Lord in response to the repentance of the people from their sin. Samuel also held the office of prophet of the Lord, one who delivers God's messages. This was clearly understood and accepted by the people (1 Samuel 3:20; 4:1).

First Samuel 7:3–14 begins with Samuel's instructions for the people to throw away their foreign gods and serve the Lord only. The nation gathers at Mizpah to confess and repent. Seeing what looks like an amassed army, the Philistines plan an attack. Samuel offers a sacrifice and cries out to the Lord, who thunders against the Philistines and throws them into confusion. The Israelites strike them down and drive them out of Israelite territory. Israel also has peace with the local Amorites.

Twenty years after the ark of the Lord is taken to Kiriath-jearim, Samuel calls for the people to repent. They should discard foreign gods and serve the true Lord. Gathered at Mizpah, the people confess their sin. With the Philistines approaching to attack, Samuel offers a sacrifice and cries out to God. The Lord responds with loud thunder against the Philistines and throws them into confusion. The Israelites strike them down and drive them out of Israelite territory. Samuel serves as judge over Israel for the rest of his life.

First Samuel 7 begins with the arrival of the previously captured ark of the covenant (1 Samuel 4—6) at Kiriath-jearim. There it sits for twenty years. Samuel then calls the people to repent and throw away the foreign gods they have been worshiping. At Mizpah, the nation is gathered to confess their sin and fast. With the Philistines approaching, Samuel offers a sacrifice and cries out to God. The Lord confuses the Philistines, and the Israelites strike them down and force them out of Israelite territory. Unfortunately, after this, Israel will seek to appoint a king so they can be like the other nations in the area (1 Samuel 8).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.