1 Samuel 7:3

“And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, etc.] When they assembled at one of their three yearly feasts, or as he went from place to place, exhorting them to repentance and reformation; and perceiving they began to be awakened to a sense of their sins, and seemed desirous of returning to God, and restoring his worship: saying, if ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts; truly and sincerely; for he might fear there was hypocrisy and dissimulation at least in some of them: [then] put away the strange gods; as all but the true God are; or the gods of another people, as the Philistines, Canaanites, etc. Baalim seem chiefly intended, as appears from the following verse: and Ashtaroth…”

“THE ISRAELITES, THROUGH SAMUEL'S INFLUENCE, SOLEMNLY REPENT AT MIZPEH. (Sa1 7:3-6) Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel--A great national reformation was effected through the influence of Samuel. Disgusted with their foreign servitude, and panting for the restoration of liberty and independence, they were open to salutary impressions; and convinced of their errors, they renounced idolatry. The re-establishment of the faith of their fathers was inaugurated at a great public meeting, held at Mizpeh in Judah, and hallowed by the observance of impressive religious solemnities. The drawing water, and pouring it out before the Lord, seems to have been a symbolical act by which, in the…”

“Compare the marginal references. Twenty years of Samuel’s life had passed away since the last mention of him 1 Samuel 4:1. Now he appears in the threefold character of prophet, Judge, and the acknowledged leader of the whole people. His words were an answer to a profession of repentance on the part of Israel, the practical proof of which would be the putting away all their false gods. (Compare Judges 6:10 note.) Will pray for you ... - So Moses prayed for the people at Rephidim Exodus 17:11-12; and for Miriam Numbers 12:13; so Elijah prayed at Carmel 1 Kings 18:36, 1 Kings 18:42; so Ezra prayed at the evening sacrifice Ezra 9:5; so the High Priest prayed for the house of Israel on the Day of…”

“Spake - To all the rulers and people too, as he had occasion in his circuit, described below, mixing exhortation to repentance, with his judicial administrations. If - If you do indeed what you profess, if you are resolved to go on in that which you seem to have begun. With all your heart - Sincerely and in good earnest. Put - Out of your houses, where some of you keep them; and out of your hearts, where they still have an interest in many of you. Ashtaroth - And especially, Ashtaroth, whom they, together with the neighbouring nations, did more eminently worship. Prepare your hearts - By purging them from all sin, and particularly from all inclinations to other gods. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 7:6”

“7:3-10 The change in the people’s standing with God, not the presence of the Ark (see 4:3-11), led Israel to victory against the Philistines. 7:3 People cannot expect God’s blessing unless they get rid of what is contrary to his will (see Gen 35:2; Josh 24:14). • Ashtoreth was the Canaanite goddess of fertility associated with Baal (1 Sam 7:4). Worship of Canaanite deities was an ongoing problem throughout Israel’s history. The people started worshiping idols during the twenty-year period mentioned in 7:2, or perhaps they had done so ever since the days of the judges (8:8; Judg 6:25; cp. Amos 5:25-26). Israel’s devastating defeat by the Philistines was due not only to the sins of Eli’s two…”

“am 2884, bc 1120, An, Ex, Is, 371 return: Deu 30:2-10; Kg1 8:48; Isa 55:7; Hos 6:1, Hos 6:2, Hos 14:1; Joe 2:12, Joe 2:13 put away: Gen 35:2; Jos 24:14, Jos 24:23; Jdg 2:13, Jdg 10:6 prepare: Deu 30:6; Ch1 22:19, Ch1 28:9; Ch2 30:19; Job 11:13, Job 11:14; Pro 16:1; Jer 4:3, Jer 4:4; Eze 18:31; Mat 15:8; Joh 4:24 serve him: Deu 6:13, Deu 10:20, Deu 13:4; Mat 4:10, Mat 6:24; Luk 4:8 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 7:4”