Justin Houtz

1 Samuel 6-7; Psalm 72; 2 Corinthians 9

DateVersionReading Plan
April 9, 2026ESV (2016)ESV Life Journal Plan – 2026

1 Samuel 6-7

Observation & Interpretation

After seven months in their possession, the Philistines called the pagan priests and diviners to inquire of what was to be done with the ark. They said to send the ark away with a guilt offering, that by this they would be healed and know why God’s hand did not turn away from them. A new cart was prepared with two milk cows that had never been yoked to transport the ark and its accompaniments. As the CSB Notes explains, “Untrained cows would not normally know how to work together to pull a cart on a road, and they would not normally leave their calves behind, so when that happened, they knew it was from God.”

The cows did not turn either to the right hand or the left and reached to the field of Joshua in Beth-shemesh. The wood of the cart was split and the cows were offered as a burnt offering to the LORD. The Levites took down the ark and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices to the LORD. However, the LORD struck down seventy men of Beth-shemesh because they looked upon the ark, a violation of the law (Num. 4:5-6). Messengers were then sent to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim to come down and take the ark.

The men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. Abinadab’s son, Eleazar, was consecrated to have charge of the ark and the ark lodged with Kiriath-jearim for twenty years. Samuel addressed the people and told them that if they turned from the foreign gods and served the LORD only, He would deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines. The people did so, putting away the Baals and the Ashteroth, and served the LORD only.

Samuel told the people to gather all Israel and he would pray to the LORD for them. The people gathered at Mizpah, poured water out before the LORD and fasted, saying that they had sinned against the LORD. Upon hearing that the people had gathered at Mizpah, the Philistines went up against Israel. The people of Israel responded in fear and asked Samuel to not cease to cry out to the LORD for them and to save them from the hand of the Philistines. Samuel took a nursing lamb, offered it to the LORD, cried out to the LORD and the LORD answered Samuel. When the Philistines attacked, the LORD thundered with a mighty sound and threw the Philistines into a confusion. The men of Israel went out from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines and struck them as far as Beth-car.

Samuel set up a stone between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer, saying that the LORD had helped until then. The Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. The hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel and the cities the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored.

Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life, going on a circuit year by year. He then returned to Ramah, his home, to judge Israel and also built there an altar to the LORD.

Application

Again we read in these chapters the power of the LORD as the ark changed hands and moved from place to place. From the guiding of the milk cows that carried the ark (1 Sam. 6:7-12), to the striking of seventy men of Beth-shemesh for looking at the ark (1 Sam. 6:19-20), to the defeat of the Philistines and restoration of cities to the people (1 Sam. 7:7-14), the LORD’s supreme might was made manifest. The LORD is omniscient and worthy of our reverent fear and awestruck wonder. What is more, His ultimate authority is matched with His abundant grace, displayed most prominently in the defeat of the greatest enemy, death, in the sending and sacrifice of His only Son. May we behold the majesty and glory of our holy LORD, responding in repentance of our evil ways and faith in the One who rules and reigns over all things.

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