Bible Strands
1 Samuel 7:13
So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped invading the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator reports the immediate aftermath of Samuel’s stone monument at Ebenezer, marking a definitive shift in regional power. The text records the Philistines' military defeat and the permanent halt of their raids into Israelite territory.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/יִּכָּֽנְעוּ (va/yi.kana'U) literally means "they were subdued," denoting a complete breaking of strength. The phrase לֹא יָסְפוּ עוֹד (lo yasefu od) translates to "they did not repeat again," signaling an unbroken cessation of incursions.
The thread — The cycle of Philistine oppression and deliverance mirrors Judges 13:1, where Israel’s disobedience invites forty years of foreign control. The narrative resolves this pattern by placing lasting divine judgment against the Philistines throughout Samuel’s lifetime, contrasting with later localized confrontations like the one recorded in 1 Samuel 17:49.
Why it lands — The text states that the hand of the LORD actively opposed the Philistines during Samuel’s entire lifespan, tying national security to prophetic leadership. A reader must recognize that sustained spiritual authority, rather than human strategy alone, determines whether a people experience peace or continued invasion.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
Cross-references
- Judges 13:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD, so He delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
- 1 Samuel 17:49 Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
- Judges 13:5 For behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. And no razor shall touch his head, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”
- 1 Samuel 13:1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.
- 1 Samuel 14:6 Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”
- 1 Samuel 14:20 Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor.
- 1 Samuel 28:3 Now by this time Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.
- 1 Samuel 31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.