God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 7:3
3Samuel told the entire nation of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord wholeheartedly, get rid of the foreign gods you have, including the statues of the goddess Astarte. Make a commitment to the Lord, and serve only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”
1 Samuel 7:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
- New International Version (NIV)So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
Context of 1 Samuel 7:3
1The men of Kiriath Jearim came to take the Lord’s ark and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. They gave Abinadab’s son Eleazar the holy occupation of guarding the Lord’s ark. 2A long time passed after the ark came to stay at Kiriath Jearim. For 20 years the entire nation of Israel mournfully sought the Lord. Samuel told the entire nation of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord wholeheartedly, get rid of the foreign gods you have, including the statues of the goddess Astarte. Make a commitment to the Lord, and serve only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites got rid of the statues of Baal and Astarte and served only the Lord. 5Then Samuel said, “Gather all the Israelites together at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 71 Samuel 7:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל אֶל־כָּל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִם־בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֗ם אַתֶּ֤ם שָׁבִים֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה הָסִ֜ירוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֧י הַנֵּכָ֛ר מִתּוֹכְכֶ֖ם וְהָעַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת וְהָכִ֨ינוּ לְבַבְכֶ֤ם אֶל־יְהוָה֙ וְעִבְדֻ֣הוּ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וְיַצֵּ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִיַּ֥ד פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
- spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto all the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- If ye do returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- with all your heartsלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
- put awayסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
- the strangeנֵכָרnêkâr · foreignH5236
- godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- and Ashtarothעַשְׁתָּרוֹת‛ashtârôth ‛ashtârôth · AshtarothH6252
- from amongתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- you, and prepareכּוּןkûn · to establish: commitH3559
- and serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
- him only: and he will deliverנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337
- you out of the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 7:3
- Deuteronomy 30:2If you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul, doing everything I command you today,
- 1 Kings 8:48if they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name,
- Isaiah 55:7Let wicked people abandon their ways. Let evil people abandon their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord, and he will show compassion to them. Let them return to our God, because he will freely forgive them.
- Hosea 6:1Let’s return to the Lord. Even though he has torn us to pieces, he will heal us. Even though he has wounded us, he will bandage our wounds.
- Hosea 14:1Israel, return to the Lord your God. You have stumbled because of your sins.
- Joel 2:12“But even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart— with fasting, crying, and mourning.”
- Genesis 35:2So Jacob said to his family and those who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods which you have, wash yourselves until you are ritually clean, and change your clothes.
- Joshua 24:14“Fear the Lord, and serve him with integrity and faithfulness. Get rid of the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve only the Lord.
- Judges 2:13They abandoned the Lord to serve the god Baal and the goddess Astarte.
- Judges 10:6The people of Israel again did what the Lord considered evil. They began to serve other gods and goddesses—the Baals and the Astartes—and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not serve him.
- Deuteronomy 30:6The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants. You will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and you will live.
- 1 Chronicles 22:19So dedicate your hearts and lives to serving the Lord your God. Start building the holy place of the Lord God so that you can bring the ark of the Lord’s promise and God’s holy utensils into the temple that will be built for the Lord’s name.”
- 1 Chronicles 28:9“And you, my son Solomon, learn to know your father’s God. Serve the Lord wholeheartedly and willingly because he searches every heart and understands every thought ⌞we have⌟. If you dedicate your life to serving him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will reject you from then on.
- 2 Chronicles 30:19those who have their hearts set on dedicating their lives to serving God. May the Lord God of their ancestors do this for those who are not clean as required for the holy place.”
- Job 11:13“If you want to set your heart right, then pray to him.
- Proverbs 16:1The plans of the heart belong to humans, but an answer on the tongue comes from the Lord.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 7:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And Samuel spake - We have heard nothing of this judge since he served in the tabernacle. He was now grown up, and established for a prophet in the land of Israel. If ye do return - From your backsliding and idolatry. With all your hearts - For outward services and professions will avail nothing. Put away the strange gods - Destroy their images, altars, and groves: they are strange; you do not know them as helpers, saviours, or defenders. Prepare your…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3-5Verses 3-5 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3People cannot expect God's blessing unless they remove what goes against his will (see Genesis 35:2; Joshua 24:14). Ashtoreth was the Canaanite goddess of fertility linked to Baal (1 Samuel 7:4). Worshiping Canaanite gods was a constant issue in Israel's history. The people began idol worship during the twenty years in 1 Samuel 7:2. It may have started in the time of the judges (1 Samuel 8:8; Judges 6:25; compare Amos 5:25–26). Israel's crushing defeat by…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-63-6. 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…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 7:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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