New English Translation
1 Samuel 7:3
3Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you from the hand of 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
1Then the people of Kiriath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord; they brought it to the house of Abinadab located on the hill. They consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. 2It was quite a long time – some twenty years in all – that the ark stayed at Kiriath Jearim. All the people of Israel longed for the Lord. Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites removed the Baals and images of Ashtoreth. They served only the Lord. 5Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.”
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 30:2Then if you and your descendants turn to the Lord your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today,
- 1 Kings 8:48When they return to you with all their heart and being in the land where they are held prisoner, and direct their prayers to you toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor,
- Isaiah 55:7The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.
- Hosea 6:1“Come on! Let’s return to the Lord! He himself has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us! He has injured us, but he will bandage our wounds!
- Hosea 14:1Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sin has been your downfall!
- Joel 2:12“Yet even now,” the Lord says, “return to me with all your heart – with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!”
- Genesis 35:2So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have among you. Purify yourselves and change your clothes.
- Joshua 24:14Now obey the Lord and worship him with integrity and loyalty. Put aside the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt and worship the Lord.
- Judges 2:13They abandoned the Lord and worshiped Baal and the Ashtars.
- Judges 10:6The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtars, as well as the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the Ammonites, and the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not worship him.
- Deuteronomy 30:6The Lord your God will also cleanse your heart and the hearts of your descendants so that you may love him with all your mind and being and so that you may live.
- 1 Chronicles 22:19Now seek the Lord your God wholeheartedly and with your entire being! Get up and build the sanctuary of the Lord God! Then you can bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant and the holy items dedicated to God’s service into the temple that is built to honor the Lord.”
- 1 Chronicles 28:9“And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.
- 2 Chronicles 30:19everyone who has determined to follow God, the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.”
- Job 11:13“As for you, if you prove faithful, and if you stretch out your hands toward him,
- Proverbs 16:1The intentions of the heart belong to a man, but the answer of 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
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