1 Samuel 7:12

1 Samuel 7:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben–ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, "Till now the Lord has helped us."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

Context of 1 Samuel 7:12

10Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them. 11The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way. Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!” 13So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the Lord’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines. 14The Israelite villages near Ekron and Gath that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.

1 Samuel 7:12 word by word

וַיִּקַּ֨ח שְׁמוּאֵ֜ל אֶ֣בֶן אַחַ֗ת וַיָּ֤שֶׂם בֵּֽין־הַמִּצְפָּה֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַשֵּׁ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ אֶ֣בֶן הָעָ֑זֶר וַיֹּאמַ֕ר עַד־הֵ֖נָּה עֲזָרָ֥נוּ יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• stoneאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• and setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• between Mizpehמִצְפָּהmitspâh · MizpahH4709
• and Shenשֵׁןshên · ShenH8129
• and calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
• the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• of it Eben–ezerאֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר'eben hâ‛êzer · EbenezerH72
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Hitherto hath the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• helpedעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 7:12

• Genesis 28:18The next morning Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it.
• Genesis 31:45So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a monument.
• Genesis 35:14Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark the place where God had spoken to him. Then he poured wine over it as an offering to God and anointed the pillar with olive oil.
• Joshua 4:9Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.
• Joshua 24:26Joshua recorded these things in the Book of God’s Instructions. As a reminder of their agreement, he took a huge stone and rolled it beneath the terebinth tree beside the Tabernacle of the Lord.
• Isaiah 19:19In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and there will be a monument to the Lord at its border.
• 1 Samuel 4:1And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel. At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek.
• 1 Samuel 5:1After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the battleground at Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod.
• Genesis 22:14Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
• Exodus 17:15Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-Nissi (which means “the Lord is my banner”).
• Psalms 71:6Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you!
• Isaiah 46:3“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born.
• Acts 26:22But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—
• 2 Corinthians 1:10And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 7:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Called the name of it Eben-ezer - העזר אבן Eben haezer, "The Stone of Help;" perhaps a pillar is meant by the word stone.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Shen was a tooth-pointed or sharp-pointed rock (see 1 Samuel 14:4), nowhere else mentioned and not identified.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 The Philistines invaded Israel. When sinners begin to repent and reform, they must expect that Satan will muster all his force against them, and set his instruments at work to the utmost, to oppose and discourage them. The Israelites earnestly beg Samuel to pray for them. Oh what a comfort it is to all believers, that our great Intercessor above never ceases, is never silent! for he always appears in the presence of God for us. Samuel's…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Ebenezer: We do not know where this stone memorial is located. The Philistines had defeated Israel and taken the ark at a place with the same name (1 Samuel 4:1; 5:1). Samuel set up this memorial to honor God's help in reversing the Philistine attacks.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen--on an open spot between the town and "the crag" (some well-known rock in the neighborhood). A huge stone pillar was erected as a monument of their victory (Le 26:1). The name--Eben-ezer--is thought to have been written on the face of it.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 7:12

• Ebenezer
• Intercession
• Pillar
• Samuel
• Shen
• Stones
• Thankfulness

In the dictionaries

• Samuel
• Eben-Ezer
• David
• Ebenezer
• Idol
• Mizpah
• Prayer
• Samuel, Books of
• Shen
• Stone

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