1 Samuel 7:5 kjv
And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
1 Samuel 7:5 nkjv
And Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you."
1 Samuel 7:5 niv
Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the LORD for you."
1 Samuel 7:5 esv
Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you."
1 Samuel 7:5 nlt
Then Samuel told them, "Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you."
1 Samuel 7 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 99:6 | Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. | Samuel's role as intercessor |
| Jer 15:1 | Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not be with this people. | Illustrates Samuel's powerful intercession |
| 1 Sam 12:23 | Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. | Samuel's commitment to prayer |
| Joel 2:15-17 | Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a sacred assembly... Let the priests... weep... | Call for national assembly & repentance |
| Deut 4:29-31 | From there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find Him... if you seek Him with all your heart... | Turning back to the LORD for deliverance |
| Neh 9:1-3 | Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting...confessing their sins... | National assembly for repentance |
| Ezra 10:1 | As Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God...a very great assembly... | National repentance initiated by a leader |
| Acts 3:19 | Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out... | Call to repentance |
| Jdg 20:1 | Then all the people of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba...and the congregation assembled as one man to Mizpah. | Mizpah as a place for national assembly |
| Jdg 21:1 | Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah... | Mizpah as a site of solemn oaths |
| Gen 31:49 | And Mizpah, for he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me, when we are away from each other.” | Mizpah as a place of watching/covenant |
| Hos 5:1 | Hear this, O priests! Pay attention, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For judgment is for you, for you have been a snare at Mizpah... | Mizpah associated with past covenant breaking |
| Jas 5:16 | The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. | Power of righteous intercession |
| Phil 4:6 | Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. | Importance of prayer in distress |
| Ps 50:15 | Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. | God's promise to respond to prayer |
| Heb 7:25 | He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. | Christ's perpetual intercession |
| Rom 8:34 | Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. | Christ as intercessor |
| 1 Tim 2:1-2 | First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions...be made for all people... | Universal call to prayer |
| 1 Pet 5:7 | Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. | Entrusting burdens to God through prayer |
| Ps 65:2 | O You who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come. | God as the hearer of prayer |
| Ps 145:18 | The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. | God's accessibility to sincere prayer |
| Matt 18:20 | For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them. | Presence of God in corporate gathering |
| 2 Chron 7:14 | If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways... | Promise for national repentance |
1 Samuel 7 verses
1 Samuel 7 5 Meaning
This verse presents Samuel, God's prophet and judge, instructing the people of Israel to assemble collectively at Mizpah. His explicit purpose for this gathering is to intercede on their behalf before the LORD, indicating a call for national repentance and seeking divine favor in the face of their spiritual and physical distress.
1 Samuel 7 5 Context
First Samuel chapter 7 opens after decades of Philistine oppression and spiritual decline among the Israelites, marked by the loss of the Ark of the Covenant and the corrupt priesthood. The people had begun to turn to the LORD, mournfully acknowledging their distance from Him (1 Sam 7:2). Samuel, now firmly established as God's prophet and judge, had called the nation to a crucial turning point: to repent, remove their foreign gods and Ashtaroth, and serve the LORD alone (1 Sam 7:3-4). Verse 5, therefore, is Samuel's practical instruction for bringing about this spiritual renewal – a national assembly for corporate prayer. This assembly at Mizpah directly precedes the dramatic Philistine defeat and marks a period of significant national repentance and divine deliverance, solidifying Samuel's role as a faithful leader who sought God's will for His people.
1 Samuel 7 5 Word analysis
- And Samuel said: This phrase introduces Samuel's directive, highlighting his divinely appointed authority as judge and prophet over all Israel (1 Sam 3:20). His name (שְׁמוּאֵל - Shmu'el) itself means "heard of God" or "His name is God," signifying his special relationship with Yahweh and his role as God's spokesperson.
- 'Gather (קַבְּצוּ - qab'tsu): This is an imperative, indicating an authoritative command. It means to "assemble" or "collect together," emphasizing the need for unity and a corporate response, not just individual actions.
- all Israel: Signifies the universal scope of the call, extending to every tribe and every individual in the nation. It highlights a crisis of national identity and spiritual integrity, requiring a unified, nationwide effort for reconciliation with God. This gathering symbolizes the re-establishment of a national covenant relationship.
- to Mizpah (הַמִּצְפָּה - haMitzpah): Literally "the watchtower." Mizpah was a historically significant location in Israel, previously associated with solemn gatherings, covenants, and national decision-making (Gen 31:49 for Jacob and Laban's covenant; Jdg 20:1 and 21:1 for the levitical war against Benjamin and later taking wives). Its selection emphasizes its sacred and communal importance as a place for national prayer and repentance. It suggests a strategic and consecrated ground for renewed covenant.
- and I will pray (אֶתְפַּלֵּל - etpallel): The verb is reflexive, "I will pray myself," or "I will intercede." This highlights Samuel's personal commitment and primary role as an intercessor for the people. He is acting as a mediator between God and Israel, seeking God's mercy and intervention.
- for you: Expresses Samuel's selfless service and his identification with the suffering and sin of his people. His prayer is not for himself, but directly on behalf of the nation.
- to the LORD (לַיהוה - laYĕhowah): This refers to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. It emphasizes that the prayer is directed solely to the one true God, explicitly distinguishing Him from the foreign gods the Israelites had been serving (1 Sam 7:3), and underscoring the exclusive nature of Israel's relationship with Him. It reaffirms His authority and power as the sole source of deliverance.
Words-Group analysis:
- "Gather all Israel to Mizpah": This phrase encapsulates a strategic divine imperative for corporate repentance and unity. It's a physical act of national assembly meant to precede and embody a spiritual turning point. The choice of Mizpah suggests drawing upon a historical memory of solemn vows and communal identity, uniting the nation in purpose.
- "and I will pray for you to the LORD": This phrase highlights the essential role of intercessory prayer, particularly through a chosen mediator (Samuel), in the context of national crisis. It demonstrates that genuine transformation and divine deliverance are achieved not through human might but through humble supplication to Yahweh, who alone holds the power to restore and save. This act underscores Israel's absolute dependence on God.
1 Samuel 7 5 Bonus section
Mizpah’s choice for this assembly carries layered significance beyond its geographical convenience; it was a "watchtower" where covenant and conflict had been remembered (Gen 31, Jdg 20-21). This made it an ideal location for Samuel to call for vigilance and discernment concerning Israel's spiritual state and their covenant with God. Samuel’s approach of calling for spiritual revival through repentance and prayer, rather than immediately mustering military forces, differentiates him from previous judges who often acted primarily as military deliverers. This shows a deeper understanding of the root cause of Israel's distress: not merely external enemies but internal spiritual defection. This corporate act of repentance at Mizpah becomes a template for future national reforms and echoes the New Testament's emphasis on communal worship and the power of unified prayer.
1 Samuel 7 5 Commentary
First Samuel 7:5 is a pivotal command demonstrating Samuel's prophetic leadership and the crucial role of corporate repentance and prayer in Israel's restoration. Facing Philistine oppression and having urged Israel to forsake their idols, Samuel initiates a national gathering at Mizpah. This was not merely a political assembly but a sacred convocation aimed at humbling the nation before the LORD. Samuel's promise to "pray for you to the LORD" underscores his essential role as a righteous intercessor and mediator, affirming that genuine national revival and divine deliverance depend upon a sincere return to God through earnest prayer. This event illustrates the principle that spiritual renewal often precedes physical salvation, and that God hears and responds to the collective cry of a repentant people led by a faithful servant. This divine act teaches believers to gather, unify, repent, and seek God through the power of collective prayer, trusting in faithful intercessors to bring their petitions before God in times of crisis.