1 Samuel 7 6

1 Samuel 7:6 kjv

And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

1 Samuel 7:6 nkjv

So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

1 Samuel 7:6 niv

When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD." Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.

1 Samuel 7:6 esv

So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day and said there, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.

1 Samuel 7:6 nlt

So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the LORD. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the LORD. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel's judge.)

1 Samuel 7 verses

1 Samuel 7 6 Meaning

This verse vividly portrays a pivotal moment of national repentance and renewal for Israel at Mizpah. It details the people's collective actions of humbling themselves before the Lord: gathering, drawing and pouring out water as a symbolic act of contrition and complete self-abasement, engaging in a communal fast, and openly confessing their corporate sin against God. The verse concludes by stating that Samuel, acting in his role as a judge and prophetic leader, guided the people in this process of repentance and restored order in Israel. This moment signifies a turning point from a period of idolatry and Philistine oppression towards renewed covenant faithfulness and divine intervention.

1 Samuel 7 6 Context

1 Samuel 7:6 follows a period of significant turmoil for Israel. Chapters 4-6 describe the catastrophic defeat by the Philistines, the capture of the Ark of the Covenant, and its subsequent return to Israel. This traumatic experience served as a wake-up call, highlighting Israel's reliance on mere symbols (the Ark) rather than on their covenant relationship with Yahweh. The people were living under continued Philistine oppression (1 Sam 7:3). Samuel, emerging as a spiritual and national leader, urges the people in 1 Samuel 7:3-4 to abandon their foreign gods and Ashtoreths and serve the Lord alone. This call to repentance and renewed devotion sets the stage for the dramatic national assembly and confession at Mizpah. The verse specifically details their obedience to Samuel's call, showcasing their genuine turning back to God as a prelude to divine deliverance. Mizpah itself, located in the tribal territory of Benjamin, held prior significance as a gathering place for Israel, notably in times of national crisis or assembly (e.g., Judg 20:1).

1 Samuel 7 6 Word analysis

• And they gathered together at Mizpah:
  • gathered together: From the Hebrew verb qabats (קָבַץ), meaning "to collect, assemble." Signifies a purposeful, unified national convocation, not just a casual meeting. This echoes historical national gatherings at Mizpah (e.g., Judg 20:1).
  • Mizpah: Hebrew Mitzpeh (מִצְפָּה), meaning "watchtower" or "outlook." A strategic high place, often associated with assemblies, oaths, and judicial proceedings. Its choice for this gathering indicates a recognized center for communal decision-making and religious rites, signifying a deliberate national act of repentance.
• and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord:
  • drew water: A humble, laborious act, not typically a part of Israelite religious ritual as a sacrificial offering.
  • poured it out: Hebrew shapakh (שָׁפַךְ), meaning "to pour out, shed." This act is highly symbolic. Unlike a standard libation (usually of wine or oil), pouring out water here represents profound humility, utter emptiness, and desolation before God. It could symbolize the "shedding" of tears, the pouring out of their very lives, or the total surrender and self-abasement, signifying that they had nothing else to offer. It signifies absolute destitution and complete dependence on God. It stands in contrast to the wealth implied by pagan cultic practices, offering only themselves and their contrition.
  • before the Lord: This crucial phrase emphasizes that the act was directed towards Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. It was an act of worship and repentance explicitly aimed at Him, contrasting with the foreign gods they had previously served.
• and fasted on that day:
  • fasted: Hebrew tsum (צוּם), "to fast." A traditional sign of mourning, lament, sincere repentance, and intense seeking of God's favor and intervention. It demonstrates physical humbling as an outward sign of inward contrition and seriousness of purpose.
• and said there, 'We have sinned against the Lord.'
  • said: Hebrew ’amar (אָמַר), "to say, speak." Implies an audible, public declaration.
  • We have sinned: Hebrew ḥaṭaʾnu (חָטָאנוּ), "we have sinned." A direct, unreserved corporate confession. This acknowledgment of transgression is foundational to genuine repentance and forgiveness, specifically identifying Yahweh as the one against whom they sinned, implying a violation of covenant obligations. This moves beyond merely regretting consequences to admitting guilt.
  • against the Lord: Confirms the breaking of the covenant relationship. It shifts responsibility away from circumstances or other nations and squarely places it upon their own disobedience to Yahweh.
• And Samuel judged the people of Israel in Mizpah.
  • Samuel judged: Hebrew shaphat (שָׁפַט), "to judge, govern, decide disputes, rule." Here, it signifies Samuel's leadership role not just in arbitration but in overseeing the spiritual and communal restoration, ensuring order, teaching God's ways, and leading the people back into alignment with divine law. It emphasizes his authority and prophetic guidance in guiding the people towards righteous living and resolving their spiritual and social crisis.
  • the people of Israel: Indicates the entire community, signifying a national turning.

1 Samuel 7 6 Bonus section

• The collective nature of this act (explicitly "they gathered," "they poured," "we have sinned") underscores corporate responsibility and the necessity of national repentance in the Old Testament narrative. Deliverance and blessing were often contingent on the entire community turning to God.
• The unusual water ritual at Mizpah contrasts with common sacrificial offerings, signifying a profound level of brokenness and a declaration that all external rites were meaningless without genuine internal repentance. It's a symbolic emptying of self, reflecting utter helplessness and complete dependence on divine mercy rather than their own efforts or pagan rituals. This moment solidified Samuel's position as a righteous leader in a transitional period, effectively bridging the era of the Judges and preparing the people for the concept of monarchy under God's ultimate sovereignty.

1 Samuel 7 6 Commentary

1 Samuel 7:6 records a pivotal moment in Israelite history, where national repentance leads to spiritual revival and subsequent deliverance. The actions at Mizpah—gathering, pouring water, fasting, and confessing sin—form a coherent display of profound humility and sincere contrition. The drawing and pouring of water, an unusual ritual distinct from customary sacrifices, deeply symbolizes Israel's emptying of themselves, perhaps a literal portrayal of "pouring out their hearts like water" (Lam 2:19), signifying deep grief, utter dependence, and complete self-abasement before Yahweh. It highlights a community that had nothing else to offer but their vulnerability and sorrow. Fasting further emphasized their earnestness and reliance solely on God, coupled with an explicit, public confession, "We have sinned against the Lord." This acknowledgment was critical, revealing their shift from blaming circumstances or their enemies to accepting responsibility for their covenant unfaithfulness. Samuel's role as judge underscored his authority as God's appointed leader to guide this spiritual renewal, bringing order and divine justice to a nation that had strayed. This scene at Mizpah marked a definitive break from their idolatrous past (mentioned in 1 Sam 7:3-4) and set the stage for God's powerful intervention against the Philistines in the subsequent verses, illustrating that genuine repentance precedes divine deliverance. This national turning served as a powerful polemic against the pagan practices, emphasizing exclusive devotion to Yahweh as the source of salvation and blessing.