Big Idea: Repentance and renewed allegiance to the Lord are foundational to a restored relationship with him.

Understanding the Text

This chapter depicts Samuel as a spiritual and military leader. He revives Israel spiritually and politically and delivers them from Philistine bondage. This positive portrait of Samuel continues the contrast with Eli’s house so evident in chapters 2–4. Israel’s defeat was closely linked with the death of Eli and his sons. The text even seems to indicate that it was their sin that brought about the loss of the ark (see 4:4). But Samuel is linked with the military success and renewed security that his mother anticipated in her thanksgiving song (2:10). This contrast between Samuel and Eli is facilitated by the fact that both Israel’s earlier defeat and the v…