Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.
Evil often springs from good: the Philistines saw Israel's prayer gathering and thought it war, so they struck. But mark this: when sinners repent, Satan musters all his force to oppose and discourage them. Yet God turns their malice to His praise, and the threat comes precisely when Israel can meet it, fresh from making peace with God.
AI summary
Commenting on 1 Samuel 7:7-12
And Samuel took a sucking lamb,.... Which it might be, and yet more than eight days old, for under that it might not be sacrificed, Exo 22:30. and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord; the whole of it was burnt, skin and all, whereas the skin was the priest's in other burnt offerings; and this is remarked (m) as one of...
Samuel took a sucking lamb - This sucking lamb must have been eight days under its mother before it could be offered, as the law says, Lev 22:27. Though Samuel was not a priest, yet he offered this sacrifice; or he might have ordered Eleazar to offer it, and still be said to have done it himself: Qui facit per alterum, facit per se; "He...