As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel.
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
Samuel offered sacrifice as an extraordinary person in an extraordinary case, since Shiloh was destroyed and normal sacrificial order was dispensed with. The Lord's thunder was no mere noise: lightning flashed in their faces, shook weapons from their hands, the earth opened and swallowed them. They were smitten before Israel could even engage.
AI summary
And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. (f) According to the prophecy of Hannah Samuel's mother, .