1 Samuel 7:13

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS VICTORY FOR ISRAEL

"So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel rescued their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites."

G. B. Caird labeled these verses as "a contradiction"[16] of the fact that there were subsequent occasions when the Philistines invaded Israel, as for example in the times of Saul. Such opinions are incorrect because the words "all the days of Samuel" are a limitation upon what is meant. "This passage teaches that the victory was only temporary and far from conclusive; and this is implicit in the text itself. 1 Samuel 7:13b shows that the warfare was continuous."[17] Keil agreed with this, "1 Samuel 7:13 shows that the Philistines made efforts to recover the cities lost to Israel, but that so long as Samuel lived they were unable to do so."[18] Willis also characterized these verses as, "A panoramic summary of Samuel's lifetime ministry in Israel."[19]

There is another very powerful reason which we reject out of hand any notion, as advocated by some, that these verses should be discarded as an `interpolation.' In the Biblical perspective, events in the far future are sometimes spoken of as if already accomplished; and if one should understand "all the days of Samuel" as an inclusion not only of his lifetime but also of his changing the government to a monarchy, his anointing of Saul, and then of David - if all of that is attributed to Samuel, then it was indeed true in the fullest extent that the Philistines were completely vanquished. Samuel certainly set in motion the events that led to that accomplishment.

The cities were restored to Israel from Ekron to Gath (1 Samuel 7:14). "This does not mean that the Israelites overthrew Ekron and Gath, but that they regained Judean cities along the border between those cities."[20]