Chapter
Verse
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1 Samuel 7:9

ESV So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.
NIV Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.
NASB Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.
CSB Then Samuel took a young 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.
NLT So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.
KJV And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him.
NKJV And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Then Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.

What does 1 Samuel 7:9 mean?

The Philistines heard that all of Israel had gathered at Mizpah. In their minds, the only explanation for this congregation was preparing for battle. Rather than being caught off guard, the five lords of the Philistines assembled their armies and marched toward Mizpah to defeat the Israelites before they could launch their rebellion (1 Samuel 7:7).

However, the people of Israel were not planning an attack. Instead, they gathered to repent from their sin. They met to ask God to deliver them from the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:3–6). Now, though, the Philistines were approaching fast.

In response to the urging of the people (1 Samuel 7:8), Samuel offers an un-weaned—"nursing," or "suckling"—lamb as a whole burnt offering before the Lord. Animals could be sacrificed to the Lord once they were eight days old (Leviticus 22:27). The purpose of using the whole animal as a burnt offering was usually for atonement (Leviticus 1:4).

In addition to the offering, Samuel verbally calls out to God on behalf of His people Israel. The Lord hears and answers Samuel. The answer is apparently given in the form of what the Lord does next to spare His people from the Philistines.
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