Read 1 Samuel 7 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
6:16-7:1 {p} Beth Shemesh struck; sent to Kirjath Jearim to come for the ark
7:2 {s} The ark remained in Kirjath Jearim 20 years/ all Israel lamented after YHVH
7:3-4 {p} If you return to YHVH with all your heart, put away the foreign gods among you, and serve YHVH
7:5-17 {p} Israel gathered together at Mizpah/ defeated the Philistines all the days of Samuel
The Strong themes:
5:6-7:1 {sx5+p} The hand of YHVH against the Philistines, and even the men of Beth-Shemesh, because of the ark of the covenant
7:2-4 {s+p} Ark remained in Kirjath Jearim 20 years, so that Israel yearned for YHVH and put away their idols
1 Samuel 7:6b-17 Chiastic Structure:
The central axis highlights a beautiful truth: YHVH answers him who cries out to Him.
To cry out is Strong’s H2199 זעק za’aq , a primitive verb meaning “to cry out.” The ancient pictographs are zayin + ayin + quph.
zayin ז = the mattock, thus tool, food, cut, nourish
ayin ע = the eye, thus watch, know, shade
quph ק = sun on the horizon, thus condense, circle, time
The parable being told by the Hebrew Root Word is of a weapon (zayin, as a tool of attack) seen (ayin) coming. producing the concentrated (quph) emotion of fear or terror, thus an outcry.
To answer is Strong’s H6030 ענה anah, a primitive verb meaning, “to sing, to answer, to reply.” The ancient pictographs are ayin + nun + hey.
ayin ע = the eye, thus watch, know, shade
nun נ, ן = the seed, thus continue, heir, son
hey ה = man w/ raised arms, thus look, reveal, wonder, worship, breath
The parable is to eye (ayin) continually (nun) while revealing (hey) what is known. When someone is answering with a true report, they look you straightforwardly in the eye, but if they are trying to hide something, as a falsehood, they tend to hide their eyes. This word is most often used of solemn declarations, as when YHVH makes a decree, a judge hands down a sentence, or a witness testifies in court.
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