I Samuel 7:14 · Bible study
1 Samuel 7:14 Commentary: Restored Borders and Peace with Amorites
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why Israel made peace with the Amorites after defeating the Philistines. Commentary on territory restoration and covenant obedience.
Research Summary
- Meaning: After defeating the Philistines, Israel regained lost border cities and experienced peace with the Canaanite Amorites, marking a period of restoration under Samuel's leadership.
- Key words: Restored (shuv, return), border (gebul, territory), peace (shalom, cessation of war, welfare), Amorites (highland Canaanites or general term for inhabitants).
- Main debate: Was the peace with the Amorites a prudent diplomatic move or a failure to obey the command to dispossess the Canaanites?
- Theological theme: Repentance leads to restoration; God's deliverance brings both territorial recovery and relational peace.
- Best use: A case study in the fruit of national repentance and the complexities of living among hostile peoples while depending on God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The cities from Ekron to Gath, which the Philistines had taken, were restored to Israel, who also delivered the surrounding territory from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between the Israelites and the Amorites.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered its border out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the border thereof did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the cities which the Philistines have taken from Israel are restored to Israel--from Ekron even unto Gath--and their border hath Israel delivered out of the hand of the Philistines; and there is peace between Israel and the Amorite.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and their territory did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorite.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Accaron to Geth, and their borders: and he delivered Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Amorrhites.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y fueron restituídas á los hijos de Israel las ciudades que los Filisteos habían tomado á los Israelitas, desde Ecrón hasta Gath, con sus términos: é Israel las libró de mano de los Filisteos. Y hubo paz entre Israel y el Amorrheo.
E foram restituídas aos filhos de Israel as cidades que os filisteus haviam tomado aos israelitas, desde Ecrom até Gate, com seus termos: e Israel as livrou da mão dos filisteus. E houve paz entre Israel e o amorreu.
Les villes que les Philistins avaient prises sur Israël retournèrent à Israël, depuis Ékron jusqu’ à Gath, avec leur territoire; Israël les arracha de la main des Philistins. Et il y eut paix entre Israël et les Amoréens.
Also wurden Israel die Städte wieder, die die Philister ihnen genommen hatten, von Ekron an bis gen Gath, samt ihrem Gebiet; die errettete Israel von der Hand der Philister. Und Israel hatte Frieden mit den Amoritern.
En de steden, welke de Filistijnen van Israel genomen hadden kwamen weder aan Israel, van Ekron tot Gath toe; ook rukte Israel derzelver landpale uit de hand der Filistijnen; en er was vrede tussen Israel en tussen de Amorieten.
Le città che i Filistei aveano prese ad Israele, tornarono ad Israele, da Ekron fino a Gath. Israele liberò il loro territorio dalle mani dei Filistei. E vi fu pace fra Israele e gli Amorei.
I przywrócone są miasta Izraelowi, które byli wzięli Filistynowie Izraelowi, od Akkaronu aż do Get, i granice ich oswobodził Izrael z ręki Filistynów; i był pokój między Izraelem, i między Amorejczykiem.
И возвращены были Израилю города, которые взяли Филистимляне у Израиля, от Аккарона и до Гефа, и пределы их освободил Израиль из рук Филистимлян, и был мир между Израилем и Аморреями.
非利士人 所 取 以色列人 的城邑，從以革倫 直到 迦特，都歸 以色列人了。 屬這些城的四境，以色列人 也從非利士人 手下 收回。那時 以色列人 與 亞摩利人 和好。
And the towns which the Philistines had taken were given back to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and all the country round them Israel made free from the power of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 7:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that 1 Samuel 7:14 summarizes the tangible results of the victory God gave through Samuel. The Philistines' captured cities were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, indicating that the border was re-established. The phrase "there was peace between Israel and the Amorites" is understood as a cessation of hostilities with the remaining Canaanite peoples. However, commentators differ on the nature of this peace. Barnes argues that the Amorites "made common cause with Samuel, and assisted the Israelites" after seeing the Philistines defeated. Gill and Matthew Henry, by contrast, view the Amorites as simply quiet and peaceable, too intimidated to continue fighting. Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that the victory was won through prayer and repentance, not military force. All agree that this peace reflects the success of Samuel's leadership and God's deliverance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Divine vindication view: God gave the victory, so the peace was a natural result of the Philistine defeat and did not involve sin.
- Pragmatic peace view: Samuel made a strategic non-aggression pact to secure the borders and focus on religious reform, without violating the command against covenants because it was not a covenant with Canaanite gods.
- Failure to obey view: Psalm 106:34–36 criticizes Israel for not destroying the peoples, and this peace may be an example of incomplete obedience that led to later problems.
What is clear: God restored Israel's territory and gave them a period of peace under Samuel's faithful leadership.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of peace with Amorites | All agree that 'there was peace' indicates a cessation of war; the Amorites no longer attacked Israel. | Some commentators (e.g., Barnes) view it as an active alliance where Amorites assisted Israel; others (e.g., Gill, Henry) see it as passive submission after the Philistine defeat. |
| Restoration of cities | The cities previously taken by Philistines were returned to Israelite control. | Whether this happened by military conquest, peaceful demand, or gradual recovery is not specified. Some suggest the Philistines surrendered them in fear. |
| Consistency with conquest command | The verse does not explicitly say Israel made a covenant with the Amorites; it only describes a state of peace. | Psalm 106:34 later criticizes Israel for not destroying the peoples. Some see this peace as a failure; others argue it was a temporary cessation not amounting to a forbidden covenant. |
| Samuel's role | Samuel led Israel through prayer, not sword; the victory was God's doing. | Some emphasize Samuel as a military leader (he was judge), while others highlight his prophetic-priestly function as the key to victory. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The context of this verse is the great victory at Ebenezer (1 Samuel 7:10, 12). The Philistines, who had dominated Israel for decades, were routed by divine intervention: thunder confused them, and Israel pursued and struck them down. Samuel then set up a stone as a memorial. With the Philistine threat broken, the immediate result was the recovery of border cities that the Philistines had taken during their period of occupation. The phrase "from Ekron even to Gath" likely refers to the territory between these two Philistine strongholds, not including the cities themselves, which may have remained Philistine enclaves for some time (Cambridge Bible). The "border" (gebul) refers to the frontier region claimed by Israel.
The mention of the Amorites is significant. The Amorites were one of the Canaanite peoples, often associated with the highlands. In Egyptian inscriptions, "Amor" designated the whole of Canaan. Cambridge notes that "Amorite" may be a local term for "highlander," as opposed to "Canaanite" meaning "lowlander." Thus the peace with the Amorites likely represents a cessation of war with the highland peoples who had not been directly involved in the Philistine conflict. The verb "there was peace" (vayehi shalom) indicates a state of peaceful relations, not necessarily a formal treaty, but the absence of hostility. Samuel's leadership, characterized by repentance and prayer, had secured both internal renewal and external security.
Historically, this peace was practical: Israel was not strong enough to fight both the Philistines and the Amorites simultaneously. The Amorites, seeing the Philistines' defeat, chose not to attack. This pattern of peace with certain Canaanite groups later became problematic when Israel failed to fully dispossess them, as noted in Psalm 106:34, 36. But in Samuel's day, it was seen as a sign of God's favor and the flourishing of the nation under faithful leadership.
Textual Notes
The Masoretic Text of 1 Samuel 7:14 is stable. The only notable variant supplied from the commentaries is in the Septuagint, which reads "the border of Israel" (τὸ ὅριον Ἰσραήλ) instead of the Hebrew "their territory" (gebulan). Cambridge Bible notes this reading. The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm the Hebrew text. No other significant variants are recorded in the supplied sources.
Reception History
Early Jewish readers saw this verse as a confirmation of God's faithfulness in the days of Samuel, with the peace as a mark of divine blessing. In Christian tradition, the verse has often been interpreted typologically: Samuel as a type of Christ who secures peace through intercession. During the Reformation, commentators used the peace with the Amorites to discuss the limits of holy war and the propriety of temporary truces. Modern scholarship tends to focus on the historical and literary context, reading the verse as part of the larger narrative of Israel's transition from judgeship to monarchy. The tension between peace and the conquest command continues to be a point of reflection.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- God restores what was lost. The cities taken by the Philistines were given back. This shows that repentance and prayer lead to recovery, not just spiritual but practical.
- Peace follows when God fights for us. The Philistines were subdued, and then even the Amorites made peace. Enemies who once threatened become quiet when God's hand is against them.
- Godly leadership brings security on all sides. Under Samuel, Israel enjoyed both internal worship (the altar at Ramah) and external peace. A nation centered on God experiences blessing.
Five-Point Outline
- The victory at Ebenezer (vv.10, 12): God thundered and confused the Philistines. The battle was the Lord's.
- Demilitarization (v.13): The Philistines stopped coming into Israel's border. God's hand was against them.
- Territorial restoration (v.14a): Cities from Ekron to Gath were returned. Israel recovered its border.
- Peace with the Amorites (v.14b): The highland peoples ceased hostilities. This peace may have been pragmatic or a sign of their submission.
- Samuel's continued judgeship (vv.15, 17): He judged Israel faithfully, building an altar at Ramah. Spiritual leadership sustained peace.
Illustration Hooks
- A schoolyard bully is finally stopped, not just the fights end, but other troublemakers back off. Peace spreads when the biggest threat is removed.
- A business that lost its supply chain during a crisis regains it after a change in leadership and strategy. Restoration comes after reform.
- A marriage that went through conflict finds peace not only between the couple but also with extended family, healing ripples outward.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- If God commanded Israel to drive out the Canaanites, why was it okay to have peace with the Amorites? Was this a compromise?
- How do we know when a peace is from God versus when it is a convenient truce that ignores sin?
- What can Samuel's example teach us about leadership that combines prayer and action?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows the aftermath of a decisive deliverance. Israel regained lost land and enjoyed peace with neighboring peoples. But the peace with the Amorites raises a question: When is peace a gift from God, and when might it be a compromise? As you discuss, consider the context of Samuel's leadership and the nation's repentance.
Discussion Questions
- What did Israel do before this victory? (Read vv.3, 6: they put away idols, fasted, confessed sin.) How did repentance prepare them for restoration?
- The cities "were restored", the Hebrew verb indicates a passive action. Who was the real agent of restoration? How does this shape our view of deliverance?
- Why does the writer mention the Amorites specifically? What does their peace suggest about the extent of God's victory?
- Read Psalm 106:34, 36. Later, Israel's failure to destroy the peoples became a snare. Does this peace with the Amorites fit that pattern, or is it different? Defend your view.
- In what areas of your life have you experienced restoration after repentance? How does this story encourage you to seek God first?
- Peace can be either a blessing or a compromise. How can we discern between the two in our relationships, churches, or communities?
- Samuel built an altar and continued to judge. What rhythms of worship and leadership sustain long-term peace after a crisis?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 7:2 | and when Yahweh your God delivers them up before you, and you strike them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them. |
| Deuteronomy 7:16 | You shall consume all the peoples whom Yahweh your God shall deliver to you. Your eye shall not pity them. You shall not serve their gods; for that would be a snare to you. |
| Judges 4:17 | However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. |
| Psalms 106:34 | They didn’t destroy the peoples, as Yahweh commanded them, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the recovery of Philistine cities likely happened gradually over several years, not in a single day. He also explains that the peace with the Amorites was simply their remaining quiet and not attacking, because they saw the Philistines, the most powerful inhabitants, already broken and subdued.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that Samuel’s leadership was unusually aggressive: he not only drove the Philistines out of Israel’s interior but carried the war into their own land, reclaiming the cities and territory that originally belonged to Israel. The Amorites, finding the Philistines even harsher rulers, joined forces with Samuel and fought alongside Israel.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator observes that Amorite is likely a local name meaning highlander, not a tribal label, and contrasts with Canaanite, which means lowlander. He notes that in several Old Testament passages, Amorite is used loosely to refer to all the original inhabitants of the land.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that Israel recovered all the border cities the Philistines had taken, from Ekron as far as Gath, and cleared that entire region. They also note that this victory brought peace not only with the Philistines but also with the Amorites.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the Philistine cities were restored to Israel not by military conquest but by demand, as the Philistines were so intimidated after Israel's victory that they surrendered them quietly. He clarifies that only the towns between Ekron and Gath were delivered, not the cities themselves. The Amorites, seeing this, kept the peace.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasises that the water poured out before God was a deliberate symbol of the people's inward distress and helplessness, not merely a ritual. Samuel's role as judge at Mizpeh consisted not in legal rulings but in restoring Israel's right relationship with God through repentance and intercession, thus preparing them for battle.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees Israel's "lamenting after the Lord" not as ordinary grief but as a penitent longing, a response to feeling the Philistine oppression as divine judgment. He emphasizes that Samuel's prophetic labors gradually prepared this inward turning from within the people, making their later outward repentance and victory possible.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Samuel's victory in turning Israel away from idols made them ready to receive further blessings. He notes that Samuel himself writes modestly, but the days of his judgeship were marked by faithful Passover observance and the restoration of peace and territory to Israel.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees this peace as a tactical move, not an act of fear. The Amorites, representing the Canaanites, were once fierce, but the greater threat now was the Philistines. Making peace with one enemy freed Israel to concentrate their full strength against the other.