Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.
Parallel translations
- WEB His return was to Ramah, for his house was there; and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to Yahweh there.
- KJV And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
- NKJV But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
- NASB Then he would make his return to Ramah, because his house was there, and there he also judged Israel; and there he built an altar to the Lord.
- NLT Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Samuel returns home to Ramah, where he judges Israel and builds an altar to the LORD.
Overview
Ramah is Samuel's home base, and building an altar there shows that his leadership is grounded in worship. He unites the offices of judge, prophet, and one who leads in sacrifice. His life centered on the LORD models the integration of public service and devotion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 1 Sam 1:19The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.
- 1 Sam 8:4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
- 1 Sam 1:1Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
- Judg 21:4–5The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.
- 1 Sam 19:18–23So David ran away and escaped. And he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.
- Gen 35:7There Jacob built an altar, and he called that place El-bethel, because it was there that God had revealed Himself to Jacob as he fled from his brother.
- Gen 33:20There he set up an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
- 1 Kgs 18:30–36Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.
- 1 Sam 11:15So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly.
- Gen 12:7–8Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 7:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.