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.
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.
- BSB Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to 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 1:19And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
- 1 Sam 8:4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
- 1 Sam 1:1Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
- Judg 21:4–5And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
- 1 Sam 19:18–23So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
- Gen 35:7And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
- Gen 33:20And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.
- 1 Kgs 18:30–36And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
- 1 Sam 11:15And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
- Gen 12:7–8And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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
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