His return was to Ramah, for his house was there; and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to Yahweh there.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- 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 1:19They rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before Yahweh, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Yahweh remembered her.
- 1 Sam 8:4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah.
- 1 Sam 1:1Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
- Judg 21:4–5On the next day, the people rose early, and built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
- 1 Sam 19:18–23Now David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth.
- Gen 35:7He built an altar there, and called the place El Beth El; because there God was revealed to him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
- Gen 33:20He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.
- 1 Kgs 18:30–36Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me!”; and all the people came near to him. He repaired Yahweh’s altar that had been thrown down.
- 1 Sam 11:15All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
- Gen 12:7–8Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” He built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to 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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