In consequence of the defeat at Ebenezer, the Philistines were obliged to restore to the Israelites the cities which they had taken from them, "from Ekron to Gath." This definition of the limits is probably to be understood as exclusive, i.e., as signifying that the Israelites received back their cities up to the very borders of the Philistines, measuring these borders from Ekron to Gath, and not that the Israelites received Ekron and Gath also. For although these chief cities of the Philistines had been allotted to the tribes of Judah and Dan in the time of Joshua (Joshua 13:3-4; Joshua 15:45-46), yet, notwithstanding the fact that Judah and Simeon conquered Ekron, together with Gaza and Askelon, after the death of Joshua (Judges 1:18), the Israelites did not obtain any permanent possession. "And their territory" (coasts), i.e., the territory of the towns that were given back to Israel, not that of Ekron and Gath, "did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites;" i.e., the Canaanitish tribes also kept peace with Israel after this victory of the Israelites over the Philistines, and during the time of Samuel. The Amorites are mentioned, as in Joshua 10:6, as being the most powerful of the Canaanitish tribes, who had forced the Danites out of the plain into the mountains (Judges 1:34-35).

1 Samuel 8:3 Parallel Commentaries

his sons

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2 Kings 21:1-3 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem...

Ecclesiastes 2:19 And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored...

Jeremiah 22:15-17 Shall you reign, because you close yourself in cedar? did not your father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice...

but turned

Exodus 18:21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness...

Deuteronomy 16:19 You shall not wrest judgment; you shall not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift does blind the eyes of the wise...

Psalm 15:5 He that puts not out his money to usury, nor takes reward against the innocent. He that does these things shall never be moved.

Psalm 26:10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

Isaiah 33:15 He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his hands from holding of bribes...

1 Timothy 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith...