Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 7:3

"And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto Jehovah with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts unto Jehovah, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." — 1 Samuel 7:3 (ASV)

The strange gods. —The strange gods are in 1 Samuel 7:4 described as Baalim. This plural form of Baal refers to the numerous images of Baal that existed, as does the plural form Ashtaroth to those of the female goddess Astarte. They were both favorite Phoenician deities, known under the familiar names of Baal, Bil, Bel, and Ashtaroth, Astarte, Istar. They represented the productive power of nature and were generally worshiped throughout the East, usually with a wild and wanton worship.

Prepare your hearts. —Indeed, it was a seemingly desperate venture to which the prophet summoned unarmed and undisciplined Israel. They were then completely at the mercy of their long-victorious enemies, who held the chief fortified places in the country with their garrisons. Samuel challenged Israel to bid defiance to the most cherished institutions of their oppressors and called on them, if they loved the Eternal, to turn aside from revering what Philistia held to be sacred and all-powerful. He knew well that what he urged upon the people would at once provoke what appeared to be a dangerous and most unequal contest.

If defeated, Israel would bring upon themselves utter misery and a ruin previously undreamed of, even in their unhappy land. Did they have the courage and faith to plunge unarmed, undisciplined, into such a perilous contest?

For twenty years, the great patriot-statesman had labored for this end. He had at last succeeded in opening the eyes of Israel to see the real cause of their misfortunes. He had made them as a nation hunger for the lost presence of the Eternal, who had loved them in past days with so great a love.

And now, after twenty long, slow years, was his work finally done? They indeed sorrowed for their national sins, but did they have the faith and courage, all unarmed as they were, to rise against the powerful enemies of purity and God?