Study it in the app“So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before YHWH, and they fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against YHWH.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.”
So they gatheredוַיִּקָּבְצוּat Mizpahהַמִּצְפָּתָהand drewוַיִּשְׁאֲבוּwaterמַיִםand poured it outוַיִּשְׁפְּכוּbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWH,יְהוָהand they fastedוַיָּצוּמוּon thatהַהוּאdayבַּיּוֹםand saidוַיֹּאמְרוּthere,שָׁם“We have sinnedחָטָאנוּagainst YHWH.”לַיהוָהAnd Samuelוַ שְׁמוּאֵלjudgedיִּשְׁפֹּטthe sonsאֶת בְּנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלat Mizpah.בַּמִּצְפָּה
gather
To bring people to one place, or to come together there.
Where else “yikavtsu” appearsMizpah
See it on the mapWhere else “mitspata” appearsdraw water
Draw water from a well.
Where else “yishavu” appearswater
Water: for drinking, of rivers or seas.
Where else “mayim” appearsspill
To empty out water or blood; "spill blood" is to kill.
Where else “yishpchu” appearsbefore
Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.
Where else “fene” appearsYHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appearsfast
Fast: go without food for a time, as a sign of grief or to seek God.
Where else “yatsumu” appearsday
The day, the hours of light, or a whole day.
Where else “yom” appearssay
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomru” appearssin
To do wrong, fail God or another.
Where else “chatanu” appearsSamuel
Samuel, the name of two persons. One was a chief of the tribe of Simeon (Numbers 34:20). The best known is the son of Elkanah and Hannah, prophet and last judge of Israel, who anointed the kings Saul and David. The name sounds like "heard by El" or "name of El."
Where else “shemuel” appearsgovern
To rule the people, like Gideon or Samuel.
Where else “yishpot” appearsdescendant
A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".
Where else “bene” appearsIsrael
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
Where else “yisrael” appearsThe text does not explain the gesture of pouring out water; it accompanies the fasting and the confession.
Mizpah ?
Today: possibly Tell en-Nasbeh, West Bank
The name of several places; the main one was north of Jerusalem in Benjamin, and its exact site is not certain.
There Samuel gathered Israel, who confessed, “We have sinned against YHWH” (1 Sam 7:5-6), and there he presented Saul as king (1 Sam 10:17-24).
5And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray for you to YHWH.”
6 · This verse (above)
7And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, and the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And the sons of Israel heard it and were afraid because of the Philistines.
