The people of Israel recognized Samuel as God’s prophet and judge. Since they had not come ready to make war, they would have been killed if the Lord did not intervene.1 The Lord alone could help them.2 They knew that the Lord had promised to fight for his people if they were obedient to his commands (Exodus 23:22; Exodus 34:11–14). In the absence of perfect obedience, they hoped that he would graciously fight on their behalf.3 In this we see that the old covenant relationship between Israel and the Lord was not a mechanical one in which the Lord could be manipulated. Blessings were promised for obedience, but seeing as the Israelites continually struggled with sin, any realized blessings had more to do with God’s underserved favour than a merited reward (Deuteronomy 9:4–6; 2 Kings 13:22–23; 2 Kings 14:26–27; Nehemiah 9:19–35; Jeremiah 2:6–7; Amos 2:9–11).4
8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”