1 Samuel 7 condenses the events of a number of years. The Ark of the Covenant was returned to the Israelites by the Philistines who feared the anger of the God of Israel if they kept the Ark, but Philistine domination over the Israelites continued. Samuel saw this as God's punishment on the Israelites for their unfaithfulness to the covenant faith during the time when they had been trying to establish themselves in Canaan. He told the Israelites that they must abolish 'all the foreign gods and the images of Astarte' which they had been worshipping. 'Samuel said, "Dedicate yourselves completely to the Loan and worship only him, and he will rescue you from the power of the Philistines." So the Israelites got rid of their idols of Baal and Astarte, and worshipped only the Load' (7: 3-4).

Then Samuel called a great meeting of Israelites from all over Canaan; they met at Mizpah, about five miles north of Jerusalem. At Mizpah, Samuel shows himself as a national leader and leads a day of repentance and fasting. During the great gathering at Mizpah when the Israelites re-dedicated themselves to their God, the Philistines decided to attack them. Israel's re-dedication to her God was tested very quickly, but under the guidance of Samuel who prayed for God's help for Israel, the Philistines were routed. Verses 13-16 present a condensed account of Samuel's great influence in Israel in the years that followed: 'So the Philistines were defeated, and the LORD prevented them from invading Israel's territory as long as Samuel lived. All the cities which the Philistines had captured between Ekron and Gath were returned to Israel, and so Israel got back all its territory. And there was peace also between the Israelites and the Canaanites. Samuel ruled Israel as long as he lived. Every year he would go round to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and in these places he would settle disputes. Then he would go back to his home in Ramah, where also he would serve as judge. In Ramah he built an altar to the LORD.'

In this passage we see Samuel as priest and judge. The combination of military leadership, jurisdiction, and administration combined with religious leadership that we see in his service to the Israelites reflects the Law of the Covenant which made it clear that the life of Israel must not be compartmentalized. Everything was subject to the Lordship of their God, whether war, land cases, sexual behaviour, or anything else. This passage brings out the charismatic leadership of Samuel, the man of Yahweh.

Verse 16 indicates that at each of the three cities named, where there were shrines, and at his home town of Ramah, he judged disputes according to Israel's Law. Although we know the content of the Covenant Law, we do not know much about how judicial proceedings went and how the courts of the time were organized. The nature of the Covenant Law upheld a democratic kind of system with public hearings of cases at holy places or sanctuaries. Israel's faith and Law were essentially connected.