Bible Dictionary
Eben-ezer
Eben-ezer means “stone of help.” Samuel set up this memorial after the Lord gave Israel victory over the Philistines, declaring that the Lord had helped His people.
Definition
Eben-ezer means “stone of help.” The name refers both to a battlefield where Israel suffered defeat and to the memorial stone Samuel set up after Israel’s later victory over the Philistines.
Biblical Usage
Samuel named the memorial stone Eben-ezer to testify that the LORD had helped Israel. The earlier battle at the same general place had brought defeat, the loss of many soldiers, and the capture of the ark.
Historical Background
The memorial stone stood between Mizpeh and Shen. Its precise location is uncertain, though the sources place the battlefield near Aphek and discuss proposed identifications near Beth-shemesh.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Stone of help, the memorial stone set up by Samuel to commemorate the divine assistance to Israel in their great battle against the Philistines, whom they totally routed (1 Sam. 7:7-12) at Aphek, in the neighbourhood of Mizpeh, in Benjamin, near the western entrance of the pass of Beth-horon. On this very battle-field, twenty years before, the Philistines routed the Israelites, “and slew of the army in the field about four thousand men” (4:1, 2; here, and at 5:1, called “Eben-ezer” by anticipation). In this extremity the Israelites fetched the ark out of Shiloh and carried it into their camp. The Philistines a second time immediately attacked them, and smote them with a very great slaughter, “for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken” (1 Sam. 4:10). And now in the same place the Philistines are vanquished, and the memorial stone is erected by Samuel (q.v.). The spot where the stone was erected was somewhere “between Mizpeh and Shen.” Some have identified it with the modern Beit Iksa, a conspicuous and prominent position, apparently answering all the necessary conditions; others with Dier Aban, 3 miles east of ‘Ain Shems.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>eb-en-e'-zer ('ebhen ha-`ezer, "stone of the help"; Abenezer):</p><p>(1) Here Israel was defeated by the Philistines, 4,000 men falling in the battle (1Sa 4:1 ff). It appears also to have been the scene of the disaster when the ark of God was captured (1Sa 4:3 ff). The place is not identified. It was over against Aphek; but this site is also unknown (compare Jos 12:18). Eusebius, Onomasticon places it between Jerusalem and Ascalon, in the neighborhood of Beth-shemesh. Conder suggests Deir Aban, fully 2 miles East of `Ain Shems (PEF, III, 24).</p><p>(2) A stone set up by Samuel to perpetuate the memory of the signal victory granted to Israel over the Philistines in answer to his prayer (1Sa 7:12). It stood between Mizpeh and Shen. The latter is probably identical with `Ain Sinia, North of Bethel. This defines the district in which it may be found; but no identification is yet possible.</p><p>W. Ewing</p>