Location
Overview
Mizpah ("watchtower") of Benjamin was a chief gathering place of Israel in the days of Samuel and Saul. (Several places bear the name; this is the famous assembly Mizpah.)
Assembly against Benjamin
After the outrage at Gibeah, "all the children of Israel... were gathered together... unto the LORD in Mizpeh" to take counsel for war (Judges 20:1).
Samuel and the stone of help
Samuel gathered Israel to Mizpah to repent and pray; as the Philistines attacked, the LORD thundered against them, and Samuel set up a stone, "Ebenezer," saying "Hitherto hath the LORD helped us" (1 Samuel 7:5–12).
Saul chosen king
At Mizpah Samuel assembled the people and Saul was chosen by lot as Israel's first king, found hiding among the baggage (1 Samuel 10:17–24).
Events Here
Samuel leads Israel to victory and raises the Ebenezer stone
Saul is chosen king by lot at Mizpah
Scripture References
17 versesJudges9 verses
Judges 10:17
Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. gathered: Heb. cried
Judges 11:11
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.
Judges 11:29
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
Judges 11:34
And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. beside: or, he had not of his own either son or daughter: Heb. of himself
Judges 20:1
Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.
Judges 20:3
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness?
Judges 21:1
Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
Judges 21:5
And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
Judges 21:8
And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
1 Samuel8 verses
1 Samuel 7:5
And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
1 Samuel 7:6
And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
1 Samuel 7:7
And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
1 Samuel 7:11
And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
1 Samuel 7:12
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. Ebenezer: that is, The stone of help
1 Samuel 7:16
And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. in circuit: Heb. and he circuited
1 Samuel 10:17
And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
1 Samuel 22:3
And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.
Archaeology & History
This Mizpah is generally identified with Tell en-Nasbeh, north of Jerusalem, where excavations revealed a strongly fortified Iron Age town with a massive wall and gate — fitting a regional assembly and administrative centre. (After Jerusalem's fall it became the seat of the governor Gedaliah, Jeremiah 40.)
People who appear here
Frequently asked about Mizpah (of Benjamin)
Where is Mizpah (of Benjamin) today?
Today, Mizpah (of Benjamin) corresponds to Tell en-Nasbeh, West Bank (probable).
What does the name Mizpah (of Benjamin) mean?
The name Mizpah (of Benjamin) means “Watchtower, lookout”.
What happened at Mizpah (of Benjamin) in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Mizpah (of Benjamin) include samuel leads israel to victory and raises the ebenezer stone; saul is chosen king by lot at mizpah.
Where is Mizpah (of Benjamin) first mentioned in the Bible?
Mizpah (of Benjamin) is first mentioned in Judges 10:17.
How often is Mizpah (of Benjamin) mentioned in the Bible?
Mizpah (of Benjamin) is mentioned in 17 verses across 2 books: Judges, 1 Samuel.
What happened at Mizpah?
Israel assembled there for war against Benjamin, Samuel led national repentance and victory over the Philistines (raising the "Ebenezer" stone), and Saul was chosen king there by lot.
Are there several places called Mizpah?
Yes — the name means "watchtower" and is used for several sites. This is the Mizpah of Benjamin, the great assembly place of Samuel’s day.