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Additional data from OpenBible.info1 Samuel 4:1 The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.

1 Samuel 5:1 Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, "Yahweh helped us until now."

EBEN-EZER

eb-en-e'-zer ('ebhen ha-`ezer, "stone of the help"; Abenezer):

(1) Here Israel was defeated by the Philistines, 4,000 men falling in the battle (1 Samuel 4:1). It appears also to have been the scene of the disaster when the ark of God was captured (1 Samuel 4:3). The place is not identified. It was over against Aphek; but this site is also unknown (compare Joshua 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).

(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 (1 Samuel 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.

W. Ewing

H72: Eben Haezer

"stone of the help," a place of unc. location, also a commemorative stone