Eben-ezer
    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.



 Eben-ezer, the stone of help