Mizpah
    or Miz'peh, watch-tower; the look-out. (1.) A place in Gilead,
    so named by Laban, who overtook Jacob at this spot (Gen. 31:49)
    on his return to Palestine from Padan-aram. Here Jacob and Laban
    set up their memorial cairn of stones. It is the same as
    Ramath-mizpeh (Josh. 13:26).

      (2.) A town in Gilead, where Jephthah resided, and where he
    assumed the command of the Israelites in a time of national
    danger. Here he made his rash vow; and here his daughter
    submitted to her mysterious fate (Judg. 10:17; 11:11, 34). It
    may be the same as Ramoth-Gilead (Josh. 20:8), but it is more
    likely that it is identical with the foregoing, the Mizpeh of
    Gen. 31:23, 25, 48, 49.

      (3.) Another place in Gilead, at the foot of Mount Hermon,
    inhabited by Hivites (Josh. 11:3, 8). The name in Hebrew here
    has the article before it, "the Mizpeh," "the watch-tower." The
    modern village of Metullah, meaning also "the look-out,"
    probably occupies the site so called.

      (4.) A town of Moab to which David removed his parents for
    safety during his persecution by Saul (1 Sam. 22:3). This was
    probably the citadel known as Kir-Moab, now Kerak. While David
    resided here he was visited by the prophet Gad, here mentioned
    for the first time, who was probably sent by Samuel to bid him
    leave the land of Moab and betake himself to the land of Judah.
    He accordingly removed to the forest of Hareth (q.v.), on the
    edge of the mountain chain of Hebron.

      (5.) A city of Benjamin, "the watch-tower", where the people
    were accustomed to meet in great national emergencies (Josh.
    18:26; Judg. 20:1, 3; 21:1, 5; 1 Sam. 7:5-16). It has been
    supposed to be the same as Nob (1 Sam. 21:1; 22:9-19). It was
    some 4 miles north-west of Jerusalem, and was situated on the
    loftiest hill in the neighbourhood, some 600 feet above the
    plain of Gibeon. This village has the modern name of Neby
    Samwil, i.e., the prophet Samuel, from a tradition that Samuel's
    tomb is here. (See NOB.)

      Samuel inaugurated the reformation that characterized his time
    by convening a great assembly of all Israel at Mizpeh, now the
    politico-religious centre of the nation. There, in deep
    humiliation on account of their sins, they renewed their vows
    and entered again into covenant with the God of their fathers.
    It was a period of great religious awakening and of revived
    national life. The Philistines heard of this assembly, and came
    up against Israel. The Hebrews charged the Philistine host with
    great fury, and they were totally routed. Samuel commemorated
    this signal victory by erecting a memorial-stone, which he
    called "Ebenezer" (q.v.), saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped
    us" (1 Sam. 7:7-12).



 Mizpah, Mizpeh, a watch-tower; speculation