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Why did Shmuel gather them at Mitzpah?
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Radak 1 : The custom was for Yisrael to gather at Mitzpah, like I explained in Yehoshua (11:3). There was a Mizbe'ach there, and a Beis Tefilah. There was a great salvation when Yehoshua fought with the kings gathered there to fight Yisrael.
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Malbim says similarly. Midrash Shmuel 13:1 - is Shilo Mitzpah, or is Mitzpah Shilo? Rather, a Kipah (dome-shaped protrusion) comes out of Binyamin's portion into Yosef's on which Mikdash Shilo rested. Radak - this is astounding. What was the question? Shilo was destroyed when the Aron was captured! When the Aron came to Kiryas Ye'arim, they brought the Mishkan to Nov (Seder Olam 13)!
