撒母耳記上 7
1 克黎雅特耶阿陵人遂下來，將上主的約櫃抬上去，送到住在丘嶺上的阿彼納達布家裏，並且祝聖他的兒子厄肋阿匝爾，看守上主的約櫃。
And the men of Cariathiarim come, and bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord: and they bring it into the house of Aminadab in the hill; and they sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
2 自從約櫃停放在克黎雅特耶阿陵的那天起，過了很長的時間，大約二十年之久，以色列全家又歸向上主。
And it came to pass from the time that the ark was in Cariathiarim, the days were multiplied, and [the time] was twenty years; and all the house of Israel looked after the Lord.
3 那時撒慕爾對以色列全家說：「如果你們全心歸向上主，就該將外邦的神由你們中間剷除，一心歸向上主，惟獨事奉上主，他必由培肋舍特人手中解救你們。」
And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you do with all your heart return to the Lord, take away the strange gods from the midst of you, and the groves, and prepare your hearts to [serve] the Lord, and serve him only; and he shall deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.
4 以色列子民遂剷除了巴耳和阿市托勒特，唯獨事奉上主。
And the children of Israel took away Baalim and the groves of Astaroth, and served the Lord only.
5 於是撒慕爾說：「你們把全以色列聚集在米茲帕，我要為你們懇求上主。」
And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Massephath, and I will pray for you to the Lord.
6 他們便集在米茲帕，汲了水來，倒在上主面前，並且在那一天禁食說：「我們犯了罪，得罪了上主! 」從此撒慕爾在米茲帕治理以色列子民。
And they were gathered together to Massephath, and they drew water, and poured it out upon the earth before the Lord. And they fasted on that day, and said, We have sinned before the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Massephath.
7 培肋舍特人一聽說以色列子民聚集在米茲帕，培肋舍特的酋長就上來攻打以色列，以色列子民聽說培肋舍特人前來，大為震驚，
And the Philistines heard that all the children of Israel were gathered together to Massephath: and the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel: and the children of Israel heard, and they feared before the Philistines.
8 對撒慕爾說：「你不要停止為我們哀求上主，我們的天主，好叫他救我們脫離培肋舍特人的威脅。」
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry to the Lord your God for us, and he shall save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 撒慕爾遂拿了一隻還在吃奶的羔羊獻給上主，作全燔祭，為以色列呼籲上主，上主應允了他。
And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it up as a whole burnt offering with all the people to the Lord: and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.
10 當撒慕爾正在奉獻全燔祭時，培肋舍特人前來，要與以色列交戰；但上主在那一天使雷聲向著培肋舍特人大作，恐嚇他們，他們就在以色列面前潰退了。
And Samuel was offering the whole burnt offering; and the Philistines drew near to war against Israel; and the Lord thundered with a mighty sound in that day upon the Philistines, and they were confounded and overthrown before Israel.
11 以色列人遂從米茲帕出來追擊培肋舍特人，擊殺他們直到貝特加爾下邊。
And the men of Israel went forth out of Massephath, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them to the parts under Baethchor.
12 以後，撒慕爾取了一塊石頭，豎立在米茲帕與耶撒納中間，給那石起名叫厄本厄則爾，說：「直到這時上主救助了我們。」
And Samuel took a stone, and set it up between Massephath and the old [city]; and he called the name of it Abenezer, stone of the helper; and he said, Hitherto has the Lord helped us.
13 培肋舍特人受了這次挫折以後，不敢再來侵犯以色列的邊境；撒慕爾活著時，上主的手常壓制了培肋舍特人。
So the Lord humbled the Philistines, and they did not anymore come into the border of Israel; and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 培肋舍特人由以色列奪去的城市，自厄刻龍直到加特，都歸還了以色列人；以色列人由培肋舍特人手中收復了自己的領土；在那時以色列和阿摩黎人之間平安無事。
And the cities which the Philistines took from the children of Israel were restored; and they restored them to Israel from Ascalon to Azob: and they took the coast of Israel out of the hand of the Philistines; and there was peace between Israel and the Amorite.
15 撒慕爾一生做了以色列的民長。
And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 他每年去視察貝特耳、基耳加耳和米茲帕，在這些地方治理以色列人。
And he went year by year, and went round Baethel, and Galgala, and Massephath; and he judged Israel in all these consecrated places.
17 以後他回到辣瑪，因為他的家在那裏，他也在那裏治理以色列人，並在那裏給上主建了一座祭壇。
And his return was to Armathaim, because there was his house; and there he judged Israel, and built there an altar to the Lord.
