1 Samuel 7

1 Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD.

Og Mændene af Kirjath-Jearim kom og hentede Herrens Ark op og førte den til Abinadabs Hus paa Højen; og de helligede hans Søn Eleasar til at tage Vare paa Herrens Ark.

2 And from that day a long time passed, twenty years in all, as the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim. And all the house of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD.

Og fra den Dag, at Arken blev i Kirjath-Jearim, forløb lang Tid, saa at det blev tyve Aar, og hele Israels Hus sukkede efter Herren.

3 Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

Da talede Samuel til al Israels Hus, sigende: Dersom I omvende eder til Herren af eders ganske Hjerte, saa borttager de fremmede Guder og Astartebillederne af eders Midte, og bereder eders Hjerte til Herren og tjener ham alene, og han skal fri eder af Filisternes Haand.

4 So the Israelites put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served only the LORD.

Da borttoge Israels Børn Baal og Astartebillederne, og de tjente Herren alene.

5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.”

Og Samuel sagde: Samler al Israel til Mizpa, og jeg vil ydmygeligen bede for eder til Herren.

6 When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

Og de samledes til Mizpa, og de droge Vand op og udøste det for Herrens Ansigt og fastede paa samme Dag og sagde der: Vi have syndet for Herren; og Samuel dømte Israels Børn i Mizpa.

7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. And when the Israelites learned of this, they feared the Philistines

Der Filisterne hørte, at Israels Børn havde samlet sig i Mizpa, da droge Filisternes Fyrster op mod Israel; der Israels Børn hørte det, da frygtede de for Filisternes Ansigt.

8 and said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

Og Israels Børn sagde til Samuel: Hør ikke op med at raabe for os til Herren vor Gud, at han frelser os fra Filisternes Haand.

9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.

Saa tog Samuel et diende Lam og ofrede det til et Brændoffer helt for Herren; og Samuel raabte til Herren for Israel, og Herren svarede ham.

10 As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.

Og Samuel ofrede Brændofret, og Filisterne kom frem til Krigen imod Israel; men Herren lod tordne med en svar Torden paa den samme Dag over Filisterne og forfærdede dem, og de bleve slagne for Israels Ansigt.

11 Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth-car.

Og Israels Mænd droge ud af Mizpa og forfulgte Filisterne; og de sloge dem indtil neden for Beth-Kar.

12 Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

Da tog Samuel en Sten og satte den imellem Mizpa og imellem Sen og kaldte dens Navn Eben-Ezer; og han sagde: Hidindtil har Herren hjulpet os.

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped invading the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

Saa bleve Filisterne ydmygede og kom ikke ydermere i Israels Landemærke, og Herrens Haand var imod Filisterne, saa længe Samuel levede.

14 The cities from Ekron to Gath, which the Philistines had taken, were restored to Israel, who also delivered the surrounding territory from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between the Israelites and the Amorites.

Og de Stæder, som Filisterne havde taget fra Israel, kom til Israel igen, fra Ekron og indtil Gath; tilmed udfriede Israel deres Landemærke af Filisternes Haand; men der var Fred imellem Israel og imellem Amoriterne.

15 So Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

Og Samuel dømte Israel alle sine Livsdage.

16 Every year he would go on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places.

Og han gik hvert Aar og vandrede omkring til Bethel og Gilgal og Mizpa og dømte Israel i alle disse Stæder.

17 Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.

Og han kom tilbage til Rama, thi der var hans Hus, og der dømte han Israel; og han byggede der Herren et Alter.