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.

Then the men of Kiriath-iearim came, and tooke vp the Arke of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill: and they sanctified Eleazar his sonne, to keepe the Arke of the Lord.

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.

(For while the Arke abode in Kiriath-iearim, the time was long, for it was twentie yeeres) and al the house of Israel lamented after ye Lord.

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.”

Then Samuel spake vnto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye be come againe vnto the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtaroth, and direct your hearts vnto the Lord, and serue him only, and he shall deliuer you out of the hand of ye Philistims.

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

Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and serued the Lord onely.

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

And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you vnto the Lord.

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.

And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drewe water and powred it out before the Lord, and fasted the same day, and sayd there, We haue sinned against the Lord. And Samuel iudged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

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

When the Philistims heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the princes of the Philistims went vp against Israel: and when the children of Israel heard that, they were afraide of the Philistims.

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.”

And the children of Israel sayd to Samuel, Cease not to crie vnto the Lord our God for vs, that hee may saue vs out of the hand of the Philistims.

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.

Then Samuel tooke a sucking lambe, and offered it all together for a burnt offering vnto the Lord, and Samuel cryed vnto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.

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.

And as Samuel offered the burnt offering, the Philistims came to fight against Israel: but the Lord thundred with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistims, and scattered them: so they were slaine before Israel.

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.

And the men of Israel went from Mizpeh and pursued the Philistims, and smote them vntill they came vnder Beth-car.

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.”

Then Samuel tooke a stone and pitched it betweene Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name thereof, Eben-ezer, and he sayd, Hitherto hath the Lord holpen vs.

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.

So the Philistims were brought vnder, and they came no more againe into the coastes of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistims all the dayes of Samuel.

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.

Also the cities which the Philistims had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Ekron euen to Gath: and Israel deliuered the coastes of the same out of the hands of the Philistims: and there was peace betweene Israel and the Amorites.

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

And Samuel iudged Israel all the dayes of his life,

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

And went about yeere by yere to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and iudged Israel in all those places.

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

Afterward hee returned to Ramah: for there was his house, and there he iudged Israel: also he built an altar there vnto the Lord.