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.

And the men of Kiryath-ye'arim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it unto the house of Abinadab on the hill, and Elazar his son they sanctified to guard the ark 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.

And it came to pass, from the time the ark remained in Kiryath-ye'arim, and the time was long, and it was twenty years: that all the house of Israel followed anxiously after the 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.”

And Samuel said unto all the house of Israel, as followeth, If with all your heart ye do return unto the Lord, then put away the gods of the stranger and the 'Ashtaroth from your midst, and direct your heart unto the Lord, and serve him alone: and then will he deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

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

Then did the children of Israel put away the Be'alim and the 'Ashtaroth, and served the Lord alone.

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

And Samuel said, Assemble all Israel together at Mizpah, and I will pray in your behalf unto 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 assembled themselves together at Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

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

And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had assembled themselves at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

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 said to Samuel, Do not abstain, so as not to cry for us unto the Lord our God, that he may help us out of the hand of the Philistines.

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.

And Samuel took one sucking lamb, and offered it for an entire burnt-offering unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord in behalf of Israel; and the Lord answered 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 was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the Lord thundered with a loud noise on that day over the Philistines, and brought them into confusion, and they were smitten 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 out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, as far as below 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.”

And Samuel took one stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Eben-ha'ezer, saying, As far as this hath the Lord helped us.

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 were the Philistines humbled, and they came no more into the territory of Israel; and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days 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.

And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel came again to Israel, from 'Ekron even unto Gath, and their territory did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Emorites.

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

And Samuel judged Israel all the days 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 he went from year to year and traveled in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all these 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.

And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar unto the Lord.