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.

So kom då folk frå Kirjat-Jearim og henta Herrens kista dit upp og sette henne inn i Abinadabs hus på haugen. Dei helga Eleazar, son hans, til å vakta Herrens kista.

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.

Frå den dagen då kista kom til Kirjat-Jearim, leid det lang tid: tjuge år. Og heile Israels-ætti sukka etter 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.”

Då tala Samuel til heile Israels-ætti: «Vil de venda um til Herren av heile dykkar hug, so skil dykk med dei framande gudarne og Astarte-bilæti! vend hugen dykkar til Herren, og ten einast honom, so skal han fria dykk frå filistarmagti; »

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

Då skilde Israels-borni seg bilæti av Ba’al og Astarte og tente einast Herren.

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

Samuel sagde: «Stemne heile Israel i Mispa, so vil eg beda for dykk 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.

Då samla dei seg saman i Mispa, henta vatn og dei auste ut for Herren, og dei fasta heile den dagen og sagde: «Me hev synda mot Herren.» So heldt Samuel dom i Mispa og skilde trættor millom Israels-borni.

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

Då filistarane frette at Israels-borni hadde samla seg i Mispa, drog filistarfyrstarne dit upp mot Israel. Då Israel høyrde gjete det, vart dei rædde for filistarane.

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-borni sagde til Samuel: «Haldt ved i eino og ropa til Herren, vår Gud, at han må frelsa oss ut or filistarmagti!»

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.

Då tok Samuel eit soglamb og ofra det til eit brennoffer, eit heiloffer for Herren. Og Samuel ropa til Herren for Israel. Og Herren høyrde bøni hans.

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.

Medan Samuel ofra brennofferet, drog filistarane fram til strid mot Israel. Men Herren dundra med eit veldugt torever yver filistarane den dagen og fjetra deim, so dei vart slegne av 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.

Israels mannskap drog ut frå Mispa og forfylgde filistarane og hogg deim ned på flugti, alt til dei kom nedanfor Bet-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.”

Då tok Samuel ein stein og sette millom Mispa og Sen, og kalla honom Eben-Ezer og sagde: «Til no hev Herren hjelpt oss.»

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.

Soleis laut filistarane bøygja seg, og kom ikkje meir innanfor landskilet åt Israel. Og Herrens hand var mot filistarane so lenge Samuel livde.

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.

Dei byarne som filistarane hadde teke frå Israel, fekk Israel att, frå Ekron til Gat; og kverven derikring tok Israel ogso att frå filistarane. Og millom Israel og amoritarne vart det fred.

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

Samuel var domar i Israel so lenge han livde.

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

Kvart år ferdast han rundt til Betel, Gilgal og Mispa; og han skilde trættor i Israel på alle desse staderne.

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

So for han heim att til Rama; for der åtte han heime, og der skilde han elles trættorne millom israelitarne. Og der bygde han eit altar for Herren.