1 Samuel 7

1 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the Lord to the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, and they made his son Eleazar holy and put the ark in his care.

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 the ark was in Kiriath-jearim for a long time, as much as twenty years: and all Israel was searching after the Lord with weeping.

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 Israel, If with all your hearts you would come back to the Lord, then put away all the strange gods and the Astartes from among you, and let your hearts be turned to the Lord, and be servants to him only: and he will make you safe from the hands 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 children of Israel gave up the worship of Baal and Astarte, and became worshippers of the Lord only.

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

5 Then Samuel said, Let all Israel come to Mizpah and I will make prayer to the Lord for you.

And Samuel said, Assemble all Israel together at Mizpah, and I will pray in your behalf unto the Lord.

6 So they came together to Mizpah, and got water, draining it out before the Lord, and they took no food that day, and they said, We have done evil against the Lord. And Samuel was judge of the children of Israel in 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 Now when the Philistines had news that the children of Israel had come together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And the children of Israel, hearing of it, were full of fear.

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 the children of Israel said to Samuel, Go on crying to the Lord our God for us to make us safe from the hands 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 And Samuel took a young lamb, offering all of it as a burned offering to the Lord; and Samuel made prayers to the Lord for Israel and the Lord gave him an answer.

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 And while Samuel was offering the burned offering, the Philistines came near for the attack on Israel; but at the thunder of the Lord's voice that day the Philistines were overcome with fear, and they gave way 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 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and went after the Philistines, attacking them till they came under 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 Then Samuel took a stone and put it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, naming it Eben-ezer, and saying, Up to now the Lord has been our help.

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 overcome, and did not come into the country of Israel again: and all the days of Samuel the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.

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 And the towns which the Philistines had taken were given back to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and all the country round them Israel made free from the power of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel 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 And Samuel was judge of Israel all the days of his life.

And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 From year to year he went in turn to Beth-el and Gilgal and Mizpah, judging Israel in all those 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 And his base was at Ramah, where his house was; there he was judge of Israel and there he made 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.