1 Samuel 7

1 Then the men of Kiriath-jearim arrived, and they led away the ark of the Lord. And they brought it into the house of Abinadab, in Gibeah. Then they sanctified Eleazar, his son, so that he might care for the ark of the Lord.

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.

2 And it happened that, from that day, the ark of the Lord remained in Kiriath-jearim. And the days were multiplied (for it was now the twentieth year) and all the house of Israel rested, following the Lord.

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.

3 Then Samuel spoke to the entire house of Israel, saying: “If you would return to the Lord with your whole heart, take away strange gods from among you, the Baals and Ashtaroth, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve him alone. And he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”

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.

4 Therefore, the sons of Israel took away the Baals and Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord alone.

So the children of Israel gave up the worship of Baal and Astarte, and became worshippers of the Lord only.

5 And Samuel said, “Gather all of Israel at Mizpah, so that I may pray for you to the Lord.”

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

6 And they convened at Mizpah. And they drew water, and they poured it out in the sight of the Lord. And on that day they fasted, and in that place they said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

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.

7 And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah. And the princes of the Philistines ascended against Israel. And when the sons of Israel had heard this, they were afraid before the face of the Philistines.

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.

8 And they said to Samuel, “May you not cease to cry out to the Lord our God on our behalf, so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

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.

9 Then Samuel took one suckling lamb, and he offered it whole, as a holocaust to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord heeded him.

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.

10 Then it happened that, while Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Philistines began the battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great crash, on that day, over the Philistines, and he terrified them, and they were cut down before the face of Israel.

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.

11 And the men of Israel, departing from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and they struck them down as far as the place which was below Bethcar.

And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and went after the Philistines, attacking them till they came under Beth-car.

12 Then Samuel took a single stone, and he placed it between Mizpah and Shen. And he called the name of this place: The Stone of Assistance. And he said, “For in this place the Lord gave assistance to us.”

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.

13 And the Philistines were humbled, and they no longer drew near, so that they might enter into the borders of Israel. And so, the hand of the Lord was over the Philistines during all the days of Samuel.

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.

14 And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron as far as Gath, with their borders. And he freed Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

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.

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

And Samuel was judge of Israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went each year, traveling around to Bethel, and to Gilgal, and to Mizpah, and he judged Israel in the above-stated places.

From year to year he went in turn to Beth-el and Gilgal and Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.

17 And he returned to Ramah. For his house was there, and he judged Israel there. And then he built an altar to the Lord there.

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.