< 1 Samuel 7 >
1 And then men of Cariathiarim came and fetched up the ark of the Lord and carried it into the house of Abinadab in Gabaa: and they sanctified Eleazar his son, to keep the ark of the Lord.
Que’ di Kiriath-Jearim vennero, menarono su l’arca dell’Eterno, e la trasportarono in casa di Abinadab, sulla collina, e consacrarono il suo figliuolo Eleazar, perché custodisse l’arca dell’Eterno.
2 And it came to pass, that from the day the ark of the Lord abode in Cariathiarim days were multiplied, (for it was now the twentieth year, ) and all the house of Israel rested following the Lord.
Ora dal giorno che l’arca era stata collocata a Kiriath-Jearim era passato molto tempo, vent’anni erano trascorsi e tutta la casa d’Israele sospirava, anelando all’Eterno.
3 And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying: If you turn to the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, Baalim and Astaroth: and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
Allora Samuele parlò a tutta la casa d’Israele dicendo: “Se tornate all’Eterno con tutto il vostro cuore, togliete di mezzo a voi gli dèi stranieri e gl’idoli di Astarte, volgete risolutamente il cuor vostro verso l’Eterno, e servite a lui solo; ed egli vi libererà dalle mani dei Filistei”.
4 Then the children of Israel put away Baalim and Astaroth, and served the Lord only.
E i figliuoli d’Israele tolsero via gl’idoli di Baal e di Astarte, e servirono all’Eterno soltanto.
5 And Samuel said: Gather all Israel to Masphath, that I may pray to the Lord for you.
Poi Samuele disse: “Radunate tutto Israele a Mitspa, e io pregherò l’Eterno per voi”.
6 And they gathered together to Masphath: and they drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and they fasted on that day, and they said there: We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Masphath.
Ed essi si adunarono a Mitspa, attinsero dell’acqua e la sparsero davanti all’Eterno, e digiunarono quivi quel giorno, e dissero: “Abbiamo peccato contro l’Eterno”. E Samuele fece la funzione di giudice d’Israele a Mitspa.
7 And the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Masphath, and the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard this, they were afraid of the Philistines.
Quando i Filistei seppero che i figliuoli d’Israele s’erano adunati a Mitspa, i principi loro salirono contro Israele. La qual cosa avendo udita i figliuoli d’Israele, ebbero paura dei Filistei,
8 And they said to Samuel: Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
e dissero a Samuele: “Non cessare di gridar per noi all’Eterno, all’Iddio nostro, affinché ci liberi dalle mani dei Filistei”.
9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it whole for a holocaust to the Lord: and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.
E Samuele prese un agnello di latte e l’offerse intero in olocausto all’Eterno; e gridò all’Eterno per Israele, e l’Eterno l’esaudì.
10 And it came to pass, when Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Philistines began the battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and terrified them, and they were overthrown before the face of Israel.
Ora mentre Samuele offriva l’olocausto, i Filistei s’avvicinarono per assalire Israele; ma l’Eterno tuonò quel giorno con gran fracasso contro i Filistei, e li mise in rotta, talché furono sconfitti dinanzi a Israele.
11 And the men of Israel going out of Masphath pursued after the Philistines, and made slaughter of them till they came under Bethchar.
Gli uomini d’Israele uscirono da Mitspa, inseguirono i Filistei, e li batterono fin sotto Beth-Car.
12 And Samuel took a stone, and laid it between Masphath and Sen: and he called the place, the Stone of help. And he said: Thus far the Lord hath helped us.
Allora Samuele prese una pietra, la pose tra Mitspa e Scen, e la chiamò Eben-Ezer, dicendo: “Fin qui l’Eterno ci ha soccorsi”.
13 And the Philistines were humbled, and they did not come any more into the borders of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines, all the days of Samuel.
I Filistei furono umiliati, e non tornaron più ad invadere il territorio d’Israele; e la mano dell’Eterno fu contro i Filistei per tutto il tempo di Samuele.
14 And the cities, which the Philistines had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Accaron to Geth, and their borders: and he delivered Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Amorrhites.
Le città che i Filistei aveano prese ad Israele, tornarono ad Israele, da Ekron fino a Gath. Israele liberò il loro territorio dalle mani dei Filistei. E vi fu pace fra Israele e gli Amorei.
15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life:
E Samuele fu giudice d’Israele per tutto il tempo della sua vita.
16 And he went every year about to Bethel and to Galgal and to Masphath, and he judged Israel in the aforesaid places.
Egli andava ogni anno a fare il giro di Bethel, di Ghilgal e di Mitspa, ed esercitava il suo ufficio di giudice d’Israele in tutti quei luoghi.
17 And he returned to Ramatha, for there was his house, and there he judged Israel: he built also there an altar to the Lord.
Poi tornava a Rama, dove stava di casa; quivi fungeva da giudice d’Israele, e quivi edificò un altare all’Eterno.