1 Samuel 7

1 Then the men of Kiriath-iearim came, and tooke vp the Arke of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill: and they sanctified Eleazar his sonne, to keepe the Arke of the Lord.

And the men of Cariathiarim come, and bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord: and they bring it into the house of Aminadab in the hill; and they sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

2 (For while the Arke abode in Kiriath-iearim, the time was long, for it was twentie yeeres) and al the house of Israel lamented after ye Lord.

And it came to pass from the time that the ark was in Cariathiarim, the days were multiplied, and [the time] was twenty years; and all the house of Israel looked after the Lord.

3 Then Samuel spake vnto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye be come againe vnto the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtaroth, and direct your hearts vnto the Lord, and serue him only, and he shall deliuer you out of the hand of ye Philistims.

And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do with all your heart return to the Lord, take away the strange gods from the midst of you, and the groves, and prepare your hearts to [serve] the Lord, and serve him only; and he shall deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.

4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and serued the Lord onely.

And the children of Israel took away Baalim and the groves of Astaroth, and served the Lord only.

5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you vnto the Lord.

And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Massephath, and I will pray for you to the Lord.

6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drewe water and powred it out before the Lord, and fasted the same day, and sayd there, We haue sinned against the Lord. And Samuel iudged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

And they were gathered together to Massephath, and they drew water, and poured it out upon the earth before the Lord. And they fasted on that day, and said, We have sinned before the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Massephath.

7 When the Philistims heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the princes of the Philistims went vp against Israel: and when the children of Israel heard that, they were afraide of the Philistims.

And the Philistines heard that all the children of Israel were gathered together to Massephath: and the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel: and the children of Israel heard, and they feared before the Philistines.

8 And the children of Israel sayd to Samuel, Cease not to crie vnto the Lord our God for vs, that hee may saue vs out of the hand of the Philistims.

And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry to the Lord thy God for us, and he shall save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

9 Then Samuel tooke a sucking lambe, and offered it all together for a burnt offering vnto the Lord, and Samuel cryed vnto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.

And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it up as a whole-burnt-offering with all the people to the Lord: and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.

10 And as Samuel offered the burnt offering, the Philistims came to fight against Israel: but the Lord thundred with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistims, and scattered them: so they were slaine before Israel.

And Samuel was offering the whole-burnt-offering; and the Philistines drew near to war against Israel; and the Lord thundered with a mighty sound in that day upon the Philistines, and they were confounded and overthrown before Israel.

11 And the men of Israel went from Mizpeh and pursued the Philistims, and smote them vntill they came vnder Beth-car.

And the men of Israel went forth out of Massephath, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them to the parts under Baethchor.

12 Then Samuel tooke a stone and pitched it betweene Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name thereof, Eben-ezer, and he sayd, Hitherto hath the Lord holpen vs.

And Samuel took a stone, and set it up between Massephath and the old [city]; and he called the name of it Abenezer, stone of the helper; and he said, Hitherto has the Lord helped us.

13 So the Philistims were brought vnder, and they came no more againe into the coastes of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistims all the dayes of Samuel.

So the Lord humbled the Philistines, and they did not anymore come into the border of Israel; and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 Also the cities which the Philistims had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Ekron euen to Gath: and Israel deliuered the coastes of the same out of the hands of the Philistims: and there was peace betweene Israel and the Amorites.

And the cities which the Philistines took from the children of Israel were restored; and they restored them to Israel from Ascalon to Azob: and they took the coast of Israel out of the hand of the Philistines; and there was peace between Israel and the Amorite.

15 And Samuel iudged Israel all the dayes of his life,

And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 And went about yeere by yere to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and iudged Israel in all those places.

And he went year by year, and went round Baethel, and Galgala, and Massephath; and he judged Israel in all these consecrated places.

17 Afterward hee returned to Ramah: for there was his house, and there he iudged Israel: also he built an altar there vnto the Lord.

And his return was to Armathaim, because there was his house; and there he judged Israel, and built there an altar to the Lord.