1 Samuel 7

1 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.

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 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.

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 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.

And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you 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 did the children of Israel put away the Be'alim and the 'Ashtaroth, and served the Lord alone.

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

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

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

6 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

9 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.

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 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.

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 out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, as far as below Beth-car.

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

12 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 judged Israel all the days of his life.

And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 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.

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

17 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.

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