1 Samuel 7

1 And the men of Kirjath-Jearim come and bring up the Ark of YHWH, and bring it into the house of Abinadab, in the height, and they have sanctified his son Eleazar to keep the Ark of YHWH.

So the people of Kiriath-jearim came and took the Ark of the Lord. They put it in Abinadab's house on the hill. They dedicated his son Eleazar to take care of the Ark of the Lord.

2 And it comes to pass, from the day of the dwelling of the Ark in Kirjath-Jearim, that the days are multiplied—indeed, they are twenty years—and all the house of Israel wails after YHWH.

The Ark remained there in Kiriath-jearim from that day for a long time, in fact for twenty years. Everyone in Israel mourned and in repentance came back to the Lord.

3 And Samuel speaks to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are turning back to YHWH with all your heart—turn aside the gods of the stranger from your midst, and Ashtaroth; and prepare your heart for YHWH, and serve Him only, and He delivers you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Then Samuel said to all of Israel, “If you sincerely wish to come back to the Lord, then get rid of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreth images you have, and commit yourselves to the Lord and only worship him, and he will save you from the Philistines.”

4 And the sons of Israel turn aside the Ba‘alim and Ashtaroth, and serve YHWH alone;

The people of Israel got rid of their Baals and Ashtoreth images and worshiped only the Lord.

5 and Samuel says, “Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I pray to YHWH for you.”

Then Samuel said, “Have all the people of Israel gather at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”

6 And they are gathered to Mizpeh, and draw water, and pour out before YHWH, and fast on that day, and say there, “We have sinned against YHWH”; and Samuel judges the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.

Once they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted that day, and admitted, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Samuel became the leader of the Israelites at Mizpah.

7 And the Philistines hear that the sons of Israel have gathered themselves to Mizpeh; and the princes of the Philistines go up against Israel, and the sons of Israel hear, and are afraid of the presence of the Philistines.

When the Philistines found out that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers led an attack on Israel. When the Israelites heard about this, they were terrified at what the Philistines might do.

8 And the sons of Israel say to Samuel, “Do not keep silent for us from crying to our God YHWH, and He saves us out of the hand of the Philistines.”

They told Samuel, “Don't stop pleading with the Lord our God for us so he can save us from the Philistines.”

9 And Samuel takes a fat lamb, and causes it to go up—a whole burnt-offering to YHWH; and Samuel cries to YHWH for Israel, and YHWH answers him;

Samuel took a young lamb and presented it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out for help to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord responded.

10 and Samuel is causing the burnt-offering to go up—and the Philistines have drawn near to battle against Israel—and YHWH thunders with a great noise, on that day, on the Philistines, and troubles them, and they are struck before Israel.

While Samuel was presenting the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered extremely loudly against the Philistines that day, which totally confused them, and they were defeated as Israel watched.

11 And the men of Israel go out from Mizpeh, and pursue the Philistines, and strike them to the place of Beth-Car.

Then the men of Israel ran out from Mizpah and chased them, killing them all the way to a place near Beth-car.

12 And Samuel takes a stone, and sets [it] between Mizpeh and Shen, and calls its name Eben-Ezer, saying, “Until now YHWH has helped us.”

After this Samuel took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen. He called it Ebenezer, saying, “The Lord helped us right up to here!”

13 And the Philistines are humbled, and have not added anymore to come into the border of Israel, and the hand of YHWH is on the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

In this way the Philistines were kept under control and did not invade Israel again. During Samuel's lifetime the Lord used his power against the Philistines.

14 And the cities which the Philistines have taken from Israel are restored to Israel—from Ekron even to Gath—and Israel has delivered their border out of the hand of the Philistines; and there is peace between Israel and the Amorite.

The towns the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, all the way from Ekron to Gath, and Israel also liberated the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel judges Israel all the days of his life,

Samuel was Israel's leader for the rest of his life.

16 and he has gone from year to year, and gone around Beth-El, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel [in] all these places;

Every year he went around, going to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. At all these places he ruled Israel.

17 and his returning [is] to Ramath, for his house [is] there, and he has judged Israel there, and he builds an altar to YHWH there.

Then he would return to Ramah because that was where he lived. He ruled Israel from there, and also built an altar to the Lord.