< 1 Samuel 7 >
1 Therfor men of Cariathiarym camen, and ledden ayen the arke of the Lord, and brouyten it in to the hows of Amynadab in Gabaa. Sotheli thei halewiden Eleazar his sone, that he schulde kepe the ark of the Lord.
2 And it was doon, fro which dai `the arke of the Lord dwellide in Caryathiarym, daies weren multiplied; for the twentithe yeer was now, after that Samuel bigan to teche the puple; and al Israel restide aftir the Lord.
3 Forsothe Samuel spak to al the hows of Israel, and seide, If in al youre herte ye turnen ayen to the Lord, do ye awei alien goddis, Balym and Astaroth, fro the myddis of you; and make ye redi youre hertis to the Lord, and serue ye hym aloone; and he schal delyuere you fro the hond of Filisteis.
4 Therfor the sones of Israel diden awey Baalym and Astoroth, and serueden the Lord aloone.
5 Forsothe Samuel seide, Gadere ye al Israel in to Masphat, that Y preie the Lord for you.
6 And thei camen togidere in to Masphat, and thei drowen watir, and shedden out in the `siyt of the Lord; and thei fastiden in that day, and seiden, Lord, we synneden to thee. And Samuel demyde the sones of Israel in Masphat.
7 And Filisteis herden that the sones of Israel weren gaderid in Masphat; and the princes of Filisteis stieden to Israel. And whanne the sones of Israel hadden herd this, thei dredden of the face of Filisteis.
8 And `thei seiden to Samuel, Ceesse thou not to crye for vs to oure Lord God, that he saue vs fro the `hoond of Filisteis.
9 Forsothe Samuel took o soukynge lomb, and offride that hool in to brent sacrifice to the Lord. And Samuel criede to the Lord for Israel; and the Lord herde hym.
10 Forsothe it was doon, whanne Samuel offryde brent sacrifice, that Filisteis bigunnen batel ayens Israel. Sotheli the Lord thundride with greet thundur in that dai on Filisteis, and made hem aferd; and thei weren slayn of the sones of Israel.
11 And the sones of Israel yeden out of Masphat, and pursueden Filisteis, and smytiden hem `til to the place that was vndur Bethachar.
12 Forsothe Samuel took o stoon, and puttide it bitwixe Masphat, and bitwixe Sen; and he clepide the name of that place The stoon of help. And he seide, Hidir to the Lord helpide vs.
13 And Filisteis weren maad low, and addiden no more to come in to the termes of Israel. And so the `hond of the Lord was maad on Filisteis in alle the daies of Samuel.
14 And the citees whiche the Filisteis token fro Israel, weren yoldun to Israel, fro Accaron `til to Geth and `hise termes; and the Lord delyuerede Israel fro the hond of Filisteis; and pees was bitwixe Israel and Ammorrey.
15 Also Samuel demyde Israel in alle the daies of his lijf, that is, `til to the ordeynyng `and confermyng of Saul;
16 and he yede bi `alle yeeris, and cumpasside Bethel, and Galgal, and Masphat, and he demyde Israel in the forseid places.
17 And he turnede ayen in to Ramatha, for his hows was there; and he demyde Israel there, and he bildide there also an auter to the Lord.