1 Samuel 7

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

Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD.

2 And it cometh to pass, from the day of the dwelling of the ark in Kirjath-Jearim, that the days are multiplied — yea, they are twenty years — and wail do all the house of Israel after Jehovah.

And from that day a long time passed, twenty years in all, as the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim. And all the house of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD.

3 And Samuel speaketh unto all the house of Israel, saying, 'If with all your heart ye are turning back unto Jehovah — turn aside the gods of the stranger from your midst, and Ashtaroth; and prepare your heart unto Jehovah, and serve Him only, and He doth deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.'

Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

4 And the sons of Israel turn aside the Baalim and Ashtaroth, and serve Jehovah alone;

So the Israelites put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served only the LORD.

5 and Samuel saith, 'Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I pray for you unto Jehovah.'

Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.”

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

When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged 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 heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. And when the Israelites learned of this, they feared the Philistines

8 And the sons of Israel say unto Samuel, 'Keep not silent for us from crying unto Jehovah our God, and He doth save us out of the hand of the Philistines.'

and said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9 And Samuel taketh a fat lamb, and causeth it to go up — a burnt-offering whole to Jehovah; and Samuel crieth unto Jehovah for Israel, and Jehovah answereth him;

Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.

10 and Samuel is causing the burnt-offering to go up — and the Philistines have drawn nigh to battle against Israel — and Jehovah doth thunder with a great noise, on that day, upon the Philistines, and troubleth them, and they are smitten before Israel.

As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.

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

Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth-car.

12 And Samuel taketh a stone, and setteth [it] between Mizpeh and Shen, and calleth its name Eben-Ezer, saying, 'Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us.'

Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

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

So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped invading the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

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

The cities from Ekron to Gath, which the Philistines had taken, were restored to Israel, who also delivered the surrounding territory from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between the Israelites and the Amorites.

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

So Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

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

Every year he would go on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places.

17 and his returning [is] to Ramath, for there [is] his house, and there he hath judged Israel, and he buildeth there an altar to Jehovah.

Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.