1 Samuele 7

1 Que’ di Kiriath-Jearim vennero, menarono su l’arca dell’Eterno, e la trasportarono in casa di Abinadab, sulla collina, e consacrarono il suo figliuolo Eleazar, perché custodisse l’arca dell’Eterno.

The men of Kiriath Jearim came and took the LORD’s ark, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the LORD’s ark.

2 Ora dal giorno che l’arca era stata collocata a Kiriath-Jearim era passato molto tempo, vent’anni erano trascorsi e tutta la casa d’Israele sospirava, anelando all’Eterno.

From the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, the time was long—for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

3 Allora Samuele parlò a tutta la casa d’Israele dicendo: “Se tornate all’Eterno con tutto il vostro cuore, togliete di mezzo a voi gli dèi stranieri e gl’idoli di Astarte, volgete risolutamente il cuor vostro verso l’Eterno, e servite a lui solo; ed egli vi libererà dalle mani dei Filistei”.

Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to the LORD, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

4 E i figliuoli d’Israele tolsero via gl’idoli di Baal e di Astarte, e servirono all’Eterno soltanto.

Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

5 Poi Samuele disse: “Radunate tutto Israele a Mitspa, e io pregherò l’Eterno per voi”.

Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”

6 Ed essi si adunarono a Mitspa, attinsero dell’acqua e la sparsero davanti all’Eterno, e digiunarono quivi quel giorno, e dissero: “Abbiamo peccato contro l’Eterno”. E Samuele fece la funzione di giudice d’Israele a Mitspa.

They gathered together to 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.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

7 Quando i Filistei seppero che i figliuoli d’Israele s’erano adunati a Mitspa, i principi loro salirono contro Israele. La qual cosa avendo udita i figliuoli d’Israele, ebbero paura dei Filistei,

When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8 e dissero a Samuele: “Non cessare di gridar per noi all’Eterno, all’Iddio nostro, affinché ci liberi dalle mani dei Filistei”.

The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying to the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.”

9 E Samuele prese un agnello di latte e l’offerse intero in olocausto all’Eterno; e gridò all’Eterno per Israele, e l’Eterno l’esaudì.

Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.

10 Ora mentre Samuele offriva l’olocausto, i Filistei s’avvicinarono per assalire Israele; ma l’Eterno tuonò quel giorno con gran fracasso contro i Filistei, e li mise in rotta, talché furono sconfitti dinanzi a Israele.

As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.

11 Gli uomini d’Israele uscirono da Mitspa, inseguirono i Filistei, e li batterono fin sotto Beth-Car.

The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them until they came under Beth Kar.

12 Allora Samuele prese una pietra, la pose tra Mitspa e Scen, e la chiamò Eben-Ezer, dicendo: “Fin qui l’Eterno ci ha soccorsi”.

Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “The LORD helped us until now.”

13 I Filistei furono umiliati, e non tornaron più ad invadere il territorio d’Israele; e la mano dell’Eterno fu contro i Filistei per tutto il tempo di Samuele.

So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped coming within the border of Israel. The LORD’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 Le città che i Filistei aveano prese ad Israele, tornarono ad Israele, da Ekron fino a Gath. Israele liberò il loro territorio dalle mani dei Filistei. E vi fu pace fra Israele e gli Amorei.

The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered its border out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 E Samuele fu giudice d’Israele per tutto il tempo della sua vita.

Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 Egli andava ogni anno a fare il giro di Bethel, di Ghilgal e di Mitspa, ed esercitava il suo ufficio di giudice d’Israele in tutti quei luoghi.

He went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.

17 Poi tornava a Rama, dove stava di casa; quivi fungeva da giudice d’Israele, e quivi edificò un altare all’Eterno.

His return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to the LORD there.