1 Samuels 7

1 Da kom Kirjat-Jearims menn og hentet Herrens ark op og bar den inn i Abinadabs hus på haugen, og hans sønn Eleasar vidde de til å ta vare på Herrens ark.

Then the men of Kiriath-jearim arrived, and they led away the ark of the Lord. And they brought it into the house of Abinadab, in Gibeah. Then they sanctified Eleazar, his son, so that he might care for the ark of the Lord.

2 Fra den dag arken kom til Kirjat-Jearim, gikk det en lang tid - tyve år gikk det; da sukket hele Israels hus efter Herren.

And it happened that, from that day, the ark of the Lord remained in Kiriath-jearim. And the days were multiplied (for it was now the twentieth year) and all the house of Israel rested, following the Lord.

3 Og Samuel sa til hele Israels hus: Dersom I vender om til Herren av hele eders hjerte, så ha de fremmede guder og Astarte-billedene bort fra eder og vend eders hjerte til Herren og tjen ham alene! Så skal han fri eder av filistrenes hånd.

Then Samuel spoke to the entire house of Israel, saying: “If you would return to the Lord with your whole heart, take away strange gods from among you, the Baals and Ashtaroth, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve him alone. And he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”

4 Da skilte Israels barn sig av med Ba'alene og Astarte-billedene og tjente Herren alene.

Therefore, the sons of Israel took away the Baals and Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord alone.

5 Og Samuel sa: La hele Israel samle sig i Mispa! Så vil jeg bede til Herren for eder.

And Samuel said, “Gather all of Israel at Mizpah, so that I may pray for you to the Lord.”

6 Så samlet de sig i Mispa, og de øste op vann og helte det ut for Herrens åsyn, og de fastet den dag og bekjente der: Vi har syndet mot Herren. Og Samuel dømte Israels barn i Mispa.

And they convened at Mizpah. And they drew water, and they poured it out in the sight of the Lord. And on that day they fasted, and in that place they said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

7 Da filistrene hørte at Israels barn hadde samlet sig i Mispa, drog filistrenes høvdinger op imot Israel, og da Israels barn hørte det, var de redde for filistrene.

And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah. And the princes of the Philistines ascended against Israel. And when the sons of Israel had heard this, they were afraid before the face of the Philistines.

8 Og Israels barn sa til Samuel: Hold ikke op med å rope for oss til Herren vår Gud at han vil frelse oss av filistrenes hånd!

And they said to Samuel, “May you not cease to cry out to the Lord our God on our behalf, so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9 Da tok Samuel et diende lam og ofret det helt som brennoffer til Herren, og Samuel ropte til Herren for Israel, og Herren svarte ham.

Then Samuel took one suckling lamb, and he offered it whole, as a holocaust to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord heeded him.

10 For mens Samuel ofret brennofferet, og filistrene rykket frem til strid mot Israel, da sendte Herren samme dag et sterkt tordenvær over filistrene og forferdet dem, så de blev slått av Israel.

Then it happened that, while Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Philistines began the battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great crash, on that day, over the Philistines, and he terrified them, and they were cut down before the face of Israel.

11 Da drog Israels menn ut fra Mispa og forfulgte filistrene og hugg dem ned, like til nedenfor Bet-Kar.

And the men of Israel, departing from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and they struck them down as far as the place which was below Bethcar.

12 Og Samuel tok en sten og satte den imellem Mispa og Sen; denne sten kalte han Eben-Eser og sa: Hittil har Herren hjulpet oss.

Then Samuel took a single stone, and he placed it between Mizpah and Shen. And he called the name of this place: The Stone of Assistance. And he said, “For in this place the Lord gave assistance to us.”

13 Således blev filistrene ydmyket og kom ikke mere inn i Israels land; og Herrens hånd var imot filistrene alle Samuels dager.

And the Philistines were humbled, and they no longer drew near, so that they might enter into the borders of Israel. And so, the hand of the Lord was over the Philistines during all the days of Samuel.

14 Og de byer som filistrene hadde tatt fra Israel, kom tilbake til Israel igjen, fra Ekron like til Gat, og alt land som hørte til dem, fridde Israel av filistrenes hånd, og det var fred mellem Israel og amorittene.

And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron as far as Gath, with their borders. And he freed Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 Samuel dømte Israel så lenge han levde.

And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 År efter år drog han omkring til Betel og Gilgal og Mispa og dømte Israel på alle disse steder.

And he went each year, traveling around to Bethel, and to Gilgal, and to Mizpah, and he judged Israel in the above-stated places.

17 Og hver gang vendte han tilbake til Rama; for der var hans hus, og der dømte han Israel; og han bygget der et alter for Herren.

And he returned to Ramah. For his house was there, and he judged Israel there. And then he built an altar to the Lord there.