And the men of Kiriath-jearim
came
and took
the ark
of the LORD
and abrought
it into the house
of Abinadab
on the hill
, and consecrated
Eleazar
his son
to keep
the ark
of the LORD
.
From the day that the ark
remained
at Kiriath-jearim
, the time
was long
, for it was twenty
years
; and all
the house
of Israel
lamented
after
the LORD
.
Then Samuel spoke
to all
the house
of Israel
, saying
, " aIf
you return
to the LORD
with all
your heart
, bremove
the foreign
gods
and the cAshtaroth
from among
you and ddirect
your hearts
to the LORD
and eserve
Him alone
; and He will deliver
you from the hand
of the Philistines
."
So the sons of Israel
removed
the Baals
and the Ashtaroth
and served
the LORD
alone
.
Then Samuel said
, "Gather
all
Israel
to aMizpah
and bI will pray
to the LORD
for you."
They gathered to Mizpah
, and drew
water
and apoured
it out before
the LORD
, and bfasted
on that day
and said
there
, " cWe have sinned
against the LORD
." And Samuel
judged
the sons
of Israel
at Mizpah
.
Now when the Philistines heard
that the sons
of Israel
had gathered
to Mizpah
, the lords
of the Philistines
went
up against
Israel
. And when the sons
of Israel
heard
it, athey were afraid
of the Philistines
.
Then the sons of Israel
said
to Samuel
, " aDo not cease
to cry
to the LORD
our God
for us, that He may save
us from the hand
of the Philistines
."
Samuel took
aa suckling
lamb
and offered
it for a whole
burnt
offering
to the LORD
; and Samuel
cried
to the LORD
for Israel
and bthe LORD
answered
him.
Now Samuel was offering
up the burnt
offering
, and the Philistines
drew
near
to battle
against Israel
. But athe LORD
thundered
with a great
1thunder
on that day
against
the Philistines
and bconfused
them, so that they were 2routed
before
Israel
.
The men of Israel
went
out of Mizpah
and pursued
the Philistines
, and struck
them down
as far
as below
Beth-car
.
Then Samuel atook
a stone
and set
it between
Mizpah
and Shen
, and named
it 1Ebenezer
, saying
, "Thus
far
the LORD
has helped
us."
aSo the Philistines were subdued
and bthey did
not come
anymore
within the border
of Israel
. And the hand
of the LORD
was against the Philistines
all
the days
of Samuel
.
The cities which
the Philistines
had taken
from Israel
were restored
to Israel
, from Ekron
even to Gath
; and Israel
delivered
their territory
from the hand
of the Philistines
. So there was peace
between
Israel
and athe Amorites
.
Now Samuel ajudged
Israel
all
the days
of his life
.
He used to go annually
on circuit
to aBethel
and bGilgal
and cMizpah
, and he judged
Israel
in all
these
places
.
Then his return was to aRamah
, for his house
was there
, and there
he judged
Israel
; and he bbuilt
there
an altar
to the LORD
.