1 Samuel
Chapter 7
1 The men from Kirjathjearim came, took the ark of God, and brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill. They set apart Eleazar, his son, to take care of the ark of God.
2 While the ark stayed in Kirjathjearim, a lot of time passed; it was twenty years: and all the people of Israel felt sad and missed God.
3 Samuel spoke to all Israel and said, “If you truly come back to God with all your hearts, get rid of the foreign gods and Ashtaroth, make your hearts right with God, and serve only him, then he will save you from the Philistines.”
4 Then the Israelites stopped worshiping Baal and Ashtaroth and served only God.
5 Samuel said, “Bring all of Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray to God for you.”
6 They came together at Mizpeh, took water, poured it out before God, fasted that day, and said, “We have sinned against God.” And Samuel decided cases for the Israelites in Mizpeh.
7 When the Philistines found out that the Israelites had come together at Mizpeh, the Philistine rulers attacked Israel. The Israelites were scared when they heard this.
8 The people of Israel told Samuel, “Don’t stop praying to God for us, so that he will save us from the Philistines.”
9 Samuel took a young lamb and gave it as a complete burnt offering to God. Samuel prayed to God for Israel, and God listened to him.
10 While Samuel was making the burnt offering, the Philistines came close to fight Israel: but God made a loud thunder that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were defeated by Israel.
11 The Israelite men left Mizpeh, chased the Philistines, and defeated them all the way to Bethcar.
12 Then Samuel took a stone, placed it between Mizpeh and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Up to now, God has helped us.”
13 The Philistines were defeated and stopped entering Israel’s territory; God opposed the Philistines during Samuel’s entire life.
14 The cities that the Philistines took from Israel were given back to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel took them back from the Philistines. And Israel and the Amorites were at peace.
15 Samuel was the judge of Israel all his life.
16 He traveled every year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and in all these places, he judged Israel.
17 He went back to Ramah where his home was; there he decided cases for Israel and built an altar to God.