1 Samuel 7
1 The men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill. They consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD.
2 A long time passed from the day the ark settled at Kiriath-jearim—twenty years. And all the house of Israel longed for the LORD.
3 Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you. Set your hearts on the LORD and serve him alone, and he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4 The Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths and served the LORD alone.
5 Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”
6 They gathered at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. They fasted that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
7 The Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, and the Philistine rulers marched against Israel. When the Israelites heard this, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9 Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it whole as a burnt offering to the LORD. Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.
10 While Samuel was offering the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel.
11 The men of Israel went out from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car.
12 Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “The LORD has helped us up to this point.”
13 The Philistines were subdued and no longer entered Israel’s territory. The hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 The towns the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel freed its territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 Every year he traveled around Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places.
17 Then he returned to Ramah, because his home was there, and there he judged Israel. There he built an altar to the LORD.
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