1 Samuel 7

1The men of Kiriath-jearim came and brought up the ark of Yahweh to Abinadab's house on the hill, and they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of Yahweh.

2From the day the ark dwelt in Kiriath-jearim, the days grew long—twenty years in all—and the whole house of Israel lamented for Yahweh.

3Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you return to Yahweh with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from your midst, direct your hearts to Yahweh, serve him alone, and he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines."

4The children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served Yahweh alone.

5Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to Yahweh."

6They gathered at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh; they fasted that day and said there, "We have sinned against Yahweh," and Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

7When the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, their lords advanced against Israel. When the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8The Israelites said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying out to Yahweh our God for us, that he save us from the hand of the Philistines."

9Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it wholly as a burnt offering to Yahweh, and Samuel cried out to Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him.

10As Samuel was offering the burnt offering, the Philistines advanced to fight against Israel, but Yahweh thundered with a loud voice that day against the Philistines, threw them into confusion, and they were routed before Israel.

11The men of Israel set out from Mizpah, chased the Philistines, and beat them all the way under Beth-car.

12Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, calling it Ebenezer; he said, "Yahweh has helped us until now."

13The Philistines were humbled, and they no longer entered Israel's borders. Yahweh's hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14The cities that the Philistines had seized from Israel returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath along with their territory, which Israel freed from the hand of the Philistines. Peace existed between Israel and the Amorites.

15Samuel judged Israel for all the days of his life.

16Year after year he went on circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places.

17He returned to Ramah because his house was there; there he judged Israel, and he built an altar to Yahweh there.