1 Samuel 7
Then the men of aKirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of bAbinadab on the hill, and cconsecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.
Samuel Judges Israel
2 So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you areturn to the Lord with all your hearts, then bput away the foreign gods and the cAshtoreths from among you, and dprepare your hearts for the Lord, and eserve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the children of Israel put away the aBaals and the Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
5 And Samuel said, a“Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and bI will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered together at Mizpah, adrew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they bfasted that day, and said there, c“We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.
7 Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 So the children of Israel said to Samuel, a“Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9 And Samuel took a asuckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Then bSamuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10 Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. aBut the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car. 12 Then Samuel atook a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
13 aSo the Philistines were subdued, and they bdid not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 And Samuel ajudged Israel all the days of his life. 16 He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. 17 But ahe always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he bbuilt an altar to the Lord.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
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