1 Samuel 7

Deliverance from the Philistines

1And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the Lord and 1brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord. 2From 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.

3Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “2If you return to the Lord with all your heart, 3remove the foreign gods and the 4Ashtaroth from among you and 5direct your hearts to the Lord and 6serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the Lord alone.

5Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to 7Mizpah and 8I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6They gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and 9poured it out before the Lord, and 10fasted on that day and said there, “11We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

7Now 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, 12they were afraid of the Philistines. 8Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “13Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9Samuel took 14a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel and 15the Lord answered him. 10Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But 16the Lord thundered with a great 17thunder on that day against the Philistines and 18confused them, so that they were 19routed before Israel. 11The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car.

12Then Samuel 20took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it 21Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 1322So the Philistines were subdued and 23they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14The 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 24the Amorites.

Samuel’s Ministry

15Now Samuel 25judged Israel all the days of his life. 16He used to go annually on circuit to 26Bethel and 27Gilgal and 28Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. 17Then his return was to 29Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he 30built there an altar to the Lord.