1 Samuel 7:5-17

5Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to 1Mizpah and 2I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6They gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and 3poured it out before the Lord, and 4fasted on that day and said there, “5We 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, 6they were afraid of the Philistines. 8Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “7Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9Samuel took 8a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel and 9the Lord answered him. 10Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But 10the Lord thundered with a great 11thunder on that day against the Philistines and 12confused them, so that they were 13routed 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 14took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it 15Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 1316So the Philistines were subdued and 17they 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 18the Amorites.

15Now Samuel 19judged Israel all the days of his life. 16He used to go annually on circuit to 20Bethel and 21Gilgal and 22Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. 17Then his return was to 23Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he 24built there an altar to the Lord.