1 Samuel 7

Israel Saved 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 they 2consecrated his son Eleazar to watch over the ark of the Lord. 2From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the 3time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel 4mourned after the Lord.

3Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “5If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then 6remove the foreign gods and the 7Ashtaroth from among you, and 8direct your hearts to the Lord and 9serve Him alone; and He will save 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 10Mizpah and 11I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6So they gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and 12poured it out before the Lord, and 13fasted on that day and said there, “14We 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 at Mizpah, the governors of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard about it, 15they were afraid of the Philistines. 8So the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “16Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that He will save us from the hand of the Philistines!” 9Samuel took 17a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and 18the Lord answered him. 10Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines advanced to battle Israel. But 19the Lord thundered with a great 20thunder on that day against the Philistines and 21confused them, so that they were struck down before Israel. 11And the men of Israel came out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and killed them as far as below Beth-car.

12Then Samuel 22took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it 23Ebenezer, saying, “24So far the Lord has helped us.” 1325So the Philistines were subdued, and 26they 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 27recovered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and 28the Amorites.

Samuel’s Ministry

15Now Samuel 29judged Israel all the days of his life. 16And he used to go annually on a circuit to 30Bethel, 31Gilgal, and 32Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. 17Then he would make his return to 33Ramah, because his house was there, and there he also judged Israel; and there he 34built an altar to the Lord.