1 Samuel 7:2-11

2From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the 1time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel 2mourned after the Lord.

3Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “3If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then 4remove the foreign gods and the 5Ashtaroth from among you, and 6direct your hearts to the Lord and 7serve 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 8Mizpah and 9I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6So they gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and 10poured it out before the Lord, and 11fasted on that day and said there, “12We 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, 13they were afraid of the Philistines. 8So the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “14Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that He will save us from the hand of the Philistines!” 9Samuel took 15a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and 16the Lord answered him. 10Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines advanced to battle Israel. But 17the Lord thundered with a great 18thunder on that day against the Philistines and 19confused 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.