1 Samuel 7

1 And the men of Qiryat-Yearim came, and fetched up the ark of יהוה, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of יהוה.

2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Qiryat-Yearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Yisrael lamented after יהוה.

3 And Shemuel spake unto all the house of Yisrael, saying, “If you do return unto יהוה with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods (elohim) and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto יהוה, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

4 Then the children of Yisrael did put away Baals (Baalim) and Ashtaroth, and served יהוה only.”

5 And Shemuel said, “Gather all Yisrael to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto יהוה.”

6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before יהוה, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against יהוה.” And Shemuel judged the children of Yisrael in Mizpeh.

7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Yisrael were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords (seranim) of the Philistines went up against Yisrael. And when the children of Yisrael heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8 And the children of Yisrael said to Shemuel, “Cease not to cry unto יהוה our God (Elohim) for us, that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.”

9 And Shemuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto יהוה; and Shemuel cried unto יהוה for Yisrael; and יהוה heard him.

10 And as Shemuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Yisrael; but יהוה thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Yisrael.

11 And the men of Yisrael went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

12 Then Shemuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far hath יהוה helped us.”

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Yisrael; and the hand of יהוה was against the Philistines all the days of Shemuel.

14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Yisrael were restored to Yisrael, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Yisrael deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Yisrael and the Amorites.

15 And Shemuel judged Yisrael all the days of his life.

16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel (Beit-El), and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Yisrael in all those places.

17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Yisrael; and there he built an altar unto יהוה.