7:1 And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and brought up the ark
of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the
hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the
LORD.
7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim,
that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the
house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
7:3 And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If ye
do return to the LORD with all your hearts, [then] put away the
strange gods, and Ashtaroth, from among you, and prepare your
hearts to the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you
from the hand of the Philistines.
7:4 Then the children of Israel put away Baalim, and Ashtaroth,
and served the LORD only.
7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will
pray for you to the LORD.
7:6 And they assembled at Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured
[it] out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and there
said, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the
children of Israel in Mizpeh.
7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel
were assembled at Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up
against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard [it],
they were afraid of the Philistines.
7:8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry
to the LORD our God for us, that he will save us from the hand
of the Philistines.
7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered [it for] a
burnt-offering wholly to the LORD: and Samuel cried to the LORD
for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
7:10 And as Samuel was offering the burnt-offering, the
Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD
thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the
Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before
Israel.
7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the
Philistines, and smote them, until [they came] under Beth-car.
7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set [it] between Mizpeh and
Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto
hath the LORD helped us.
7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into
the borders of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the
Philistines all the days of Samuel.
7:14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel
were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and the
borders of it did Israel deliver from the hands of the
Philistines: and there was peace between Israel and the
Amorites.
7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
7:16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and
Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
7:17 And his return [was] to Ramah; for there [was] his house;
and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar to the
LORD.
|