I Samuel

The inhabitants of Kiriath-jearimainhabitants of Kiriath-jearim I.e., a delegation of its inhabitants. came and took up the Ark of GOD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill; and they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the Ark of GOD.

A long time elapsed from the day that the Ark was housed in Kiriath-jearim, twenty years in all; and all the House of Israel yearned afterbyearned after Meaning of Heb. uncertain. GOD.

And Samuel said to all the House of Israel, “If you mean to return to GOD with all your heart, you must remove the alien gods and the Ashtarothcthe Ashtaroth Objects used in worship of the goddess Ashtoreth. from your midst and direct your heart to GOD, who alone you should serve. Then you will be delivered from the hands of the Philistines.”

And the Israelites removed the Baalim and Ashtaroth and they served GOD alone.

Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to GOD for you.”

They assembled at Mizpah, and they drew water and poured it out before GOD; they fasted that day, and there they confessed that they had sinned against GOD. And Samuel acted as chieftain of the Israelites at Mizpah.

When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had assembled at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines marched out against Israel. Hearing of this, the Israelites were terrified of the Philistines

and they implored Samuel, “Do not neglect us and do not refrain from crying out to the ETERNAL our God to save us from the hands of the Philistines.”

Thereupon Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to GOD; and Samuel cried out to GOD on behalf of Israel, and GOD responded to him.

For as Samuel was presenting the burnt offering and the Philistines advanced to attack Israel, GOD thundered mightily against the Philistines that day, throwing them into confusion; and they were routed by Israel.

The men of Israel sallied out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down to a point below Beth-car.

Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen,dShen Otherwise unknown; perhaps identical with “Jeshanah”; cf. Septuagint; also 2 Chron. 13.19. and named it Eben-ezer:eEben-ezer I.e., “Stone of Help.” “For up to now,” he said, “GOD has helped us.”

The Philistines were humbled and did not invade the territory of Israel again; and GOD’s hand was set against the Philistines as long as Samuel lived.

The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel, from Ekron to Gath, were restored to Israel; Israel recovered all her territory from the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.

Samuel judged Israel as long as he lived.

Each year he made the rounds of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, acting as judge over Israel at all those places.

Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there too he would judge Israel. He built an altar there to GOD.