1 A nd the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the Lord and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.

Vieram, pois, os homens de Quiriate-Jearim, tomaram a arca do Senhor e a levaram ã casa de Abinadabe, no outeiro; e consagraram a Eleazar, filho dele, para que guardasse a arca da Senhor.

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

E desde e dia em que a arca ficou em Queriate-Jearim passou-se muito tempo, chegando até vinte anos; então toda a casa de Israel suspirou pelo Senhor.

3 T hen Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “ If you return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

Samuel, pois, falou a toda a casa de Israel, dizendo: Se de todo o vosso coração voltais para o Senhor, lançai do meio de vós os deuses estranhos e as astarotes, preparai o vosso coração para com o Senhor, e servi a ele só; e ele vos livrará da mão dos filisteus.

4 S o the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the Lord alone.

Os filhos de Israel, pois, lançaram do meio deles os baalins e as astarotes, e serviram so ao Senhor.

5 T hen Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the Lord for you.”

Disse mais Samuel: Congregai a todo o Israel em Mizpá, e orarei por vós ao Senhor.

6 T hey gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day and said there, “ We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

Congregaram-se, pois, em Mizpá, tiraram água e a derramaram perante o Senhor; jejuaram aquele dia, e ali disseram: Pecamos contra o Senhor. E Samuel julgava os filhos de Israel em Mizpá.

7 N ow when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

Quando os filisteus ouviram que os filhos de Israel estavam congregados em Mizpá, subiram os chefes dos filisteus contra Israel. Ao saberem disto os filhos de Israel, temeram por causa dos filisteus.

8 T hen the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “ Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

Pelo que disseram a Samuel: Não cesses de clamar ao Senhor nosso Deus por nós, para que nos livre da mão dos filisteus.

9 S amuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel and the Lord answered him.

Então tomou Samuel um cordeiro de mama, e o ofereceu inteiro em holocausto ao Senhor; e Samuel clamou ao Senhor por Israel, e o Senhor o atendeu.

10 N ow Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel.

Enquanto Samuel oferecia o holocausto, os filisteus chegaram para pelejar contra Israel; mas o Senhor trovejou naquele dia com grande estrondo sobre os filisteus, e os aterrou; de modo que foram derrotados diante dos filhos de Israel.

11 T he men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car.

Os homens de Israel, saindo de Mizpá, perseguiram os filisteus e os feriram até abaixo de Bete-Car.

12 T hen Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

Então Samuel tomou uma pedra, e a pôs entre Mizpá e Sem, e lhe chamou Ebenézer; e disse: Até aqui nos ajudou o Senhor.

13 S o the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

Assim os filisteus foram subjugados, e não mais vieram aos termos de Israel, porquanto a mão do Senhor foi contra os filisteus todos os dias de Samuel.

14 T he cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. Samuel’s Ministry

E as cidades que os filisteus tinham tomado a Israel lhe foram restituídas, desde Ecrom até Gate, cujos termos também Israel arrebatou da mão dos filisteus. E havia paz entre Israel e os amorreus.

15 N ow Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

Samuel julgou a Israel todos os dias da sua vida.

16 H e used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.

De ano em ano rodeava por Betel, Gilgal e Mizpá, julgando a Israel em todos esses lugares.

17 T hen his return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar to the Lord.

Depois voltava a Ramá, onde estava a sua casa, e ali julgava a Israel; e edificou ali um altar ao Senhor.