1 T he men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the special box of the Lord and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. They set apart his son Eleazar to keep the special box of the Lord. Samuel Judges for Israel

So 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 have charge of the ark of the Lord.

2 T he special box stayed in Kiriath-jearim a long time, for it was twenty years. And all the family of Israel cried with sorrow for the Lord.

And the ark remained in Kiriath-jearim a very long time. For it was twenty years before all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

3 T hen Samuel said to all the family of Israel, “Return to the Lord with all your heart. Put away the strange gods and the false goddess Ashtaroth from among you. Turn your hearts to the Lord and worship Him alone. Then He will save you from the Philistines.”

Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

4 S o the people of Israel put away from among them the false gods of Baal and Ashtaroth and worshiped the Lord alone.

So the Israelites put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.

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

Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the Lord for you.

6 S o they gathered at Mizpah. They got water and poured it out before the Lord as a gift, and did not eat that day. They said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.

So they gathered at 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 Israelites at Mizpah.

7 T he Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, so the leaders of the Philistines went to battle against them. When the people of Israel heard about it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

Now when the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8 T he Israelites said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the Philistines.”

And the Israelites 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.

9 S amuel took a young lamb and gave it as a whole burnt gift to the Lord. Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.

So Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.

10 A s Samuel was burning the gift to the Lord, the Philistines came near to battle against Israel. But the Lord made a loud thunder that day against the Philistines, making them afraid. So they lost the battle with Israel.

As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great voice that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel.

11 T he men of Israel left Mizpah and went after the Philistines, killing them almost as far as Bethcar.

And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and smote them as far as below Beth-car.

12 T hen Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. He gave it the name Ebenezer, saying, “The Lord has helped us this far.”

Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and he called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Heretofore the Lord has helped us.

13 S o the Philistines were beaten. They did not come into the land of Israel again. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel’s life.

So the Philistines were subdued and came no more into Israelite territory. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 T he cities the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned, from Ekron to Gath. Israel saved their land from the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

The cities the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel rescued territory from the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.

15 S amuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

And Samuel judged Israel all his days.

16 E very year he went around to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.

And he went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and was judge for Israel in all those places.

17 T hen he would return to Ramah, for his home was there. He judged Israel there also, and built an altar to the Lord.

Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there; there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the Lord.