1 Q uelli di Chiriat-Iearim vennero a prendere l’arca del Signore; la portarono in casa di Abinadab, sulla collina, e consacrarono suo figlio Eleazar perché custodisse l’arca del Signore.

Then the men of Kirjath 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. Samuel Judges Israel

2 D al giorno che l’arca era stata collocata a Chiriat-Iearim era passato molto tempo; vent’anni erano trascorsi e tutta la casa d’Israele alzò lamenti verso il Signore.

So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

3 A llora Samuele parlò a tutta la casa d’Israele e disse: «Se davvero tornate al Signore con tutto il vostro cuore, togliete di mezzo a voi gli dèi stranieri e gli idoli di Astarte, volgete risolutamente il vostro cuore verso il Signore e servite lui, lui solo. Allora egli vi libererà dalle mani dei Filistei».

Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

4 C osì i figli d’Israele tolsero via gli idoli di Baal e di Astarte, e servirono il Signore soltanto.

So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

5 P oi Samuele disse: «Radunate tutto Israele a Mispa, e io pregherò il Signore per voi».

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

6 E d essi si radunarono a Mispa, attinsero dell’acqua, la sparsero davanti al Signore, digiunarono quel giorno e dissero: «Abbiamo peccato contro il Signore ». E Samuele fu giudice dei figli d’Israele a Mispa.

So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

7 I Filistei seppero che i figli d’Israele si erano radunati a Mispa, e i loro prìncipi salirono contro Israele. I figli d’Israele lo seppero, ebbero paura dei Filistei

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

8 e dissero a Samuele: «Non cessare di pregare per noi il Signore, il nostro Dio, affinché ci liberi dalle mani dei Filistei.

So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9 S amuele prese un agnello da latte e l’offrì intero in olocausto al Signore; e gridò al Signore per Israele, e il Signore l’esaudì.

And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Then Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.

10 M entre Samuele offriva l’olocausto, i Filistei si avvicinarono per assalire Israele; ma il Signore in quel giorno fece rimbombare dei tuoni con gran fragore contro i Filistei e li mise in rotta, tanto che essi furono sconfitti davanti a Israele.

Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.

11 G li uomini d’Israele uscirono da Mispa, inseguirono i Filistei e li batterono fin sotto Bet-Car.

And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car.

12 A llora Samuele prese una pietra, la pose tra Mispa e Sen e la chiamò Eben-Ezer, e disse: «Fin qui il Signore ci ha soccorsi».

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

13 I Filistei furono umiliati e non tornarono più a invadere il territorio d’Israele; e la mano del Signore fu contro i Filistei per tutto il tempo di Samuele.

So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 L e città che i Filistei avevano prese a Israele tornarono a Israele, da Ecron fino a Gat. Israele liberò il loro territorio dalle mani dei Filistei. Ci fu pace anche fra Israele e gli Amorei. Samuele giudice d’Israele

Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 S amuele fu giudice d’Israele per tutto il tempo della sua vita.

And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 E gli andava ogni anno a fare il giro di Betel, di Ghilgal e di Mispa, ed esercitava la funzione di giudice d’Israele in tutti quei luoghi.

He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places.

17 P oi tornava a Rama, dove abitava; là giudicava Israele e là costruì un altare al Signore.

But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the Lord.