[1] So the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the Lord to the
house of Abinadab in Gibeah, and they made his son Eleazar holy and put the
ark in his care. [2] And the ark was in Kiriath-jearim for a long time, as
much as twenty years: and all Israel was searching after the Lord with
weeping. [3] Then Samuel said to all Israel, If with all your hearts you
would come back to the Lord, then put away all the strange gods and the
Astartes from among you, and let your hearts be turned to the Lord, and be
servants to him only: and he will make you safe from the hands of the
Philistines. [4] So the children of Israel gave up the worship of Baal and
Astarte, and became worshippers of the Lord only. [5] Then Samuel said, Let
all Israel come to Mizpah and I will make prayer to the Lord for you. [6]
So they came together to Mizpah, and got water, draining it out before the
Lord, and they took no food that day, and they said, We have done evil
against the Lord. And Samuel was judge of the children of Israel in Mizpah.
[7] Now when the Philistines had news that the children of Israel had come
together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel.
And the children of Israel, hearing of it, were full of fear. [8] And the
children of Israel said to Samuel, Go on crying to the Lord our God for us
to make us safe from the hands of the Philistines. [9] And Samuel took a
young lamb, offering all of it as a burned offering to the Lord; and Samuel
made prayers to the Lord for Israel and the Lord gave him an answer. [10]
And while Samuel was offering the burned offering, the Philistines came
near for the attack on Israel; but at the thunder of the Lord's voice that
day the Philistines were overcome with fear, and they gave way before
Israel. [11] And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and went after the
Philistines, attacking them till they came under Beth-car. [12] Then Samuel
took a stone and put it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, naming it
Eben-ezer, and saying, Up to now the Lord has been our help. [13] So the
Philistines were overcome, and did not come into the country of Israel
again: and all the days of Samuel the hand of the Lord was against the
Philistines. [14] And the towns which the Philistines had taken were given
back to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and all the country round them Israel
made free from the power of the Philistines. And there was peace between
Israel and the Amorites. [15] And Samuel was judge of Israel all the days
of his life. [16] From year to year he went in turn to Beth-el and Gilgal
and Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. [17] And his base was at
Ramah, where his house was; there he was judge of Israel and there he made
an altar to the Lord.
