1 Samuel 7

1And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah.

1The men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the Chest of the LORD. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and appointed his son Eleazar to take care of it.

2And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.

2The Chest stayed in Kiriath-jearim for a long time—twenty years in all—and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD.

3And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto Jehovah with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts unto Jehovah, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

3Then Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, 'If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then get rid of your foreign gods and the statues of Ashtoreth. Commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will rescue you from the Philistines.'

4Then the children of Israel did put away the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served Jehovah only.

4So the Israelites got rid of their statues of Baal and Ashtoreth and served only the LORD.

5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto Jehovah.

5Samuel said, 'Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.'

6And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

6When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. They fasted that day and confessed, 'We have sinned against the LORD.' And Samuel served as the leader and judge of the Israelites at Mizpah.

7And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

7When the Philistine rulers heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, they moved up to attack them. When the Israelites heard this, they were terrified of the Philistines.

8And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto Jehovah our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

8They said to Samuel, 'Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, so that he will save us from the power of the Philistines.'

9And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering unto Jehovah: and Samuel cried unto Jehovah for Israel; and Jehovah answered him.

9Samuel took a young lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.

10And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Jehovah thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten down before Israel.

10While Samuel was offering the sacrifice, the Philistines moved in to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty roar against the Philistines that day. He threw them into such a panic that they were defeated by the Israelites.

11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.

11The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and chased the Philistines, killing them all the way to a place below Beth-car.

12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us.

12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'The LORD has helped us every step of the way.'

13So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel: and the hand of Jehovah was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

13So the Philistines were humbled and did not invade Israel’s territory again. The LORD’s hand was against the Philistines as long as Samuel lived.

14And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the border thereof did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

14The towns that the Philistines had captured from Israel, from Ekron to Gath, were returned to Israel. Israel also took back the surrounding territory from the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

15Samuel continued to judge Israel for the rest of his life.

16And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.

16Each year he traveled on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging the people in all those places.

17And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar unto Jehovah.

17But he always returned to Ramah, where his home was and where he judged Israel. There he also built an altar to the LORD.