|
Chapter 7 |
| 1 | And the men of
Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the
house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark
of the LORD. |
| 2
| And it came to pass, while the ark abode in
Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the
house of Israel lamented after the LORD. |
|
3 | And Samuel spake unto all
the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your
hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and
prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you
out of the hand of the Philistines. |
| 4 | Then the children of Israel did
put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. |
| 5 | And Samuel
said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
|
| 6 | And they gathered together to Mizpeh, 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 children of Israel in Mizpeh. |
| 7 | And
when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together
to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the
children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. |
| 8 |
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our
God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. |
| 9 |
And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto
the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard
him. |
| 10 |
And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the
Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a
great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they
were smitten before Israel. |
|
11 | And the men of Israel went out of
Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under
Bethcar. |
| 12
| Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and
Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped
us. |
| 13 |
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into
the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all
the days of Samuel. |
| 14 | And the cities which the Philistines had
taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the
coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And
there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. |
| 15 | And Samuel
judged Israel all the days of his life. |
|
16 | And he went from year to
year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all
those places. |
|
17 | And his return was to Ramah; for there was his
house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the
LORD. |
