1 So the people of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill. v They consecrated his son Eleazar to take care of it.
Victory at Mizpah
2 Time went by until twenty years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel longed for the LORD. 3 Samuel told them, “If you w are returning to the LORD x with all your heart, y get rid of the foreign gods z and the Ashtoreths that are among you, dedicate yourselves to A the LORD, and worship only him. a Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths b and only worshiped the LORD.
5 Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, c and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.” d 6 When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the LORD’S presence. e They fasted that day, f and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” g And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, so that he will save us from the Philistines.”
9 Then Samuel took a young lamb h 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. i 10 Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines approached to fight against Israel. The LORD thundered loudly j against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel. k 11 Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines striking them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.
12 Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright l between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, B explaining, “The LORD has helped us to this point.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued m and C did not invade Israel’s territory again. n The LORD’S hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life. 14 The cities from Ekron to Gath, which they had taken from Israel, were restored; Israel even rescued their surrounding territories from Philistine control. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel judged Israel throughout his life. o 16 Every year he would go on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah and would judge Israel at all these locations. 17 Then he would return to Ramah p because his home was there, he judged Israel there, and he built an altar to the LORD there.