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Rescue from the Philistines

¹ So the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord and ^(C1)brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and they consecrated Eleazar his son to care for the ark of the Lord.² And from that day the ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a very long time, for it was twenty years until the reign of King David; and all the house of Israel lamented (wailed) and grieved after the LORD. ^(VR1)

³ Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "^(C1)If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, ^(C2)remove the foreign gods and the ^(C3)Ashtaroth (pagan goddesses) from among you and ^(C4)direct your hearts to the LORD and ^(C5)serve Him only; and He will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines."⁴ So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone.

⁵ Samuel said, "Gather all Israel together at ^(C1)Mizpah and ^(C2)I will pray to the LORD for you."⁶ So they gathered at Mizpah, and drew water and ^(C1)poured it out before the LORD, and ^(C2)fasted on that day and said there, "^(C3)We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

⁷ Now when the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the lords (governors) of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the Israelites heard it, ^(C1)they were afraid of the Philistines.⁸ And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, "^(C1)Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, so that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines."⁹ So Samuel took ^(C1)a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD; and Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel and ^(C2)the LORD answered him.¹⁰ As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines approached for the battle against Israel. Then ^(C1)the LORD thundered with a great voice that day against the Philistines and threw them into ^(C2)confusion, and they were defeated and fled before Israel.¹¹ And the men of Israel came out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as the territory below Beth-car.

¹² Then Samuel ^(C1)took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and he named it Ebenezer (stone of help), saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us."^13 (C1)So the Philistines were subdued and ^(C2)they did not come anymore into Israelite territory. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.¹⁴ The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered the cities' territory from the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and ^(C1)the Amorites.

Samuel's Ministry

¹⁵ Now Samuel ^(C1)judged Israel all the days of his life.¹⁶ He used to go annually on a circuit to ^(C1)Bethel, ^(C2)Gilgal, and ^(C3)Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.¹⁷ Then he would return to ^(C1)Ramah, because his home was there; and there he judged Israel, and there he ^(C2)built an altar to the LORD.