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¹ So the people of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the Lord and took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill.^(C1) 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^(C1) are returning to the Lord^(C2) with all your heart,^(C3) get rid of the foreign gods^(C4) and the Ashtoreths that are among you, dedicate yourselves to^(F1) the Lord, and worship only him.^(C5) Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths^(C1) and only worshiped the Lord.

⁵ Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah,^(C1) and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.”^{(C2) 6} When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence.^(C1) They fasted that day,^(C2) and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.”^(C3) 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^(C1) 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.^{(C2) 10} Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines approached to fight against Israel. The Lord thundered loudly^(C1) against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.^{(C2) 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^(C1) between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^(F1) explaining, “The Lord has helped us to this point.” ¹³ So the Philistines were subdued^(C1) and^(F1) did not invade Israel’s territory again.^(C2) 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.^{(C1) 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^(C1) because his home was there, he judged Israel there, and he built an altar to the Lord there.