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¹ And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Yahweh.² And 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 Yahweh.

³ And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.⁴ Then the sons of Israel put away the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only.⁵ And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to Yahweh.⁶ And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Yahweh. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpah.

⁷ And when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.⁸ And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, Don't cease to cry to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.⁹ And Samuel took a nursing lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering to Yahweh: and Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him.¹⁰ And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten down before Israel.¹¹ And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.¹² Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, So far Yahweh has helped us.

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come inside the border of Israel anymore: and the hand of Yahweh 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 to Gath; and the border thereof Israel delivered out of the hand 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 Beth-el and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.¹⁷ And his return was to Ramah, for his house was there; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar to Yahweh.