1 Samuel 7
7
1So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and got the ark of the Lord. They brought it up to Abinadab’s house on the hill. They set his son Eleazar apart to guard the ark. 2The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim for a long time. It was there for a full 20 years.
Samuel Brings the Philistines Under Israel’s Control
Then all the Israelites turned back to the Lord. 3So Samuel spoke to all the Israelites. He said, “Do you really want to return to the Lord with all your hearts? If you do, get rid of your false gods. Get rid of your statues of female gods that are named Ashtoreth. Commit yourselves to the Lord. Serve him only. Then he will save you from the power of the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites put away their statues of gods that were named Baal. They put away their statues of female gods that were named Ashtoreth. They served the Lord only.
5Then Samuel said, “Gather all the Israelites together at Mizpah. I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6When the people had come together at Mizpah, they went to the well and got water. They poured it out in front of the Lord. On that day they didn’t eat any food. They admitted they had sinned. They said, “We’ve sinned against the Lord.” Samuel was serving as the leader of Israel at Mizpah.
7The Philistines heard that Israel had gathered together at Mizpah. So the Philistine rulers came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid. 8They said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God to help us. Keep praying that he’ll save us from the power of the Philistines.” 9Then Samuel got a very young lamb. He sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord to help Israel. And the Lord answered his prayer.
10The Philistines came near to attack Israel. At that time Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering. But that day the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines. He threw them into such a panic that the Israelites were able to chase them away. 11The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah. They chased the Philistines all the way to a point below Beth Kar. They killed them all along the way.
12Then Samuel got a big stone. He set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer. He said, “The Lord has helped us every step of the way.”
13So the Philistines were brought under Israel’s control. The Philistines didn’t attack their territory again. The Lord used his power against the Philistines as long as Samuel lived. 14The Philistines had captured many towns between Ekron and Gath. But they had to give all of them back. Israel took back the territories near those towns from the control of the Philistines. During that time Israel and the Amorites were friendly toward each other.
15Samuel continued to lead Israel all the days of his life. 16From year to year he traveled from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah. He served Israel as judge in all those places. 17But he always went back to Ramah. That’s where his home was. He served Israel as judge there too. And he built an altar there to honor the Lord.
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1 Samuel 7: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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1 Kings 7
7
1And the men of Cariathiarim came and fetched up the ark of the Lord and carried it into the house of Abinadab in Gabaa. And they sanctified Eleazar his son, to keep the ark of the Lord.
2And it came to pass, that from the day the ark of the Lord abode in Cariathiarim days were multiplied (for it was now the twentieth year,) and all the house of Israel rested following the Lord.
3And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying: If you turn to the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, Baalim and Astaroth. And prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4Then the children of Israel put away Baalim and Astaroth, and served the Lord only.
5And Samuel said: Gather all Israel to Masphath, that I may pray to the Lord for you.
6And they gathered together to Masphath. And they drew water, and poured it out before the Lord; and they fasted on that day, and they said there: We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Masphath.
7And the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Masphath; and the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard this, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8And they said to Samuel: Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it whole for a holocaust to the Lord: and Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel. And the Lord heard him.
10And it came to pass, when Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Philistines began the battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and terrified them; and they were overthrown before the face of Israel.
11And the men of Israel going out of Masphath pursued after the Philistines, and made slaughter of them till they came under Bethchar.
12And Samuel took a stone, and laid it between Masphath and Sen: and he called the place, the Stone of Help. And he said: Thus far the Lord hath helped us.
13And the Philistines were humbled, and they did not come any more into the borders of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines, all the days of Samuel.
14And the cities, which the Philistines had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Accaron to Geth, and their borders. And he delivered Israel from the hand of the Philistines; and there was peace between Israel and the Amorrhites.
15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life:
16And he went every year about to Bethel and to Galgal and to Masphath; and he judged Israel in the aforesaid places.
17And he returned to Ramatha; for there was his house, and there he judged Israel. He built also there an altar to the Lord.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.