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 Samuel 7
7
1So the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the Lord and took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill. # 2Sm 6:3-4 They consecrated his son Eleazar to take care of it.
Victory at Mizpah
2Time went by until 20 years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel began to seek the Lord. 3Samuel told them, “If you # Ex 20:3 are returning to the Lord # Dt 13:4; 1Ch 19:3 with all your heart, # Dt 6:5; 30:10; Jl 2:12-14 get rid of the foreign gods # Jos 24:14,23; Jdg 10:16 and the Ashtoreths that are among you, dedicate yourselves to # Lit you and set your hearts on the Lord, and worship only Him. # Dt 6:13; Mt 4:10 Then He will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths # Jdg 2:13 and only worshiped the Lord.
5Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, # Jdg 20:1 and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.” # 1Sm 8:6; 12:17,19,23 6When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence. # 1Sm 1:15; Ps 62:8; Lm 2:19 They fasted that day, # Lv 16:29; Neh 9:1 and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” # Jdg 10:10 And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
7When 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. 8The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, so that He will save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9Then Samuel took a young lamb # Lv 22:27 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. # Ps 99:6; Jr 15:1 10Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel. The Lord thundered loudly # 1Sm 2:10; 2Sm 22:14 against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel. # Ex 23:27; Jos 10:10; Jdg 4:15 11Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines striking them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.
12Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright # Jos 4:9 between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, # = Stone of Help explaining, “The Lord has helped us to this point.” 13So the Philistines were subdued # Jdg 13:1-15 and # LXX reads The Lord humbled the Philistines and they did not invade Israel’s territory again. # 1Sm 13:5 The Lord’s hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life. 14The 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.
15Samuel judged Israel throughout his life. # 1Sm 7:6; 12:11 16Every year he would go on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah and would judge Israel at all these locations. 17Then he would return to Ramah # 1Sm 1:1,19; 2:11 because his home was there, he judged Israel there, and he built an altar to the Lord there.
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