1So the men of Kiriath-jearim came and brought up the ark of Yahweh, and they carried it to the house of Abinadab on the hill, and they consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of Yahweh.
2And it happened that from the day the ark stayed at Kiriath-jearim the days grew many, and they became twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.
3Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If with all your heart you are returning to Yahweh, remove the foreign gods from your midst, and the Ashtaroth, and set your heart toward Yahweh and serve him alone; then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served Yahweh alone.
5And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray on your behalf to Yahweh.”
6So they gathered to Mizpah, and they drew water and poured it out before Yahweh, and they fasted on that day, and they said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.
7When the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel; and the sons of Israel heard, and they were afraid before the Philistines.
8And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not be silent from us, from crying out to Yahweh our God, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9So Samuel took one suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to Yahweh; and Samuel cried out to Yahweh on behalf of Israel, and Yahweh answered him.
10And it happened, while Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near for the battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great voice on that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were struck down before Israel.
11And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and they struck them down as far as below Beth-car.
12Then Samuel took one stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and he called its name Ebenezer, and he said, “Thus far Yahweh has helped us.”
13So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come again into the territory of Israel; and the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16He would go year by year and make a circuit of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he would judge Israel in all these places.
17Then his return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar to Yahweh.
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