New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible

So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the LORD. They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it.

1

Deliverance from the Philistines

And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

2

The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time — twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the LORD had abandoned them.

2

From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

3

Samuel Leads Israel to Victory

Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the LORD with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the LORD and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”

3

Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

4

So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the LORD.

4

So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone.

5

Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”

5

Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the LORD for you.”

6

So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the LORD. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the LORD. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)

6

They gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

7

When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching.

7

Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered 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

“Don’t stop pleading with the LORD our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel.

8

Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9

So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the LORD as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the LORD to help Israel, and the LORD answered him.

9

Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the LORD; and Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel and the LORD answered him.

10

Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the LORD spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them.

10

Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel.

11

The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.

11

The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car.

12

Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah.a He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the LORD has helped us!”

12

Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

13

So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the LORD’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines.

13

So the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14

The Israelite villages near Ekron and Gath that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.

14

The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15

Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life.

15

Samuel’s Ministry

Now Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16

Each year he traveled around, setting up his court first at Bethel, then at Gilgal, and then at Mizpah. He judged the people of Israel at each of these places.

16

He used to go annually on circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.

17

Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the LORD at Ramah.

17

Then his return was to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar to the LORD.

Parallel

New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible

1 Samuel 7

1 Samuel 7