1So the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of Yahweh. They brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill and consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of Yahweh.
Israel Turns Back to Yahweh
2The ark remained at Kiriath-jearim a long time — twenty years in all — and the whole house of Israel mourned and sought after Yahweh. 3Then Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to Yahweh with all your heart, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths that are among you, and set your hearts on Yahweh and serve him alone, and he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4So the Israelites got rid of the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served Yahweh alone. 5Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you.” 6So they gathered at Mizpah. They drew water and poured it out before Yahweh, and they fasted that day, saying there, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah. 7When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the Philistine rulers went up against Israel. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to Yahweh our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it whole as a burnt offering to Yahweh. He cried out to Yahweh on Israel’s behalf, and Yahweh answered him. 10While Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But that day Yahweh thundered with a great thunder against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. 11The men of Israel came out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down all the way to a point below Beth-car. 12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, naming it Ebenezer, saying, “This far Yahweh has helped us.” 13So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not enter Israel’s territory again. The hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel, from Ekron to Gath, were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Samuel the Judge
15Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16Year after year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places. 17Then he would return to Ramah, for that was where his home was, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to Yahweh.
