1
And the men of Kirjath-Jearim come and bring up the Ark of YHWH, and bring it into the house of Abinadab, in the height, and they have sanctified his son Eleazar to keep the Ark of YHWH.
2
And it comes to pass, from the day of the dwelling of the Ark in Kirjath-Jearim, that the days are multiplied—indeed, they are twenty years—and all the house of Israel wails after YHWH.
3
And Samuel speaks to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are turning back to YHWH with all your heart—turn aside the gods of the stranger from your midst, and Ashtaroth; and prepare your heart for YHWH, and serve Him only, and He delivers you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
4
And the sons of Israel turn aside the Ba‘alim and Ashtaroth, and serve YHWH alone;
5
and Samuel says, “Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I pray to YHWH for you.”
6
And they are gathered to Mizpeh, and draw water, and pour out before YHWH, and fast on that day, and say there, “We have sinned against YHWH”; and Samuel judges the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.
7
And the Philistines hear that the sons of Israel have gathered themselves to Mizpeh; and the princes of the Philistines go up against Israel, and the sons of Israel hear, and are afraid of the presence of the Philistines.
8
And the sons of Israel say to Samuel, “Do not keep silent for us from crying to our God YHWH, and He saves us out of the hand of the Philistines.”
9
And Samuel takes a fat lamb, and causes it to go up—a whole burnt-offering to YHWH; and Samuel cries to YHWH for Israel, and YHWH answers him;
10
and Samuel is causing the burnt-offering to go up—and the Philistines have drawn near to battle against Israel—and YHWH thunders with a great noise, on that day, on the Philistines, and troubles them, and they are struck before Israel.
11
And the men of Israel go out from Mizpeh, and pursue the Philistines, and strike them to the place of Beth-Car.
12
And Samuel takes a stone, and sets [it] between Mizpeh and Shen, and calls its name Eben-Ezer, saying, “Until now YHWH has helped us.”
13
And the Philistines are humbled, and have not added anymore to come into the border of Israel, and the hand of YHWH is on the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14
And the cities which the Philistines have taken from Israel are restored to Israel—from Ekron even to Gath—and Israel has delivered their border out of the hand of the Philistines; and there is peace between Israel and the Amorite.
15
And Samuel judges Israel all the days of his life,
16
and he has gone from year to year, and gone around Beth-El, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel [in] all these places;
17
and his returning [is] to Ramath, for his house [is] there, and he has judged Israel there, and he builds an altar to YHWH there.
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