1 Samuel, Chapter 7:
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Verses from 1 Samuel, Chapter 7 of the book of 1 Samuel in the Bible.
The defeat of the Philistines at Mizpah
- 1. The men of Kiriath-jearim came to take the ark of the Lord and took it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. They consecrated their son Eleazar to guard the ark of the Lord.
- 2. The ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for many years, twenty in all. During this time, the entire people of Israel sought the Lord with fervor and supplications.
- 3. Then Samuel said to the entire nation of Israel, “If you want to turn to the Lord with all your heart, abandon the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. Consecrate yourselves to the Lord and worship Him alone, and He will deliver you from the hands of the Philistines.”
- 4. The Israelites heeded Samuel's words, got rid of idols and pagan altars, and began to worship only the Lord.
- 5. Samuel continued: “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord on your behalf.”
- 6. When the people gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. That day, they fasted and confessed: “We have sinned against the Lord.” And it was in Mizpeh that Samuel led the Israelites as judge.
- 7. When the Philistines heard that the Israelites were gathered at Mizpah, the Philistine rulers went out to attack them. Upon learning of this, the people of Israel were apprehensive.
- 8. Then they said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying to the Lord our God on our behalf, so that He will save us from the hands of the Philistines.”
- 9. Samuel took an unweaned lamb and offered it whole as a burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered his prayer.
- 10. While Samuel was offering the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to attack Israel. However, that day the Lord thundered with a mighty noise against the Philistines and filled them with panic. They were defeated by Israel.
- 11. The soldiers of Israel pursued the Philistines from Mizpah to a place below Beth-kar, inflicting heavy casualties on them along the way.
- 12. Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shem, and named it Ebenezer, which means “So far the Lord has helped us.”
- 13. From that moment on, the Philistines no longer invaded the territory of Israel. The Lord was against them throughout Samuel's life.
- 14. The cities that the Philistines had conquered were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel recovered the territories around these cities from the power of the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
- 15. Samuel continued to be Israel's judge throughout his life.
- 16. He went yearly through the cities of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, judging the affairs of Israel in all these places.
- 17. However, Samuel always returned to Ramah, where he had his home. There he led Israel as judge and built an altar in honor of the Lord.
