1Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came, and took up the Ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill: and they sanctified Eleazar his son, to keep the Ark of the Lord.
2(For while the Ark abode in Kirjath Jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years) and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
3Then Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye be come again unto the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtoreth, and direct your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, and he shall deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4Then the children of Israel did put away Baal and Ashtoreth, and served the Lord only.
5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.
6And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted the same day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
7When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the Princes of the Philistines went up against Israel: and when the children of Israel heard that, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9Then Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it all together for a burnt offering unto the Lord, and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.
10And [as] Samuel offered the burnt offering, the Philistines came to fight against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder that day upon the Philistines, and scattered them: so they were slain before Israel.
11And the men of Israel went from Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them until they came under Beth Car.
12Then Samuel took a stone, and pitched it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name thereof Ebenezer, and he said, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
13So the Philistines were brought under, and they came no more again into the coasts of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14Also the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath: and Israel delivered the coasts of the same out of the hands of the Philistines: and there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life,
16And went about year by year to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places.
17Afterward he returned to Ramah: for there was his house, and there he judged Israel: also he built an altar there unto the Lord.