1 Samuel Chapter 7
The crew from Kirjath–jearim showed up, snagged the ark of the Lord, and took it to Abinadab's pad on the hill, setting up Eleazar, his son, to vibe with the ark.
And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
So, while the ark was chilling in Kirjath–jearim for like two decades, the entire house of Israel was lowkey bummed, missing the Lord.
And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
Samuel was like, "Yo, Israel, if y’all are seriously gonna return to the Lord with all your hearts, toss those sus gods and Ashtaroth, and get your hearts right for the Lord, that’s when He'll save you from the Philistines."
And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, {then} put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
The Israelites replied, "Bet," and they ditched Baalim and Ashtaroth, only vibing with the Lord.
Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
Samuel was like, "Gather everyone in Israel at Mizpeh, and I’ll pray to the Lord for you guys."
And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
They all rolled up to Mizpeh, grabbed some water, poured it out before the Lord, fasted that day, and admitted, "We’ve messed up against the Lord." Samuel was judging the Israelites there.
And they gathered together to Mizpeh, 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 children of Israel in Mizpeh.
When the Philistines peeped that the Israelites were gathered at Mizpeh, their leaders were all like, "Nah, we gotta throw down," and the Israelites were totally shook.
And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard {it}, they were afraid of the Philistines.
The Israelites hit up Samuel, saying, "Don’t stop praying to the Lord our God for us, so He can deliver us from the Philistines."
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. {Cease...: Heb. Be not silent from us from crying}
Samuel took a little lamb and offered it entirely to the Lord as a burnt offering, praying hard for Israel; the Lord was like, "I got you."
And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered {it for} a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him. {heard: or, answered}
While Samuel was making the burnt offering, the Philistines pulled up to fight Israel, but the Lord went, "Boom!" with some epic thunder, totally wrecking the Philistines before Israel.
And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
The Israelites bounced out of Mizpeh and chased the Philistines down, clapping back until they reached Beth–car.
And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until {they came} under Bethcar.
Then Samuel picked up a stone, set it up between Mizpeh and Shen, and named it Eben–ezer, saying, "The Lord helped us this far."
Then Samuel took a stone, and set {it} between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. {Ebenezer: that is, The stone of help}
The Philistines got completely taken down, and they didn’t mess with Israel anymore; the Lord was against them all the days of Samuel.
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
The cities the Philistines had snatched from Israel were returned, from Ekron to Gath; Israel reclaimed their land from the Philistines, and there was peace with the Amorites.
And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Samuel was the judge of Israel his whole life, no cap.
And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
He was out here year after year, hitting up Beth–el, Gilgal, and Mizpeh, judging Israel in all those spots.
And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. {in circuit: Heb. and he circuited}
His headquarters was Ramah, where he judged Israel and built an altar for the Lord.
And his return {was} to Ramah; for there {was} his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.