I Samuel Chapter 7

I Samuel 7 — English translation

Translation: THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition. Verse numbers match the Hebrew text below.

1. 1The inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the Ark of G OD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill; and they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the Ark of G OD .
2. 2A long time elapsed from the day that the Ark was housed in Kiriath-jearim, twenty years in all; and all the House of Israel yearned after G OD .
3. 3And Samuel said to all the House of Israel, “If you mean to return to G OD with all your heart, you must remove the alien gods and the Ashtaroth from your midst and direct your heart to G OD , who alone you should serve. Then you will be delivered from the hands of the Philistines.”
4. 4And the Israelites removed the Baalim and Ashtaroth and they served G OD alone.
5. 5Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to G OD for you.”
6. 6They assembled at Mizpah, and they drew water and poured it out before G OD ; they fasted that day, and there they confessed that they had sinned against G OD . And Samuel acted as chieftain of the Israelites at Mizpah.
7. 7When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had assembled at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines marched out against Israel. Hearing of this, the Israelites were terrified of the Philistines
8. 8and they implored Samuel, “Do not neglect us and do not refrain from crying out to the E TERNAL our God to save us from the hands of the Philistines.”
9. 9Thereupon Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to G OD ; and Samuel cried out to G OD on behalf of Israel, and G OD responded to him.
10. 10For as Samuel was presenting the burnt offering and the Philistines advanced to attack Israel, G OD thundered mightily against the Philistines that day, throwing them into confusion; and they were routed by Israel.
11. 11The men of Israel sallied out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down to a point below Beth-car.
12. 12Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Eben-ezer: “For up to now,” he said, “G OD has helped us.”
13. 13The Philistines were humbled and did not invade the territory of Israel again; and G OD ’s hand was set against the Philistines as long as Samuel lived.
14. 14The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel, from Ekron to Gath, were restored to Israel; Israel recovered all her territory from the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15. 15Samuel judged Israel as long as he lived.
16. 16Each year he made the rounds of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, acting as judge over Israel at all those places.
17. 17Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there too he would judge Israel. He built an altar there to G OD .

License: CC-BY-NC