1 Samuel 7

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 The men of Kiriath-Jearim came and, taking up the ark of Yahweh, brought it to the house of Abinadabon the hil , and consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of Yahweh.	1 So the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, appointing his son Eleazar as guardian of the ark of the LORD.
2 From the day when the ark was instal ed at Kiriath-Jearim, a long time went by -- twenty years -- andthe whole House of Israel longed for Yahweh.	2 From the day the ark came to rest in Kiriath-jearim a long time-twenty years-elapsed, and the whole Israelite population turned to the LORD.
3 Samuel then spoke as follows to the whole House of Israel, 'If you are returning to Yahweh with al yourheart, banish the foreign gods and Astartes which you now have, and set your heart on Yahweh and serve himalone; and he will deliver you from the power of the Philistines.'	3 Samuel said to them: "If you wish with your whole heart to return to the LORD, put away your foreign gods and your Ashtaroth, devote yourselves to the LORD, and worship him alone. Then he will deliver you from the power of the Philistines."
4 And the Israelites banished the Baals and Astartes and served Yahweh alone.	4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtaroth, and worshiped the LORD alone.
5 Samuel then said, 'Muster al Israel at Mizpah and I shal plead with Yahweh for you.'	5 Samuel then gave orders, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, that I may pray to the LORD for you."
6 So they mustered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before Yahweh. They fasted that dayand declared, 'We have sinned against Yahweh.' And Samuel was judge over the Israelites at Mizpah.	6 When they were gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out on the ground before the LORD, and they fasted that day, confessing, "We have sinned against the LORD." It was at Mizpah that Samuel began to judge the Israelites.
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had mustered at Mizpah, the Philistine chiefs marched onIsrael; and when the Israelites heard this, they were afraid of the Philistines.	7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their lords went up against Israel. Hearing this, the Israelites became afraid of the Philistines
8 They said to Samuel, 'Do not stop cal ing on Yahweh our God to rescue us from the power of thePhilistines.'	8 and said to Samuel, "Implore the LORD our God unceasingly for us, to save us from the clutches of the Philistines."
9 Samuel took a sucking lamb and presented it as a burnt offering to Yahweh, and he cal ed on Yahwehon behalf of Israel and Yahweh heard him.	9 Samuel therefore took an unweaned lamb and offered it entire as a holocaust to the LORD. He implored the LORD for Israel, and the LORD heard him.
10 While Samuel was in the act of presenting burnt offering, the Philistines joined battle with Israel, butthat day Yahweh thundered violently over the Philistines, threw them into panic and Israel defeated them.	10 While Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Philistines advanced to join battle with Israel. That day, however, the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines, and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.
11 The men of Israel sal ied out from Mizpah in pursuit of the Philistines and beat them al the way tobelow Beth-Car.	11 Thereupon the Israelites sallied forth from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, harrying them down beyond Beth-car.
12 Samuel then took a stone and erected it between Mizpah and the Tooth, and gave it the nameEbenezer, saying, 'Yahweh helped us as far as this.'	12 Samuel then took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Jeshanah; he named it Ebenezer, explaining, "To this point the LORD helped us."
13 So the Philistines were humbled and no longer came into Israelite territory; Yahweh oppressed thePhilistines throughout the life of Samuel.	13 Thus were the Philistines subdued, never again to enter the territory of Israel, for the LORD was severe with them as long as Samuel lived.
14 The towns which the Philistines had taken from Israel were given back to Israel, from Ekron al theway to Gath, and Israel freed their territory from the power of the Philistines. There was peace, too, betweenIsrael and the Amorites.	14 The cities from Ekron to Gath which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to them. Israel also freed the territory of these cities from the dominion of the Philistines. Moreover there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel was judge over Israel throughout his life.	15 Samuel judged Israel as long as he lived.
16 Each year he went on circuit through Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah and judged Israel in al theseplaces.	16 He made a yearly journey, passing through Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah and judging Israel at each of these sanctuaries.
17 He would then return to Ramah, since his home was there; there too he judged Israel. And there hebuilt an altar to Yahweh.	17 Then he used to return to Ramah, for that was his home. There, too, he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.