And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and brought the ark of Yahweh up and ^abrought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill and set apart Eleazar his son as holy in order to keep the ark of Yahweh. 2 Now it happened from the day when the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; it was twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.

3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “^aIf you are to return to Yahweh with all your heart, then ^bremove the foreign gods and the ^cAshtaroth from among you and ^dset your hearts toward Yahweh and ^eserve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served Yahweh alone.

5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to ^aMizpah, and ^bI will pray to Yahweh for you.” 6 And they gathered to Mizpah and drew water and ^apoured it out before Yahweh and ^bfasted on that day and said there, “^cWe have sinned against Yahweh.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

7 Then the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah. And the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. Then the sons of Israel heard it and ^awere afraid of the Philistines. 8 So the sons of Israel said to Samuel, “^aDo not cease to cry out to Yahweh our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 And Samuel took ^aa suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh; and Samuel cried out to Yahweh for Israel, and ^bYahweh answered him. 10 Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But ^aYahweh thundered with a great ¹thunder on that day against the Philistines and ^bconfused them, so that they were ²defeated before Israel. 11 So the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them down as far as below Beth-car.

12 Then Samuel ^atook a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and he named it ¹Ebenezer. And he said, “Thus far Yahweh has helped us.” 13 ^aSo the Philistines were subdued, and ^bthey did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and ^athe Amorites.

15 Thus Samuel ^ajudged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he used to go annually on circuit to ^aBethel and ^bGilgal and ^cMizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. 17 But his return would be to ^aRamah, for his house was there, and there he judged Israel; and he ^bbuilt there an altar to Yahweh.