¶ And the men of Kirjathjearim¹ came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab² in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of 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 lamented³ after the LORD.

¶ And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away⁵ the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare⁶ your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him⁷ only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

⁸Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

And Samuel said, Gather⁹ all Israel to Mizpeh¹⁰, and I will pray¹¹ for you unto the LORD.

And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water¹², and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted¹³ on that day, and said there, We have sinned¹⁴ against the LORD. And Samuel judged¹⁵ the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

¶ 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 afraid¹⁶ of the Philistines.

And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease¹⁷ not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

And Samuel took a sucking¹⁸ lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto¹⁹ the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard²⁰ him.

¶ And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered²¹ with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited²² them; and they were smitten before Israel.

And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar²³.

Then Samuel took a stone²⁴, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer²⁵, saying, Hitherto²⁶ hath the LORD helped us.

¶ So the Philistines were subdued²⁷, and they came no more²⁸ into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against²⁹ the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

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 peace³⁰ between Israel and the Amorites.

And Samuel judged³¹ Israel all the days of his life.

And he went³² from year to year in circuit³³ to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

And his return³⁴ was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built³⁵ an altar unto the LORD.