Samuel Subdues the Philistines 1 UST When the men of Kiriath Jearim received the message, they came to Beth Shemesh and took the sacred chest of Yahweh. They took it to the house of a man whose name was Abinadab. He lived on a hill. They gave Abinadab’ s son Eleazar the special duty of taking care of the chest. BSB BSB: Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD.
2 UST The sacred chest remained in Kiriath Jearim for a long time, for 20 years. During that time, the Israelite people were very sorry that Yahweh was not helping them anymore. BSB BSB: And from that day a long time passed, twenty years in all, as the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim. And all the house of Israel mournfully sought the LORD.
3 UST Then Samuel said to all the Israelite people,“If you truly want Yahweh to be your God again, you must get rid of the idols you have that represent foreign gods. You must also get rid of the statues you have that represent the goddess Ashtoreth. You must resolve to worship only Yahweh. If you do that, he will enable you to stop the Philistines from oppressing you.” BSB BSB: Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4 UST So the Israelites got rid of all their statues of the gods Baal and Ashtoreth, and they began to worship only Yahweh. BSB BSB: So the Israelites put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served only the LORD.
5 UST Then Samuel told them,“I want you Israelites to assemble at Mizpah. I will pray to Yahweh for you there.” BSB BSB: Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.”
6 UST So the Israelites assembled at Mizpah. They got water from a well and poured it out on the ground in Yahweh’ s presence. They did not eat any food on that day. They confessed that they had sinned against Yahweh. There at Mizpah Samuel settled disputes among the Israelites and made sure that they were obeying Yahweh. BSB BSB: When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
7 UST When the Philistines learned that the Israelite people had assembled at Mizpah, their rulers led their armies to attack the Israelites. When the Israelites learned that the Philistines were approaching them to attack them, they became very afraid. BSB BSB: When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. And when the Israelites learned of this, they feared the Philistines
8 UST They told Samuel,“Please keep on praying to Yahweh our God for us so that he will rescue us from the Philistine army!” BSB BSB: and said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9 UST So Samuel took a young lamb that was still nursing, and he killed it and offered it to Yahweh as a sacrifice by burning it up entirely on the altar. Then he pleaded with Yahweh to help the Israelites, and Yahweh did what he asked. BSB BSB: Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.
10 UST While Samuel was still burning the lamb as an offering, the Philistine army came near to attack the Israelites. But Yahweh caused it to thunder very loudly. The soldiers in the Philistine army became so frightened that they could no longer fight effectively. So the Israelite soldiers were able to defeat them completely. BSB BSB: As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was offering up the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.
11 UST The Israelite men rushed out of Mizpah and killed many Philistine soldiers who were trying to run away. They chased them all the way to the bottom of the hill on which people had built the town of Beth Kar. BSB BSB: Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down all the way to an area below Beth-car.
12 UST After the battle, Samuel got a large stone and set it up between the city of Mizpah and the rocky cliff of Shen. He named the stone Ebenezer. He said,“Yahweh has helped us to defeat our enemies this far.” BSB BSB: Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
13 UST So the Israelites defeated the Philistines, and they stopped invading the land of Israel. During the time that Samuel was alive, Yahweh kept powerfully helping the Israelites defend themselves against the Philistines. BSB BSB: So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped invading the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 UST The Philistines had previously captured some towns that belonged to the Israelites. But the Israelite army was now able to recapture those towns. They were around the Philistine cities of Ekron and Gath. The Israelites recaptured the whole area right up to the limits of those cities. The Amorites also did not attack the Israelites during this time. BSB BSB: The cities from Ekron to Gath, which the Philistines had taken, were restored to Israel, who also delivered the surrounding territory from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between the Israelites and the Amorites.
15 UST Samuel continued to be the leader of the Israelite people until he died. BSB BSB: So Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 UST Every year Samuel traveled around to the cities of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. In those cities, he listened to disputes between people and settled them. BSB BSB: Every year he would go on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places.
17 UST After he settled disputes in each of those cities, he would return to Ramah, where he lived. He also listened to people’ s disputes there and settled them. He built an altar at Ramah{ so that he could offer sacrifices to Yahweh}. BSB BSB: Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.
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