Previous     Next       Play // Stop Sound    

          DASV: 1 Samuel 7    

1 The men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the LORD,
and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill.
They consecrated Eleazar his son to be in charge of
the ark of the LORD.
2 From that day the ark stayed at Kiriath-jearim, a long time--
for some twenty years--and all the house of Israel lamented
longing after the LORD.
3 Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you
will return to the LORD with all your heart, then put away
the foreign gods and the Ashtareths from among you, and direct
your hearts to the LORD, and serve him only, then he will
deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 So the Israelites put away the Baals and the Ashtareths,
and served the LORD only.
5 Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray
to the LORD for you."
6 After they gathered together to Mizpah, they drew water
and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day,
and confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD." It was
at Mizpah that Samuel took leadership over the Israelites.

7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites were assembled
at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel.
When the Israelites heard it, they were afraid of the
Philistines.
8 The Israelites requested Samuel, "Do not stop pleading with
the LORD our God for us, that he will save us from the
hand of the Philistines."
9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb, and offered it as a whole
burnt offering to the LORD. Samuel cried to the LORD
for Israel, and the LORD answered him.
10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines
drew near to attack Israel; but the LORD thundered with
a great thunder on that day against the Philistines,
causing them to panic, and they were defeated by Israel.
11 The men of Israel went out from Mizpah, and chased
the Philistines, and struck them down, as far as the
region below Beth-car.
12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it up between Mizpah
and Shen. He called the name of it Ebenezer ["stone of help"],
saying, "So far the LORD has helped us."

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not again
invade the territory of Israel. The hand of the LORD was
against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel
were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath.
Israel delivered its neighboring territory from the
hand of the Philistines. There was also peace between
Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 Annually he went in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah,
and he judged Israel in all these places.
17 Then he would return to Ramah, for that was his home.
From there he also judged Israel and built an altar
to the LORD.

 Previous     Next       Play // Stop Sound