1 Samuel 7
Thus Far the Lord Has Helped Us
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The Ark at Kiriath-jearim
7:1The men of Kiriath-jearim came and brought up the ark of the Lord’s covenant. They brought it into Aminadab’s house on the hill and consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the Lord’s covenant.
7:2From the day the ark was in Kiriath-jearim, the days multiplied until twenty years had passed. All Israel’s house looked after the Lord.
Samuel Gathers Israel at Mizpah
7:3Samuel said to all Israel’s house, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the groves from among you. Prepare your hearts toward the Lord and serve Him alone, and He will rescue you from the foreigners’ hand.”
7:4The sons of Israel removed the Baalim and the groves of Astaroth and served the Lord alone.
7:5Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”
7:6They gathered at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it onto the ground before the Lord. They fasted that day and said, “We have sinned before the Lord.” Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.
7:7The foreigners heard that all the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, and the foreigners’ satraps went up against Israel. When the sons of Israel heard, they were afraid of the foreigners.
7:8The sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not be silent on our behalf: keep crying to the Lord your God, and He will save us from the foreigners’ hand.”
7:9Samuel took one nursing lamb and, with all the people, offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.
The Lord Thunders Against the Foreigners
7:10While Samuel was offering the whole burnt offering, the foreigners drew near for battle against Israel. The Lord thundered with a great voice against the foreigners that day. They were thrown into confusion and fell before Israel.
7:11Israel’s men went out from Mizpah, pursued the foreigners, and struck them as far as below Beth-chor.
7:12Samuel took one stone and set it between Mizpah and the old city. He named it Ebenezer, Stone of the Helper, and said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
7:13The Lord humbled the foreigners, and they did not enter Israel’s territory again. The Lord’s hand was against the foreigners throughout Samuel’s days.
7:14The cities that the foreigners had taken from the sons of Israel were restored; they returned them to Israel, from Ashkelon to Azob. They recovered Israel’s territory from the foreigners’ hand. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Samuel Judges Israel
7:15Samuel judged Israel throughout his life.
7:16Year after year he traveled a circuit through Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, judging Israel in all these consecrated places.
7:17He would return to Armathaim, for his house was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.