Chapter 7
And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the
Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods in Ashtaroth from among
you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, and he will
deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
Then the children of Israel did put away Balaam and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord
only.
And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto the
Lord.
And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before
the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the
Lord.
And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together
to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel.
And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease 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 sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering,
holy unto the Lord.
And Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.
And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to
battle against Israel.
But the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines,
and discomfited them, and they were smitten before Israel.
And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote
them, until they came under Beth-char.
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shenn, and called the
name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of
Israel.
And the hand of the Lord was against 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 coast thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines.
And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah,
and judged Israel in all those places.
And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house, and there he judged Israel,
and there he built an altar unto the Lord.