Shmuel Alef 7

1And the anshei Kiryat- Yearim came, and took up the Aron Hashem, and brought it into the bais Avinadav on the givah (hill), and set apart as kodesh El'azar bno to be shomer over the Aron Hashem.

2And it came to pass, while the Aron abode in Kiryat-Yearim, that the time was long; for it was esrim shanah; and kol Bais Yisroel mourned after Hashem.

3And Shmuel spoke unto kol Bais Yisroel, saying, If ye do return unto Hashem with all your hearts, put away the elohei hanekhar and Ashtarot from among you, commit your hearts unto Hashem, serve Him only; and He will deliver you out of the yad Pelishtim.

4Then the Bnei Yisroel did put away Baalim and Ashtarot, and served Hashem only.

5And Shmuel said, Gather kol Yisroel to Mitzpah, and I will make intercessory prayer and daven for you unto Hashem.

6And they gathered together at Mitzpah, and drew mayim, and poured it out before Hashem, and did a tzom on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Hashem. And Shmuel judged the Bnei Yisroel at Mitzpah.

7And when the Pelishtim heard that the Bnei Yisroel were gathered together at Mitzpah, the rulers of the Pelishtim went up against Yisroel. And when the Bnei Yisroel heard it, they were afraid of the Pelishtim.

8And the Bnei Yisroel said to Shmuel, Cease not to cry out unto Hashem Eloheinu for us, that He will save us out of the yad Pelishtim.

9And Shmuel took a suckling lamb, and offered him for an olah unto Hashem; and Shmuel cried out unto Hashem on behalf of Yisroel; and Hashem answered him.

10And as Shmuel was offering up the olah, the Pelishtim drew near to battle against Yisroel; but Hashem thundered with a kol gadol on that day upon the Pelishtim, and threw them into confusion and panic; and they were struck down before Yisroel.

11And the Anshei Yisroel went from Mitzpah, and pursued the Pelishtim, and struck them down, until they came to below Beit-Kar.

12Then Shmuel took one even (stone), and set it up between Mitzpah and Shen, and called the shem of it Even-Ezer, saying, Hitherto hath Hashem helped us.

13So the Pelishtim were subdued, and they came no more into the territory of Yisroel; and the yad Hashem was against the Pelishtim all the days of Shmuel.

14And the towns which the Pelishtim had captured from Yisroel were restored to Yisroel, from Ekron even unto Gat; and the territory thereof did Yisroel deliver out of the yad Pelishtim. And there was shalom between Yisroel and HaEmori (the Amorites).

15And Shmuel judged Yisroel all the days of his life.

16And he went from shanah b'shanah in circuit to Beit-El, and Gilgal, and Mitzpah, and judged Yisroel in all those places.

17And his teshuvah (return) was to Ramah; for there was his bais; and there he judged Yisroel; and there he built a Mizbe'ach unto Hashem.