⁵ Then Samuel^(A) said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah,^(B) and I will intercede^(C) with the Lord for you.” ⁶ When they had assembled at Mizpah,^(D) they drew water and poured^(E) it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader^[a](F) of Israel at Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid^(G) because of the Philistines. ⁸ They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying^(H) out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁹ Then Samuel^(I) took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.^(J)

¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered^(K) with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic^(L) that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

¹² Then Samuel took a stone^(M) and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^[b](N) saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued^(O) and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.