1 Samuel 7
GOD’S WORD Translation
7 The men of Kiriath Jearim came to take the Lord’s ark and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. They gave Abinadab’s son Eleazar the holy occupation of guarding the Lord’s ark.
Israel Admits It Has Sinned
2 A long time passed after the ark came to stay at Kiriath Jearim. For 20 years the entire nation of Israel mournfully sought the Lord.
3 Samuel told the entire nation of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord wholeheartedly, get rid of the foreign gods you have, including the statues of the goddess Astarte. Make a commitment to the Lord, and serve only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”
4 So the Israelites got rid of the statues of Baal and Astarte and served only the Lord.
5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all the Israelites together at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So the Israelites gathered together at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of the Lord, and fasted that day. They confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.
The Philistines Defeated
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the Philistine rulers came to attack Israel. The Israelites heard ⌞about the Philistine plan⌟ and were afraid of them. 8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t turn a deaf ear to us! Don’t stop crying to the Lord our God for us! Ask him to save us from the Philistines!”
9 Then Samuel took a lamb, one still feeding on milk, and sacrificed it as a burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines came to fight against Israel. On that day the Lord thundered loudly at the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel. 11 Israel’s soldiers left Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and killed them as far as Beth Car.
12 Then Samuel took a rock and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer [Rock of Help] and said, “Until now the Lord has helped us.”
13 The power of the Philistines was crushed, so they didn’t come into Israel’s territory again. The Lord restrained the Philistines as long as Samuel lived. 14 The cities between Ekron and Gath which the Philistines took from Israel were returned to Israel. And Israel recovered the territory controlled by these cities from the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel judged Israel as long as he lived. 16 Every year he went around to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah in order to judge Israel in all those places. 17 Then he would return home to Ramah. There, too, he judged Israel. And in Ramah he built an altar to the Lord.
1 Samuel 7
New King James Version
Israel Defeats the Philistines
7 Then the men of (A)Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of (B)Abinadab on the hill, and (C)consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.
Samuel Judges Israel
2 So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you (D)return to the Lord with all your hearts, then (E)put away the foreign gods and the (F)Ashtoreths[a] from among you, and (G)prepare your hearts for the Lord, and (H)serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the children of Israel put away the (I)Baals and the [b]Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
5 And Samuel said, (J)“Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and (K)I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered together at Mizpah, (L)drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they (M)fasted that day, and said there, (N)“We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.
7 Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 So the children of Israel said to Samuel, (O)“Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9 And Samuel took a (P)suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Then (Q)Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10 Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. (R)But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and [c]drove them back as far as below Beth Car. 12 Then Samuel (S)took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name [d]Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
13 (T)So the Philistines were subdued, and they (U)did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 And Samuel (V)judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. 17 But (W)he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he (X)built an altar to the Lord.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 7:3 Images of Canaanite goddesses
- 1 Samuel 7:4 Images of Canaanite goddesses
- 1 Samuel 7:11 struck them down
- 1 Samuel 7:12 Lit. Stone of Help
1 Samuel 7
Modern English Version
7 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. And they brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord. 2 And from the day the ark resided in Kiriath Jearim, the days increased to twenty years.
Samuel Judges Israel
And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. 3 Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and Ashtoreths from your midst. And make firm your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only. Then He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the children of Israel put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served the Lord only.
5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 They gathered together to Mizpah. And they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. And they fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
7 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. 8 The children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying unto the Lord our God for us, that He might save us out of the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering unto the Lord. And Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him.
10 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 against the Philistines, and confused them. So they were beaten before Israel. 11 Israel’s fighting men went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them, as far as below Beth Kar.
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. And he called its name Ebenezer[a] saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not again come into the territory of Israel. And 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. And Israel rescued their territory out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 So Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 He went annually in a circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all those places. 17 But his return was to Ramah, for his house was there and there he judged Israel. And there he built an altar to the Lord.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 7:12 Lit. Stone of help.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.