1 Samuel 7

And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

1The men of Kirjathjearim came and got the ark of the LORD. The ark was the special gold box that showed God was with Israel. They took it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. They set apart his son Eleazar to take care of it.

2And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

2The ark stayed in Kirjathjearim a long time. It was twenty years. All the people of Israel were sad. They cried out and wanted the LORD again.

3And 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 and 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.

3Samuel spoke to all Israel. Samuel was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. He said, "Do you really want to come back to the LORD? Then get rid of the other gods you keep. Get rid of the Ashtaroth idols too. Make your hearts ready for the LORD. Serve only him. Then he will save you from the Philistines."

4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.

4So the people of Israel put away the Baal and Ashtaroth idols. They served only the LORD.

5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

5Samuel said, "Bring all Israel together at Mizpeh. I will pray to the LORD for you."

6And they gathered together to Mizpeh, 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 Mizpeh.

6They all met at Mizpeh. They drew water and poured it out before the LORD. That day they went without food. They said, "We have sinned against the LORD." At Mizpeh, Samuel was the judge who settled Israel's problems.

Note"Fasted" means they went without food on purpose. "Judged" here does not mean sitting in a courtroom. A judge in this book was a leader who settled arguments and led the people.

7And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

7The Philistines heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpeh. Their rulers marched out to attack Israel. When the people of Israel heard this, they were afraid.

8And 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.

8The people of Israel said to Samuel, "Please keep calling out to the LORD our God for us. Ask him to save us from the Philistines."

9And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

9Samuel took a young lamb that still drank its mother's milk. He burned the whole lamb as a gift to the LORD. Samuel called out to the LORD for Israel. The LORD answered him.

10And 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.

10While Samuel was burning the gift, the Philistines came close to fight. But that day the LORD sent loud thunder over the Philistines. They were badly confused. Israel beat them.

NoteThe old word "discomfited" does not mean the Philistines were uncomfortable. It means they were thrown into confusion and could not fight.

11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

11The men of Israel ran out from Mizpeh and chased the Philistines. They struck them down all the way past Bethcar.

12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpeh and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "The LORD has helped us all the way to here."

Note"Ebenezer" means "stone of help." "Hitherto" is an old word that means "up to this point."

13So 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.

13So the Philistines were beaten. They stopped coming into Israel's land. The LORD's power was against the Philistines as long as Samuel lived.

14And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

14The Philistines had taken towns from Israel. Now those towns were given back, from Ekron to Gath. Israel also took back the land around them. And Israel had peace with the Amorites.

15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

15Samuel was Israel's judge for the rest of his life.

16And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

16Every year he traveled a loop to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpeh. He judged Israel in all those places.

17And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

17Then he went home to Ramah, where he lived. He judged Israel there too. And there he built an altar to the LORD. An altar is a stone table for giving gifts to God.