1 The men of Kiriath Jearim came and carried up the ark {aron: Sacred Chest} of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Dweller}. They set it in the house of Abinadab on the hill and consecrated his son Eleazar to stand watch over the ark.
2 From the day the ark{ha’aron: sacred chest of testimony} rested in Kiriath Jearim, the days multiplied until they reached twenty years, and the whole house of Israel lamented after the LORD{YHWH, Covenant Restorer}.
3 Samuel said to the house of Israel, “If you return to the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Restorer} with all your heart {levav: inner being}, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtarot from among you, set your hearts toward the LORD, serve Him exclusively, and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4 So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and they served the LORD {YHWH, Exclusive Devotion Receiver} alone {levaddo: without divided loyalty}.
5 Samuel said, “Assemble {kivtsu: public assembly} all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD {YHWH, Intercessor’s Hearer} for you.”
6 They gathered at Mizpah, where they drew water and poured it out before the LORD {YHWH, Recipient of Confession}. On that day they fasted and declared, “We have sinned {chatanu: acted with guilt} against the LORD.” Samuel then judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.
7 When the Philistines learned that the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpah {mitspatah: gathering site}, the rulers of the Philistines marched up against Israel. When the sons of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines {pelishtim: traditional enemies}.
8 The sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Deliverer} for us, so that He may save us from the hand {yad: power} of the Philistines.”
9 Samuel took a solitary suckling lamb and presented it as a whole burnt offering {olah: ascending sacrifice} to the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Respondent}. He then cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.
10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near for battle {milchama: armed engagement} against Israel. But the LORD {YHWH, Triumphant Sovereign} thundered with a great thunder that day against the Philistines, threw them into turmoil, and they were defeated before Israel.
11 The men of Israel went out from Mizpah {hamitzpah: watchtower region}, chased the Philistines, and struck them down as far as the area below Beth Kar {kar: settlement name}.
12 Then Samuel took a single stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen. He called it Ebenezer {even ha-azer: stone of help} and said, “Up to this point the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer} has helped us.”
13 The Philistines were subdued, and they did not again come into the territory {gevul: border region} of Israel. The hand of the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Defender} was against the Philistines throughout all the days of Samuel.
14 The towns the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines, and there was peace {shalom: covenant wholeness} between Israel and the Amorites {ha’emori: longstanding adversaries}.
15 Samuel {Shemu'el: heard by God} served as judge over Israel for all the days of his life {chayav: span of existence}.
16 Year after year he traveled, making a circuit {savav: judicial route} to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places {mekomot: localities}.
17 He would return to Ramah since his house {beit: dwelling place} was there; from there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge}.