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1 Samuel 7

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ So the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill. ⓐ They consecrated his son Eleazar to take care of it.

² Time went by until 20 years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel began to seek the LORD.

³ Samuel told them, “If you ⓑ are returning to the LORD ⓒ with all your heart, ⓓ get rid of the foreign gods ⓔ and the Ashtoreths that are among you, dedicate yourselves to [1] the LORD, and worship only Him. ⓕ Then He will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”

⁴ So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths ⓖ and only worshiped the LORD.

⁵ Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, ⓗ and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.” ⓘ

⁶ When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the LORD’s presence. ⓙ They fasted that day, ⓚ and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” ⓛ And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.

⁸ The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, so that He will save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

⁹ Then Samuel took a young lamb ⓜ and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him. ⓝ

¹⁰ Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel. The LORD thundered loudly ⓞ against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel. ⓟ

¹¹ Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines striking them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.

¹² Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright ⓠ between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, [2] explaining, “The LORD has helped us to this point.”

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued ⓡ and [3] did not invade Israel’s territory again. ⓢ The LORD’s hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life.

¹⁴ The cities from Ekron to Gath, which they had taken from Israel, were restored; Israel even rescued their surrounding territories from Philistine control. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.

¹⁵ Samuel judged Israel throughout his life. ⓣ

¹⁶ Every year he would go on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah and would judge Israel at all these locations.

¹⁷ Then he would return to Ramah ⓤ because his home was there, he judged Israel there, and he built an altar to the LORD there.

#	HCSB
1	So the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill. ⓐ They consecrated his son Eleazar to take care of it.
2	Time went by until 20 years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel began to seek the LORD.
3	Samuel told them, “If you ⓑ are returning to the LORD ⓒ with all your heart, ⓓ get rid of the foreign gods ⓔ and the Ashtoreths that are among you, dedicate yourselves to [1] the LORD, and worship only Him. ⓕ Then He will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4	So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths ⓖ and only worshiped the LORD.
5	Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, ⓗ and I will pray to the LORD on your behalf.” ⓘ
6	When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the LORD’s presence. ⓙ They fasted that day, ⓚ and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the LORD.” ⓛ And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
7	When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
8	The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, so that He will save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9	Then Samuel took a young lamb ⓜ and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him. ⓝ
10	Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel. The LORD thundered loudly ⓞ against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel. ⓟ
11	Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines striking them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.
12	Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright ⓠ between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, [2] explaining, “The LORD has helped us to this point.”
13	So the Philistines were subdued ⓡ and [3] did not invade Israel’s territory again. ⓢ The LORD’s hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life.
14	The cities from Ekron to Gath, which they had taken from Israel, were restored; Israel even rescued their surrounding territories from Philistine control. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15	Samuel judged Israel throughout his life. ⓣ
16	Every year he would go on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah and would judge Israel at all these locations.
17	Then he would return to Ramah ⓤ because his home was there, he judged Israel there, and he built an altar to the LORD there.

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1 Samuel 7

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