1So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. 2The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time – twenty years in all.
Samuel subdues the Philistines at Mizpah
Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. 3So Samuel said to all the Israelites, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’ 4So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
5Then Samuel said, ‘Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.’ 6When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured 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 leader7:6 Traditionally judge; also in verse 15 of Israel at Mizpah.
7When 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 because of the Philistines. 8They said to Samuel, ‘Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.’ 9Then Samuel 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.
10While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites. 11The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.
12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,7:12 Ebenezer means stone of help. saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’
13So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 14The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighbouring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15Samuel continued as Israel’s leader all the days of his life. 16From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. 17But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also held court for Israel. And he built an altar there to the Lord.
1Choncho anthu a ku Kiriati-Yearimu anabwera ndi kudzatenga Bokosi la Yehova. Iwo anapita nalo ku nyumba ya Abinadabu ya ku phiri ndipo anapatula Eliezara mwana wake kuti aziyangʼanira Bokosi la Yehovalo.
Samueli Agonjetsa Afilisti ku Mizipa
2Zaka makumi awiri zinapita kuyambira pamene Bokosi la Yehova linakhala ku Kiriati-Yearimu, ndipo anthu a Israeli onse analira kupempha Yehova kuti awathandize. 3Ndipo Samueli anati kwa nyumba yonse ya Israeli, “Ngati mukubwerera kwa Yehova ndi mtima wanu wonse, muchotse milungu yachilendo ndi Asiteroti pakati panu ndipo mitima yanu ikhazikike pa Yehova ndi kutumikira Iye yekha. Mukatero Iye adzakupulumutsani mʼmanja mwa Afilisti.” 4Choncho Aisraeli anachotsa milungu yawo ya Baala ndi Asitoreti ndi kutumikira Yehova yekha.
5Kenaka Samueli anati, “Sonkhanitsani Aisraeli onse ku Mizipa ndipo ine ndidzakupemphererani kwa Yehova.” 6Choncho anasonkhana ku Mizipa, ndipo anatunga madzi ndi kuwathira pansi pamaso pa Yehova. Pa tsiku limenelo anasala kudya namanena kuti, “Ife tachimwira Yehova.” Ndipo Samueli anali mtsogoleri wa Israeli ku Mizipa.
7Afilisti anamva kuti Aisraeli asonkhana ku Mizipa, choncho akalonga awo anabwera kudzawathira nkhondo. Ndipo Aisraeli atamva anachita mantha chifukwa cha Afilisti. 8Choncho anati kwa Samueli, “Musasiye kutipempherera kwa Yehova Mulungu wathu, kuti atipulumutse mʼdzanja la Afilistiwa.” 9Ndipo Samueli anatenga mwana wankhosa wamkazi woyamwa ndi kumupereka monga nsembe yopsereza kwa Yehova. Iye anapemphera kwa Yehova mʼmalo mwa Aisraeli, ndipo Yehova anamuyankha.
10Samueli akupereka nsembe yopsereza, Afilisti anayandikira kuti ayambe kuwathira nkhondo Aisraeli. Koma tsiku limenelo Yehova anawaopseza Afilisti aja ndi mawu aakulu ngati bingu. Choncho anasokonezeka motero kuti Aisraeli anawagonjetsa. 11Aisraeli anatuluka ku Mizipa kuthamangitsa Afilisti aja nʼkumawapha mʼnjira yonse mpaka kumunsi kwa Beti-Kari.
12Kenaka Samueli anatenga mwala nawuyika pakati pa Mizipa ndi Seni. Iye anawutcha Ebenezeri, popeza anati, “Yehova watithandiza mpaka pano.” 13Kotero Afilisti anagonjetsedwa ndipo sanadzalowenso mʼdziko la Israeli.
Yehova analimbana ndi Afilisti masiku onse a Samueli. 14Mizinda yonse imene Afilisti analanda kuchokera ku Ekroni mpaka ku Gati inabwezedwa kwa Aisraeli. Choncho Aisraeli anapulumutsa dziko lawo. Ndipo panalinso mtendere pakati pa Aisraeli ndi Aamori.
15Samueli anatsogolera Aisraeli moyo wake wonse. 16Chaka ndi chaka Samueli ankakonza ulendo wozungulira kuchokera ku Beteli mpaka ku Giligala ndi Mizipa, kuweruza milandu ya Aisraeli mʼmadera onsewa. 17Koma pambuyo pake ankabwerera ku Rama, kumene kunali nyumba yake. Ankaweruza Aisraeli kumeneko. Ndipo iye anamanga guwa lansembe la Yehova kumeneko.
