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 neighboring 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.
1基列·耶琳人就下來把耶和華的約櫃抬到山上，放在亞比拿達的家裡，特派他的兒子以利亞撒看守耶和華的約櫃。
撒母耳征服非利士人
2約櫃在基列·耶琳停留了二十年。那時，全體以色列人都痛悔地尋求耶和華。 3撒母耳對他們說：「如果你們全心歸向耶和華，就要除掉你們中間那些外族的神明和亞斯她錄神像，一心歸向耶和華，單單事奉祂，祂必從非利士人手中救你們。」 4於是，他們除掉了巴力和亞斯她錄神像，單單事奉耶和華。
5撒母耳又說：「你們全體以色列人到米斯巴來，我會為你們向耶和華祈求。」 6他們就在那裡聚集，打水倒在耶和華面前，並在當天禁食。他們說：「我們得罪了耶和華。」於是，撒母耳在米斯巴做以色列人的士師。 7非利士人聽說以色列人在米斯巴聚集，他們的首領就率領軍隊來攻打以色列人。以色列人聽見消息後，非常害怕。 8他們對撒母耳說：「請你為我們不停地呼求我們的上帝耶和華，求祂從非利士人手中拯救我們。」 9撒母耳把一隻還在吃奶的羊羔獻給耶和華作全牲燔祭。他為以色列人呼求耶和華，耶和華垂聽了他的祈求。 10撒母耳正在獻燔祭的時候，非利士人前來攻打以色列人。那天，耶和華向非利士人發出雷霆之聲，使他們陷入恐慌，敗在了以色列人手下。 11以色列人從米斯巴一路追殺他們，直到伯·甲附近。
12撒母耳拿了一塊石頭放在米斯巴和善的中間，稱之為以便以謝7·12 「以便以謝」意思是「援助之石」。，說：「耶和華到如今都幫助我們。」
13這樣非利士人被征服了，沒有再侵犯以色列邊境。在撒母耳有生之年，耶和華一直出手對付非利士人。 14以色列人收復了從以革倫到迦特之間被非利士人奪去的城邑，並奪回了這些城邑的周邊地區。那時以色列人與亞摩利人和平共處。
15撒母耳一生做以色列人的士師。 16他每年都到伯特利、吉甲、米斯巴各地巡迴，審理以色列人的案件。 17之後，他才回到拉瑪自己的家中，也在那裡審理以色列人的案件，並為耶和華築了一座祭壇。
