1The men of Kiriath Jearim came and took Yahweh's ark. They brought it to Abinadab's house on the hill and set apart his son Eleazar to guard Yahweh's ark.
2A long time passed from the day the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim—it was twenty years. During this time, all the people of Israel longed for Yahweh.
3Samuel spoke to all the people of Israel and said, "If you are truly returning to Yahweh with all your heart, then get rid of the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth among you. Dedicate your hearts to Yahweh and serve only him, and he will rescue you from the power of the Philistines."
4So the people of Israel removed the images of Baal and Ashtoreth and served only Yahweh.
5Samuel said, "Gather all of Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you."
6They gathered at Mizpah, drew water and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted that day. They confessed there, "We have sinned against Yahweh." Samuel then acted as judge for the people of Israel at Mizpah.
7When the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up against Israel. When the people of Israel heard about it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8The people of Israel said to Samuel, "Don't stop crying out to Yahweh our God for us, so that he will save us from the Philistines."
9Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to Yahweh as a whole burnt offering. Samuel cried out to Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him.
10While Samuel was offering the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to attack Israel. But Yahweh thundered loudly against the Philistines that day, confusing them completely, and they were defeated before Israel.
11The men of Israel left Mizpah, chased the Philistines, and defeated them until they reached an area below Beth Kar.
12Then Samuel took a stone, placed it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, "Yahweh has helped us up to this point."
13So the Philistines were defeated and stopped entering Israel's territory. Yahweh's power was against the Philistines throughout Samuel's lifetime.
14The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel, from Ekron all the way to Gath, were returned to Israel. Israel reclaimed its land from the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15Samuel served as judge over Israel his entire life.
16Every year, he traveled in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.
17He would return to Ramah, because his home was there. He judged Israel there and built an altar to Yahweh there.