Samuel Subdues the Philistines

1And so the men of Kiriathiarim came and set vp the arke of the Lorde, & brought it into the house of Aminadab in the hyll, and sanctified Eleazar his sonne, to keepe the arke of the Lorde. 2And while the arke abode in Kiriathiarim, the tyme was long, for it was twentie yeres: & all the house of Israel lamented after the Lorde.

3And Samnel spake vnto al the house of Israel, saying: If ye be come agayne vnto the Lorde with all your heartes, then put away the straunge gods and Astaroth from among you, and prepare your heartes vnto the Lord, and serue him onely: For he shall ryd you out of the hand of the Philistines. 4Then the children of Israel dyd put away Baalim and Astaroth, and serued the Lorde onely.

5And Samuel sayde: Gather all Israel to Mispah, and I wyll praye for you vnto the Lord. 6And they gathered together to Mispah, and drewe water, and poured it out before the Lorde, and fasted the same day, and sayd there: We haue sinned against the Lorde. And Samuel iudged the children of Israel in Mispah.

7When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mispah, the princes of the Philistines went vp against Israel: And when the children of Israel hard that, they were afrayde of the Philistines. 8And the children of Israel sayd to Samuel: Ceasse not to crye vnto the lord our God for vs, that he may saue vs out of the hand of the Philistines. 9And Samuel toke a sucking lambe, and offered it altogether for a burnt offering vnto the Lord, and cryed vnto the Lorde for Israel, and the Lorde heard him. 10And as Samuel offered the burnt offering, the Philistines came to fight against Israel: But the Lorde thundred a great thunder the same day among the Philistines, & scattered them, that they were slaine before Israel. 11And the men of Israel went out of Mispah, and pursued the Philistines, & smote the vntill they came vnder Bethchar.

12And then Samuel toke a stone, and pitched it betweene Mispah & Shen, and called the name thereof Eben ezer, saying: Hitherto hath the Lorde helped vs. 13And so the Philistines were brought vnder, and they came no more into the coaste of Israel: and the hande of the Lorde was against the Philistines all the dayes of Samuel. 14Therto the cities which that the Philistines had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel euen from Acaron to Gath, and the coastes of the same dyd Israel deliuer out of the handes of the Philistines: And there was peace betweene Israel and the Amorites.

15Samuel iudged Israel all the dayes of his life: 16And went about yere by yere to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mispah, and iudged Israel in all those places. 17And came againe to Rama, for there was his house, and there he iudged Israel also, & there he buylt an aulter vnto the Lorde.