1 Samuel 7:8-17 ▼

8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Do not cease to pray before the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.

9 And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a burnt offering wholly to the LORD; and Samuel prayed before the LORD for the children of Israel; and the LORD answered him.

10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines, and threw them into confusion; and they were defeated before Israel.

11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh and pursued the Philistines and smote them as far as below Beth-jashan.

12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Beth-jashan, and called its name Rock of Help, and he said, Hitherto the LORD has helped us.

13 So the Philistines were defeated, and they came no more into the territory of Israel; and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel from Ekron even to Gath, and the boundaries thereof. Thus the LORD delivered Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el and Gilgal and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

17 And he always returned to Ramtha; for there was his house, and there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the LORD.