1And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of LORD. 2And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long, for it was twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after LORD. 3And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return to LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to LORD, and serve him only. And he will deli 4Then the sons of Israel did put away the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served LORD only. 5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to LORD. 6And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against LORD. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpah. 7And when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, Do not cease to cry to LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 9And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering to LORD. And Samuel cried to LORD for Israel, and LORD answered him. 10And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel, but LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them, and they were smitten down before 11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them until they came under Beth-car. 12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, LORD has helped us to now. 13So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel, and the hand of LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath. And Israel delivered the border of it out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amori 15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all those places. 17And his return was to Ramah, for his house was there. And there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to LORD.