1And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Yahweh. 2And it came to pass, from the day that the ark remained in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh. 3And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you{+} are returning to Yahweh with all your{+} heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you{+}, and direct your{+} hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you{+} out of the hand of the Philistines. 4Then the sons of Israel put away the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only. 5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you{+} to Yahweh. 6And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Yahweh. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpah. 7And when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had 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, Don't cease to cry to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 9And Samuel took a nursing lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering to Yahweh: and Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him. 10And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were struck down before Israel. 11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and struck 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 Eben-ezer, saying, So far Yahweh has helped us. 13So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come inside the border of Israel anymore: and the hand of Yahweh 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 their border Israel delivered out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. 15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el 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 he built there an altar to Yahweh.