The Ark Stays at Kiriath-jearim
Study note
The men of Kiriath-jearim brought the ark to the house of Abinadab on the hill and set apart his son Eleazar to guard it. The ark stayed there for twenty years. During this long period, all of Israel mourned and longed for the Lord. The ark never returned to Shiloh. Archaeological evidence suggests Shiloh was destroyed around this time, possibly by the Philistines.
1 The people of Kiriath-jearim came and brought the Lord's ark to their city. They took it to the house of a man named Abinadab, which sat on a hill, and they appointed his son Eleazar to take care of the ark. And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
2 The ark stayed in Kiriath-jearim for a very long time, twenty whole years. During all those years, the people of Israel grieved and longed to return to the Lord. And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
Samuel Calls Israel to Repent
Study note
Samuel told the people that if they truly wanted to return to the Lord, they needed to get rid of their foreign gods, including the Baals and Ashtaroth. Baal was the chief Canaanite storm god, and Ashtaroth was the goddess of love and war. The people obeyed and gathered at Mizpah, where they fasted, poured out water before the Lord as a sign of repentance, and confessed their sins. Samuel began serving as judge over Israel at this gathering.
3 Samuel told the people of Israel, "If you are truly coming back to the Lord with all your hearts, then throw away every foreign god and every statue of Ashtaroth. Commit yourselves completely to the Lord and worship him alone. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines." And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 So the Israelites removed all their Baal and Ashtaroth idols and devoted themselves to serving the Lord only. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5 Samuel said, "Bring all of Israel together at Mizpah. I will pray to the Lord on your behalf." And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
6 The people gathered at Mizpah. They drew water and poured it out as an offering before the Lord. They went without food for the day and openly admitted, "We have sinned against the Lord." It was at Mizpah that Samuel began leading Israel as their judge. And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
God Defeats the Philistines
Study note
When the Philistines heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they marched out to attack. The Israelites were afraid and begged Samuel to pray for them. Samuel offered a young lamb as a burnt offering and cried out to the Lord. While Samuel was making the offering, the Philistines attacked, but the Lord thundered from heaven with a mighty sound and threw them into confusion. The Israelites chased the Philistines and defeated them. Samuel set up a stone marker between Mizpah and Shen and named it Ebenezer, meaning 'Thus far the Lord has helped us.'
7 The Philistines found out that the Israelites had all gathered at Mizpah. The Philistine rulers got their army ready and marched toward them. When the Israelites heard the Philistines were coming, they were filled with fear. And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 The people begged Samuel, "Whatever you do, do not stop praying to the Lord our God for us! Ask him to save us from the Philistines!" And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 Samuel took a young lamb and offered it completely as a burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord for Israel's sake, and the Lord answered his prayer. And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
10 Right while Samuel was presenting the offering, the Philistines moved in to attack. But the Lord answered with a tremendous blast of thunder from heaven that day. The noise threw the Philistines into total chaos, and Israel won the battle. 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 upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
11 Israelite soldiers poured out of Mizpah and chased the Philistines. They cut them down all the way to a spot below Beth-car. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.
12 After the victory, Samuel set up a stone between Mizpah and Shen. He called it Ebenezer, meaning "stone of help," and said, "The Lord has helped us every step of the way up to this point." Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
Samuel Judges Israel
Study note
After this victory, the Philistines were kept in check for the rest of Samuel's life. The cities the Philistines had captured were returned to Israel, and there was even peace with the Amorites. Samuel served as judge over Israel for the rest of his life, traveling a circuit each year between Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. His home base was Ramah, where he built an altar to the Lord.
13 The Philistines were thoroughly beaten. They did not invade Israelite territory again. The Lord kept his hand against the Philistines for the rest of Samuel's life. So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 All the towns the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned, from Ekron to Gath, including the surrounding countryside. Israel took back control of this land from the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites. And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15 Samuel served as Israel's judge for the rest of his days. And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 Every year he made a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, serving as judge at each of these towns. And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
17 Then he would return to his home in Ramah, where he also held court for Israel. He built an altar to the Lord there. And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.