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1. And they did. The men of Kiriath Jearim came and got the Chest of GOD and delivered it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. They ordained his son, Eleazar, to take responsibility for the Chest of GOD.
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1. And the men H376 of Kirjath H7157 -jearim came H935 , and fetched up H5927 H853 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 , and brought H935 it into H413 the house H1004 of Abinadab H41 in the hill H1389 , and sanctified H6942 Eleazar H499 his son H1121 to keep H8104 H853 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 .
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2. From the time that the Chest came to rest in Kiriath Jearim, a long time passed--twenty years it was--and throughout Israel there was a widespread, fearful movement toward GOD.
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2. And it came to pass H1961 , while H4480 H3117 the ark H727 abode H3427 in Kirjath H7157 -jearim , that the time H3117 was long H7235 ; for it was H1961 twenty H6242 years H8141 : and all H3605 the house H1004 of Israel H3478 lamented H5091 after H310 the LORD H3068 .
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3. Then Samuel addressed the house of Israel: "If you are truly serious about coming back to GOD, clean house. Get rid of the foreign gods and fertility goddesses, ground yourselves firmly in GOD, worship him and him alone, and he'll save you from Philistine oppression."
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3. And Samuel H8050 spoke H559 unto H413 all H3605 the house H1004 of Israel H3478 , saying H559 , If H518 ye H859 do return H7725 unto H413 the LORD H3068 with all H3605 your hearts H3824 , then put away H5493 H853 the strange H5236 gods H430 and Ashtaroth H6252 from among H4480 H8432 you , and prepare H3559 your hearts H3824 unto H413 the LORD H3068 , and serve H5647 him only H905 : and he will deliver H5337 you out of the hand H4480 H3027 of the Philistines H6430 .
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4. They did it. They got rid of the gods and goddesses, the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and gave their exclusive attention and service to GOD.
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4. Then the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did put away H5493 H853 Baalim H1168 and Ashtaroth H6252 , and served H5647 H853 the LORD H3068 only H905 .
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5. Next Samuel said, "Get everybody together at Mizpah and I'll pray for you."
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5. And Samuel H8050 said H559 , Gather H6908 H853 all H3605 Israel H3478 to Mizpeh H4709 , and I will pray H6419 for H1157 you unto H413 the LORD H3068 .
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6. So everyone assembled at Mizpah. They drew water from the wells and poured it out before GOD in a ritual of cleansing. They fasted all day and prayed, "We have sinned against GOD." So Samuel prepared the Israelites for holy war there at Mizpah.
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6. And they gathered together H6908 to Mizpeh H4709 , and drew H7579 water H4325 , and poured it out H8210 before H6440 the LORD H3068 , and fasted H6684 on that H1931 day H3117 , and said H559 there H8033 , We have sinned H2398 against the LORD H3068 . And Samuel H8050 judged H8199 H853 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in Mizpeh H4709 .
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7. When the Philistines heard that Israel was meeting at Mizpah, the Philistine leaders went on the offensive. Israel got the report and became frightened--Philistines on the move again!
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7. And when the Philistines H6430 heard H8085 that H3588 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were gathered together H6908 to Mizpeh H4709 , the lords H5633 of the Philistines H6430 went up H5927 against H413 Israel H3478 . And when the children H1121 of Israel H3478 heard H8085 it , they were afraid H3372 of H4480 H6440 the Philistines H6430 .
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8. They pleaded with Samuel, "Pray with all your might! And don't let up! Pray to GOD, our God, that he'll save us from the boot of the Philistines."
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8. And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 said H559 to H413 Samuel H8050 , Cease H2790 not H408 to cry H4480 H2199 unto H413 the LORD H3068 our God H430 for H4480 us , that he will save H3467 us out of the hand H4480 H3027 of the Philistines H6430 .
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9. Samuel took a young lamb not yet weaned and offered it whole as a Whole-Burnt-Offering to GOD. He prayed fervently to GOD, interceding for Israel. And GOD answered.
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9. And Samuel H8050 took H3947 a H259 sucking H2461 lamb H2924 , and offered H5927 it for a burnt offering H5930 wholly H3632 unto the LORD H3068 : and Samuel H8050 cried H2199 unto H413 the LORD H3068 for H1157 Israel H3478 ; and the LORD H3068 heard H6030 him.
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10. While Samuel was offering the sacrifice, the Philistines came within range to fight Israel. Just then GOD thundered, a huge thunderclap exploding among the Philistines. They panicked--mass confusion!--and ran helter-skelter from Israel.
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10. And as Samuel H8050 was H1961 offering up H5927 the burnt offering H5930 , the Philistines H6430 drew near H5066 to battle H4421 against Israel H3478 : but the LORD H3068 thundered H7481 with a great H1419 thunder H6963 on that H1931 day H3117 upon H5921 the Philistines H6430 , and discomfited H2000 them ; and they were smitten H5062 before H6440 Israel H3478 .
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11. Israel poured out of Mizpah and gave chase, killing Philistines right and left, to a point just beyond Beth Car.
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11. And the men H376 of Israel H3478 went out H3318 of H4480 Mizpeh H4709 , and pursued H7291 H853 the Philistines H6430 , and smote H5221 them, until H5704 they came under H4480 H8478 Beth H1033 -car.
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12. Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it "Ebenezer" (Rock of Help), saying, "This marks the place where GOD helped us."
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12. Then Samuel H8050 took H3947 a H259 stone H68 , and set H7760 it between H996 Mizpeh H4709 and Shen H8129 , and called H7121 H853 the name H8034 of it Ebenezer H72 , saying H559 , Hitherto H5704 H2009 hath the LORD H3068 helped H5826 us.
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13. The Philistines learned their lesson and stayed home--no more border crossings. GOD was hard on the Philistines all through Samuel's lifetime.
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13. So the Philistines H6430 were subdued H3665 , and they came H935 no H3808 more H3254 H5750 into the coast H1366 of Israel H3478 : and the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was H1961 against the Philistines H6430 all H3605 the days H3117 of Samuel H8050 .
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14. All the cities from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored. Israel also freed the surrounding countryside from Philistine control. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
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14. And the cities H5892 which H834 the Philistines H6430 had taken H3947 from H4480 H854 Israel H3478 were restored H7725 to Israel H3478 , from Ekron H4480 H6138 even unto H5704 Gath H1661 ; and the coasts H1366 thereof did Israel H3478 deliver H5337 out of the hands H4480 H3027 of the Philistines H6430 . And there was H1961 peace H7965 between H996 Israel H3478 and the Amorites H567 .
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15. Samuel gave solid leadership to Israel his entire life.
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15. And Samuel H8050 judged H8199 H853 Israel H3478 all H3605 the days H3117 of his life H2416 .
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16. Every year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah. He gave leadership to Israel in each of these places.
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16. And he went H1980 from H4880 H1767 year H8141 to year H8141 in circuit H5437 to Bethel H1008 , and Gilgal H1537 , and Mizpeh H4709 , and judged H8199 H853 Israel H3478 in H854 all H3605 those H428 places H4725 .
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17. But always he would return to Ramah, where he lived, and preside from there. That is where he built an altar to GOD.
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17. And his return H8666 was to Ramah H7414 ; for H3588 there H8033 was his house H1004 ; and there H8033 he judged H8199 H853 Israel H3478 ; and there H8033 he built H1129 an altar H4196 unto the LORD H3068 .
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