Samuel Subdues the Philistines

1  וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ (And came) אַנְשֵׁ֣י׀ (the men) קִרְיַ֣ת (of Kiriath-) יְעָרִ֗ים (jearim) וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ (and took) אֶת־ (-) אֲר֣וֹן (the ark) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH), וַיָּבִ֣אוּ (and brought) אֹת֔וֹ (it) אֶל־ (into) בֵּ֥ית (the house) אֲבִינָדָ֖ב (of Abinadab) בַּגִּבְעָ֑ה (on the hill). וְאֶת־ (And) אֶלְעָזָ֤ר (Eleazar) בְּנוֹ֙ (his son) קִדְּשׁ֔וּ (they consecrated) לִשְׁמֹ֖ר (to guard) אֶת־ (-) אֲר֥וֹן (the ark) יְהוָֽה׃פ (of YHWH).

2  וַיְהִ֗י (And it came to pass), מִיּ֞וֹם (that) שֶׁ֤בֶת (remained) הָֽאָרוֹן֙ (the ark) בְּקִרְיַ֣ת (at Kiriath-) יְעָרִ֔ים (jearim), וַיִּרְבּוּ֙ (and were multiplied) הַיָּמִ֔ים (the days) וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ (and it was there)— עֶשְׂרִ֣ים (twenty) שָׁנָ֑ה (years). וַיִּנָּה֛וּ (And lamented) כָּל־ (all) בֵּ֥ית (the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel) אַחֲרֵ֥י (after) יְהוָֽה׃ס (YHWH).

3  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And spoke) שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל (Samuel) אֶל־ (to) כָּל־ (all) בֵּ֣ית (the house) יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ (of Israel), לֵאמֹר֒ (saying), אִם־ (If) בְּכָל־ (with all) לְבַבְכֶ֗ם (your⁺ heart) אַתֶּ֤ם (you⁺) שָׁבִים֙ (are returning) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH), הָסִ֜ירוּ (put away) אֶת־ (-) אֱלֹהֵ֧י (gods) הַנֵּכָ֛ר (the foreign) מִתּוֹכְכֶ֖ם (from your⁺ midst), וְהָעַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת (and the Ashtoreths), וְהָכִ֨ינוּ (and prepare) לְבַבְכֶ֤ם (your⁺ hearts) אֶל־ (for) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH), וְעִבְדֻ֣הוּ (and serve Him) לְבַדּ֔וֹ (only). וְיַצֵּ֥ל (And He will deliver) אֶתְכֶ֖ם (you⁺) מִיַּ֥ד (from the hand) פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ (of the Philistines).

4  וַיָּסִ֙ירוּ֙ (And put away) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel) אֶת־ (-) הַבְּעָלִ֖ים (the Baals) וְאֶת־ (and) הָעַשְׁתָּרֹ֑ת (the Ashtoreths), וַיַּעַבְד֥וּ (and they served) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) לְבַדּֽוֹ׃פ (only).

5  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (Samuel), קִבְצ֥וּ (Gather) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) הַמִּצְפָּ֑תָה (to Mizpah), וְאֶתְפַּלֵּ֥ל (and I will pray) בַּעַדְכֶ֖ם (for you⁺) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH).

6  וַיִּקָּבְצ֣וּ (And they gathered together) הַ֠מִּצְפָּתָה (at Mizpah), וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־ (and they drew) מַ֜יִם (water), וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכ֣וּ׀ (and poured it out) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH). וַיָּצ֙וּמוּ֙ (And they fasted) בַּיּ֣וֹם (the day) הַה֔וּא (that) וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ (and said) שָׁ֔ם (there), חָטָ֖אנוּ (We have sinned) לַיהוָ֑ה (against YHWH). וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֧ט (And judged) שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל (Samuel) אֶת־ (-) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel) בַּמִּצְפָּֽה׃ (at Mizpah).

7  וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ (And heard) פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים (the Philistines) כִּֽי־ (that) הִתְקַבְּצ֤וּ (had gathered together) בְנֵֽי־ (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel) הַמִּצְפָּ֔תָה (at Mizpah), וַיַּעֲל֥וּ (and went up) סַרְנֵֽי־ (the lords) פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים (of the Philistines) אֶל־ (against) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Israel). וַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ (And heard) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), וַיִּֽרְא֖וּ (and they were afraid) מִפְּנֵ֥י (of) פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ (the Philistines). 8  וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ (And said) בְנֵֽי־ (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel) אֶל־ (to) שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (Samuel), אַל־ (Not) תַּחֲרֵ֣שׁ (do cease) מִמֶּ֔נּוּ (from) מִזְּעֹ֖ק (crying out) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ (our God), וְיֹשִׁעֵ֖נוּ (that He may save us) מִיַּ֥ד (from the hand) פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ (of the Philistines).

9  וַיִּקַּ֣ח (And took) שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל (Samuel) טְלֵ֤ה (lamb) חָלָב֙ (suckling) אֶחָ֔ד (one) וַיַּעֲלֶה (and offered it) עוֹלָ֛ה (as a burnt offering) כָּלִ֖יל (whole) לַֽיהוָ֑ה (to YHWH). וַיִּזְעַ֨ק (And cried out) שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל (Samuel) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) בְּעַ֣ד (for) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel), וַֽיַּעֲנֵ֖הוּ (and answered him) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH). 10  וַיְהִ֤י (And was) שְׁמוּאֵל֙ (Samuel) מַעֲלֶ֣ה (offering up) הָעוֹלָ֔ה (the burnt offering), וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים (and the Philistines) נִגְּשׁ֔וּ (drew near) לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה (to the battle) בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (against Israel). וַיַּרְעֵ֣ם (And thundered) יְהוָ֣ה׀ (YHWH) בְּקוֹל־ (with a thunder) גָּ֠דוֹל (loud) בַּיּ֨וֹם (day) הַה֤וּא (that) עַל־ (upon) פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ (the Philistines), וַיְהֻמֵּ֔ם (and He confused them) וַיִּנָּגְפ֖וּ (and they were struck) לִפְנֵ֥י (before the face of) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Israel).

11  וַיֵּ֨צְא֜וּ (And went out) אַנְשֵׁ֤י (the men) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel) מִן־ (from) הַמִּצְפָּ֔ה (Mizpah), וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ (and pursued) אֶת־ (-) פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים (the Philistines), וַיַּכּ֕וּם (and drove them back) עַד־ (even) מִתַּ֖חַת (as far as) לְבֵ֥ית (below Beth-) כָּֽר׃ (car).

12  וַיִּקַּ֨ח (And took) שְׁמוּאֵ֜ל (Samuel) אֶ֣בֶן (stone) אַחַ֗ת (one) וַיָּ֤שֶׂם (and set it up) בֵּֽין־ (between) הַמִּצְפָּה֙ (Mizpah) וּבֵ֣ין (and between) הַשֵּׁ֔ן (Shen), וַיִּקְרָ֥א (and he called) אֶת־ (-) שְׁמָ֖הּ (its name) אֶ֣בֶן (Eben) הָעָ֑זֶר (Ezer), וַיֹּאמַ֕ר (and abd said), עַד־ (As far as) הֵ֖נָּה (here) עֲזָרָ֥נוּ (has helped us) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH).

13  וַיִּכָּֽנְעוּ֙ (And were subdued) הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (the Philistines), וְלֹא־ (and not) יָסְפ֣וּ (they added) ע֔וֹד (anymore) לָב֖וֹא (to come) בִּגְב֣וּל (into the territory) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel). וַתְּהִ֤י (And was) יַד־ (the hand) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (against the Philistines) כֹּ֖ל (all) יְמֵ֥י (the days) שְׁמוּאֵֽל׃ (of Samuel). 14  וַתָּשֹׁ֣בְנָה (And were restored) הֶעָרִ֡ים (the cities) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) לָֽקְחוּ־ (had taken) פְלִשְׁתִּים֩ (the Philistines) מֵאֵ֨ת (from) יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל׀ (Israel) לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (to Israel), מֵעֶקְר֣וֹן (from Ekron) וְעַד־ (and to) גַּ֔ת (Gath); וְאֶ֨ת־ (and) גְּבוּלָ֔ן (its territory) הִצִּ֥יל (delivered) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) מִיַּ֣ד (from the hand) פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים (of the Philistines). וַיְהִ֣י (And there was) שָׁל֔וֹם (peace) בֵּ֥ין (between) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) וּבֵ֥ין (and between) הָאֱמֹרִֽי׃ (the Amorite).

15  וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֤ט (And judged) שְׁמוּאֵל֙ (Samuel) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel) כֹּ֖ל (all) יְמֵ֥י (the days) חַיָּֽיו׃ (of his life). 16  וְהָלַ֗ךְ (And He went) מִדֵּ֤י (from) שָׁנָה֙ (year) בְּשָׁנָ֔ה (to year) וְסָבַב֙ (and on a circuit) בֵּֽית־ (to Beth-) אֵ֔ל (el), וְהַגִּלְגָּ֖ל (and Gilgal), וְהַמִּצְפָּ֑ה (and Mizpah), וְשָׁפַט֙ (and he judged) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel) אֵ֥ת (in) כָּל־ (all) הַמְּקוֹמ֖וֹת (the places) הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (these). 17  וּתְשֻׁבָת֤וֹ (And his returning) הָרָמָ֙תָה֙ (was to Ramath), כִּֽי־ (for) שָׁ֣ם (was there) בֵּית֔וֹ (his house), וְשָׁ֖ם (and there) שָׁפָ֣ט (he judged) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Israel). וַיִּֽבֶן־ (And he built) שָׁ֥ם (there) מִזְבֵּ֖חַ (an altar) לַֽיהוָֽה׃פ (to YHWH).