SHEMU’ĔL 1-7

1 And the men of Qiryath Ye’arim came and took the ark of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and brought it into the house of Aḇinaḏaḇon the hill, and qadosh El’azar his son to guard the ark of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

2 And it came to be, from the day that the ark remained in Qiryath Ye’arim, that the time increased, it came to be twenty years. And all the house of Yisra’ĕl lamented after 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

3 And Shemu’ĕl spoke to all the house of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “If you return to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 with all your hearts, then put away the foreign mighty ones and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and serve Him only, so that He delivers you from the hand of the Pelishtites.”

4 And the children of Yisra’ĕl put away the Ba’als and Ashtaroth, and served 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 only.

5 And Shemu’ĕl said, “Gather all Yisra’ĕl to Mitspah and let me pray to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 for you.”

6 And they gathered to Mitspah and drew water, and poured it out before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.” And Shemu’ĕl rightly ruled the children of Yisra’ĕl at Mitspah.

7 And when the Pelishtites heard that the children of Yisra’ĕl had gathered together at Mitspah, the princes of the Pelishtites went up against Yisra’ĕl. And the children of Yisra’ĕl heard of it, and were afraid of the Pelishtites.

8 And the children of Yisra’ĕl said to Shemu’ĕl, “Do not cease to cry out to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 our Elohim for us, that He would save us from the hand of the Pelishtites.”

9 And Shemu’ĕl took a suckling lamb and offered it as a burnt offering, completely, to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. And Shemu’ĕl cried out to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 for Yisra’ĕl, and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 answered him.

10 And it came to be, as Shemu’ĕl offered up the burnt offering, the Pelishtites drew near to battle against Yisra’ĕl. But 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 thundered with a great noise on that day on the Pelishtites, and troubled them, and they were smitten before Yisra’ĕl.

11 And the men of Yisra’ĕl went out from Mitspah and pursued the Pelishtites, and smote them as below Bĕyth Kar.

12 And Shemu’ĕl took a stone and put it up between Mitspah and Shĕn, and called its name Eḇen ha’Ĕzer, saying, “Thus far 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has helped us.”

13 Thus the Pelishtites were humbled, and no longer came into the border of Yisra’ĕl. And the hand of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was against the Pelishtites all the days of Shemu’ĕl.

14 And the cities which the Pelishtites had taken from Yisra’ĕl were returned to Yisra’ĕl, from Eqron to Gath. And Yisra’ĕl recovered its border from the hands of the Pelishtites. And there was peace between Yisra’ĕl and the Amorites.

15 And Shemu’ĕl rightly ruled Yisra’ĕl all the days of his life,

16 and each year he made the rounds of Bĕyth Ĕl, and Gilgal, and Mitspah, and rightly ruled Yisra’ĕl in all those places.

17 Then he returned to Ramah, for his home was there. And there he rightly ruled Yisra’ĕl, and there he built an altar to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.