2 The sacred chest ended up staying in Kiriat-Yearim for twenty years but the Israelis longed sadly for Yahweh.

3 Then Shemuel told all the Israelis, “If you all really want to return to Yahweh, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtorets from among you. Then decide firmly to serve Yahweh and no other, then he’ll rescue you from the Philistines’ oppression.” 4 So the Israelis removed the Baal and Ashtoret idols, and began to serve Yahweh only.

5 Then Shemuel called, “Gather all Israel to Mitspah, and I’ll pray to Yahweh for you all.” 6 So they gathered at Mitspah, and drew water and poured it out in front of Yahweh, and they fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” And Shemuel guided the Israelis at Mitspah.

7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelis had gathered at Mitspah, the Philistine rulers decided to attack Israel. When the Israelis heard that, they were afraid of the Philistines 8 and begged Shemuel, “Don’t stop crying out to our God Yahweh, so that he’ll rescue us from the Philistines.” 9 So Shemuel got a young lamb and offered it up—a whole burnt up offering to Yahweh. And he cried out to Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him. 10 While Shemuel was offering up that burnt offering, the Philistines approached to battle against Israel. But that day Yahweh made an intense sound like thunder that confused the Philistines and the Israelis were able to defeat them. 11 The Israeli men ran out from Mitspah and chased the Philistines—killing them all the way to Beyt-Kar.

12 Shemuel took a single rock and stood it between Mitspah and Shen. He named it ‘Eben-Ezer’ (which means ‘stone of help’), saying, “Yahweh helped us all the way up to here.” 13 So the Philistines ended up being subdued and didn’t invade Israel’s border again, and Yahweh worked against the Philistines as long as Shemuel lived. 14 The cities that the Philistines had taken from Ekron and as far as Gat were returned to Israel. And so Israel rescued their territory from the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 So Shemuel guided Israel while he lived. 16 Every year he did the circuit around Bethel, Gilgal, and Mitspah, and he helped settled disputes for the people in all those places, 17 but he always returned to Ramah because his home was there. He would judge disputes there, and built an altar to Yahweh there.