Samuel Leads Israel at Mizpah

The ark was taken to Kiriath Jearim and brought into the house of Abinadab on the hill. Eleazar, Abinadab’s son, was set apart to keep it. The ark remained there for twenty years, and the people of Israel grieved and longed for the Lord.

Samuel told all Israel that if they were truly returning to the Lord, they must put away their foreign gods and the Ashtaroth, direct their hearts to the Lord, and serve him only. The people listened. They removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the Lord alone.

Then Samuel called all Israel to gather at Mizpah so he could pray for them. There they poured out water before the Lord, fasted that day, and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. At Mizpah, Samuel also judged the people of Israel.

When the Philistine lords heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they came up against them. Israel was afraid and begged Samuel not to stop crying out to the Lord for them. Samuel offered a suckling lamb as a whole burnt offering and cried out to the Lord, and the Lord answered him.

While Samuel was offering the sacrifice, the Philistines came near for battle. But that day the Lord thundered with a great thunder against them and threw them into confusion. The men of Israel went out from Mizpah, chased them, and struck them down as far as below Beth Kar. Then Samuel set up a stone between Mizpah and Shen and called it Ebenezer, because the Lord had helped them.

After that, the Philistines were subdued and stopped coming within Israel’s border during Samuel’s days. Cities were restored to Israel, and there was peace with the Amorites. Samuel judged Israel all his life, travelling between Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he also judged from Ramah, where he built an altar to the Lord. When Israel was afraid, what did they ask Samuel to do?