1Samuel 7:17 - Prayer Tents

7And 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.H582H7157H935H5927H727H3068H935H1004H41H1389H6942H499H1121H8104H727H3068 2From 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.H3117H727H3427H7157H3117H7235H6242H8141H1004H3478H5091H310H3068 3Then 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."H8050H559H1004H3478H559H7725H3068H3824H5493H5236H430H6252H8432H3559H3824H3068H5647H5337H3027H6430 4They 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.H1121H3478H5493H1168H6252H5647H3068 5Next Samuel said, "Get everybody together at Mizpah and I'll pray for you."H8050H559H6908H3478H4708H6419H3068 6So 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.H6908H4709H7579H4325H8210H6440H3068H6684H3117H559H2398H3068H8050H8199H1121H3478H4708

The Place Where God Helped Us

7When 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!H6430H8085H1121H3478H6908H4708H5633H6430H5927H3478H1121H3478H8085H3372H6440H6430 8They 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."H1121H3478H559H8050H2790H2199H3068H430H3467H3027H6430 9Samuel 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.H8050H3947H259H2461H2924H5927H5930H3632H3068H8050H2199H3068H3478H3068H6030 10While 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.H8050H5927H5930H6430H5066H4421H3478H3068H7481H1419H6963H3117H6430H2000H5062H6440H3478 11Israel poured out of Mizpah and gave chase, killing Philistines right and left, to a point just beyond Beth Car.H582H3478H3318H4709H7291H6430H5221H1033 12Samuel 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."H8050H3947H259H68H7760H4709H8129H7121H8034H72H559H3068H5826 13The Philistines learned their lesson and stayed home—no more border crossings. GOD was hard on the Philistines all through Samuel's lifetime.H6430H3665H935H3254H1366H3478H3027H3068H6430H3117H8050 14All 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.H5892H6430H3947H3478H7725H3478H6138H1661H1366H3478H5337H3027H6430H7965H3478H567 15Samuel gave solid leadership to Israel his entire life.H8050H8199H3478H3117H2416 16Every year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah. He gave leadership to Israel in each of these places.H1980H1767H8141H8141H5437H1008H1537H4709H8199H3478H4725 17But always he would return to Ramah, where he lived, and preside from there. That is where he built an altar to GOD.H8666H7414H1004H8199H3478H1129H4196H3068