1Samuel 4-8; Psalm 79 - Prayer Tents



Share: Select All button

Previous ChapterNext ChapterReduce Font SizeIncrease Font Size
1Samuel 4-8; Psalm 79
New International Version (1984) Help
One Story That Leads to Jesus, Day 79 Help Icon

1Samuel 4

4And Samuel's word came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek.H1697H8050H3478H3478H3318H7125H6430H4421H2583H72H6430H2583H6632The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield.H6430H6186H7125H3478H5203H4421H3478H5062H6440H6430H5221H4634H7704H702H505H3763When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, "Why did the LORD bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the LORD'S covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies."H5971H935H4264H2205H3478H559H3068H5062H3117H6440H6430H3947H727H1285H3068H7887H935H7130H3467H3709H3414So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.H5971H7971H7887H5375H727H1285H3068H6635H3427H3742H8147H1121H5941H2652H6372H727H1285H4305When the ark of the LORD'S covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.H727H1285H3068H935H4264H3478H7321H1419H8643H776H19496Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, "What's all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?" When they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp,H6430H8085H6963H8643H559H6963H1419H8643H4264H5680H3045H727H3068H935H42647the Philistines were afraid. "A god has come into the camp," they said. "We're in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before.H6430H3372H559H430H935H4264H559H188H865H80328Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert.H188H5337H3027H117H430H430H5221H4714H4347H40579Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!"H2388H1961H582H6430H5647H5680H5647H1961H582H389810So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.H6430H3898H3478H5062H5127H376H168H3966H1419H4347H5307H3478H7970H505H727311The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.H727H430H3947H8147H1121H5941H2652H6372H419112That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh, his clothes torn and dust on his head.H7323H376H1144H4634H935H7887H3117H4055H7167H127H721813When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.H935H5941H3427H3678H1870H3027H3197H6822H3820H2730H727H430H376H935H5892H5046H5892H219914Eli heard the outcry and asked, "What is the meaning of this uproar?" The man hurried over to Eli,H5941H8085H6963H6818H559H6963H1995H376H935H4116H5046H594115who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes were set so that he could not see.H5941H8673H8083H8141H1121H5869H6965H3201H720016He told Eli, "I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day." Eli asked, "What happened, my son?"H376H559H5941H935H4634H5127H3117H4634H559H1697H112117The man who brought the news replied, "Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured."H1319H6030H559H3478H5127H6440H6430H1419H4046H5971H8147H1121H2652H6372H4191H727H430H394718When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led Israel forty years.H2142H727H430H5307H3678H322H1157H3027H8179H4665H7665H4191H2204H376H3513H8199H3478H705H814119His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains.H3618H6372H802H2030H3205H8085H8052H413H727H430H3947H2524H376H4191H3766H3205H6735H201520As she was dying, the women attending her said, "Don't despair; you have given birth to a son." But she did not respond or pay any attention.H6256H4191H5324H1696H3372H3205H1121H6030H7896H382021She named the boy Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel"--because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.H7121H5288H350H559H3519H1540H3478H413H727H430H3947H2524H37622She said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."H559H3519H1540H3478H727H430H3947

1Samuel 5

5After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.H6430H3947H727H430H935H72H7952Then they carried the ark into Dagon's temple and set it beside Dagon.H6430H3947H727H430H935H1004H1712H3322H681H17123When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.H796H7925H4283H1712H5307H6440H776H6440H727H3068H3947H1712H7725H4725H77254But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.H7925H4283H1242H1712H5307H6440H776H6440H727H3068H7218H1712H8147H3709H3027H3772H4670H1712H76045That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon's temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.H3548H1712H935H1712H1004H1869H4670H1712H795H31176The LORD'S hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors.H3027H3068H3513H796H8074H5221H2914H6076H795H13667When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, "The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god."H582H795H7200H559H727H430H3478H3427H3027H7185H1712H4308So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, "What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?" They answered, "Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath." So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.H7971H622H5633H6430H559H6213H727H430H3478H559H727H430H3478H5437H1661H5437H727H430H3478H54379But after they had moved it, the LORD'S hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.H310H5437H3027H3068H5892H3966H1419H4103H5221H582H5892H6996H1419H2914H6076H836810So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, "They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people."H7971H727H430H6138H727H430H935H6138H6139H2199H559H5437H727H430H3478H4191H597111So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, "Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people." For death had filled the city with panic; God's hand was very heavy upon it.H7971H622H5633H6430H559H7971H727H430H3478H7725H4725H4191H5971H4194H4103H5892H3027H430H3966H351312Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.H582H4191H5221H2914H6076H7775H5892H5927H8064

1Samuel 6

6When the ark of the LORD had been in Philistine territory seven months,H727H3068H7704H6430H7651H23202the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we should send it back to its place."H6430H7121H3548H7080H559H6213H727H3068H3045H7971H47253They answered, "If you return the ark of the god of Israel, do not send it away empty, but by all means send a guilt offering to him. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been lifted from you."H559H7971H727H430H3478H7971H7387H7725H7725H817H7495H3045H3027H54934The Philistines asked, "What guilt offering should we send to him?" They replied, "Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.H559H817H7725H559H2568H2091H2914H6076H2568H2091H5909H4557H5633H6430H259H4046H56335Make models of the tumors and of the rats that are destroying the country, and pay honor to Israel's god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and your land.H6213H6754H2914H6076H6754H5909H7843H776H5414H3519H430H3478H7043H3027H430H7766Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When he treated them harshly, did they not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?H3513H3824H4714H6547H3513H3820H5953H7971H32127"Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.H6213H259H2319H5699H3947H8147H5763H6510H5927H5923H631H6510H5699H7725H1121H1004H3108Take the ark of the LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way,H3947H727H3068H5414H5699H7760H3627H2091H7725H817H712H6654H7971H19809but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the LORD has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us and that it happened to us by chance."H7200H5927H1870H1366H1053H6213H1419H7451H3045H3027H5060H4745H196110So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves.H582H6213H3947H8147H5763H6510H631H5699H3607H1121H100411They placed the ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors.H7760H727H3068H5699H712H5909H2091H6754H291412Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.H6510H3474H1870H1870H1053H1980H4546H259H1600H1980H5493H3225H8040H5633H6430H1980H310H1366H105313Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight.H1053H7114H2406H7105H6010H5375H5869H7200H727H8055H720014The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.H5699H935H7704H3091H1030H5975H1419H68H1234H6086H5699H5927H6510H5930H306815The Levites took down the ark of the LORD, together with the chest containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. On that day the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD.H3881H3381H727H3068H712H3627H2091H7760H1419H68H582H1053H5927H5930H2076H2077H3117H306816The five rulers of the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same day to Ekron.H2568H5633H6430H7200H7725H6138H311717These are the gold tumors the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the LORD--one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron.H2091H2914H6430H7725H817H3068H795H259H5804H259H831H259H1661H259H6138H25918And the number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine towns belonging to the five rulers--the fortified towns with their country villages. The large rock, on which they set the ark of the LORD, is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.H2091H5909H4557H5892H6430H2568H5633H4013H5892H6521H3724H1419H59H3240H727H3068H3117H7704H3091H103019But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them,H5221H376H1053H7200H727H3068H5221H5971H2572H505H7657H582H5971H56H3068H5221H5971H1419H434720and the men of Beth Shemesh asked, "Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?"H582H1053H559H3201H5975H6440H6918H3068H430H592721Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim, saying, "The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to your place."H7971H4397H3427H7157H559H6430H7725H727H3068H3381H5927

1Samuel 7

7So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD. They took it to Abinadab's house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the LORD.H582H7157H935H5927H727H3068H935H1004H41H1389H6942H499H1121H8104H727H30682It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD.H3117H727H3427H7157H3117H7235H6242H8141H1004H3478H5091H310H30683And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."H8050H559H1004H3478H559H7725H3068H3824H5493H5236H430H6252H8432H3559H3824H3068H5647H5337H3027H64304So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.H1121H3478H5493H1168H6252H5647H30685Then Samuel said, "Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the LORD for you."H8050H559H6908H3478H4708H6419H30686When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah.H6908H4709H7579H4325H8210H6440H3068H6684H3117H559H2398H3068H8050H8199H1121H3478H47087When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.H6430H8085H1121H3478H6908H4708H5633H6430H5927H3478H1121H3478H8085H3372H6440H64308They said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines."H1121H3478H559H8050H2790H2199H3068H430H3467H3027H64309Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel's behalf, and the LORD answered him.H8050H3947H259H2461H2924H5927H5930H3632H3068H8050H2199H3068H3478H3068H603010While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.H8050H5927H5930H6430H5066H4421H3478H3068H7481H1419H6963H3117H6430H2000H5062H6440H347811The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Car.H582H3478H3318H4709H7291H6430H5221H103312Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."H8050H3947H259H68H7760H4709H8129H7121H8034H72H559H3068H582613So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again. Throughout Samuel's lifetime, the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines.H6430H3665H935H3254H1366H3478H3027H3068H6430H3117H805014The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to her, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the power of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.H5892H6430H3947H3478H7725H3478H6138H1661H1366H3478H5337H3027H6430H7965H3478H56715Samuel continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life.H8050H8199H3478H3117H241616From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.H1980H1767H8141H8141H5437H1008H1537H4709H8199H3478H472517But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also judged Israel. And he built an altar there to the LORD.H8666H7414H1004H8199H3478H1129H4196H3068

1Samuel 8

8When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel.H8050H2204H7760H1121H8199H34782The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba.H8034H1121H1060H3100H8034H4932H29H8199H8843But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.H1121H1980H1870H5186H310H1215H3947H7810H5186H49414So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.H2205H3478H6908H935H8050H74145They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."H559H2204H1121H1980H1870H7760H4428H8199H14716But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.H1697H3415H5869H8050H559H5414H4428H8199H8050H6419H30687And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.H3068H559H8050H8085H6963H5971H559H3988H3988H44278As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.H4639H6213H3117H5927H4714H3117H5800H5647H312H430H62139Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."H8085H6963H389H5749H5749H5046H4941H4428H442710Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.H8050H559H1697H3068H5971H7592H442811He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.H559H4941H4428H4427H3947H1121H7760H4818H6571H7323H6440H481812Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.H7760H8269H505H8269H2572H2790H2758H7114H7105H6213H3627H4421H3627H739313He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.H3947H1323H7548H2879H64414He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.H3947H7704H3754H2132H2896H5414H565015He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.H6237H2233H3754H5414H5631H565016Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.H3947H5650H8198H2896H970H2543H6213H439917He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.H6237H6629H565018When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."H2199H3117H6440H4428H977H3068H6030H311719But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us.H5971H3985H8085H6963H8050H559H442820Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."H1471H4428H8199H3318H6440H3898H442121When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD.H8050H8085H1697H5971H1696H241H306822The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Everyone go back to his town."H3068H559H8050H8085H6963H4427H4428H8050H559H582H3478H3212H376H5892

Psalm 79

79A psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.H4210H623H430H1471H935H5159H6944H1964H2930H7760H3389H58562They have given the dead bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth.H5038H5650H5414H3978H5775H8064H1320H2623H2416H7763They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead.H1818H8210H4325H5439H3389H69124We are objects of reproach to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us.H2781H7934H3933H7047H54395How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?H3068H599H5331H7068H1197H7846Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name;H8210H2534H1471H3045H4467H7121H80347for they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his homeland.H398H3290H8074H51168Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need.H2142H7223H5771H7356H4118H6923H1809H3966H18099Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.H5826H430H3468H1697H3519H8034H5337H3722H2403H803410Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.H1471H559H430H3045H1471H5869H5360H1818H5650H821011May the groans of the prisoners come before you; by the strength of your arm preserve those condemned to die.H603H615H935H6440H1433H2220H3498H1121H854612Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times the reproach they have hurled at you, O Lord.H7725H7934H7659H2436H2781H2778H13613Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.H5971H6629H4830H3034H5769H5608H8416H1755H1755


Old Testament
  • 25. Lamentations (5)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 29. Joel (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 31. Obadiah (1)
  • 1
  • 34. Nahum (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 35. Habakkuk (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 36. Zephaniah (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 37. Haggai (2)
  • 1
  • 2

New Testament
  • 50. Philippians (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 51. Colossians (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 52. 1 Thessalonians (5)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 53. 2 Thessalonians (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 55. 2 Timothy (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 56. Titus (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 57. Philemon (1)
  • 1
  • 61. 2 Peter (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 63. 2 John (1)
  • 1
  • 64. 3 John (1)
  • 1
  • 65. Jude (1)
  • 1
Please login to see history of your searches
Table of Contents
Hide Subtitles
Hide Footnotes
Spacing: 0 1 2 3
Verse Numbers Toggle
Strong Numbers Toggle
Info Language ArrowFull Screen ButtonReturn to top
Prayer Tents is a Christian mission organization that serves Christians around the world and their local bodies to make disciples ("evangelize") more effectively in their communities. Prayer Tents provides resources to enable Christians to form discipleship-focused small groups and make their gatherings known so that other "interested" people may participate and experience Christ in their midst. Our Vision is to make disciples in all nations through the local churches so that anyone seeking God can come to know Him through relationships with other Christians near them.

© Prayer Tents 2025.
Prayer Tents Facebook iconPrayer Tents Twitter iconPrayer Tents Youtube iconPrayer Tents Linkedin icon