1 Samuel 7:5-12

International Standard Version

⁵ Samuel said, “Bring all Israel together at Mizpah, and I’ll pray to the Lord on your behalf.” ⁶ So they came together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out in the Lord’s presence.

On that day they fasted there and said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Then Samuel judged the Israelis at Mizpah. ⁷ When the Philistines heard that the Israelis had gathered at Mizpah, the Philistine lords came up against Israel. When the Israelis heard this, they were afraid of the Philistines.

⁸ The Israelis told Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to the Lord our God for us that he may deliver us from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁹ Then Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him. ¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to attack Israel. But that day the Lord thundered against the Philistines and threw them into panic, and they were defeated before Israel. ¹¹ The men of Israel went out from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as a point below Beth-car. ¹² Then Samuel took a stone, placed it between Mizpah and Shen^[a] and named it Ebenezer.^[b] He said, “The Lord has helped us this far.”