6 The Israelites met together at Mizpah with Samuel as their leader. They drew water from the well and poured it out as an offering to the Lord. On that same day they went without eating to show their sorrow, and they confessed they had been unfaithful to the Lord.
7 When the Philistine rulers found out about the meeting at Mizpah, they sent an army there to attack the people of Israel.The Israelites were afraid when they heard that the Philistines were coming.
8 “Don't stop praying!” they told Samuel. “Ask the Lord our God to rescue us.”
9-10 Samuel begged the Lord to rescue Israel, then he sacrificed a young lamb to the Lord. Samuel had not even finished offering the sacrifice when the Philistines started to attack. But the Lord answered his prayer and made thunder crash all around them. The Philistines panicked and ran away.
11 The men of Israel left Mizpah and went after them as far as the hillside below Beth-Car, killing every enemy soldier they caught.
12-13 The Philistines were so badly beaten that it was quite a while before they attacked Israel again. After the battle, Samuel set up a monument between Mizpah and the rocky cliffs. He named it “Help Monument” to remind Israel how much the Lord had helped them.For as long as Samuel lived, the Lord helped Israel fight the Philistines.
14 The Israelites were even able to recapture their towns and territory between Ekron and Gath.Israel was also at peace with the Amorites.