1 And the men of Qiryath Ye‛arim came and took the ark of יהוה, and brought it into the house of Aḇinaḏaḇ on the hill, and set apart El‛azar his son to guard the ark of יהוה.
2 And it came to be, from the day that the ark remained in Qiryath Ye‛arim, that the time increased, it came to be twenty years. And all the house of Yisra’ĕl lamented after יהוה.
3 And Shemu’ĕl spoke to all the house of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “If you return to יהוה with all your hearts, then put away the foreign mighty ones and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts for יהוה, and serve Him only, so that He delivers you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4 And the children of Yisra’ĕl put away the Ba‛als and Ashtaroth, and served יהוה only.
5 And Shemu’ĕl said, “Gather all Yisra’ĕl to Mitspah and let me pray to יהוה for you.”
6 And they gathered to Mitspah and drew water, and poured it out before יהוה. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against יהוה.” And Shemu’ĕl rightly ruled the children of Yisra’ĕl at Mitspah.
7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Yisra’ĕl had gathered together at Mitspah, the princes of the Philistines went up against Yisra’ĕl. And the children of Yisra’ĕl heard of it, and were afraid of the Philistines.