1 Samuel 7

1 [When] the men of Kiriath-Jearim [received that message, they] came to Beth-Shemesh and took the sacred chest of Yahweh. They took it to the house of Abinadab, which was on a hillside. They appointed Abinadab’s son Eleazar to take care of the chest.

Therfor men of Cariathiarym camen, and ledden ayen the arke of the Lord, and brouyten it in to the hows of Amynadab in Gabaa. Sotheli thei halewiden Eleazar his sone, that he schulde kepe the ark of the Lord.

2 The sacred chest stayed in Kiriath-Jearim for a long time—a total of 20 years. During that time all the people of Israel mourned [because it seemed that] Yahweh [had abandoned them] (OR, [and then they asked] Yahweh [to help them]).

And it was doon, fro which dai `the arke of the Lord dwellide in Caryathiarym, daies weren multiplied; for the twentithe yeer was now, after that Samuel bigan to teche the puple; and al Israel restide aftir the Lord.

3 Then Samuel said to all the Israeli people, “If you truly [IDM] want to act like Yahweh’s people should, you must get rid of your statues of [the goddess] Astarte and the idols/statues of all the other foreign gods. You must decide to serve/worship only Yahweh. If you do that, he will rescue you from [the power of] [MTY] the Philistia people.”

Forsothe Samuel spak to al the hows of Israel, and seide, If in al youre herte ye turnen ayen to the Lord, do ye awei alien goddis, Balym and Astaroth, fro the myddis of you; and make ye redi youre hertis to the Lord, and serue ye hym aloone; and he schal delyuere you fro the hond of Filisteis.

4 So the Israelis got rid of all their statues of the gods Baal and Astarte, and they worshiped only Yahweh.

Therfor the sones of Israel diden awey Baalym and Astoroth, and serueden the Lord aloone.

5 Then Samuel told them, “All you Israeli people must gather with me at Mizpah. Then I will pray to Yahweh for you.”

Forsothe Samuel seide, Gadere ye al Israel in to Masphat, that Y preie the Lord for you.

6 So they gathered at Mizpah, which was the town where Samuel previously was the leader of the Israeli people. They had a big ceremony there. They drew water [from a well], and poured the water on the ground while Yahweh watched. [To show that they were sorry for having worshiped idols], they did not eat any food on that day, and they confessed that they had sinned against Yahweh.

And thei camen togidere in to Masphat, and thei drowen watir, and shedden out in the `siyt of the Lord; and thei fastiden in that day, and seiden, Lord, we synneden to thee. And Samuel demyde the sones of Israel in Masphat.

7 When the kings of the Philistia area heard that the Israeli people had gathered at Mizpah, they led their armies there to attack the Israelis. When the Israelis found out that the Philistia army was approaching them, they became very afraid.

And Filisteis herden that the sones of Israel weren gaderid in Masphat; and the princes of Filisteis stieden to Israel. And whanne the sones of Israel hadden herd this, thei dredden of the face of Filisteis.

8 They told Samuel, “Pray to Yahweh to rescue us from the Philistia army [MTY], and do not stop pleading!”

And `thei seiden to Samuel, Ceesse thou not to crye for vs to oure Lord God, that he saue vs fro the `hoond of Filisteis.

9 So Samuel took a very young lamb [and killed it] and offered it to Yahweh to be a sacrifice that was completely burned [on the altar]. Then he prayed and pleaded that Yahweh [would help] the Israelis, and Yahweh did help them.

Forsothe Samuel took o soukynge lomb, and offride that hool in to brent sacrifice to the Lord. And Samuel criede to the Lord for Israel; and the Lord herde hym.

10 While Samuel was burning the offering, the Philistia army came near to attack the Israelis. But Yahweh caused it to thunder very loudly. The soldiers of the Philistia army became very frightened, and then they (became confused/did not know what to do). So the Israelis were able to defeat them.

Forsothe it was doon, whanne Samuel offryde brent sacrifice, that Filisteis bigunnen batel ayens Israel. Sotheli the Lord thundride with greet thundur in that dai on Filisteis, and made hem aferd; and thei weren slayn of the sones of Israel.

11 The Israeli men ran out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistia soldiers almost to Beth-Car [town], and killed many Philistia soldiers while they were trying to run away.

And the sones of Israel yeden out of Masphat, and pursueden Filisteis, and smytiden hem `til to the place that was vndur Bethachar.

12 After that happened, Samuel took a large stone and set it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah [towns]. He named the stone ‘Ebenezer’, [which means ‘stone of help’], because he said “Yahweh has helped us until the present time.”

Forsothe Samuel took o stoon, and puttide it bitwixe Masphat, and bitwixe Sen; and he clepide the name of that place The stoon of help. And he seide, Hidir to the Lord helpide vs.

13 So the Philistia people were defeated, and for a long time they did not enter the Israeli land [to attack them] again. During the time that Samuel was alive, Yahweh powerfully protected [MTY] [the Israeli people] from [being attacked by] the Philistia army.

And Filisteis weren maad low, and addiden no more to come in to the termes of Israel. And so the `hond of the Lord was maad on Filisteis in alle the daies of Samuel.

14 The Israeli army was able to capture again the Israeli villages between Ekron and Gath that the Philistia army had captured before. The Israelis were also able to take again the other areas around those cities that the Philistia army had taken [from the Israelis] previously. And there was peace between the Israelis and the Amor people-group.

And the citees whiche the Filisteis token fro Israel, weren yoldun to Israel, fro Accaron `til to Geth and `hise termes; and the Lord delyuerede Israel fro the hond of Filisteis; and pees was bitwixe Israel and Ammorrey.

15 Samuel continued to be the leader of the Israeli people until he died.

Also Samuel demyde Israel in alle the daies of his lijf, that is, `til to the ordeynyng `and confermyng of Saul;

16 As long as he was alive, every year he traveled back and forth between Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah [cities]. In those cities he listened to disputes between people and made decisions about them.

and he yede bi `alle yeeris, and cumpasside Bethel, and Galgal, and Masphat, and he demyde Israel in the forseid places.

17 After he listened to disputes and made decisions in each of those towns, he returned to his home at Ramah, and he would listen to people’s disputes there, also, [and make decisions about them]. And he built an altar at Ramah [to offer sacrifices] to Yahweh.

And he turnede ayen in to Ramatha, for his hows was there; and he demyde Israel there, and he bildide there also an auter to the Lord.