~ Samuel and the Philistines ~

When 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.
They 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."
Then 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.

While 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.
The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah
and pursued the Philistines,
slaughtering them along the way
to a point below Beth Car.

Then Samuel took a stone
and set up up between Mizpah and Shen.
He named it Ebenezer, saying,
"Thus far has the Lord helped us."
So the Philistines were subdued
and did not invade Israelite territory again.

Throughout Samuel's lifetime,
the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.
The 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.

(I Samuel 7:7-14)