1 So the people of Kiriath Jearim got the Lord's Covenant Box and took it to the house of a man named Abinadab, who lived on a hill. They consecrated his son Eleazar to be in charge of it.
Samuel Rules Israel
2 The Covenant Box of the Lord stayed in Kiriath Jearim a long time, some twenty years. During this time all the Israelites cried to the Lord for help.
3 Samuel said to the people of Israel, “If you are going to turn to the Lord with all your hearts, you must get rid of all the foreign gods and the images of the goddess Astarte. Dedicate yourselves completely to the Lord and worship only him, and he will rescue you from the power of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites got rid of their idols of Baal and Astarte, and worshiped only the Lord.
5 Then Samuel called for all the Israelites to meet at Mizpah, telling them, “I will pray to the Lord for you there.” 6 So they all gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water and poured it out as an offering to the Lord and fasted that whole day. They said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” (It was at Mizpah where Samuel settled disputes among the Israelites.)
7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the five Philistine kings started out with their men to attack them. The Israelites heard about it and were afraid, 8 and said to Samuel, “Keep praying to the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines.” 9 Samuel killed a young lamb and burned it whole as a sacrifice to the Lord. Then he prayed to the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered his prayer. 10 While Samuel was offering the sacrifice, the Philistines moved forward to attack; but just then the Lord thundered from heaven against them. They became completely confused and fled in panic. 11 The Israelites marched out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines almost as far as Bethcar, killing them along the way.
12 Then Samuel took a stone, set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and said, “The Lord has helped us all the way”—and he named it “Stone of Help.” 13 So the Philistines were defeated, and the Lord prevented them from invading Israel's territory as long as Samuel lived. 14 All the cities which the Philistines had captured between Ekron and Gath were returned to Israel, and so Israel got back all its territory. And there was peace also between the Israelites and the Canaanites.
15 Samuel ruled Israel as long as he lived. 16 Every year he would go around to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and in these places he would settle disputes. 17 Then he would go back to his home in Ramah, where also he would serve as judge. In Ramah he built an altar to the Lord.
1 Ovature va Kirjat-Jearim otji ve ya nave twara Otjipwikiro tjOmerikutiropamwe wa Muhona hi kondjuwo ya Abinadab ndja ri kondunda; nowo va yapura omuzandu we Eleasar a rire omutjevere wOtjipwikiro tjOmerikutiropamwe wa Muhona.
Samuel ma rire omunane mOisrael
2 Otjipwikiro tjOmerikutiropamwe wa Muhona tja kara mOkirjat-Jearim oruveze orure, ozombura mangara omirongo vivari. Moruveze ndwi Ovaisrael avehe ve ri tanaurira ku Muhona ave noruhoze.
3 Samuel wa hungira kotjiwaṋa tja Israel a tja: “Tji mamu vanga okuritanaura ku Muhona nomitima vyeṋu avihe iseye oomukuru vovisenginina avehe noviserekarera vyomukuru wotjisenginina oserekaze Astarte mokati keṋu, mu riyandje nomitima vyeṋu avihe ku Muhona nu mu mu karere erike. Neye otji me mu yama momake wOvafilisti.” 4 Ovaisrael otji va isa okukarera otjiserekarera tja Baal notja Astarte, nave karere Muhona erike.
5 Tjazumba Samuel wa hungira kOvaisrael avehe a tja: “Woronganeneye mOmispa, nami me mu kumbire ku Muhona.” 6 Nowo otji va woronganena mOmispa, ave kateka omeva, ave ye tirahi kutja ye rire ombunguhiro ku Muhona nave ritjaere kovikurya oure weyuva ndo arihe. Nowo va tja: “Eṱe twa tura ondjo komurungu wa Muhona.” Nu Samuel wa pangura oviposa pokati kOvaisrael mOmispa.
7 Ovafilisti tji va zuva kutja Ovaisrael va woronganene mOmispa, inḓa ozombara ndano zOvafilisti notjimbumba tjazo tjovita otji za sekama okukeverwisa. Ovaisrael tji va zuva otjiṋa hi, va tira Ovafilisti, 8 nave tja nai ku Samuel: “Kara pokutukumbira ku Muhona, Ndjambi wetu, kutja e tu yame kOvafilisti.” 9 Samuel wa zepa ondjona, ndji nyama, ne i punguhire Muhona aihe ombomba i rire ombunguhiro oningiririsiwa. Neye wa kumbira Ovaisrael ku Muhona, nu Muhona arire tje mu zuvire. 10 Samuel ngunda ama punguha ombunguhiro, Ovafilisti tjandje mave ryama popezu okurwisa Ovaisrael; nu kamanga Muhona wa ṱuṱumina Ovafilisti okuza keyuru, nave puruka oparukaze, nga tji va haverwa i Ovaisrael. 11 Novarwe vOvaisrael vovita va womboroka mOmispa nave tezere Ovafilisti nga kObet-Kar, amave yende amave ve zepa ondjira aihe.
12 Nu Samuel wa toora ewe, a ziki pokati ka Mispa na Shen, e ri ruku Eben-Eser, okutja “Ewe rombatero.” Neye wa tja: “Nga mbenomba Muhona we tu vatere.” 13 Komuhingo mbwi Ovafilisti otji va haverwa; nu Muhona we ve tjaera okuhita mehi rOvaisrael rukwao, Samuel ngunda e nomuinyo. 14 Ovihuro avihe okuza kOekron nga kOgat Ovafilisti mbi va huurire vya kotorwa i Ovaisrael; nu komuhingo mbwi Ovaisrael otji va kotora ehi rawo arihe. Nu pa kara ohange pokati kOvaisrael nOvaamori.
15 Samuel wa ri omunane mOisrael oure womuinyo we auhe. 16 Ombura aihe eye aa ryanga pokati ka Betel na Gilgal na Mispa okupangura oviposa vyOvaisrael movirongo avihe mbi. 17 Nu tjazumba wa yaruka konganda ye mOrama, eye maa karere otja omupangure. MOrama eye wa tungira Muhona otjipunguhiro.
