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.
15. Samuel was a leader in Israel all his life.
16. Every year he would go around to the towns of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah where he served as judge for the people.
17. Then he would go back to his home in Ramah and do the same thing there. He also had an altar built for the Lord at Ramah.