2. From the day the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, days multiplied and became twenty years while all the house of Israel mourned after Yahweh.
3. And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If with all your heart you are turning to Yahweh, remove the foreign gods and Ashtoreths from your midst. Commit your hearts to Yahweh and serve him alone. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4. So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and they served Yahweh alone.
5. Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you.”
6. So they gathered to Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before Yahweh. They fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh!” So Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
7. Now when the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8. Then the Israelites said to Samuel, “You must not cease from crying out to Yahweh our God, so that he will deliver us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9. So Samuel took a single nursing lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Then Samuel cried out to Yahweh on behalf of Israel, and Yahweh answered him.