1 Samuel 7:1-3

Contemporary English Version

7 ^(A) The people of Kiriath-Jearim got the chest and took it to Abinadab's house, which was on a hill in their town. They chose his son Eleazar to take care of it, ² and it stayed there for 20 years.

During this time everyone in Israel was very sad and begged the Lord for help.^[a]

The People of Israel Turn Back to the Lord

³ One day, Samuel told all the people of Israel, “If you really want to turn back to the Lord, then prove it. Get rid of your foreign idols, including the ones of the goddess Astarte. Turn to the Lord with all your heart and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”