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1 Samuel 7:2-4
International Standard Version
1 Samuel 7:2-4
International Standard Version
2 A long time passed—it was twenty years—from the time the Ark came to reside in Kiriath-jearim, and all the house of Israel mourned because of the Lord.
The Philistines are Defeated at Ebenezer
3 Then Samuel told the whole house of Israel, “If you’re returning to the Lord with all your heart, then remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth[a] from among you, direct your hearts back to the Lord, and serve him only. Then he will deliver you from the control of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelis removed the Baals[b] and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 7:3 I.e. trees or images representing the Canaanite deity Asherah
- 1 Samuel 7:4 Images representing the Canaanite storm god
1 Samuel 7:2-4
New International Version
1 Samuel 7:2-4
New International Version
2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim(A) a long time—twenty years in all.
Samuel Subdues the Philistines at Mizpah
Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.(B) 3 So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning(C) to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid(D) yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths(E) and commit(F) yourselves to the Lord and serve him only,(G) and he will deliver(H) you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
1 Samuel 7:2-4
New King James Version
1 Samuel 7:2-4
New King James Version
Samuel Judges Israel
2 So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you (A)return to the Lord with all your hearts, then (B)put away the foreign gods and the (C)Ashtoreths[a] from among you, and (D)prepare your hearts for the Lord, and (E)serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the children of Israel put away the (F)Baals and the [b]Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 7:3 Images of Canaanite goddesses
- 1 Samuel 7:4 Images of Canaanite goddesses
1 Samuel 7:2-4
King James Version
1 Samuel 7:2-4
King James Version
2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.
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1 Samuel 7:2-4
English Standard Version
1 Samuel 7:2-4
English Standard Version
2 From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
Samuel Judges Israel
3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, (A)“If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then (B)put away the foreign gods and the (C)Ashtaroth from among you and (D)direct your heart to the Lord (E)and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.
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International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.