⁶ When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence.^(A) They fasted that day,^(B) and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.”^(C) And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

Preparing to Return

²¹ I proclaimed a fast^(A) by the Ahava River,^[a] so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions.