¹¹ So Jephthah went with the elders^(A) of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated^(B) all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.^(C)

Wives for the Benjamites

21 The men of Israel had taken an oath^(A) at Mizpah:^(B) “Not one of us will give^(C) his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”

⁵ Then the Israelites asked, “Who from all the tribes of Israel^(A) has failed to assemble before the Lord?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah was to be put to death.

⁸ Then they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?” They discovered that no one from Jabesh Gilead^(A) had come to the camp for the assembly.

⁵ Then Samuel^(A) said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah,^(B) and I will intercede^(C) with the Lord for you.” ⁶ When they had assembled at Mizpah,^(D) they drew water and poured^(E) it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader^[a](F) of Israel at Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid^(G) because of the Philistines. ⁸ They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying^(H) out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁹ Then Samuel^(I) took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.^(J)

¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered^(K) with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic^(L) that they were routed before the Israelites. ¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

¹² Then Samuel took a stone^(M) and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^[b](N) saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued^(O) and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. ¹⁴ The towns from Ekron^(P) to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.^(Q)

¹⁵ Samuel^(R) continued as Israel’s leader^(S) all^(T) the days of his life. ¹⁶ From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel^(U) to Gilgal^(V) to Mizpah, judging^(W) Israel in all those places.

¹⁷ Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the Lord at Mizpah^(A)