They gatheredto Mizpah,and drewwaterand pouredit out beforethe LORD,and fastedon that dayand saidthere,"We have sinnedagainst the LORD."And Samueljudgedthe sonsof Israelat Mizpah.
and Mizpah,for he said,"May the LORDwatchbetweenyou and me whenwe are absentonefrom the other.
"For we will surelydieand are like waterspilledon the groundwhichcannotbe gatheredup again. Yet Goddoes not takeaway life,but planswaysso that the banishedonewill not be castout from him.
if they takethoughtin the landwherethey have been takencaptive,and repentand makesupplicationto You in the landof those who have takenthem captive,saying,We have sinnedand have committediniquity,we have actedwickedly';
So the threebrokethroughthe campof the Philistinesand drewwaterfrom the wellof Bethlehemwhich[was] by the gate,and took[it] and brought[it] to David;nevertheless Davidwouldnot drinkit, but pouredit out to the LORD;
Jehoshaphatwas afraidand turnedhis attentionto seekthe LORD,and proclaimeda fastthroughoutallJudah.
"Therefore You deliveredthem into the handof their oppressorswho oppressedthem, But when they criedto You in the timeof their distress,You heardfrom heaven,and according to Your greatcompassionYou gavethem delivererswho deliveredthem from the handof their oppressors.
"My friendsare my scoffers;My eyeweepsto God.
"For my groaningcomesat the sightof my food,And my criespourout like water.
"He will singto menand say,I have sinnedand pervertedwhatis right,And it is not properfor me.
"Behold,I am insignificant;whatcan I replyto You? I laymy handon my mouth.
ThereforeI retract,And I repentin dustand ashes."
We have sinnedlikeour fathers,We have committediniquity,we have behavedwickedly.
My eyesshedstreamsof water,Becausethey do not keepYour law.Tsadhe.
My tearshave beenmy fooddayand night,While [they] sayto me alldaylong, "Whereis your God?"
I am wearywith my sighing;EverynightI make my bedswim,I dissolvemy couchwith my tears.
Trustin Him at alltimes,O people;Pourout your heartbeforeHim; Godis a refugefor us. Selah.
For afterI turnedback,I repented;And afterI was instructed,I smoteon [my] thigh;I was ashamedand alsohumiliatedBecauseI borethe reproachof my youth.'
Now in the fifthyearof Jehoiakimthe sonof Josiah,kingof Judah,in the ninthmonth,allthe peoplein Jerusalemand allthe peoplewho camefrom the citiesof Judahto Jerusalemproclaimeda fastbeforethe LORD.
Ohthat my headwere watersAnd my eyesa fountainof tears,That I might weepdayand nightFor the slainof the daughterof my people!
My eyesfailbecause of tears,My spiritis greatlytroubled;My heartis pouredout on the earthBecauseof the destructionof the daughterof my people,When littleonesand infantsfaintIn the streetsof the city.
My eyespourdownunceasingly,Withoutstopping,
The crownhas fallenfrom our head;Woeto us, for we have sinned!
"Will you judgethem, will you judgethem, sonof man?Make them knowthe abominationsof their fathers;
Hearthis,O priests!Giveheed,O houseof Israel!Listen,O houseof the king!For the judgmentapplies to you, For you have beena snareat MizpahAnd a netspreadout on Tabor.
"Yet evennow,"declaresthe LORD,"Returnto Me with allyour heart,And with fasting,weepingand mourning;
"[This] shall be a permanentstatutefor you: in the seventhmonth,on the tenthday of the month,you shall humbleyour soulsand not doanywork,whether the native,or the alienwho sojournsamongyou;
If they confesstheir iniquityand the iniquityof their forefathers,in their unfaithfulnesswhichthey committedagainst Me, and alsoin their actingwith hostilityagainstMe--
I will getup and goto my father,and will sayto him, "Father,I have sinnedagainstheaven,and in your sight;
and Mizpehand Chephirahand Mozah,
Then the sonsof Israelcriedout to the LORD,saying,"We have sinnedagainst You, for indeed, we have forsakenour Godand servedthe Baals."
The sonsof Israelsaidto the LORD,"We have sinned,doto us whateverseems goodto You; onlypleasedeliverus thisday."
When the angelof the LORDspokethesewordsto allthe sonsof Israel,the peopleliftedup their voicesand wept.
The sonsof Israelwentup and weptbeforethe LORDuntilevening,and inquiredof the LORD,saying,"Shall we againdrawnearfor battleagainstthe sonsof my brotherBenjamin?"And the LORDsaid,"Goup againsthim."
Then allthe sonsof Israeland allthe peoplewentup and cameto Betheland wept;thus they remainedtherebeforethe LORDand fastedthat dayuntilevening.And they offeredburntofferingsand peaceofferingsbeforethe LORD.
The Spiritof the LORDcameupon him, and he judgedIsrael.When he wentout to war,the LORDgaveCushan-rishathaimkingof Mesopotamiainto his hand,so that he prevailedoverCushan-rishathaim.
But Hannahreplied,"No,my lord,I am a womanoppressedin spirit;I have drunkneitherwinenorstrongdrink,but I have pouredout my soulbeforethe LORD.
Thereafter Samuelcalledthe peopletogetherto the LORDat Mizpah;
"They criedout to the LORDand said,'We have sinnedbecausewe have forsakenthe LORDand have servedthe Baalsand the Ashtaroth;but nowdeliverus from the handsof our enemies,and we will serveYou.'
Now SamueljudgedIsraelallthe daysof his life.
