13. So the Philistines were defeated and did not enter the Israelites’ land again.The Lord was against the Philistines all Samuel’s life.
14. Earlier the Philistines had taken towns from the Israelites, but the Israelites won them back, from Ekron to Gath. They also took back from the Philistines the lands near these towns. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.
15. Samuel continued as judge of Israel all his life.
16. Every year he went from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah and judged the Israelites in all these towns.
17. But Samuel always went back to Ramah, where his home was. There he judged Israel and built an altar to the Lord.