1 Samuel 7:1-3

Living Bible

7 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the Ark to the hillside home of Abinadab and installed his son Eleazar to be in charge of it. ² The Ark remained there for twenty years, and during that time all Israel was in sorrow because the Lord had seemingly abandoned them.

³ At that time Samuel said to them, “If you are really serious about wanting to return to the Lord, get rid of your foreign gods and your Ashtaroth idols. Determine to obey only the Lord; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”