themselves in Lehi.
15:10 And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they
answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to
us.
15:11 Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam,
and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers
over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto
them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
15:12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may
deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto
them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
15:13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast,
and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And
they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
15:14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him:
and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that
were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his
bands loosed from off his hands.
15:15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and
took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
15:16 And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps,
with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
15:17 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he
cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.
15:18 And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou
hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now
shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
15:19 But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came
water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he
revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in
Lehi unto this day.
15:20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
16:1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto
her.
16:2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And
they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of
the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it
is day, we shall kill him.
16:3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the
doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with
them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up
to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
16:4 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley
of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
16:5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto
her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what
means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him;
and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
16:6 And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great
strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
16:7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs
that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
16:8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green
withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
16:9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber.
And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he
brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire.
So his strength was not known.
16:10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and
told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be
bound.
16:11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that
never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
16:12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and
said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were
liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his
arms like a thread.
16:13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and
told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto
her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
16:14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The
Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and
went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
16:15 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine
heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast
not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words,
and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
16:17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not
come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my
mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I
shall become weak, and be like any other man.
16:18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent
and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once,
for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines
came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
16:19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man,
and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she
began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
16:20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke
out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and
shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
16:21 But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought
him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind
in the prison house.
16:22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was
shaven.
16:23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to
offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they
said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
16:24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they
said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer
of our country, which slew many of us.
16:25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said,
Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson
out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him
between the pillars.
16:26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me
that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may
lean upon them.
16:27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the
Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three
thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
16:28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember
me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God,
that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
16:29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the
house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right
hand, and of the other with his left.
16:30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed
himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon
all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death
were more than they which he slew in his life.
16:31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and
took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol
in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty
years.
17:1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
17:2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver
that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of
also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his
mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.
17:3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to
his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the
LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image:
now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
17:4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two
hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made
thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of
Micah.
17:5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and
teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that
which was right in his own eyes.
17:7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of
Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
17:8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn
where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house
of Micah, as he journeyed.
17:9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him,
I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a
place.
17:10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father
and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year,
and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
17:11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young
man was unto him as one of his sons.
17:12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his
priest, and was in the house of Micah.
17:13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing
I have a Levite to my priest.
18:1 In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the
tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto
that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes
of Israel.
18:2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their
coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the
land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land:
who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged
there.
18:3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the
young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who
brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast
thou here?
18:4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and
hath hired me, and I am his priest.
18:5 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we
may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.
18:6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is your
way wherein ye go.
18:7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people
that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the
Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land,
that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the
Zidonians, and had no business with any man.
18:8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their
brethren said unto them, What say ye?
18:9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have
seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not
slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.
18:10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large
land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no
want of any thing that is in the earth.
18:11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of
Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.
18:12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah:
wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it is
behind Kirjathjearim.
18:13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house
of Micah.
18:14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of
Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these
houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image?
now therefore consider what ye have to do.
18:15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young
man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.
18:16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which
were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.
18:17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came
in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim,
and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate
with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.
18:18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image,
the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest
unto them, What do ye?
18:19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy
mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better
for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a
priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?
18:20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the
teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
18:21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the
cattle and the carriage before them.
18:22 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men
that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together,
and overtook the children of Dan.
18:23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their
faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such
a company?
18:24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the
priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this
that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?
18:25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard
among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with
the lives of thy household.
18:26 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that
they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.
18:27 And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest
which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and
secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the
city with fire.
18:28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and
they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth
by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.
18:29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan
their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was
Laish at the first.
18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the
son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the
tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
18:31 And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the
time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
19:1 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in
Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount
Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.
19:2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from
him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole
months.
19:3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto
her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple
of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the
father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
19:4 And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he
abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.
19:5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the
morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto
his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and
afterward go your way.
19:6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for
the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and
tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.
19:7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him:
therefore he lodged there again.
19:8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and
the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they
tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
19:9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his
servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold,
now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold,
the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry;
and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.
19:10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and
departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there
were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.
19:11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the
servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into
this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
19:12 And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into
the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will
pass over to Gibeah.
19:13 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one of
these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
19:14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon
them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.
19:15 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah:
and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for there
was no man that took them into his house to lodging.
19:16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field
at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah:
but the men of the place were Benjamites.
19:17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the
street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence
comest thou?
19:18 And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehemjudah toward
the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and I went to
Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there
is no man that receiveth me to house.
19:19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there is
bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man
which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
19:20 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy
wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
19:21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the
asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
19:22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the
city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at
the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying,
Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.
19:23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said
unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing
that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.
19:24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I
will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth
good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
19:25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his
concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and
abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to
spring, they let her go.
19:26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at
the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
19:27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the
house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine
was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the
threshold.
19:28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered.
Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him
unto his place.
19:29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid
hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into
twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.
19:30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed
done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of
the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak
your minds.
20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was
gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land
of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.
20:2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel,
presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred
thousand footmen that drew sword.
20:3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel
were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us, how
was this wickedness?
20:4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered
and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my
concubine, to lodge.
20:5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round
about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine
have they forced, that she is dead.
20:6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her
throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have
committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
20:7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and
counsel.
20:8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us
go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.
20:9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will
go up by lot against it;
20:10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes
of Israel, and an hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten
thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that they may do, when they
come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have
wrought in Israel.
20:11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit
together as one man.
20:12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of
Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
20:13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which
are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from
Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of
their brethren the children of Israel.
20:14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of
the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of
Israel.
20:15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the
cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the
inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
20:16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men
lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not
miss.
20:17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred
thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
20:18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God,
and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the
battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall
go up first.
20:19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped
against Gibeah.
20:20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the
men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.
20:21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and
destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two
thousand men.
20:22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set
their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in
array the first day.
20:23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until
even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to
battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said,
Go up against him.)
20:24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of
Benjamin the second day.
20:25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day,
and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again
eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and
came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and
fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace
offerings before the LORD.
20:27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of
the covenant of God was there in those days,
20:28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before
it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against
the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD
said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
20:29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
20:30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of
Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah,
as at other times.
20:31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were
drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and
kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the
house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of
Israel.
20:32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before
us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and
draw them from the city unto the highways.
20:33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put
themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came
forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.
20:34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all
Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near
them.
20:35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of
Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and
an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
20:36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the
men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto
the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
20:37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the
liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the
edge of the sword.
20:38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the
liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up
out of the city.
20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began
to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they
said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
20:40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar
of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of
the city ascended up to heaven.
20:41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were
amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.
20:42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto
the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which
came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
20:43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them,
and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.
20:44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were
men of valour.
20:45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of
Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and
pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
20:46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five
thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.
20:47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the
rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
20:48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin,
and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every
city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all
the cities that they came to.
21:1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not
any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
21:2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even
before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
21:3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel,
that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?
21:4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and
built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
21:5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes
of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD? For they
had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to
Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
21:6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their
brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
21:7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have
sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?
21:8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came
not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none to the camp
from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
21:9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the
inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
21:10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the
valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of
Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the
children.
21:11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy
every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
21:12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred
young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they
brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
21:13 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of
Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them.
21:14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives
which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so they
sufficed them not.
21:15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD
had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
21:16 Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for
wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of
Benjamin?
21:17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be
escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
21:18 Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the
children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife
to Benjamin.
21:19 Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh
yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side
of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of
Lebonah.
21:20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and
lie in wait in the vineyards;
21:21 And see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance
in dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man
his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
21:22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us
to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them for our
sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war: for ye
did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.
21:23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives,
according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and
they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities,
and dwelt in them.
21:24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man
to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man
to his inheritance.
21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that
which was right in his own eyes.
Ruth
Chapter
2 3 4
1:1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there
was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to
sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
1:2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife
Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of
Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued
there.
1:3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two
sons.
1:4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one
was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about
ten years.
1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was
left of her two sons and her husband.
1:6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from
the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that
the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
1:7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two
daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the
land of Judah.
1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her
mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the
dead, and with me.
1:9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house
of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice,
and wept.
1:10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy
people.
1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?
are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
1:12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an
husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also
to night, and should also bear sons;
1:13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for
them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much
for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed
her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
1:15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her
people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from
following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou
lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my
God:
1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD
do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then
she left speaking unto her.
1:19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass,
when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about
them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
1:20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the
Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
1:21 I went out full and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why
then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and
the Almighty hath afflicted me?
1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law,
with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to
Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.
2:1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of
the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field,
and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And
she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
2:3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers:
and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who
was of the kindred of Elimelech.
2:4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers,
The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.
2:5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose
damsel is this?
2:6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It
is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of
Moab:
2:7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers
among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning
until now, that she tarried a little in the house.
2:8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to
glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my
maidens:
2:9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after
them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee?
and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which
the young men have drawn.
2:10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and
said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest
take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
2:11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me,
all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine
husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land
of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not
heretofore.
2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of
the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
2:13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that
thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto
thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
2:14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of
the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the
reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was
sufficed, and left.
2:15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men,
saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
2:16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and
leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
2:17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had
gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
2:18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law
saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that
she had reserved after she was sufficed.
2:19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to
day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of
thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and
said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
2:20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD,
who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And
Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next
kinsmen.
2:21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep
fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
2:22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my
daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in
any other field.
2:23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of
barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
3:1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not
seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
3:2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast?
Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
3:3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon
thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto
the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
3:4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place
where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay
thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
3:5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
3:6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her
mother in law bade her.
3:7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went
to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and
uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
3:8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned
himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
3:9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine
handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a
near kinsman.
3:10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou
hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning,
inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
3:11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou
requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a
virtuous woman.
3:12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a
kinsman nearer than I.
3:13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will
perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's
part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I
do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the
morning.
3:14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before
one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman
came into the floor.
3:15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it.
And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on
her: and she went into the city.
3:16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my
daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
3:17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said
to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
3:18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the
matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have
finished the thing this day.
4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold,
the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a
one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
4:2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down
here. And they sat down.
4:3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the
country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother
Elimelech's:
4:4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the
inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it,
redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may
know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee.
And he said, I will redeem it.
4:5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi,
thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to
raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
4:6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine
own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem
it.
4:7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning
redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man
plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a
testimony in Israel.
4:8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew
off his shoe.
4:9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are
witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all
that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
4:10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased
to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance,
that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and
from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
4:11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We
are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house
like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and
do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
4:12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto
Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.
4:13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto
her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.
4:14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not
left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in
Israel.
4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher
of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is
better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
4:16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became
nurse unto it.
4:17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son
born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse,
the father of David.
4:18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
4:19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
4:20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
4:21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
4:22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
1 Samuel
Chapter
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim,
and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son
of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
1:2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name
of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no
children.
1:3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to
sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli,
Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
1:4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his
wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
1:5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but
the LORD had shut up her womb.
1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret,
because the LORD had shut up her womb.
1:7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the
LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
1:8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and
why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to
thee than ten sons?
1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had
drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the
LORD.
1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and
wept sore.
1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed
look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not
forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child,
then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there
shall no razor come upon his head.
1:12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that
Eli marked her mouth.
1:13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her
voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
1:14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy
wine from thee.
1:15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a
sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have
poured out my soul before the LORD.
1:16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the
abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
1:17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel
grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
1:18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the
woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
1:19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the
LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew
Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after
Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel,
saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
1:21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the
LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
1:22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not
go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may
appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.
1:23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good;
tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So
the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
1:24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three
bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him
unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.
1:25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
1:26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the
woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.
1:27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition
which I asked of him:
1:28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he
shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine
horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;
because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee:
neither is there any rock like our God.
2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of
your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are
weighed.
2:4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are
girded with strength.
2:5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they
that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she
that hath many children is waxed feeble.
2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave,
and bringeth up.
2:7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth
up.
2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar
from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit
the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he
hath set the world upon them.
2:9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent
in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
2:10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of
heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the
earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of
his anointed.
2:11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister
unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
2:13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that, when any man
offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in
seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
2:14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all
that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did
in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
2:15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said
to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he
will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
2:16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat
presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would
answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take
it by force.
2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD:
for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a
linen ephod.
2:19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him
from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly
sacrifice.
2:20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee
seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went
unto their own home.
2:21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three
sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
2:22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all
Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation.
2:23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your
evil dealings by all this people.
2:24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the
LORD's people to transgress.
2:25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a
man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding
they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD
would slay them.
2:26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD,
and also with men.
2:27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith
the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they
were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
2:28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my
priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod
before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings
made by fire of the children of Israel?
2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I
have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to
make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my
people?
2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy
house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but
now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will
honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
2:31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm
of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine
house.
2:32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth
which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine
house for ever.
2:33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar,
shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the
increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
2:34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two
sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
2:35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according
to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a
sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
2:36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine
house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of
bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests'
offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the
word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
3:2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his
place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
3:3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where
the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
3:4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
3:5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And
he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
3:6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to
Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I
called not, my son; lie down again.
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the
LORD yet revealed unto him.
3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and
went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli
perceived that the LORD had called the child.
3:9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he
call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So
Samuel went and lay down in his place.
3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel,
Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
3:11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel,
at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have
spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the
iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he
restrained them not.
3:14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity
of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
3:15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house
of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered,
Here am I.
3:17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I
pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou
hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
3:18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he
said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his
words fall to the ground.
3:20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was
established to be a prophet of the LORD.
3:21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed
himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out
against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the
Philistines pitched in Aphek.
4:2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when
they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they
slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel
said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines?
Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us,
that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our
enemies.
4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the
ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the
cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with
the ark of the covenant of God.
4:5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all
Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
4:6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said,
What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?
And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
4:7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the
camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing
heretofore.
4:8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty
Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues
in the wilderness.
4:9 Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be
not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves
like men, and fight.
4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled
every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there
fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas, were slain.
4:12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh
the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
4:13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching:
for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into
the city, and told it, all the city cried out.
4:14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth
the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
4:15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that
he could not see.
4:16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I
fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?
4:17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the
Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the
people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the
ark of God is taken.
4:18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that
he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck
brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged
Israel forty years.
4:19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be
delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken,
and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself
and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
4:20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said
unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not,
neither did she regard it.
4:21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from
Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in
law and her husband.
4:22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God
is taken.
5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from
Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the
house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
5:3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was
fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they
took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
5:4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was
fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the
head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the
threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
5:5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into
Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
5:6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he
destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts
thereof.
5:7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of
the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us,
and upon Dagon our god.
5:8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines
unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?
And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about
unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
5:9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of
the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he
smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in
their secret parts.
5:10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass,
as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying,
They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us
and our people.
5:11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the
Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let
it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for
there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God
was very heavy there.
5:12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the
cry of the city went up to heaven.
6:1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven
months.
6:2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying,
What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send
it to his place.
6:3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it
not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall
be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from
you.
6:4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall
return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice,
according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague
was on you all, and on your lords.
6:5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your
mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel:
peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your
gods, and from off your land.
6:6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and
Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among
them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?
6:7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which
there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their
calves home from them:
6:8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the
jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer
by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
6:9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh,
then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know
that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to
us.
6:10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the
cart, and shut up their calves at home:
6:11 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer
with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and
went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the
right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after
them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
6:13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the
valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to
see it.
6:14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and
stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of
the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
6:15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that
was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great
stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed
sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.
6:16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they
returned to Ekron the same day.
6:17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for
a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for
Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
6:18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of
the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and
of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set
down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the
field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.
6:19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into
the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and
threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had
smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
6:20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this
holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
6:21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim,
saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye
down, and fetch it up to you.
7:1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the
LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and
sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the
time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel
lamented after the LORD.
7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do
return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange
gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the
LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the
Philistines.
7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and
served the LORD only.
7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for
you unto the LORD.
7:6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it
out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have
sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in
Mizpeh.
7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were
gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up
against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were
afraid of the Philistines.
7:8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the
LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the
Philistines.
7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering
wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the
LORD heard him.
7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines
drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great
thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they
were smitten before Israel.
7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the
Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and
called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped
us.
7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the
coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines
all the days of Samuel.
7:14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were
restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof
did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was
peace between Israel and the Amorites.
7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
7:16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and
Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
7:17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he
judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons
judges over Israel.
8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second,
Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre,
and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came
to Samuel unto Ramah,
8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in
thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to
judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people
in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but
they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
8:8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I
brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have
forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
8:9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly
unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over
them.
8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that
asked of him a king.
8:11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign
over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his
chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his
chariots.
8:12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over
fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest,
and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be
cooks, and to be bakers.
8:14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your
oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
8:15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and
give to his officers, and to his servants.
8:16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your
goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
8:17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
8:18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye
shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
8:19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and
they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
8:20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may
judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
8:21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them
in the ears of the LORD.
8:22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make
them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man
unto his city.
9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of
Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a
Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
9:2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a
goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person
than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the
people.
9:3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul
his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the
asses.
9:4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of
Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of
Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the
Benjamites, but they found them not.
9:5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his
servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave
caring for the asses, and take thought for us.
9:6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of
God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to
pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we
should go.
9:7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we
bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a
present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
9:8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here
at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the
man of God, to tell us our way.
9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he
spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a
Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
9:10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they
went unto the city where the man of God was.
9:11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens
going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
9:12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you:
make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice
of the people to day in the high place:
9:13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him,
before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat
until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they
eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye
shall find him.
9:14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the
city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high
place.
9:15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came,
saying,
9:16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of
Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel,
that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I
have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
9:17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man
whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
9:18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I
pray thee, where the seer's house is.
9:19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me
unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I
will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
9:20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy
mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of
Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
9:21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest
of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of
the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
9:22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the
parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were
bidden, which were about thirty persons.
9:23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee,
of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
9:24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and
set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it
before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee
since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel
that day.
9:25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city,
Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
9:26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the
day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I
may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he
and Samuel, abroad.
9:27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to
Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on), but stand
thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.
10:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and
kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to
be captain over his inheritance?
10:2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men
by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will
say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo,
thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you,
saying, What shall I do for my son?
10:3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to
the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God
to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of
bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:
10:4 And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which
thou shalt receive of their hands.
10:5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the
garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art
come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets
coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a
pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
10:6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt
prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
10:7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as
occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
10:8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will
come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice
sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come
to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.
10:9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel,
God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
10:10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of
prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied
among them.
10:11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that,
behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to
another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also
among the prophets?
10:12 And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their
father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
10:13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high
place.
10:14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went
ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no
where, we came to Samuel.
10:15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto
you.
10:16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses
were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he
told him not.
10:17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
10:18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of
Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the
hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them
that oppressed you:
10:19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out
of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto
him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves
before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.
10:20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near,
the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
10:21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their
families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was
taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.
10:22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet
come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold he hath hid himself among
the stuff.
10:23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the
people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and
upward.
10:24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath
chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the
people shouted, and said, God save the king.
10:25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote
it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the
people away, every man to his house.
10:26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band
of men, whose hearts God had touched.
10:27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And
they despised him, and brought no presents. But he held his peace.
11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against
Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a
covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
11:2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I
make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and
lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
11:3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days'
respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and
then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.
11:4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in
the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and
wept.
11:5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul
said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the
tidings of the men of Jabesh.
11:6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings,
and his anger was kindled greatly.
11:7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them
throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying,
Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be
done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and
they came out with one consent.
11:8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were
three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
11:9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto
the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye
shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of
Jabesh; and they were glad.
11:10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto
you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
11:11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three
companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning
watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to
pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were
not left together.
11:12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul
reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
11:13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for
to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.
11:14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and
renew the kingdom there.
11:15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king
before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace
offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel
rejoiced greatly.
12:1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your
voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
12:2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and
grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before
you from my childhood unto this day.
12:3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before
his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom
have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I
received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it
you.
12:4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us,
neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.
12:5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his
anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand.
And they answered, He is witness.
12:6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses
and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
12:7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the
LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to
your fathers.
12:8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the
LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your
fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
12:9 And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand
of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the
Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought
against them.
12:10 And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we
have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now
deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
12:11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel,
and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye
dwelled safe.
12:12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came
against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when
the LORD your God was your king.
12:13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye
have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
12:14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and
not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and
also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your
God:
12:15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against
the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against
you, as it was against your fathers.
12:16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will
do before your eyes.
12:17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he
shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your
wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in
asking you a king.
12:18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain
that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
12:19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto
the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins
this evil, to ask us a king.
12:20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this
wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the
LORD with all your heart;
12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things,
which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's
sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD
in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right
way:
12:24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart:
for consider how great things he hath done for you.
12:25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye
and your king.
13:1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over
Israel,
13:2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand
were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with
Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every
man to his tent.
13:3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in
Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet
throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
13:4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the
Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the
Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with
Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people
as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up,
and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
13:6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the
people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves,
and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
13:7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and
Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed
him trembling.
13:8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel
had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were
scattered from him.
13:9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace
offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
13:10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of
offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to
meet him, that he might salute him.
13:11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw
that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within
the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves
together at Michmash;
13:12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to
Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself
therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
13:13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not
kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for
now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a
man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain
over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD
commanded thee.
13:15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of
Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about
six hundred men.
13:16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present
with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in
Michmash.
13:17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three
companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto
the land of Shual:
13:18 And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another
company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of
Zeboim toward the wilderness.
13:19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel:
for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
13:20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen
every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
13:21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and
for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
13:22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither
sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with
Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there
found.
13:23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of
Michmash.
14:1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said
unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the
Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his
father.
14:2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a
pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him
were about six hundred men;
14:3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of
Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod.
And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
14:4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto
the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a
sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the
name of the other Seneh.
14:5 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against
Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.
14:6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and
let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that
the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save
by many or by few.
14:7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart:
turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
14:8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and
we will discover ourselves unto them.
14:9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will
stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.
14:10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the
LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto
us.
14:11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the
Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth
out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
14:12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his
armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And
Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath
delivered them into the hand of Israel.
14:13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his
armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his
armourbearer slew after him.
14:14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer
made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land,
which a yoke of oxen might plow.
14:15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all
the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the
earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
14:16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and,
behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one
another.
14:17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and
see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan
and his armourbearer were not there.
14:18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark
of God was at that time with the children of Israel.
14:19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the
noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and
Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.
14:20 And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled
themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword
was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.
14:21 Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that
time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round
about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with
Saul and Jonathan.
14:22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount
Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also
followed hard after them in the battle.
14:23 So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto
Bethaven.
14:24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had
adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until
evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people
tasted any food.
14:25 And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon
the ground.
14:26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey
dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the
oath.
14:27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the
oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand,
and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his
eyes were enlightened.
14:28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly
charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth
any food this day. And the people were faint.
14:29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray
you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of
this honey.
14:30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the
spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a
much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
14:31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon:
and the people were very faint.
14:32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and
calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with
the blood.
14:33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the
LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have
transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.
14:34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto
them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and
slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the
blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night,
and slew them there.
14:35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first
altar that he built unto the LORD.
14:36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and
spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them.
And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the
priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.
14:37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the
Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he
answered him not that day.
14:38 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people:
and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.
14:39 For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in
Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all
the people that answered him.
14:40 Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and
Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto
Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.
14:41 Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect
lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.
14:42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And
Jonathan was taken.
14:43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And
Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end
of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
14:44 And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely
die, Jonathan.
14:45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath
wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth,
there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath
wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died
not.
14:46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the
Philistines went to their own place.
14:47 So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his
enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon,
and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the
Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.
14:48 And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered
Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
14:49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and
the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn
Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:
14:50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz:
and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner,
Saul's uncle.
14:51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was
the son of Abiel.
14:52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of
Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him
unto him.
15:1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be
king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the
voice of the words of the LORD.
15:2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to
Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have,
and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox
and sheep, camel and ass.
15:4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim,
two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
15:5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
15:6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among
the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to
all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the
Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
15:7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to
Shur, that is over against Egypt.
15:8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly
destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and
of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good,
and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and
refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
15:10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,
15:11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is
turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.
And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
15:12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was
told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a
place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.
15:13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou
of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.
15:14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in
mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
15:15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the
people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto
the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
15:16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the
LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast
thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed
thee king over Israel?
15:18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly
destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be
consumed.
15:19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but
didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the
LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought
Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the
things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the
LORD thy God in Gilgal.
15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings
and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as
iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD,
he hath also rejected thee from being king.
15:24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed
the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people,
and obeyed their voice.
15:25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me,
that I may worship the LORD.
15:26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou
hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from
being king over Israel.
15:27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt
of his mantle, and it rent.
15:28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel
from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is
better than thou.
15:29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is
not a man, that he should repent.
15:30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee,
before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with
me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.
15:31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.
15:32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the
Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the
bitterness of death is past.
15:33 And Samuel said, As the sword hath made women childless, so shall
thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces
before the LORD in Gilgal.
15:34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah
of Saul.
15:35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death:
nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had
made Saul king over Israel.
16:1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul,
seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn
with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have
provided me a king among his sons.
16:2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.
And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to
sacrifice to the LORD.
16:3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou
shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
16:4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem.
And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou
peaceably?
16:5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD:
sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he
sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
16:6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab,
and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.
16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on
the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD
seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but
the LORD looketh on the heart.
16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he
said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
16:9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the
LORD chosen this.
16:10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And
Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he
said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the
sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not
sit down till he come hither.
16:12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a
beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise,
anoint him: for this is he.
16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of
his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day
forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit
from the LORD troubled him.
16:15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from
God troubleth thee.
16:16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to
seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to
pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play
with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
16:17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can
play well, and bring him to me.
16:18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a
son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty
valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely
person, and the LORD is with him.
16:19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David
thy son, which is with the sheep.
16:20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and
a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
16:21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him
greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
16:22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand
before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul,
that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was
refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
17:1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and
were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched
between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.
17:2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched
by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the
Philistines.
17:3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel
stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between
them.
17:4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines,
named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
17:5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with
a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of
brass.
17:6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass
between his shoulders.
17:7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his
spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a
shield went before him.
17:8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto
them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a
Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let
him come down to me.
17:9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be
your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye
be our servants, and serve us.
17:10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day;
give me a man, that we may fight together.
17:11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they
were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
17:12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose
name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an
old man in the days of Saul.
17:13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the
battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were
Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
17:14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.
17:15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep
at Bethlehem.
17:16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented
himself forty days.
17:17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an
ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp of
thy brethren;
17:18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand,
and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
17:19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley
of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
17:20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a
keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to
the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for
the battle.
17:21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army
against army.
17:22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the
carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.
17:23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion,
the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the
Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard
them.
17:24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him,
and were sore afraid.
17:25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up?
surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who
killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give
him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
17:26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall
be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the
reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he
should defy the armies of the living God?
17:27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it
be done to the man that killeth him.
17:28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and
Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou
down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the
wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for
thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
17:29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
17:30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same
manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
17:31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed
them before Saul: and he sent for him.
17:32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him;
thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
17:33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of
war from his youth.
17:34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and
there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
17:35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of
his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and
smote him, and slew him.
17:36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this
uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied
the armies of the living God.
17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of
the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the
hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be
with thee.
17:38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of
brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
17:39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go;
for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with
these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
17:40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth
stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had,
even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the
Philistine.
17:41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man
that bare the shield went before him.
17:42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained
him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
17:43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest
to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
17:44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy
flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword,
and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of
the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast
defied.
17:46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will
smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases
of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and
to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there
is a God in Israel.
17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with
sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into
our hands.
17:48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew
nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet
the Philistine.
17:49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and
slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk
into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a
stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in
the hand of David.
17:51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his
sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off
his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was
dead, they fled.
17:52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued
the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of
Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to
Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.
17:53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the
Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.
17:54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to
Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.
17:55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said
unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And
Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
17:56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.
17:57 And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner
took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in
his hand.
17:58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And
David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.
18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul,
that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan
loved him as his own soul.
18:2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to
his father's house.
18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as
his own soul.
18:4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and
gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow,
and to his girdle.
18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself
wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the
sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
18:6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the
slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of
Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy,
and with instruments of musick.
18:7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul
hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
18:8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he
said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have
ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
18:9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
18:10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God
came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David
played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in
Saul's hand.
18:11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to
the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.
18:12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and
was departed from Saul.
18:13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over
a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
18:14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was
with him.
18:15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he
was afraid of him.
18:16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came
in before them.
18:17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I
give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD's
battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand
of the Philistines be upon him.
18:18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my
father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?
18:19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should
have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite
to wife.
18:20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and
the thing pleased him.
18:21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to
him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore
Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of
the twain.
18:22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David
secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his
servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.
18:23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And
David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law,
seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
18:24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake
David.
18:25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not
any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of
the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of
the Philistines.
18:26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David
well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired.
18:27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the
Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they
gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in
law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
18:28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that
Michal Saul's daughter loved him.
18:29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's
enemy continually.
18:30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to
pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than
all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
19:1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that
they should kill David.
19:2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told
David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I
pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret
place, and hide thyself:
19:3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where
thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see,
that I will tell thee.
19:4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said
unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David;
because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been
to thee-ward very good:
19:5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and
the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and
didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to
slay David without a cause?
19:6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As
the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.
19:7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those
things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence,
as in times past.
19:8 And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the
Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from
him.
19:9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his
house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
19:10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin:
but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin
into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
19:11 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to
slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If
thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
19:12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled,
and escaped.
19:13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow
of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.
19:14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.
19:15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him
up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
19:16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image
in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.
19:17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent
away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said
unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
19:18 So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told
him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in
Naioth.
19:19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.
19:20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the
company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed
over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they
also prophesied.
19:21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they
prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and
they prophesied also.
19:22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in
Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said,
Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.
19:23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was
upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth
in Ramah.
19:24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel
in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night.
Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
20:1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before
Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin
before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
20:2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my
father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it
me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
20:3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth
that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan
know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
20:4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will
even do it for thee.
20:5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon,
and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that
I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
20:6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave
of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly
sacrifice there for all the family.
20:7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he
be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.
20:8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast
brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee:
notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why
shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
20:9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly
that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not
I tell it thee?
20:10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy
father answer thee roughly?
20:11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the
field. And they went out both of them into the field.
20:12 And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have
sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and,
behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee,
and shew it thee;
20:13 The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my
father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away,
that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been
with my father.