001:001 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim,
of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah,
the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu,
the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite:
001:002 and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah,
and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children,
but Hannah had no children.
001:003 This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship
and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons
of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there.
001:004 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah
his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
001:005 but to Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah,
but Yahweh had shut up her womb.
001:006 Her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because Yahweh
had shut up her womb.
001:007 [as] he did so year by year, when she went up to the house
of Yahweh, so she provoked her; therefore she wept,
and did not eat.
001:008 Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why weep you? and why
don't you eat? and why is your heart grieved? am I not better
to you than ten sons?
001:009 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after
they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat
by the doorpost of the temple of Yahweh.
001:010 She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh,
and wept sore.
001:011 She vowed a vow, and said, Yahweh of Armies, if you will indeed
look on the affliction of your handmaid, and remember me,
and not forget your handmaid, but will give to your handmaid
a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life,
and there shall no razor come on his head.
001:012 It happened, as she continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli
marked her mouth.
001:013 Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved,
but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she
had been drunken.
001:014 Eli said to her, How long will you be drunken? put away your
wine from you.
001:015 Hannah answered, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit:
I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured
out my soul before Yahweh.
001:016 Don't count your handmaid for a wicked woman; for out
of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have
I spoken hitherto.
001:017 Then Eli answered, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant
your petition that you have asked of him.
001:018 She said, Let your handmaid find favor in your sight.
So the woman went her way, and ate; and her facial expression
wasn't sad any more.
001:019 They rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before Yahweh,
and returned, and came to their house to Ramah:
and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Yahweh remembered her.
001:020 It happened, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived,
and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, [saying], Because I
have asked him of Yahweh.
001:021 The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to Yahweh
the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
001:022 But Hannah didn't go up; for she said to her husband, [I will not
go up] until the child be weaned; and then I will bring him,
that he may appear before Yahweh, and there abide forever.
001:023 Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems you good;
wait until you have weaned him; only Yahweh establish his word.
So the woman waited and nursed her son, until she weaned him.
001:024 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her,
with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle
of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahweh in Shiloh:
and the child was young.
001:025 They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.
001:026 She said, Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am
the woman who stood by you here, praying to Yahweh.
001:027 For this child I prayed; and Yahweh has given me my petition
which I asked of him:
001:028 therefore also I have granted him to Yahweh; as long as he lives
he is granted to Yahweh. He worshiped Yahweh there.
002:001 Hannah prayed, and said: My heart exults in Yahweh! My horn
is exalted in Yahweh. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
002:002 There is no one as holy as Yahweh, For there is no one besides you,
nor is there any rock like our God.
002:003 Talk no more so exceeding proudly. Don't let arrogance
come out of your mouth, For Yahweh is a God of knowledge.
By him actions are weighed.
002:004 The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled
are girded with strength.
002:005 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread.
Those who were hungry have ceased [to hunger]. Yes, the barren
has borne seven. She who has many children languishes.
002:006 Yahweh kills, and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol,
and brings up.
002:007 Yahweh makes poor, and makes rich. He brings low,
he also lifts up.
002:008 He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy
from the dunghill, To make them sit with princes, and inherit
the throne of glory, for the pillars of the earth are Yahweh's.
He has set the world on them.
002:009 He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked shall be put
to silence in darkness; for no man shall prevail by strength.
002:010 Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces.
He will thunder against them in the sky. Yahweh will judge
the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king,
and exalt the horn of his anointed.
002:011 Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child did minister
to Yahweh before Eli the priest.
002:012 Now the sons of Eli were base men; they didn't know Yahweh.
002:013 The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man
offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh
was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand;
002:014 and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot;
all that the fork brought up the priest took therewith.
So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.
002:015 Yes, before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said
to the man who sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest;
for he will not have boiled flesh of you, but raw.
002:016 If the man said to him, They will surely burn the fat first,
and then take as much as your soul desires; then he would say,
No, but you shall give it me now: and if not, I will take
it by force.
002:017 The sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh;
for the men despised the offering of Yahweh.
002:018 But Samuel ministered before Yahweh, being a child,
girded with a linen ephod.
002:019 Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it
to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband
to offer the yearly sacrifice.
002:020 Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Yahweh give you seed
of this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh.
They went to their own home.
002:021 Yahweh visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons
and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before Yahweh.
002:022 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did
to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who served
at the door of the tent of meeting.
002:023 He said to them, Why do you such things? for I hear of your
evil dealings from all this people.
002:024 No, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear:
you make Yahweh's people to disobey.
002:025 If one man sin against another, God shall judge him;
but if a man sin against Yahweh, who shall entreat for him?
Notwithstanding, they didn't listen to the voice of their father,
because Yahweh was minded to kill them.
002:026 The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Yahweh,
and also with men.
002:027 There came a man of God to Eli, and said to him, Thus says
Yahweh, Did I reveal myself to the house of your father,
when they were in Egypt [in bondage] to Pharaoh's house?
002:028 and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be
my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear
an ephod before me? and did I give to the house of your father
all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
002:029 Why kick you at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have
commanded in [my] habitation, and honor your sons above me,
to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings
of Israel my people?
002:030 Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, I said indeed
that your house, and the house of your father, should walk
before me forever: but now Yahweh says, Be it far from me;
for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise
me shall be lightly esteemed.
002:031 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off your arm, and the arm
of your father's house, that there shall not be an old man
in your house.
002:032 You shall see the affliction of [my] habitation, in all the wealth
which [God] shall give Israel; and there shall not be an old
man in your house forever.
002:033 The man of yours, [whom] I shall not cut off from my altar,
[shall be] to consume your eyes, and to grieve your heart;
and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower
of their age.
002:034 This shall be the sign to you, that shall come on your two sons,
on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them.
002:035 I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do
according to that which is in my heart and in my mind:
and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before
my anointed forever.
002:036 It shall happen, that everyone who is left in your house shall
come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf
of bread, and shall say, Please put me into one of the priests'
offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.
003:001 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli.
The word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was
no frequent vision.
003:002 It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place
(now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),
003:003 and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel had laid
down [to sleep], in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark
of God was;
003:004 that Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, Here am I.
003:005 He ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me.
He said, I didn't call; lie down again. He went and lay down.
003:006 Yahweh called yet again, Samuel. Samuel arose and went to Eli,
and said, Here am I; for you called me. He answered,
I didn't call, my son; lie down again.
003:007 Now Samuel didn't yet know Yahweh, neither was the word
of Yahweh yet revealed to him.
003:008 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose
and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me.
Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child.
003:009 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be,
if he call you, that you shall say, Speak, Yahweh; for your
servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
003:010 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel.
Then Samuel said, Speak; for your servant hears.
003:011 Yahweh said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel,
at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.
003:012 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken
concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.
003:013 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever,
for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring
a curse on themselves, and he didn't restrain them.
003:014 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity
of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice
nor offering forever.
003:015 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house
of Yahweh. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.
003:016 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son.
He said, Here am I.
003:017 He said, "What is the thing that [Yahweh] has spoken to you?
Please don't hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also,
if you hide anything from me of all the things that he
spoke to you."
003:018 Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him.
He said, It is Yahweh: let him do what seems him good.
003:019 Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and did let none of his
words fall to the ground.
003:020 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was
established to be a prophet of Yahweh.
003:021 Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed himself
to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.
004:001 The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out
against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer:
and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
004:002 The Philistines put themselves in array against Israel:
and when they joined battle, Israel was struck before
the Philistines; and they killed of the army in the field
about four thousand men.
004:003 When the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said,
Why has Yahweh struck us today before the Philistines? Let us
get the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Shiloh to us,
that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand
of our enemies.
004:004 So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark
of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits [above] the cherubim:
and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there
with the ark of the covenant of God.
004:005 When the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp,
all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
004:006 When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said,
What means the noise of this great shout in the camp of
the Hebrews? They understood that the ark of Yahweh was come
into the camp.
004:007 The Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come
into the camp. They said, Woe to us! for there has not been
such a thing heretofore.
004:008 Woe to us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty
gods? these are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all
manner of plagues in the wilderness.
004:009 Be strong, and behave yourselves like men, O you Philistines,
that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you:
quit yourselves like men, and fight.
004:010 The Philistines fought, and Israel was struck, and they fled
every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter;
for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
004:011 The ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni
and Phinehas, were slain.
004:012 There ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh
the same day, with his clothes torn, and with earth on his head.
004:013 When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the
road watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God.
When the man came into the city, and told it, all the
city cried out.
004:014 When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What means
the noise of this tumult? The man hurried, and came
and told Eli.
004:015 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were set,
so that he could not see.
004:016 The man said to Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled
today out of the army. He said, How went the matter, my son?
004:017 He who brought the news answered, Israel is fled before
the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter
among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas,
are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
004:018 It happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that [Eli]
fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate;
and his neck broke, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy.
He had judged Israel forty years.
004:019 His daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child,
near to be delivered: and when she heard the news that
the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her
husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth;
for her pains came on her.
004:020 About the time of her death the women who stood by her said
to her, Don't be afraid; for you have brought forth a son.
But she didn't answer, neither did she regard it.
004:021 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.
004:022 She said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark
of God is taken.
005:001 Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought
it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
005:002 The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into
the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
005:003 When they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was
fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh.
They took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
005:004 When they arose early on the next day morning, behold, Dagon was
fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh;
and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands [lay]
cut off on the threshold; only [the stump of] Dagon was
left to him.
005:005 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into
Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod,
to this day.
005:006 But the hand of Yahweh was heavy on them of Ashdod,
and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod
and the borders of it.
005:007 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 on us, and on Dagon our god.
005:008 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines
to them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God
of Israel? They answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel
be carried about to Gath. They carried the ark of the God
of Israel [there].
005:009 It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand
of Yahweh was against the city with a very great confusion:
and he struck the men of the city, both small and great;
and tumors broke out on them.
005:010 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, 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 kill us and our people.
005:011 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of
the Philistines, and they said, Send away the ark of the God
of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it
not kill us and our people. For there was a deadly confusion
throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
005:012 The men who didn't die were struck with the tumors;
and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
006:001 The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
006:002 The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners,
saying, "What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us
with which we shall send it to its place."
006:003 They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don't send
it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering:
then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why
his hand is not removed from you."
006:004 Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we
shall return to him?" They said, "Five golden tumors,
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.
006:005 Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your
mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God
of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you,
and from off your gods, and from off your land.
006:006 Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh
hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them,
didn't they let the people go, and they departed?
006:007 Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart,
and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie
the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;
006:008 and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put
the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering,
in a coffer by the side of it; and send it away, that it may go.
006:009 Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to
Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not,
then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us;
it was a chance that happened to us."
006:010 The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart,
and shut up their calves at home;
006:011 and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer
with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.
006:012 The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh;
they went along the highway, lowing as they went,
and didn't turn aside to the right hand or to the left;
and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border
of Beth Shemesh.
006:013 They of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley;
and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced
to see it.
006:014 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh,
and stood there, where there was a great stone:
and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows
for a burnt offering to Yahweh.
006:015 The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that
was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them
on the great stone: and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt
offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh.
006:016 When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned
to Ekron the same day.
006:017 These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for
a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one,
for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
006:018 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities
of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified
cities and of country villages, even to the great stone,
whereon they set down the ark of Yahweh, [which stone remains]
to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
006:019 He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked
into the ark of Yahweh, he struck of the people fifty thousand
seventy men; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck
the people with a great slaughter.
006:020 The men of Beth Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Yahweh,
this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
006:021 They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim,
saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh;
come you down, and bring it up to you.
007:001 The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Yahweh,
and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill,
and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Yahweh.
007:002 It happened, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath Jearim,
that the time was long; for it was twenty years:
and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.
007:003 Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you
do return to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away
the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you,
and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve him only;
and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
007:004 Then the children of Israel did put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth,
and served Yahweh only.
007:005 Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray
for you to Yahweh."
007:006 They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured
it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there,
"We have sinned against Yahweh." Samuel judged the children
of Israel in Mizpah.
007:007 When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were
gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went
up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it,
they were afraid of the Philistines.
007:008 The children of Israel said to Samuel, "Don't cease to cry
to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand
of the Philistines."
007:009 Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt
offering to Yahweh: and Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel;
and Yahweh answered him.
007:010 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines
drew near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a
great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them;
and they were struck down before Israel.
007:011 The men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines,
and struck them, until they came under Beth Kar.
007:012 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen,
and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto has
Yahweh helped us.
007:013 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within
the border of Israel: and the hand of Yahweh was against
the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
007:014 The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were
restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and the border
of it did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines.
There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
007:015 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
007:016 He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal,
and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.
007:017 His return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there
he judged Israel: and he built there an altar to Yahweh.
008:001 It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons
judges over Israel.
008:002 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of
his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba.
008:003 His sons didn't walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre,
and took bribes, and perverted justice.
008:004 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together,
and came to Samuel to Ramah;
008:005 and they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons
don't walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us
like all the nations.
008:006 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king
to judge us. Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
008:007 Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people
in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you,
but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
008:008 According to all the works which they have done since the day
that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day,
in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods,
so do they also to you.
008:009 Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest
solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king
who shall reign over them.
008:010 Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked
of him a king.
008:011 He said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign
over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him,
for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run
before his chariots;
008:012 and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands,
and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground,
and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war,
and the instruments of his chariots.
008:013 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks,
and to be bakers.
008:014 He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves,
even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
008:015 He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards,
and give to his officers, and to his servants.
008:016 He will take your male servants, and your female servants,
and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them
to his work.
008:017 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall
be his servants.
008:018 You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall
have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day.
008:019 But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel;
and they said, No: but we will have a king over us,
008:020 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.
008:021 Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed
them in the ears of Yahweh.
008:022 Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and make them a king.
Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go you every man to his city.
009:001 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son
of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son
of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
009:002 He had a son, whose name was Saul, an impressive young man;
and there was not among the children of Israel a better
person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher
than any of the people.
009:003 The donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. Kish said
to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with you,
and arise, go seek the donkeys.
009:004 He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed
through the land of Shalishah, but they didn't find them:
then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they
weren't there: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites,
but they didn't find them.
009:005 When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant
who was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father
leave off caring for the donkeys, and be anxious for us.
009:006 He said to him, See now, there is in this city a man of God,
and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes
surely to pass: now let us go there; peradventure he can
tell us concerning our journey whereon we go.
009:007 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?
009:008 The servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have
in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver:
that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
009:009 (In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God,
thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he who is
now called a Prophet was before called a Seer.)
009:010 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go.
So they went to the city where the man of God was.
009:011 As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens
going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer here?
009:012 They answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is] before you:
make haste now, for he is come today into the city;
for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place:
009:013 as soon as you are come into the city, you shall immediately
find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat;
for the people will not eat until he come, because he does bless
the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat who are invited.
Now therefore get you up; for at this time you shall find him.
009:014 They went up to the city; [and] as they came within the city,
behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.
009:015 Now Yahweh had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,
009:016 Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land
of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my
people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand
of the Philistines: for I have looked on my people,
because their cry is come to me.
009:017 When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, Behold, the man
of whom I spoke to you! this same shall have authority
over my people.
009:018 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said,
Tell me, Please, where the seer's house is.
009:019 Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before
me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today:
and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all
that is in your heart.
009:020 As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago,
don't set your mind on them; for they are found.
For whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you,
and for all your father's house?
009:021 Saul answered, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest
of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all
the families of the tribe of Benjamin? why then speak you
to me after this manner?
009:022 Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into
the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among
those who were invited, who were about thirty persons.
009:023 Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave you,
of which I said to you, Set it by you.
009:024 The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it
before Saul. [Samuel] said, Behold, that which has been reserved!
set it before you and eat; because to the appointed time has
it been kept for you, for I said, I have invited the people.
So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
009:025 When they were come down from the high place into the city,
he talked with Saul on the housetop.
009:026 They arose early: and it happened about the spring of the day,
that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I
may send you away. Saul arose, and they went out both of them,
he and Samuel, abroad.
009:027 As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said
to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on),
but stand you still first, that I may cause you to hear
the word of God.
010:001 Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head,
and kissed him, and said, Isn't it that Yahweh has anointed
you to be prince over his inheritance?
010:002 When you are departed from me today, then you shall find two men
by Rachel's tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they
will tell you, The donkeys which you went to seek are found;
and behold, your father has left off caring for the donkeys,
and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
010:003 Then shall you go on forward from there, and you shall
come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet you there
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:
010:004 and they will greet you, and give you two loaves of bread,
which you shall receive of their hand.
010:005 After that you shall come to the hill of God, where is
the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall happen,
when you are come there to the city, that you shall meet a band
of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery,
and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp, before them;
and they will be prophesying:
010:006 and the Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on you, and you shall
prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man.
010:007 Let it be, when these signs are come to you, that you do
as occasion shall serve you; for God is with you.
010:008 You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come
down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice
sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shall you wait,
until I come to you, and show you what you shall do.
010:009 It was so, that when he had turned his back to go
from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs
happened that day.
010:010 When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets
met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him,
and he prophesied among them.
010:011 It happened, when all who knew him before saw that, behold,
he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one
to another, What is this that is come to the son of Kish? Is Saul
also among the prophets?
010:012 One of the same place answered, Who is their father?
Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
010:013 When he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
010:014 Saul's uncle said to him and to his servant, Where went you?
He said, To seek the donkeys; and when we saw that they
were not found, we came to Samuel.
010:015 Saul's uncle said, Tell me, Please, what Samuel said to you.
010:016 Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the donkeys
were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom,
of which Samuel spoke, he didn't tell him.
010:017 Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah;
010:018 and he said to the children of Israel, Thus says Yahweh,
the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt,
and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians,
and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you:
010:019 but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves
you out of all your calamities and your distresses;
and you have said to him, [No], but set a king over us.
Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes,
and by your thousands.
010:020 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe
of Benjamin was taken.
010:021 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families;
and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son
of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could
not be found.
010:022 Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, Is there yet a man
to come here? Yahweh answered, Behold, he has hid himself
among the baggage.
010:023 They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among
the people, he was higher than any of the people from his
shoulders and upward.
010:024 Samuel said to all the people, "You see him whom Yahweh
has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?"
All the people shouted, and said, [Long] live the king.
010:025 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom,
and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh.
Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
010:026 Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him
the army, whose hearts God had touched.
010:027 But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us?
They despised him, and brought him no present.
But he held his peace.
011:001 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead:
and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant
with us, and we will serve you.
011:002 Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I
make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out;
and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel.
011:003 The elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days' respite, that we
may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then,
if there be none to save us, we will come out to you.
011:004 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these
words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted
up their voice, and wept.
011:005 Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field;
and Saul said, What ails the people that they weep?
They told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
011:006 The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words,
and his anger was kindled greatly.
011:007 He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent
them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand
of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn't come forth after
Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.
The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out
as one man.
011:008 He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were
three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
011:009 They said to the messengers who came, Thus shall you tell
the men of Jabesh Gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot,
you shall have deliverance. The messengers came and told
the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
011:010 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you,
and you shall do with us all that seems good to you.
011:011 It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in
three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the
morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day:
and it happened, that those who remained were scattered,
so that no two of them were left together.
011:012 The people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Shall Saul reign
over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
011:013 Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day;
for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel.
011:014 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal,
and renew the kingdom there.
011:015 All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king
before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices
of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all
the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
012:001 Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have listened to your voice
in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
012:002 Now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old
and gray-headed; and behold, my sons are with you:
and I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
012:003 Here I am: witness against me before Yahweh, and before
his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose donkey have I
taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed?
or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind my eyes
therewith? and I will restore it you.
012:004 They said, You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us,
neither have you taken anything of any man's hand.
012:005 He said to them, Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed
is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.
They said, He is witness.
012:006 Samuel said to the people, It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron,
and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
012:007 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you
before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh,
which he did to you and to your fathers.
012:008 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahweh,
then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your
fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.
012:009 But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand
of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand
of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab;
and they fought against them.
012:010 They cried to Yahweh, and said, We have sinned, because we have
forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth:
but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we
will serve you.
012:011 Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel,
and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side;
and you lived in safety.
012:012 When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came
against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us;
when Yahweh your God was your king.
012:013 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you
have asked for: and behold, Yahweh has set a king over you.
012:014 If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice,
and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, and both you
and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh
your God, [well]:
012:015 but if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh, but rebel
against the commandment of Yahweh, then will the hand of Yahweh
be against you, as it was against your fathers.
012:016 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh
will do before your eyes.
012:017 Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh,
that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see
that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight
of Yahweh, in asking you a king.
012:018 So Samuel called to Yahweh; and Yahweh sent thunder and rain
that day: and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.
012:019 All the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to Yahweh
your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins
[this] evil, to ask us a king.
012:020 Samuel said to the people, "Don't be afraid; you have indeed
done all this evil; yet don't turn aside from following Yahweh,
but serve Yahweh with all your heart:
012:021 and don't turn aside; for [then would you go] after vain things
which can't profit nor deliver, for they are vain.
012:022 For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name's sake,
because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people to himself.
012:023 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against
Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you
in the good and the right way.
012:024 Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart;
for consider how great things he has done for you.
012:025 But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed,
both you and your king."
013:001 Saul was [forty] years old when he began to reign;
and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
013:002 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel, of which two
thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel,
and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin:
and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
013:003 Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba:
and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet
throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
013:004 All Israel heard say that Saul had struck the garrison of
the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination
with the Philistines. The people were gathered together
after Saul to Gilgal.
013:005 The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel,
thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen,
and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude:
and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.
013:006 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 coverts, and in pits.
013:007 Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land
of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal,
and all the people followed him trembling.
013:008 He stayed seven days, according to the set time that Samuel
[had appointed]: but Samuel didn't come to Gilgal;
and the people were scattered from him.
013:009 Saul said, Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the
peace offerings. He offered the burnt offering.
013:010 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 greet him.
013:011 Samuel said, What have you done? Saul said, Because I saw
that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn't
come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines
assembled themselves together at Michmash;
013:012 therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down on me
to Gilgal, and I haven't entreated the favor of Yahweh: I forced
myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering.
013:013 Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly; you have not kept
the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you:
for now would Yahweh have established your kingdom
on Israel forever.
013:014 But now your kingdom shall not continue: Yahweh has sought
him a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him
to be prince over his people, because you have not kept
that which Yahweh commanded you.
013:015 Samuel arose, and got him up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin.
Saul numbered the people who were present with him,
about six hundred men.
013:016 Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present
with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines
encamped in Michmash.
013:017 The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in
three companies: one company turned to the way that leads
to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;
013:018 and another company turned the way to Beth Horon;
and another company turned the way of the border that looks
down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
013:019 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel;
for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them
swords or spears:
013:020 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen
every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle;
013:021 yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the plowshares,
and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.
013:022 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 who
were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan
his son was there found.
013:023 The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
014:001 Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said
to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go
over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side.
But he didn't tell his father.
014:002 Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate
tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with him
were about six hundred men;
014:003 and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas,
the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod.
The people didn't know that Jonathan was gone.
014:004 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to
the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side,
and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one
was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
014:005 The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash,
and the other on the south in front of Geba.
014:006 Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come,
and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised:
it may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no
restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few.
014:007 His armor bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart:
turn you, behold, I am with you according to your heart.
014:008 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over to the men,
and we will disclose ourselves to them.
014:009 If they say thus to us, Wait until we come to you; then we
will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.
014:010 But if they say thus, Come up to us; then we will go up;
for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand: and this shall
be the sign to us.
014:011 Both of them disclosed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines:
and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth
out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
014:012 The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer,
and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.
Jonathan said to his armor bearer, Come up after me;
for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.
014:013 Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his
armor bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan;
and his armor bearer killed them after him.
014:014 That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made,
was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length
in an acre of land.
014:015 There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all
the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled;
and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.
014:016 The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold,
the multitude melted away, and they went [here] and there.
014:017 Then said Saul to the people who were with him, Number now,
and see who is gone from us. When they had numbered, behold,
Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.
014:018 Saul said to Ahijah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark
of God was [there] at that time with the children of Israel.
014:019 It happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult
that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased:
and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand.
014:020 Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together,
and came to the battle: and behold, every man's sword was
against his fellow, [and there was] a very great confusion.
014:021 Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines as before,
and who went up with them into the camp, [from the country]
round about, even they also [turned] to be with the Israelites
who were with Saul and Jonathan.
014:022 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill
country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled,
even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
014:023 So Yahweh saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over
by Beth Aven.
014:024 The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had
adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any
food until it be evening, and I be avenged on my enemies.
So none of the people tasted food.
014:025 All the people came into the forest; and there was honey
on the ground.
014:026 When the people were come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped:
but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people
feared the oath.
014:027 But Jonathan didn't hear when his father charged the people
with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod
who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put
his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
014:028 Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father directly
charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man
who eats food this day. The people were faint.
014:029 Then said Jonathan, My father has troubled the land.
Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I
tasted a little of this honey.
014:030 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today
of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now has
there been no great slaughter among the Philistines.
014:031 They struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon.
The people were very faint;
014:032 and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen,
and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people
ate them with the blood.
014:033 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin
against Yahweh, in that they eat with the blood.
He said, you have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone
to me this day.
014:034 Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them,
Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep,
and kill them here, and eat; and don't sin against Yahweh
in eating with the blood. All the people brought every man
his ox with him that night, and killed them there.
014:035 Saul built an altar to Yahweh: the same was the first altar
that he built to Yahweh.
014:036 Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night,
and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not
leave a man of them. They said, Do whatever seems good to you.
Then said the priest, Let us draw near here to God.
014:037 Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines?
will you deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he didn't
answer him that day.
014:038 Saul said, Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people;
and know and see in which this sin has been this day.
014:039 For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan
my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among
all the people who answered him.
014:040 Then said he to all Israel, Be you on one side,
and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.
The people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you.
014:041 Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, Show the right.
Jonathan and Saul were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.
014:042 Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son.
Jonathan was taken.
014:043 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done.
Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little
honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold,
I must die.
014:044 Saul said, God do so and more also; for you shall
surely die, Jonathan.
014:045 The people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has
worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it:
as Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head
fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day.
So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn't die.
014:046 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines;
and the Philistines went to their own place.
014:047 Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he 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 wherever he turned himself, he put [them] to the worse.
014:048 He did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered
Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them.
014:049 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua;
and the names of his two daughters were these: the name
of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:
014:050 and the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz.
The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son
of Ner, Saul's uncle.
014:051 Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was
the son of Abiel.
014:052 There was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul:
and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man,
he took him to him.
015:001 Samuel said to Saul, Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king
over his people, over Israel: now therefore listen you
to the voice of the words of Yahweh.
015:002 Thus says Yahweh of Armies, I have marked that which Amalek
did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way,
when he came up out of Egypt.
015:003 Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have,
and don't spare them; but kill both man and woman,
infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.
015:004 Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim,
two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
015:005 Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
015:006 Saul said to the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among
the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you shown kindness
to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt.
So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
015:007 Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur,
that is before Egypt.
015:008 He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly
destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
015:009 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 wouldn't utterly destroy them: but everything
that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
015:010 Then came the word of Yahweh to Samuel, saying,
015:011 It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned
back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.
Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night.
015:012 Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it
was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold,
he set him up a monument, and turned, and passed on,
and went down to Gilgal.
015:013 Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, Blessed are you
by Yahweh: I have performed the commandment of Yahweh.
015:014 Samuel said, What means then this bleating of the sheep in my ears,
and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
015:015 Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites:
for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen,
to sacrifice to Yahweh your God; and the rest we
have utterly destroyed.
015:016 Then Samuel said to Saul, Stay, and I will tell you what Yahweh
has said to me this night. He said to him, Say on.
015:017 Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight,
weren't you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed
you king over Israel;
015:018 and Yahweh sent you on a journey, and said, 'Go, and utterly
destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them
until they are consumed.'
015:019 Why then didn't you obey the voice of Yahweh, but flew on the spoil,
and did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh?"
015:020 Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh,
and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag
the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
015:021 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief
of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.
015:022 Samuel said, Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings
and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey
is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
015:023 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is
as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word
of Yahweh, he has also rejected you from being king.
015:024 Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed
the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared
the people, and obeyed their voice.
015:025 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me,
that I may worship Yahweh.
015:026 Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you; for you
have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected
you from being king over Israel.
015:027 As Samuel turned about to go away, [Saul] laid hold on the skirt
of his robe, and it tore.
015:028 Samuel said to him, Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel
from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours
who is better than you.
015:029 Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent;
for he is not a man, that he should repent.
015:030 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, Please, before the
elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me,
that I may worship Yahweh your God.
015:031 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshiped Yahweh.
015:032 Then said Samuel, Bring you here to me Agag the king
of the Amalekites. Agag came to him cheerfully.
Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
015:033 Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall
your mother be childless among women. Samuel hewed Agag
in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal.
015:034 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house
to Gibeah of Saul.
015:035 Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death;
for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Yahweh grieved that he had
made Saul king over Israel.
016:001 Yahweh said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I
have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill your horn
with oil, and go: I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite;
for I have provided me a king among his sons.
016:002 Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.
Yahweh said, Take a heifer with you, and say, I am come
to sacrifice to Yahweh.
016:003 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do:
and you shall anoint to me him whom I name to you.
016:004 Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke, and came to Bethlehem.
The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said,
Come you peaceably?
016:005 He said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice to Yahweh:
sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.
He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
016:006 It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab,
and said, Surely Yahweh's anointed is before him.
016:007 But Yahweh said to Samuel, "Don't look on his face, or on
the height of his stature; because I have rejected him:
for [Yahweh sees] not as man sees; for man looks at the
outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart."
016:008 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel.
He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this.
016:009 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, Neither has
Yahweh chosen this.
016:010 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.
Samuel said to Jesse, Yahweh has not chosen these.
016:011 Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all your children?
He said, There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is
keeping the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send and get him;
for we will not sit down until he come here.
016:012 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy,
and withal of a beautiful face, and goodly to look on.
Yahweh said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.
016:013 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst
of his brothers: and the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily
on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up,
and went to Ramah.
016:014 Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit
from Yahweh troubled him.
016:015 Saul's servants said to him, See now, an evil spirit from
God troubles you.
016:016 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you,
to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp:
and it shall happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you,
that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well.
016:017 Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man who can play well,
and bring him to me.
016:018 Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen
a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing,
and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent
in speech, and a comely person; and Yahweh is with him.
016:019 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send me
David your son, who is with the sheep.
016:020 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine,
and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
016:021 David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly;
and he became his armor bearer.
016:022 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Please let David stand before me;
for he has found favor in my sight.
016:023 It happened, when the [evil] spirit from God was on Saul,
that David took the harp, and played with his hand:
so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit
departed from him.
017:001 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle;
and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah,
and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.
017:002 Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together,