Armenian Apostolic Church Library Online

1. 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, and Ephraimite:

2 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.

3 And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and

to sacrifice unto Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli,

Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Jehovah, were there.

4 And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his

wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5 but unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but

Jehovah had shut up her womb.

6 And her rival provoked her sore, to make her fret, because Jehovah had

shut up her womb.

7 And [as] he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of

Jehovah, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 And Elkanah her husband said unto 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?

9. So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had

drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the

temple of Jehovah.

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept

sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed

look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy

handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him

unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon

his head.

12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before Jehovah, that Eli

marked her mouth.

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.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy

wine from thee.

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 I poured out my

soul before Jehovah.

16 Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of

my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant

thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman

went her way, and did eat; and her countenance was no more [sad].

19. And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before Jehovah,

and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his

wife; and Jehovah remembered her.

20 And it came to pass, when the time was come about, that Hannah

conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name Samuel, [saying],

Because I have asked him of Jehovah.

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto Jehovah

the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

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 Jehovah, and there abide for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good;

tarry until thou have weaned him; only Jehovah establish his word. So the

woman tarried and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three

bullocks, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto

the house of Jehovah in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 And they slew the bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman

that stood by thee here, praying unto Jehovah.

27 For this child I prayed; and Jehovah hath given me my petition which I

asked of him:

28 therefore also I have granted him to Jehovah; as long as he liveth he

is granted to Jehovah. And he worshipped Jehovah there.

1. And Hannah prayed, and said: My heart exulteth in Jehovah; My horn is

exalted in Jehovah; My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; Because I

rejoice in thy salvation.

2 There is none holy as Jehovah; For there is none besides thee, Neither

is there any rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; Let not arrogancy come out of your

mouth; For Jehovah is a God of knowledge, And by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty men are broken; And they that stumbled are

girded with strength.

5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; And they that

were hungry have ceased [to hunger]: Yea, the barren hath borne seven; And

she that hath many children languisheth.

6 Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive: He bringeth down to Sheol, and

bringeth up.

7 Jehovah maketh poor, and maketh rich: He bringeth low, he also lifteth

up.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, He lifteth 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 Jehovah's, And he hath set the

world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of his holy ones; But the wicked shall be put to

silence in darkness; For by strength shall no man prevail.

10 They that strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces; Against them

will he thunder in heaven: Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth; And he

will give strength unto his king, And exalt the horn of his anointed.

11. And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister

unto Jehovah before Eli the priest.

12 Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not Jehovah.

13 And 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 flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand;

14 and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that

the flesh-hook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shiloh

unto all the Israelites that came thither.

15 Yea, 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 boiled flesh of thee, but raw.

16 And if the man said unto him, They will surely burn the fat first, and

then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would say, Nay, but thou

shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

17 And the sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah; for the

men despised the offering of Jehovah.

18 But Samuel ministered before Jehovah, being a child, girded with a

linen ephod.

19 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.

20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed

of this woman for the petition which was asked of Jehovah. And they went

unto their own home.

21 And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three sons and

two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before Jehovah.

22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all

Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door

of the tent of meeting.

23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil

dealings from all this people.

24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make Jehovah's

people to transgress.

25 If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin

against Jehovah, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they hearkened

not unto the voice of their father, because Jehovah was minded to slay

them.

26 And the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with

Jehovah, and also with men.

27. And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith

Jehovah, Did I reveal myself unto the house of thy father, when they were

in Egypt [in bondage] to Pharaoh's house?

28 and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest,

to go up unto mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and

did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children

of Israel made by fire?

29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have

commanded in [my] habitation, and honorest thy sons above me, to make

yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

30 Therefore Jehovah, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy

house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now

Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and

they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

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 thy house.

32 And thou shalt behold the affliction of [my] habitation, in all the

wealth which [God] shall give Israel; and there shall not be an old man in

thy house for ever.

33 And the man of thine, [whom] I shall not cut off from mine altar,

[shall be] to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart; and all the

increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age.

34 And this shall be the sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two

sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them.

35 And 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 mine anointed for ever.

36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thy house

shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread,

and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that

I may eat a morsel of bread.

1. And the child Samuel ministered unto Jehovah before Eli. And the word

of Jehovah was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place

(now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),

3 and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down [to

sleep], in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was;

4 that Jehovah called Samuel; and he said, Here am I.

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.

6 And Jehovah called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli,

and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he answered, I called not,

my son; lie down again.

7 Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither was the word of Jehovah

yet revealed unto him.

8 And Jehovah called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went

to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived that

Jehovah had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he

call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Jehovah; for thy servant heareth. So

Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel,

Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

11. And Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at

which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken

concerning his house, from the beginning even unto the end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the

iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse upon themselves,

and he restrained them not.

14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of

Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of

Jehovah. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here am

I.

17 And he said, What is the thing that [Jehovah] hath spoken unto thee? I

pray thee, hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou

hide anything from me of all the things that he spake unto thee.

18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said,

It is Jehovah: let him do what seemeth him good.

19. And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and did let none of his

words fall to the ground.

20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was

established to be a prophet of Jehovah.

21 And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh; for Jehovah revealed himself to

Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Jehovah.

1. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against

the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ezer: and the

Philistines encamped in Aphek.

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.

3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said,

Wherefore hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us

fetch the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh unto us, that it may

come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.

4 So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from thence the ark of

the covenant of Jehovah of hosts, who sitteth [above] the cherubim: and the

two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the

covenant of God.

5 And when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, all

Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

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 Jehovah was come into the camp.

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.

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 manner of plagues in

the wilderness.

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.

10. And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled

every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell

of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and

Phinehas, were slain.

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.

13 And when he came, lo, Eli was sitting upon his 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.

14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the

noise of this tumult? And the man hasted, and came and told Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that

he could not see.

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, How went the matter, my son?

17 And he that brought the tidings 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.

18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that

[Eli] feel from off his 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.

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

brought forth; for her pains came upon her.

20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto

her, Fear not; for thou hast brought forth a son. But she answered not,

neither did she regard it.

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.

22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is

taken.

1. Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from

Eben-ezer unto Ashdod.

2 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house

of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was

fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah. And they took

Dagon, and set him in his place again.

4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was

fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah; and the head

of Dagon and both the palms of his hands [lay] cut off upon the threshold;

only [the stump of] Dagon was left to him.

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.

6. But the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed

them, and smote them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders thereof.

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.

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 [thither].

9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of

Jehovah was against the city with a very great discomfiture: and he smote

the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors brake out upon them.

10 So 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.

11 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 is slay us not, and our people. For

there was a deadly discomfiture throughout all the city; the hand of God

was very heavy there.

12 And the men that died not were smitten with the tumors; and the cry of

the city went up to heaven.

1. And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the Philistines seven

months.

2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying,

What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? show us wherewith we shall sent

it to its place.

3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it

not empty; but by all means 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.

4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall

return to him? And 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.

5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your tumors, 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 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?

7 Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two milch kine, on

which there hath come no yoke; and tie the kine to the cart, and bring

their calves home from them;

8 and take the ark of Jehovah, 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.

9 And see; if it goeth up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh,

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.

10. And the men did so, and took two milch kine, and tied them to the

cart, and shut up their calves at home;

11 and they put the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer with the

mice of gold and the images of their tumors.

12 And the kine took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they

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 Beth-shemesh.

13 And 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.

14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood

there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart,

and offered up the kine for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah.

15 And the Levites took down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer that was

with it, wherein 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 unto Jehovah.

16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned

to Ekron the same day.

17 And these are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a

trespass-offering unto Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon

one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

18 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 unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark

of Jehovah, [which stone remaineth] unto this day in the field of Joshua

the Beth-shemite.

19. And he smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into

the ark of Jehovah, he smote of the people seventy men, [and] fifty

thousand men; and the people mourned, because Jehovah had smitten the

people with a great slaughter.

20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Jehovah,

this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying,

The Philistines have brought back the ark of Jehovah; come ye down, and

fetch it up to you.

1. And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Jehovah,

and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified

Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah.

2 And it came to pass, 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 Jehovah.

3. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return

unto Jehovah with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the

Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts unto Jehovah, and serve

him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

4 Then the children of Israel did put away the Baalim and the Ashtaroth,

and served Jehovah only.

5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you

unto Jehovah.

6 And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out

before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned

against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

7. And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were

gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against

Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the

Philistines.

8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto

Jehovah our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the

Philistines.

9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole

burnt-offering unto Jehovah: and Samuel cried unto Jehovah for Israel; and

Jehovah answered him.

10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew

near to battle against Israel; but Jehovah thundered with a great thunder

on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were

smitten down before Israel.

11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines,

and smote them, until they came under Beth-car.

12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and

called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us.

13. So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the

border of Israel: and the hand of Jehovah was against the Philistines all

the days of Samuel.

14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were

restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the border thereof did

Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace

between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el and Gilgal, and

Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.

17 And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he

judged Israel: and he built there an altar unto Jehovah.

1. And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges

over Israel.

2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second,

Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and

took bribes, and perverted justice.

4. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to

Samuel unto Ramah;

5 and they 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.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to

judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah.

7 And Jehovah 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 be king over them.

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, in that they have forsaken

me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest

solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall

reign over them.

10 And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah unto the people that asked of

him a king.

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 unto him, for his chariots,

and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;

12 and he will appoint them unto 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.

13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and

to be bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards,

even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and

give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your

goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall

have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.

19 But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they

said, Nay: but we will have a king over us,

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.

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in

the ears of Jehovah.

22 And Jehovah 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.

1. 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.

2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a 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.

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.

4 And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passed through

the land of Shalishah, but they found them not: then they passed through

the land of Shaalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the

land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

5 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 off caring for

the asses, and be anxious for us.

6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God,

and he is a man that is held in honor; all that he saith cometh surely to

pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our

journey whereon we go.

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?

8 And 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.

9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said,

Come, and let us go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was

beforetime called a Seer.)

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.

11. As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going

out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?

12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is] before thee:

make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people have a

sacrifice to-day in the high place:

13 as soon as ye are come into the city, ye shall straightway find him,

before he goeth 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 are bidden. Now therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall

find him.

14 And 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.

15 Now Jehovah had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,

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 prince over my people Israel; and

he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have

looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

17 And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said unto him, Behold, the man of

whom I spake to thee! this same shall have authority over my people.

18. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray

thee, where the seer's house is.

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 in the morning I

will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.

20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not they

mind on them; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in

Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house?

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 to me after this manner?

22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the

guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were

bidden, who were about thirty persons.

23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of

which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.

24 And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon it, and set it

before Saul. And [Samuel] said, Behold, that which hath been reserved! set

it before thee and eat; because unto the appointed time hath it been kept

for thee, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with

Samuel that day.

25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he

communed with Saul upon the housetop.

26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day,

that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send

thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel,

abroad.

27 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 thou still

first, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.

1. Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and

kissed him, and said, Is it not that Jehovah hath anointed thee to be

prince over his inheritance?

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 off caring for the asses, and is anxious for you, saying,

What shall I do for my son?

3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the

oak of Tabor; and there shall meet thee there three men going up to God to

Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of

bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

4 and they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread, which

thou shalt receive of their hand.

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 band of prophets coming down from the high

place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them;

and they will be prophesying:

6 and the Spirit of Jehovah will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt

prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as

occasion shall serve thee; for God is with thee.

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 unto thee, and

show thee what thou shalt do.

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 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met

him; and the Spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among

them.

11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that,

behold, he prophesied with 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?

12 And one of the same place answered and said, And who is their father?

Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

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 not found,

we came to Samuel.

15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto

you.

16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were

found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he

told him not.

17. And Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah to Mizpah;

18 and he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith Jehovah, 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:

19 but ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saveth you out of

all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto him, [Nay],

but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by

your tribes, and by your thousands.

20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of

Benjamin was taken.

21 And 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.

22 Therefore they asked of Jehovah further, Is there yet a man to come

hither? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the

baggage.

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.

24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Jehovah hath

chosen, that there is none like him along all the people? And all the

people shouted, and said, [Long] live the king.

25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in

a book, and laid it up before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away,

every man to his house.

26 And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the

host, whose hearts God had touched.

27 But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And

they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

1. Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead:

and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we

will serve thee.

2 And Nahash the Ammonite said unto 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 upon all Israel.

3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite,

that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel; and then, if

there be none to save us, we will come out to thee.

4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in

the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5. And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul

said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of

the men of Jabesh.

6 And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those

words, and his anger was kindled greatly.

7 And 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,

Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done

unto his oxen. And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came

out as one man.

8 And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three

hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the

men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have

deliverance. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they

were glad.

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 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three

companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch,

and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass,

that they that remained were scattered, so that not two of them were left

together.

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.

13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for

to-day Jehovah hath wrought deliverance in Israel.

14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and

renew the kingdom there.

15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king

before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of

peace-offerings before Jehovah; and there Saul and all the men of Israel

rejoiced greatly.

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.

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 youth unto this day.

3 Here I am: witness against me before Jehovah, 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 taken a ransom to blind mine

eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither

hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.

5 And he said unto them, Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed

is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they

said, He is witness.

6. And Samuel said unto the people, It is Jehovah that appointed Moses and

Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Jehovah

concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he did to you and to

your fathers.

8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto Jehovah,

then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of

Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.

9 But they forgat Jehovah their God; and 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.

10 And they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We have sinned, because we have

forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now

deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11 And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and

delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and ye dwelt

in safety.

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

Jehovah your God was your king.

13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have

asked for: and, behold, Jehovah hath set a king over you.

14 If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice,

and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and both ye and also the

king that reigneth over you be followers of Jehovah your God, [well]:

15 but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah, but rebel

against the commandment of Jehovah, then will the hand of Jehovah be

against you, as it was against your fathers.

16. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Jehovah will

do before your eyes.

17 Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto Jehovah, that he may

send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is

great, which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking you a king.

18 So Samuel called unto Jehovah; and Jehovah sent thunder and rain that

day: and all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.

19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto

Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins

[this] evil, to ask us a king.

20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have indeed done all

this evil; yet turn not aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah

with all your heart:

21 and turn ye not aside; for [then would ye go] after vain things which

cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

22 For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great name's sake,

because it hath pleased Jehovah to make you a people unto himself.

23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against

Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and

the right way.

24 Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for

consider how great things he hath done for you.

25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and

your king.

1. Saul was [forty]] years old when he began to reign; and when he had

reigned two years over Israel,

2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel, whereof two thousand were

with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with

Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every

man to his tent.

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.

4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the

Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the

Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

5 And 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 sea-shore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in

Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven.

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 coverts, and in pits.

7 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.

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.

9 And Saul said, Bring hither the burnt-offering to me, and the

peace-offerings. And he offered the burnt-offering.

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.

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 assembled themselves together at

Michmash;

12 therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down upon me to

Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah: I forced myself

therefore, and offered the burnt-offering.

13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept

the commandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would

Jehovah have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: Jehovah hath sought him a man

after his own heart, and Jehovah hath appointed him to be prince over his

people, because thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee.

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.

16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with

them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

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;

18 and another company turned the way to Beth-horon; and another company

turned the way of the border that looketh down upon the valley of Zeboim

toward the wilderness.

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:

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;

21 yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for

the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.

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.

23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out unto the pass of

Michmash.

1. Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the

young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines'

garrison, that is on yonder side. But he told not his father.

2 And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the

pomegranate-tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were

about six hundred men;

3 and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas,

the son of Eli, the priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the

people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

4 And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto 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.

5 The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other

on the south in front of Geba.

6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let

us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that Jehovah

will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or

by few.

7 And his armorbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thy heart: turn

thee, behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto the men, and we will

disclose ourselves unto them.

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.

10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up; for Jehovah

hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the sign unto us.

11 And both of them disclosed 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.

12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and

said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said unto

his armorbearer, Come up after me; for Jehovah hath delivered them into the

hand of Israel.

13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his

armorbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armorbearer

slew them after him.

14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was

about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of

land.

15 And 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.

16. And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold,

the multitude melted away, and they went [hither] and thither.

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

armorbearer were not there.

18 And Saul said unto Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of

God was [there] at that time with the children of Israel.

19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the

tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and

Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thy hand.

20 And Saul and all the people that 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 discomfiture.

21 Now the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as beforetime, and that

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.

22 Likewise all the men of Israel that 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.

23 So Jehovah saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by

Beth-aven.

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 it be

evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted

food.

25 And all the people came into the forest; and there was honey upon the

ground.

26 And when the people were come unto the forest, behold, the honey

dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the

oath.

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 the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes

were enlightened.

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 food this

day. And the people were faint.

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.

30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to-day of the

spoil of their enemies which they found? for now hath there been no great

slaughter among the Philistines.

31 And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon.

And the people were very faint;

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.

33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah,

in that they eat with the blood. And he said, ye have dealt treacherously:

roll a great stone unto me this day.

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 Jehovah in eating with the blood.

And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew

them there.

35 And Saul built an altar unto Jehovah: the same was the first altar

that he built unto Jehovah.

36. And 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. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the

priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

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.

38 And Saul said, Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of the people; and know

and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

39 For, as Jehovah liveth, who 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.

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.

41 Therefore Saul said unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, Show the right.

And Jonathan and Saul were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.

42 And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And

Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan

told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of

the rod that was in my hand; and, lo, I must die.

44 And Saul said, God do so and more also; for thou shalt surely die,

Jonathan.

45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought

this great salvation in Israel? Far from it: as Jehovah 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.

46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines

went to their own place.

47. 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 whithersoever he turned himself, he put [them] to the

worse.

48 And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel

out of the hands of them that despoiled them.

49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the

names of his two daughters were these: the name of the first-born Merab,

and the name of the younger Michal:

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.

51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the

son of Abiel.

52 And 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 unto him.

1. And Samuel said unto Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to be king

over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of

the words of Jehovah.

2 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, 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.

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.

4 And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred

thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the

Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the

children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed

from among the Amalekites.

7 And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as thou goest to Shur, that

is before Egypt.

8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly

destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

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 everything that was vile and refuse,

that they destroyed utterly.

10. Then came the word of Jehovah unto Samuel, saying,

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 Samuel

was wroth; and he cried unto Jehovah all night.

12 And 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.

13 And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of

Jehovah: I have performed the commandment of Jehovah.

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 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

Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what Jehovah

hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

17 And Samuel said, Though thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou

not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed thee king

over Israel;

18 and Jehovah sent thee on a journey, and said, Go, and utterly destroy

the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of Jehovah, but didst fly

upon the spoil, and didst that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah?

20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah,

and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king

of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the

devoted things, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.

22 And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and

sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better

than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as

idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he

hath also rejected thee from being king.

24. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the

commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because I feared the people, and

obeyed their voice.

25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me,

that I may worship Jehovah.

26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee; for thou hast

rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah hath rejected thee from being

king over Israel.

27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, [Saul] laid hold upon the skirt

of his robe, and it rent.

28 And Samuel said unto him, Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from

thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better

than thou.

29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not

a man, that he should repent.

30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the

elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may

worship Jehovah thy God.

31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped Jehovah.

32. Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the

Amalekites. And Agag came unto him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the

bitterness of death is past.

33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy

mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before

Jehovah in Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of

Saul.

35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for

Samuel mourned for Saul: and Jehovah repented that he had made Saul king

over Israel.

1. And Jehovah said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing

I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil,

and go: I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me

a king among his sons.

2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And

Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to

Jehovah.

3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt

do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

4 And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And

the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Comest thou

peaceably?

5 And he said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto Jehovah: sanctify

yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and

his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6. And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and

said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him.

7 But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the

height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for [Jehovah seeth] not

as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah

looketh on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he

said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah

chosen this.

10 And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel

said unto Jesse, Jehovah hath not chosen these.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said,

There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And

Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till

he come hither.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a

beautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon. And Jehovah said, Arise,

anoint him; for this is he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his

brethren: and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon David from that day

forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14. Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from

Jehovah troubled him.

15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God

troubleth thee.

16 Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek

out a man who is a skilful player on the 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.

17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play

well, and bring him to me.

18 Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a

son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty

man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person;

and Jehovah is with him.

19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy

son, who is with the sheep.

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.

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him

greatly; and he became his armorbearer.

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before

me; for he hath found favor in my sight.

23 And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon 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.

1. Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they

were gathered together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah, and encamped

between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.

2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in

the vale of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel

stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between

them.

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.

5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clad with a coat

of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a javelin of brass

between his shoulders.

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 his shield-bearer went

before him.

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.

9 If he be able to fight with me, and 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.

10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me

a man, that we may fight together.

11 And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they

were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

12. Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose

name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the

days of Saul, stricken [in years] among men.

13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle:

and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the

first-born, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14 And David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul.

15 Now David went to and fro from Saul to feed his father's sheep at

Beth-lehem.

16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented

himself forty days.

17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah

of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry [them] quickly to

the camp to thy brethren;

18 and bring these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and

look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the vale of

Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

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

place of the wagons, as the host which was going forth to the fight shouted

for the battle.

21 And Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against

army.

22 And David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage,

and ran to the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the

Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines,

and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and

were sore afraid.

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.

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?

27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be

done to the man that killeth him.

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 art thou come

down? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I

know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy heart; for thou art come down

that thou mightest see the battle.

29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spake after the same

manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

31. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them

before Saul; and he sent for him.

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy

servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

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.

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant was keeping his father's sheep;

and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock,

35 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.

36 Thy servant smote 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.

37 And David said, Jehovah 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 Jehovah shall be with thee.

38 And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a helmet of brass

upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.

39 And David girded his sword upon his apparel, 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.

40. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones

out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in

his wallet; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the

Philistine.

41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that

bare the shield went before him.

42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him;

for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair countenance.

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.

44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy

flesh unto the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field.

45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and

with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah

of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

46 This day will Jehovah deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite

thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will give the dead bodies of

the host of the Philistines this day unto the birds of the heavens, and to

the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a

God in Israel,

47 and that all this assembly may know that Jehovah saveth not with sword

and spear: for the battle is Jehovah's, and he will give you into our hand.

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.

49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang

it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his

forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth.

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.

51 Then David ran, and stood over 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 that their champion was dead, they

fled.

52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the

Philistines, until thou comest to Gai, 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.

53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the

Philistines, and they plundered their camp.

54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to

Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

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.

56 And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.

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.

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 Beth-lehemite.

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.

2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his

father's house.

3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his

own soul.

4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave

it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his

girdle.

5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself

wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight

of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

6. And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the

slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of

Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy,

and with instruments of music.

7 And the women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul hath

slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.

8 And Saul was very wroth, and this 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?

9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came

mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David

played with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul had his spear in his

hand;

11 and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the

wall. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

12. And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with him, and was

departed from Saul.

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.

14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Jehovah was with

him.

15 And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe

of him.

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in

before them.

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 Jehovah's

battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of

the Philistines be upon him.

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?

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.

20 And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the

thing pleased him.

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 a second time.

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.

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 the king's son-in-law, seeing

that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.

25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any

dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the

king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the

Philistines.

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;

27 and 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 number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul

gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

28 And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David; and Michal, Saul's

daughter, loved him.

29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy

continually.

30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass,

as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than

all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

1. And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they

should slay David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.

2 And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to slay thee:

now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide

in a secret place, and hide thyself:

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 if I see aught, I will

tell thee.

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:

5 for he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Jehovah

wrought a great victory for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice;

wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without

a cause?

6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As

Jehovah liveth, he shall not be put to death.

7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things.

And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as

beforetime.

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 before

him.

9 And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul, as he sat in his house

with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.

10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear; but he

slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear into the wall:

and David fled, and escaped that night.

11. And Saul 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 wilt be slain.

12 So Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled,

and escaped.

13 And Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow

of goats' [hair] at the head thereof, and covered it with the clothes.

14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick.

15 And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me

in the bed, that I may slay him.

16 And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed,

with the pillow of goats' [hair] at the head thereof.

17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me thus, and let

mine enemy go, so that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said

unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?

18. Now 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 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company

of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the

Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also

prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also

prophesied.

22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in

Secu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said,

Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.

23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God came

upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in

Ramah.

24 And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before

Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they

say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

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?

2 And he said unto him, Far from it; thou shalt not die: behold, my

father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto

me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father knoweth well that I have

found favor in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest

he be grieved: but truly as Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there

is but a step between me and death.

4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will

even do it for thee.

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.

6 If thy father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of

me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice

there for all the family.

7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be

wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.

8 Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy

servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee: but if there be in me

iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

9. And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know

that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I

tell it thee?

10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance thy father

answer thee roughly?

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.

12 And Jonathan said unto David, Jehovah, the God of Israel, [be

witness]: when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, [or] the

third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send

unto thee, and disclose it unto thee?

13 Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father

to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that

thou mayest go in peace: and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath been with my

father.

14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the lovingkindness of

Jehovah, that I die not;

15 but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever;

no, not when Jehovah hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the

face of the earth.

16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying], And

Jehovah will require it at the hand of David's enemies.

17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to

him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 Then Jonathan said unto him, To-morrow is the new moon: and thou wilt

be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

19 And when thou hast stayed three days, thou shalt go down quickly, and

come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in

hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.

20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at

a mark.

21 And, behold, I will send the lad, [saying], Go, find the arrows. If I

say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them,

and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah liveth.

22 But if I say thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go

thy way; for Jehovah hath sent thee away.

23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold,

Jehovah is between thee and me for ever.

24. So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the

king sat him down to eat food.

25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat

by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but

David's place was empty.

26 Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought,

Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.

27 And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, [which was] the

second [day], that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his

son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor

to-day?

28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to

Beth-lehem:

29 and he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice

in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me [to be there]: and now,

if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see

my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king's table.

30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him,

Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast

chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy

mother's nakedness?

31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not

be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me,

for he shall surely die.

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore

should he be put to death? what hath he done?

33 And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew

that is was determined of his father to put David to death.

34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food

the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his

father had done him shame.

35. And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the

field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.

36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. And

as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had

shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?

38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And

Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

39 But the lad knew not anything: only Jonathan and David knew the

matter.

40 And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him, Go,

carry them to the city.

41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of [a place] toward

the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three

times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David

exceeded.

42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn

both of us in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah shall be between me and

thee, and between my seed and thy seed, for ever. And he arose and

departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

1. Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech came to

meet David trembling, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man

with thee?

2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a

business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know anything of the business

whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have

appointed the young men to such and such a place.

3 Now therefore what is under thy hand? give me five loaves of bread in

my hand, or whatsoever there is present.

4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under

my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept

themselves from women.

5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have

been kept from us about these three days; when I came out, the vessels of

the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more

then to-day shall their vessels be holy?

6 So the priest gave him holy [bread]; for there was no bread there but

the showbread, that was taken from before Jehovah, to put hot bread in the

day when it was taken away.

7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained

before Jehovah; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of the

herdsmen that belonged to Saul.

8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thy hand

spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me,

because the king's business required haste.

9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou

slewest in the vale of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind

the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other save that

here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

10. And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to

Achish the king of Gath.

11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king

of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying,

Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands?

12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of

Achish the king of Gath.

13 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in

their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle

fall down upon his beard.

14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad;

wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

15 Do I lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman

in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

1. David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave of Adullam:

and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down

thither to him.

2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and

every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he

became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of

Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, [and be] with

you, till I know what God will do for me.

4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him

all the while that David was in the stronghold.

5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the stronghold;

depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came

into the forest of Hereth.

6. And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with

him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with

his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.

7 And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye

Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and

vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of

hundreds,

8 that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that

discloseth to me when my son maketh a league with the son of Jesse, and

there is none of you that is sorry for me, or discloseth unto me that my

son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and

said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

10 And he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him victuals, and gave

him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub,

and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all

of them to the king.

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I

am, my lord.

13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the

son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast

inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as

at this day?

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy

servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is

taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house?

15 Have I to-day begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let

not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my

father; for thy servant knoweth nothing of all this, less or more.

16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy

father's house.

17 And the king said unto the guard that stood about him, Turn, and slay

the priests of Jehovah; because their hand also is with David, and because

they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of

the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of

Jehovah.

18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And

Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he slew on that

day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword,

both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses and sheep,

with the edge of the sword.

20. And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar,

escaped, and fled after David.

21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah's priests.

22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the

Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned [the

death] of all the persons of thy father's house.

23 Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy

life: for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

1. And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting

against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors.

2 Therefore David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite these

Philistines? And Jehovah said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines,

and save Keilah.

3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how

much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

4 Then David inquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him, and

said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy

hand.

5 And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines,

and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So

David save the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David

to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

7. And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God

hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town

that hath gates and bars.

8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to

besiege David and his men.

9 And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said

to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

10 Then said David, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thy servant hath surely

heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come

down, as thy servant hath heard? O Jehovah, the God of Israel, I beseech

thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.

12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up to me and my men

into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will deliver thee up.

13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed

out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul

that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

14. And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in

the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day,

but God delivered him not into his hand.

15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was

in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.

16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and

strengthened his hand in God.

17 And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall

not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto

thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

18 And they two made a covenant before Jehovah: and David abode in the

wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

19. Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David

hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of

Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?

20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy

soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's

hand.

21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have had compassion on

me.

22 Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where

his haunt is, [and] who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he

dealeth very subtly.

23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he

hideth himself, and come ye again to me of a certainty, and I will go with

you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search

him out among all the thousands of Judah.

24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men

were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert.

25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore

he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when

Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on

that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of

Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take

them.

27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come;

for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.

28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the

Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.

29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of

En-gedi.

1. And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the

Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the

wilderness of En-gedi.

2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to

seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul

went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the

innermost parts of the cave.

4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah

said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou

shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut

off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.

5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he

had cut off Saul's skirt.

6 And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing

unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing

he is Jehovah's anointed.

7 So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to

rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after

Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David

bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.

9. And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearkenest thou to men's words,

saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had delivered

thee to-day into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee; but [mine

eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord;

for he is Jehovah's anointed.

11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand;

for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou

and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have

not sinned against thee, though thou huntest after my life to take it.

12 Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but

my hand shall not be upon thee.

13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked cometh forth

wickedness; but my hand shall not be upon thee.

14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou

pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.

15 Jehovah therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and thee, and

see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.

16. And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these

words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul

lifted up his voice, and wept.

17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast

rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee evil.

18 And thou hast declared this day how that thou hast dealt well with me,

forasmuch as when Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou killedst

me not.

19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore

Jehovah reward thee good for that which thou hast done unto me this day.

20 And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the

kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.

21 Swear now therefore unto me by Jehovah, that thou wilt not cut off my

seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's

house.

22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men

gat them up unto the stronghold.

1. And Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and

lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and

went down to the wilderness of Paran.

2. And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the

man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats:

and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail;

and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance:

but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of

Caleb.

4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

5 And David sent ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get

you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:

6 and thus shall ye say to him that liveth [in prosperity], Peace be unto

thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: thy shepherds have now

been with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there aught missing unto

them, all the while they were in Carmel.

8 Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee: wherefore let the young men

find favor in thine eyes; for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee,

whatsoever cometh to thy hand, unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

9 And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all

those words in the name of David, and ceased.

10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who

is the son of Jesse? there are many servants now-a-days that break away

every man from his master.

11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have

killed for my shearers, and give it unto men of whom I know not whence they

are?

12. So David's young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and

told him according to all these words.

13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they

girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and

there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by

the baggage.

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold,

David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he

railed at them.

15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither

missed we anything, as long as we went with them, when we were in the

fields:

16 they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all the while we

were with them keeping the sheep.

17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is

determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a

worthless fellow, that one cannot speak to him.

18. Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles

of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain,

and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid

them on asses.

19 And she said unto her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after

you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

20 And it was so, as she rode on her ass, and came down by the covert of

the mountain, that, behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she

met them.

21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow

hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained

unto him: and he hath returned me evil for good.

22 God do so unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all

that pertain to him by the morning light so much as one man-child.

23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and alighted from her ass, and

fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.

24 And she fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me be the

iniquity; and let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear

thou the words of thy handmaid.

25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this worthless fellow, even

Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with

him: but I thy handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst

send.

26 Now therefore, my lord, as Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth,

seeing Jehovah hath withholden thee from bloodguiltiness, and from avenging

thyself with thine own hand, now therefore let thine enemies, and them that

seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.

27 And now this present which thy servant hath brought unto my lord, let

it be given unto the young men that follow my lord.

28 Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid: for Jehovah will

certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles

of Jehovah; and evil shall not be found in thee all thy days.

29 And though men be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet

the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah thy

God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the

hollow of a sling.

30 And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah shall have done to my lord

according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall

have appointed thee prince over Israel,

31 that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my

lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord hath

avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall have dealt well with my lord, then

remember thy handmaid.

32. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who

sent thee this day to meet me:

33 and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou, that hast kept me

this day from bloodguiltiness, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

34 For in very deed, as Jehovah, the God of Israel, liveth, who hath

withholden me from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet

me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light so much

as one man-child.

35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him: and he

said unto her, Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy

voice, and have accepted thy person.

36. And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house,

like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he

was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the

morning light.

37 And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of

Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him,

and he became as a stone.

38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that Jehovah smote Nabal, so

that he died.

39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah,

that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath

kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Nabal hath Jehovah

returned upon his own head. And David sent and spake concerning Abigail, to

take her to him to wife.

40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they

spake unto her, saying, David hath sent us unto thee, to take thee to him

to wife.

41 And she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said,

Behold, thy handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my

lord.

42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels

of hers that followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and

became his wife.

43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they became both of them his

wives.

44 Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son

of Laish, who was of Gallim.

1. And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide

himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?

2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three

thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of

Ziph.

3 And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert,

by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came

after him into the wilderness.

4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a

certainty.

5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and

David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the

captain of his host: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the

people were encamped round about him.

6. Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai

the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to

Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay

sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground

at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him.

8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy

hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear

to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.

9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can put forth his

hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be guiltless?

10 And David said, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will smite him; or his day

shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish.

11 Jehovah forbid that I should put forth my hand against Jehovah's

anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the

cruse of water, and let us go.

12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head; and

they gat them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake;

for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Jehovah was fallen upon

them.

13. Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the

mountain afar off; a great space being between them;

14 and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying,

Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that

criest to the king?

15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a [valiant] man? and who is like

to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord

the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are

worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah's

anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water

that was at his head.

17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son

David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what

have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his

servant. If it be Jehovah that hath stirred thee up against me, let him

accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before

Jehovah: for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto

the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.

20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the

presence of Jehovah: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as

when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

21. Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no

more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day:

behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

22 And David answered and said, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of

the young men come over and fetch it.

23 And Jehovah will render to every man his righteousness and his

faithfulness; forasmuch as Jehovah delivered thee into my hand to-day, and

I would not put forth my hand against Jehovah's anointed.

24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let

my life be much set by in the eyes of Jehovah, and let him deliver me out

of all tribulation.

25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt

both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul

returned to his place.

1. And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of

Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the

land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more

in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

2 And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were

with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his

household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and

Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more

again for him.

5 And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor in thine eyes,

let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may

dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto

the kings of Judah unto this day.

7 And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the

Philistines was a full year and four months.

8. And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and

the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those [nations] were the inhabitants

of the land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of

Egypt.

9 And David smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and

took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the

apparel; and he returned, and came to Achish.

10 And Achish said, Against whom have ye made a raid to-day? And David

said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the

Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.

11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath,

saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so hath been

his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.

12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel

utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

1. And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their

hosts together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto

David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me in the host,

thou and thy men.

2 And David said to Achish, Therefore thou shalt know what thy servant

will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my

head for ever.

3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in

Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar

spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped

in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in

Gilboa.

5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his

heart trembled greatly.

6 And when Saul inquired of Jehovah, Jehovah answered him not, neither by

dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

7. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar

spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to

him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.

8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and

two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Divine

unto me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomsoever I

shall name unto thee.

9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done,

how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out

of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to

die?

10 And Saul sware to her by Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah liveth, there

shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said,

Bring me up Samuel.

12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the

woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what seest thou? And

the woman said unto Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth.

14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man

cometh up; and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that it was

Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.

15. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?

And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war

against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither

by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest

make known unto me what I shall do.

16 And Samuel said, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing Jehovah is

departed from thee, and is become thine adversary?

17 And Jehovah hath done unto thee, as he spake by me: and Jehovah hath

rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to

David.

18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of Jehovah, and didst not execute

his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath Jehovah done this thing unto

thee this day.

19 Moreover Jehovah will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of

the Philistines; and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: Jehovah

will deliver the host of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.

20. Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth, and was

sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in

him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

21 And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and

said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened unto thy voice, and I

have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou

spakest unto me.

22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thy

handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou

mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.

23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together

with the woman, constrained him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he

arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

24 And the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she hasted, and

killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened

bread thereof:

25 and she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did

eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

1. Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts to Aphek: and the

Israelites encamped by the fountain which is in Jezreel.

2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by

thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.

3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What [do] these Hebrews

[here]? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this

David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me these

days, or [rather] these years, and I have found no fault in him since he

fell away [unto me] unto this day?

4 But he princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes

of the Philistines said unto him, Make the man return, that he may go back

to his place where thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us

to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: for wherewith

should this [fellow] reconcile himself unto his lord? should it not be with

the heads of these men?

5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying,

Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands?

6. Then Achish called David, and said unto him, As Jehovah liveth, thou

hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host

is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy

coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favor thee not.

7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the

lords of the Philistines.

8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou

found in thy servant so long as I have been before thee unto this day, that

I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my

sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines

have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of thy

lord that are come with thee; and as soon as ye are up early in the

morning, and have light, depart.

11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to

return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to

Jezreel.

1. And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the

third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon

Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire,

2 and had taken captive the women [and all] that were therein, both small

and great: they slew not any, but carried them off, and went their way.

3 And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with

fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken

captive.

4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and

wept, until they had no more power to weep.

5 And David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and

Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him,

because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and

for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.

7. And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray

thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to

David.

8 And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, If I pursue after this troop,

shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely

overtake [them], and shalt without fail recover [all].

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came

to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.

10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed

behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.

11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and

gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water to drink.

12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of

raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had

eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

13 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou?

And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my

master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.

14 We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which

belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with

fire.

15 And David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this troop? And he

said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me

up into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.

16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over

all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great

spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of

the land of Judah.

17 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the

next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men,

who rode upon camels and fled.

18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David

rescued his two wives.

19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great,

neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken

to them: David brought back all.

20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, [which] they drove before

those [other] cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

21. And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they

could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at the brook

Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were

with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.

22 Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those that went

with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them

aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and

his children, that he may lead them away, and depart.

23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which

Jehovah hath given unto us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop

that came against us into our hand.

24 And who will hearken unto you in this matter? for as his share is that

goeth down to the battle, so shall his share be that tarrieth by the

baggage: they shall share alike.

25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an

ordinance for Israel unto this day.

26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of

Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you of the spoil

of the enemies of Jehovah:

27 To them that were in Beth-el, and to them that were in Ramoth of the

South, and to them that were in Jattir,

28 and to them that were in Aroer, and to them that were in Siphmoth, and

to them that were in Eshtemoa,

29 and to them that were in Racal, and to them that were in the cities of

the Jerahmeelites, and to them that were in the cities of the Kenites,

30 and to them that were in Hormah, and to them that were in Bor-ashan,

and to them that were in Athach,

31 and to them that were in Hebron, and to all the places where David

himself and his men were wont to haunt.

1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled

from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the

Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.

3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him;

and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.

4 Then said Saul to his armorbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me

through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and

abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore

Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon

his sword, and died with him.

6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armorbearer, and all his men,

that same day together.

7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley,

and they that were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and

that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and

the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

8. And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip

the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.

9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into

the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the

house of their idols, and to the people.

10 And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they

fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

11 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that

which the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of

Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came

to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

13 And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in

Jabesh, and fasted seven days.