If you take joy, as an essential element, out of faith, hope, or love, you do not have Christian faith, hope, or love. Faith is the satisfying embrace of the trusted and treasured Christ. Hope is the satisfying foretaste of the future reward. Love is the overflow of joy in God that seeks to meet the needs of others, especially the need of eternal joy.
John Piper

The First Book of Samuel

The First Book of Samuel

{1:1} Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of thehill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham,the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite:{1:2} and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and thename of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had nochildren. {1:3} And this man went up out of his city from year to yearto worship and to sacrifice unto Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And thetwo sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Jehovah, were there.{1:4} And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave toPeninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:{1:5} but unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah,but Jehovah had shut up her womb. {1:6} And her rival provoked hersore, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb. {1:7} 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. {1:8} AndElkanah her husband said unto her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and whyeatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to theethan ten sons?

{1:9} So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and afterthey had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by thedoor-post of the temple of Jehovah. {1:10} And she was in bitterness ofsoul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore. {1:11} And she vowed avow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on theaffliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thyhandmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then I will givehim unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razorcome upon his head.

{1:12} And it came to pass, as she continued praying before Jehovah,that Eli marked her mouth. {1:13} Now Hannah, she spake in her heart;only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thoughtshe had been drunken. {1:14} And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thoube drunken? put away thy wine from thee. {1:15} And Hannah answered andsaid, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunkneither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Jehovah.{1:16} Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of theabundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto.{1:17} Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israelgrant thy petition that thou hast asked of him. {1:18} 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].

{1:19} And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped beforeJehovah, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanahknew Hannah his wife; and Jehovah remembered her. {1:20} And it came topass, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bare ason; and she called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked himof Jehovah.

{1:21} And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer untoJehovah the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. {1:22} But Hannah went notup; for she said unto her husband, [I will not go up] until the childbe weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear beforeJehovah, and there abide for ever. {1:23} And Elkanah her husband saidunto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him;only Jehovah establish his word. So the woman tarried and gave her sonsuck, until she weaned him. {1:24} And when she had weaned him, shetook him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of meal, and abottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of Jehovah in Shiloh:and the child was young. {1:25} And they slew the bullock, and broughtthe child to Eli. {1:26} And she said, Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth,my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto Jehovah.{1:27} For this child I prayed; and Jehovah hath given me my petitionwhich I asked of him: {1:28} therefore also I have granted him toJehovah; as long as he liveth he is granted to Jehovah. And heworshipped Jehovah there.

{2:1} 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.
{2:2} There is none holy as Jehovah;
For there is none besides thee,
Neither is there any rock like our God.{2:3} Talk no more so exceeding proudly;Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth;For Jehovah is a God of knowledge,
And by him actions are weighed.
{2:4} The bows of the mighty men are broken;And they that stumbled are girded with strength.{2:5} They that were full have hired out themselves for bread;And they that were hungry have ceased [to hunger]:Yea, the barren hath borne seven;
And she that hath many children languisheth.{2:6} Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive:He bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up.{2:7} Jehovah maketh poor, and maketh rich:He bringeth low, he also lifteth up.
{2:8} 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.
{2:9} 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.
{2:10} 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.

{2:11} And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child didminister unto Jehovah before Eli the priest.

{2:12} Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not Jehovah.{2:13} And the custom of the priests with the people was, that, whenany man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the fleshwas boiling, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand; {2:14} andhe struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that theflesh-hook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shilohunto all the Israelites that came thither. {2:15} Yea, before theyburnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man thatsacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not haveboiled flesh of thee, but raw. {2:16} And if the man said unto him,They will surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as thy souldesireth; then he would say, Nay, but thou shalt give it me now: and ifnot, I will take it by force. {2:17} And the sin of the young men wasvery great before Jehovah; for the men despised the offering of Jehovah.

{2:18} But Samuel ministered before Jehovah, being a child, girdedwith a linen ephod. {2:19} Moreover his mother made him a little robe,and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with herhusband to offer the yearly sacrifice. {2:20} And Eli blessed Elkanahand his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed of this woman for thepetition which was asked of Jehovah. And they went unto their own home.{2:21} And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare threesons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before Jehovah.

{2:22} Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did untoall Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service atthe door of the tent of meeting. {2:23} And he said unto them, Why doye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.{2:24} Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye makeJehovah’s people to transgress. {2:25} If one man sin against another,God shall judge him; but if a man sin against Jehovah, who shallentreat for him? Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto the voice oftheir father, because Jehovah was minded to slay them. {2:26} And thechild Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Jehovah, andalso with men.

{2:27} And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thussaith Jehovah, Did I reveal myself unto the house of thy father, whenthey were in Egypt [in bondage] to Pharaoh’s house? {2:28} and did Ichoose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go upunto mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did Igive unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children ofIsrael made by fire? {2:29} Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and atmine offering, which I have commanded in [my] habitation, and honorestthy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all theofferings of Israel my people? {2:30} Therefore Jehovah, the God ofIsrael, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thyfather, should walk before me for ever: but now Jehovah saith, Be itfar from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despiseme shall be lightly esteemed. {2:31} Behold, the days come, that I willcut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shallnot be an old man in thy house. {2:32} And thou shalt behold theaffliction of [my] habitation, in all the wealth which [God] shall giveIsrael; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever. {2:33}And the man of thine, [whom] I shall not cut off from mine altar,[shall be] to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart; and all theincrease of thy house shall die in the flower of their age. {2:34} Andthis shall be the sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, onHophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them. {2:35} AndI will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to thatwhich 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. {2:36} And it shallcome to pass, that every one that is left in thy house shall come andbow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shallsay, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I mayeat a morsel of bread.

{3:1} And the child Samuel ministered unto Jehovah before Eli. Andthe word of Jehovah was precious in those days; there was no frequentvision. {3:2} And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid downin his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could notsee), {3:3} and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel waslaid down [to sleep], in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of Godwas; {3:4} that Jehovah called Samuel; and he said, Here am I. {3:5}And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And hesaid, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. {3:6} AndJehovah called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, andsaid, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he answered, I called not,my son; lie down again. {3:7} Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah,neither was the word of Jehovah yet revealed unto him. {3:8} AndJehovah called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went toEli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived thatJehovah had called the child. {3:9} Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go,lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak,Jehovah; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in hisplace.

{3:10} And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times,Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak; for thy servant heareth.{3:11} 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.{3:12} In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spokenconcerning his house, from the beginning even unto the end. {3:13} ForI have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquitywhich he knew, because his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, andhe restrained them not. {3:14} And therefore I have sworn unto thehouse of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiatedwith sacrifice nor offering for ever.

{3:15} And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of thehouse of Jehovah. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. {3:16} ThenEli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here am I.{3:17} And he said, What is the thing that [Jehovah] hath spoken untothee? I pray thee, hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and morealso, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he spakeunto thee. {3:18} And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing fromhim. And he said, It is Jehovah: let him do what seemeth him good.

{3:19} And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and did let noneof his words fall to the ground. {3:20} And all Israel from Dan even toBeer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Jehovah.{3:21} And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh; for Jehovah revealedhimself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Jehovah.

{4:1} And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encampedbeside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. {4:2} And thePhilistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when theyjoined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines; and they slewof the army in the field about four thousand men. {4:3} And when thepeople were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Whereforehath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch theark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh unto us, that it may comeamong us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies. {4:4} So thepeople sent to Shiloh; and they brought from thence the ark of thecovenant of Jehovah of hosts, who sitteth [above] the cherubim: and thetwo sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of thecovenant of God.

{4:5} And when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into thecamp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rangagain. {4:6} And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout,they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp ofthe Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of Jehovah was come intothe camp. {4:7} And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God iscome into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not beensuch a thing heretofore. {4:8} Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out ofthe hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote theEgyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness. {4:9} Bestrong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be notservants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselveslike men, and fight. {4:10} And the Philistines fought, and Israel wassmitten, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a verygreat slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.{4:11} And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophniand Phinehas, were slain.

{4:12} And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came toShiloh the same day, with his clothes rent, and with earth upon hishead. {4:13} And when he came, lo, Eli was sitting upon his seat by thewayside watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And whenthe man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. {4:14}And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth thenoise of this tumult? And the man hasted, and came and told Eli. {4:15}Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were set, so thathe could not see. {4:16} And the man said unto Eli, I am he that cameout of the army, and I fled to-day out of the army. And he said, Howwent the matter, my son? {4:17} And he that brought the tidingsanswered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and therehath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sonsalso, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.{4:18} And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God,that [Eli] feel from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; andhis neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And hehad judged Israel forty years.

{4:19} And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, nearto be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God wastaken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowedherself and brought forth; for her pains came upon her. {4:20} Andabout 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. {4:21} And she named the child Ichabod,saying, The glory is departed from Israel; because the ark of God wastaken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. {4:22} And shesaid, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken.

{5:1} Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they broughtit from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod. {5:2} And the Philistines took the arkof God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.{5:3} And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagonwas fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah. Andthey took Dagon, and set him in his place again. {5:4} And when theyarose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon hisface to the ground before the ark of Jehovah; and the head of Dagon andboth the palms of his hands [lay] cut off upon the threshold; only [thestump of] Dagon was left to him. {5:5} Therefore neither the priests ofDagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold ofDagon in Ashdod, unto this day.

{5:6} But the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and hedestroyed them, and smote them with tumors, even Ashdod and the bordersthereof. {5:7} And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, theysaid, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; for hishand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god. {5:8} They sent thereforeand gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, Whatshall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Letthe ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And theycarried the ark of the God of Israel [thither]. {5:9} And it was so,that, after they had carried it about, the hand of Jehovah was againstthe city with a very great discomfiture: and he smote the men of thecity, both small and great; and tumors brake out upon them. {5:10} Sothey sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark ofGod came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They havebrought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and ourpeople. {5:11} They sent therefore and gathered together all the lordsof the Philistines, and they said, Send away the ark of the God ofIsrael, and let it go again to its own place, that is slay us not, andour people. For there was a deadly discomfiture throughout all thecity; the hand of God was very heavy there. {5:12} And the men thatdied not were smitten with the tumors; and the cry of the city went upto heaven.

{6:1} And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the Philistinesseven months. {6:2} And the Philistines called for the priests and thediviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? show uswherewith we shall sent it to its place. {6:3} And they said, If yesend away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but by allmeans return him a trespass-offering: then ye shall be healed, and itshall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. {6:4} Thensaid they, What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall return tohim? And they said, Five golden tumors, and five golden mice,[according to] the number of the lords of the Philistines; for oneplague was on you all, and on your lords. {6:5} Wherefore ye shall makeimages of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; andye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he willlighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from offyour land. {6:6} Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as theEgyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had wroughtwonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and theydeparted? {6:7} Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and twomilch kine, on which there hath come no yoke; and tie the kine to thecart, and bring their calves home from them; {6:8} and take the ark ofJehovah, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which yereturn him for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof;and send it away, that it may go. {6:9} And see; if it goeth up by theway of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this greatevil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smoteus; it was a chance that happened to us.

{6:10} And the men did so, and took two milch kine, and tied them tothe cart, and shut up their calves at home; {6:11} and they put the arkof Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and theimages of their tumors. {6:12} And the kine took the straight way bythe way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as theywent, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and thelords of the Philistines went after them unto the border ofBeth-shemesh. {6:13} And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheatharvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark,and rejoiced to see it. {6:14} And the cart came into the field ofJoshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a greatstone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine fora burnt-offering unto Jehovah. {6:15} And the Levites took down the arkof Jehovah, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of goldwere, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemeshoffered burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day untoJehovah. {6:16} And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it,they returned to Ekron the same day.

{6:17} And these are the golden tumors which the Philistinesreturned for a trespass-offering unto Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gazaone, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; {6:18} and thegolden mice, according to the number of all the cities of thePhilistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities andof country villages, even unto the great stone, whereon they set downthe ark of Jehovah, [which stone remaineth] unto this day in the fieldof Joshua the Beth-shemite.

{6:19} And he smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they hadlooked into the ark of Jehovah, he smote of the people seventy men,[and] fifty thousand men; and the people mourned, because Jehovah hadsmitten the people with a great slaughter. {6:20} And the men ofBeth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God?and to whom shall he go up from us? {6:21} And they sent messengers tothe inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have broughtback the ark of Jehovah; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.

{7:1} And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark ofJehovah, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, andsanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah. {7:2} And itcame to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, thatthe time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israellamented after Jehovah. {7:3} And Samuel spake unto all the house ofIsrael, saying, If ye do return unto Jehovah with all your heart, thenput away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and directyour hearts unto Jehovah, and serve him only; and he will deliver youout of the hand of the Philistines. {7:4} Then the children of Israeldid put away the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served Jehovah only.

{7:5} And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will prayfor you unto Jehovah. {7:6} And they gathered together to Mizpah, anddrew water, and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day,and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged thechildren of Israel in Mizpah. {7:7} And when the Philistines heard thatthe children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords ofthe Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israelheard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. {7:8} And the childrenof 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. {7:9} AndSamuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offeringunto Jehovah: and Samuel cried unto Jehovah for Israel; and Jehovahanswered him. {7:10} And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering,the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Jehovahthundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, anddiscomfited them; and they were smitten down before Israel. {7:11} Andthe men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, andsmote them, until they came under Beth-car.

{7:12} Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen,and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath Jehovahhelped us. {7:13} So the Philistines were subdued, and they came nomore within the border of Israel: and the hand of Jehovah was againstthe Philistines all the days of Samuel. {7:14} And the cities which thePhilistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekroneven unto Gath; and the border thereof did Israel deliver out of thehand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and theAmorites.

{7:15} And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. {7:16} Andhe went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el and Gilgal, and Mizpah;and he judged Israel in all those places. {7:17} And his return was toRamah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and hebuilt there an altar unto Jehovah.

{8:1} And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made hissons judges over Israel. {8:2} Now the name of his first-born was Joel;and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.{8:3} And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside afterlucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

{8:4} Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together,and came to Samuel unto Ramah; {8:5} and they said unto him, Behold,thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king tojudge us like all the nations. {8:6} But the thing displeased Samuel,when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed untoJehovah. {8:7} And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice ofthe people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejectedthee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.{8:8} According to all the works which they have done since the daythat I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that theyhave forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.{8:9} Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shaltprotest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the kingthat shall reign over them.

{8:10} And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah unto the people thatasked of him a king. {8:11} And he said, This will be the manner of theking that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appointthem unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shallrun before his chariots; {8:12} and he will appoint them unto him forcaptains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some]to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make hisinstruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. {8:13} And hewill take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to bebakers. {8:14} And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, andyour oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.{8:15} And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards,and give to his officers, and to his servants. {8:16} And he will takeyour men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest youngmen, and your asses, and put them to his work. {8:17} He will take thetenth of your flocks: and ye shall be his servants. {8:18} And ye shallcry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you;and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.

{8:19} But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel;and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us, {8:20} that wealso may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, andgo out before us, and fight our battles. {8:21} And Samuel heard allthe words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Jehovah.{8:22} And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and makethem a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every manunto his city.

{9:1} Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the sonof Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, theson of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. {9:2} And he had a son,whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly: and there was not amongthe children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shouldersand upward he was higher than any of the people. {9:3} And the asses ofKish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take nowone of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. {9:4} Andhe passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passed through theland of Shalishah, but they found them not: then they passed throughthe land of Shaalim, and there they were not: and he passed through theland of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

{9:5} When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to hisservant that was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my fatherleave off caring for the asses, and be anxious for us. {9:6} And hesaid unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and heis a man that is held in honor; all that he saith cometh surely topass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning ourjourney whereon we go. {9:7} Then said Saul to his servant, But,behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spentin our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God:what have we? {9:8} And the servant answered Saul again, and said,Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: thatwill I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. {9:9} (Beforetime inIsrael, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and letus go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetimecalled a Seer.) {9:10} Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come,let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

{9:11} As they went up the ascent to the city, they found youngmaidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?{9:12} And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is] beforethee: make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for thepeople have a sacrifice to-day in the high place: {9:13} as soon as yeare come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he goethup 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 arebidden. Now therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall find him.{9:14} And they went up to the city; [and] as they came within thecity, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.

{9:15} Now Jehovah had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul came,saying, {9:16} To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out ofthe land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over mypeople Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of thePhilistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry iscome unto me. {9:17} And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said unto him,Behold, the man of whom I spake to thee! this same shall have authorityover my people. {9:18} Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, andsaid, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is. {9:19} AndSamuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto thehigh place, for ye shall eat with me to-day: and in the morning I willlet thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart. {9:20} And asfor thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not they mind onthem; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable inIsrael? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father’s house? {9:21} AndSaul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of thetribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of thetribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner?

{9:22} And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them intothe guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among themthat were bidden, who were about thirty persons. {9:23} And Samuel saidunto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I saidunto thee, Set it by thee. {9:24} And the cook took up the thigh, andthat 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.

{9:25} And when they were come down from the high place into thecity, he communed with Saul upon the housetop. {9:26} And they aroseearly: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuelcalled 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.{9:27} As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said toSaul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but standthou still first, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.

{10:1} Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon hishead, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that Jehovah hath anointedthee to be prince over his inheritance? {10:2} When thou art departedfrom me to-day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre, inthe border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, Theasses which thou wentest to seek are found; and, lo, thy father hathleft off caring for the asses, and is anxious for you, saying, Whatshall I do for my son? {10:3} Then shalt thou go on forward fromthence, and thou shalt come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meetthee there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying threekids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carryinga bottle of wine: {10:4} and they will salute thee, and give thee twoloaves of bread, which thou shalt receive of their hand. {10:5} Afterthat thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of thePhilistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither tothe city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from thehigh place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp,before them; and they will be prophesying: {10:6} and the Spirit ofJehovah will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy withthem, and shalt be turned into another man. {10:7} And let it be, whenthese signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion shall servethee; for God is with thee. {10:8} And thou shalt go down before me toGilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offerburnt-offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings: sevendays shalt thou tarry, till I come unto thee, and show thee what thoushalt do.

{10:9} And it was so, that, when he had turned his back to go fromSamuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to passthat day. {10:10} And when they came thither to the hill, behold, aband of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily upon him,and he prophesied among them. {10:11} And it came to pass, when allthat knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with theprophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that iscome unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? {10:12} Andone of the same place answered and said, And who is their father?Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? {10:13}And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

{10:14} And Saul’s uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whitherwent ye? And he said, To seek the asses; and when we saw that they werenot found, we came to Samuel. {10:15} And Saul’s uncle said, Tell me, Ipray thee, what Samuel said unto you. {10:16} And Saul said unto hisuncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But concerning thematter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

{10:17} And Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah toMizpah; {10:18} and he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saithJehovah, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and Idelivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand ofall the kingdoms that oppressed you: {10:19} but ye have this dayrejected your God, who himself saveth you out of all your calamitiesand your distresses; and ye have said unto him, [Nay], but set a kingover us. Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by yourtribes, and by your thousands. {10:20} So Samuel brought all the tribesof Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. {10:21} And hebrought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family ofthe Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but whenthey sought him, he could not be found. {10:22} Therefore they asked ofJehovah further, Is there yet a man to come hither? And Jehovahanswered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage. {10:23} Andthey ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, hewas higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.{10:24} And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Jehovah hathchosen, that there is none like him along all the people? And all thepeople shouted, and said, [Long] live the king.

{10:25} Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, andwrote it in a book, and laid it up before Jehovah. And Samuel sent allthe people away, every man to his house. {10:26} And Saul also went tohis house to Gibeah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts Godhad touched. {10:27} But certain worthless fellows said, How shall thisman save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But heheld his peace.

{11:1} Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped againstJabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make acovenant with us, and we will serve thee. {11:2} And Nahash theAmmonite 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 reproachupon all Israel. {11:3} And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give usseven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the bordersof Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out tothee. {11:4} Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spakethese words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted uptheir voice, and wept. {11:5} And, behold, Saul came following the oxenout of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep?And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

{11:6} And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heardthose words, and his anger was kindled greatly. {11:7} And he took ayoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all theborders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever comethnot forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto hisoxen. And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out asone man. {11:8} And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children ofIsrael were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirtythousand. {11:9} And they said unto the messengers that came, Thusshall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by the time thesun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the messengers came and toldthe men of Jabesh; and they were glad. {11:10} Therefore the men ofJabesh said, To-morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do withus all that seemeth good unto you. {11:11} And it was so on the morrow,that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into themidst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites untilthe heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they that remained werescattered, so that not two of them were left together.

{11:12} And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, ShallSaul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.{11:13} And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day;for to-day Jehovah hath wrought deliverance in Israel.

{11:14} Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go toGilgal, and renew the kingdom there. {11:15} And all the people went toGilgal; and there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; andthere they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah; andthere Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

{12:1} And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkenedunto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king overyou. {12:2} And now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am oldand grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walkedbefore you from my youth unto this day. {12:3} Here I am: witnessagainst me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: whose ox have Itaken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have Ioppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyestherewith? and I will restore it you. {12:4} And they said, Thou hastnot defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught ofany man’s hand. {12:5} And he said unto them, Jehovah is witnessagainst you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have notfound aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.

{12:6} And Samuel said unto the people, It is Jehovah that appointedMoses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land ofEgypt. {12:7} Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with youbefore Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which hedid to you and to your fathers. {12:8} 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 inthis place. {12:9} But they forgat Jehovah their God; and he sold theminto the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into thehand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; andthey fought against them. {12:10} And they cried unto Jehovah, andsaid, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have servedthe Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of ourenemies, and we will serve thee. {12:11} And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal,and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the handof your enemies on every side; and ye dwelt in safety. {12:12} And whenye 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 yourGod was your king. {12:13} Now therefore behold the king whom ye havechosen, and whom ye have asked for: and, behold, Jehovah hath set aking over you. {12:14} If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, andhearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment ofJehovah, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you befollowers of Jehovah your God, [well]: {12:15} but if ye will nothearken unto the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment ofJehovah, then will the hand of Jehovah be against you, as it wasagainst your fathers. {12:16} Now therefore stand still and see thisgreat thing, which Jehovah will do before your eyes. {12:17} Is it notwheat harvest to-day? I will call unto Jehovah, that he may sendthunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness isgreat, which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking you aking. {12:18} So Samuel called unto Jehovah; and Jehovah sent thunderand rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.

{12:19} And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servantsunto Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all oursins [this] evil, to ask us a king. {12:20} And Samuel said unto thepeople, Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not asidefrom following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart: {12:21}and turn ye not aside; for [then would ye go] after vain things whichcannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. {12:22} For Jehovah willnot forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it hathpleased Jehovah to make you a people unto himself. {12:23} Moreover asfor me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasingto pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.{12:24} Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart;for consider how great things he hath done for you. {12:25} But if yeshall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

{13:1} Saul was [forty] years old when he began to reign; and whenhe had reigned two years over Israel, {13:2} Saul chose him threethousand men of Israel, whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmashand in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan inGibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to histent. {13:3} And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines thatwas in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpetthroughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. {13:4} And allIsrael heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines,and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. Andthe people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

{13:5} And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fightwith Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, andpeople as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude: and theycame up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven. {13:6} Whenthe men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people weredistressed), then the people did hide themselves in caves, and inthickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits. {13:7} Now some ofthe Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; butas for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed himtrembling.

{13:8} And he tarried seven days, according to the set time thatSamuel [had appointed]: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the peoplewere scattered from him. {13:9} And Saul said, Bring hither theburnt-offering to me, and the peace-offerings. And he offered theburnt-offering. {13:10} And it came to pass that, as soon as he hadmade an end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, Samuel came; andSaul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. {13:11} And Samuelsaid, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the peoplewere scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the daysappointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together atMichmash; {13:12} therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come downupon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah: Iforced myself therefore, and offered the burnt-offering. {13:13} AndSamuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept thecommandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee: for now wouldJehovah have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. {13:14} Butnow thy kingdom shall not continue: Jehovah hath sought him a man afterhis own heart, and Jehovah hath appointed him to be prince over hispeople, because thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee.{13:15} And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah ofBenjamin.

And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about sixhundred men. {13:16} And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the peoplethat were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but thePhilistines encamped in Michmash. {13:17} And the spoilers came out ofthe camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned untothe way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual; {13:18} andanother company turned the way to Beth-horon; and another companyturned the way of the border that looketh down upon the valley ofZeboim toward the wilderness.

{13:19} Now there was no smith found throughout all the land ofIsrael; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords orspears: {13:20} but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, tosharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and hismattock; {13:21} yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for thecoulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.{13:22} So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neithersword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were withSaul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was therefound. {13:23} And the garrison of the Philistines went out unto thepass of Michmash.

{14:1} Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul saidunto the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over to thePhilistines’ garrison, that is on yonder side. But he told not hisfather. {14:2} And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under thepomegranate-tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with himwere about six hundred men; {14:3} and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub,Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest ofJehovah in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not thatJonathan was gone. {14:4} And between the passes, by which Jonathansought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rockycrag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the nameof the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. {14:5} The onecrag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on thesouth in front of Geba.

{14:6} 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 bethat Jehovah will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah tosave by many or by few. {14:7} And his armorbearer said unto him, Doall that is in thy heart: turn thee, behold, I am with thee accordingto thy heart. {14:8} Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over untothe men, and we will disclose ourselves unto them. {14:9} If they saythus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still inour place, and will not go up unto them. {14:10} But if they say thus,Come up unto us; then we will go up; for Jehovah hath delivered theminto our hand: and this shall be the sign unto us. {14:11} And both ofthem disclosed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and thePhilistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes wherethey had hid themselves. {14:12} And the men of the garrison answeredJonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will showyou a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armorbearer, Come up after me;for Jehovah hath delivered them into the hand of Israel. {14:13} AndJonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and hisarmorbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and hisarmorbearer slew them after him. {14:14} And that first slaughter,which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, withinas it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land. {14:15} And therewas a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people;the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earthquaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

{14:16} And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and,behold, the multitude melted away, and they went [hither] and thither.{14:17} Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now,and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold,Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there. {14:18} And Saul said untoAhijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was [there] atthat time with the children of Israel. {14:19} And it came to pass,while Saul talked unto the priest, that the tumult that was in the campof the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto thepriest, Withdraw thy hand. {14:20} And Saul and all the people thatwere with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and,behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, [and there was] avery great discomfiture. {14:21} Now the Hebrews that were with thePhilistines as beforetime, and that went up with them into the camp,[from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be with theIsraelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. {14:22} Likewise all themen of Israel that had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim,when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hardafter them in the battle. {14:23} So Jehovah saved Israel that day: andthe battle passed over by Beth-aven.

{14:24} And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul hadadjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any fooduntil it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of thepeople tasted food. {14:25} And all the people came into the forest;and there was honey upon the ground. {14:26} And when the people werecome unto the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put hishand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. {14:27} But Jonathanheard not when his father charged the people with the oath: whereforehe put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it inthe honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes wereenlightened. {14:28} Then answered one of the people, and said, Thyfather straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be theman that eateth food this day. And the people were faint. {14:29} Thensaid Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, howmine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of thishoney. {14:30} How much more, if haply the people had eaten freelyto-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now haththere been no great slaughter among the Philistines.

{14:31} And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash toAijalon. And the people were very faint; {14:32} and the people flewupon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them onthe ground; and the people did eat them with the blood. {14:33} Thenthey told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah, in thatthey eat with the blood. And he said, ye have dealt treacherously: rolla great stone unto me this day. {14:34} And Saul said, Disperseyourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither everyman his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; andsin not against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And all the peoplebrought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.{14:35} And Saul built an altar unto Jehovah: the same was the firstaltar that he built unto Jehovah.

{14:36} And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines bynight, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let usnot leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good untothee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God. {14:37}And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines?wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him notthat day. {14:38} And Saul said, Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of thepeople; and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day. {14:39}For, as Jehovah liveth, who saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan myson, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the peoplethat answered him. {14:40} Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on oneside, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And thepeople said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee. {14:41}Therefore Saul said unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, Show the right.And Jonathan and Saul were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.{14:42} And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. AndJonathan was taken.

{14:43} Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. AndJonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey withthe end of the rod that was in my hand; and, lo, I must die. {14:44}And Saul said, God do so and more also; for thou shalt surely die,Jonathan. {14:45} And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die,who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far from it: asJehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to theground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescuedJonathan, that he died not. {14:46} Then Saul went up from followingthe Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place. {14:47}Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against allhis enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children ofAmmon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and againstthe Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he put [them] tothe worse. {14:48} And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, anddelivered Israel out of the hands of them that despoiled them.

{14:49} Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, andMalchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name ofthe first-born Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: {14:50} andthe name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And thename of the captain of his host was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.{14:51} And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abnerwas the son of Abiel.

{14:52} And there was sore war against the Philistines all the daysof Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he tookhim unto him.

{15:1} And Samuel said unto Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint thee tobe king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou untothe voice of the words of Jehovah. {15:2} Thus saith Jehovah of hosts,I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himselfagainst him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. {15:3} Now go andsmite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare themnot; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep,camel and ass.

{15:4} And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim,two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. {15:5} AndSaul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. {15:6}And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among theAmalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to allthe children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenitesdeparted from among the Amalekites. {15:7} And Saul smote theAmalekites, from Havilah as thou goest to Shur, that is before Egypt.{15:8} And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterlydestroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. {15:9} But Sauland 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 wouldnot utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, thatthey destroyed utterly.

{15:10} Then came the word of Jehovah unto Samuel, saying, {15:11}It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turnedback from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. AndSamuel was wroth; and he cried unto Jehovah all night. {15:12} AndSamuel 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, andturned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal. {15:13} And Samuel cameto Saul; and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of Jehovah: I haveperformed the commandment of Jehovah. {15:14} And Samuel said, Whatmeaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing ofthe oxen which I hear? {15:15} And Saul said, They have brought themfrom the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and ofthe oxen, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God; and the rest we haveutterly destroyed. {15:16} Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I willtell thee what Jehovah hath said to me this night. And he said untohim, Say on.

{15:17} And Samuel said, Though thou wast little in thine own sight,wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovahanointed thee king over Israel; {15:18} and Jehovah sent thee on ajourney, and said, Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites,and fight against them until they be consumed. {15:19} Wherefore thendidst thou not obey the voice of Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil,and didst that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah? {15:20} And Saulsaid unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and havegone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king ofAmalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. {15:21} But thepeople took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devotedthings, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal. {15:22} And Samuelsaid, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices,as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better thansacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. {15:23} For rebellionis as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry andteraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath alsorejected thee from being king.

{15:24} And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I havetransgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because Ifeared the people, and obeyed their voice. {15:25} Now therefore, Ipray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worshipJehovah. {15:26} And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return withthee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah hathrejected thee from being king over Israel. {15:27} And as Samuel turnedabout to go away, [Saul] laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and itrent. {15:28} And Samuel said unto him, Jehovah hath rent the kingdomof Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine,that is better than thou. {15:29} And also the Strength of Israel willnot lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. {15:30}Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before theelders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that Imay worship Jehovah thy God. {15:31} So Samuel turned again after Saul;and Saul worshipped Jehovah.

{15:32} Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of theAmalekites. And Agag came unto him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surelythe bitterness of death is past. {15:33} And Samuel said, As thy swordhath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless amongwomen. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.

{15:34} Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house toGibeah of Saul. {15:35} And Samuel came no more to see Saul until theday of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Jehovah repentedthat he had made Saul king over Israel.

{16:1} And Jehovah said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn forSaul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thyhorn with oil, and go: I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; forI have provided me a king among his sons. {16:2} And Samuel said, Howcan I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take aheifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah. {16:3}And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shaltdo: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. {16:4} AndSamuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And theelders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Comest thoupeaceably? {16:5} And he said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice untoJehovah: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And hesanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

{16:6} And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked onEliab, and said, Surely Jehovah’s anointed is before him. {16:7} ButJehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the heightof his stature; because I have rejected him: for [Jehovah seeth] not asman seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovahlooketh on the heart. {16:8} Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made himpass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.{16:9} Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hathJehovah chosen this. {16:10} And Jesse made seven of his sons to passbefore Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Jehovah hath not chosenthese. {16:11} And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children?And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he iskeeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; forwe will not sit down till he come hither. {16:12} And he sent, andbrought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautifulcountenance, and goodly to look upon. And Jehovah said, Arise, anointhim; for this is he. {16:13} Then Samuel took the horn of oil, andanointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Jehovahcame mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, andwent to Ramah. {16:14} Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul,and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him. {16:15} And Saul’sservants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleththee. {16:16} Let our lord now command thy servants, that are beforethee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp: and itshall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that heshall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. {16:17} And Saul saidunto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bringhim to me. {16:18} Then answered one of the young men, and said,Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilfulin playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent inspeech, and a comely person; and Jehovah is with him. {16:19} WhereforeSaul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, whois with the sheep. {16:20} And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread,and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son untoSaul. {16:21} And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and heloved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer. {16:22} And Saul sentto Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hathfound favor in my sight. {16:23} And it came to pass, when the [evil]spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and playedwith his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spiritdeparted from him.

{17:1} Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle;and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah, andencamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. {17:2} And Saul andthe men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the vale ofElah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. {17:3} Andthe Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stoodon the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.{17:4} And there went out a champion out of the camp of thePhilistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and aspan. {17:5} And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he wasclad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousandshekels of brass. {17:6} And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, anda javelin of brass between his shoulders. {17:7} And the staff of hisspear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head [weighed] sixhundred shekels of iron: and his shield-bearer went before him. {17:8}And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them,Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine,and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him comedown to me. {17:9} If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, thenwill we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him,then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. {17:10} And the Philistinesaid, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we mayfight together. {17:11} And when Saul and all Israel heard those wordsof the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

{17:12} Now David was the son of that Ephrathite ofBeth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and theman was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken [in years] among men.{17:13} And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to thebattle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle wereEliab the first-born, and next unto him Abinadab, and the thirdShammah. {17:14} And David was the youngest; and the three eldestfollowed Saul. {17:15} Now David went to and fro from Saul to feed hisfather’s sheep at Beth-lehem. {17:16} And the Philistine drew nearmorning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

{17:17} And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethrenan ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry [them]quickly to the camp to thy brethren; {17:18} and bring these tencheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethrenfare, and take their pledge. {17:19} Now Saul, and they, and all themen of Israel, were in the vale of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

{17:0} And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheepwith a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and hecame to the place of the wagons, as the host which was going forth tothe fight shouted for the battle. {17:21} And Israel and thePhilistines put the battle in array, army against army. {17:22} AndDavid left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, andran to the army, and came and saluted his brethren. {17:23} And as hetalked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine ofGath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spakeaccording to the same words: and David heard them. {17:24} And all themen of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were soreafraid. {17:25} And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man thatis come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, thatthe 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 inIsrael. {17:26} And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying,What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and takethaway the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcisedPhilistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? {17:27}And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it bedone to the man that killeth him.

{17:28} And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto themen; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why artthou come down? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in thewilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy heart; forthou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. {17:29} And Davidsaid, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? {17:30} And he turnedaway from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and thepeople answered him again after the former manner.

{17:31} And when the words were heard which David spake, theyrehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. {17:32} And David saidto Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will goand fight with this Philistine. {17:33} And Saul said to David, Thouart not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for thouart but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. {17:34} And Davidsaid unto Saul, Thy servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and whenthere came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, {17:35}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. {17:36} Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear: andthis uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hathdefied the armies of the living God. {17:37} And David said, Jehovahthat delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of thebear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saulsaid unto David, Go, and Jehovah shall be with thee. {17:38} And Saulclad David with his apparel, and he put a helmet of brass upon hishead, and he clad him with a coat of mail. {17:39} And David girded hissword 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 provedthem. And David put them off him. {17:40} And he took his staff in hishand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put themin the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his slingwas in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

{17:41} And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and theman that bare the shield went before him. {17:42} And when thePhilistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he wasbut a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair countenance. {17:43} Andthe Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me withstaves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. {17:44} And thePhilistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh untothe birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field. {17:45} Thensaid David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and witha spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name of Jehovahof hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.{17:46} This day will Jehovah deliver thee into my hand; and I willsmite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will give the deadbodies of the host of the Philistines this day unto the birds of theheavens, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth mayknow that there is a God in Israel, {17:47} and that all this assemblymay know that Jehovah saveth not with sword and spear: for the battleis Jehovah’s, and he will give you into our hand. {17:48} And it cameto pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meetDavid, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet thePhilistine. {17:49} And David put his hand in his bag, and took thencea stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; andthe stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to theearth.

{17:50} So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and witha stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no swordin the hand of David. {17:51} Then David ran, and stood over thePhilistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof,and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistinessaw that their champion was dead, they fled. {17:52} And the men ofIsrael and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines,until thou comest to Gai, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded ofthe Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, andunto Ekron. {17:53} And the children of Israel returned from chasingafter the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. {17:54} And Davidtook the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but heput his armor in his tent.

{17:55} And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, hesaid unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is thisyouth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.{17:56} And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.{17:57} And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine,Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of thePhilistine in his hand. {17:58} And Saul said to him, Whose son artthou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servantJesse the Beth-lehemite.

{18:1} And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking untoSaul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, andJonathan loved him as his own soul. {18:2} And Saul took him that day,and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. {18:3} ThenJonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his ownsoul. {18:4} And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was uponhim, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and tohis bow, and to his girdle. {18:5} And David went out whithersoeverSaul sent him, [and] behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over themen of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also inthe sight of Saul’s servants. {18:6} And it came to pass as they came,when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that thewomen came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, tomeet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music.{18:7} And the women sang one to another as they played, and said,Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.

{18:8} And Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased him; andhe said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me theyhave ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?{18:9} And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

{18:10} And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit fromGod came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of thehouse: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saulhad his spear in his hand; {18:11} and Saul cast the spear; for hesaid, I will smite David even to the wall. And David avoided out of hispresence twice. {18:12} And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovahwas with him, and was departed from Saul. {18:13} Therefore Saulremoved him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and hewent out and came in before the people. {18:14} And David behavedhimself wisely in all his ways; and Jehovah was with him. {18:15} Andwhen Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe ofhim. {18:16} But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out andcame in before them.

{18:17} And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, herwill I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fightJehovah’s battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but letthe hand of the Philistines be upon him. {18:18} And David said untoSaul, Who am I, and what is my life, [or] my father’s family in Israel,that I should be son-in-law to the king? {18:19} But it came to pass atthe time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David,that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife. {18:20} AndMichal, Saul’s daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thingpleased him. {18:21} And Saul said, I will give him her, that she maybe a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be againsthim. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-lawa second time.

{18:22} And Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune withDavid secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and allhis servants love thee: now therefore be the king’s son-in-law. {18:23}And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And Davidsaid, 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? {18:24} And theservants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. {18:25}And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not anydowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of theking’s enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of thePhilistines. {18:26} And when his servants told David these words, itpleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. And the days were notexpired; {18:27} and David arose and went, he and his men, and slew ofthe Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, andthey gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king’sson-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. {18:28} AndSaul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David; and Michal, Saul’sdaughter, loved him. {18:29} And Saul was yet the more afraid of David;and Saul was David’s enemy continually.

{18:30} Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it cameto pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself morewisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

{19:1} And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants,that they should slay David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted muchin David. {19:2} And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my fatherseeketh to slay thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyselfin the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: {19:3}and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thouart, and I will commune with my father of thee; and if I see aught, Iwill tell thee. {19:4} And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul hisfather, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant,against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because hisworks have been to thee-ward very good: {19:5} for he put his life inhis hand, and smote the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great victoryfor all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then wiltthou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? {19:6}And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, AsJehovah liveth, he shall not be put to death. {19:7} And Jonathancalled David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathanbrought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as beforetime.

{19:8} And there was war again: and David went out, and fought withthe Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fledbefore him. {19:9} And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul, as hesat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing withhis hand. {19:10} And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall withthe spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote thespear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. {19:11}And Saul sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slayhim in the morning: and Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, If thousave not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou wilt be slain. {19:12} SoMichal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, andescaped. {19:13} And Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed,and put a pillow of goats’ [hair] at the head thereof, and covered itwith the clothes. {19:14} And when Saul sent messengers to take David,she said, He is sick. {19:15} And Saul sent the messengers to seeDavid, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.{19:16} And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was inthe bed, with the pillow of goats’ [hair] at the head thereof. {19:17}And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me thus, and let mineenemy go, so that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said untome, Let me go; why should I kill thee?

{19:18} 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 anddwelt in Naioth. {19:19} And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David isat Naioth in Ramah. {19:20} And Saul sent messengers to take David: andwhen they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuelstanding as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengersof Saul, and they also prophesied. {19:21} And when it was told Saul,he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sentmessengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. {19:22} Thenwent he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: andhe asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold,they are at Naioth in Ramah. {19:23} And he went thither to Naioth inRamah: and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, andprophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. {19:24} And he alsostripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and laydown naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saulalso among the prophets?

{20:1} And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said beforeJonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sinbefore thy father, that he seeketh my life? {20:2} And he said untohim, Far from it; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth nothingeither great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and whyshould my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. {20:3} AndDavid sware moreover, and said, Thy father knoweth well that I havefound favor in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this,lest he be grieved: but truly as Jehovah liveth, and as thy soulliveth, there is but a step between me and death. {20:4} Then saidJonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do itfor thee. {20:5} And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is thenew moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but letme go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.{20:6} If thy father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly askedleave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city; for it is theyearly sacrifice there for all the family. {20:7} If he say thus, It iswell; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know thatevil is determined by him. {20:8} Therefore deal kindly with thyservant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovahwith thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for whyshouldest thou bring me to thy father? {20:9} And Jonathan said, Far beit from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined bymy father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? {20:10}Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance thy fatheranswer thee roughly? {20:11} And Jonathan said unto David, Come, andlet us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into thefield.

{20:12} 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 notthen send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee? {20:13} Jehovah do soto 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 goin peace: and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath been with my father.{20:14} And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me thelovingkindness of Jehovah, that I die not; {20:15} but also thou shaltnot cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when Jehovahhath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.{20:16} So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying],And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

{20:17} And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love thathe had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. {20:18} ThenJonathan said unto him, To-morrow is the new moon: and thou wilt bemissed, because thy seat will be empty. {20:19} And when thou haststayed three days, thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the placewhere thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shaltremain by the stone Ezel. {20:20} And I will shoot three arrows on theside thereof, as though I shot at a mark. {20:21} And, behold, I willsend 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; forthere is peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah liveth. {20:22} But if Isay thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way;for Jehovah hath sent thee away. {20:23} And as touching the matterwhich thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and mefor ever.

{20:24} So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon wascome, the king sat him down to eat food. {20:25} And the king sat uponhis seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; andJonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side: but David’s place wasempty. {20:26} Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for hethought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is notclean. {20:27} And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon,[which was] the second [day], that David’s place was empty: and Saulsaid unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse tomeat, neither yesterday, nor to-day? {20:28} And Jonathan answeredSaul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem: {20:29}and he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice inthe 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, andsee my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king’s table.

{20:30} Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he saidunto him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know thatthou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto theshame of thy mother’s nakedness? {20:31} For as long as the son ofJesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thykingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surelydie. {20:32} And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him,Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done? {20:33} AndSaul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that iswas determined of his father to put David to death. {20:34} So Jonathanarose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food the secondday of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father haddone him shame.

{20:35} And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went outinto the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad withhim. {20:36} And he said unto his lad, Run, find now the arrows which Ishoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. {20:37} Andwhen the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan hadshot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyondthee? {20:38} And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, staynot. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.{20:39} But the lad knew not anything: only Jonathan and David knew thematter. {20:40} And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and saidunto him, Go, carry them to the city. {20:41} And as soon as the ladwas gone, David arose out of [a place] toward the South, and fell onhis face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissedone another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. {20:42}And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have swornboth of us in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah shall be between meand thee, and between my seed and thy seed, for ever. And he arose anddeparted: and Jonathan went into the city.

{21:1} Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelechcame to meet David trembling, and said unto him, Why art thou alone,and no man with thee? {21:2} And David said unto Ahimelech the priest,The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let noman know anything of the business whereabout I send thee, and what Ihave commanded thee: and I have appointed the young men to such andsuch a place. {21:3} Now therefore what is under thy hand? give me fiveloaves of bread in my hand, or whatsoever there is present. {21:4} Andthe priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under myhand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have keptthemselves from women. {21:5} And David answered the priest, and saidunto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these threedays; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, thoughit was but a common journey; how much more then to-day shall theirvessels be holy? {21:6} So the priest gave him holy [bread]; for therewas no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from beforeJehovah, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

{21:7} Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day,detained before Jehovah; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, thechiefest of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul. {21:8} And David saidunto 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 theking’s business required haste. {21:9} And the priest said, The swordof Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the vale of Elah,behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilttake that, take it; for there is no other save that here. And Davidsaid, There is none like that; give it me.

{21:10} And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, andwent to Achish the king of Gath. {21:11} And the servants of Achishsaid unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they notsing one to another of him in dances, saying,Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands?

{21:12} And David laid up these words in his heart, and was soreafraid of Achish the king of Gath. {21:13} And he changed his behaviorbefore them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled onthe doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.{21:14} Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad;wherefore then have ye brought him to me? {21:15} Do I lack madmen,that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence?shall this fellow come into my house?

{22:1} David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave ofAdullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it,they went down thither to him. {22:2} And every one that was indistress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that wasdiscontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became captain overthem: and there were with him about four hundred men.

{22:3} And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto theking 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. {22:4} And hebrought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all thewhile that David was in the stronghold. {22:5} And the prophet Gad saidunto David, Abide not in the stronghold; depart, and get thee into theland of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.

{22:6} And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men thatwere with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk-treein Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants werestanding about him. {22:7} And Saul said unto his servants that stoodabout him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains ofthousands and captains of hundreds, {22:8} that all of you haveconspired against me, and there is none that discloseth to me when myson maketh a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of youthat is sorry for me, or discloseth unto me that my son hath stirred upmy servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? {22:9} Thenanswered 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.{22:10} And he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him victuals, andgave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

{22:11} Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son ofAhitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: andthey came all of them to the king. {22:12} And Saul said, Hear now,thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. {22:13} AndSaul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the sonof Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hastinquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie inwait, as at this day? {22:14} Then Ahimelech answered the king, andsaid, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who isthe king’s son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorablein thy house? {22:15} Have I to-day begun to inquire of God for him? beit far from me: let not the king impute anything unto his servant, norto all the house of my father; for thy servant knoweth nothing of allthis, less or more. {22:16} And the king said, Thou shalt surely die,Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house. {22:17} And the king saidunto the guard that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests ofJehovah; because their hand also is with David, and because they knewthat he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of theking would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests ofJehovah. {22:18} And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall uponthe 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 alinen ephod. {22:19} And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he withthe edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, andoxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

{22:20} And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, namedAbiathar, escaped, and fled after David. {22:21} And Abiathar toldDavid that Saul had slain Jehovah’s priests. {22:22} And David saidunto Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there,that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned [the death] of allthe persons of thy father’s house. {22:23} Abide thou with me, fearnot; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: for with me thoushalt be in safeguard.

{23:1} And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines arefighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors. {23:2}Therefore David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and smite thesePhilistines? And Jehovah said unto David, Go, and smite thePhilistines, and save Keilah. {23:3} And David’s men said unto him,Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go toKeilah against the armies of the Philistines? {23:4} Then Davidinquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah answered him, and said,Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thyhand. {23:5} And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with thePhilistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a greatslaughter. So David save the inhabitants of Keilah. {23:6} And it cameto pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah,that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

{23:7} And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saulsaid, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, byentering into a town that hath gates and bars. {23:8} And Saul summonedall the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and hismen. {23:9} And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him;and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. {23:10}Then said David, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thy servant hath surelyheard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for mysake. {23:11} Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? willSaul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Jehovah, the God ofIsrael, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He willcome down. {23:12} Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver upto me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They willdeliver thee up. {23:13} Then David and his men, who were about sixhundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever theycould go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; andhe forbare to go forth. {23:14} And David abode in the wilderness inthe strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness ofZiph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into hishand.

{23:15} And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: andDavid was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood. {23:16} And Jonathan,Saul’s son, arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthenedhis hand in God. {23:17} And he said unto him, Fear not; for the handof Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king overIsrael, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my fatherknoweth. {23:18} And they two made a covenant before Jehovah: and Davidabode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

{23:19} Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Dothnot David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in thehill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? {23:20} Nowtherefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soulto come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king’shand. {23:21} And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have hadcompassion on me. {23:22} Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and knowand see his place where his haunt is, [and] who hath seen him there;for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly. {23:23} 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 itshall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him outamong all the thousands of Judah.

{23:24} And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David andhis men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south ofthe desert. {23:25} And Saul and his men went to seek him. And theytold David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in thewilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he pursued after Davidin the wilderness of Maon. {23:26} And Saul went on this side of themountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and Davidmade haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassedDavid and his men round about to take them. {23:27} But there came amessenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistineshave made a raid upon the land. {23:28} So Saul returned from pursuingafter David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they calledthat place Sela-hammahlekoth. {23:29} And David went up from thence,and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi.

{24:1} And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from followingthe Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in thewilderness of En-gedi. {24:2} Then Saul took three thousand chosen menout of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks ofthe wild goats. {24:3} And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, wherewas a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his menwere abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. {24:4} And the men ofDavid 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 tohim as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off theskirt of Saul’s robe privily. {24:5} And it came to pass afterward,that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.{24:6} And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do thisthing unto my lord, Jehovah’s anointed, to put forth my hand againsthim, seeing he is Jehovah’s anointed. {24:7} So David checked his menwith these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saulrose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

{24:8} David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, andcried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behindhim, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. {24:9}And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearkenest thou to men’s words,saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? {24:10} Behold, this day thineeyes have seen how that Jehovah had delivered thee to-day into my handin 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 isJehovah’s anointed. {24:11} Moreover, my father, see, yea, see theskirt of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thyrobe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evilnor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee,though thou huntest after my life to take it. {24:12} Jehovah judgebetween me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shallnot be upon thee. {24:13} As saith the proverb of the ancients, Out ofthe wicked cometh forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be upon thee.{24:14} After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thoupursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. {24:15} Jehovah therefore bejudge, and give sentence between me and thee, and see, and plead mycause, and deliver me out of thy hand.

{24:16} And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speakingthese words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David?And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. {24:17} 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. {24:18} And thou hast declaredthis day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as whenJehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou killedst me not.{24:19} 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 untome this day. {24:20} And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely beking, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.{24:21} Swear now therefore unto me by Jehovah, that thou wilt not cutoff my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of myfather’s house. {24:22} And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home;but David and his men gat them up unto the stronghold.

{25:1} And Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together,and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And Davidarose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

{25:2} And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were inCarmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep,and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. {25:3}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 beautifulcountenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and hewas of the house of Caleb. {25:4} And David heard in the wildernessthat Nabal was shearing his sheep. {25:5} And David sent ten young men,and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go toNabal, and greet him in my name: {25:6} and thus shall ye say to himthat liveth [in prosperity], Peace be unto thee, and peace be to thyhouse, and peace be unto all that thou hast. {25:7} And now I haveheard that thou hast shearers: thy shepherds have now been with us, andwe did them no hurt, neither was there aught missing unto them, all thewhile they were in Carmel. {25:8} Ask thy young men, and they will tellthee: wherefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes; for we comein a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thy hand, untothy servants, and to thy son David.

{25:9} And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabalaccording to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. {25:10}And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who isthe son of Jesse? there are many servants now-a-days that break awayevery man from his master. {25:11} Shall I then take my bread, and mywater, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give itunto men of whom I know not whence they are? {25:12} So David’s youngmen turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him accordingto all these words. {25:13} And David said unto his men, Gird ye onevery man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and Davidalso girded on his sword: and there went up after David about fourhundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage.

{25:14} But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying,Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute ourmaster; and he railed at them. {25:15} But the men were very good untous, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as wewent with them, when we were in the fields: {25:16} they were a wallunto us both by night and by day, all the while we were with themkeeping the sheep. {25:17} Now therefore know and consider what thouwilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all hishouse: for he is such a worthless fellow, that one cannot speak to him.

{25:18} Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, andtwo bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures ofparched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakesof figs, and laid them on asses. {25:19} And she said unto her youngmen, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not herhusband Nabal. {25:20} And it was so, as she rode on her ass, and camedown by the covert of the mountain, that, behold, David and his mencame down toward her; and she met them. {25:21} 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 hathreturned me evil for good. {25:22} God do so unto the enemies of David,and more also, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morninglight so much as one man-child.

{25:23} And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and alighted fromher ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to theground. {25:24} 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 inthine ears, and hear thou the words of thy handmaid. {25:25} Let not mylord, I pray thee, regard this worthless fellow, even Nabal; for as hisname is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thyhandmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.{25:26} Now therefore, my lord, as Jehovah liveth, and as thy soulliveth, seeing Jehovah hath withholden thee from bloodguiltiness, andfrom avenging thyself with thine own hand, now therefore let thineenemies, and them that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. {25:27} Andnow this present which thy servant hath brought unto my lord, let it begiven unto the young men that follow my lord. {25:28} Forgive, I praythee, the trespass of thy handmaid: for Jehovah will certainly make mylord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of Jehovah; andevil shall not be found in thee all thy days. {25:29} And though men berisen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet the soul of my lordshall be bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah thy God; and thesouls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow ofa sling. {25:30} And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah shall havedone to my lord according to all the good that he hath spokenconcerning thee, and shall have appointed thee prince over Israel,{25:31} that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heartunto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or thatmy lord hath avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall have dealt wellwith my lord, then remember thy handmaid.

{25:32} And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God ofIsrael, who sent thee this day to meet me: {25:33} and blessed be thydiscretion, and blessed be thou, that hast kept me this day frombloodguiltiness, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. {25:34}For in very deed, as Jehovah, the God of Israel, liveth, who hathwithholden me from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come tomeet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning lightso much as one man-child. {25:35} So David received of her hand thatwhich she had brought him: and he said unto her, Go up in peace to thyhouse; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

{25:36} And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast inhis house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry withinhim, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less ormore, until the morning light. {25:37} And it came to pass in themorning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told himthese things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.{25:38} And it came to pass about ten days after, that Jehovah smoteNabal, so that he died.

{25:39} And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessedbe Jehovah, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand ofNabal, and hath kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing ofNabal hath Jehovah returned upon his own head. And David sent and spakeconcerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife. {25:40} And when theservants 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.{25:41} 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 theservants of my lord. {25:42} And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rodeupon an ass, with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she wentafter the messengers of David, and became his wife.

{25:43} David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they became both ofthem his wives. {25:44} Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’swife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

{26:1} And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth notDavid hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?{26:2} Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, havingthree thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in thewilderness of Ziph. {26:3} And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah,which is before the desert, by the way. But David abode in thewilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.{26:4} David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul wascome of a certainty. {26:5} And David arose, and came to the placewhere Saul had encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, andAbner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay within theplace of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him.

{26:6} Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and toAbishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go downwith me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down withthee. {26:7} So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and,behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with hisspear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people layround about him. {26:8} Then said Abishai to David, God hath deliveredup 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 notsmite him the second time. {26:9} And David said to Abishai, Destroyhim not; for who can put forth his hand against Jehovah’s anointed, andbe guiltless? {26:10} And David said, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah willsmite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down intobattle and perish. {26:11} Jehovah forbid that I should put forth myhand against Jehovah’s anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spearthat is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go. {26:12} SoDavid took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s head; and theygat 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 fallenupon them.

{26:13} Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the topof the mountain afar off; a great space being between them; {26:14} andDavid cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying,Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thouthat criest to the king? {26:15} And David said to Abner, Art not thoua [valiant] man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hastthou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of thepeople in to destroy the king thy lord. {26:16} This thing is not goodthat thou hast done. As Jehovah liveth, ye are worthy to die, becauseye have not kept watch over your lord, Jehovah’s anointed. And now seewhere the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.

{26:17} And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, myson David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. {26:18} Andhe said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what haveI done? or what evil is in my hand? {26:19} Now therefore, I pray thee,let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Jehovahthat hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: butif it be the children of men, cursed be they before Jehovah: for theyhave driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto theinheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods. {26:20} Nowtherefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence ofJehovah: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when onedoth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

{26:21} Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for Iwill no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyesthis day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.{26:22} And David answered and said, Behold the spear, O king! let thenone of the young men come over and fetch it. {26:23} And Jehovah willrender to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuchas Jehovah delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not putforth my hand against Jehovah’s anointed. {26:24} And, behold, as thylife was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much setby in the eyes of Jehovah, and let him deliver me out of alltribulation. {26:25} Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my sonDavid: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail. So Davidwent his way, and Saul returned to his place.

{27:1} And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day bythe hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I shouldescape 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 outof his hand. {27:2} And David arose, and passed over, he and the sixhundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king ofGath. {27:3} And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, everyman with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam theJezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. {27:4} And itwas told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more againfor him.

{27:5} And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor inthine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in thecountry, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell inthe royal city with thee? {27:6} Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day:wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.{27:7} And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country ofthe Philistines was a full year and four months.

{27:8} And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon theGeshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those [nations]were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as thou goest toShur, even unto the land of Egypt. {27:9} And David smote the land, andsaved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and theoxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel; and he returned,and came to Achish. {27:10} And Achish said, Against whom have ye madea raid to-day? And David said, Against the South of Judah, and againstthe South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.{27:11} And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them toGath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and sohath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of thePhilistines. {27:12} And Achish believed David, saying, He hath madehis people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be myservant for ever.

{28:1} And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistinesgathered their hosts together for warfare, to fight with Israel. AndAchish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go outwith me in the host, thou and thy men. {28:2} And David said to Achish,Therefore thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achish said toDavid, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head for ever.

{28:3} Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, andburied him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away thosethat had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. {28:4} Andthe Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped inShunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped inGilboa. {28:5} And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he wasafraid, and his heart trembled greatly. {28:6} And when Saul inquiredof Jehovah, Jehovah answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim,nor by prophets. {28:7} Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me awoman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire ofher. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath afamiliar spirit at En-dor.

{28:8} And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, andwent, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: andhe said, Divine unto me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bringme up whomsoever I shall name unto thee. {28:9} And the woman said untohim, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut offthose 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?{28:10} And Saul sware to her by Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah liveth,there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. {28:11} Thensaid the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring meup Samuel. {28:12} And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loudvoice; and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me?for thou art Saul. {28:13} And the king said unto her, Be not afraid:for what seest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I see a god comingup out of the earth. {28:14} 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. AndSaul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to theground, and did obeisance.

{28:15} And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, tobring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for thePhilistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, andanswereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore Ihave called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.{28:16} And Samuel said, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeingJehovah is departed from thee, and is become thine adversary? {28:17}And Jehovah hath done unto thee, as he spake by me: and Jehovah hathrent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even toDavid. {28:18} Because thou obeyedst not the voice of Jehovah, anddidst not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath Jehovahdone this thing unto thee this day. {28:19} Moreover Jehovah willdeliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines; andto-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: Jehovah will deliver thehost of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.

{28:20} Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth,and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was nostrength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all thenight. {28:21} And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was soretroubled, and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened untothy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened untothy words which thou spakest unto me. {28:22} Now therefore, I praythee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thy handmaid, and let me seta morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength,when thou goest on thy way. {28:23} But he refused, and said, I willnot eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him;and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and satupon the bed. {28:24} And the woman had a fatted calf in the house; andshe hasted, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and didbake unleavened bread thereof: {28:25} and she brought it before Saul,and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and wentaway that night.

{29:1} Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts toAphek: and the Israelites encamped by the fountain which is in Jezreel.{29:2} And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and bythousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.{29:3} Then said the princes of the Philistines, What [do] theseHebrews [here]? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Isnot this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath beenwith me these days, or [rather] these years, and I have found no faultin him since he fell away [unto me] unto this day? {29:4} But heprinces of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of thePhilistines said unto him, Make the man return, that he may go back tohis place where thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down withus to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: forwherewith should this [fellow] reconcile himself unto his lord? shouldit not be with the heads of these men? {29:5} Is not this David, ofwhom they sang one to another in dances, saying,Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands?

{29:6} Then Achish called David, and said unto him, As Jehovahliveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming inwith me in the host is good in my sight; for I have not found evil inthee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: neverthelessthe lords favor thee not. {29:7} Wherefore now return, and go in peace,that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines. {29:8} And Davidsaid unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thyservant so long as I have been before thee unto this day, that I maynot go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? {29:9} AndAchish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in mysight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of thePhilistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.{29:10} Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants ofthy lord that are come with thee; and as soon as ye are up early in themorning, and have light, depart. {29:11} So David rose up early, he andhis men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of thePhilistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

{30:1} And it came to pass, when David and his men were come toZiklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon theSouth, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it withfire, {30:2} and had taken captive the women [and all] that weretherein, both small and great: they slew not any, but carried them off,and went their way. {30:3} And when David and his men came to the city,behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, andtheir daughters, were taken captive. {30:4} Then David and the peoplethat were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had nomore power to weep. {30:5} And David’s two wives were taken captive,Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.{30:6} And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake ofstoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every manfor his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself inJehovah his God.

{30:7} And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech,I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thitherthe ephod to David. {30:8} And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, If Ipursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? And he answered him,Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake [them], and shalt without failrecover [all]. {30:9} So David went, he and the six hundred men thatwere with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were leftbehind stayed. {30:10} But David pursued, he and four hundred men; fortwo hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they could not goover the brook Besor.

{30:11} And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him toDavid, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water todrink. {30:12} And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and twoclusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again tohim; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days andthree nights. {30:13} And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou?and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant toan Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fellsick. {30:14} We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, andupon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and weburned Ziklag with fire. {30:15} And David said to him, Wilt thou bringme down to this troop? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thouwilt neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master,and I will bring thee down to this troop.

{30:16} And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spreadabroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, becauseof all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of thePhilistines, and out of the land of Judah. {30:17} And David smote themfrom the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and thereescaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode uponcamels and fled. {30:18} And David recovered all that the Amalekiteshad taken; and David rescued his two wives. {30:19} And there wasnothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nordaughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them:David brought back all. {30:20} And David took all the flocks and theherds, [which] they drove before those [other] cattle, and said, Thisis David’s spoil.

{30:21} And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faintthat they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide atthe brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet thepeople that were with him: and when David came near to the people, hesaluted them. {30:22} Then answered all the wicked men and basefellows, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went notwith us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we haverecovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that he maylead them away, and depart. {30:23} Then said David, Ye shall not doso, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given unto us, who hathpreserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into ourhand. {30:24} And who will hearken unto you in this matter? for as hisshare is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his share be thattarrieth by the baggage: they shall share alike. {30:25} And it was sofrom that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance forIsrael unto this day.

{30:26} And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto theelders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for youof the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah: {30:27} To them that were inBeth-el, and to them that were in Ramoth of the South, and to them thatwere in Jattir, {30:28} and to them that were in Aroer, and to themthat were in Siphmoth, and to them that were in Eshtemoa, {30:29} andto them that were in Racal, and to them that were in the cities of theJerahmeelites, and to them that were in the cities of the Kenites,{30:30} and to them that were in Hormah, and to them that were inBor-ashan, and to them that were in Athach, {30:31} and to them thatwere in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his menwere wont to haunt.

{31:1} Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men ofIsrael fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mountGilboa. {31:2} And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon hissons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua,the sons of Saul. {31:3} And the battle went sore against Saul, and thearchers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of thearchers. {31:4} Then said Saul to his armorbearer, Draw thy sword, andthrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrustme through, and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he wassore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it. {31:5}And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell uponhis sword, and died with him. {31:6} So Saul died, and his three sons,and his armorbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

{31:7} And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of thevalley, and they that were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men ofIsrael fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook thecities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. {31:8}And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to stripthe slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mountGilboa. {31:9} And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor,and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry thetidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people. {31:10} Andthey put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened hisbody to the wall of Beth-shan. {31:11} And when the inhabitants ofJabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had doneto Saul, {31:12} all the valiant men arose, and went all night, andtook the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall ofBeth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. {31:13} Andthey took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree inJabesh, and fasted seven days.

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