
The First Book of Samuel

   {1:1} Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the
hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham,
the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite:
{1:2} and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the
name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no
children. {1:3} And this man went up out of his city from year to year
to worship and to sacrifice unto Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the
two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Jehovah, were there.
{1:4} And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to
Peninnah 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 her
sore, 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} And
Elkanah her husband said unto her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why
eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee
than ten sons?

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

   {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 thought
she had been drunken. {1:14} And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou
be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. {1:15} And Hannah answered and
said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk
neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Jehovah.
{1:16} Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the
abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto.
{1:17} Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel
grant 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 before
Jehovah, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah
knew Hannah his wife; and Jehovah remembered her. {1:20} And it came to
pass, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bare a
son; and she called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him
of Jehovah.

   {1:21} And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto
Jehovah the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. {1:22} But Hannah went not
up; for she said unto her husband, [I will not go up] until the child
be weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear before
Jehovah, and there abide for ever. {1:23} And Elkanah her husband said
unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him;
only Jehovah establish his word. So the woman tarried and gave her son
suck, until she weaned him. {1:24} And when she had weaned him, she
took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of meal, and a
bottle 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 brought
the child to Eli. {1:26} And she said, Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth,
my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto Jehovah.
{1:27} For this child I prayed; and Jehovah hath given me my petition
which I asked of him: {1:28} therefore also I have granted him to
Jehovah; as long as he liveth he is granted to Jehovah. And he
worshipped 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 did
minister 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, when
any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh
was boiling, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand; {2:14} and
he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the
flesh-hook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shiloh
unto all the Israelites that came thither. {2:15} Yea, before they
burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that
sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have
boiled flesh of thee, but raw. {2:16} And if the man said unto him,
They will surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as thy soul
desireth; then he would say, Nay, but thou shalt give it me now: and if
not, I will take it by force. {2:17} And the sin of the young men was
very great before Jehovah; for the men despised the offering of Jehovah.

   {2:18} But Samuel ministered before Jehovah, being a child, girded
with 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 her
husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. {2:20} And Eli blessed Elkanah
and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed of this woman for the
petition which was asked of Jehovah. And they went unto their own home.
{2:21} And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three
sons 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 unto
all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at
the door of the tent of meeting. {2:23} And he said unto them, Why do
ye 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 make
Jehovah's people to transgress. {2:25} If one man sin against another,
God shall judge him; but if a man sin against Jehovah, who shall
entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto the voice of
their father, because Jehovah was minded to slay them. {2:26} And the
child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Jehovah, and
also with men.

   {2:27} And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus
saith Jehovah, Did I reveal myself unto the house of thy father, when
they were in Egypt [in bondage] to Pharaoh's house? {2:28} and did I
choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up
unto mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I
give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of
Israel made by fire? {2:29} Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at
mine offering, which I have commanded in [my] habitation, and honorest
thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the
offerings of Israel my people? {2:30} Therefore Jehovah, the God of
Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy
father, should walk before me for ever: but now Jehovah saith, Be it
far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise
me shall be lightly esteemed. {2:31} Behold, the days come, that I will
cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall
not be an old man in thy house. {2:32} And thou shalt behold the
affliction of [my] habitation, in all the wealth which [God] shall give
Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever. {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 the
increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age. {2:34} And
this shall be the sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on
Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them. {2:35} And
I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that
which is in my heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house;
and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. {2:36} And it shall
come to pass, that every one that is left in thy house shall come and
bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall
say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may
eat a morsel of bread.



   {3:1} And the child Samuel ministered unto Jehovah before Eli. And
the word of Jehovah was precious in those days; there was no frequent
vision. {3:2} And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down
in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not
see), {3:3} and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was
laid down [to sleep], in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God
was; {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 he
said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. {3:6} And
Jehovah called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and
said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he answered, I called not,
my son; lie down again. {3:7} Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah,
neither was the word of Jehovah yet revealed unto him. {3:8} And
Jehovah called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to
Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived that
Jehovah had called the child. {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 his
place.

   {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 spoken
concerning his house, from the beginning even unto the end. {3:13} For
I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity
which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and
he restrained them not. {3:14} And therefore I have sworn unto the
house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated
with sacrifice nor offering for ever.

   {3:15} And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the
house of Jehovah. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. {3:16} Then
Eli 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 unto
thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more
also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he spake
unto thee. {3:18} And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from
him. And he said, It is Jehovah: let him do what seemeth him good.

   {3:19} And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and did let none
of his words fall to the ground. {3:20} And all Israel from Dan even to
Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Jehovah.
{3:21} And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh; for Jehovah revealed
himself 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 encamped
beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. {4:2} And the
Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they
joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines; and they slew
of the army in the field about four thousand men. {4:3} And when the
people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore
hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the
ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh unto us, that it may come
among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies. {4:4} So the
people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from thence the ark of the
covenant of Jehovah of hosts, who sitteth [above] the cherubim: and the
two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the
covenant of God.

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

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

   {4:19} And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near
to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was
taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed
herself and brought forth; for her pains came upon her. {4:20} And
about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her,
Fear not; for thou hast 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 was
taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. {4:22} And she
said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken.





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

   {5:6} But the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he
destroyed them, and smote them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders
thereof. {5:7} And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they
said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; for his
hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god. {5:8} They sent therefore
and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What
shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let
the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they
carried the ark of the God of Israel [thither]. {5:9} And it was so,
that, after they had carried it about, the hand of Jehovah was against
the city with a very great discomfiture: and he smote the men of the
city, both small and great; and tumors brake out upon them. {5:10} So
they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of
God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have
brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our
people. {5:11} They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords
of the Philistines, and they said, Send away the ark of the God of
Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that is slay us not, and
our people. For there was a deadly discomfiture throughout all the
city; the hand of God was very heavy there. {5:12} And the men that
died not were smitten with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up
to heaven.



   {6:1} And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the Philistines
seven months. {6:2} And the Philistines called for the priests and the
diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? show us
wherewith we shall sent it to its place. {6:3} And they said, If ye
send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but by all
means return him a trespass-offering: then ye shall be healed, and it
shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. {6:4} Then
said they, What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall return to
him? And they said, Five golden tumors, and five golden mice,
[according to] the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one
plague was on you all, and on your lords. {6:5} Wherefore ye shall make
images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and
ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will
lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off
your land. {6:6} Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the
Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had wrought
wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they
departed? {6:7} Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two
milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke; and tie the kine to the
cart, and bring their calves home from them; {6:8} and take the ark of
Jehovah, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye
return him for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof;
and send it away, that it may go. {6:9} And see; if it goeth up by the
way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great
evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote
us; it was a chance that happened to us.

   {6:10} And the men did so, and took two milch kine, and tied them to
the cart, and shut up their calves at home; {6:11} and they put the ark
of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the
images of their tumors. {6:12} And the kine took the straight way by
the way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they
went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the
lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of
Beth-shemesh. {6:13} And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat
harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark,
and rejoiced to see it. {6:14} And the cart came into the field of
Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great
stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine for
a burnt-offering unto Jehovah. {6:15} And the Levites took down the ark
of Jehovah, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold
were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh
offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto
Jehovah. {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 Philistines
returned for a trespass-offering unto Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gaza
one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; {6:18} and the
golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the
Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and
of country villages, even unto the great stone, whereon they set down
the ark of Jehovah, [which stone remaineth] unto this day in the field
of Joshua the Beth-shemite.

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



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

   {7:5} And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray
for you unto Jehovah. {7:6} And they gathered together to Mizpah, and
drew water, and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day,
and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the
children of Israel in Mizpah. {7:7} And when the Philistines heard that
the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of
the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel
heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. {7:8} And the children
of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto Jehovah our God for us,
that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. {7:9} And
Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering
unto Jehovah: and Samuel cried unto Jehovah for Israel; and Jehovah
answered him. {7:10} And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering,
the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Jehovah
thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and
discomfited them; and they were smitten down before Israel. {7:11} And
the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and
smote 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 Jehovah
helped us. {7:13} So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no
more within the border of Israel: and the hand of Jehovah was against
the Philistines all the days of Samuel. {7:14} And the cities which the
Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron
even unto Gath; and the border thereof did Israel deliver out of the
hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the
Amorites.

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



   {8:1} And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his
sons judges over Israel. {8:2} Now the name of his 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 after
lucre, 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 to
judge us like all the nations. {8:6} But the thing displeased Samuel,
when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto
Jehovah. {8:7} And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of
the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected
thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
{8:8} According to all the works which they have done since the day
that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they
have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
{8:9} Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt
protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king
that shall reign over them.

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

   {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 we
also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and
go out before us, and fight our battles. {8:21} And Samuel heard all
the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Jehovah.
{8:22} And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make
them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man
unto his city.



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

   {9:5} When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his
servant that was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father
leave off caring for the asses, and be anxious for us. {9:6} And he
said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he
is a man that is held in honor; all that he saith cometh surely to
pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our
journey whereon we go. {9:7} Then said Saul to his servant, But,
behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent
in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God:
what have we? {9:8} And the servant answered Saul again, and said,
Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that
will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. {9:9} (Beforetime in
Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let
us go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime
called a Seer.) {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 young
maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
{9:12} And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is] before
thee: make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the
people have a sacrifice to-day in the high place: {9:13} as soon as ye
are come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he goeth
up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come,
because he doth bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that are
bidden. Now therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall find him.
{9:14} And they went up to the city; [and] as they came within the
city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.

   {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 of
the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my
people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the
Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is
come unto me. {9:17} And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said unto him,
Behold, the man of whom I spake to thee! this same shall have authority
over my people. {9:18} Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and
said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is. {9:19} And
Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto the
high place, for ye shall eat with me to-day: and in the morning I will
let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart. {9:20} And as
for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on
them; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in
Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house? {9:21} And
Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the
tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the
tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner?

   {9:22} And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into
the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them
that were bidden, who were about thirty persons. {9:23} And Samuel said
unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said
unto thee, Set it by thee. {9:24} And the cook took up the thigh, and
that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And [Samuel] said,
Behold, that which hath been reserved! set it before thee and eat;
because unto the appointed time hath it been kept for thee, for I said,
I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

   {9:25} And when they were come down from the high place into the
city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop. {9:26} And they arose
early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel
called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send thee away.
And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
{9:27} As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to
Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand
thou still first, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.



   {10:1} Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his
head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that Jehovah hath anointed
thee to be prince over his inheritance? {10:2} When thou art departed
from me to-day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre, in
the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The
asses which thou wentest to seek are found; and, lo, thy father hath
left off caring for the asses, and is anxious for you, saying, What
shall I do for my son? {10:3} Then shalt thou go on forward from
thence, and thou shalt come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet
thee there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three
kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying
a bottle of wine: {10:4} and they will salute thee, and give thee two
loaves of bread, which thou shalt receive of their hand. {10:5} After
that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the
Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to
the city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the
high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp,
before them; and they will be prophesying: {10:6} and the Spirit of
Jehovah will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with
them, and shalt be turned into another man. {10:7} And let it be, when
these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion shall serve
thee; for God is with thee. {10:8} And thou shalt go down before me to
Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer
burnt-offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings: seven
days shalt thou tarry, till I come unto thee, and show thee what thou
shalt do.

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

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

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

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



   {11:1} Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against
Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a
covenant with us, and we will serve thee. {11:2} And Nahash the
Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you,
that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach
upon all Israel. {11:3} And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us
seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders
of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to
thee. {11:4} Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake
these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up
their voice, and wept. {11:5} And, behold, Saul came following the oxen
out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep?
And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

   {11:6} And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard
those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. {11:7} And he took a
yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the
borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh
not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his
oxen. And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as
one man. {11:8} And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of
Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty
thousand. {11:9} And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus
shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by the time the
sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the messengers came and told
the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. {11:10} Therefore the men of
Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with
us all that seemeth good unto you. {11:11} And it was so on the morrow,
that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the
midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until
the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they that remained were
scattered, so that not two of them were left together.

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

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



   {12:1} And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened
unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over
you. {12:2} And now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am old
and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked
before you from my youth unto this day. {12:3} Here I am: witness
against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: whose ox have I
taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I
oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes
therewith? and I will restore it you. {12:4} And they said, Thou hast
not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of
any man's hand. {12:5} And he said unto them, Jehovah is witness
against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not
found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.

   {12:6} And Samuel said unto the people, It is Jehovah that appointed
Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of
Egypt. {12:7} Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you
before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he
did to you and to your fathers. {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 in
this place. {12:9} But they forgat Jehovah their God; and he sold them
into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the
hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and
they fought against them. {12:10} And they cried unto Jehovah, and
said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served
the Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our
enemies, and we will serve thee. {12:11} And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal,
and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand
of your enemies on every side; and ye dwelt in safety. {12:12} And when
ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you,
ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when Jehovah your
God was your king. {12:13} Now therefore behold the king whom ye have
chosen, and whom ye have asked for: and, behold, Jehovah hath set a
king over you. {12:14} If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and
hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of
Jehovah, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be
followers of Jehovah your God, [well]: {12:15} but if ye will not
hearken unto the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of
Jehovah, then will the hand of Jehovah be against you, as it was
against your fathers. {12:16} Now therefore stand still and see this
great thing, which Jehovah will do before your eyes. {12:17} Is it not
wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto Jehovah, that he may send
thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is
great, which ye have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking you a
king. {12:18} So Samuel called unto Jehovah; and Jehovah sent thunder
and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.

   {12:19} And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants
unto Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our
sins [this] evil, to ask us a king. {12:20} And Samuel said unto the
people, Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside
from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart: {12:21}
and turn ye not aside; for [then would ye go] after vain things which
cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. {12:22} For Jehovah will
not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it hath
pleased Jehovah to make you a people unto himself. {12:23} Moreover as
for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing
to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
{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 ye
shall 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 when
he had reigned two years over Israel, {13:2} Saul chose him three
thousand men of Israel, whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash
and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in
Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his
tent. {13:3} And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that
was in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet
throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. {13:4} And all
Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines,
and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. And
the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

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

   {13:8} And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that
Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people
were scattered from him. {13:9} And Saul said, Bring hither the
burnt-offering to me, and the peace-offerings. And he offered the
burnt-offering. {13:10} And it came to pass that, as soon as he had
made an end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, Samuel came; and
Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. {13:11} And Samuel
said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people
were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days
appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at
Michmash; {13:12} therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down
upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah: I
forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt-offering. {13:13} And
Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the
commandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would
Jehovah have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. {13:14} But
now thy kingdom shall not continue: Jehovah hath sought him a man after
his own heart, and Jehovah hath appointed him to be prince over his
people, because thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee.
{13:15} And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of
Benjamin.

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

   {13:19} Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of
Israel; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or
spears: {13:20} but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to
sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his
mattock; {13:21} yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the
coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.
{13:22} So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither
sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with
Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there
found. {13:23} And the garrison of the Philistines went out unto the
pass of Michmash.



   {14:1} Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said
unto the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over to the
Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side. But he told not his
father. {14:2} And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the
pomegranate-tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him
were about six hundred men; {14:3} and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub,
Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of
Jehovah in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that
Jonathan was gone. {14:4} And between the passes, by which Jonathan
sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky
crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name
of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. {14:5} The one
crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the
south 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 be
that Jehovah will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah to
save by many or by few. {14:7} And his armorbearer said unto him, Do
all that is in thy heart: turn thee, behold, I am with thee according
to thy heart. {14:8} Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto
the men, and we will disclose ourselves unto them. {14:9} If they say
thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in
our place, and will not go up unto them. {14:10} But if they say thus,
Come up unto us; then we will go up; for Jehovah hath delivered them
into our hand: and this shall be the sign unto us. {14:11} And both of
them disclosed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the
Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where
they had hid themselves. {14:12} And the men of the garrison answered
Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show
you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armorbearer, Come up after me;
for Jehovah hath delivered them into the hand of Israel. {14:13} And
Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his
armorbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his
armorbearer slew them after him. {14:14} And that first slaughter,
which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within
as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land. {14:15} And there
was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people;
the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth
quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

   {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 unto
Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was [there] at
that 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 camp
of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the
priest, Withdraw thy hand. {14:20} And Saul and all the people that
were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and,
behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, [and there was] a
very great discomfiture. {14:21} Now the Hebrews that were with the
Philistines as beforetime, and that went up with them into the camp,
[from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be with the
Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. {14:22} Likewise all the
men of Israel that had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim,
when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard
after them in the battle. {14:23} So Jehovah saved Israel that day: and
the battle passed over by Beth-aven.

   {14:24} And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had
adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food
until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the
people 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 were
come unto the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his
hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. {14:27} But Jonathan
heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore
he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in
the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were
enlightened. {14:28} Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy
father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the
man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint. {14:29} Then
said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how
mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this
honey. {14:30} How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely
to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now hath
there been no great slaughter among the Philistines.

   {14:31} And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to
Aijalon. And the people were very faint; {14:32} and the people flew
upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on
the ground; and the people did eat them with the blood. {14:33} Then
they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah, in that
they eat with the blood. And he said, ye have dealt treacherously: roll
a great stone unto me this day. {14:34} And Saul said, Disperse
yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every
man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and
sin not against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And all the people
brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.
{14:35} And Saul built an altar unto Jehovah: the same was the first
altar that he built unto Jehovah.

   {14:36} And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by
night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us
not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto
thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God. {14:37}
And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines?
wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not
that day. {14:38} And Saul said, Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of the
people; 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 my
son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people
that answered him. {14:40} Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one
side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the
people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee. {14:41}
Therefore Saul said unto 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. And
Jonathan was taken.

   {14:43} Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And
Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with
the 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: as
Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the
ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued
Jonathan, that he died not. {14:46} Then Saul went up from following
the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place. {14:47}
Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all
his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of
Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against
the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he put [them] to
the worse. {14:48} And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and
delivered Israel out of the hands of them that despoiled them.

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

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



   {15:1} And Samuel said unto Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to
be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto
the voice of the words of Jehovah. {15:2} Thus saith Jehovah of hosts,
I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself
against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. {15:3} Now go and
smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them
not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep,
camel and ass.

   {15:4} And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim,
two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. {15:5} And
Saul 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 the
Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all
the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites
departed from among the Amalekites. {15:7} And Saul smote the
Amalekites, from Havilah as thou goest to Shur, that is before Egypt.
{15:8} And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly
destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. {15:9} But Saul
and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen,
and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would
not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that
they 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 turned
back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And
Samuel was wroth; and he cried unto Jehovah all night. {15:12} And
Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel,
saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a monument, and
turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal. {15:13} And Samuel came
to Saul; and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of Jehovah: I have
performed the commandment of Jehovah. {15:14} And Samuel said, What
meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of
the oxen which I hear? {15:15} And Saul said, They have brought them
from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of
the oxen, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have
utterly destroyed. {15:16} Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will
tell thee what Jehovah hath said to me this night. And he said unto
him, Say on.

   {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 Jehovah
anointed thee king over Israel; {15:18} and Jehovah sent thee on a
journey, and said, Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites,
and fight against them until they be consumed. {15:19} Wherefore then
didst thou not obey the voice of Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil,
and didst that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah? {15:20} And Saul
said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have
gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of
Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. {15:21} But the
people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted
things, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal. {15:22} And Samuel
said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than
sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. {15:23} For rebellion
is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and
teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also
rejected thee from being king.

   {15:24} And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have
transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because I
feared the people, and obeyed their voice. {15:25} Now therefore, I
pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship
Jehovah. {15:26} And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with
thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah hath
rejected thee from being king over Israel. {15:27} And as Samuel turned
about to go away, [Saul] laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it
rent. {15:28} And Samuel said unto him, Jehovah hath rent the kingdom
of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine,
that is better than thou. {15:29} And also the Strength of Israel will
not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent. {15:30}
Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the
elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I
may worship Jehovah thy God. {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 the
Amalekites. And Agag came unto him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely
the bitterness of death is past. {15:33} And Samuel said, As thy sword
hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among
women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.

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



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

   {16:6} And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on
Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him. {16:7} But
Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height
of his stature; because I have rejected him: for [Jehovah seeth] not as
man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah
looketh on the heart. {16:8} Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him
pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.
{16:9} Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath
Jehovah chosen this. {16:10} And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass
before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Jehovah hath not chosen
these. {16:11} And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children?
And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is
keeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for
we will not sit down till he come hither. {16:12} And he sent, and
brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful
countenance, and goodly to look upon. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint
him; for this is he. {16:13} Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and
anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Jehovah
came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and
went to Ramah. {16:14} Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul,
and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him. {16:15} And Saul's
servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth
thee. {16:16} Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before
thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp: and it
shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he
shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. {16:17} And Saul said
unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring
him to me. {16:18} Then answered one of the young men, and said,
Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful
in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in
speech, and a comely person; and Jehovah is with him. {16:19} Wherefore
Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, who
is with the sheep. {16:20} And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread,
and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto
Saul. {16:21} And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he
loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer. {16:22} And Saul sent
to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath
found 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 played
with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit
departed from him.



   {17:1} Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle;
and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah, and
encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. {17:2} And Saul and
the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the vale of
Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. {17:3} And
the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood
on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
{17:4} And there went out a champion out of the camp of the
Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a
span. {17:5} And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was
clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand
shekels of brass. {17:6} And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and
a javelin of brass between his shoulders. {17:7} And the staff of his
spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head [weighed] six
hundred shekels of iron: and 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 come
down to me. {17:9} If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then
will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him,
then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. {17:10} And the Philistine
said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may
fight together. {17:11} And when Saul and all Israel heard those words
of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

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

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


   {17:20} And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep
with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he
came to the place of the wagons, as the host which was going forth to
the fight shouted for the battle. {17:21} And Israel and the
Philistines put the battle in array, army against army. {17:22} And
David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and
ran to the army, and came and saluted his brethren. {17:23} And as he
talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of
Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spake
according to the same words: and David heard them. {17:24} And all the
men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore
afraid. {17:25} And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that
is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that
the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches,
and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in
Israel. {17:26} And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying,
What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh
away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised
Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? {17:27}
And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be
done to the man that killeth him.

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

   {17:31} And when the words were heard which David spake, they
rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. {17:32} And David said
to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go
and fight with this Philistine. {17:33} And Saul said to David, Thou
art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for thou
art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. {17:34} And David
said unto Saul, Thy servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when
there 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: and
this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath
defied the armies of the living God. {17:37} And David said, Jehovah
that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the
bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul
said unto David, Go, and Jehovah shall be with thee. {17:38} And Saul
clad David with his apparel, and he put a helmet of brass upon his
head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. {17:39} And David girded his
sword upon his apparel, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it.
And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved
them. And David put them off him. {17:40} And he took his staff in his
hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them
in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his sling
was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

   {17:41} And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the
man that bare the shield went before him. {17:42} And when the
Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was
but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair countenance. {17:43} And
the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with
staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. {17:44} And the
Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto
the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field. {17:45} Then
said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with
a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah
of 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 will
smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will give the dead
bodies of the host of the Philistines this day unto the birds of the
heavens, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may
know that there is a God in Israel, {17:47} and that all this assembly
may know that Jehovah saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle
is Jehovah's, and he will give you into our hand. {17:48} And it came
to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet
David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the
Philistine. {17:49} And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence
a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and
the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the
earth.

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

   {17:55} And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he
said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this
youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
{17:56} And the king said, 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 the
Philistine in his hand. {17:58} And Saul said to him, Whose son art
thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant
Jesse the Beth-lehemite.



   {18:1} And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto
Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and
Jonathan loved him as his own soul. {18:2} And Saul took him that day,
and would let him go no more home to his father's house. {18:3} Then
Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own
soul. {18:4} And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon
him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to
his bow, and to his girdle. {18:5} And David went out whithersoever
Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the
men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in
the sight of Saul's servants. {18:6} And it came to pass as they came,
when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the
women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to
meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music.
{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; and
he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they
have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
{18:9} And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

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

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

   {18:22} And Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune with
David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all
his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son-in-law. {18:23}
And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David
said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law,
seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed? {18:24} And the
servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David. {18:25}
And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any
dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the
king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the
Philistines. {18:26} And when his servants told David these words, it
pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not
expired; {18:27} and David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of
the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and
they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's
son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. {18:28} And
Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David; and Michal, Saul's
daughter, 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 came
to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more
wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.



   {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 much
in David. {19:2} And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father
seeketh to slay thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself
in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: {19:3}
and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou
art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and if I see aught, I
will tell thee. {19:4} And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his
father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant,
against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his
works have been to thee-ward very good: {19:5} for he put his life in
his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great victory
for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then wilt
thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? {19:6}
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As
Jehovah liveth, he shall not be put to death. {19:7} And Jonathan
called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan
brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as beforetime.

   {19:8} And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with
the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled
before him. {19:9} And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul, as he
sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with
his hand. {19:10} And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with
the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the
spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. {19:11}
And Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay
him in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If thou
save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou wilt be slain. {19:12} So
Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and
escaped. {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 it
with 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 see
David, 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 in
the 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 mine
enemy go, so that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto
me, 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 and
dwelt in Naioth. {19:19} And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is
at Naioth in Ramah. {19:20} And Saul sent messengers to take David: and
when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel
standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers
of Saul, and they also prophesied. {19:21} And when it was told Saul,
he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent
messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. {19:22} Then
went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and
he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold,
they are at Naioth in Ramah. {19:23} And he went thither to Naioth in
Ramah: and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and
prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. {19:24} And he also
stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay
down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul
also among the prophets?



   {20:1} And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before
Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin
before thy father, that he seeketh my life? {20:2} And he said unto
him, Far from it; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth nothing
either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why
should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. {20:3} And
David sware moreover, and said, Thy father knoweth well that I have
found favor in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this,
lest he be grieved: but truly as Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, there is but a step between me and death. {20:4} Then said
Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it
for thee. {20:5} And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the
new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let
me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
{20:6} If thy father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly asked
leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city; for it is the
yearly sacrifice there for all the family. {20:7} If he say thus, It is
well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know that
evil is determined by him. {20:8} Therefore deal kindly with thy
servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah
with thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why
shouldest thou bring me to thy father? {20:9} And Jonathan said, Far be
it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by
my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? {20:10}
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance thy father
answer thee roughly? {20:11} And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and
let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the
field.

   {20:12} And Jonathan said unto David, Jehovah, the God of Israel,
[be witness]: when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow,
[or] the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not
then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee? {20:13} Jehovah do so
to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil,
if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go
in peace: and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
{20:14} And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the
lovingkindness of Jehovah, that I die not; {20:15} but also thou shalt
not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when Jehovah
hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
{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 that
he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. {20:18} Then
Jonathan said unto him, To-morrow is the new moon: and thou wilt be
missed, because thy seat will be empty. {20:19} And when thou hast
stayed three days, thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place
where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt
remain by the stone Ezel. {20:20} And I will shoot three arrows on the
side thereof, as though I shot at a mark. {20:21} And, behold, I will
send the lad, [saying], Go, find the arrows. If I say unto the lad,
Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them, and come; for
there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah liveth. {20:22} But if I
say 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 matter
which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and me
for ever.

   {20:24} So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was
come, the king sat him down to eat food. {20:25} And the king sat upon
his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and
Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was
empty. {20:26} Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he
thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not
clean. {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 Saul
said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to
meat, neither yesterday, nor to-day? {20:28} And Jonathan answered
Saul, 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 in
the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me [to be there]: and now,
if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and
see my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king's table.

   {20:30} Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said
unto him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that
thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the
shame of thy mother's nakedness? {20:31} For as long as the son of
Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy
kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely
die. {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} And
Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that is
was determined of his father to put David to death. {20:34} So Jonathan
arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food the second
day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had
done him shame.

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



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

   {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, the
chiefest of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul. {21:8} And David said
unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thy hand spear or sword?
for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the
king's business required haste. {21:9} And the priest said, The sword
of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the vale of Elah,
behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt
take that, take it; for there is no other save that here. And David
said, There is none like that; give it me.

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

   {21:12} And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore
afraid of Achish the king of Gath. {21:13} And he changed his behavior
before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on
the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
{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 of
Adullam: 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 in
distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was
discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became captain over
them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

   {22:3} And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the
king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth,
[and be] with you, till I know what God will do for me. {22:4} And he
brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the
while that David was in the stronghold. {22:5} And the prophet Gad said
unto David, Abide not in the stronghold; depart, and get thee into the
land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.

   {22:6} And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that
were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk-tree
in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were
standing about him. {22:7} And Saul said unto his servants that stood
about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every
one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of
thousands and captains of hundreds, {22:8} that all of you have
conspired against me, and there is none that discloseth to me when my
son maketh a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you
that is sorry for me, or discloseth unto me that my son hath stirred up
my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? {22:9} Then
answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said,
I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
{22:10} And he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him victuals, and
gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

   {22:11} Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of
Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and
they came all of them to the king. {22:12} And Saul said, Hear now,
thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. {22:13} And
Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son
of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast
inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in
wait, as at this day? {22:14} Then Ahimelech answered the king, and
said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is
the king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable
in thy house? {22:15} Have I to-day begun to inquire of God for him? be
it far from me: let not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor
to all the house of my father; for thy servant knoweth nothing of all
this, less or more. {22:16} And the king said, Thou shalt surely die,
Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house. {22:17} And the king said
unto the guard that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of
Jehovah; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew
that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the
king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of
Jehovah. {22:18} And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon
the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests,
and he slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a
linen ephod. {22:19} And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with
the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and
oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

   {22:20} And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named
Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. {22:21} And Abiathar told
David that Saul had slain Jehovah's priests. {22:22} And David said
unto Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there,
that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned [the death] of all
the persons of thy father's house. {22:23} Abide thou with me, fear
not; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: for with me thou
shalt be in safeguard.



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

   {23:7} And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul
said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by
entering into a town that hath gates and bars. {23:8} And Saul summoned
all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his
men. {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 surely
heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my
sake. {23:11} Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will
Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Jehovah, the God of
Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Jehovah said, He will
come down. {23:12} Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up
to me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will
deliver thee up. {23:13} Then David and his men, who were about six
hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they
could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and
he forbare to go forth. {23:14} And David abode in the wilderness in
the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of
Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his
hand.

   {23:15} And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and
David 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 strengthened
his hand in God. {23:17} And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand
of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over
Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father
knoweth. {23:18} And they two made a covenant before Jehovah: and David
abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

   {23:19} Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth
not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the
hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? {23:20} Now
therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soul
to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's
hand. {23:21} And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have had
compassion on me. {23:22} Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know
and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who hath seen him there;
for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly. {23:23} See therefore,
and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself,
and come ye again to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it
shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out
among all the thousands of Judah.

   {23:24} And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and
his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of
the desert. {23:25} And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they
told David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the
wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he pursued after David
in the wilderness of Maon. {23:26} And Saul went on this side of the
mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David
made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed
David and his men round about to take them. {23:27} But there came a
messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines
have made a raid upon the land. {23:28} So Saul returned from pursuing
after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called
that 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 following
the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the
wilderness of En-gedi. {24:2} Then Saul took three thousand chosen men
out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of
the wild goats. {24:3} And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where
was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men
were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. {24:4} And the men of
David said unto him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee,
Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to
him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the
skirt of Saul's robe privily. {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 this
thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against
him, seeing he is Jehovah's anointed. {24:7} So David checked his men
with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul
rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

   {24:8} David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and
cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind
him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance. {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 thine
eyes have seen how that Jehovah had delivered thee to-day into my hand
in the cave: and some bade me kill thee; but [mine eye] spared thee;
and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is
Jehovah's anointed. {24:11} Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the
skirt of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy
robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil
nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee,
though thou huntest after my life to take it. {24:12} Jehovah judge
between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall
not be upon thee. {24:13} As saith the proverb of the ancients, Out of
the 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 thou
pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. {24:15} Jehovah therefore be
judge, and give sentence between me and thee, and see, and plead my
cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.

   {24:16} And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking
these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David?
And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. {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 declared
this day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as when
Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou killedst me not.
{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 unto
me this day. {24:20} And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be
king, 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 cut
off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my
father'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 David
arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

   {25:2} And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in
Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep,
and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. {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 beautiful
countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he
was of the house of Caleb. {25:4} And David heard in the wilderness
that 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 to
Nabal, and greet him in my name: {25:6} and thus shall ye say to him
that liveth [in prosperity], Peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy
house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. {25:7} And now I have
heard that thou hast shearers: thy shepherds have now been with us, and
we did them no hurt, neither was there aught missing unto them, all the
while they were in Carmel. {25:8} Ask thy young men, and they will tell
thee: wherefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes; for we come
in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thy hand, unto
thy servants, and to thy son David.

   {25:9} And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal
according 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 is
the son of Jesse? there are many servants now-a-days that break away
every man from his master. {25:11} Shall I then take my bread, and my
water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it
unto men of whom I know not whence they are? {25:12} So David's young
men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him according
to all these words. {25:13} And David said unto his men, Gird ye on
every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David
also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four
hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage.

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

   {25:18} Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and
two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of
parched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes
of figs, and laid them on asses. {25:19} And she said unto her young
men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her
husband Nabal. {25:20} And it was so, as she rode on her ass, and came
down by the covert of the mountain, that, behold, David and his men
came down toward her; and she met them. {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 hath
returned 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 morning
light so much as one man-child.

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

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

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

   {25:39} And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed
be Jehovah, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of
Nabal, and hath kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of
Nabal hath Jehovah returned upon his own head. And David sent and spake
concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife. {25:40} And when the
servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her,
saying, David hath sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.
{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 the
servants of my lord. {25:42} And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode
upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she went
after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

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



   {26:1} And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not
David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?
{26:2} Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having
three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the
wilderness of Ziph. {26:3} And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah,
which is before the desert, by the way. But David abode in the
wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
{26:4} David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was
come of a certainty. {26:5} And David arose, and came to the place
where Saul had encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and
Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay within the
place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him.

   {26:6} Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to
Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down
with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with
thee. {26:7} So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and,
behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his
spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay
round about him. {26:8} Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered
up thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let me smite him,
I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not
smite him the second time. {26:9} And David said to Abishai, Destroy
him not; for who can put forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and
be guiltless? {26:10} And David said, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will
smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into
battle and perish. {26:11} Jehovah forbid that I should put forth my
hand against Jehovah's anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spear
that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go. {26:12} So
David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head; and they
gat them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake;
for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Jehovah was fallen
upon them.

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

   {26:17} And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my
son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. {26:18} And
he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have
I 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 Jehovah
that hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but
if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Jehovah: for they
have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the
inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods. {26:20} Now
therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of
Jehovah: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one
doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

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



   {27:1} And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by
the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should
escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me,
to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out
of his hand. {27:2} And David arose, and passed over, he and the six
hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of
Gath. {27:3} And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every
man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. {27:4} And it
was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again
for him.

   {27:5} And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor in
thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the
country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in
the royal city with thee? {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 of
the Philistines was a full year and four months.

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



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

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

   {28:8} And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and
went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and
he said, Divine unto me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring
me up whomsoever I shall name unto thee. {28:9} And the woman said unto
him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off
those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land:
wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
{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} Then
said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me
up Samuel. {28:12} And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud
voice; and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me?
for thou art Saul. {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 coming
up 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. And
Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the
ground, and did obeisance.

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

   {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 no
strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the
night. {28:21} And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore
troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid hath hearkened unto
thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto
thy words which thou spakest unto me. {28:22} Now therefore, I pray
thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set
a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength,
when thou goest on thy way. {28:23} But he refused, and said, I will
not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him;
and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat
upon the bed. {28:24} And the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and
she hasted, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did
bake unleavened bread thereof: {28:25} and she brought it before Saul,
and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went
away that night.



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

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



   {30:1} And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to
Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the
South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with
fire, {30:2} and had taken captive the women [and all] that were
therein, both small and great: they slew not any, but carried them off,
and went their way. {30:3} And when David and his men came to the city,
behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and
their daughters, were taken captive. {30:4} Then David and the people
that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no
more 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 of
stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man
for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in
Jehovah his God.

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

   {30:11} And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to
David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water to
drink. {30:12} And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two
clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to
him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and
three nights. {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 to
an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell
sick. {30:14} We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and
upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we
burned Ziklag with fire. {30:15} And David said to him, Wilt thou bring
me down to this troop? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou
wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master,
and I will bring thee down to this troop.

   {30:16} And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread
abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because
of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the
Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. {30:17} And David smote them
from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there
escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon
camels and fled. {30:18} And David recovered all that the Amalekites
had taken; and David rescued his two wives. {30:19} And there was
nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor
daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them:
David brought back all. {30:20} And David took all the flocks and the
herds, [which] they drove before those [other] cattle, and said, This
is David's spoil.

   {30:21} And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint
that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at
the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the
people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he
saluted them. {30:22} Then answered all the wicked men and base
fellows, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not
with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have
recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that he may
lead them away, and depart. {30:23} Then said David, Ye shall not do
so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given unto us, who hath
preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our
hand. {30:24} And who will hearken unto you in this matter? for as his
share is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his share be that
tarrieth by the baggage: they shall share alike. {30:25} And it was so
from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for
Israel unto this day.

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



   {31:1} Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of
Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount
Gilboa. {31:2} And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his
sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua,
the sons of Saul. {31:3} And the battle went sore against Saul, and the
archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the
archers. {31:4} Then said Saul to his armorbearer, Draw thy sword, and
thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust
me through, and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was
sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it. {31:5}
And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon
his 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 the
valley, and they that were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of
Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the
cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. {31:8}
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip
the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount
Gilboa. {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 the
tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people. {31:10} And
they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his
body to the wall of Beth-shan. {31:11} And when the inhabitants of
Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done
to Saul, {31:12} all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and
took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of
Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. {31:13} And
they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in
Jabesh, and fasted seven days.




