Now there was
a certain man
of Ramathaimzophim,
of mount Ephraim,
and his name
was Elkanah,
the son
of Jeroham,
the son of Elihu,
the son of Tohu,
the son of Zuph,
an Ephrathite:
And
he had two wives;
the name
of the one
was Hannah,
and the name
of the other Peninnah:
and Peninnah
had children,
but Hannah
had no children.
And this man
went up
out of his city yearly
to worship
and
to sacrifice
unto the LORD
of hosts
in Shiloh.
And the two sons
of Eli,
Hophni
and Phinehas,
the priests
of the LORD,
were there.
And when the time
was that Elkanah offered,
he gave to Peninnah
his wife,
and
to all her sons
and her daughters,
portions:
But unto Hannah
he gave a worthy portion;
for he
loved Hannah:
but the LORD
had shut
up her womb.
And her adversary
also provoked
her sore,
for to
make her fret,
because
the LORD
had shut
up her womb.
And as he
did so year by year,
when she
went
up to the house
of the LORD,
so she
provoked her;
therefore she wept,
and did not eat.
Then said
Elkanah her husband
to her,
Hannah,
why weepest thou?
and
why eatest
thou not?
and why
is
thy heart grieved?
am not
I better to thee
than ten sons?
So Hannah
rose up
after they
had eaten
in Shiloh,
and after they
had drunk.
Now Eli
the priest
sat
upon a seat
by a post
of the temple
of the LORD.
And
she was in bitterness
of soul,
and prayed
unto the LORD,
and wept sore.
And
she vowed a vow,
and said,
O LORD of hosts,
if thou
wilt indeed look
on the affliction
of thine handmaid,
and remember me,
and not forget
thine handmaid,
but wilt give
unto thine handmaid
a man child,
then
I will give him
unto the LORD all
the days
of his life,
and there shall no razor
come upon
his head.
And it
came
to pass,
as she
continued
praying
before the LORD,
that Eli
marked her mouth.
Now Hannah,
she spake in her heart;
only her lips moved,
but her voice
was not heard:
therefore Eli
thought
she had been
drunken.
And Eli
said
unto her,
How long
wilt thou
be drunken?
put away
thy wine
from thee.
And Hannah
answered
and said,
No,
my lord,
I am a woman
of a sorrowful spirit:
I have drunk neither wine
nor strong drink,
but have poured
out my soul
before the LORD.
Count
not thine handmaid
for a daughter
of Belial:
for out of the abundance
of my complaint
and grief
have
I spoken hitherto.
Then Eli
answered
and said,
Go in peace:
and the God
of Israel
grant thee thy
petition that
thou
hast asked of him.
And she said,
Let thine handmaid
find
grace in thy sight.
So the woman
went her way,
and did eat,
and her countenance
was no more sad.
And they
rose up
in the morning early,
and worshipped
before the LORD,
and returned,
and came
to their house
to Ramah:
and Elkanah
knew Hannah
his wife;
and the LORD
remembered her.
Wherefore
it came to pass,
when the time
was come about
after Hannah
had conceived,
that she
bare a son,
and called
his name Samuel,
saying,
Because I
have asked him
of the LORD.
And the man Elkanah,
and all
his house,
went up to offer
unto the LORD
the yearly sacrifice,
and his vow.
But Hannah
went not up;
for she said
unto her husband,
I will not go
up until
the child
be weaned,
and
then
I will bring him,
that he
may appear
before the LORD,
and there abide
for ever.
And Elkanah her husband
said
unto her,
Do what
seemeth thee good;
tarry until
thou have weaned him;
only the LORD
establish
his word.
So the woman abode,
and gave
her son
suck until
she weaned him.
And
when
she had weaned him,
she took him up
with her,
with three bullocks,
and one ephah
of flour,
and a bottle
of wine,
and brought him
unto the house
of the LORD
in Shiloh:
and the child
was young.
And
they slew a bullock,
and brought
the child
to Eli.
And she said,
Oh my lord,
as thy soul liveth,
my lord,
I am the woman
that stood by
thee here,
praying
unto the LORD.
For this child
I prayed;
and the LORD
hath given me
my petition
which I
asked of him:
Therefore also
I have lent him
to the LORD;
as long
as he liveth
he shall be lent
to the LORD.
And he
worshipped
the LORD there.
And Hannah prayed,
and said,
My heart
rejoiceth in the LORD,
mine horn
is exalted
in the LORD:
my mouth
is enlarged
over mine enemies;
because
I rejoice
in thy salvation.
There is none holy
as the LORD:
for there is none beside thee:
neither is there
any rock like
our God.
Talk
no more so
exceeding proudly;
let not
arrogancy
come
out of your mouth:
for the LORD
is a God
of knowledge,
and by him actions
are weighed.
The bows
of the mighty men
are broken,
and they
that stumbled
are girded
with strength.
They that
were full
have hired
out themselves
for bread;
and they
that were hungry ceased:
so that
the barren
hath born seven;
and she that
hath
many children
is waxed feeble.
The LORD killeth,
and maketh alive:
he bringeth down
to the grave,
and
bringeth up.
The LORD
maketh poor,
and maketh rich:
he bringeth low,
and
lifteth up.
He raiseth up the poor
out of the dust,
and lifteth up the beggar
from the dunghill,
to set them
among princes,
and to make them
inherit the throne
of glory:
for the pillars
of the earth
are the LORD's,
and he
hath set
the world
upon them.
He will keep the feet
of his saints,
and the wicked
shall be silent
in darkness;
for by strength
shall
no man prevail.
The adversaries
of the LORD
shall be broken
to pieces;
out of heaven shall
he thunder upon them:
the LORD
shall judge
the ends
of the earth;
and
he shall give strength
unto his king,
and exalt
the horn
of his anointed.
And Elkanah
went to Ramah
to his house.
And the child
did minister unto the LORD
before Eli
the priest.
Now
the sons
of Eli
were sons
of Belial;
they knew not
the LORD.
And the priest's custom
with the people was,
that,
when any man offered sacrifice,
the priest's servant came,
while the flesh
was in seething,
with a fleshhook
of three teeth
in his hand;
And he
struck it
into the pan,
or kettle,
or caldron,
or pot;
all
that the fleshhook
brought
up the priest
took for himself.
So they
did in Shiloh
unto all
the Israelites
that came thither.
Also before
they burnt
the fat,
the priest's servant came,
and said
to the man
that sacrificed,
Give flesh
to roast
for the priest;
for he
will not have sodden flesh
of thee,
but raw.
And
if any man
said unto him,
Let them
not fail to burn
the fat presently,
and then
take
as much as
thy soul desireth;
then
he would answer him,
Nay;
but
thou shalt give it
me now:
and if not,
I will take it
by force.
Wherefore the sin
of the young men
was very great
before the LORD:
for men
abhorred
the offering
of the LORD.
But Samuel
ministered
before the LORD,
being a child,
girded
with a linen ephod.
Moreover his mother
made him
a little coat,
and brought it
to him
from year to year,
when
she came up with
her husband
to offer
the yearly sacrifice.
And Eli
blessed Elkanah
and his wife,
and said,
The LORD
give thee seed
of this woman
for the loan
which is lent
to the LORD.
And
they went unto their own home.
And the LORD
visited Hannah,
so that
she conceived,
and bare three sons
and two daughters.
And the child Samuel
grew before the LORD.
Now Eli
was very old,
and heard all
that his sons
did unto all Israel;
and
how they
lay
with the women
that assembled
at the door
of the tabernacle
of the congregation.
And
he said unto them,
Why do
ye such things?
for I
hear of your evil dealings
by all
this people.
Nay,
my sons;
for it
is no good
report that
I hear:
ye make
the LORD's people
to transgress.
If
one man
sin
against another,
the judge
shall judge him:
but
if a man
sin
against the LORD,
who shall intreat for him?
Notwithstanding
they hearkened not
unto the voice
of their father,
because
the LORD
would slay them.
And the child Samuel
grew on,
and was
in favour both
with the LORD,
and also with men.
And there came a man
of God unto Eli,
and
said unto him,
Thus saith the LORD,
Did I
plainly appear
unto the house
of thy father,
when they
were in Egypt
in Pharaoh's house?
And did
I choose him
out of all the tribes
of Israel to be
my priest,
to offer
upon mine altar,
to burn incense,
to wear an ephod
before me?
and did
I give
unto the house
of thy
father all
the offerings
made
by fire
of the children
of Israel?
Wherefore
kick
ye at my sacrifice
and at mine offering,
which I
have commanded
in my habitation;
and honourest
thy sons above me,
to make yourselves fat
with the chiefest
of all the offerings
of Israel my people?
Wherefore
the LORD God
of Israel saith,
I said indeed
that thy house,
and the house
of thy father,
should walk
before me
for ever:
but now
the LORD saith,
Be it far
from me;
for them that honour
me I
will honour,
and
they that
despise me
shall be lightly esteemed.
Behold,
the days come,
that I
will cut off
thine arm,
and the arm
of thy father's house,
that there shall not be
an old man
in thine house.
And
thou shalt see
an enemy
in my habitation,
in all the wealth which God
shall give Israel:
and there shall not be
an old man
in thine
house
for ever.
And the man
of thine,
whom
I shall not cut off
from mine altar,
shall be
to consume
thine eyes,
and to grieve
thine heart:
and all
the increase
of thine
house
shall die
in the flower
of their age.
And this
shall be a sign
unto thee,
that shall come upon
thy two sons,
on Hophni
and Phinehas;
in one day
they shall die both
of them.
And
I will raise me
up a faithful priest,
that shall do according to
that
which is in mine heart
and in my mind:
and
I will build him
a sure house;
and he
shall walk
before mine
anointed
for ever.
And it
shall come
to pass,
that every one
that is left
in thine
house
shall come and
crouch to him
for a piece
of silver
and a morsel
of bread,
and shall say,
Put me,
I pray thee,
into one
of the priests' offices,
that I
may eat
a piece
of bread.
And the child Samuel
ministered
unto the LORD
before Eli.
And
the word
of the LORD
was precious
in those days;
there was
no open vision.
And it
came
to pass
at that time,
when Eli
was laid down
in his place,
and his eyes
began to wax dim,
that he
could not see;
And ere
the lamp
of God
went out in the temple
of the LORD,
where the ark
of God was,
and Samuel
was laid down
to sleep;
That the LORD
called Samuel:
and he answered,
Here am I.
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.
And the LORD
called
yet again,
Samuel.
And Samuel
arose
and went
to Eli,
and said,
Here am I;
for thou
didst call me.
And he answered,
I called not,
my son;
lie down again.
Now Samuel
did not yet know
the LORD,
neither was
the word
of the LORD
yet revealed unto him.
And the LORD
called Samuel
again the third time.
And
he arose
and went
to Eli,
and said,
Here am I;
for thou
didst call me.
And Eli
perceived
that the LORD
had called
the child.
Therefore Eli
said
unto Samuel, Go,
lie down:
and it
shall be,
if he
call thee,
that thou
shalt say,
Speak, LORD;
for thy servant heareth.
So Samuel
went
and lay down
in his place.
And the LORD came,
and stood,
and called as
at other times,
Samuel, Samuel.
Then Samuel answered,
Speak;
for thy servant heareth.
And the LORD
said
to Samuel, Behold,
I will do a thing
in Israel,
at which
both the ears
of every one
that heareth it
shall tingle.
In that day
I will perform
against Eli all things
which I
have spoken concerning
his house:
when I begin,
I will also make
an end.
For I
have told him that
I will judge
his house for
ever for the iniquity
which he knoweth;
because
his sons
made themselves vile,
and
he restrained them not.
And
therefore I
have sworn
unto the house
of Eli,
that the iniquity
of Eli's
house
shall not be purged
with sacrifice nor
offering
for ever.
And Samuel
lay until
the morning,
and opened
the doors
of the house
of the LORD.
And Samuel
feared
to shew Eli
the vision.
Then Eli
called Samuel,
and said,
Samuel,
my son.
And he answered,
Here am I.
And he said,
What
is
the thing
that the LORD
hath said
unto thee?
I pray thee hide it
not from me:
God do so
to thee,
and more also,
if thou
hide any thing
from me
of all the things
that he
said
unto thee.
And Samuel
told him
every whit,
and hid nothing
from him.
And he said,
It is the LORD:
let him
do
what seemeth
him good.
And Samuel grew,
and the LORD
was with him,
and did let
none of his words fall
to the ground.
And all
Israel
from Dan
even to Beersheba
knew
that Samuel
was established
to be a prophet
of the LORD.
And the LORD
appeared again
in Shiloh:
for the LORD
revealed himself
to Samuel
in Shiloh
by the word
of the LORD.
And
the word
of Samuel
came to all Israel.
Now Israel
went out
against the Philistines
to battle,
and pitched beside
Ebenezer:
and the Philistines
pitched
in Aphek.
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.
And
when the people
were come
into the camp,
the elders
of Israel said,
Wherefore
hath
the LORD
smitten us
to day
before the Philistines?
Let us
fetch the ark
of the covenant
of the LORD
out of Shiloh
unto us, that,
when it
cometh among us,
it may save us
out of the hand
of our enemies.
So the people
sent
to Shiloh,
that they
might bring
from thence the ark
of the covenant
of the LORD
of hosts,
which dwelleth between the cherubims:
and the two sons
of Eli,
Hophni
and Phinehas,
were there
with the ark
of the covenant
of God.
And
when the ark
of the covenant
of the LORD
came
into the camp,
all Israel
shouted
with a great shout,
so that
the earth rang again.
And
when the Philistines
heard
the noise
of the shout,
they said,
What
meaneth
the noise
of this great shout
in the camp
of the Hebrews?
And
they understood
that
the ark
of the LORD
was come
into the camp.
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.
Woe unto us!
who shall deliver us
out of the hand
of these mighty Gods?
these are
the Gods
that smote
the Egyptians
with all
the plagues
in the wilderness.
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.
And the Philistines fought,
and Israel
was smitten,
and
they fled every man
into his tent:
and there was
a very great slaughter;
for there fell
of Israel
thirty thousand footmen.
And
the ark
of God
was taken;
and the two sons
of Eli,
Hophni
and Phinehas,
were slain.
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.
And when he came,
lo,
Eli sat
upon a seat
by the wayside watching:
for his heart
trembled
for the ark
of God.
And
when the man
came
into the city,
and told it,
all the city cried out.
And
when Eli
heard
the noise
of the crying,
he said,
What
meaneth
the noise
of this tumult?
And the man
came
in hastily,
and told Eli.
Now Eli
was ninety
and eight years old;
and his eyes
were dim,
that he
could not see.
And the man
said
unto Eli,
I am
he that
came
out of the army,
and
I fled to day
out of the army.
And he said,
What is there done,
my son?
And the messenger
answered
and said,
Israel
is fled
before the Philistines,
and there hath been also
a great slaughter
among the people,
and thy two sons also,
Hophni
and Phinehas,
are dead,
and
the ark
of God
is taken.
And it
came
to pass,
when he
made
mention
of the ark
of God,
that he
fell from
off the seat
backward by the side
of the gate,
and his neck brake,
and he died:
for he
was an old man,
and heavy.
And
he had judged
Israel forty years.
And his daughter
in law,
Phinehas' wife,
was with child,
near to be delivered:
and
when
she heard
the tidings that
the ark
of God
was taken,
and
that her father
in law
and her husband
were dead,
she bowed herself
and travailed;
for her pains
came upon her.
And
about the time
of her death
the women
that stood by
her
said unto her,
Fear not;
for thou
hast born a son.
But
she answered not,
neither did
she regard it.
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.
And she said,
The glory
is departed
from Israel:
for the ark
of God
is taken.
And the Philistines
took
the ark
of God,
and brought it
from Ebenezer
unto Ashdod.
When the Philistines
took
the ark
of God,
they brought it
into the house
of Dagon,
and set it
by Dagon.
And
when
they of Ashdod
arose early
on the morrow,
behold,
Dagon
was fallen
upon his face
to the earth
before the ark
of the LORD.
And
they took Dagon,
and set him
in his place again.
And
when
they arose early
on the morrow morning,
behold,
Dagon
was fallen
upon his face
to the ground
before the ark
of the LORD;
and the head
of Dagon
and both
the palms
of his hands
were cut off
upon the threshold;
only the stump
of Dagon
was left
to him.
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.
But
the hand
of the LORD
was heavy
upon them
of Ashdod,
and
he destroyed them,
and smote them
with emerods,
even Ashdod
and the coasts
thereof.
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.
They sent therefore
and gathered all
the lords
of the Philistines
unto them,
and said,
What
shall
we do
with the ark
of the God
of Israel?
And
they answered,
Let the ark
of the God
of Israel
be carried about
unto Gath.
And they
carried
the ark
of the God
of Israel
about thither.
And it
was so,
that,
after they
had carried it about,
the hand
of the LORD
was against the city
with a very great destruction:
and he
smote
the men
of the city,
both small
and great,
and
they had emerods
in their secret parts.
Therefore they
sent
the ark
of God to Ekron.
And it
came
to pass,
as the ark
of God
came to Ekron,
that the Ekronites cried out,
saying,
They
have brought
about the ark
of the God
of Israel to us,
to slay us
and our people.
So they
sent
and gathered
together all
the lords
of the Philistines,
and said,
Send
away the ark
of the God
of Israel,
and let
it go again
to his own place,
that it
slay us not,
and our people:
for there was
a deadly destruction
throughout all the city;
the hand
of God
was very heavy there.
And the men
that died
not were smitten
with the emerods:
and the cry
of the city
went up to heaven.
And
the ark
of the LORD
was in the country
of the Philistines seven months.
And the Philistines
called for
the priests
and the diviners,
saying,
What
shall
we do
to the ark
of the LORD?
tell us wherewith
we shall send it
to his place.
And they said,
If ye
send away the ark
of the God
of Israel,
send it
not empty;
but in any wise
return him
a trespass offering:
then
ye shall be healed,
and it
shall be known
to you
why his hand
is not removed
from you.
Then said they,
What
shall be
the trespass
offering
which we
shall return
to him?
They answered,
Five golden emerods,
and five golden mice,
according to the number
of the lords
of the Philistines:
for one plague
was on you all,
and
on your lords.
Wherefore
ye shall make
images
of your emerods,
and images
of your mice
that mar
the land;
and
ye shall give
glory
unto the God
of Israel:
peradventure
he will lighten
his hand from
off you,
and from
off your gods,
and from
off your land.
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?
Now therefore
make a new cart,
and take
two milch kine,
on which
there hath come no yoke,
and tie
the kine
to the cart,
and bring
their calves
home from them:
And take
the ark
of the LORD,
and lay it
upon the cart;
and put
the jewels
of gold,
which ye
return him
for a trespass offering,
in a coffer
by the side
thereof;
and send it away,
that it
may go.
And see,
if it
goeth up
by the way
of his own coast
to Bethshemesh,
then
he hath done us
this great evil:
but if not,
then
we shall know
that it
is not his hand
that smote us:
it was
a chance
that happened to us.
And the men
did so;
and took two milch kine,
and tied them
to the cart,
and shut
up their calves at home:
And they
laid
the ark
of the LORD
upon the cart,
and the coffer
with the mice
of gold
and the images
of their emerods.
And the kine
took
the straight way
to the way
of Bethshemesh,
and went along the highway,
lowing
as they went,
and turned not
aside to the right hand
or
to the left;
and the lords
of the Philistines
went
after them
unto the border
of Bethshemesh.
And
they
of Bethshemesh
were reaping
their wheat harvest
in the valley:
and they
lifted
up their eyes,
and saw the ark,
and rejoiced
to see it.
And the cart
came
into the field
of Joshua,
a Bethshemite,
and stood there,
where there was
a great stone:
and
they clave
the wood
of the cart,
and offered
the kine a
burnt
offering
unto the LORD.
And the Levites
took down the ark
of the LORD,
and the coffer
that was with it,
wherein the jewels
of gold were,
and put them
on the great stone:
and the men
of Bethshemesh
offered
burnt offerings
and sacrificed
sacrifices
the same day
unto the LORD.
And
when the five lords
of the Philistines
had seen it,
they returned
to Ekron
the same day.
And these
are the golden emerods
which the Philistines
returned
for a trespass
offering
unto the LORD;
for Ashdod one,
for Gaza one,
for Askelon one,
for Gath one,
for Ekron one;
And the golden mice,
according to
the number
of all the cities
of the Philistines
belonging
to the five lords,
both of fenced cities,
and
of country villages,
even unto the great stone
of Abel,
whereon
they set
down the ark
of the LORD:
which stone
remaineth unto this day
in the field
of Joshua,
the Bethshemite.
And he
smote
the men
of Bethshemesh,
because
they had looked
into the ark
of the LORD,
even
he smote of the people fifty thousand
and threescore
and ten men:
and the people lamented,
because
the LORD
had smitten many
of the people
with a great slaughter.
And the men
of Bethshemesh said,
Who is able
to stand
before this
holy LORD God?
and to whom
shall
he go up from us?
And
they sent messengers
to the inhabitants
of Kirjathjearim,
saying,
The Philistines
have brought again the ark
of the LORD;
come ye down,
and fetch it up to you.
And the men
of Kirjathjearim came,
and fetched
up the ark
of the LORD,
and brought it
into the house
of Abinadab
in the hill,
and sanctified
Eleazar his son
to keep the ark
of the LORD.
And it
came
to pass,
while the ark abode
in Kirjathjearim,
that the time
was long;
for it
was twenty years:
and all
the house
of Israel
lamented
after the LORD.
And Samuel
spake unto all
the house
of Israel,
saying,
If ye
do return
unto the LORD
with all
your hearts,
then put away
the strange gods
and Ashtaroth from
among you,
and prepare
your hearts
unto the LORD,
and serve him only:
and
he will deliver you
out of the hand
of the Philistines.
Then the children
of Israel
did put away Baalim
and Ashtaroth,
and
served
the LORD only.
And Samuel said,
Gather all Israel
to Mizpeh,
and
I will pray
for you
unto the LORD.
And
they gathered together
to Mizpeh,
and drew water,
and poured it out
before the LORD,
and fasted
on that day,
and said there,
We have sinned
against the LORD.
And Samuel
judged
the children
of Israel
in Mizpeh.
And
when the Philistines
heard
that the children
of Israel
were gathered together
to Mizpeh,
the lords
of the Philistines
went up
against Israel.
And
when the children
of Israel
heard it,
they were afraid
of the Philistines.
And the children
of Israel
said to Samuel,
Cease not
to cry
unto the LORD our God
for us,
that he
will save us
out of the hand
of the Philistines.
And Samuel
took a sucking lamb,
and offered
it for a
burnt
offering wholly
unto the LORD:
and Samuel
cried
unto the LORD
for Israel;
and the LORD
heard him.
And as Samuel
was offering
up the burnt offering,
the Philistines
drew near
to battle
against Israel:
but the LORD
thundered
with a great thunder
on that day
upon the Philistines,
and discomfited them;
and
they were smitten
before Israel.
And the men
of Israel
went out of Mizpeh,
and pursued
the Philistines,
and smote them,
until they
came
under Bethcar.
Then Samuel
took a stone,
and set it
between Mizpeh
and Shen,
and called
the name
of it Ebenezer,
saying,
Hitherto
hath
the LORD
helped us.
So the Philistines
were subdued,
and
they came no more
into the coast
of Israel:
and
the hand
of the LORD
was against the Philistines all
the days
of Samuel.
And the cities
which the Philistines
had taken
from Israel
were restored
to Israel,
from Ekron
even unto Gath;
and the coasts
thereof did
Israel
deliver
out of the hands
of the Philistines.
And there was peace
between Israel
and the Amorites.
And Samuel
judged Israel all
the days
of his life.
And
he went from year to year
in circuit
to Bethel,
and Gilgal,
and Mizpeh,
and judged Israel
in all those places.
And his return
was to Ramah;
for there was his house;
and
there
he judged Israel;
and
there
he built
an altar
unto the LORD.
And it
came
to pass,
when Samuel
was old,
that he
made his sons
judges
over Israel.
Now
the name
of his firstborn
was Joel;
and the name
of his second,
Abiah:
they were
judges
in Beersheba.
And his sons
walked not
in his ways,
but turned aside
after lucre,
and took bribes,
and perverted
judgment.
Then all
the elders
of Israel
gathered themselves together,
and came
to Samuel
unto Ramah,
And
said unto him,
Behold,
thou art old,
and thy sons
walk not
in thy ways:
now make us
a king
to judge us
like all
the nations.
But the thing
displeased Samuel,
when they said,
Give us
a king
to judge us.
And Samuel
prayed
unto the LORD.
And the LORD
said
unto Samuel,
Hearken
unto the voice
of the people
in all
that
they say
unto thee:
for they
have not rejected thee,
but
they have rejected me,
that I
should not reign over them.
According to all the works
which they
have done
since the day that
I brought them up
out of Egypt
even unto this day,
wherewith
they have forsaken me,
and served
other gods,
so do
they also unto thee.
Now therefore hearken
unto their voice:
howbeit
yet protest solemnly unto them,
and shew them
the manner
of the king
that shall reign over them.
And Samuel
told all
the words
of the LORD
unto the people
that asked
of him a king.
And he said,
This
will be
the manner
of the king
that shall reign
over you:
He will take
your sons,
and appoint them
for himself,
for his chariots,
and to be
his horsemen;
and some
shall run
before his chariots.
And
he will appoint him captains
over thousands,
and captains
over fifties;
and will set them
to ear his ground,
and to reap
his harvest,
and
to make his instruments
of war,
and instruments
of his chariots.
And he
will take
your daughters
to be confectionaries,
and to be cooks,
and to be bakers.
And
he will take
your fields,
and your vineyards,
and your oliveyards,
even the best
of them,
and give them
to his servants.
And he
will take
the tenth
of your seed,
and
of your vineyards,
and give
to his officers,
and
to his servants.
And
he will take
your menservants,
and your maidservants,
and your goodliest young men,
and your asses,
and put them
to his work.
He will take the tenth
of your sheep:
and
ye shall be
his servants.
And
ye shall cry out
in that day
because
of your king
which ye
shall have chosen you;
and the LORD
will not hear you
in that day.
Nevertheless
the people
refused
to obey the voice
of Samuel;
and they said,
Nay;
but we
will have
a king
over us;
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.
And Samuel
heard all
the words
of the people,
and
he rehearsed them
in the ears
of the LORD.
And the LORD
said
to Samuel,
Hearken
unto their voice,
and make them
a king.
And Samuel
said
unto the men
of Israel,
Go ye
every man
unto his city.
Now there was a man
of Benjamin,
whose name
was Kish,
the son of Abiel,
the son of Zeror,
the son
of Bechorath,
the son
of Aphiah,
a Benjamite,
a mighty man
of power.
And
he had a son,
whose name
was Saul,
a choice young man,
and a goodly:
and there was not
among the children
of Israel
a goodlier person
than he:
from his shoulders
and upward
he was higher
than any of the people.
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.
And he
passed
through mount Ephraim,
and passed
through the land
of Shalisha,
but
they found them not:
then they
passed
through the land
of Shalim,
and there
they were not:
and he
passed
through the land
of the Benjamites,
but
they found them not.
And
when
they were come
to the land
of Zuph,
Saul
said
to his servant
that was with him,
Come,
and let us return;
lest my father
leave
caring
for the asses,
and take
thought for us.
And
he said unto him,
Behold now,
there is
in this city a man
of God,
and
he is an honourable man;
all
that he saith
cometh surely
to pass:
now let us
go thither;
peradventure
he can shew us
our way that
we should go.
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?
And the servant answered
Saul again,
and said,
Behold,
I have here
at hand
the fourth part
of a shekel
of silver:
that will
I give
to the man
of God,
to tell us our way.
(Beforetime
in Israel,
when a man
went
to enquire
of God,
thus
he spake,
Come,
and let us
go to the seer:
for he
that is now called
a Prophet
was beforetime called
a Seer.)
Then said Saul
to his servant,
Well said;
come,
let us go.
So they
went unto the city
where the man
of God was.
And as they
went up the hill
to the city,
they
found
young maidens going out
to draw water,
and
said unto them,
Is the seer here?
And
they answered them,
and said,
He is;
behold,
he is before you:
make haste now,
for he came
to day
to the city;
for there is
a sacrifice
of the people
to day
in the high place:
As soon as ye
be come
into the city,
ye shall straightway find him,
before he
go up to the high place
to eat:
for the people
will not eat until
he come,
because
he doth bless
the sacrifice;
and afterwards
they
eat
that be bidden.
Now therefore get
you up;
for about this time
ye shall find him.
And
they went up
into the city:
and
when
they were come
into the city,
behold,
Samuel
came out against them,
for to go
up to the high place.
Now the LORD
had told Samuel
in his ear a day
before Saul came,
saying,
To morrow
about this time
I will send thee a man
out of the land
of Benjamin,
and
thou shalt anoint him
to be captain
over my people Israel,
that he
may save
my people
out of the hand
of the Philistines:
for I
have looked
upon my people,
because
their cry
is come unto me.
And
when Samuel
saw Saul,
the LORD
said unto him,
Behold the man whom
I spake to thee of!
this same
shall reign
over my people.
Then Saul
drew near
to Samuel
in the gate,
and said,
Tell me,
I pray thee,
where the seer's house is.
And Samuel
answered Saul,
and said,
I am the seer:
go up
before me
unto the high place;
for ye
shall eat with me
to day,
and to morrow
I will let
thee go,
and will tell
thee
all that is
in thine heart.
And as for thine asses
that were lost
three days ago,
set not thy mind
on them;
for they
are found.
And
on whom is all
the desire
of Israel?
Is it
not on thee,
and
on all
thy father's house?
And Saul
answered
and said,
Am not
I a Benjamite,
of the smallest
of the tribes
of Israel?
and my family
the least
of all the families
of the tribe
of Benjamin?
wherefore
then speakest
thou so to me?
And Samuel
took Saul
and his servant,
and brought them
into the parlour,
and made them
sit
in the chiefest place
among them that
were bidden,
which were about thirty persons.
And Samuel
said
unto the cook,
Bring the portion
which I
gave thee,
of which
I said unto thee,
Set it
by thee.
And the cook
took up
the shoulder,
and
that which
was upon it,
and set it
before Saul.
And Samuel said,
Behold that which
is left!
set it
before thee,
and eat:
for unto this time
hath
it been kept
for thee
since I said,
I have invited
the people.
So Saul
did eat
with Samuel that day.
And
when
they were come down
from the high place
into the city,
Samuel
communed
with Saul
upon the top
of the house.
And
they arose early:
and it
came
to pass
about the spring
of the day,
that Samuel
called Saul
to the top
of the house,
saying,
Up,
that I
may send thee away.
And Saul arose,
and
they went out both
of them,
he and Samuel,
abroad.
And as they
were going down
to the end
of the city,
Samuel
said to Saul,
Bid the servant pass on
before us,
(and he passed on),
but stand
thou
still a while,
that I
may shew
thee the word
of God.
Then Samuel
took
a vial
of oil,
and poured it
upon his head,
and kissed him,
and said,
Is it not
because
the LORD
hath anointed thee
to be captain
over his inheritance?
When
thou art
departed
from me
to day,
then
thou shalt find two men
by Rachel's sepulchre
in the border
of Benjamin
at Zelzah;
and
they will say
unto thee,
The asses which
thou wentest
to seek
are found:
and,
lo,
thy father
hath left the care
of the asses,
and sorroweth for you,
saying,
What
shall
I do
for my son?
Then shalt
thou go on
forward
from thence,
and
thou shalt come
to the plain
of Tabor,
and there shall meet
thee three men
going up to God
to Bethel,
one carrying
three kids,
and another
carrying
three loaves
of bread,
and another
carrying
a bottle
of wine:
And
they will salute thee,
and give
thee two loaves
of bread;
which thou
shalt receive
of their hands.
After that thou
shalt come
to the hill
of God,
where is the garrison
of the Philistines:
and it
shall come
to pass,
when
thou art come thither
to the city,
that thou
shalt meet
a company
of prophets
coming down
from the high place
with a psaltery,
and a tabret,
and a pipe,
and a harp,
before them;
and
they shall prophesy:
And
the Spirit
of the LORD
will come upon thee,
and
thou
shalt prophesy with them,
and shalt be turned into
another man.
And let
it be,
when these
signs
are come
unto thee,
that thou
do as occasion
serve thee;
for God is with thee.
And
thou shalt go down
before me
to Gilgal;
and,
behold,
I will come down
unto thee,
to offer
burnt offerings,
and to sacrifice
sacrifices
of peace offerings:
seven days
shalt
thou tarry,
till I come
to thee,
and shew thee
what thou shalt do.
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.
And
when
they came thither
to the hill,
behold,
a company
of prophets
met him;
and
the Spirit
of God
came upon him,
and
he prophesied among them.
And it
came
to pass,
when all
that knew him beforetime
saw that,
behold,
he prophesied
among the prophets,
then the people
said one
to another,
What
is
this that is come
unto the son
of Kish?
Is Saul
also among the prophets?
And one
of the same place answered
and said,
But
who is their father?
Therefore it
became
a proverb,
Is Saul
also among the prophets?
And
when he
had made
an end
of prophesying,
he came
to the high place.
And Saul's uncle
said
unto him and
to his servant,
Whither went ye?
And he said,
To seek
the asses:
and
when we
saw that
they were
no where,
we came
to Samuel.
And Saul's uncle said,
Tell me,
I pray thee,
what Samuel
said
unto you.
And Saul
said
unto his uncle,
He told us plainly
that the asses
were found.
But of the matter
of the kingdom,
whereof Samuel spake,
he told him not.
And Samuel
called
the people
together unto the LORD
to Mizpeh;
And said
unto the children
of Israel,
Thus saith
the LORD God
of Israel,
I brought
up Israel
out of Egypt,
and delivered you
out of the hand
of the Egyptians,
and
out of the hand
of all kingdoms,
and of them that
oppressed you:
And ye
have
this day
rejected
your God,
who himself
saved you
out of all your adversities
and your tribulations;
and
ye have said unto him,
Nay,
but set
a king
over us.
Now therefore present yourselves
before the LORD
by your tribes,
and by your thousands.
And
when Samuel
had caused all
the tribes
of Israel
to come near,
the tribe
of Benjamin
was taken.
When
he had caused
the tribe
of Benjamin to
come near
by their families,
the family
of Matri
was taken,
and Saul
the son
of Kish
was taken:
and
when
they sought him,
he could not be found.
Therefore they
enquired
of the LORD further,
if the man
should yet come thither.
And the LORD answered,
Behold
he hath
hid himself
among the stuff.
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.
And Samuel
said
to all
the people,
See
ye him whom
the LORD
hath chosen,
that there is none like him
among all the people?
And all
the people shouted,
and said,
God save
the king.
Then Samuel
told
the people
the manner
of the kingdom,
and wrote it
in a book,
and laid it up
before the LORD.
And Samuel
sent all
the people away,
every man
to his house.
And Saul
also went
home to Gibeah;
and there went
with him a band
of men,
whose hearts God
had touched.
But the children
of Belial said,
How shall this man
save us?
And
they despised him,
and brought
no presents.
But
he held
his peace.
Then
Nahash the Ammonite
came up,
and encamped
against Jabeshgilead:
and all
the men
of Jabesh
said unto Nahash,
Make a covenant
with us,
and
we will serve thee.
And Nahash
the Ammonite
answered them,
On this condition
will
I make a covenant
with you,
that I
may thrust
out all
your right eyes,
and lay it
for a reproach
upon all Israel.
And
the elders
of Jabesh
said unto him,
Give us
seven days' respite,
that we
may send messengers
unto all
the coasts
of Israel:
and then,
if there be no man
to save us,
we will come out
to thee.
Then came
the messengers
to Gibeah
of Saul,
and told
the tidings
in the ears
of the people:
and all
the people
lifted
up their voices,
and wept.
And,
behold,
Saul
came
after the herd
out of the field;
and Saul said,
What aileth
the people that
they weep?
And they
told him
the tidings
of the men
of Jabesh.
And
the Spirit
of God
came upon
Saul
when
he heard
those tidings,
and his anger
was kindled greatly.
And he
took
a yoke
of oxen,
and hewed them
in pieces,
and sent them
throughout all the coasts
of Israel
by the hands
of messengers,
saying,
Whosoever
cometh not
forth after Saul
and after Samuel,
so shall
it be done
unto his oxen.
And
the fear
of the LORD
fell on the people,
and they
came out
with one consent.
And
when
he numbered them
in Bezek,
the children
of Israel
were three hundred thousand,
and the men
of Judah thirty thousand.
And they
said
unto the messengers
that came,
Thus
shall
ye say
unto the men
of Jabeshgilead,
To morrow,
by that time
the sun
be hot,
ye shall have help.
And the messengers
came
and shewed it
to the men
of Jabesh;
and
they were glad.
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.
And it
was so
on the morrow,
that Saul
put the people
in three companies;
and
they came
into the midst
of the host
in the morning watch,
and slew
the Ammonites
until the heat
of the day:
and it
came
to pass,
that they which
remained were scattered,
so that two
of them were not left together.
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.
And Saul said,
There shall not a man
be put
to death
this day:
for to day
the LORD
hath wrought salvation
in Israel.
Then said Samuel
to the people,
Come,
and let us
go to Gilgal,
and renew
the kingdom there.
And all
the people
went to Gilgal;
and there
they made Saul king
before the LORD
in Gilgal;
and there
they sacrificed
sacrifices
of peace offerings
before the LORD;
and
there Saul
and all
the men
of Israel
rejoiced greatly.
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.
And now,
behold,
the king
walketh before you:
and I
am old
and grayheaded;
and,
behold,
my sons
are with you:
and I
have walked
before you
from my childhood
unto this day.
Behold,
here
I am:
witness
against me
before the LORD,
and before his anointed:
whose ox
have
I taken?
or whose ass
have
I taken?
or whom have
I defrauded?
whom have
I oppressed?
or of whose hand
have
I received
any bribe
to blind
mine
eyes therewith?
and
I will restore it you.
And they said,
Thou hast not defrauded us,
nor oppressed us,
neither hast
thou taken ought
of any man's hand.
And
he said unto them,
The LORD
is witness
against you,
and his anointed
is witness
this day,
that ye
have not found ought
in my hand.
And
they answered,
He is witness.
And Samuel
said
unto the people,
It is
the LORD
that advanced Moses
and Aaron,
and that
brought
your fathers up
out of the land
of Egypt.
Now therefore
stand still,
that I
may reason
with you
before the LORD
of all
the righteous acts
of the LORD,
which he
did to you
and to your fathers.
When Jacob
was come
into Egypt,
and your fathers
cried
unto the LORD,
then the LORD
sent Moses
and Aaron,
which brought forth your fathers
out of Egypt,
and made them
dwell
in this place.
And
when they
forgat
the LORD their God,
he sold them
into the hand
of Sisera,
captain
of the host
of Hazor,
and into the hand
of the Philistines,
and into the hand
of the king
of Moab,
and
they
fought against them.
And they
cried
unto the LORD,
and said,
We have sinned,
because
we have forsaken
the LORD,
and have served Baalim
and Ashtaroth:
but now deliver us
out of the hand
of our enemies,
and
we will serve thee.
And the LORD
sent Jerubbaal,
and Bedan,
and Jephthah,
and Samuel,
and delivered you
out of the hand
of your enemies
on every side,
and
ye dwelled safe.
And
when
ye saw
that Nahash the king
of the children
of Ammon
came
against you,
ye said unto me,
Nay;
but a king
shall reign over us:
when the LORD
your God was your king.
Now therefore behold the king whom
ye have chosen,
and whom
ye have desired!
and,
behold,
the LORD
hath set a king
over you.
If ye
will fear
the LORD,
and serve him,
and obey
his voice,
and not rebel
against the commandment
of the LORD,
then shall both
ye and also
the king
that reigneth
over you
continue
following
the LORD your God:
But
if ye
will not obey
the voice
of the LORD,
but rebel
against the commandment
of the LORD,
then shall
the hand
of the LORD
be against you,
as it was against your fathers.
Now therefore
stand
and see
this great thing,
which the LORD
will do
before your eyes.
Is it
not wheat
harvest
to day?
I will call
unto the LORD,
and
he shall send
thunder and rain;
that ye
may perceive
and see
that your wickedness
is great,
which ye
have done
in the sight
of the LORD,
in asking
you a king.
So Samuel
called
unto the LORD;
and the LORD
sent
thunder
and rain
that day:
and all
the people
greatly feared
the LORD and Samuel.
And all
the people
said
unto Samuel,
Pray for thy servants
unto the LORD thy God,
that we
die not:
for we
have added
unto all
our sins this evil,
to ask us a king.
And Samuel
said
unto the people,
Fear not:
ye have done all
this wickedness:
yet turn not
aside from following the LORD,
but serve
the LORD
with all your heart;
And turn
ye not aside:
for then
should
ye go
after vain things,
which cannot profit
nor deliver;
for they
are vain.
For the LORD
will not forsake
his people
for his great name's sake:
because
it hath pleased
the LORD to make
you his people.
Moreover as
for me,
God forbid that
I should sin
against the LORD
in ceasing
to pray for you:
but I
will teach
you the good
and the right way:
Only fear
the LORD,
and serve him
in truth
with all your heart:
for consider how
great things
he hath done
for you.
But
if ye
shall still do wickedly,
ye shall be consumed,
both ye
and your king.
Saul reigned one year;
and
when
he had reigned two years
over Israel,
Saul chose him three thousand men
of Israel;
whereof two thousand
were with Saul
in Michmash
and in mount Bethel,
and a thousand
were with Jonathan
in Gibeah
of Benjamin:
and the rest
of the people
he sent every man
to his tent.
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.
And all Israel
heard
say that Saul
had smitten
a garrison
of the Philistines,
and that Israel
also was had in abomination
with the Philistines.
And the people
were called together after Saul
to Gilgal.
And the Philistines
gathered themselves
together to fight
with Israel,
thirty thousand chariots,
and six thousand horsemen,
and people
as the sand
which is on the sea shore
in multitude:
and they came up,
and pitched
in Michmash,
eastward from Bethaven.
When the men
of Israel
saw
that they
were in a strait,
(for the people
were distressed,)
then the people
did hide themselves
in caves,
and in thickets,
and in rocks,
and
in high places,
and in pits.
And some of the Hebrews
went over Jordan
to the land
of Gad and Gilead.
As for Saul,
he was yet
in Gilgal,
and all
the people
followed him trembling.
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.
And Saul said,
Bring hither
a burnt
offering to me,
and peace offerings.
And he
offered
the burnt offering.
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.
And Samuel said,
What
hast thou done?
And Saul said,
Because I
saw
that the people
were scattered from me,
and
that thou
camest not
within the days appointed,
and
that the Philistines
gathered themselves
together
at Michmash;
Therefore said I,
The Philistines
will come
down now upon me
to Gilgal,
and
I have not made supplication
unto the LORD:
I forced myself
therefore,
and offered
a burnt offering.
And Samuel
said
to Saul,
Thou hast done foolishly:
thou hast not kept
the commandment
of the LORD thy God,
which he
commanded thee:
for now would
the LORD
have established thy kingdom
upon Israel
for ever.
But now
thy kingdom
shall not continue:
the LORD
hath sought him a man
after his own heart,
and the LORD
hath commanded him
to be captain
over his people,
because thou
hast not kept
that which the LORD
commanded thee.
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.
And Saul,
and Jonathan
his son,
and
the people
that were
present with them,
abode in Gibeah
of Benjamin:
but the Philistines
encamped
in Michmash.
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:
And another
company
turned
the way
to Bethhoron:
and another
company
turned
to the way
of the border that looketh
to the valley
of Zeboim
toward the wilderness.
Now there was
no smith
found
throughout all
the land
of Israel:
for the Philistines said,
Lest the Hebrews
make them swords
or spears:
But all
the Israelites
went down
to the Philistines,
to sharpen every man
his share,
and his coulter,
and his axe,
and his mattock.
Yet they
had
a file
for the mattocks,
and
for the coulters,
and
for the forks,
and for the axes,
and to sharpen
the goads.
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.
And
the garrison
of the Philistines
went out to the passage
of Michmash.
Now it
came
to pass
upon a day,
that Jonathan
the son
of Saul
said unto the young man
that bare
his armour,
Come,
and let us go over
to the Philistines' garrison,
that is
on the other side.
But
he told not
his father.
And Saul
tarried
in the uttermost part
of Gibeah
under a pomegranate tree
which is in Migron:
and the people
that were with him
were about six hundred men;
And Ahiah,
the son
of Ahitub,
Ichabod's brother,
the son
of Phinehas,
the son of Eli,
the LORD's priest
in Shiloh,
wearing an ephod.
And the people
knew not
that Jonathan
was gone.
And
between the passages,
by which
Jonathan
sought
to go over
unto the Philistines' garrison,
there was
a sharp rock
on the one side,
and a sharp rock
on the other side:
and
the name
of the one
was Bozez,
and the name
of the other Seneh.
The forefront
of the one
was situate northward over
against Michmash,
and the other
southward over
against Gibeah.
And Jonathan
said
to the young man
that bare his armour,
Come,
and let us go over
unto the garrison
of these uncircumcised:
it may be
that the LORD
will work for us:
for there is
no restraint
to the LORD
to save
by many
or by few.
And his armourbearer
said unto him,
Do all that is
in thine heart:
turn thee;
behold,
I am with thee
according to thy heart.
Then said
Jonathan, Behold,
we will pass over
unto these men,
and
we will discover ourselves
unto them.
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.
But
if they
say thus,
Come up unto us;
then
we will go up:
for the LORD
hath delivered them
into our hand:
and this
shall be a sign
unto us.
And both
of them discovered themselves
unto the garrison
of the Philistines:
and the Philistines said,
Behold,
the Hebrews
come forth
out of the holes
where they
had hid themselves.
And the men
of the garrison
answered Jonathan
and his armourbearer,
and said,
Come up to us,
and we
will shew you a thing.
And Jonathan
said
unto his armourbearer,
Come up after me:
for the LORD
hath delivered them
into the hand
of Israel.
And Jonathan
climbed up
upon his hands
and upon his feet,
and his armourbearer
after him:
and they
fell
before Jonathan;
and his armourbearer
slew
after him.
And
that first slaughter,
which Jonathan
and his armourbearer made,
was about twenty men,
within as it
were an half acre
of land,
which a yoke
of oxen
might plow.
And there was trembling
in the host,
in the field,
and
among all the people:
the garrison,
and the spoilers,
they also trembled,
and the earth quaked:
so it
was a
very great trembling.
And the watchmen
of Saul
in Gibeah
of Benjamin looked;
and,
behold,
the multitude
melted away,
and they
went on
beating
down one another.
Then said Saul
unto the people
that were with him,
Number now,
and see who is gone
from us.
And
when
they had numbered,
behold,
Jonathan
and his armourbearer
were not there.
And Saul
said
unto Ahiah,
Bring hither
the ark of God.
For the ark
of God
was at that time
with the children
of Israel.
And it
came
to pass,
while Saul
talked
unto the priest,
that the noise
that
was in the host
of the Philistines
went on
and increased:
and Saul
said
unto the priest,
Withdraw thine hand.
And Saul
and all
the people
that were with him
assembled themselves,
and they
came
to the battle:
and,
behold,
every man's sword
was against his fellow,
and there was
a very great discomfiture.
Moreover the Hebrews
that were with the Philistines
before that time,
which went up
with them
into the camp
from the country round
about,
even
they also turned
to be
with the Israelites
that were with Saul
and Jonathan.
Likewise all the men
of Israel which
had hid themselves
in mount Ephraim,
when
they heard
that the Philistines
fled,
even
they also followed hard
after them
in the battle.
So the LORD
saved Israel
that day:
and the battle
passed over
unto Bethaven.
And the men
of Israel
were distressed
that day:
for Saul
had adjured
the people,
saying,
Cursed
be
the man
that
eateth
any food
until evening,
that I
may be avenged
on mine enemies.
So none of the people
tasted any food.
And all
they of the land
came
to a wood;
and there was honey
upon the ground.
And
when the people
were come
into the wood,
behold,
the honey dropped;
but no man
put his hand
to his mouth:
for the people
feared the oath.
But Jonathan
heard not
when his father
charged
the people
with the oath:
wherefore
he put forth
the end
of the rod
that was in his hand,
and dipped it
in an honeycomb,
and put
his hand
to his mouth;
and his eyes
were enlightened.
Then answered one
of the people,
and said,
Thy father
straitly charged
the people
with an oath,
saying,
Cursed
be
the man
that eateth any food
this day.
And the people
were faint.
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.
How much more,
if haply
the people
had eaten freely
to day
of the spoil
of their enemies
which they found?
for had there not been now
a much greater slaughter
among the Philistines?
And they
smote
the Philistines
that day
from Michmash
to Aijalon:
and the people
were very faint.
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.
Then
they told Saul,
saying,
Behold,
the people sin
against the LORD,
in that
they eat
with the blood.
And he said,
Ye have transgressed:
roll a great stone
unto me this day.
And Saul said,
Disperse yourselves
among the people,
and
say unto them,
Bring me
hither every man his ox,
and every man
his sheep,
and slay them here,
and eat;
and sin not
against the LORD
in eating
with the blood.
And all
the people brought every man
his ox
with him that night,
and slew them there.
And Saul
built
an altar
unto the LORD:
the same
was the first altar
that he
built
unto the LORD.
And Saul said,
Let us
go down
after the Philistines
by night,
and spoil them until
the morning light,
and let us not
leave a man
of them.
And they said,
Do whatsoever seemeth good
unto thee.
Then said
the priest,
Let us
draw near hither
unto God.
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.
And Saul said,
Draw
ye near hither,
all the chief
of the people:
and know
and see wherein this sin
hath been this day.
For,
as the LORD liveth,
which saveth Israel,
though it
be in Jonathan
my son,
he shall surely die.
But there was not a man
among all
the people
that answered him.
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.
Therefore Saul
said
unto the LORD God
of Israel,
Give a perfect lot.
And Saul
and Jonathan
were taken:
but the people escaped.
And Saul said,
Cast lots
between me and Jonathan
my son.
And Jonathan
was taken.
Then Saul
said
to Jonathan,
Tell me
what
thou hast done.
And Jonathan
told him,
and said,
I did
but taste
a little honey
with the end
of the rod
that was in mine hand,
and,
lo,
I must die.
And Saul answered,
God do so and
more also:
for thou
shalt surely die,
Jonathan.
And the people
said
unto Saul,
Shall Jonathan die,
who hath wrought this
great salvation
in Israel?
God forbid:
as the LORD liveth,
there shall not one hair
of his head fall
to the ground;
for he
hath wrought
with God this day.
So the people
rescued Jonathan,
that he
died not.
Then Saul
went up
from following the Philistines:
and the Philistines
went to their own place.
So Saul
took
the kingdom
over Israel,
and fought
against all
his enemies
on every side,
against Moab,
and against the children
of Ammon,
and against Edom,
and
against the kings
of Zobah,
and
against the Philistines:
and whithersoever
he turned himself,
he vexed them.
And
he gathered
an host,
and smote the Amalekites,
and delivered
Israel out of the hands
of them that
spoiled them.
Now
the sons
of Saul
were Jonathan,
and Ishui,
and Melchishua:
and
the names
of his two daughters
were these;
the name
of the firstborn Merab,
and the name
of the younger Michal:
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.
And Kish
was the father
of Saul;
and Ner
the father
of Abner
was the son
of Abiel.
And there was sore war
against the Philistines all
the days of Saul:
and
when Saul
saw any strong man,
or any valiant man,
he took him unto him.
Samuel
also said
unto Saul,
The LORD
sent me to anoint
thee
to be king
over his people,
over Israel:
now therefore hearken
thou
unto the voice
of the words
of the LORD.
Thus
saith
the LORD
of hosts,
I remember
that which Amalek
did to Israel,
how he
laid
wait for him
in the way,
when he
came up
from Egypt.
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.
And Saul
gathered
the people
together,
and numbered them
in Telaim,
two hundred thousand footmen,
and ten thousand men
of Judah.
And Saul
came
to a city
of Amalek,
and laid
wait
in the valley.
And Saul
said
unto the Kenites, Go,
depart,
get you down from
among the Amalekites,
lest
I destroy you
with them:
for ye
shewed kindness
to all the children
of Israel,
when
they
came up out of Egypt.
So the Kenites
departed from
among the Amalekites.
And Saul
smote
the Amalekites
from Havilah
until thou
comest to Shur,
that is over
against Egypt.
And
he took Agag
the king
of the Amalekites alive,
and utterly destroyed all
the people
with the edge
of the sword.
But Saul
and the people
spared Agag,
and the best
of the sheep,
and of the oxen,
and
of the fatlings,
and the lambs,
and all
that was good,
and would not
utterly destroy them:
but every thing
that was vile
and refuse,
that they
destroyed utterly.
Then came
the word
of the LORD
unto Samuel,
saying,
It repenteth me that
I have set up Saul
to be king:
for he
is turned
back
from following me,
and hath not performed
my commandments.
And it
grieved Samuel;
and he
cried
unto the LORD all night.
And
when Samuel
rose early
to meet Saul
in the morning,
it was told Samuel,
saying,
Saul
came
to Carmel,
and,
behold,
he set him
up a place,
and
is gone about,
and passed on,
and gone down
to Gilgal.
And Samuel
came
to Saul:
and Saul
said unto him,
Blessed
be
thou of the LORD:
I have performed
the commandment
of the LORD.
And Samuel said,
What
meaneth
then this
bleating
of the sheep
in mine ears,
and the lowing
of the oxen
which I hear?
And Saul said,
They
have brought them
from the Amalekites:
for the people
spared the best
of the sheep
and of the oxen,
to sacrifice
unto the LORD thy God;
and the rest
we have utterly destroyed.
Then Samuel
said
unto Saul, Stay,
and
I will tell thee
what the LORD
hath said
to me this night.
And
he said unto him,
Say on.
And Samuel said,
When
thou wast little
in thine own sight,
wast
thou not made
the head
of the tribes
of Israel,
and the LORD
anointed thee king
over Israel?
And the LORD
sent thee
on a journey,
and said,
Go and utterly destroy
the sinners the Amalekites,
and fight
against them
until they
be consumed.
Wherefore
then didst thou
not obey the voice
of the LORD,
but didst fly
upon the spoil,
and didst evil
in the sight
of the LORD?
And Saul
said
unto Samuel, Yea,
I have obeyed
the voice
of the LORD,
and have gone
the way which the LORD
sent me,
and have brought Agag
the king
of Amalek,
and have utterly destroyed
the Amalekites.
But the people
took of the spoil,
sheep and oxen,
the chief
of the things which
should have been utterly destroyed,
to sacrifice
unto the LORD
thy God
in Gilgal.
And Samuel said,
Hath the LORD
as great delight
in burnt offerings
and sacrifices,
as in obeying
the voice
of the LORD?
Behold,
to obey
is better
than sacrifice,
and to hearken than
the fat
of rams.
For rebellion
is as the sin
of witchcraft,
and stubbornness
is as iniquity
and idolatry.
Because
thou hast rejected
the word
of the LORD,
he hath also rejected thee
from being king.
And Saul
said
unto Samuel,
I have sinned:
for I
have transgressed the commandment
of the LORD,
and thy words:
because
I feared
the people,
and obeyed
their voice.
Now therefore,
I pray thee,
pardon my sin,
and
turn again with me,
that I
may worship
the LORD.
And Samuel
said
unto Saul,
I will not return
with thee:
for thou
hast rejected
the word
of the LORD,
and the LORD
hath rejected thee
from being king
over Israel.
And
as Samuel
turned about
to go away,
he laid
hold
upon the skirt
of his mantle,
and it rent.
And Samuel
said unto him,
The LORD
hath rent the kingdom
of Israel
from thee
this day,
and hath given it
to a neighbour
of thine,
that is
better than thou.
And
also the Strength
of Israel
will not lie
nor repent:
for he
is not a man,
that he
should repent.
Then he said,
I have sinned:
yet honour me now,
I pray thee,
before the elders
of my people,
and
before Israel,
and
turn again with me,
that I
may worship
the LORD thy God.
So Samuel
turned again
after Saul;
and Saul
worshipped
the LORD.
Then said Samuel,
Bring
ye hither
to me Agag
the king
of the Amalekites.
And Agag
came
unto him delicately.
And Agag said,
Surely the bitterness
of death
is past.
And Samuel said,
As the sword
hath made women childless,
so shall
thy mother
be childless
among women.
And Samuel
hewed Agag
in pieces
before the LORD
in Gilgal.
Then Samuel
went to Ramah;
and Saul
went
up to his house
to Gibeah
of Saul.
And Samuel
came
no more
to see Saul
until the day
of his death:
nevertheless
Samuel
mourned
for Saul:
and the LORD
repented that
he had made Saul king
over Israel.
And the LORD
said
unto Samuel,
How long
wilt thou
mourn for Saul,
seeing
I have rejected him
from reigning
over Israel?
fill thine horn
with oil,
and go,
I will send thee
to Jesse
the Bethlehemite:
for I
have provided me a king
among his sons.
And Samuel said,
How can
I go?
if Saul
hear it,
he will kill me.
And the LORD said,
Take an heifer
with thee,
and say,
I am come
to sacrifice
to the LORD.
And call Jesse
to the sacrifice,
and
I will shew thee
what
thou shalt do:
and
thou shalt anoint
unto me him whom
I name
unto thee.
And Samuel
did
that which the LORD
spake,
and came
to Bethlehem.
And
the elders
of the town
trembled at his coming,
and said,
Comest
thou peaceably?
And he said,
Peaceably:
I am come
to sacrifice
unto the LORD:
sanctify yourselves,
and come with me
to the sacrifice.
And
he sanctified Jesse
and his sons,
and called them
to the sacrifice.
And it
came
to pass,
when
they were come,
that he
looked
on Eliab,
and said,
Surely
the LORD's anointed
is
before him.
But the LORD
said
unto Samuel,
Look
not on his countenance,
or on the height
of his stature;
because
I have refused him:
for the LORD
seeth not
as man seeth;
for man looketh
on the outward appearance,
but the LORD looketh
on the heart.
Then Jesse
called Abinadab,
and made him
pass
before Samuel.
And he said,
Neither
hath
the LORD chosen this.
Then Jesse
made Shammah
to pass by.
And he said,
Neither
hath
the LORD chosen this.
Again,
Jesse made seven
of his sons
to pass
before Samuel.
And Samuel
said
unto Jesse,
The LORD
hath not chosen these.
And Samuel
said
unto Jesse,
Are here all
thy children?
And he said,
There
remaineth yet
the youngest,
and,
behold,
he keepeth the sheep.
And Samuel
said
unto Jesse,
Send
and fetch him:
for we will not sit down
till he come hither.
And he sent,
and
brought him in.
Now he
was ruddy,
and withal
of a beautiful countenance,
and goodly
to look to.
And the LORD said,
Arise,
anoint him:
for this is he.
Then Samuel
took
the horn
of oil,
and anointed him
in the midst
of his brethren:
and
the Spirit
of the LORD
came upon David
from that day forward.
So Samuel
rose up,
and went to Ramah.
But
the Spirit
of the LORD
departed
from Saul,
and an evil spirit
from the LORD
troubled him.
And Saul's servants
said unto him,
Behold now,
an evil spirit
from God
troubleth thee.
Let our lord
now command
thy servants,
which are before thee,
to seek out a man,
who is a cunning player
on an harp:
and it
shall come
to pass,
when
the evil spirit
from God
is upon thee,
that he
shall play
with his hand,
and
thou shalt be well.
And Saul
said
unto his servants,
Provide me
now a man
that can play well,
and bring him to me.
Then answered one
of the servants,
and said,
Behold,
I have seen a son
of Jesse
the Bethlehemite,
that is cunning
in playing,
and a
mighty valiant man,
and a man
of war,
and prudent
in matters,
and a comely person,
and the LORD
is with him.
Wherefore Saul
sent messengers
unto Jesse,
and said,
Send me David thy son,
which is with the sheep.
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.
And David
came
to Saul,
and stood
before him:
and
he loved him greatly;
and he
became
his armourbearer.
And Saul
sent
to Jesse,
saying,
Let David,
I pray thee,
stand before me;
for he
hath found
favour
in my sight.
And it
came
to pass,
when
the evil spirit
from God
was upon Saul,
that David
took an harp,
and played
with his hand:
so Saul
was refreshed,
and was well,
and the evil spirit
departed from him.
Now the Philistines
gathered
together their armies
to battle,
and were gathered together
at Shochoh,
which belongeth
to Judah,
and pitched
between Shochoh
and Azekah,
in Ephesdammim.
And Saul
and the men
of Israel
were gathered together,
and pitched
by the valley
of Elah,
and set
the battle
in array
against the Philistines.
And the Philistines
stood
on a mountain
on the one side,
and Israel
stood
on a mountain
on the other side:
and there was a valley
between them.
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.
And he
had
an helmet
of brass
upon his head,
and
he was armed
with a coat
of mail;
and
the weight
of the coat
was five thousand shekels
of brass.
And
he had greaves
of brass
upon his legs,
and a target
of brass
between his shoulders.
And
the staff
of his spear
was like
a weaver's beam;
and his spear's head weighed
six hundred shekels
of iron:
and one
bearing
a shield
went
before him.
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.
If he
be able
to fight with me,
and to kill me,
then will
we be
your servants:
but
if I
prevail against him,
and kill him,
then shall
ye be
our servants,
and serve us.
And the Philistine said,
I defy the armies
of Israel
this day;
give me a man,
that we
may fight together.
When Saul
and all Israel
heard those words
of the Philistine,
they were dismayed,
and greatly afraid.
Now David
was the son
of that Ephrathite
of Bethlehemjudah,
whose name
was Jesse;
and
he had
eight sons:
and the man
went among men
for an old man
in the days
of Saul.
And
the three eldest sons
of Jesse
went
and followed Saul
to the battle:
and the names
of his three sons
that
went to the battle
were Eliab
the firstborn,
and next
unto him Abinadab,
and the third Shammah.
And David
was the youngest:
and the three eldest followed Saul.
But David
went
and returned
from Saul
to feed
his father's sheep
at Bethlehem.
And the Philistine
drew near morning
and evening,
and presented himself
forty days.
And Jesse
said
unto David
his son,
Take now for thy brethren
an ephah
of this parched corn,
and these ten loaves,
and run
to the camp
of thy brethren;
And carry
these ten cheeses
unto the captain
of their thousand,
and look how
thy brethren fare,
and take
their pledge.
Now Saul,
and they,
and all
the men
of Israel,
were in the valley
of Elah,
fighting
with the Philistines.
And David
rose
up early
in the morning,
and left
the sheep
with a keeper,
and took,
and went,
as Jesse
had commanded him;
and he
came
to the trench,
as the host
was going forth
to the fight,
and shouted
for the battle.
For Israel
and the Philistines
had put
the battle
in array,
army
against army.
And David
left
his carriage
in the hand
of the keeper
of the carriage,
and ran into the army,
and came
and saluted
his brethren.
And as he
talked with them,
behold,
there came
up the champion,
the Philistine
of Gath,
Goliath by name,
out of the armies
of the Philistines,
and spake according to
the same words:
and David
heard them.
And all
the men
of Israel,
when
they saw the man,
fled from him,
and were sore afraid.
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.
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?
And the people
answered him
after this manner,
saying,
So shall
it be done
to the man
that killeth him.
And Eliab
his eldest brother
heard
when
he spake unto the men;
and Eliab's anger
was kindled
against David,
and he said,
Why camest
thou down hither?
and
with whom
hast
thou left
those few sheep
in the wilderness?
I know thy pride,
and the naughtiness
of thine heart;
for thou art come
down that thou
mightest see
the battle.
And David said,
What
have I now done?
Is there not
a cause?
And he
turned
from him
toward another,
and spake after the same manner:
and the people
answered him again
after the former manner.
And
when the words
were heard
which David spake,
they rehearsed them
before Saul:
and
he sent for him.
And David
said
to Saul,
Let no man's heart
fail
because of him;
thy servant
will go
and fight
with this Philistine.
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.
And David
said
unto Saul,
Thy servant
kept his father's sheep,
and there came
a lion,
and a bear,
and took
a lamb
out of the flock:
And I
went out
after him,
and smote him,
and delivered
it out of his mouth:
and
when
he arose against me,
I caught him
by his beard,
and smote him,
and slew him.
Thy servant
slew both
the lion
and the bear:
and this uncircumcised Philistine
shall be
as one of them,
seeing
he hath defied
the armies
of the living God.
David
said moreover,
The LORD that
delivered me
out of the paw
of the lion,
and
out of the paw
of the bear,
he will deliver me
out of the hand
of this Philistine.
And Saul
said
unto David, Go,
and the LORD
be with thee.
And Saul
armed David
with his armour,
and he put
an helmet
of brass
upon his head;
also he
armed him
with a coat
of mail.
And David
girded
his sword
upon his armour,
and
he assayed to go;
for he
had not proved it.
And David
said
unto Saul,
I cannot go
with these;
for I
have not proved them.
And David
put them off him.
And he
took
his staff
in his hand,
and chose him
five smooth stones
out of the brook,
and put them
in a shepherd's bag
which he had,
even in a scrip;
and his sling
was in his hand:
and he
drew near
to the Philistine.
And the Philistine
came
on and drew near
unto David;
and the man
that bare the shield
went
before him.
And
when the Philistine
looked about,
and saw David,
he disdained him:
for he
was
but a youth,
and ruddy,
and
of a fair countenance.
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.
And the Philistine
said
to David,
Come to me,
and I
will give
thy flesh
unto the fowls
of the air,
and to the beasts
of the field.
Then said David
to the Philistine,
Thou comest to me
with a sword,
and with a spear,
and
with a shield:
but I come
to thee
in the name
of the LORD
of hosts,
the God
of the armies
of Israel,
whom
thou hast defied.
This day
will
the LORD
deliver thee
into mine hand;
and
I will smite thee,
and take thine
head from thee;
and I
will give
the carcases
of the host
of the Philistines
this day
unto the fowls
of the air,
and
to the wild beasts
of the earth;
that all the earth
may know
that there is
a God
in Israel.
And all this
assembly shall know
that the LORD
saveth not
with sword
and spear:
for the battle
is the LORD's,
and
he will give you
into our hands.
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.
And David put
his hand in his bag,
and took thence
a stone,
and slang it,
and smote
the Philistine
in his forehead,
that the stone
sunk
into his forehead;
and
he fell
upon his face
to the earth.
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.
Therefore David ran,
and stood
upon the Philistine,
and took his sword,
and drew it
out of the sheath
thereof,
and slew him,
and cut off
his head therewith.
And
when the Philistines
saw their champion
was dead,
they fled.
And the men
of Israel
and of Judah arose,
and shouted,
and pursued
the Philistines,
until thou
come
to the valley,
and to the gates
of Ekron.
And the wounded
of the Philistines
fell down
by the way
to Shaaraim,
even unto Gath,
and
unto Ekron.
And the children
of Israel
returned
from chasing
after the Philistines,
and
they spoiled
their tents.
And David
took
the head
of the Philistine,
and brought
it to Jerusalem;
but he put
his armour
in his tent.
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.
And the king said,
Enquire
thou
whose son the stripling is.
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.
And Saul
said
to him,
Whose son art thou,
thou young man?
And David answered,
I am the son
of thy servant Jesse
the Bethlehemite.
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.
And Saul
took him
that day,
and would let him
go no more home
to his father's house.
Then Jonathan
and David
made
a covenant,
because
he loved him
as his own soul.
And Jonathan
stripped himself
of the robe
that was upon him,
and gave it
to David,
and his garments,
even to his sword,
and to his bow,
and
to his girdle.
And David
went out whithersoever Saul
sent him,
and behaved
himself wisely:
and Saul set him
over the men
of war,
and
he was accepted in the sight
of all
the people,
and
also in the sight
of Saul's servants.
And it
came
to pass
as they came,
when David
was returned
from the slaughter
of the Philistine,
that the women
came out of all cities
of Israel,
singing and dancing,
to meet king Saul,
with tabrets,
with joy,
and with instruments
of musick.
And the women
answered one
another
as they played,
and said,
Saul hath slain
his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.
And Saul
was very wroth,
and the saying
displeased him;
and he said,
They
have ascribed
unto David ten thousands,
and to me
they have ascribed
but thousands:
and
what can
he have more
but the kingdom?
And Saul
eyed David
from that day
and forward.
And it
came
to pass
on the morrow,
that the evil spirit
from God
came upon Saul,
and he
prophesied
in the midst
of the house:
and David
played
with his hand,
as at other times:
and there was
a javelin
in Saul's hand.
And Saul cast
the javelin;
for he said,
I will smite David
even to the wall
with it.
And David
avoided
out of his presence twice.
And Saul
was afraid
of David,
because
the LORD
was with him,
and was departed
from Saul.
Therefore Saul
removed him from him,
and made him
his captain
over a thousand;
and
he went out
and came in
before the people.
And David
behaved
himself
wisely in all his ways;
and the LORD
was with him.
Wherefore
when Saul
saw that
he behaved
himself
very wisely,
he was afraid
of him.
But all Israel
and Judah
loved David,
because
he went out
and came in
before them.
And Saul
said
to David,
Behold my elder daughter Merab,
her will
I give thee
to wife:
only be
thou valiant
for me,
and fight
the LORD's battles.
For Saul said,
Let
not mine hand
be upon him,
but let
the hand
of the Philistines
be upon him.
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?
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.
And Michal Saul's daughter
loved David:
and
they told Saul,
and the thing
pleased him.
And Saul said,
I will give him her,
that she
may be a snare
to him,
and
that the hand
of the Philistines
may be against him.
Wherefore
Saul
said
to David,
Thou shalt this day
be my son
in law
in the one
of the twain.
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.
And Saul's servants
spake those words
in the ears
of David.
And David said,
Seemeth it
to you a light thing
to be a king's son
in law,
seeing that
I am a poor man,
and lightly esteemed?
And the servants
of Saul
told him,
saying,
On this manner
spake David.
And Saul said,
Thus
shall
ye say to David,
The king
desireth not
any dowry,
but an hundred foreskins
of the Philistines,
to be avenged
of the king's enemies.
But Saul
thought
to make David fall
by the hand
of the Philistines.
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.
Wherefore David
arose and went,
he and his men,
and slew of the Philistines
two hundred men;
and David
brought their foreskins,
and
they gave them
in full tale
to the king,
that he
might be
the king's son
in law.
And Saul
gave him
Michal his daughter
to wife.
And Saul
saw
and knew
that the LORD
was with David,
and that Michal Saul's daughter
loved him.
And Saul
was yet
the more afraid
of David;
and Saul
became
David's enemy continually.
Then the princes
of the Philistines
went forth:
and it
came
to pass,
after they went forth,
that David
behaved himself
more wisely
than all
the servants
of Saul;
so that
his name
was much
set by.
And Saul
spake to Jonathan
his son,
and
to all his servants,
that they
should kill David.
But Jonathan Saul's son
delighted much
in David:
and Jonathan
told David,
saying,
Saul my father
seeketh to kill thee:
now therefore,
I pray thee,
take
heed
to thyself
until the morning,
and abide in
a secret place,
and hide
thyself:
And
I will go out
and stand beside
my father
in the field
where thou art,
and
I will commune
with my father
of thee;
and what I see,
that I
will tell thee.
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:
For he did put
his life
in his hand,
and slew the Philistine,
and the LORD
wrought
a great salvation
for all Israel:
thou sawest it,
and didst rejoice:
wherefore
then wilt thou
sin
against innocent blood,
to slay David
without a cause?
And Saul
hearkened
unto the voice
of Jonathan:
and Saul sware,
As the LORD liveth,
he shall not be slain.
And Jonathan
called David,
and Jonathan
shewed him all
those things.
And Jonathan
brought David
to Saul,
and
he was in his presence,
as in times past.
And there was
war again:
and David went out,
and fought
with the Philistines,
and slew them
with a great slaughter;
and
they
fled from him.
And
the evil spirit
from the LORD
was upon Saul,
as he sat
in his house
with his javelin
in his hand:
and David
played
with his hand.
And Saul
sought
to smite David
even to the wall
with the javelin:
but
he slipped away
out of Saul's presence,
and he
smote
the javelin
into the wall:
and David fled,
and escaped
that night.
Saul also sent
messengers
unto David's house,
to watch him,
and
to slay him
in the morning:
and Michal David's wife
told him,
saying,
If thou
save not thy life
to night,
to morrow
thou shalt be slain.
So Michal let David down
through a window:
and he went,
and fled,
and escaped.
And Michal
took an image,
and laid it
in the bed,
and put
a pillow
of goats' hair
for his bolster,
and covered
it with a cloth.
And
when Saul
sent messengers
to take David,
she said,
He is sick.
And Saul
sent
the messengers
again
to see David,
saying,
Bring him
up to me
in the bed,
that I
may slay him.
And
when the messengers
were come in,
behold,
there was
an image
in the bed,
with a pillow
of goats' hair
for his bolster.
And Saul
said
unto Michal,
Why hast
thou deceived me so,
and sent away mine enemy,
that he
is escaped?
And Michal
answered Saul,
He said unto me,
Let me go;
why should
I kill thee?
So David fled,
and escaped,
and came
to Samuel
to Ramah,
and told him all
that Saul
had done
to him.
And he
and Samuel
went
and dwelt
in Naioth.
And it
was told Saul,
saying,
Behold,
David is at Naioth
in Ramah.
And Saul
sent messengers
to take David:
and when they
saw the company
of the prophets prophesying,
and Samuel
standing
as appointed over them,
the Spirit
of God
was upon the messengers
of Saul,
and
they also prophesied.
And
when it
was told Saul,
he sent
other messengers,
and
they prophesied
likewise.
And Saul
sent messengers
again the third time,
and
they prophesied also.
Then went
he also to Ramah,
and came
to a great
well that is
in Sechu:
and he
asked
and said,
Where are Samuel
and David?
And one said,
Behold,
they be
at Naioth
in Ramah.
And
he went thither
to Naioth
in Ramah:
and
the Spirit
of God
was upon him also,
and he went on,
and prophesied,
until he
came to Naioth
in Ramah.
And he
stripped
off his clothes also,
and prophesied
before Samuel
in like manner,
and lay down naked all
that day and all
that night.
Wherefore
they say,
Is Saul
also among the prophets?
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?
And
he said unto him,
God forbid;
thou shalt not die:
behold,
my father
will do nothing
either great
or small,
but that
he will shew it me:
and why
should
my father
hide this thing
from me?
it is not so.
And David
sware moreover,
and said,
Thy father
certainly knoweth that
I have found
grace
in thine eyes;
and he saith,
Let
not Jonathan
know this,
lest
he be grieved:
but truly as the LORD liveth,
and as thy soul liveth,
there is
but a step
between me and death.
Then said Jonathan
unto David,
Whatsoever thy soul desireth,
I will even do it
for thee.
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.
If thy
father
at all miss me,
then say,
David
earnestly asked
leave
of me that he
might run
to Bethlehem his city:
for there is
a yearly sacrifice there
for all
the family.
If he
say thus,
It is well;
thy servant
shall have peace:
but
if he
be very wroth,
then be sure
that evil
is determined by him.
Therefore thou
shalt deal kindly
with thy servant;
for thou
hast brought
thy servant
into a covenant
of the LORD
with thee:
notwithstanding,
if there be
in me iniquity,
slay me thyself;
for why
shouldest thou
bring me to thy father?
And Jonathan said,
Far be it
from thee:
for if I
knew certainly
that evil
were determined
by my father
to come upon thee,
then would not
I tell it thee?
Then said David
to Jonathan,
Who shall tell me?
or what
if thy
father
answer thee roughly?
And Jonathan
said
unto David, Come,
and let us go out
into the field.
And
they went out both
of them
into the field.
And Jonathan
said
unto David,
O LORD God
of Israel,
when
I have sounded
my father about
to morrow any time,
or the third day,
and,
behold,
if there be good
toward David,
and I
then send not
unto thee,
and shew it thee;
The LORD
do so
and much more
to Jonathan:
but
if it
please
my father
to do thee evil,
then
I will shew it thee,
and send thee away,
that thou
mayest go in peace:
and the LORD
be with thee,
as he
hath been
with my father.
And
thou shalt not only
while yet
I live
shew me the kindness
of the LORD,
that I
die not:
But also
thou shalt not cut off
thy kindness
from my house
for ever:
no,
not
when the LORD
hath cut off
the enemies
of David every one
from the face
of the earth.
So Jonathan
made
a covenant
with the house
of David,
saying,
Let the LORD
even require it
at the hand
of David's enemies.
And Jonathan
caused
David
to swear again,
because
he loved him:
for he
loved him as he
loved
his own soul.
Then Jonathan
said
to David,
To morrow
is the new moon:
and
thou shalt be missed,
because
thy seat
will be empty.
And
when
thou hast stayed
three days,
then
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.
And
I will shoot three arrows
on the side
thereof,
as though
I shot
at a mark.
And,
behold,
I will send a lad,
saying,
Go,
find out
the arrows.
If I
expressly say
unto the lad,
Behold,
the arrows
are on this side
of thee,
take them;
then come thou:
for there is peace
to thee,
and no hurt;
as the LORD liveth.
But
if I
say thus
unto the young man,
Behold,
the arrows
are beyond thee;
go thy way:
for the LORD
hath sent thee away.
And
as touching
the matter which
thou
and
I have spoken of,
behold,
the LORD
be between thee
and me
for ever.
So David
hid himself
in the field:
and
when the new moon
was come,
the king
sat him down
to eat meat.
And the king
sat
upon his seat,
as at other times,
even upon a seat
by the wall:
and Jonathan arose,
and Abner
sat
by Saul's side,
and David's place
was empty.
Nevertheless Saul
spake not any thing
that day:
for he thought,
Something hath befallen him,
he is not clean;
surely
he is not clean.
And it
came
to pass
on the morrow,
which was
the second day
of the month,
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?
And Jonathan
answered Saul,
David
earnestly asked
leave of me
to go
to Bethlehem:
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
favour
in thine eyes,
let me
get away,
I pray thee,
and see
my brethren.
Therefore he
cometh not
unto the king's table.
Then Saul's anger
was kindled
against Jonathan,
and
he said unto him,
Thou son
of the perverse rebellious woman,
do not
I know that
thou hast chosen
the son
of Jesse
to thine own confusion,
and
unto the confusion
of thy mother's nakedness?
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.
And Jonathan
answered Saul
his father,
and
said unto him,
Wherefore
shall
he be slain?
what hath
he done?
And Saul cast
a javelin
at him to smite him:
whereby Jonathan
knew
that it
was determined
of his father
to slay David.
So Jonathan
arose
from the table
in fierce anger,
and did eat
no meat
the second day
of the month:
for he
was grieved
for David,
because
his father
had done him shame.
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.
And he
said
unto his lad,
Run,
find out now the arrows
which I shoot.
And
as the lad ran,
he shot
an arrow
beyond him.
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?
And Jonathan
cried
after the lad,
Make speed,
haste,
stay not.
And Jonathan's lad
gathered
up the arrows,
and came
to his master.
But the lad
knew not any thing:
only Jonathan
and David
knew the matter.
And Jonathan
gave
his artillery
unto his lad,
and
said unto him,
Go,
carry them
to the city.
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.
And Jonathan
said
to David,
Go in peace,
forasmuch as we
have sworn both
of us
in the name
of the LORD,
saying,
The LORD
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.
Then came David
to Nob
to Ahimelech the priest:
and Ahimelech
was afraid
at the meeting
of David,
and
said unto him,
Why art
thou alone,
and no man
with thee?
And David
said
unto Ahimelech
the priest,
The king
hath commanded me
a business,
and
hath said unto me,
Let no man
know any thing
of the business whereabout
I send thee,
and
what
I have commanded thee:
and
I have appointed
my servants
to such
and such a place.
Now therefore what
is under thine hand?
give me five loaves
of bread
in mine hand,
or what
there is present.
And the priest
answered David,
and said,
There
is
no common bread
under mine hand,
but there is hallowed bread;
if the young men
have kept themselves at least
from women.
And David
answered the priest,
and
said unto him,
Of a truth women
have been kept
from us
about these three days,
since I came out,
and the vessels
of the young men
are holy,
and the bread
is in a manner common,
yea,
though it
were sanctified
this day
in the vessel.
So the priest
gave him
hallowed bread:
for there was
no bread there
but the shewbread,
that was taken from
before the LORD,
to put hot bread
in the day
when it
was taken away.
Now a certain man
of the servants
of Saul
was there
that day,
detained
before the LORD;
and his name
was Doeg,
an Edomite,
the chiefest
of the herdmen
that belonged
to Saul.
And David
said
unto Ahimelech,
And is there not
here under thine hand
spear
or sword?
for I
have neither brought
my sword
nor my weapons
with me,
because
the king's business
required haste.
And the priest said,
The sword
of Goliath the Philistine,
whom
thou slewest in the valley
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.
And David
arose
and fled that day
for fear of Saul,
and went to Achish
the king
of Gath.
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?
And David
laid up
these words
in his heart,
and was sore afraid
of Achish
the king
of Gath.
And he
changed
his behaviour
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.
Then said Achish
unto his servants,
Lo,
ye see
the man
is mad:
wherefore
then have
ye brought him to me?
Have
I need
of mad men,
that ye
have brought this fellow
to play
the mad man
in my presence?
shall this fellow
come
into my house?
David therefore departed
thence,
and escaped
to the cave Adullam:
and
when his brethren
and all
his father's house heard it,
they went down thither
to him.
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
a captain
over them:
and there were
with him
about four hundred men.
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.
And
he brought them
before the king
of Moab:
and they
dwelt
with him all
the while that David
was in the hold.
And the prophet Gad
said
unto David,
Abide
not in the hold;
depart,
and get thee
into the land
of Judah.
Then David departed,
and came
into the forest
of Hareth.
When Saul
heard
that David
was discovered,
and the men that
were with him,
(now Saul abode
in Gibeah
under a tree
in Ramah,
having his spear
in his hand,
and all
his servants
were standing about him;)
Then 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,
and make
you all captains
of thousands,
and captains
of hundreds;
That all of you
have conspired against me,
and there is none
that sheweth me
that my son
hath made a league
with the son
of Jesse,
and there is none of you
that is sorry
for me,
or sheweth unto me that
my son
hath stirred
up my servant
against me,
to lie in wait,
as at this day?
Then answered Doeg
the Edomite,
which was set
over the servants
of Saul,
and said,
I saw
the son
of Jesse
coming
to Nob,
to Ahimelech
the son
of Ahitub.
And he
enquired
of the LORD
for him,
and gave him
victuals,
and gave him
the sword
of Goliath the Philistine.
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.
And Saul said,
Hear now,
thou son
of Ahitub.
And he answered,
Here I am,
my lord.
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 enquired
of God for him,
that he
should rise against me,
to lie in wait,
as at this day?
Then Ahimelech
answered the king,
and said,
And
who is so faithful
among all
thy servants
as David,
which is
the king's son
in law,
and goeth at thy bidding,
and is honourable
in thine house?
Did I
then begin
to enquire of God
for him?
be it far
from me:
let not
the king
impute any thing
unto his servant,
nor
to all the house
of my father:
for thy servant
knew nothing
of all this,
less or more.
And the king said,
Thou shalt surely die,
Ahimelech,
thou,
and all
thy father's house.
And the king
said
unto the footmen
that stood about him,
Turn,
and slay
the priests
of the LORD:
because
their hand
also is
with David,
and
because
they knew
when he fled,
and did not shew it
to me.
But the servants
of the king
would not put forth
their hand
to fall
upon the priests
of the LORD.
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 slew on that day fourscore
and five persons
that did wear
a linen ephod.
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.
And one
of the sons
of Ahimelech
the son
of Ahitub,
named Abiathar,
escaped,
and fled
after David.
And Abiathar
shewed
David that Saul
had slain
the LORD's priests.
And David
said
unto Abiathar,
I knew it
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.
Abide
thou with me,
fear not:
for he
that
seeketh
my life
seeketh thy life:
but with me thou
shalt be
in safeguard.
Then
they told David,
saying,
Behold,
the Philistines fight
against Keilah,
and
they rob
the threshingfloors.
Therefore David
enquired
of the LORD,
saying,
Shall I
go and smite
these Philistines?
And the LORD
said
unto David, Go,
and smite
the Philistines,
and save
Keilah.
And David's men
said unto him,
Behold,
we be afraid here
in Judah:
how much more
then
if we come
to Keilah
against the armies
of the Philistines?
Then David
enquired
of the LORD
yet again.
And the LORD
answered him
and said,
Arise,
go down
to Keilah;
for I will deliver
the Philistines
into thine hand.
So David
and his men
went to Keilah,
and fought
with the Philistines,
and brought away
their cattle,
and smote them
with a great slaughter.
So David
saved
the inhabitants
of Keilah.
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.
And it
was told
Saul that David
was come
to Keilah.
And Saul said,
God hath delivered him
into mine hand;
for he is shut in,
by entering
into a town
that hath
gates and bars.
And Saul
called all
the people
together to war,
to go down
to Keilah,
to besiege David
and his men.
And David
knew
that Saul
secretly practised mischief
against him;
and he
said
to Abiathar
the priest,
Bring hither
the ephod.
Then said David,
O LORD God
of Israel,
thy servant
hath certainly heard that Saul
seeketh to
come to Keilah,
to destroy the city
for my sake.
Will
the men of Keilah
deliver me up
into his hand?
will
Saul come down,
as thy servant
hath heard?
O LORD God
of Israel,
I beseech thee,
tell thy servant.
And the LORD said,
He will come down.
Then said David,
Will the men
of Keilah
deliver me
and my men
into the hand
of Saul?
And the LORD said,
They will deliver thee up.
Then David
and his men,
which 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.
And David abode
in the wilderness
in strong holds,
and remained
in a mountain
in the wilderness
of Ziph.
And Saul
sought him
every day,
but God
delivered him not
into his hand.
And David
saw that Saul
was come out
to seek his life:
and David
was in the wilderness
of Ziph
in a wood.
And Jonathan Saul's son arose,
and went to David
into the wood,
and strengthened
his hand in God.
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.
And
they two
made a covenant
before the LORD:
and David abode
in the wood,
and Jonathan
went to his house.
Then came
up the Ziphites
to Saul
to Gibeah,
saying,
Doth
not David
hide himself
with us
in strong holds
in the wood,
in the hill
of Hachilah,
which is on the south
of Jeshimon?
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
into the king's hand.
And Saul said,
Blessed
be
ye of the LORD;
for ye
have compassion on me.
Go,
I pray you,
prepare yet,
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 subtilly.
See therefore,
and take knowledge
of all the lurking places
where he
hideth himself,
and come
ye again to me
with the 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
throughout all
the thousands of Judah.
And they arose,
and went to Ziph
before Saul:
but David
and his men
were in the wilderness
of Maon,
in the plain
on the south
of Jeshimon.
Saul
also and his men
went
to seek him.
And
they told David;
wherefore
he came down
into a rock,
and abode
in the wilderness
of Maon.
And
when Saul
heard that,
he pursued
after David
in the wilderness
of Maon.
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.
But there came
a messenger
unto Saul,
saying,
Haste thee,
and come;
for the Philistines
have invaded
the land.
Wherefore Saul
returned
from pursuing
after David,
and went against the Philistines:
therefore they
called that place Selahammahlekoth.
And David
went up
from thence,
and dwelt
in strong holds
at Engedi.
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 Engedi.
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.
And
he came
to the sheepcotes
by the way,
where was a cave;
and Saul
went in
to cover
his feet:
and David
and his men
remained
in the sides
of the cave.
And the men
of David
said unto him,
Behold the day
of which the LORD
said
unto thee,
Behold,
I will deliver
thine enemy
into thine hand,
that thou
mayest do
to him as it
shall seem good
unto thee.
Then David arose,
and cut off
the skirt
of Saul's robe privily.
And it
came
to pass afterward,
that David's heart
smote him,
because
he had cut off
Saul's skirt.
And he
said
unto his men,
The LORD
forbid
that I
should do
this thing
unto my master,
the LORD's anointed,
to stretch
forth mine hand
against him,
seeing
he is the anointed
of the LORD.
So David
stayed
his servants
with these words,
and suffered them not
to rise
against Saul.
But Saul
rose up
out of the cave,
and went on
his way.
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
stooped
with his face
to the earth,
and bowed himself.
And David
said
to Saul,
Wherefore hearest
thou men's words,
saying,
Behold,
David
seeketh thy hurt?
Behold,
this day
thine eyes
have seen how
that the LORD
had delivered
thee to day into mine
hand in the cave:
and some
bade me
kill thee:
but mine
eye
spared thee;
and I said,
I will not put forth
mine hand
against my lord;
for he
is the LORD's anointed.
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 mine hand,
and
I have not sinned
against thee;
yet
thou huntest
my soul to take it.
The LORD judge
between me and thee,
and the LORD
avenge me
of thee:
but mine hand
shall not be
upon thee.
As saith
the proverb
of the ancients,
Wickedness
proceedeth
from the wicked:
but mine hand
shall not be
upon thee.
After whom is
the king
of Israel come out?
after whom dost
thou pursue?
after a dead dog,
after a flea.
The LORD
therefore be judge,
and judge
between me and thee,
and see,
and plead
my cause,
and deliver me
out of thine hand.
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.
And he
said
to David,
Thou art more righteous
than I:
for thou
hast rewarded me good,
whereas
I have rewarded
thee evil.
And
thou hast shewed
this day
how that thou
hast dealt well with me:
forasmuch
as when
the LORD
had delivered me
into thine hand,
thou killedst me not.
For if a man
find his enemy,
will
he let him
go
well away?
wherefore
the LORD
reward thee good
for that thou
hast done
unto me this day.
And now,
behold,
I know well that
thou shalt surely be king,
and
that the kingdom
of Israel
shall be established
in thine hand.
Swear now
therefore unto me
by the LORD,
that thou
wilt not cut off my seed
after me,
and
that thou
wilt not destroy
my name
out of my father's house.
And David
sware unto Saul.
And Saul
went home;
but David
and his men gat
them up
unto the hold.
And Samuel died;
and all
the Israelites
were gathered together,
and lamented him,
and buried him
in his house
at Ramah.
And David arose,
and went down
to the wilderness
of Paran.
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.
Now the name
of the man
was Nabal;
and the name
of his wife Abigail:
and
she was a woman
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.
And David
heard
in the wilderness
that Nabal
did shear
his sheep.
And David
sent
out 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:
And thus
shall
ye say
to him
that liveth in prosperity,
Peace be both
to thee,
and peace
be to thine house,
and peace
be unto all
that thou hast.
And now
I have heard that
thou hast shearers:
now thy shepherds
which were with us,
we hurt them not,
neither was there
ought
missing unto them,
all the while
they were in Carmel.
Ask thy young men,
and
they will shew thee.
Wherefore let
the young men find favour
in thine eyes:
for we come in
a good day:
give,
I pray thee,
whatsoever cometh
to thine hand
unto thy servants,
and to thy son David.
And
when David's young men came,
they spake to Nabal
according to all those words
in the name
of David,
and ceased.
And Nabal
answered David's servants,
and said,
Who is David?
and
who is the son
of Jesse?
there be many servants
now a days
that break
away every man
from his master.
Shall I
then take
my bread,
and my water,
and my flesh
that
I have killed
for my shearers,
and give it
unto men,
whom
I know not whence
they be?
So David's young men
turned their way,
and went again,
and came
and told him all
those sayings.
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 stuff.
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 on them.
But the men
were very good
unto us,
and
we were not hurt,
neither missed
we any thing,
as long as we
were conversant
with them,
when
we were in the fields:
They were a wall
unto us both
by night and day,
all the while
we were with them keeping
the sheep.
Now therefore know
and consider
what
thou wilt do;
for evil
is determined
against our master,
and
against all his household:
for he
is such
a son of Belial,
that a man
cannot speak
to him.
Then Abigail made haste,
and took two hundred loaves,
and two
bottles of wine,
and five sheep ready dressed,
and five measures
of parched corn,
and an hundred
clusters
of raisins,
and two hundred cakes
of figs,
and laid them
on asses.
And she
said
unto her servants,
Go on before me;
behold,
I come
after you.
But
she told not
her husband Nabal.
And it
was so,
as she
rode on the ass,
that she
came down
by the covert
on the hill,
and,
behold,
David
and his men
came down
against her;
and she met them.
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 requited me evil
for good.
So and more also do God
unto the enemies
of David,
if I
leave
of all
that pertain
to him
by the morning light any
that pisseth against the wall.
And
when Abigail
saw David,
she hasted,
and lighted
off the ass,
and fell
before David
on her face,
and bowed herself
to the ground,
And fell
at his feet,
and said,
Upon me,
my lord,
upon me let
this iniquity be:
and let
thine handmaid,
I pray thee,
speak
in thine audience,
and hear
the words
of thine handmaid.
Let not my lord,
I pray thee,
regard this man
of Belial,
even Nabal:
for as his name is,
so is he;
Nabal is his name,
and folly
is with him:
but
I thine handmaid
saw not
the young men
of my lord,
whom
thou didst send.
Now therefore,
my lord,
as the LORD liveth,
and as thy soul liveth,
seeing
the LORD
hath withholden thee
from coming
to shed blood,
and
from avenging thyself
with thine own hand,
now let thine enemies,
and
they
that seek evil
to my lord,
be as Nabal.
And now
this blessing
which thine handmaid
hath brought
unto my lord,
let it
even be given
unto the young men
that follow
my lord.
I pray thee,
forgive the trespass
of thine handmaid:
for the LORD
will certainly make my lord
a sure house;
because
my lord
fighteth
the battles
of the LORD,
and evil
hath not been found
in thee all thy days.
Yet a man
is risen
to pursue thee,
and to seek
thy soul:
but
the soul
of my lord
shall be bound in the bundle
of life
with the LORD thy God;
and the souls
of thine enemies,
them shall
he sling out,
as out of the middle
of a sling.
And it
shall come
to pass,
when the LORD
shall have done
to my lord
according to all
the good that
he hath spoken concerning thee,
and shall have appointed
thee ruler
over Israel;
That this
shall be
no grief
unto thee,
nor offence
of heart
unto my lord,
either that thou
hast shed blood causeless,
or that my lord
hath avenged himself:
but when the LORD
shall have dealt well
with my lord,
then remember
thine handmaid.
And David
said
to Abigail,
Blessed
be the LORD God
of Israel,
which sent thee
this day
to meet me:
And blessed
be thy advice,
and blessed
be thou,
which hast kept me
this day
from coming
to shed blood,
and
from avenging myself
with mine own hand.
For in very deed,
as the LORD God
of Israel liveth,
which hath kept me
back
from hurting thee,
except thou
hadst hasted
and come
to meet me,
surely there had not been left
unto Nabal
by the morning light any
that pisseth against the wall.
So David
received
of her hand
that which
she had brought him,
and said
unto her,
Go up
in peace
to thine house;
see,
I have hearkened
to thy voice,
and have accepted
thy person.
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.
But it
came
to pass
in the morning,
when the wine
was gone out of Nabal,
and his wife
had told him
these things,
that his heart
died within him,
and he
became
as a stone.
And it
came
to pass
about ten days after,
that the LORD
smote Nabal,
that he died.
And when David
heard
that Nabal
was dead,
he said,
Blessed
be the LORD,
that hath pleaded
the cause
of my reproach
from the hand
of Nabal,
and hath kept
his servant
from evil:
for the LORD
hath returned the wickedness
of Nabal
upon his own head.
And David
sent
and communed
with Abigail,
to take her
to him
to wife.
And
when the servants
of David
were come
to Abigail
to Carmel,
they spake unto her,
saying,
David
sent us
unto thee,
to take thee
to him
to wife.
And she arose,
and bowed herself
on her face
to the earth,
and said,
Behold,
let thine handmaid
be
a servant
to wash the feet
of the servants
of my lord.
And Abigail hasted,
and arose
and rode
upon an ass,
with five damsels
of hers
that went after her;
and
she went after the messengers
of David,
and became
his wife.
David also took Ahinoam
of Jezreel;
and
they were also both
of them his wives.
But Saul
had given Michal
his daughter,
David's wife,
to Phalti
the son of Laish,
which was of Gallim.
And the Ziphites
came unto Saul
to Gibeah,
saying,
Doth
not David
hide himself
in the hill
of Hachilah,
which is before Jeshimon?
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.
And Saul
pitched
in the hill
of Hachilah,
which is before Jeshimon,
by the way.
But David abode
in the wilderness,
and he
saw that Saul
came
after him
into the wilderness.
David therefore sent
out spies,
and understood
that Saul
was come in very deed.
And David arose,
and came
to the place
where Saul
had pitched:
and David
beheld
the place
where Saul lay,
and Abner
the son
of Ner,
the captain
of his host:
and Saul
lay
in the trench,
and the people
pitched round
about him.
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.
So David
and Abishai
came
to the people
by night:
and,
behold,
Saul
lay
sleeping
within the trench,
and his spear
stuck
in the ground
at his bolster:
but Abner
and the people lay round
about him.
Then said Abishai
to David,
God hath delivered
thine enemy
into thine hand
this day:
now therefore let me
smite him,
I pray thee,
with the spear
even to the earth
at once,
and
I will not smite him
the second time.
And David
said
to Abishai,
Destroy him not:
for who
can stretch
forth his hand
against the LORD's anointed,
and be guiltless?
David said furthermore,
As the LORD liveth,
the LORD
shall smite him;
or his day
shall come
to die;
or he
shall descend
into battle,
and perish.
The LORD
forbid that
I should stretch
forth mine
hand
against the LORD's anointed:
but,
I pray thee,
take
thou
now the spear
that is
at his bolster,
and the cruse
of water,
and let us go.
So David
took
the spear
and the cruse
of water
from Saul's bolster;
and
they gat
them away,
and
no man
saw it,
nor knew it,
neither awaked:
for they
were all asleep;
because
a deep sleep
from the LORD
was fallen upon them.
Then David
went over
to the other side,
and stood
on the top
of an hill
afar off;
a great space
being between them:
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?
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
thy lord
the king?
for there came one
of the people
in to destroy
the king thy lord.
This thing
is not good
that thou
hast done.
As the LORD liveth,
ye are worthy
to die,
because
ye have not kept
your master,
the LORD's anointed.
And now see
where the king's spear is,
and the cruse
of water
that was at his bolster.
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.
And he said,
Wherefore
doth
my lord thus
pursue
after his servant?
for what
have
I done?
or what evil
is in mine hand?
Now therefore,
I pray thee,
let my lord
the king
hear
the words
of his servant.
If the LORD
have stirred thee
up against me,
let him
accept an offering:
but
if they
be the children
of men,
cursed
be
they
before the LORD;
for they
have driven me
out this day
from abiding
in the inheritance
of the LORD,
saying,
Go,
serve other gods.
Now therefore,
let not
my blood fall
to the earth
before the face
of the LORD:
for the king
of Israel
is come out
to seek a flea,
as when
one doth hunt
a partridge
in the mountains.
Then said Saul,
I have sinned:
return,
my son David:
for I
will no more
do thee harm,
because
my soul
was precious
in thine
eyes this day:
behold,
I have played
the fool,
and have erred exceedingly.
And David
answered
and said,
Behold the king's spear!
and let
one of the young men
come over and fetch it.
The LORD
render
to every man
his righteousness
and his faithfulness;
for the LORD
delivered thee
into my hand
to day,
but
I would not stretch
forth mine
hand
against the LORD's anointed.
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 the LORD,
and let him
deliver me out of all tribulation.
Then Saul
said
to David,
Blessed be thou,
my son David:
thou shalt both
do great things,
and also shalt still prevail.
So David
went on
his way,
and Saul
returned
to his place.
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 speedily escape into the land
of the Philistines;
and Saul
shall despair of me,
to seek me any more
in any coast
of Israel:
so shall
I escape
out of his hand.
And David arose,
and
he passed over
with the six hundred men
that were with him
unto Achish,
the son of Maoch,
king of Gath.
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.
And it
was told
Saul that David
was fled
to Gath:
and he
sought
no more
again for him.
And David
said
unto Achish,
If I
have now found
grace in thine eyes,
let them
give me a place
in some town
in the country,
that I
may dwell there:
for why
should thy servant
dwell
in the royal city
with thee?
Then Achish
gave him Ziklag
that day:
wherefore Ziklag
pertaineth unto the kings
of Judah unto this day.
And the time
that David
dwelt
in the country
of the Philistines
was
a full year
and four months.
And David
and his men
went up,
and invaded
the Geshurites,
and the Gezrites,
and the Amalekites:
for those nations
were of old
the inhabitants
of the land,
as thou
goest to Shur,
even unto the land
of Egypt.
And David
smote the land,
and left neither man
nor woman alive,
and took away
the sheep,
and the oxen,
and the asses,
and the camels,
and the apparel,
and returned,
and came
to Achish.
And Achish said,
Whither
have
ye made
a road
to day?
And David said,
Against the south
of Judah,
and
against the south
of the Jerahmeelites,
and
against the south
of the Kenites.
And David
saved neither man
nor woman alive,
to bring tidings
to Gath,
saying,
Lest
they
should tell on us,
saying,
So did David,
and so
will be
his manner all
the while
he dwelleth in the country
of the Philistines.
And Achish
believed David,
saying,
He hath made
his people
Israel
utterly
to abhor him;
therefore he
shall be my servant
for ever.
And it
came to pass
in those days,
that the Philistines
gathered
their armies
together
for warfare,
to fight
with Israel.
And Achish
said
unto David,
Know
thou assuredly,
that thou
shalt
go out
with me to battle,
thou
and thy men.
And David
said
to Achish,
Surely
thou shalt know
what thy servant
can do.
And Achish
said
to David,
Therefore
will
I make thee keeper
of mine
head
for ever.
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.
And the Philistines
gathered themselves together,
and came
and pitched
in Shunem:
and Saul
gathered all Israel
together,
and they
pitched
in Gilboa.
And
when Saul
saw the host
of the Philistines,
he was afraid,
and his heart
greatly trembled.
And
when Saul
enquired
of the LORD,
the LORD
answered him not,
neither by dreams,
nor by Urim,
nor
by prophets.
Then said Saul
unto his servants,
Seek me a woman
that hath
a familiar spirit,
that I
may go to her,
and enquire
of her.
And his servants
said
to him,
Behold,
there is a woman
that hath
a familiar spirit
at Endor.
And Saul
disguised himself,
and put on
other raiment,
and he went,
and two men
with him,
and they
came
to the woman
by night:
and he said,
I pray thee,
divine unto me
by the familiar spirit,
and
bring me him up,
whom
I shall name
unto thee.
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?
And Saul
sware to her
by the LORD,
saying,
As the LORD liveth,
there shall
no punishment
happen
to thee
for this thing.
Then said
the woman,
Whom
shall
I bring up
unto thee?
And he said,
Bring me
up Samuel.
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.
And the king
said
unto her,
Be not afraid:
for what
sawest thou?
And the woman
said
unto Saul,
I saw gods
ascending
out of the earth.
And he
said
unto her,
What
form
is he of?
And she said,
An old man
cometh up;
and
he is covered
with a mantle.
And Saul
perceived that it
was Samuel,
and he
stooped
with his face
to the ground,
and bowed himself.
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.
Then said Samuel,
Wherefore
then dost
thou ask of me,
seeing the LORD
is departed
from thee,
and is become
thine enemy?
And the LORD
hath done
to him,
as he spake by me:
for the LORD
hath rent the kingdom
out of thine hand,
and given it
to thy neighbour,
even to David:
Because
thou obeyedst not
the voice
of the LORD,
nor executedst
his fierce wrath
upon Amalek,
therefore hath
the LORD
done
this thing
unto thee this day.
Moreover the LORD
will also deliver Israel
with thee
into the hand
of the Philistines:
and to morrow
shalt
thou
and thy sons
be with me:
the LORD
also shall deliver the host
of Israel
into the hand
of the Philistines.
Then Saul
fell straightway
all along
on 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.
And the woman
came
unto Saul,
and saw that
he was sore troubled,
and
said unto him,
Behold,
thine handmaid
hath obeyed
thy voice,
and
I have put
my life
in my hand,
and have hearkened
unto thy
words which
thou
spakest unto me.
Now therefore,
I pray thee,
hearken
thou
also unto the voice
of thine handmaid,
and let me
set a morsel
of bread
before thee;
and eat,
that thou
mayest have
strength,
when
thou goest
on thy way.
But he refused,
and said,
I will not eat.
But his servants,
together with the woman,
compelled him;
and he
hearkened
unto their voice.
So he
arose
from the earth,
and sat
upon the bed.
And the woman
had
a fat calf
in the house;
and she hasted,
and killed it,
and took flour,
and kneaded it,
and did bake
unleavened bread
thereof:
And
she brought it
before Saul,
and
before his servants;
and they did eat.
Then
they rose up,
and went away
that night.
Now the Philistines
gathered
together all
their armies
to Aphek:
and the Israelites
pitched
by a fountain
which is in Jezreel.
And
the lords
of the Philistines
passed on
by hundreds,
and by thousands:
but David
and his men
passed on
in the rereward
with Achish.
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,
which hath been
with me these days,
or these years,
and I
have found no
fault
in him
since he
fell
unto me unto this day?
And
the princes
of the Philistines
were wroth
with him;
and
the princes
of the Philistines
said unto him,
Make this fellow return,
that he
may go again
to his place which
thou hast appointed him,
and let him
not go down
with us to battle,
lest
in the battle
he be
an adversary to us:
for wherewith should
he reconcile himself
unto his master?
should it
not be
with the heads
of these men?
Is not
this David,
of whom
they sang one
to another
in dances,
saying,
Saul slew his thousands,
and David his ten thousands?
Then Achish
called David,
and
said unto him,
Surely,
as the LORD 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
favour thee not.
Wherefore now return,
and go in peace,
that thou
displease not the lords
of the Philistines.
And David
said
unto Achish,
But
what have
I done?
and
what hast
thou found
in thy servant so long
as I
have been
with thee
unto this day,
that I
may not go
fight
against the enemies
of my lord the king?
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.
Wherefore now
rise up early
in the morning
with thy
master's servants
that are come
with thee:
and
as soon as ye
be up early
in the morning,
and have light,
depart.
So David
and his men
rose up early
to depart
in the morning,
to return
into the land
of the Philistines.
And the Philistines
went up to Jezreel.
And it
came
to pass,
when David
and his men
were come
to Ziklag
on the third day,
that the Amalekites
had invaded
the south,
and Ziklag,
and smitten
Ziklag,
and burned it
with fire;
And had taken
the women captives,
that were
therein:
they slew not any,
either great
or small,
but carried them away,
and went on
their way.
So David
and his men
came
to the city,
and,
behold,
it was burned
with fire;
and their wives,
and their sons,
and their daughters,
were taken captives.
Then David
and the people
that were with him lifted
up their voice
and wept,
until they
had no more power
to weep.
And David's two wives
were taken captives,
Ahinoam
the Jezreelitess,
and Abigail
the wife
of Nabal the Carmelite.
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
encouraged himself
in the LORD his God.
And David
said
to Abiathar
the priest,
Ahimelech's son,
I pray thee,
bring me hither
the ephod.
And Abiathar
brought thither
the ephod
to David.
And David
enquired
at the LORD,
saying,
Shall I
pursue after this troop?
shall
I overtake them?
And
he answered him,
Pursue:
for thou
shalt surely overtake them,
and without fail
recover all.
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.
But David pursued,
he and four hundred men:
for two hundred abode
behind,
which were so
faint
that
they could not go over
the brook Besor.
And they
found
an Egyptian
in the field,
and brought him
to David,
and gave him bread,
and he
did eat;
and
they made him drink water;
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.
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 agone
I fell sick.
We made an invasion
upon the south
of the Cherethites,
and
upon the coast
which belongeth
to Judah,
and
upon the south
of Caleb;
and
we burned Ziklag
with fire.
And David
said
to him,
Canst
thou bring
me down
to this company?
And he said,
Swear unto me
by God,
that thou
wilt
neither kill me,
nor deliver me
into the hands
of my master,
and
I will bring thee down
to this company.
And
when
he had brought him down,
behold,
they
were spread abroad
upon all the earth,
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.
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,
which rode upon camels,
and fled.
And David
recovered all
that the Amalekites
had carried away:
and David
rescued his two wives.
And there was
nothing
lacking
to them,
neither small
nor great,
neither sons
nor daughters,
neither spoil,
nor any thing that
they had taken
to them:
David recovered all.
And David
took all
the flocks
and the herds,
which they drave
before those other cattle,
and said,
This
is David's spoil.
And David
came
to the two hundred men,
which were so
faint
that they
could not follow David,
whom
they had made also
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.
Then answered all
the wicked men
and men
of Belial,
of those
that went with David,
and said,
Because
they
went not with us,
we will not give them
ought of the spoil
that
we have recovered,
save
to every man
his wife
and his children,
that they
may lead them away,
and depart.
Then said David,
Ye shall not do so,
my brethren,
with that
which the LORD
hath given us,
who hath preserved us,
and delivered
the company
that came
against us
into our hand.
For who will hearken
unto you
in this matter?
but as his part
is
that goeth down
to the battle,
so shall
his part
be
that tarrieth by the stuff:
they shall part alike.
And it
was so
from that day forward,
that he
made it
a statute
and an ordinance
for Israel unto this day.
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 the LORD;
To them
which were in Bethel,
and to them which
were in south Ramoth,
and to them
which were in Jattir,
And to them
which were in Aroer,
and to them
which were in Siphmoth,
and to them
which were in Eshtemoa,
And to them
which were in Rachal,
and to them
which were in the cities
of the Jerahmeelites,
and to them
which were in the cities
of the Kenites,
And to them
which were in Hormah,
and to them
which were in Chorashan,
and to them
which were in Athach,
And to them
which were in Hebron,
and
to all the places
where David himself
and his men
were wont
to haunt.
Now the Philistines
fought
against Israel:
and the men
of Israel
fled from
before the Philistines,
and fell down
slain in mount Gilboa.
And the Philistines
followed hard
upon Saul
and upon his sons;
and the Philistines
slew Jonathan,
and Abinadab,
and Melchishua,
Saul's sons.
And the battle
went sore
against Saul,
and the archers
hit him;
and
he was sore
wounded
of the archers.
Then said Saul
unto his armourbearer,
Draw thy sword,
and thrust me
through therewith;
lest
these uncircumcised
come
and
thrust me through,
and abuse me.
But his armourbearer
would not;
for he
was sore afraid.
Therefore Saul
took a sword,
and fell
upon it.
And
when his armourbearer
saw that Saul
was dead,
he fell likewise
upon his sword,
and
died with him.
So Saul died,
and his three sons,
and his armourbearer,
and all
his men,
that same day
together.
And
when the men
of Israel
that were on the other side
of the valley,
and they
that were on the other side 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.
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.
And
they cut off
his head,
and stripped
off his armour,
and sent
into the land
of the Philistines round about,
to publish it
in the house
of their idols,
and
among the people.
And they put
his armour
in the house
of Ashtaroth:
and they
fastened
his body
to the wall
of Bethshan.
And
when
the inhabitants
of Jabeshgilead
heard of that
which the Philistines
had done
to Saul;
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 Bethshan,
and came
to Jabesh,
and burnt them there.
And
they took their bones,
and buried them
under a tree
at Jabesh,
and fasted seven days.