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ISA-11:9 ...for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD,

as the waters cover the sea.

Copyright (c) 1985-2007

11 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 .

12 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 .

13 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 .

14 And when the time was that Elkanah offered he gave to

Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters portions

15 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion for he loved

Hannah but the LORD had shut up her womb .

16 And her adversary also provoked her sore for to make her

fret because the LORD had shut up her womb .

17 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 .

18 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 .

19 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 .

110 And she was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the LORD

and wept sore .

111 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 .

112 And it came to pass as she continued praying before the

LORD that Eli marked her mouth .

113 Now Hannah she spake in her heart only her lips moved but

her voice was not heard therefore Eli thought she had been

drunken .

114 And Eli said unto her How long wilt thou be drunken put

away thy wine from thee .

115 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 .

116 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial for out

of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken

hitherto .

117 Then Eli answered and said Go in peace and the God of

Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him .

118 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 .

119 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 .

120 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 .

121 And the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer

unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow .

122 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 .

123 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 .

124 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 .

125 And they slew a bullock and brought the child to Eli .

126 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 .

127 For this child I prayed and the LORD hath given me my

petition which I asked of him .

128 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 .

* 21 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 .

22 There is none holy as the LORD for there is none beside

thee neither is there any rock like our God .

23 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 .

24 The bows of the mighty men are broken and they that

stumbled are girded with strength .

25 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 .

26 The LORD killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the

grave and bringeth up .

27 The LORD maketh poor and maketh rich he bringeth low and

lifteth up .

28 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 .

29 He will keep the feet of his saints and the wicked shall be

silent in darkness for by strength shall no man prevail .

210 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 .

211 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house And the child did

minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest .

212 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial they knew not the

LORD .

213 And the priests' 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 .

214 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 .

215 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 .

216 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 .

217 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before

the LORD for men abhorred the offering of the LORD .

218 But Samuel ministered before the LORD being a child girded

with a linen ephod .

219 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 .

220 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 .

221 And the LORD visited Hannah so that she conceived and bare

three sons and two daughters And the child Samuel grew before

the LORD .

222 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 .

223 And he said unto them Why do ye such things for I hear of

your evil dealings by all this people .

224 Nay my sons for it is no good report that I hear ye make

the LORD's people to transgress .

225 If one man sin against another the judge shall judge him

but if a man sin against the LORD who shall entreat for him

Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their

father because the LORD would slay them .

226 And the child Samuel grew on and was in favour both with

the LORD and also with men .

227 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 .

228 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 .

229 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 .

230 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 .

231 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 .

232 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 .

233 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 .

234 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 .

235 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 .

236 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 .

* 31 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 .

32 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 .

33 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 .

34 That the LORD called Samuel and he answered Here am I .

35 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

36 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 .

37 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD neither was the word

of the LORD yet revealed unto him .

38 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 .

39 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 .

310 And the LORD came and stood and called as at other times

Samuel Samuel Then Samuel answered Speak for thy servant heareth

311 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 .

312 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 .

313 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 .

314 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 .

315 And Samuel lay until the morning and opened the doors of

the house of the LORD And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision .

316 Then Eli called Samuel and said Samuel my son And he

answered Here am I .

317 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 .

318 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 .

319 And Samuel grew and the LORD was with him and did let none

of his words fall to the ground .

320 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel

was established to be a prophet of the LORD .

321 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh for the LORD

revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD .

* 41 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 .

42 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 .

43 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 .

44 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 .

45 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 .

46 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 .

47 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 .

48 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 .

49 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 .

410 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 .

411 And the ark of God was taken and the two sons of Eli

Hophni and Phinehas were slain .

412 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 .

413 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 .

414 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 .

415 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old and his eyes were

dim that he could not see .

416 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 .

417 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 .

418 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 .

419 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

420 And about the time of her death the women that stood by

her said unto her Fear not for thou hast borne a son But she

answered not neither did she regard it .

421 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 .

422 And she said The glory is departed from Israel for the ark

of God is taken .

* 51 And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it

from Ebenezer unto Ashdod .

52 When the Philistines took the ark of God they brought it

into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon .

53 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 .

54 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 .

55 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 .

56 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 .

57 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 .

58 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 .

59 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 .

510 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 .

511 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 .

512 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods

and the cry of the city went up to heaven .

* 61 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the

Philistines seven months .

62 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 .

63 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 .

64 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 .

65 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 .

66 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 .

67 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 .

68 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 .

69 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 .

610 And the men did so and took two milch kine and tied them

to the cart and shut up their calves at home .

611 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 .

612 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 .

613 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 .

614 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 .

615 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 .

616 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it

they returned to Ekron the same day .

617 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 .

618 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 .

619 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 .

620 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 .

621 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 .

* 71 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 .

72 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 .

73 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 .

74 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and

Ashtaroth and served the LORD only .

75 And Samuel said Gather all Israel to Mizpeh and I will pray

for you unto the LORD .

76 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 .

77 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 .

78 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 .

79 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 .

710 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 .

711 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh and pursued the

Philistines and smote them until they came under Bethcar .

712 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 .

713 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 .

714 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 .

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

716 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and

Gilgal and Mizpeh and judged Israel in all those places .

717 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

* 81 And it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his

sons judges over Israel .

82 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his

second Abiah they were judges in Beersheba .

83 And his sons walked not in his ways but turned aside after

lucre and took bribes and perverted judgment .

84 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together

and came to Samuel unto Ramah .

85 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 .

86 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said Give us a

king to judge us And Samuel prayed unto the LORD .

87 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

88 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 .

89 Now therefore hearken unto their voice howbeit yet protest

solemnly unto them and show them the manner of the king that

shall reign over them .

810 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people

that asked of him a king .

811 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 .

812 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 .

813 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries and

to be cooks and to be bakers .

814 And he will take your fields and your vineyards and your

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

815 And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your

vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants .

816 And he will take your menservants and your maidservants

and your goodliest young men and your asses and put them to his

work .

817 He will take the tenth of your sheep and ye shall be his

servants .

818 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 .

819 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of

Samuel and they said Nay but we will have a king over us .

820 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 .

821 And Samuel heard all the words of the people and he

rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD .

822 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 .

* 91 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 .

92 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 .

93 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 .

94 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 .

95 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 .

96 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 show us

our way that we should go .

97 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 .

98 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 .

99 (Beforetime in Israel when a man went to inquire 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 .

910 Then said Saul to his servant Well said come let us go So

they went unto the city where the man of God was .

911 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 .

912 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 .

913 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 .

914 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 .

915 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul

came saying .

916 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 .

917 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

918 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said Tell me

I pray thee where the seer's house is .

919 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 .

920 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

921 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 .

922 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 .

923 And Samuel said unto the cook Bring the portion which I

gave thee of which I said unto thee Set it by thee .

924 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 .

925 And when they were come down from the high place into the

city Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house .

926 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 .

927 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 show thee the word of

God .

* 101 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 .

102 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 .

103 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 .

104 And they will salute thee and give thee two loaves of

bread which thou shalt receive of their hands .

105 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

106 And the spirit of the LORD will come upon thee and thou

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

107 And let it be when these signs are come unto thee that

thou do as occasion serve thee for God is with thee .

108 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 show thee what thou shalt do .

109 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 .

1010 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 .

1011 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 .

1012 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 .

1013 And when he had made an end of prophesying he came to the

high place .

1014 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 .

1015 And Saul's uncle said Tell me I pray thee what Samuel

said unto you .

1016 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 .

1017 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to

Mizpeh .

1018 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 .

1019 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 .

1020 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to

come near the tribe of Benjamin was taken .

1021 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 .

1022 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further if the man

should yet come thither And the LORD answered Behold he hath hid

himself among the stuff .

1023 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 .

1024 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 .

1025 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 .

1026 And Saul also went home to Gibeah and there went with him

a band of men whose hearts God had touched .

1027 But the children of Belial said How shall this man save

us And they despised him and brought him no presents But he held

his peace .

* 111 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 .

112 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 .

113 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 .

114 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 .

115 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 .

116 And the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those

tidings and his anger was kindled greatly .

117 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 .

118 And when he numbered them in Bezek the children of Israel

were three hundred thousand and the men of Judah thirty thousand

119 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 showed it

to the men of Jabesh and they were glad .

1110 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 .

1111 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 .

1112 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 .

1113 And Saul said There shall not a man be put to death this

day for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel .

1114 Then said Samuel to the people Come and let us go to

Gilgal and renew the kingdom there .

1115 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 .

* 121 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 .

122 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 .

123 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 .

124 And they said Thou hast not defrauded us nor oppressed us

neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand .

125 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 .

126 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 .

127 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 .

128 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 .

129 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 .

1210 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 .

1211 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 .

1212 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 .

1213 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen and

whom ye have desired and behold the LORD hath set a king over

you .

1214 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 .

1215 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 .

1216 Now therefore stand and see this great thing which the

LORD will do before your eyes .

1217 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 .

1218 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 .

1219 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 .

1220 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 .

1221 And turn ye not aside for then should ye go after vain

things which cannot profit nor deliver for they are vain .

1222 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 .

1223 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 .

1224 Only fear the LORD and serve him in truth with all your

heart for consider how great things he hath done for you .

1225 But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed

both ye and your king .

* 131 Saul reigned one year and when he had reigned two years

over Israel .

132 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 .

133 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 .

134 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 .

135 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 .

136 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 .

137 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 .

138 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 .

139 And Saul said Bring hither a burnt offering to me and

peace offerings And he offered the burnt offering .

1310 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 .

1311 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 .

1312 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 .

1313 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 .

1314 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 .

1315 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 .

1316 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 .

1317 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 .

1318 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 .

1319 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of

Israel for the Philistines said Lest the Hebrews make them

swords or spears .

1320 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to

sharpen every man his share and his coulter and his ax and his

mattock .

1321 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 .

1322 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 .

1323 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the

passage of Michmash .

* 141 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 .

142 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 .

143 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 .

144 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 .

145 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against

Michmash and the other southward over against Gibeah .

146 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 .

147 And his armourbearer said unto him Do all that is in thine

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

148 Then said Jonathan Behold we will pass over unto these men

and we will discover ourselves unto them .

149 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 .

1410 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 .

1411 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 .

1412 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his

armourbearer and said Come up to us and we will show you a thing

And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer Come up after me for the

LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel .

1413 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 .

1414 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 .

1415 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 .

1416 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked and

behold the multitude melted away and they went on beating down

one another .

1417 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 .

1418 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 .

1419 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 .

1420 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 .

1421 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 .

1422 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 .

1423 So the LORD saved Israel that day and the battle passed

over unto Bethaven .

1424 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 .

1425 And all they of the land came to a wood and there was

honey upon the ground .

1426 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 .

1427 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 .

1428 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 .

1429 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 .

1430 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 .

1431 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to

Aijalon and the people were very faint .

1432 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 .

1433 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 .

1434 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 .

1435 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD the same was the

first altar that he built unto the LORD .

1436 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 .

1437 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 .

1438 And Saul said Draw ye near hither all the chief of the

people and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day .

1439 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 .

1440 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 .

1441 Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel Give a

perfect lot And Saul and Jonathan were taken but the people

escaped .

1442 And Saul said Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son

And Jonathan was taken .

1443 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 .

1444 And Saul answered God do so and more also for thou shalt

surely die Jonathan .

1445 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 .

1446 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines and the

Philistines went to their own place .

1447 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 .

1448 And he gathered an host and smote the Amalekites and

delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them .

1449 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 .

1450 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 .

1451 And Kish was the father of Saul and Ner the father of

Abner was the son of Abiel .

1452 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 .

* 151 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 .

152 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 .

153 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 .

154 And Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in

Telaim two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of

Judah .

155 And Saul came to a city of Amalek and laid wait in the

valley .

156 And Saul said unto the Kenites Go depart get you down from

among the Amalekites lest I destroy you with them for ye showed

kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of

Egypt So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites .

157 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou

comest to Shur that is over against Egypt .

158 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and

utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword .

159 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 .

1510 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel saying .

1511 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 .

1512 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 .

1513 And Samuel came to Saul and Saul said unto him Blessed be

thou of the LORD I have performed the commandment of the LORD .

1514 And Samuel said What meaneth then this bleating of the

sheep in mine ears and the lowing of the oxen which I hear .

1515 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 .

1516 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 .

1517 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 .

1518 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 .

1519 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 .

1520 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 .

1521 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 .

1522 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 .

1523 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 .

1524 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 .

1525 Now therefore I pray thee pardon my sin and turn again

with me that I may worship the LORD .

1526 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 .

1527 And as Samuel turned about to go away he laid hold upon

the skirt of his mantle and it rent .

1528 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 .

1529 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent

for he is not a man that he should repent .

1530 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 .

1531 So Samuel turned again after Saul and Saul worshipped the

LORD .

1532 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 .

1533 And Samuel said As thy sword hath made women childless so

shall thy mother be childless among women And Samuel hewed Agag

in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal .

1534 Then Samuel went to Ramah and Saul went up to his house

to Gibeah of Saul .

1535 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 .

* 161 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 .

162 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 .

163 And call Jesse to the sacrifice and I will show thee what

thou shalt do and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto

thee .

164 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 .

165 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 .

166 And it came to pass when they were come that he looked on

Eliab and said Surely the LORD's anointed is before him .

167 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 .

168 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel

And he said Neither hath the LORD chosen this .

169 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by And he said Neither

hath the LORD chosen this .

1610 Again Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel

And Samuel said unto Jesse The LORD hath not chosen these .

1611 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 .

1612 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 .

1613 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 .

1614 But the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul and an evil

spirit from the LORD troubled him .

1615 And Saul's servants said unto him Behold now an evil

spirit from God troubleth thee .

1616 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 .

1617 And Saul said unto his servants Provide me now a man that

can play well and bring him to me .

1618 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 .

1619 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse and said Send

me David thy son which is with the sheep .

1620 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 .

1621 And David came to Saul and stood before him and he loved

him greatly and he became his armourbearer .

1622 And Saul sent to Jesse saying Let David I pray thee stand

before me for he hath found favour in my sight .

1623 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 .

* 171 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 Ephesdammin .

172 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 .

173 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 .

174 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 .

175 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 .

176 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs and a target of

brass between his shoulders .

177 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 .

178 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 .

179 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 .

1710 And the Philistine said I defy the armies of Israel this

day give me a man that we may fight together .

1711 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the

Philistine they were dismayed and greatly afraid .

1712 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 .

1713 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 .

1714 And David was the youngest and the three eldest followed

Saul .

1715 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his

father's sheep at Bethlehem .

1716 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening and

presented himself forty days .

1717 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 to thy brethren .

1718 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their

thousand and look how thy brethren fare and take their pledge .

1719 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the

valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines .

1720 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 .

1721 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in

array army against army .

1722 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 .

1723 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 .

1724 And all the men of Israel when they saw the man fled from

him and were sore afraid .

1725 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 .

1726 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 .

1727 And the people answered him after this manner saying So

shall it be done to the man that killeth him .

1728 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 .

1729 And David said What have I now done Is there not a cause .

1730 And he turned from him toward another and spake after the

same manner and the people answered him again after the former

manner .

1731 And when the words were heard which David spake they

rehearsed them before Saul and he sent for him .

1732 And David said to Saul Let no man's heart fail because of

him thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine .

1733 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 .

1734 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 .

1735 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 .

1736 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 .

1737 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 .

1738 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 .

1739 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 .

1740 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 .

1741 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David and

the man that bare the shield went before him .

1742 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 .

1743 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 .

1744 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 .

1745 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 .

1746 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 .

1747 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 .

1748 And it came to pass when the Philistine arose and came

and drew nigh to meet David that David hasted and ran toward the

army to meet the Philistine .

1749 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 .

1750 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 .

1751 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 .

1752 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 .

1753 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after

the Philistines and they spoiled their tents .

1754 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it

to Jerusalem but he put his armour in his tent .

1755 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 .

1756 And the king said Inquire thou whose son the stripling is

1757 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 .

1758 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 .

* 181 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 .

182 And Saul took him that day and would let him go no more

home to his father's house .

183 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved

him as his own soul .

184 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 .

185 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 .

186 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 music .

187 And the women answered one another as they played and said

Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands .

188 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 .

189 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward .

1810 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 .

1811 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 .

1812 And Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with

him and was departed from Saul .

1813 Therefore Saul removed him from him and made him his

captain over a thousand and he went out and came in before the

people .

1814 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways and the

LORD was with him .

1815 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very

wisely he was afraid of him .

1816 But all Israel and Judah loved David because he went out

and came in before them .

1817 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 .

1818 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 .

1819 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 .

1820 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David and they told Saul

and the thing pleased him .

1821 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 .

1822 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 .

1823 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 .

1824 And the servants of Saul told him saying On this manner

spake David .

1825 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 .

1826 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 .

1827 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 .

1828 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David and

that Michal Saul's daughter loved him .

1829 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David and Saul became

David's enemy continually .

1830 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 .

* 191 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son and to all his

servants that they should kill David .

192 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 .

193 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 .

194 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 .

195 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 .

196 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan and Saul

sware As the LORD liveth he shall not be slain .

197 And Jonathan called David and Jonathan showed him all

those things And Jonathan brought David to Saul and he was in

his presence as in times past .

198 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 .

199 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 .

1910 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 .

1911 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 .

1912 So Michal let David down through a window and he went and

fled and escaped .

1913 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 .

1914 And when Saul sent messengers to take David she said He

is sick .

1915 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David saying

Bring him up to me in the bed that I may slay him .

1916 And when the messengers were come in behold there was an

image in the bed with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster .

1917 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 .

1918 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 .

1919 And it was told Saul saying Behold David is at Naioth in

Ramah .

1920 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 .

1921 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 .

1922 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 .

1923 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 .

1924 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 .

* 201 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 .

202 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

show it me and why should my father hide this thing from me it

is not so .

203 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 .

204 Then said Jonathan unto David Whatsoever thy soul desireth

I will even do it for thee .

205 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 .

206 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 .

207 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 .

208 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 .

209 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 .

2010 Then said David to Jonathan Who shall tell me or what if

thy father answer thee roughly .

2011 And Jonathan said unto David Come and let us go out into

the field And they went out both of them into the field .

2012 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 show it thee .

2013 The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan but if it please

my father to do thee evil then I will show 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 .

2014 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the

kindness of the LORD that I die not .

2015 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 .

2016 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David

saying Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's

enemies .

2017 And Jonathan caused David to swear again because he loved

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

2018 Then Jonathan said to David To morrow is the new moon and

thou shalt be missed because thy seat will be empty .

2019 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

2020 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof as

though I shot at a mark .

2021 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 .

2022 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 .

2023 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken

of behold the LORD be between thee and me for ever .

2024 So David hid himself in the field and when the new moon

was come the king sat him down to eat meat .

2025 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 .

2026 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day for he

thought Something hath befallen him he is not clean surely he is

not clean .

2027 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 .

2028 And Jonathan answered Saul David earnestly asked leave of

me to go to Bethlehem .

2029 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 .

2030 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 .

2031 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 .

2032 And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said unto him

Wherefore shall he be slain what hath he done .

2033 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him whereby

Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David

2034 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 .

2035 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 .

2036 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 .

2037 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 .

2038 And Jonathan cried after the lad Make speed haste stay

not And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows and came to his

master .

2039 But the lad knew not any thing only Jonathan and David

knew the matter .

2040 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad and said

unto him Go carry them to the city .

2041 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 .

2042 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 .

* 211 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 .

212 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 .

213 Now therefore what is under thine hand give me five loaves

of bread in mine hand or what there is present .

214 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 .

215 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 .

216 So the priest gave him hallowed bread for there was no

bread there but the showbread that was taken from before the

LORD to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away .

217 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 .

218 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 .

219 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 .

2110 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul and

went to Achish the king of Gath .

2111 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 .

2112 And David laid up these words in his heart and was sore

afraid of Achish the king of Gath .

2113 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 .

2114 Then said Achish unto his servants Lo ye see the man is

mad wherefore then have ye brought him to me .

2115 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 .

* 221 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 .

222 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 .

223 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 .

224 And he brought them before the king of Moab and they dwelt

with him all the while that David was in the hold .

225 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 .

226 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 .

227 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 .

228 That all of you have conspired against me and there is

none that showeth 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

showeth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against

me to lie in wait as at this day .

229 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 .

2210 And he inquired of the LORD for him and gave him victuals

and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine .

2211 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 .

2212 And Saul said Hear now thou son of Ahitub And he answered

Here I am my lord .

2213 And Saul said unto him Why have ye conspired against me

thou and the son of Jesse in that thou hast given him bread and

a sword and hast inquired of God for him that he should rise

against me to lie in wait as at this day .

2214 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

2215 Did I then begin to inquire 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 .

2216 And the king said Thou shalt surely die Ahimelech thou

and all thy father's house .

2217 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 show

it to me But the servants of the king would not put forth their

hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD .

2218 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 .

2219 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 .

2220 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub named

Abiathar escaped and fled after David .

2221 And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S

priests .

2222 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 .

2223 Abide thou with me fear not for he that seeketh my life

seeketh thy life but with me thou shalt be in safeguard .

* 231 Then they told David saying Behold the Philistines fight

against Keilah and they rob the threshingfloors .

232 Therefore David inquired 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 .

233 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 .

234 Then David inquired 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 .

235 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 .

236 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 .

237 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 .

238 And Saul called all the people together to war to go down

to Keilah to besiege David and his men .

239 And David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief

against him and he said to Abiathar the priest Bring hither the

ephod .

2310 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 .

2311 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 .

2312 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 .

2313 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 .

2314 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 .

2315 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life and

David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood .

2316 And Jonathan Saul's son arose and went to David into the

wood and strengthened his hand in God .

2317 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 .

2318 And they two made a covenant before the LORD and David

abode in the wood and Jonathan went to his house .

2319 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 .

2320 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 .

2321 And Saul said Blessed be ye of the LORD for ye have

compassion on me .

2322 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 subtly .

2323 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 .

2324 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 .

2325 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 .

2326 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 .

2327 But there came a messenger unto Saul saying Haste thee

and come for the Philistines have invaded the land .

2328 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David and

went against the Philistines therefore they called that place

Selahammahlekoth .

2329 And David went up from thence and dwelt in strong holds

at Engedi .

* 241 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 .

242 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 .

243 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 .

244 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 .

245 And it came to pass afterward that David's heart smote him

because he had cut off Saul's skirt .

246 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 .

247 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 .

248 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 .

249 And David said to Saul Wherefore hearest thou men's words

saying Behold David seeketh thy hurt .

2410 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 .

2411 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 .

2412 The LORD judge between me and thee and the LORD avenge me

of thee but mine hand shall not be upon thee .

2413 As saith the proverb of the ancients Wickedness

proceedeth from the wicked but mine hand shall not be upon thee .

2414 After whom is the king of Israel come out after whom dost

thou pursue after a dead dog after a flea .

2415 The LORD therefore be judge and judge between me and thee

and see and plead my cause and deliver me out of thine hand .

2416 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 .

2417 And he said to David Thou art more righteous than I for

thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evil .

2418 And thou hast showed 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 .

2419 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 .

2420 And now behold I know well that thou shalt surely be king

and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine

hand .

2421 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 .

2422 And David sware unto Saul And Saul went home but David

and his men gat them up unto the hold .

* 251 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 .

252 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 .

253 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 .

254 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his

sheep .

255 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 .

256 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 .

257 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 .

258 Ask thy young men and they will show 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 .

259 And when David's young men came they spake to Nabal

according to all those words in the name of David and ceased .

2510 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 .

2511 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 .

2512 So David's young men turned their way and went again and

came and told him all those sayings .

2513 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 .

2514 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 .

2515 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 .

2516 They were a wall unto us both by night and day all the

while we were with them keeping the sheep .

2517 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 .

2518 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 .

2519 And she said unto her servants Go on before me behold I

come after you But she told not her husband Nabal .

2520 And it was so as she rode on the ass that she came down

by the covert of the hill and behold David and his men came down

against her and she met them .

2521 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 .

2522 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 .

2523 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 .

2524 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 .

2525 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 .

2526 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 .

2527 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 .

2528 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 .

2529 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 .

2530 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 .

2531 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 .

2532 And David said to Abigail Blessed be the LORD God of

Israel which sent thee this day to meet me .

2533 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 .

2534 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 .

2535 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 .

2536 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 .

2537 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 .

2538 And it came to pass about ten days after that the LORD

smote Nabal that he died .

2539 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 .

2540 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 .

2541 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 .

2542 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 .

2543 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel and they were also

both of them his wives .

2544 But Saul had given Michal his daughter David's wife to

Phalti the son of Laish which was of Gallim .

* 261 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah saying Doth not

David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah which is before

Jeshimon .

262 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 .

263 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 .

264 David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul

was come in very deed .

265 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 .

266 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 .

267 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 .

268 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 .

269 And David said to Abishai Destroy him not for who can

stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be

guiltless .

2610 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 .

2611 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 .

2612 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 .

2613 Then David went over to the other side and stood on the

top of an hill afar off a great space being between them .

2614 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 .

2615 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 .

2616 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 .

2617 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 .

2618 And he said Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his

servant for what have I done or what evil is in mine hand .

2619 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 .

2620 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 .

2621 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 .

2622 And David answered and said Behold the king's spear and

let one of the young men come over and fetch it .

2623 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 .

2624 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 .

2625 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 .

* 271 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 .

272 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

273 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 .

274 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath and he

sought no more again for him .

275 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 .

276 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day wherefore Ziklag

pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day .

277 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the

Philistines was a full year and four months .

278 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 .

279 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 .

2710 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 .

2711 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 .

2712 And Achish believed David saying He hath made his people

Israel utterly to abhor him therefore he shall be my servant for

ever .

* 281 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 .

282 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 .

283 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 .

284 And the Philistines gathered themselves together and came

and pitched in Shunem and Saul gathered all Israel together and

they pitched in Gilboa .

285 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines he was

afraid and his heart greatly trembled .

286 And when Saul inquired of the LORD the LORD answered him

not neither by dreams nor by Urim nor by prophets .

287 Then said Saul unto his servants Seek me a woman that hath

a familiar spirit that I may go to her and inquire of her And

his servants said to him Behold there is a woman that hath a

familiar spirit at Endor .

288 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 .

289 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 .

2810 And Saul sware to her by the LORD saying As the LORD

liveth there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing .

2811 Then said the woman Whom shall I bring up unto thee And

he said Bring me up Samuel .

2812 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 .

2813 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 .

2814 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 .

2815 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 .

2816 Then said Samuel Wherefore then dost thou ask of me

seeing the LORD is departed from thee and is become thine enemy .

2817 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 .

2818 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 .

2819 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 .

2820 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 .

2821 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 .

2822 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 .

2823 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 .

2824 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 .

2825 And she brought it before Saul and before his servants

and they did eat Then they rose up and went away that night .

* 291 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to

Aphek and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in

Jezreel .

292 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 .

293 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 .

294 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 .

295 Is not this David of whom they sang one to another in

dances saying Saul slew his thousands and David his ten

thousands .

296 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 .

297 Wherefore now return and go in peace that thou displease

not the lords of the Philistines .

298 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 .

299 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 .

2910 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 .

2911 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 .

* 301 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 .

302 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 .

303 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 .

304 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up

their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep .

305 And David's two wives were taken captives Ahinoam the

Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite .

306 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 .

307 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 .

308 And David inquired 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 .

309 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 .

3010 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 .

3011 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 .

3012 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 .

3013 And David said unto him To whom belongest thou and whence

art thou And he said I am a young man of Egypt servant to an

Amalekite and my master left me because three days ago I fell

sick .

3014 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 .

3015 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 .

3016 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 .

3017 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 .

3018 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried

away and David rescued his two wives .

3019 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 .

3020 And David took all the flocks and the herds which they

drave before those other cattle and said This is David's spoil .

3021 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 .

3022 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 .

3023 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 .

3024 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 .

3025 And it was so from that day forward that he made it a

statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day .

3026 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 .

3027 To them which were in Bethel and to them which were in

south Ramoth and to them which were in Jattir .

3028 And to them which were in Aroer and to them which were in

Siphmoth and to them which were in Eshtemoa .

3029 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 .

3030 And to them which were in Hormah and to them which were

in Chorashan and to them which were in Athach .

3031 And to them which were in Hebron and to all the places

where David himself and his men were wont to haunt .

* 311 Now the Philistines fought against Israel and the men of

Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell down slain in

mount Gilboa .

312 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his

sons and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinadab and

Melchishua Saul's sons .

313 And the battle went sore against Saul and the archers hit

him and he was sore wounded of the archers .

314 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 .

315 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead he fell

likewise upon his sword and died with him .

316 So Saul died and his three sons and his armourbearer and

all his men that same day together .

317 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 .

318 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 .

319 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 .

3110 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth and

they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan .

3111 And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that

which the Philistines had done to Saul .

3112 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 .

3113 And they took their bones and buried them under a tree at

Jabesh and fasted seven days .