\NormalFont\ShortTitle{1 Samuel}

{\MT The First Book of Samuel Otherwise Called the First Book of the Kings


\par }\ChapOne{1}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And there was a certain man of Rama-thayim-zophim, of the mountain of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah, the son of Yerocham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tochu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.

\VS{2}And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

\VS{3}And this man went up out of his city from year to year to prostrate himself and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And at that place were the two sons of 'Eli, Chophni and Phinehas, priests of the Lord.

\VS{4}And when the day was come that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;

\VS{5}But unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for Hannah he loved [greatly]; but the Lord had shut up her womb.

\VS{6}And her rival also provoked her continually, in order to make her fret; because the Lord had shut up her womb.

\VS{7}And he did so year by year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, so did she provoke her; wherefore she wept, and did not eat.

\VS{8}Then said to her Elkanah her husband, Hannah, why wilt thou weep? and why wilt thou not eat? and why should thy heart be grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

\VS{9}And Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk; and 'Eli the priest was sitting upon a chair by the door-post of the temple of the Lord.

\VS{10}But she had bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept greatly.

\VS{11}And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child: then will I give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.

\VS{12}And it came to pass, as she continued praying long before the Lord, that 'Eli watched her mouth.

\VS{13}Now as for Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard; wherefore 'Eli regarded her as a drunken woman.

\VS{14}And 'Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from off thee.

\VS{15}And Hannah answered and said, No, my Lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit; but neither wine nor strong drink have I drunk, and I have poured out my soul before the Lord.

\VS{16}Esteem not thy handmaid as a worthless woman; for out of the abundance of my grief and vexation have I spoken hitherto.

\VS{17}Then 'Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant thy petition which thou hast asked of him.

\VS{18}And she said, Let thy handmaid find grace in thy eyes. The woman then went on her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no longer as before.

\VS{19}And they rose up early in the morning, and prostrated themselves before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house at Ramah; and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.

\VS{20}And it came to pass, after the lapse of some time, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she called his name Samuel, saying, Because from the Lord have I asked him.

\VS{21}And the man Elkanah went up, with all his house, to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

\VS{22}But Hannah did not go up; for she said unto her husband, So soon as the child shall be weaned, then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and abide there for ever.

\VS{23}And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth good in thy eyes; tarry until thou hast weaned him; only may the Lord fulfill his word. So the woman remained behind, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

\VS{24}And she took him up with her, when she had weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him unto the house of the Lord at Shiloh; although the child was yet young.

\VS{25}And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to 'Eli.

\VS{26}And she said, Pardon, my Lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, to pray unto the Lord.

\VS{27}For this lad did I pray; and the Lord hath granted me my petition which I asked of him;

\VS{28}Therefore also have I lent him, for my part, to the Lord; all the days that have been assigned to him shall he be lent to the Lord. And he bowed himself there before the Lord.



\par }\Chap{2}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart is glad in the Lord, my horn is exalted through the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

\VS{2}There is none holy like the Lord; for there is none beside thee; and there is not any rock like our God.

\VS{3}Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth; for a God of knowledge is the Lord, and by him are actions weighed.

\VS{4}The bow of the mighty is broken, and those that stumbled are girded with strength.

\VS{5}They that were full hire themselves out for bread; and they that were hungry cease [from labor]: while the barren hath born seven, she that hath many children fadeth away.

\VS{6}The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

\VS{7}The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich: he bringeth low and also lifteth up.

\VS{8}He raiseth up out of the dust the poor, from the dunghill he lifteth up the needy, to set them among nobles, and he assigneth them the throne of glory; for the Lord's are the pillars of the earth, on which he hath set the world.

\VS{9}He ever guardeth the feet of his pious ones, and the wicked shall be made silent in darkness; for not by strength can man prevail.

\VS{10}The Lord—his adversaries will be crushed; out of heaven will he thunder upon them: the Lord will judge the ends of the earth; and he will give strength unto his king, and lift up the horn of his anointed.

\VS{11}And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the lad was ministering unto the Lord before 'Eli the priest.

\VS{12}And the sons of 'Eli were worthless men: they knew not the Lord.

\VS{13}And the custom of the priests with the people was, that, when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while [the man] was seething the flesh, with a fork with three teeth in his hand;

\VS{14}And he struck it into the pan, or the kettle, or the caldron, or the pot; [and] all that the fork brought up the priest took away with it. So did they unto all the Israelites that came thither, to Shiloh.

\VS{15}Even before they had yet burnt the fat, the priest's servant would come, and say to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not take from thee sodden flesh, but raw.

\VS{16}And if the man said unto him, They will surely presently burn the fat, and then take whatever thy soul may long for: then would he say, No; but thou shalt give it me now; and if not, I will take it by force.

\VS{17}And the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord; for the men despised the offering of the Lord.

\VS{18}But Samuel was ministering before the Lord, being a lad, girded with a linen ephod.

\VS{19}Moreover his mother used to make him a little overcoat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

\VS{20}And 'Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, May the Lord give thee seed from this woman instead of the loan who is lent to the Lord. And they went back unto his place.

\VS{21}And truly the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the lad Samuel grew up before the Lord.

\VS{22}Now 'Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons were in the habit of doing unto all Israel; and how they would lie with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

\VS{23}And he said unto them, Why will ye do such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.

\VS{24}No, my sons; for the report that I hear is not good, which the Lord's people spread abroad.

\VS{25}If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him; but if against the Lord a man should sin, who shall pray for him? Nevertheless would they not hearken unto the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to slay them.

\VS{26}And the lad Samuel was constantly growing and increasing in favor both with the Lord, and also with men.

\VS{27}And there came a man of God unto 'Eli, and said unto him, Thus hath said the Lord, Did I [not] appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt, in Pharaoh's house?

\VS{28}And did I [not] choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to me as a priest, to offer upon my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I [not] give unto the house of thy father all the fire-offerings of the children of Israel?

\VS{29}Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at my meat-offering, which I have commanded in [my] habitation? and [why] honoredst thou thy sons above me, to fatten yourselves with the first of every offering of Israel my people?

\VS{30}Therefore saith the Lord the God of Israel, I had indeed said, Thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever; but now, saith the Lord, Be it far from me; for those that honor me will I honor, and those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

\VS{31}Behold, days are coming, that I will hew off thy arm, and the arm of thy father's house, so that there shall not be an old man in thy house.

\VS{32}And thou shalt behold a rival in my habitation, in all that by which he will do good for Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thy house in all times.

\VS{33}And yet I will not cut off the men descended from thee from my altar, to consume thy eyes, and to grieve thy soul: and all the increase of thy house shall die as [vigorous] men.

\VS{34}And this shall be unto thee the sign, that shall happen on thy two sons, on Chophni and Phinehas: On one day shall they, both of them, die.

\VS{35}And I will raise up to me a faithful priest, who shall do in accordance with what is in my heart and in my mind; and I will build for him an enduring house; and he shall walk before my anointed in all times.

\VS{36}And it shall come to pass, that whoever is left in thy house shall come to bow down to him for a gera of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Attach me, I pray thee, unto one of the priestly offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.



\par }\Chap{3}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And the lad Samuel was ministering unto the Lord before 'Eli. And the word of the Lord was scarce in those days: prophecy was not extended.

\VS{2}And it came to pass one day, when 'Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow dim, he could not see;

\VS{3}And the lamp of God had not yet gone out, while Samuel was lying down in [the hall of] the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was;

\VS{4}That the Lord called Samuel: and he said, Here am I.

\VS{5}And he ran unto 'Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he said, I did not call: lie down again. And he went and lay down.

\VS{6}And the Lord continued to call again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to 'Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I did not call, my son: lie down again.

\VS{7}And Samuel knew not yet the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord been as yet revealed unto him.

\VS{8}And the Lord continued to call, Samuel, the third time; and he arose and went to 'Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And 'Eli then perceived that the Lord was calling the lad.

\VS{9}And '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. And Samuel went and lay down in his place.

\VS{10}And the Lord came, and placed himself, and called as at previous times, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

\VS{11}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.

\VS{12}On that day will I fulfill on 'Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin and finish.

\VS{13}And I tell him that I will judge his house for ever; for the iniquity that he knew that his sons were drawing a curse on themselves, and he restrained them not.

\VS{14}And therefore have I sworn unto the house of 'Eli, that the iniquity of 'Eli's house shall not be atoned for with sacrifice or meat-offering for ever.

\VS{15}And Samuel lay until the morning, when he opened the doors of the house of the Lord; and Samuel feared to tell the vision unto 'Eli.

\VS{16}But 'Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here am I.

\VS{17}And he said, What is the word which he hath spoken unto thee? do not, I pray thee, conceal it from me: may God do to thee thus, and continue to do so, if thou conceal any thing from me of all the word that he hath spoken unto thee.

\VS{18}And Samuel told him all the words, and concealed nothing from him. And he said, He is the Lord: let him do what seemeth good in his eyes.

\VS{19}And Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, and he did not let fall any one of all his words to the ground.

\VS{20}And thus knew all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba' that Samuel was accredited as a prophet of the Lord.

\VS{21}And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh; for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.



\par }\Chap{4}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And the word of Samuel became known to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ha'ezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.

\VS{2}And the Philistines put themselves in battle-array against Israel; and the battle became general, and Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew on the battle-ground, in the field, about four thousand men.

\VS{3}And when the people were come back into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us this day before the Philistines? Let us bring over to us out of Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that it may come in the midst of us, and deliver us out of the hand of our enemies.

\VS{4}So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought away from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who dwelleth over the cherubim: and the two sons of 'Eli, Chophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

\VS{5}And it happened when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, that all Israel set up a great shout, so that the earth trembled.

\VS{6}And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.

\VS{7}And the Philistines were afraid; for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for the like of this hath not been, yesterday or the day before.

\VS{8}Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness.

\VS{9}Be strong, and act like men, O Philistines, so that ye become not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been servants to you: therefore act like men, and fight.

\VS{10}And the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were smitten, and they fled every man unto his tent: and the defeat was very great; and there fell of Israel thirty thousand men on foot.

\VS{11}And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of 'Eli, Chophni and Phinehas, died also.

\VS{12}And there ran a man of Benjamin from the battlefield, and came to Shiloh on the same day, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head.

\VS{13}And when he came, lo, 'Eli was sitting upon a chair by the wayside watching; for his heart was anxious for the ark of God. And when the man came to tell it in the city, all the city cried out.

\VS{14}And when 'Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this multitude? And the man came in hastily, and told it to 'Eli.

\VS{15}Now 'Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were fixed, so that he could not see.

\VS{16}And the man said unto 'Eli, I am the person that came from the battlefield, and I myself fled from the battlefield today. And he said, What was it that took place, my son?

\VS{17}And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath also been a great slaughter among the people, and also thy two sons, Chophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God hath been taken.

\VS{18}And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from off the chair backward by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken, and he died; for the man was old, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

\VS{19}And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings concerning that the ark of God had been taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she sank down and gave birth; for her pains came suddenly upon her.

\VS{20}And at the moment of her dying, the women that stood around her spoke [unto her], Fear not; for a son hast thou born. But she answered not, nor did she take it to heart.

\VS{21}And she named the child I-chabod, saying, Glory is departed from Israel; because of the taking away of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

\VS{22}And she said, Glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God hath been taken away.



\par }\Chap{5}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ha'ezer unto Ashdod.

\VS{2}And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

\VS{3}And when the people of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was lying upon his face on the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him again in his place.

\VS{4}And when they arose early on the morning of the following day, behold, Dagon was lying upon his face on 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 fish portion was left on him.

\VS{5}Therefore do the priests of Dagon, and all that come into Dagon's house, not step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod even until this day.

\VS{6}And the hand of the Lord became heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with hemorrhoids, even Ashdod and its territory.

\VS{7}And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not remain with us; for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our God.

\VS{8}And they sent and gathered together 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 removed unto Gath. And they removed the ark of the God of Israel thither.

\VS{9}And it happened, after they had removed it, that the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great confusion; and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had hemorrhoids in their secret parts.

\VS{10}And they sent away 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 removed to us the ark of the God of Israel, to slay us and our people.

\VS{11}So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, that it may return to its own place, so that it may not slay us, and our people; for there was a confusion of death throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

\VS{12}And the people that did not die were smitten with the hemorrhoids; and the lamentation of the city went up to heaven.



\par }\Chap{6}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And the ark of the Lord was in the fields of the Philistines seven months.

\VS{2}And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? let us know wherewith we shall send off it to its place.

\VS{3}And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not away empty; but ye must to a certainty return him a trespass-offering: then will ye be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

\VS{4}And they said, What shall be the trespass-offering that we shall return to him? And they answered, According to the number of the lords of the Philistines, five golden hemorrhoids, and five golden mice; for one plague affected them all, and your lords.

\VS{5}Therefore make images of your hemorrhoids, and images of your mice that devastate the land; and give glory unto the God of Israel: perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

\VS{6}And why will ye harden your heart, just as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? Did not they, when he had wrought wonderful deeds among them, dismiss them, and they departed?

\VS{7}And now make a new wagon, and take two milch-cows, on which there hath come no yoke, and harness the cows to the wagon, and bring their calves home away from them:

\VS{8}And take the ark of the Lord, and place it into the wagon; and the articles of gold, which ye return him as a trespass-offering, ye must put in a casket alongside of it; and then send it away, that it may go.

\VS{9}And then see, if it go up by the way to its own boundary, to Beth-shemesh, then hath he done us this great evil; but if not, then shall we know that not his hand hath smitten us; it is a chance which hath happened to us.

\VS{10}And the men did so; and they took two milch-cows, and harnessed them to the wagon, and their calves they shut up at home:

\VS{11}And they placed the ark of the Lord in the wagon, and the casket with the mice of gold and images of their hemorrhoids.

\VS{12}And the cows went straight forward on the way on the road to Beth-shemesh: on one highway they did go along, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.

\VS{13}And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and when they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it.

\VS{14}And the wagon came to the field of Joshua, the Beth-shemite, and stood still there; and there was a great stone; and they split the wood of the wagon, and the cows they offered as a burnt-offering unto the Lord.

\VS{15}And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord, and the casket that was with it, wherein were the articles of gold, and put them on the great stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered bunt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices on the same day unto the Lord.

\VS{16}And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to 'Ekron on the same day.

\VS{17}And these are the golden hemorrhoids which the Philistines returned as a trespass-offering unto the Lord: For Ashdod one, for Gazzah one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for 'Ekron one.

\VS{18}And the golden mice were according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines under the five lords, from the fortified city, down to the open village, even unto the great stone whereon they had set down the ark of the Lord, and which is unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Beth-shemite.

\VS{19}And he smote among the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, namely, he smote among the people seventy men and fifty thousand men: and the people mourned because the Lord had caused among the people a great slaughter.

\VS{20}And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? and to whom shall it go up away from us?

\VS{21}And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiryath-ye'arim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord: come ye down, and fetch it up to you.



\par }\Chap{7}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And the men of Kiryath-ye'arim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it unto the house of Abinadab on the hill, and Elazar his son they sanctified to guard the ark of the Lord.

\VS{2}And it came to pass, from the time the ark remained in Kiryath-ye'arim, and the time was long, and it was twenty years: that all the house of Israel followed anxiously after the Lord.

\VS{3}And Samuel said unto all the house of Israel, as followeth, If with all your heart ye do return unto the Lord, then put away the gods of the stranger and the 'Ashtaroth from your midst, and direct your heart unto the Lord, and serve him alone: and then will he deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

\VS{4}Then did the children of Israel put away the Be'alim and the 'Ashtaroth, and served the Lord alone.

\VS{5}And Samuel said, Assemble all Israel together at Mizpah, and I will pray in your behalf unto the Lord.

\VS{6}And they assembled themselves together at Mizpah, 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 Mizpah.

\VS{7}And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had assembled themselves at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

\VS{8}And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Do not abstain, so as not to cry for us unto the Lord our God, that he may help us out of the hand of the Philistines.

\VS{9}And Samuel took one sucking lamb, and offered it for an entire burnt-offering unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord in behalf of Israel; and the Lord answered him.

\VS{10}And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the Lord thundered with a loud noise on that day over the Philistines, and brought them into confusion, and they were smitten before Israel.

\VS{11}And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, as far as below Beth-car.

\VS{12}And Samuel took one stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Eben-ha'ezer, saying, As far as this hath the Lord helped us.

\VS{13}So were the Philistines humbled, and they came no more into the territory of Israel; and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

\VS{14}And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel came again to Israel, from 'Ekron even unto Gath, and their territory did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Emorites.

\VS{15}And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

\VS{16}And he went from year to year and traveled in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all these places.

\VS{17}And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar unto the Lord.



\par }\Chap{8}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons judges over Israel.

\VS{2}And the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second Abiyah: they judged in Beer-sheba'.

\VS{3}But his sons walked not in his ways, and they inclined after their own advantage, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

\VS{4}Then did all the elders of Israel assemble themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

\VS{5}And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons have not walked in thy ways: now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.

\VS{6}But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

\VS{7}And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they may say unto thee; for not thee have they rejected, but me have they rejected, that I should not reign over them.

\VS{8}In accordance with all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even until this day, when they forsook me, and served other gods: so do they also unto thee.

\VS{9}And now hearken unto their voice: nevertheless thou must still solemnly forewarn them, and tell them the manner of the king that will reign over them.

\VS{10}And Samuel said all the words of the Lord unto the people that had asked of him a king.

\VS{11}And he said, This will be the manner of the king that will reign over you: Your sons will he take, and appoint them for himself with his chariots, and among his horsemen; and they will have to run before his chariot;

\VS{12}And to appoint for himself captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and to plough his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

\VS{13}And your daughters will he take for ointment makers, and for cooks, and for bakers.

\VS{14}And your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards, yea the best, will he take, and give them to his servants.

\VS{15}And of your seeds, and of your vineyards will he take the tenth, and give [the same] to his officers, and to his servants.

\VS{16}And your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your best young men, and your asses will he take, and employ [them] for his work.

\VS{17}Of your flocks will he take the tenth: and ye yourselves will become his servants.

\VS{18}And ye will cry out on that day because of your king whom ye will have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you on that day.

\VS{19}Nevertheless the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No; but a king shall be over us;

\VS{20}That we also may ourselves be like all the nations: and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

\VS{21}And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them before the ears of the Lord.

\VS{22}And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and appoint them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.



\par }\Chap{9}{\PP \VerseOne{1}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 Aphiach, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.

\VS{2}And he had a son whose name was Saul, young and handsome; and there was not a man among the children of Israel handsomer than he: from his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.

\VS{3}And there were lost the asses belonging to Kish, Saul's father; and Kish said to Saul his son, Do take with thee one of the servants, and arise, go seek the asses.

\VS{4}And he passed through the mountain of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found [them] not; then they passed through the land of Sha'alim, and there was nothing there; and he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they found them not.

\VS{5}When they were come in the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father relinquish the care for the asses, and become anxious for us.

\VS{6}And the other said unto him, Behold now, a man of God is in this city, and the man is honored; all that he ever saith will surely come to pass: now let us go thither; perhaps he can tell us our way that we should go.

\VS{7}Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we should go, what shall we bring to the man? for the bread is spent out of our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we with us?

\VS{8}And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver; and I will give this to the man of God, that he may tell us our way.

\VS{9}In former times it was custom in Israel, that when a man went to inquire of God, he said thus, Come, and let us go as far as the seer; for the Prophet of the present day was in former times called a Seer.

\VS{10}Then said Saul to his servant, Thy word is good: come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

\VS{11}As they went up the ascent to the city, they found some maidens going out to draw water; and they said unto them, Is the seer here?

\VS{12}And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for this day came he to the city; because the people have a sacrifice today on the high-place;

\VS{13}As soon as ye are come into the city, ye will straightway find him, before yet he can go up to the high-place to eat; for the people will not eat until he be come, because he always blesseth the sacrifice; afterward eat those that are invited; and now go you up; for just today will ye surely find him.

\VS{14}And they went up into the city. They were entering into the city, when, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high-place.

\VS{15}And the Lord had revealed to Samuel's ear one day before Saul's coming, saying,

\VS{16}About this time tomorrow will I send unto thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him as chief over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have beheld my people, because their cry is come unto me.

\VS{17}And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord addressed him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to thee, This one shall rule over my people.

\VS{18}And Saul drew near to Samuel within the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where is the house of the seer.

\VS{19}And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high-place, and ye shall eat with me today; and I will let thee go in the morning, and all that is in thy heart will I tell thee.

\VS{20}And as for thy asses that were lost unto thee this day three days ago, do not set thy heart on them; for they have been found. And to whom belongeth all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not to thee, and to all thy father's house?

\VS{21}And Saul answered and said, Am not I a son of Benjamin, of one of the smallest tribes of Israel? and [is not] my family the least of all the families of the tribes of Benjamin? wherefore then hast thou spoken to me such thing?

\VS{22}And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the apartment; and he assigned them a place at the head of the invited guests, who were about thirty persons.

\VS{23}And Samuel said unto the cook, Hand here the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Put it away by thee.

\VS{24}And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul; and he said, Behold what is left! set it before thee, and eat; for unto this time hath it been kept from thee, since I said, I have invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.

\VS{25}And they went down from the high-place into the city, and he spoke with Saul upon the roof.

\VS{26}And they got up early; and it came to pass when the morning-dawn arose, that Samuel called Saul to the roof, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out, both of them, he and Samuel, into the street.

\VS{27}As they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Say to the servant that he pass on before us,—and he passed on,—but thou remain standing a while, and I will let thee hear the word of God.



\par }\Chap{10}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And Samuel took a flask of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Behold, it is because the Lord hath anointed thee over his inheritance as chief.

\VS{2}When thou goest this day away from me, thou wilt find two men who are now by Rachel's sepulchre, on the boundary of Benjamin at Zelzach; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath given up the matter of the asses, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

\VS{3}Then shalt thou go on forward from there, and thou shalt come as far as the grove of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

\VS{4}And they will ask thee after thy welfare, and give thee two loaves of bread, which thou must take from their hand.

\VS{5}After that shalt thou come to the hill of God, where the outposts of the Philistines are; and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou wilt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high-place, having before them a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp; and they will be prophesying;

\VS{6}And the Spirit of the Lord will suddenly come over thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and thou shalt be changed into another man.

\VS{7}And it shall be, that, when these signs are come unto thee, then do thou what thy hand may be able to effect; for God is with thee.

\VS{8}And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt-offerings, [and] to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and then will I tell thee what thou shalt do.

\VS{9}And it happened, that, as he turned his back to go away from Samuel, God changed his heart into another; and all these signs came to pass on that same day.

\VS{10}And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came suddenly over him, and he prophesied in the midst of them.

\VS{11}And it came to pass, when all that knew him before saw, that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then said the people one to another, What is this that hath happened to the son of Kish? is Saul also among the prophets?

\VS{12}And one of that place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

\VS{13}And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high-place.

\VS{14}And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither were ye gone? And he said, To seek the asses; and when we saw that they were nowhere, we went to Samuel.

\VS{15}And Saul's uncle said, Do tell me, I pray thee, what did Samuel say unto you.

\VS{16}And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses had been found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel had spoken, he told him not.

\VS{17}And Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpah;

\VS{18}And he said unto the children of Israel, Thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel, I brought up Israel from Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you;

\VS{19}And ye for your part have this day rejected your God, he who hath saved you out of all your misfortunes and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nevertheless, thou must set a king over us: and now present yourselves before the Lord according to your tribes, and according to your thousands.

\VS{20}And Samuel caused all the tribes of Israel to come near; and the tribe of Benjamin was seized.

\VS{21}And he caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near according to its families, and the family of Matri was seized, and then was seized Saul the son of Kish: and they sought him, but he could not be found.

\VS{22}And they inquired again of the Lord, Is the man yet come hither? And the Lord said, Behold, he hath hidden himself among the vessels.

\VS{23}And they ran and fetched him thence, and he placed himself erect in the midst of the people, and he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

\VS{24}And Samuel said to all the people, Have ye seen him whom the Lord hath made choice of, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, Long live the king.

\VS{25}Then did Samuel speak to the people the rights of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it down before the Lord. And Samuel sent away all the people, every man to his house.

\VS{26}And Saul also went to his home to Gib'ah; and there went with him a large crowd, whose heart God had touched.

\VS{27}But the worthless men said, In what can this help us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he acted as though he were deaf.



\par }\Chap{11}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Then came up Nachash the 'Ammonite, and encamped against Yabesh-gil'ad: and all the men of Yabesh said unto Nachash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

\VS{2}And Nachash the 'Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that ye all have put out the right eye, that I may lay it as a reproach upon all Israel.

\VS{3}And the elders of Yabesh said unto him, Grant us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers throughout all the boundary of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, will we come out to thee.

\VS{4}And the messengers came to Gib'ah of Saul, and spoke the words in the ears of the people; and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

\VS{5}And, behold, Saul was coming after the herds out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Yabesh.

\VS{6}And the spirit of God came suddenly over Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was kindled greatly,

\VS{7}And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them about throughout all the boundary of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, Whosoever goeth not forth after Saul and after Samuel, shall have his herds thus treated. And the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out as one man.

\VS{8}And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

\VS{9}And they said unto the messengers that were come, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Yabesh-gil'ad, Tomorrow shall ye have help, when the sun shineth hot. And the messengers came and told it to the men of Yabesh; and these were glad.

\VS{10}And the men of Yabesh said, Tomorrow will we go out unto you, and ye can do unto us in accordance with all that seemeth good in your eyes.

\VS{11}And it happened on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and they smote the 'Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that those that remained were scattered, and no two among them were left together.

\VS{12}And the people said unto Samuel, Who is there that saith, Shall Saul reign over us? give up the men, and we will put them to death.

\VS{13}And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death on this day; for today the Lord hath wrought deliverance in Israel.

\VS{14}And Samuel said to the people, Come and let us go to Gilgal, and renew there the choice of the king.

\VS{15}And all the people went to Gilgal; and they appointed there Saul as king before the Lord in Gilgal; and they sacrificed there sacrifices of peace-offerings before the Lord; and Saul with all the men of Israel rejoiced there very greatly.



\par }\Chap{12}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and I have set a king over you.

\VS{2}And now, behold, the king is walking before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and my sons, behold, they are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth even until this day.

\VS{3}Behold, here am I; testify against me in the presence of the Lord, and in the presence of his anointed: Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I received any ransom so that I withdrew my eyes from him? and I will restore it you.

\VS{4}And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor hast thou oppressed us, and thou hast not taken from any man's hand the least.

\VS{5}And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found in my hand the least: and they answered, He is witness.

\VS{6}And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord who did [wonders through] Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

\VS{7}And now stand up, that I may hold judgment with you before the Lord concerning all the benefits of the Lord, which he hath done to you and to your fathers.

\VS{8}When Jacob was come into Egypt, then did your fathers cry unto the Lord, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and caused them to dwell in this place.

\VS{9}And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sissera, the chief of the host of Chazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they made war against them.

\VS{10}And they cried [then] unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served the Be'alim and the 'Ashtaroth; and now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

\VS{11}And the Lord sent Yerubba'al, and Bedan, and Yiphthach, and Samuel, and he delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, so that ye dwelt safely.

\VS{12}But when ye saw that Nachash the king of the children of 'Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, No; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God is your king.

\VS{13}And now here is the king whom ye have chosen, whom ye have asked for! and, behold, the Lord hath set over you a king.

\VS{14}If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and will not rebel against the will of the Lord: then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God.

\VS{15}But if ye will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and rebel against the will of the Lord: then will the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers.

\VS{16}And now stand up and see this great thing, which the Lord is about doing before your eyes.

\VS{17}Is there not wheat-harvest today? I will call unto the Lord, and he will send thunders and rain; and ye will [thus] perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done, in the eyes of the Lord, to ask for yourselves a king.

\VS{18}And Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunders and rain on that day: and all the people feared greatly the Lord and Samuel.

\VS{19}And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray in behalf of thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we may not die; for we have added unto all our sins yet this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.

\VS{20}And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, and serve ye the Lord with all your heart;

\VS{21}And turn ye not aside; for then would ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; because they are vain.

\VS{22}For the Lord will not forsake his people for the sake of his great name; because it hath pleased the Lord to make you a people unto himself.

\VS{23}Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray in behalf of you; but I will teach you the good and the right way:

\VS{24}Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for see what great things he hath done with you.

\VS{25}But if ye will in any wise do wickedly, both ye yourselves as also your king shall perish.



\par }\Chap{13}{\PP \VerseOne{1}When Saul had reigned one year,—and two years he reigned over Israel,—

\VS{2}Saul chose for himself three thousand men out of Israel; and there were with Saul two thousand in Michmash and on the mountain of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gib'ah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent away every man to his tents.

\VS{3}And Jonathan smote the outpost of the Philistines that was at Geba', and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the cornet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear it.

\VS{4}And all Israel heard it, saying, Saul hath smitten the outpost of the Philistines, and the Israelites also have put themselves in ill-favor with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

\VS{5}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 encamped in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

\VS{6}And when the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, [for the people were oppressed,] then did the people hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in strongholds, and in pits.

\VS{7}And some of the Hebrews passed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gil'ad. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him hastily.

\VS{8}And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed; but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattering themselves from him.

\VS{9}And Saul said, Bring hither to me the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings. And he offered the burnt-offering.

\VS{10}And it came to pass, that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

\VS{11}And Samuel said, What hast thou done: And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattering themselves from me, whereas thou camest not at the appointed day, and the Philistines are gathering themselves together at Michmash;

\VS{12}And I said, The Philistines will now come down unto me to Gilgal, and I have not yet made supplication unto the Lord: wherefore I forced myself, and offered the burnt-offering.

\VS{13}And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he had commanded thee; for now would the Lord have established thy government over Israel for ever.

\VS{14}But now thy government shall not endure: the Lord hath sought out for himself a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath ordained him to be chief over his people; because thou hast not kept what the Lord had commanded thee.

\VS{15}And Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal unto Gib'ah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were to be found with him, about six hundred men.

\VS{16}And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were to be found with them, were lying in Geba' of Benjamin; but the Philistines were encamped in Michmash.

\VS{17}And the troop of freebooters went out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned into the way to 'Ophrah, unto the land of Shu'al;

\VS{18}And another company turned into the way to Beth-choron; and the other company turned into the way to the frontier that looketh over the valley of Zebo'im toward the wilderness.

\VS{19}Now there was no smith to be found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, So that the Hebrews shall not make themselves swords or spears.

\VS{20}But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plough-share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.

\VS{21}And they used a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the three-pronged forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.

\VS{22}So it came to pass on 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 they were found with Saul and with Jonathan his son.

\VS{23}And the outpost of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.



\par }\Chap{14}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Now it happened one day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' outpost, that is on the other side yonder. But unto his father he told nothing.

\VS{2}And Saul tarried in the lower part of Gib'ah under the pomegranate tree which is by Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men.

\VS{3}And Achiyah, the son of Achitub, the brother of I-chabod, the son of Phinehas, the son of 'Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, wore the ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

\VS{4}And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the outpost of the Philistines, there was a sharp point of rock on the one side, and a sharp point of rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

\VS{5}The one point rose up abruptly northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Geba'.

\VS{6}And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the outpost of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us; for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by means of many or by means of few.

\VS{7}And his armor-bearer said unto him, Do all that is in thy heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

\VS{8}Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will show ourselves unto them.

\VS{9}If they say thus unto us, Stand still until we come to you: then will we remain standing in our places, and will not go up unto them.

\VS{10}But if they say thus, Come up unto us: then will we go up; for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand; and this shall be unto us the sign.

\VS{11}And when both of them showed themselves unto the outpost of the Philistines, the Philistines said, Behold, Hebrews are coming forth out of the holes wherein they have hidden themselves.

\VS{12}And the men of the outpost addressed Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will let you know something. Then said Jonathan unto his armor-bearer, Come up after me; for the Lord hath given them up into the hand of Israel.

\VS{13}And Jonathan then ascended upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor-bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer was killing after him.

\VS{14}And that first defeat, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer caused, was about twenty men, within about the half of a field, which a yoke of oxen might plough.

\VS{15}And there arose a terror in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the outposts, and the free-booters, they also were terrified, and the earth quaked; and it became a very great terror.

\VS{16}And the watchers of Saul in Gib'ah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude became scattered, and ran hither and thither.

\VS{17}Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Muster now, and see who is gone away from us. And they mustered, and, behold, there was neither Jonathan nor his armor-bearer.

\VS{18}And Saul said unto Achiyah, Bring hither the ark of God; for the ark of God was on that day with the children of Israel.

\VS{19}And it happened, while Saul was speaking unto the priest, that the confusion which was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased more and more: And Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thy hand.

\VS{20}And Saul and all the people that were with him were called together, and they came to the battle; and, behold, the sword of every man was against his fellow, the disorder being very great.

\VS{21}And the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as before that time, those namely who had gone up with them, were in the camp round about; but these also resolved to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

\VS{22}And all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves on the mountain of Ephraim, heard that the Philistines had fled; and they also followed hard after them in the battle.

\VS{23}So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven.

\VS{24}And the men of Israel were hard urged that day; and Saul adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that will eat food until the evening, until I have been avenged on my enemies. And the whole people tasted thus no food.

\VS{25}And [the men of] all the land came to a forest; and there was honey upon the surface of the field.

\VS{26}And when the people were come into the forest, behold, there was a stream of honey; but no one put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.

\VS{27}But Jonathan had not heard his father charging the people with the oath; he therefore put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in a honey-comb, and carried his hand again to his mouth; and his eyes became clear.

\VS{28}Then commenced one of the people, and said, Thy father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that will eat food this day; though the people were faint.

\VS{29}Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how my eyes become clear, because I have tasted a little of this honey.

\VS{30}How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely this day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for would there not have been now a greater defeat among the Philistines?

\VS{31}And they smote on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Ayalon; and the people were very faint.

\VS{32}And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and young steers, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat upon the blood.

\VS{33}And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord, in eating upon the blood. And he [then] said, Ye have acted treacherously: roll [hither] unto me this day a great stone.

\VS{34}And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring near unto me every man his ox, and every man his lamb, and slaughter here, and eat; and sin not against the Lord in eating by the blood. And all the people brought near every man his ox by his hand that night, and slaughtered [them] there.

\VS{35}And Saul built an altar unto the Lord: the same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord.

\VS{36}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 in thy eyes. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

\VS{37}And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not on that day.

\VS{38}And Saul said, Draw ye near hither all the chief of the people: and know and see through what this sin hath happened this day.

\VS{39}For, as the Lord liveth, who saveth Israel, that if it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But no one answered him among all the people.

\VS{40}Then said he unto all Israel, Ye shall be 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 in thy eyes.

\VS{41}And Saul said unto the Lord, God of Israel, O, show forth the perfect truth. And Jonathan and Saul were seized; but the people came forth [free].

\VS{42}And Saul said, Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was seized.

\VS{43}Then said Saul to Jonathan, Do tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste with the end of the staff that was in my hand a little honey: lo, I am willing to die.

\VS{44}And Saul said, May God do thus now, and in future also; for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

\VS{45}And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? This shall not be: as the Lord liveth, there shall not fall one hair of his head to the ground; for with God hath he wrought this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, and he died not.

\VS{46}Then went Saul up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

\VS{47}So Saul strengthened himself in the government over Israel; and he fought on every side against all his enemies, 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 caused terror.

\VS{48}And he gathered an army, and he smote the 'Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those that spoiled them.

\VS{49}Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Yishvi, and Malkishua': and the names of his two daughters—the name of the first-born was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.

\VS{50}And the name of Saul's wife was Achino'am, the daughter of Achima'az: and the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

\VS{51}And Kish the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner, were each the son of Abiel.

\VS{52}And the war against the Philistines was violent all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto himself.



\par }\Chap{15}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And Samuel said unto Saul, Me did the Lord send to anoint thee as king over his people, over Israel; and now hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

\VS{2}Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he lay in wait for him on the way, when he came up from Egypt.

\VS{3}Now go and smite 'Amalek, and devote all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and lamb, camel and ass.

\VS{4}And Saul ordered the people to assemble, and he numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand of the men of Judah.

\VS{5}And Saul came to the city of 'Amalek, and he fought in the valley.

\VS{6}And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from the midst of the 'Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; whereas ye acted kindly with all the children of Israel, at their coming up out of Egypt. And the Kenites departed from the midst of the 'Amalekites.

\VS{7}And Saul smote the 'Amalekites from Chavilah until thou comest to Shur, that is before Egypt.

\VS{8}And he caught Agag the king of the 'Amalekites alive, and all the people he devoted to the edge of the sword.

\VS{9}But Saul together with the people had pity on Agag, and on the best of the flocks, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the fat lambs, and all that was good, and they would not destroy them; but all the cattle that was of little value and weak, that they destroyed.

\VS{10}And the word of the Lord came unto Samuel, saying,

\VS{11}I repent that I have set up Saul as king; for he hath turned back from following me, and my word hath he not performed: and it displeased Samuel, and he cried unto the Lord all the night.

\VS{12}And Samuel rose up early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set himself up a monument, and then went about, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal.

\VS{13}And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou unto the Lord, I have performed the word of the Lord.

\VS{14}And Samuel said, What is then this bleating of the flocks in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

\VS{15}And Saul said, From the 'Amalekites have they brought them; because the people had pity on the best of the flocks and of the oxen, in order to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest have we destroyed.

\VS{16}And Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord said to me this night: and he said unto him, Speak.

\VS{17}And Samuel said, Is it not that, however little thou wast in thy own eyes, thou art the head of the tribes of Israel? and the Lord anointed thee as king over Israel?

\VS{18}And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and destroy the sinners, the 'Amalekites, and thou shalt fight against them until they be consumed.

\VS{19}Wherefore then didst thou not hearken unto the voice of the Lord, and didst fly upon the spoil, and didst the evil in the eyes of the Lord?

\VS{20}And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have fully hearkened unto the voice of the Lord; and I went on the way which the Lord had sent me; and I have brought Agag the king of 'Amalek; and the 'Amalekites have I destroyed.

\VS{21}And the people took of the spoil, of the flocks and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

\VS{22}And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as much delight in burnt-offerings and in sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to attend more than the fat of the rams.

\VS{23}For the sin of witchcraft is rebellion, and idolatry and image-worship, stubbornness; inasmuch as thou hast despised the word of the Lord, he hath also despised thee that thou shalt not be king.

\VS{24}And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the will of the Lord, and thy words; because I feared the people, and I hearkened to their voice.

\VS{25}And now, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may prostrate myself to the Lord.

\VS{26}And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee; for thou didst despise the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath despised thee, that thou shalt not be king over Israel.

\VS{27}And Samuel turned about to go: and he laid hold on the corner of his mantle, and it was rent.

\VS{28}And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from off thee this day, and hath given it to thy associate, who is better than thou.

\VS{29}And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.

\VS{30}And he said, I have sinned; [yet] honor me now, I pray thee, in the presence of the elders of my people, and in the presence of Israel, and return with me, that I may prostrate myself unto the Lord thy God.

\VS{31}So Samuel returned, following Saul; and Saul prostrated himself to the Lord.

\VS{32}And Samuel said, Bring ye hither unto me Agag the king of the 'Amalekites: and Agag came unto him cheerfully; and Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.

\VS{33}And Samuel said, As thy sword did make women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women; and Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

\VS{34}Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house at Gib'ah of Saul.

\VS{35}And Samuel did not see Saul any more until the day of his death; because Samuel mourned for Saul; and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.



\par }\Chap{16}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him so as not to reign over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lechemite; for I have selected among his sons unto myself a king.

\VS{2}And Samuel said, How shall I go? if Saul should hear it, he would kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, To sacrifice unto the Lord am I come.

\VS{3}And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let thee know what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto me the one whom I will say unto thee.

\VS{4}And Samuel did that which the Lord had spoken, and came to Beth-lechem. And the elders of the town came hastily to meet him, and said, Peace to thee at thy coming.

\VS{5}And he said, Peace: to sacrifice unto the Lord am I come; sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.

\VS{6}And it came to pass, when they came, that he saw Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is [here] before him.

\VS{7}But the Lord said unto Samuel, Regard not his appearance, nor the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for not what man looketh on;—for man looketh on the eyes, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

\VS{8}Then Jesse called Abinadab, and caused him to pass before Samuel. And he said, This one also hath the Lord not chosen.

\VS{9}Then Jesse caused Shammah to pass by. And he said, This one also hath the Lord not chosen.

\VS{10}And Jesse caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel: and Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not made choice of these.

\VS{11}And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are there not more young men? And he said, There is yet left behind the youngest, and, behold, he is feeding the flocks. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he have come hither.

\VS{12}And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, having withal handsome eyes, and being of a goodly appearance. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.

\VS{13}Then took Samuel the horn of oil, and anointed him from among his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came suddenly upon David from that day and forward. And Samuel then rose up, and went to Ramah.

\VS{14}And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and there troubled him an evil spirit from the Lord.

\VS{15}And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

\VS{16}Let our Lord but say [the word], and thy servants, now before thee, will seek out a man, who is skilful as a player on the harp; and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, that thou mayest be well.

\VS{17}And Saul said unto his servants, Select for me, I pray you, a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

\VS{18}Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lechemite, who is skilful as a player, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and intelligent in speech, and a person of a good form, and the Lord is with him.

\VS{19}Thereupon Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, who is with the flocks.

\VS{20}And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them through David his son unto Saul.

\VS{21}And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.

\VS{22}And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my eyes.

\VS{23}And it came to pass, when the spirit of God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul became relieved, and he felt well, and the evil spirit departed from him.



\par }\Chap{17}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And the Philistines gathered together their camps to battle, and they gathered themselves together at Sochoh, which belongeth to Judah; and they encamped between Sochoh and 'Azekah, at Ephess-dammim.

\VS{2}And Saul and the men of Israel gathered themselves together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and put themselves in battle-array opposite to the Philistines.

\VS{3}And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and the Israelites stood on a mountain on the other side: and the valley was between them.

\VS{4}And there went out the champion out of the camp of the Philistines, Goliath of Gath was his name, whose height was six cubits and a span.

\VS{5}And he had a helmet of copper upon his head, and he was clothed with a scaly coat of mail; and the weight of the coat of mail was five thousand shekels of copper.

\VS{6}And he had greaves of copper upon his legs, and a javelin of copper between his shoulders.

\VS{7}And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and the blade of his spear [weighed] six hundred shekels of iron: and the shield-bearer was walking before him.

\VS{8}And he stood and calleth unto the arrays of Israel, and said unto them, Why will ye come out to put yourselves in battle-array? Behold: I am the Philistine, and ye are servants to Saul! select for yourselves one man, and let him come down to me;

\VS{9}If he be able to fight with me, and he kill me, then will we be unto you as servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be unto us as servants, and ye shall serve us.

\VS{10}And the Philistine said, I have defied the arrays of Israel this day; give me a man, and let us fight together.

\VS{11}When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were disheartened, and became greatly afraid.

\VS{12}Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lechem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was old in the days of Saul, belonging to the persons [of high esteem].

\VS{13}And the three eldest sons of Jesse were gone following Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that were gone to the battle were Eliab the first-born, and the next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

\VS{14}And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

\VS{15}But David kept going and returning from Saul to feed his father's flocks at Beth-lechem.

\VS{16}And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

\VS{17}And Jesse said unto David his son, Take, I pray thee, for thy brothers an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brothers;

\VS{18}And these ten cheeses shalt thou bring unto the captain of the thousand, and inquire of thy brothers how they fare, and take away their pledge.

\VS{19}Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

\VS{20}And David rose up early in the morning, and gave up the flocks to a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the entrenchment, as the host was going forth in battle-array, and shouted the battle-cry.

\VS{21}And the Israelites and the Philistines put themselves in battle-array, army against army.

\VS{22}And David left the articles which he had on him in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran into the array, and came and asked of his brothers after their welfare.

\VS{23}And as he was speaking with them, behold, there came up the champion, Goliath the Philistine, by name, of Gath, out of the battle-arrays of the Philistines, and spoke in accordance with these same words: and David heard it.

\VS{24}And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from before him, and were greatly afraid.

\VS{25}And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is coming forth? for to defy Israel is he coming forth; and it shall be, that the man who killeth him,—him will the king enrich with great riches, and his daughter will he give him, and his father's house will he make free in Israel.

\VS{26}And David said to the men that stood by him, thus, What shall be done to the man that may smite yon Philistine, and take away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the arrays of the living God?

\VS{27}And the people spoke to him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that may smite him.

\VS{28}And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he was speaking unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why didst thou come down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy presumption, and the wickedness of thy heart; for in order to see the battle art thou come down.

\VS{29}And David said, What have I now done? It is nothing but a word.

\VS{30}And he turned from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner: and the people made him again a reply after the former manner.

\VS{31}And the words which David had spoken were heard, and they told them in the presence of Saul, who sent for him.

\VS{32}And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him: thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

\VS{33}And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a lad, and he [hath been] a man of war from his youth.

\VS{34}And David said unto Saul, Thy servant was feeding his father's flocks, and there came a lion, and a bear, and bore off a lamb out of the drove;

\VS{35}And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he rose up against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

\VS{36}Both the lion and the bear did thy servant smite: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall become as one of them; because he hath defied the arrays of the living God.

\VS{37}Moreover David said, The Lord who hath delivered me out of the power of the lion, and out of the power of the bear, will also surely deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and may the Lord be with thee.

\VS{38}And Saul clothed David with his garments, and he put a helmet of copper upon his head; and he clothed him also with a coat of mail.

\VS{39}And David girded his sword over his garments, and he essayed to go; for he had not tried it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot walk in these [things]; for I have never tried it before. And David put them off from him.

\VS{40}And he took his staff in his hand, and chose himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's pouch which be had, even in a scrip, with his sling in his hand; and he approached to the Philistine.

\VS{41}And the Philistine went and drew nearer and nearer unto David; and the man that bore the shield went before him.

\VS{42}And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a lad, and ruddy, with a fair appearance.

\VS{43}And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest unto me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

\VS{44}And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field.

\VS{45}Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest unto me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the arrays of Israel, that thou hast defied.

\VS{46}This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and remove thy head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the army of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; and all the earth shall know that there is a God for Israel.

\VS{47}And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not through sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you up into our hand.

\VS{48}And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and went and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the battle-array to meet the Philistine.

\VS{49}And David put his hand into the pouch, and took thence a stone, and slung it, and he struck the Philistine on his forehead, and the stone sunk into his forehead: and he fell upon his face to the ground.

\VS{50}So David prevailed over the Philistine with the sling and with the stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

\VS{51}And David ran, and stood by the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of its sheath, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they fled.

\VS{52}And then arose the men of Israel and of Judah, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou comest to the valley, and to the gates of 'Ekron. And the slain of the Philistines fell down by the way to Sha'arayim, even as far as Gath, and up to 'Ekron.

\VS{53}And the children of Israel returned from hotly pursuing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their camps.

\VS{54}And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but his weapons he placed in his tent.

\VS{55}And when Saul saw David going forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this lad? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I know it not.

\VS{56}And the king said, Ask thou whose son this youth is.

\VS{57}And as David returned from smiting the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

\VS{58}And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, young man? And David answered, The son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lechemite.



\par }\Chap{18}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit on the soul of David; and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

\VS{2}And Saul took him on that day, and would not permit him to go home to his father's house.

\VS{3}Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because of his loving him as his own soul.

\VS{4}And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he had upon him, and gave it to David, and likewise his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

\VS{5}And David went out; whithersoever Saul used to send him, he was successful; and Saul set him over the men of war; and he was accepted in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.

\VS{6}And it came to pass as they came home, when David returned from smiting the Philistines, that the women came forth out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with triangles.

\VS{7}And the women that played answered one another, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

\VS{8}And Saul was very wroth, and this saying was displeasing in his eyes; and he said, They have given unto David ten thousands, and to me they have given the thousands: and all that he lacketh now yet is only the kingdom.

\VS{9}And Saul looked jealous on David from that day and forward.

\VS{10}And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came suddenly over Saul, and he spoke foolish things in the midst of the house: while David was playing with his hand, as on previous days; and the spear was in the hand of Saul.

\VS{11}And Saul cast the spear; and he thought, I will strike David through even on the wall. And David turned aside out of his presence twice.

\VS{12}And Saul was afraid of David; because the Lord was with him, and from Saul he was departed.

\VS{13}Therefore Saul removed him from himself, and made him his captain over a thousand: and he went out and came in before the people.

\VS{14}And David was successful on all his ways; and the Lord was with him.

\VS{15}And when Saul saw that he was very successful, he was in dread of him.

\VS{16}But all Israel and Judah loved David; because he went out and came in before them.

\VS{17}And Saul said to David, Behold, here is my eldest daughter Merab, her will I give to thee for wife: only be thou unto me a man of valor, and fight the Lord's battles. And Saul thought, Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.

\VS{18}And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be a son-in-law to the king?

\VS{19}But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto 'Adriel the Mecholathite for wife.

\VS{20}And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told it to Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.

\VS{21}And Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may become unto him a snare, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Through the second shalt thou this day become my son-in-law.

\VS{22}And Saul commanded his servants, Speak to David secretly, saying, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee; and now thou must become the king's son-in-law.

\VS{23}And the servants of Saul spoke in the ears of David these words. And David said, Doth it seem so light in your eyes to become the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and of light esteem?

\VS{24}And the servants of Saul told him, saying, Words such as these David hath spoken.

\VS{25}And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged on the king's enemies. But Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.

\VS{26}And when his servants told David these words, the thing was pleasing in the eyes of David to become the king's son-in-law: and the days were not complete,

\VS{27}When David arose and went, he and his men, and smote of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they counted them out in full to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter for wife.

\VS{28}And Saul saw and understood that the Lord was with David: and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.

\VS{29}And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul was David's enemy all the time.

\VS{30}And the princes of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass, whenever they went forth, that David was more successful than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly prized.



\par }\Chap{19}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that he would kill David. But Jonathan the son of Saul delighted greatly in David.

\VS{2}And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee; now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:

\VS{3}And I will go out and stand by the side of my father in the field where thou art, and I myself will speak of thee to my father; and I will see what it is, and I will tell thee.

\VS{4}And Jonathan spoke favorably of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; since he hath not sinned against thee, and because his deeds are very good for thee;

\VS{5}And he did put his life in his hand, and he slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel; thou sawest it, and wast rejoiced: wherefore then wilt thou commit sin on innocent blood, by slaying David without a cause?

\VS{6}And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As the Lord liveth, he shall not be put to death.

\VS{7}And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

\VS{8}And the war occurred again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and smote them with a great defeat, and they fled from before him.

\VS{9}And the evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, and he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.

\VS{10}And Saul sought to strike David through with the spear even to the wall; but he slipped away from before Saul, who struck the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

\VS{11}But Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning; and Michal his wife told it to David, saying, If thou save not thy life this night, tomorrow thou wilt be put to death.

\VS{12}And Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.

\VS{13}And Michal took an image, and put it in the bed, and a pillow of goats' hair she put for its head to rest on, and covered it with a cloth.

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

\VS{15}And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may put him to death.

\VS{16}And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for its head to rest on.

\VS{17}And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou thus deceived me, and sent away my enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal said to Saul, He said unto me, Let me go away: why should I kill thee?

\VS{18}So David fled, and escaped, and came unto Samuel to Ramah, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and remained in Nayoth.

\VS{19}And it was told unto Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Nayoth near Ramah.

\VS{20}And Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as superintendent over them: then came upon the messengers of Saul the spirit of God, and they also prophesied.

\VS{21}And when it was told to Saul, he sent other messengers, and these prophesied likewise. And Saul sent again messengers the third time, and these also prophesied.

\VS{22}Then went he himself also to Ramah, and came as far as the great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And some one said, Behold, they are at Nayoth near Ramah.

\VS{23}And he went thither to Nayoth near Ramah: and there came upon him also the Spirit of God, and he went on, and prophesied as he went, until he came to Nayoth near Ramah.

\VS{24}And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied himself before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore people are in the habit of saying, Is Saul too among the prophets?



\par }\Chap{20}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And David fled from Nayoth near Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is my iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

\VS{2}And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father is not wont to do a great thing or a small thing, which he doth not inform me of; and why should my father conceal this thing from me? it is not so.

\VS{3}But David swore again, and said, Thy father well knoweth that I have found grace in thy eyes; wherefore he said, Jonathan must not know this, lest he be grieved: nevertheless, as truly as the Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, there was but one step between me and death.

\VS{4}Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul sayeth will I do for thee.

\VS{5}And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new-moon, and I should as usual sit with the king to eat; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.

\VS{6}If thy father at all miss me, then do thou say, David asked earnestly leave of me that he might run to Beth-lechem his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

\VS{7}If he should say thus, It is well: then shall thy servant have peace; but if it be at all displeasing to him, then know that the evil is determined on by him.

\VS{8}And do thou deal kindly with thy servant; for into a covenant of the Lord hast thou brought thy servant with thee; but if there be in me any iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldst thou bring me to thy father?

\VS{9}And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should know for certain that evil were determined on by my father to come upon thee, would I not tell it thee?

\VS{10}Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell it me? or what, if thy father answer thee roughly?

\VS{11}And Jonathan said unto David, Come, let us go out into the field. And they went out, both of them, into the field.

\VS{12}And Jonathan said unto David, May the God of Israel [punish me] if, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or of the third day, and, behold, if he be good toward David, I do not then send unto thee, and inform thee of it.

\VS{13}May the Lord do so to Jonathan and continue so yet farther, that, if it please my father [to do] thee evil, I will inform thee of it, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; and may the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

\VS{14}And wilt thou not, should I be yet alive, show me the kindness of the Lord, that I may not die?

\VS{15}But, surely, thou wilt not withdraw thy kindness from my house for ever, not even when the Lord cutteth off the enemies of David, every one, from off the face of the earth.

\VS{16}So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying,] May the Lord require it at the hand of David's enemies.

\VS{17}And Jonathan caused David to swear again, by his love for him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

\VS{18}Then Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow is the new-moon: and thou wilt be missed, because thy seat will be left empty.

\VS{19}And when thou hast stayed till the third day, then shalt thou go down greatly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself on the work-day; and thou shalt remain by the stone Ezel.

\VS{20}And I will myself shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I were shooting at a mark.

\VS{21}And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, Go, find the arrows; if I should now say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee: then take him and come; for there is peace to thee, and it is nothing; as the Lord liveth.

\VS{22}But if thus I should say unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee: then go thy way, for the Lord hath sent thee off.

\VS{23}And touching the matter of which we have spoken, thou and I, behold, the Lord is between me and thee for ever.

\VS{24}So David hid himself in the field: and when the new-moon was come, the king set himself down to the repast to eat.

\VS{25}And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall: and when Jonathan arose, Abner seated himself by the side of Saul, and David's place was left empty.

\VS{26}Nevertheless Saul spoke not the least on that day; for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; because he hath not yet purified himself.

\VS{27}And it came to pass on the morrow, the second day of the new-moon, that David's place was left empty; and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore is the son of Jesse not come, both yesterday and today, to the repast?

\VS{28}And Jonathan answered Saul, David asked earnestly leave of me to go as far as Beth-lechem.

\VS{29}And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for we have a family-sacrifice in the city, and my brother himself hath commanded it to me; and now, if I have found favor in thy eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, that I may see my brothers: therefore is he not come unto the king's table.

\VS{30}And the anger of Saul was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of perverse rebelliousness! do I not know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thy own shame, and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness?

\VS{31}For all the days that the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou wilt not have any permanence with thy kingdom: therefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

\VS{32}And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be put to death? what hath he done?

\VS{33}And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him: and Jonathan understood that it was determined on by his father to put David to death.

\VS{34}And Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food on the second day of the new-moon; for he was grieved for David; because his father had made him feel ashamed.

\VS{35}And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field to the place appointed with David, and a little lad was with him.

\VS{36}And he said unto his lad, Run, do find out the arrows which I shoot: and the lad ran, and he shot the arrow so as to pass beyond him.

\VS{37}And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad, and said, Behold, the arrow is beyond thee!

\VS{38}And Jonathan called after the lad, Make haste, speed, stay not: and Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

\VS{39}But the lad knew not the least: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

\VS{40}And Jonathan gave his weapons unto the lad who was with him, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.

\VS{41}And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose from the south side [of the stone], 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.

\VS{42}And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace: what we have sworn, both of us, in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever, [shall be kept]. (21:1) And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.



\par }\Chap{21}{\PP \VerseOne{1}(21:2) And David came to Nob to Achimelech the priest; and Achimelech hastened trembling to meet David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man is with thee?

\VS{2}(21:3) And David said unto Achimelech the priest, The king commanded me a business, and said unto me, Let not any man know the least of the business concerning which I send thee, and which I have commanded thee. And the young men have I appointed to such and such a place.

\VS{3}(21:4) And now what hast thou on hand: put five loaves of bread into my hand, or what else can be found.

\VS{4}(21:5) And the priest answered David, and said, I have no common bread on hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have only withheld themselves from women.

\VS{5}(21:6) And David answered the priest and said to him, To a certainty women have been denied us yesterday and the day before, when I went forth, and the vessels of the young men were holy: and if this was the custom with unholy things, how much more will it remain this day holy in the vessels.

\VS{6}(21:7) So the priest gave him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there except the showbread, that was removed from before the Lord, so as to put down hot bread on the day when it was taken away.

\VS{7}(21:8) Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there on that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, the Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul.

\VS{8}(21:9) And David said unto Achimelech, Hast thou not also here at hand a spear or sword: for both my sword as also my other weapons have I not brought with me, because the king's business was urgent.

\VS{9}(21:10) And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou didst slay in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped up in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that for thyself, take it; for there is no other save it here. And David said, There is none like that: give it to me.

\VS{10}(21:11) And David arose, and fled on that day from before Saul, and came to Achish the king of Gath.

\VS{11}(21:12) And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not of this man sing one to another in the dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

\VS{12}(21:13) And David took these words to his heart, and was greatly afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

\VS{13}(21:14) And he disguised his reason before their eyes, and played the madman in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle run down upon his beard.

\VS{14}(21:15) Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see, the man is mad: wherefore then will ye bring him to me?

\VS{15}(21:16) Have I lack of madmen, that ye have brought this man to play his pranks about me? shall this one come into my house?



\par }\Chap{22}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And David departed thence, and escaped to the cave 'Adullam: and when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down to him thither.

\VS{2}And there gathered themselves unto him every one that was in distress, and every one that had a creditor, and every one that had an embittered spirit; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

\VS{3}And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, go forth with you, until I can know what God will do for me.

\VS{4}And he conducted them to the presence of the king of Moab: and they remained with him all the time that David was in the strong-hold.

\VS{5}And the prophet Gad said unto David, Thou must not remain in the strong-hold: depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Chereth.

\VS{6}And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, [now Saul was sitting in Gib'ah under the tamarisk on the hill, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;]

\VS{7}Then said Saul unto his servants that stood about him, Hear, I pray you, men of Benjamin! will the son of Jesse give, indeed, to every one of you fields and vineyards? will he appoint you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds?

\VS{8}That ye have conspired, all of you, against me, and there is none that informeth me, while my son hath made a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is concerned for me, or informeth me that my son hath stirred up my servant to lie in wait against me, as it is this day?

\VS{9}Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Achimelech the son of Achitub.

\VS{10}And he asked counsel for him of the Lord, and he gave him provision, and gave him also the sword of Goliath the philistine.

\VS{11}Then sent the king to call Achimelech, the son of Achitub, the priest, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came, all of them, to the king.

\VS{12}And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Achitub. And he said, here am I, my Lord.

\VS{13}And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou didst give him bread, and a sword, and hast asked counsel for him of God, that he should rise to lie in wait against me, as it is this day!

\VS{14}Then answered Achimelech the king, and said, And who is among all thy servants so trusted as David, and the king's son-in-law, and freely admitted to thy private council, and is honored in thy house?

\VS{15}Did I this day then begin to ask counsel for him of God? far be it from me; let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, [nor] to all the house of my father; for thy servant knew not of all this, either a little or great thing.

\VS{16}And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Achimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

\VS{17}And the king said unto the runners that stood about him, Turn round and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not stretch forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord.

\VS{18}And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou round, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned round, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day eighty and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

\VS{19}And Nob, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and lambs, with the edge of the sword.

\VS{20}And there escaped one of the sons of Achimelech the son of Achitub, whose name was Ebyathar, and he fled after David.

\VS{21}And Ebyathar told David that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

\VS{22}And David said unto Ebyathar, I knew on that day, because Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have myself occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.

\VS{23}Remain thou with me, fear nothing; for he that will seek my life will seek thy life; but thou shalt be well guarded with me.



\par }\Chap{23}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Ke'ilah, and they are plundering the threshing-floors.

\VS{2}Thereupon David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite among these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go and smite among the Philistines, and deliver Ke'ilah.

\VS{3}And David's men said unto him, Behold, here in Judah are we afraid: how much more then if we should go to Ke'ilah against the battle-arrays of the Philistines?

\VS{4}Then David asked yet again counsel of the Lord. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, Go down to Ke'ilah; for I [will] deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

\VS{5}So David and his men went to Ke'ilah; and he fought with the Philistines, and lead away their cattle, and smote among them a great slaughter. So David delivered the inhabitants of Ke'ilah.

\VS{6}And it came to pass, when Ebyathar the son of Achimelech, fled over to David, to Ke'ilah, that the ephod came down with him.

\VS{7}And it was told to Saul that David was come to Ke'ilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

\VS{8}And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Ke'ilah, to besiege David and his men.

\VS{9}And David understood that Saul secretly devised mischief against him; and he said to Ebyathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

\VS{10}Then said David, O Lord, God of Israel, thy servant hath heard for certain that Saul seeketh to come to Ke'ilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

\VS{11}Will the men of Ke'ilah surrender me 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.

\VS{12}Then said David, Will the men of Ke'ilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul! And the Lord said, They will surrender.

\VS{13}Then arose David and his men, about six hundred men, and departed out of Ke'ilah, and wandered about whithersoever they could go. And when it was told to Saul that David was escaped from Ke'ilah, he forbore to go forth.

\VS{14}And David remained in the wilderness in strong-holds, and abode on the mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all the time, but God delivered him not into his hand.

\VS{15}And David saw that Saul was gone forth to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the forest.

\VS{16}And Jonathan, the son of Saul, arose and went to David into the forest, and strengthened his hand in God.

\VS{17}And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father will not find thee; and thou wilt be king over Israel, and I will be next unto thee; and also Saul my father knoweth this.

\VS{18}And they made, both of them, a covenant before the Lord: and David remained in the forest; but Jonathan went to his house.

\VS{19}Then came up the Ziphites unto Saul to Gib'ah, saying, Behold, David is hiding himself with us in the strong-holds in the forest, on the hill of Chachilah, which is on the right of the desert.

\VS{20}And now in accordance with all the longing of thy soul, O king, to come down, come down; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand.

\VS{21}And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have pity on me.

\VS{22}Go, I pray you, make yet more preparations, and remark and see his place where his foot may be, who hath seen him there; for I am told that he dealeth with great subtilty.

\VS{23}See therefore, and remark every one of all the lurking-places where he usually 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.

\VS{24}And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul; but David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma'on, in the plain on the right of the desert.

\VS{25}And Saul and his men went to make a search. And they told it to David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Ma'on. And when Saul heard this, he pursued after David into the wilderness of Ma'on.

\VS{26}And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David made haste to get away from before Saul; and Saul and his men were compassing David and his men to seize them.

\VS{27}But a messenger came unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

\VS{28}Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammachlekoth.

\VS{29}And David went up from there, and dwelt in strong-holds of 'En-gedi.



\par }\Chap{24}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from pursuing the Philistines, that it was told to him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of 'En-gedi.

\VS{2}Then took Saul three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

\VS{3}And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, and there was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men were sitting in the lower end of the cave.

\VS{4}And the men of David said unto him, Behold, this is the day of which the Lord hath said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thy enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. And David arose, and cut off the corner of the robe which Saul wore, unperceived.

\VS{5}And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off the corner of Saul's [robe].

\VS{6}And he said unto his men, Far be it from me for the Lord's sake, that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him; because he is the anointed of the Lord.

\VS{7}So David restrained 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.

\VS{8}David also arose afterward, and went forth out of the cave, and called after Saul, saying, My Lord, the king! And Saul then looked behind him, and David bowed his face to the earth, and prostrated himself.

\VS{9}And David said to Saul, Wherefore wilt thou listen to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy injury?

\VS{10}Behold, this day thy eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee today into my hand in the cave, and some one said that I should kill thee: but my soul felt compassion for thee: and I said, I will not stretch forth my hand against my Lord; because he is the anointed of the Lord.

\VS{11}And now, my father, see, yea, see the corner of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the corner of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and that I have not sinned against thee: yet thou liest in wait for my soul to take it.

\VS{12}May the Lord judge between me and thee, and may the Lord avenge me on thee; but my hand shall not be against thee.

\VS{13}As saith the proverb of the ancients, From the wicked proceedeth wickedness; but my hand shall not be against thee.

\VS{14}After whom is the king of Israel gone out? after whom art thou pursuing? after a dead dog, after a single flea.

\VS{15}May the Lord therefore be judge, and decide between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and obtain me justice out of thy hand.

\VS{16}And it came to pass, When David had finished speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

\VS{17}And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast done for me only what is good, whereas I have rewarded thee only with what is evil.

\VS{18}And thou hast proved this day, that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the Lord had surrendered me into thy hand, thou didst not kill me.

\VS{19}For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go away on a good road? so may the Lord reward thee with good for what thou hast done unto me this day.

\VS{20}And now, behold, I know that thou wilt surely become king, and that the kingdom of Israel will stand firmly in thy hand.

\VS{21}And now swear 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.

\VS{22}And David swore unto Saul; and Saul went to his house; but David and his men went up into the strong-hold.



\par }\Chap{25}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And Samuel died; and all the Israelites assembled themselves together, and lamented for him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

\VS{2}And there was a man in Ma'on, whose business was in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was, while they were shearing his sheep, at Carmel.

\VS{3}Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigayil: and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful form; but the man was hard-hearted and evil in his deeds; and he was of the house of Caleb.

\VS{4}And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

\VS{5}And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and ask him in my name after his well-being.

\VS{6}And ye shall say, May it thus be throughout thy life; and peace be to thee, and peace be to thy house, and unto all that thou hast be peace.

\VS{7}And now have I heard that thou hast sheep-shearers: now thy shepherds have been with us, we have not injured them, neither hath there aught been missing unto them, all the time they were at Carmel.

\VS{8}Ask thy young men, and they will tell it thee. Therefore let the young men find favor in thy eyes; for on a festive day are we come: give, I pray thee, whatsoever thy hand is capable of unto thy servants, and to thy son, to David.

\VS{9}And David's young men came, and they spoke to Nabal in accordance with all these words in the name of David; and then they ceased.

\VS{10}And Nabal answered the servants of David, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? now-a-days there are many servants that break away every one from his master.

\VS{11}Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my sheep-shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they are?

\VS{12}And David's young men turned about on their way, and returned, and came and told him in accordance with all these words.

\VS{13}And David said unto his men, Gird ye on, every man, his sword. And they girded on, every man, his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men, and two hundred abode by the baggage.

\VS{14}But one of the young men told Abigayil, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master; but he hath spoken rudely to them.

\VS{15}Whereas the men have been very good unto us; and we have not been injured, neither have we missed any thing, all the time that we went about with them, while we were in the field:

\VS{16}A wall were they around us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them, feeding the flocks.

\VS{17}And now know and consider what thou canst do; for evil is determined on against our master, and against all his household; and he is too greatly a worthless man for me to speak to him.

\VS{18}And Abigayil made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

\VS{19}And she said unto her young men, Pass on before me: behold, I come after you. But to her husband Nabal she told nothing.

\VS{20}And it was so, as she was riding on the ass, and coming down by the covert of the mount, that, behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she met them.

\VS{21}Now David had said, Yea, for naught only have I guarded all that belongeth to this fellow in the wilderness, so that not the least was missed of all that pertained unto him; and he hath requited me evil instead of good.

\VS{22}So may God do unto the enemies of David, and do so yet farther, if I leave of all that pertaineth to him by the morning light, as much as a dog.

\VS{23}And when Abigayil saw David, she hastened, and alighted off the ass, and fell down before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.

\VS{24}And she fell at his feet, and said, On me, me, my lord, is the fault: and let thy hand-maid, I pray thee, speak in thy hearing, and listen to the words of thy hand-maid.

\VS{25}Let not my Lord, I pray thee, turn his heart unto this worthless man, unto Nabal; for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and meanness is with him; but I thy hand-maid did not see the young men of my Lord, whom thou didst send.

\VS{26}And now, my lord, as the Eternal liveth, and as thy soul liveth, it is the Lord who hath withholden thee from coming to blood-guiltiness, and from helping thyself with thy own hand; and now may like Nabal be thy enemies, and those that seek [to do] my Lord evil.

\VS{27}And now this present which thy hand-maid hath brought unto my Lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow in the train my Lord.

\VS{28}Pardon, I pray thee, the trespass of thy hand-maid; for the Lord will certainly make for my lord an enduring house; because the battles of the Lord doth my lord fight, and evil will not be found in thee all thy days.

\VS{29}And though a man is risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: yet will the soul of my Lord be bound in the bond of life with the Lord thy God; and the soul of thy enemies will he hurl away, as out of the middle of the sling.

\VS{30}And it shall come to pass, when the Lord will do to my lord, in accordance with all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and will ordain thee as ruler over Israel,

\VS{31}That this shall not be unto thee as a cause of offense and as a reproach of heart unto my lord, both by having shed blood without cause, and by my lord having righted himself; and when the Lord will do good unto my lord, then do thou remember thy hand-maid.

\VS{32}And David said to Abigayil, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me;

\VS{33}And blessed be thy intelligence, and blessed be thou, who hast prevented me this day from coming unto blood-guiltiness, and from helping myself with my own hand.

\VS{34}But truly, as the Lord the God of Israel liveth, who hath withdrawn me from injuring thee, except thou hadst hastened and come to meet me, surely there would not have been left unto Nabal by the morning-light so much as a dog.

\VS{35}And David took out of her hand that which she had brought him; and unto her he said, Go up in peace to thy house: see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have respected thy presence.

\VS{36}And Abigayil 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, and he was exceedingly drunken; wherefore she told him not a word, either little or great, until the morning-light.

\VS{37}But it happened in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things; and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

\VS{38}And it came to pass in about ten days thereafter, that the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

\VS{39}And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath withheld his servant from evil; and the wickedness of Nabal hath the Lord returned upon his own head. And David sent and applied for Abigayil, to take her to himself for wife.

\VS{40}And the servants of David came to Abigayil to Carmel, and they spoke unto her, saying, David hath sent us unto thee, to take thee to himself for wife.

\VS{41}Thereupon she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thy hand-maid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

\VS{42}And Abigayil hastened, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with her five damsels that went in her train; and she went after the messengers of David, and she became his wife.

\VS{43}David also took Achino'am of Yizre'el; and both of them became thus his wives.

\VS{44}But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti, the son of Layish, who was of Gallim.



\par }\Chap{26}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gib'ah, saying, Behold, David hideth himself on the hill of Chachilah, before the desert.

\VS{2}Then arose Saul, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him were three thousand men chosen out of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

\VS{3}And Saul encamped on the hill of Chachilah, which is before the desert by the way; but David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul was coming after him into the wilderness.

\VS{4}David thereupon sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come for a certainty.

\VS{5}And David arose, and came to the place where Saul was encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army; and Saul was lying in the midst of the ring, and the people were encamped round about him.

\VS{6}Then commenced David and said to Achimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruyah, the brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will readily go down with thee.

\VS{7}So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the ring, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head; but Abner and the people were lying round about him.

\VS{8}Then said Abishai to David, God hath surrendered this day thy enemy into thy hand: and now let me strike him through, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the earth with one blow, and I will not give him a second one.

\VS{9}But David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who hath stretched forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and remained guiltless?

\VS{10}David said farthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord alone shall strike him down: either his day shall come that he die; or he shall go down into battle, and perish.

\VS{11}Far be this from me for the sake of the Lord, that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed; but now, I pray thee, take thou the spear that is by his head, and the cruise of water, and let us go our way.

\VS{12}So David took the spear and the cruise of water by the head of Saul, and they went their way; and no one saw it, and no one perceived it, and-no one awaked; for they were all sleeping; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.

\VS{13}Then went David over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mount afar off, the space between them being great.

\VS{14}And David called to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Wilt thou not answer, Abner? And Abner answered and said, Who art thou that callest to the king?

\VS{15}And David said to Abner, Art thou not a man? and who is like to thee in Israel? why then hast thou not kept guard over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people to destroy the king thy lord.

\VS{16}This thing which thou hast done is not good. As the Lord liveth, ye deserve to die; because ye have not kept guard over your master, over the Lord's anointed. And now see, where is the king's spear, and the cruise of water that was by his head?

\VS{17}And Saul recognized David's voice, and he said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my Lord, O king.

\VS{18}And he said, Why is this that my lord doth pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

\VS{19}And now, I pray thee, let my Lord the king hear the words of his servant! If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, then may he accept the savor of an offering; but if they be the children of men, then be they cursed before the Lord; because they have driven me out this day so that I cannot attach myself on the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.

\VS{20}Now, therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth far from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as one doth usually pursue a partridge on the mountains.

\VS{21}Then said Saul, I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will not do thee harm any more, for the cause that my life was precious in thy eyes this day: behold, I have acted foolishly, and have erred exceedingly much.

\VS{22}And David answered and said, Behold, here is the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

\VS{23}And may the Lord recompense to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; since the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, and I would not stretch forth my hand against the anointed of the Lord.

\VS{24}And behold, as thy life was highly valued this day in my eyes, so may my life be highly valued in the eyes of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.

\VS{25}Then said Saul to David, Blessed be thou my son David: thou wilt both do great things, and wilt also surely prevail. And David went then on his way, and Saul returned to his place.



\par }\Chap{27}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And David said in his heart, Now I may yet perish suddenly one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I should escape at once into the land of the Philistines, then Saul will abstain from me, to seek me any more in all the territory of Israel: and so shall I escape out of his hand.

\VS{2}And David arose, and he passed over himself with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Ma'och, the king of Gath.

\VS{3}And David remained with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, also David with his two wives, Achino'am the Yizre'elitess, and Abigayil, Nabal's wife, the Carmelitess.

\VS{4}And when it was told unto Saul that David was fled to Gath, he continued no more to seek for him.

\VS{5}And David said unto Achish, If now I have found grace in thy eyes, let them give me a place in some one of the country-towns, that I may dwell there; for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

\VS{6}Then gave Achish unto him on that day Ziklag: therefore hath Ziklag pertained unto the kings of Judah until this day.

\VS{7}And the number of the days that David dwelt in the fields of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

\VS{8}And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gizrites, and the 'Amalekites; for these nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, till thou comest to Shur, and as far as the land of Egypt.

\VS{9}And David smote the land, and left not alive either man or woman, and took away the flocks, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.

\VS{10}And Achish said, Whither have ye made an inroad today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Yerachmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

\VS{11}And David left not alive either man or woman, to bring [them] to Gath, saying, That they may not tell on us, saying, So hath David done, and so is his custom all the days he hath dwelt in the fields of the Philistines.

\VS{12}And Achish had confidence in David, saying, He hath surely spoiled his odor among his people, among Israel; and he will become unto me a servant for ever.



\par }\Chap{28}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their camps together for warfare, to fight with Israel; and Achish said unto David, Thou must know that thou shalt go out with me into the camp, thou and thy men.

\VS{2}And David said to Achish, By reason of this wilt thou thyself ascertain what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee the guard of my head for all times.

\VS{3}Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city; and Saul had removed those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

\VS{4}And the Philistines assembled themselves together, and came and encamped at Shunem: and Saul assembled together all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa'.

\VS{5}And when Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.

\VS{6}And Saul asked counsel of the Lord; but the Lord answered him not, either by means of dreams, or by means of the Urim, or by means of the prophets.

\VS{7}Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek out for me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at 'En-dor.

\VS{8}And Saul disguised himself, and put on other garments, and he went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Divine, I pray thee, unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me the one whom I shall say unto thee.

\VS{9}And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou well knowest that which Saul hath done, that 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?

\VS{10}And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no guilt attach to thee for this thing.

\VS{11}Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up for thee? And he said, Samuel thou must bring up for me.

\VS{12}And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman said to Saul thus, Why hast thou deceived me? since thou art Saul.

\VS{13}And the king said unto her, Be not afraid; however, what hast thou seen? And the woman said unto Saul, A divine being have I seen ascending out of the earth.

\VS{14}And he said unto her, What is his form? And she said, An old man is coming up; and he is wrapt in a mantle. And so Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and prostrated himself.

\VS{15}And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am greatly distressed, and the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and hath not answered me any more, either by the agency of the prophets, or by means of dreams; wherefore I have called thee, to make known unto me what I shall do.

\VS{16}Then said Samuel, And why wilt thou ask me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thy enemy?

\VS{17}And the Lord hath done for himself as he hath spoken through my agency; and the Lord hath rent the government out of thy hand, and hath given it to thy associate, to David;

\VS{18}As thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord, and didst not execute his fierce wrath upon 'Amalek; therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day.

\VS{19}And the Lord will deliver also Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: also the camp of Israel will the Lord deliver into the hand of the Philistines.

\VS{20}Then fell Saul hastily with his full length to the earth, and was greatly afraid, because of the words of Samuel: there was also no strength in him; for he had not eaten any food all that day, and all that night.

\VS{21}And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was greatly terrified; and she said unto him, Behold, thy hand-maid hath obeyed thy voice; and I put my life in my hand, and hearkened unto thy words which thou spokest unto me.

\VS{22}And now, hearken thou also, I pray thee, unto the voice of thy hand-maid, and let me set before thee a morsel of bread, and eat; that thou mayest have strength when thou goest on the way.

\VS{23}But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants urged him much, as also the woman; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

\VS{24}And the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she hastened, and slaughtered it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread thereof:

\VS{25}And she brought it near before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.



\par }\Chap{29}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Now the Philistines assembled together all their camps at Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is by Yizre'el.

\VS{2}And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; but David and his men passed on at the last with Achish.

\VS{3}Then said the princes of the Philistines, What are these Hebrews to do? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Behold, this is David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me already a year, or even years, and I have not found the least in him [to blame] from the day of his joining [me] until this day?

\VS{4}And the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Cause this man to go back, that he may return to his place whither thou hast assigned him; but he shall not go down with us to the battle, that he may not become an adversary to us in the battle; for wherewith could this person reconcile himself unto his master? is it not by means of the heads of these men?

\VS{5}Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in the dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

\VS{6}Then did Achish call David, and say unto him, As the Lord liveth, [I declare] that thou art upright, and that thy going out and thy coming in with me in the camp is good in my eyes; for I have not found in thee any evil from the day of thy coming unto me until this day; nevertheless in the eyes of the lords thou art not good.

\VS{7}And now return, and go in peace, that thou mayest not do any evil in the eyes of the lords of the Philistines.

\VS{8}And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant from the day that I have been before thee, until this day, that I shall not go to fight against the enemies of my Lord the king?

\VS{9}And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my eyes, as an angel of God; nevertheless, the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

\VS{10}And now rise up early in the morning with the servants of thy master that are come with thee: and rise then up early in the morning, and when ye have light, go away.

\VS{11}And David and his men rose up early to go away in the morning, to return unto the land of the Philistines; but the Philistines went up to Yizre'el.



\par }\Chap{30}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And it came to pass when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the 'Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fire;

\VS{2}And had taken captive the women that were therein, both great and small: they had not slain any one, but had led them off, and gone on their way.

\VS{3}When therefore David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burnt with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, had been taken captive.

\VS{4}And David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

\VS{5}And the two wives of David were also taken captive, Achino'am the Yizre'elitess, and Abigayil the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

\VS{6}And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was imbittered, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David fortified himself in the Lord his God.

\VS{7}And David said to Ebyathar the priest, the son of Achimelech, Bring hither, I pray thee, unto me the ephod. And Ebyathar brought the ephod near unto David.

\VS{8}And David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop! shall I overtake them? And he said to him, Pursue; for thou wilt surely overtake them, and certainly recover [all].

\VS{9}So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came up to the brook Bessor, where those that were left behind stayed.

\VS{10}But David pursued on, he and four hundred men; and there stayed behind two hundred men, who were too fatigued to go over the brook Bessor.

\VS{11}And they found an Egyptian man in the field, and took him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;

\VS{12}And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins, and he ate, and then his spirit returned to him; for he had not eaten any bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

\VS{13}And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young Egyptian man, the servant to an 'Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because I fell sick, today three days ago.

\VS{14}We made an invasion upon the south of the Kerethites, and upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and Ziklag did we burn with fire.

\VS{15}And David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, and that thou wilt not surrender me into the hand of my master, and then will I bring thee down to this troop.

\VS{16}And he brought him down; and behold, they were scattered over the face of all the country, eating and drinking, and dancing for joy, because of all the great spoil which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

\VS{17}And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day; and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels, and fled.

\VS{18}And David recovered all that the 'Amalekites had taken away; and his two wives also did David rescue.

\VS{19}And there was nothing missing to them, from small to great, as also sons and daughters, and spoil, down to every thing that they had taken from them: the whole did David bring back.

\VS{20}And David took all the flocks and the herds: these they drove before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

\VS{21}And David came to the two hundred men, who had been too fatigued to follow after David, and whom they had left to remain at the brook Bessor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him; and David came near to the people, and asked them after their well-being.

\VS{22}Then exclaimed every wicked and worthless man, of those that had gone with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, and these they may lead away, and go.

\VS{23}Then said David, Ye must not do so, my brethren; since the Lord hath given us this, and guarded us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.

\VS{24}And who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as is the part of him that went down to the battle, so shall be the part of him that remained with the baggage: together must they share.

\VS{25}And it happened from that day and forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel until this day.

\VS{26}And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, Behold, here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord:

\VS{27}To those who were in Beth-el, and to those who were in south Ramoth, and to those who were in Yattir,

\VS{28}And to those who were in 'Aro'er, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa',

\VS{29}And to those who were in Rachal, and to those who were in the cities of Yerach-meelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,

\VS{30}And to those who were in Chormah, and to those who were in Kor-'ashan, and to those who were in 'Athach,

\VS{31}And to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men had wandered about.



\par }\Chap{31}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and there fell down [many] slain on mount Gilboa'.

\VS{2}And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines smote Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malkishua', the sons of Saul.

\VS{3}And the battle was heavy against Saul, and he was found by the archers, the men with bows; and he was greatly in dread of the archers.

\VS{4}And Saul said unto his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and wantonly ill-use me. But his armor-bearer would not; for he was greatly afraid; wherefore Saul took the sword, and fell upon it.

\VS{5}And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, then fell he likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

\VS{6}Thus died Saul, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, also all his men, on that same day together.

\VS{7}And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and those that were on the other side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons had died: they forsook the cities, and fled away; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

\VS{8}And it came to pass on the morrow, that the Philistines came to strip the slain; and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on mount Gilboa'.

\VS{9}And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent it into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.

\VS{10}And they put his armor in the house of 'Ashtaroth; and his body they fastened to the wall of Beth-shan.

\VS{11}And when the inhabitants of Yabeshgil'ad heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul:

\VS{12}Then arose all the valiant men, and walked all the night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Yabesh, and burnt them there.

\VS{13}And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree at Yabesh, and they fasted seven days.


\par }