Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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1Samuel
1Samuel 1
1. Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah ben-Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
2. And he had two wives, one named Hannah and the other named Peninnah. And it came to pass that Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3. And this man came up from his city every year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli were there, Hophni and Phinehas, Jehovah’s priests.
4. And when the day came that Elkanah made a sacrifice, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
5. But he would give Hannah a double portion because he loved Hannah, though Jehovah had closed her womb.
6. And because Jehovah had closed her womb, her rival provoked her greatly, just to vex her.
7. And it happened, year after year, whenever she went up to the house of Jehovah, she provoked her like this, and she would weep and not eat.
8. And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why are you not eating? And why is your heart heavy? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9. And so, after eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah rose up. And Eli the priest sat on the seat by a doorpost of the house of Jehovah.
10. She was distressed in her soul, and prayed to Jehovah, and wept bitterly.
11. And she vowed a vow, and said, “O Lord of Hosts, if you will just look upon the affliction of your handmaid and remember me and not forget your handmaid, but will give to your handmaid a male child, then I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come upon his head.”
12. And it came to pass as she was praying earnestly before Jehovah, that Eli noticed her mouth.
13. Now, Hannah was speaking in her heart. Her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard, and Eli thought she was drunk.
14. And Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk? Put your wine away!”
15. And Hannah answered and said, “Oh no, my lord! I’m a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I’ve been pouring out my soul before Jehovah.
16.Don’t take your handmaid for a daughter of Belial; I was talking to God out of my great complaint and vexation.”
17. Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your request that you have asked of Him.”
18. And she said, “Let your handmaid find favor in your sight.” So, the woman went her way, and ate. And her countenance was no longer downcast.
19. And they arose early in the morning and worshipped before Jehovah, and then they returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Jehovah remembered her.
20. And it came to pass, in the course of time, that Hannah conceived. And she bore a son, and called his name Samuel[1] because, she said, “I asked for him from Jehovah.”
21. And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer the yearly sacrifice to Jehovah, and to pay his vow.
22. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “When the child is weaned, then I’ll bring him, that he may be presented before Jehovah, and abide there forever.”
23. And Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what is good in your eyes. Stay until you have weaned him; however, Jehovah keeps His word.” So, the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.
24. Then, when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bullocks, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young.
25. And they slaughtered the bullock and brought the child to Eli.
26. And she said, “If you please, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here beside you, praying to Jehovah.
27.For this child I prayed, and Jehovah granted me my request that I asked of Him.
28.Therefore, I am lending him to Jehovah; as long as he lives, he is lent to Jehovah.” And he worshipped Jehovah there.
1Samuel 2
¶1. And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in Jehovah! My horn is raised up in Jehovah! My mouth opens wide over my enemies because I am happy in your salvation!
2.There is none holy like Jehovah, for there is none besides you, and there is no Rock like our God!
3.Speak no more so very proudly, letting arrogance come out of your mouths, for Jehovah is a knowing God, and by Him actions are weighed.
4.The bows of the mighty are shattered, and the feeble are girded with strength.
5.They that were full have hired themselves out for bread, and they that were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren woman has borne seven, while the one with many sons has dried up.
6.Jehovah kills and restores to life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7.Jehovah makes poor and makes rich; He abases, and He exalts.
8.He lifts the poor up from the dust and raises the beggar up from the trash heap to make them to sit with nobles and to inherit a seat of honor. The pillars of the earth are Jehovah’s, and He has set the world upon them.
9.He will keep the feet of His saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness, for no man prevails by strength.
10.They that strive against Jehovah will be shattered; He will thunder against them out of heaven. Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth, for He will give strength to His King and lift up the horn of His anointed one.”
¶11. And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house, but the child ministered to Jehovah in the presence of Eli the priest.
12. Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they did not know the Lord.
13. And the custom of the priests with the people was that when any man slaughtered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged meat-hook in his hand.
14. And he would thrust it into the pan, or the kettle, or the caldron, or the pot, and all that the meat-hook brought up, the priest took for himself. Thus they did to all Israel who came there to Shiloh.
15. Also, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Provide meat for the priest to roast! He will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw.”
16. And if the man said to him, “Make sure to burn the fat first, and then take for yourself as much as you want.” Then he would say, “No, you will give it now! And if not, I will take it by force.”
17. And so, the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of Jehovah.
18. But Samuel, as a boy, ministered before Jehovah, girded with a linen ephod.
19. And his mother would make for him a little robe and bring it up to him from year to year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “Jehovah give you seed by this woman because of the loan which he made to Jehovah.” Then, they went to his place.
21. And Jehovah did visit Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
¶22. Now Eli was very old, and he had heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who served at the door of the tent of meeting.
23. And he said to them, “Why are you doing such things as these? I hear from all these people of your evil deeds.
24.No, my sons! The report that I hear is not good. You make Jehovah’s people to transgress.
25.If a man sin against a man, a ruler will judge him, but if a man sins against Jehovah, who will advocate for him?” But they did not listen to their father’s voice, for it pleased Jehovah to kill them.
26. But the child Samuel continued to grow in stature, and he had favor with both Jehovah and men.
¶27. And a man of God came to Eli, and said to him, “Thus says Jehovah: Did I reveal myself plainly to the house of your father when they were in Egypt, subject to the house of Pharaoh?
28.And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to offer up incense, and to bear an ephod before me? And I gave to your father’s house all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire.
29.Why do you kick at my sacrifice and my offering which I have commanded in my dwelling-place? And you honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of every offering of my people Israel!
30.Therefore, Jehovah, God of Israel, declares: I indeed said, ‘Your house and your father’s house will stand before me forever.’ But now Jehovah says, ‘Be it far from me! For those who honor me will I honor, and those who despise me shall be cursed.’
31.Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your arm, even the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.
32.And in my dwelling-place, you will see a rival with all the good that God has bestowed upon Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever!
33.And the man of yours that I do not cut off from my altar will be to consume your eyes and to grieve your soul, and all the progeny of your house shall die as young men.
34.And this will be the sign to you, which shall come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: they will both die in one day.
35.And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in my heart and in my soul, and I will build him a faithful house, and he will continue before my anointed one forever.
36.And it shall come to pass that all who are left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and he will say, ‘Attach me, I beg you, to one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.’”
1Samuel 3
¶1. Now, the child Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2. And it came to pass during those days that Eli lay down in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow dim; he could not see.
3. Now, the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the sanctuary of Jehovah, where the ark of God was.
4. And Jehovah called to Samuel, and he said, “Here am I.”
5. And he ran to Eli and said, “Here am I, because you called me.” And he said, “I did not call. Go back and lie down.” And he went and lay down.
6. And Jehovah called yet again, “Samuel!” And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here am I, because you called me.” And he said, “I did not call you, my son. Go back and lie down.”
7. Now, Samuel did not yet know Jehovah; the word of the Lord was not yet revealed to him.
8. And again Jehovah called Samuel for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here am I, because you called me.” And then, Eli perceived that Jehovah was calling the child.
9. And Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. And it shall be that if He calls you, then you say, ‘Speak, Jehovah, for your servant is listening.’ ” And Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10. And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
11. And Jehovah said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel, at the which both ears of everyone who hears of it shall tingle.
12.In that day, I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from start to finish.
13.For I have told him that I will execute everlasting judgment upon his house because of the iniquity which he knows, namely, his sons have been making themselves vile, and he has not stopped them.
14.And therefore, I have sworn to the house of Eli that I will damn myself if the iniquity of Eli’s house will ever be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.”[2]
15. And Samuel lay down until the morning, and then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.
16. And Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here am I.”
17. And he said, “What is it that He said to you? Now, do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more so, if you hide anything from me of all that He said to you.”
18. And so, Samuel told him every word and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is Jehovah. Let Him do what is good in His eyes.”
19. And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and He did not let any of his words fall to the ground.
20. And all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of Jehovah.
21. And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh, for Jehovah revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
1Samuel 4
¶1. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. And Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and they camped at Ebenezer. And the Philistines camped by Aphek.
2. And the Philistines drew up in battle-order to meet Israel, and when the battle ended, Israel was smitten before the Philistines. And they slew about four thousand men on the field of battle.
3. Then the people came into the camp, and the elders of Israel said, “Why has Jehovah smitten us this day before the Philistines? Let’s bring the ark of the covenant of Jehovah to us from Shiloh, that it may come into our midst and deliver us from the hand of our enemies!”
4. And so, the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of Hosts who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5. And it came to pass when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, all of Israel shouted with such a great shout that the earth was shaken.
6. When the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, they said, “What is the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” Then they found out that the ark of Jehovah had come into the camp.
7. And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! Nothing like this has ever happened!
8.Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are those gods who smote Egypt with complete slaughter in the wilderness!
9.Take heart and act like men, O Philistines! Otherwise, you will serve the Hebrews in the same way they used to serve you. Be men, and fight!”
10. So the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten. Then every man fled to his tent, and there was a very great slaughter. And there fell thirty-thousand footmen from Israel.
11. And the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12. And there ran a man of Benjamin from the battle line, and he came to Shiloh the same day with his garments torn and dirt on his head.
13. And, behold, Eli went and sat in the seat by the road, watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. Then the man came in to tell the city, and the whole city cried out.
14. When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this sound of uproar?” And the man went quickly and told Eli.
15. Now, Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were set, so that he was no longer able to see.
16. And the man said to Eli, “I have come from the battle line. Indeed, I escaped from the battle line today.” And he said, “What has happened, my son?”
17. And the one who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines. Moreover, there has been a great slaughter among the people. And also, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead. And the ark of God has been taken.”
¶18. And at his mention of the ark of God, he fell from the seat backwards, away from the gate. And his neck was broken, and he died, for the man was old and very heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19. And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was pregnant and about to give birth. And when she heard the report that the ark of God had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she fell to her knees and went into labor, for her birth pangs came upon her.
20. And as she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t be afraid, for you have borne a son!” But she did not respond, for she did not regard it.
21. But she had called the boy Ichabod,[3] saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because of the ark of God being taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22. So, she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.”
1Samuel 5
¶1. And the Philistines captured the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
2. And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon, and they placed it beside Dagon.
3. And when the people of Ashdod arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah. So, they took Dagon and put him back in his place.
4. Early the next morning when they arose, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground again before the ark of Jehovah, and the head of Dagon and the palms of both his hands were on the threshold, cut off. Only the fish part was left of him.
5. That is why, even to this day, neither the priests of Dagon nor any who enter into Dagon’s house step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod.
6. And the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and He devastated them and struck them with hemorrhoids, both Ashdod and its territories.
7. And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was thus, they said, “The ark of Israel’s God cannot remain with us because His hand is heavy upon us and on Dagon our god.”
8. So, they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them and said, “What shall we do with the ark of Israel’s God?” And they said, “Let Gath fetch the ark of the God of Israel.” And they fetched the ark of the God of Israel.
9. And it came to pass after they fetched it that the hand of Jehovah was against that city with very great destruction. And He struck the men of the city, both small and great, so that hemorrhoids broke out among them.
10. So, they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass as the ark of God was coming to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of Israel’s God around to us to kill us and our people!”
11. And they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, “Send the ark of Israel’s God away, and let it return to its place so it will not kill us and our people!” For there was deadly destruction throughout the city. The hand of God was very heavy there.
12. And the men who did not die were struck with hemorrhoids, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
1Samuel 6
1. And the ark of Jehovah was in the land of the Philistines seven months.
2. And the Philistines called for the priests and for those who practiced divination, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? Tell us how we should send it to its place.”
3. And they said, “When you send the ark of Israel’s God, do not send it with nothing, but you shall surely return Him a guilt-offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand has not turned from you.”
4. And they asked, “What is the guilt-offering that we shall return to Him?” And they said, “Five gold hemorrhoids, and five gold mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, even your lords, for the one plague was on them all.
5.Therefore, make images of your hemorrhoids and images of your mice that are ruining the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps He will lighten His hand from off you, and from your gods, and from your land.
6.Now, why harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He dealt harshly with them, did they not send them away, and they went?
7.So now, take and prepare a new cart and two milking cows that have never had a yoke put on them, and harness the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them.
8.And take the ark of Jehovah and set it on the cart, and place the gold objects that you are returning to Him as a guilt-offering in a coffer beside it, and send it away and let it go.
9.Then watch. If it goes up the way to its own territory, to Beth-shemesh, He did this great harm to us. But if not, then we shall know that His hand did not strike us; it was by chance that it happened to us.”
10. And the men did so, and they took two milking cows, and they harnessed them to the cart, but their calves they penned up at home.
11. And they placed the ark of Jehovah on the cart, and the coffer, and the gold mice, and the images of their hemorrhoids.
12. And the cows went directly by the way of the road to Beth-shemesh. They went along together on the highway, bellowing, but they did not turn aside to the right or the left, and the lords of the Philistines walked behind them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.
13. And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the valley, and they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, and they rejoiced to see it.
14. And the cart came to the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite, and it stopped there, where there was a large rock. And they cut up the wood of the cart, and they offered the cows as a burnt offering to Jehovah.
¶15. And the Levites took down the ark of Jehovah and the coffer that was with it, in which were the gold objects, and put them on the large rock. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to Jehovah.
16. And the five lords of the Philistines watched, and then they returned to Ekron the same day.
¶17. And these are the gold hemorrhoids that the Philistines returned as a guilt-offering to Jehovah: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron.
18. And the gold mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, from the fortified city to the country village, even to the large rock of Abel on which they set the ark of Jehovah, which rock is in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite until this day.
19. But because they looked into the ark of Jehovah, He struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, and He struck among the people fifty-thousand and seventy men. And the people mourned because Jehovah had dealt the people a great blow.
20. And the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God? And to whom shall it go up from us?”
21. And they sent messengers to those living at Kirjath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of Jehovah. Come down! Take it up to you.”
1Samuel 7
¶1. And men of Kirjath-jearim came and took up the ark of Jehovah and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill, and they sanctified his son Eleazar to keep the ark of Jehovah.
2. And so it was, from the day the ark was lodged in Kirjath-jearim, much time passed. And after twenty years, all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.
3. And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel saying, “If you are returning to Jehovah with all your heart, put away the foreign gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and fix your heart on Jehovah, and serve Him only. Then He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”
4. And the children of Israel put away the Baals and Ashtaroth, and served Jehovah only.
5. Then Samuel said, “Assemble all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Jehovah for you.”
6. So they assembled at Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before Jehovah, and they fasted that day. And they said there, “We have sinned against Jehovah.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.
¶7. Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were assembled 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.
8. And the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to Jehovah our God for us, that He save us from the hand of the Philistines!”
9. So, Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered the whole thing as a burnt offering to Jehovah. And Samuel cried out to Jehovah on Israel’s behalf, and Jehovah answered him.
10. And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel. But Jehovah thundered with a great sound on that day upon the Philistines and confounded them, and they were defeated before Israel.
11. And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, as far as below Beth-car.
12. Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and he called its name Ebenezer,[4] saying, “To this point, Jehovah helped us.”
13. And the Philistines were subdued and came no more into the territory of Israel. And the hand of Jehovah was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14. And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel returned to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath, and so, Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15. And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16. And he traveled from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places.
17. And his return was to Ramah because his home was there. And there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to Jehovah.
1Samuel 8
¶1. And it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2. And the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abiah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3. But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after unjust gain; they took bribes and perverted justice.
¶4. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
5.and they said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint a king for us, right now, to judge us like all the nations.”
6. But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” the thing was evil in Samuel’s eyes. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.
7. And Jehovah said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
8.According to all the works which they have done since the day I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so have they also done to you.
9.So, listen now to their voice. Howbeit, solemnly warn them and declare to them the prerogatives of the king who will reign over them.”
¶10. And Samuel spoke all the words of Jehovah to the people who asked of him a king.
11. And he said, “This will be the prerogative of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons for himself and assign them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and they will run before his chariot.
12.And he shall appoint for himself rulers of thousands and rulers of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons for war and weapons for his chariots.
13.And he will take your daughters to be spice-mixers, and cooks, and bakers.
14.And he will take the best of your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards, and give them to his servants.
15.And of your seed and your vineyards, he will take a tenth and give it to his officials and to his servants.
16.And your menservants and your maidservants, and your best cattle[5] and your asses, he will take and use for his work.
17.He will confiscate a tenth of your flocks, and you, yourselves, will be his slaves!
18.And in that day, you will cry out because of your king that you chose for yourselves; but Jehovah will not answer you in that day.”
19. But the people refused to give heed to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No! But a king shall be over us,
20.so that we may be like all the nations. And our king will judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.”
21. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and then he spoke them in the ears of Jehovah.
22. And Jehovah said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go, every man, to his city.”
1Samuel 9
¶1. Now there was a man of Benjamin and his name was Kish ben-Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a man of Benjamin, a mighty man of valor.
2. And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and impressive young man, and there was not a man among the sons of Israel better than he. From his shoulders up, he was taller than any of the people.
3. And the she-asses of Kish, Saul’s father, had wandered away. So, Kish said to Saul his son, “Take with you, I pray, one of the servants, and arise. Go look for the she-asses.”
4. And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and he passed through the region of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then, they passed through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. And he passed through the land southward, and they did not find them.
5. They came to the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and let’s go back, lest my father stop worrying about the she-asses and start worrying about us.”
6. But he said to him, “Behold, now! A man of God is in this city, and the man is held in honor. All that he says certainly comes to pass. Let’s go there now. It may be that he’ll make our way known to us, which way we should take.”
7. Then Saul said to his servant, “But, behold, if we go, then what shall we bring to the man? The bread is gone from our sacks, and there’s no gift to bring to a man of God. What do we have?”
8. And the servant again answered Saul and said, “Behold, I have a fourth part of a shekel of silver with me, and I’ll give it to the man of God, and he’ll tell us our way.”
9. (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say, “Come, and let us go to the seer,” for today’s “prophet” used to be called a “seer”.)
10. Then Saul said to his servant, “What you say is good. Come on, let’s go.” And they went into the city where the man of God was.
11. As they were going up the ascent to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer in this place?”
12. And they answered them and said, “Behold, he’s ahead of you. Hurry up now, for he has come to the city today because the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.
13.Just as you enter the city, you’ll find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people won’t eat until he comes because he must consecrate the sacrifice. After that, those who are called will eat. So go up now because this is the time you’ll find him.”
14. And so, they went on up to the city, and as they were entering the city, behold, Samuel was coming out to invite them to go up to the high place.
¶15. Now a day before Saul’s coming, Jehovah had spoken in Samuel’s ear, saying,
16.“At this time tomorrow, I will send to you a man from the territory of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him as ruler over my people Israel, and he shall deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines, for I have considered my people because their cry has come to me.”
17. And Samuel looked at Saul, and Jehovah told him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This man shall govern my people.”
18. And Saul approached Samuel inside the gate and said, “Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?”
19. And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place and you shall eat with me today, and in the morning, I will send you away, and all that is in your heart I will tell you.
20.And as for your she-asses that went astray three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not to you and to all your father’s house?”
21. And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why, then, do you speak to me like this?”
¶22. But Samuel took Saul and his servant, and he brought them to the hall, and he gave them a place at the head of those who had been called, and there were about thirty men.
23. And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Keep it with you.’”
24. And the cook took up the thigh and what was on it, and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Behold, that which was reserved is set before you! Eat, for it was kept for you until the appointed time,” adding, “I have called the people.” So, Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25. And they came down from the high place to the city, and he spoke with Saul on the roof.
26. And they rose early, and it came to pass at the break of dawn that Samuel called Saul on the roof, saying, “Rise up, and I will send you away.” And Saul rose up, and the two of them went out, he and Samuel, into the street.
27. As they went down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the young man to go ahead of us and pass on, but you stay awhile, and I will tell you the word of God.”
1Samuel 10
¶1. Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and he kissed him and said, “Has not Jehovah anointed you as ruler over His inheritance?
2.When you depart from me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin, at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The she-asses that you went to look for have been found, and behold, your father is no longer concerned for the she-asses, but he is worried about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’
3.And then you will go on farther from there and come to the oak of Tabor, and three men who are going up to God at Bethel will find you there, one carrying three kids, and one carrying three loaves of bread, and the other carrying a skin of wine.
4.And they will ask you of your well-being and give you two loaves of bread, and you shall take them from their hand.
5.After that, you shall come to the hill of God[6], where there is a garrison of the Philistines, and it shall come to pass when you arrive at the city that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place prophesying, with a lute, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a lyre ahead of them.
6.And the Spirit of Jehovah will come upon you mightily, and you will prophesy with them, and you will be turned into a different man.
7.And it shall be that when these signs happen to you, do as you will, whatever your hand finds, for God is with you.
8.Then you shall go down before me to Gilgal, and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace-offerings. You must wait seven days until I come to you, and I will make known to you what you shall do.”
9. And it came to pass when he turned his back to go from Samuel that God turned his heart into a different one. And all these signs happened that day.
¶10. And they came to the hill, and behold, a band of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, and he prophesied among them.
11. And it came to pass when all who knew him before saw that, behold, he was prophesying with prophets. Then the people said, each to his neighbor, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
12. And a man from there answered and said, “And who is their father?” Therefore, it became a saying, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
13. And he finished prophesying and went to the high place.
14. And Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To look for the she-asses, and then, when we saw that they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”
15. Then Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, I pray, what did Samuel say to you?”
16. And Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the she-asses had been found.” But of the matter of the kingdom of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him.
¶17. And Samuel summoned the people to Jehovah at Mizpah,
18.and he said to the children of Israel, “Thus says Jehovah, God of Israel: I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.
19.And you, this day, have rejected your God, who delivered you from all your troubles and your distresses. And you have said to Him, ‘No! Set a king over us.’ So now, present yourselves before Jehovah by your tribes and by your families.”
20. And Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21. Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin by its families, and the family of Matri was taken, and Saul, the son of Kish was taken, and they looked for him, but he could not be found.
22. And they inquired again of Jehovah, “Has the man come here yet?” And Jehovah said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”
23. And they ran, and they brought him from there, and he stood in the midst of the people, and from his shoulders up, he was taller than any of the people.
24. And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom Jehovah has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” And all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
¶25. Then Samuel told the people the prerogative of kingship, and he wrote it in a book and placed it before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, each to his home.
26. And Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and valiant men went with him whose hearts God had touched.
27. But sons of Belial said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and did not bring him a gift. But he held his peace.
1Samuel 11
¶1. Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-Gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”
2. But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “By this will I make a covenant with you, by gouging out all your right eyes, and I will make it a reproach on all Israel.”
3. And the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Leave us alone for seven days and let us send messengers to all the territory of Israel, and if there is no one who will deliver us, then we will come out to you.”
4. And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and they spoke the words in the ears of the people, and all the people lifted up their voice and wept.
5. And behold, Saul came in from the field behind the oxen, and Saul said, “What has happened to the people, that they are weeping?” And they repeated to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6. And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger burned fiercely.
7. And he took a team of oxen and cut them in pieces, and he sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, thus shall it be done to his oxen.” And the fear of Jehovah fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.
8. And he mustered them at Bezek, and there were three hundred thousand sons of Israel and thirty thousand men of Judah.
9. And they said to the messengers that had come, “Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: ‘Tomorrow, when the sun is hot, you will have deliverance.’” And the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced.
10. Then the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we shall come out to you, and you shall do to us all that is good in your eyes.”
¶11. And it came to pass the following day that Saul formed the people into three companies, and they came into the midst of the camp during the morning watch, and they struck Ammon down until the heat of the day. And those who were left were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12. And the people said to Samuel, “Who was saying, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men and let’s kill them!”
13. But Saul said, “No man shall be killed this day, for today, Jehovah has wrought deliverance in Israel.”
¶14. Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”
15. And all the people went to Gilgal, and there at Gilgal, they made Saul king before Jehovah. And there they sacrificed peace-offerings before Jehovah, and there, Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
1Samuel 12
¶1. And Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I listened to your voice, to all that you said to me, and I have made a king over you.
2.So now, behold, the king walks before you! And as for me, I am old and white-headed, and my sons, behold, they are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.
3.Here I am! Answer me before Jehovah and before His anointed one! Whose ox have I taken? Or whose ass have I taken? Or whom have I wronged? Or whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind me with? I will return it to you!”
4. And they said, “You have not wronged us, nor have you oppressed us, and you have not taken anything from the hand of anyone.”
5. And he said to them, “This day, Jehovah is witness against you, and His anointed is witness, that you have found nothing in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness!”
¶6. And Samuel said to the people, “It is Jehovah who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7.So, stand still now, and let me plead my case against you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah which He did for you and for your fathers.
8.When Jacob had gone into Egypt, your fathers cried out to Jehovah, and Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them to dwell in this place.
9.But they forgot Jehovah their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the King of Moab, and they fought against them.
10.And then they cried out to Jehovah, and said, ‘We have sinned! For we have forsaken Jehovah in serving Baals and Ashtaroth. But now, deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you!’
11.Then Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety.
12.But when you saw that Nahash, the king of the children of Ammon, was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No! But a king shall reign over us!’ – when Jehovah your God was your King!
13.So, behold now the king that you have chosen, that you asked for. Behold, Jehovah has set a king over you.
14.If you will fear Jehovah, and if you serve Him, and if you obey His voice, and if you do not disobey the command of Jehovah, only then will either you or the king who reigns over you continue with Jehovah your God.
15.But if you do not listen to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the command of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah shall be upon you as it was upon your fathers.
16.And now, stand still and see this great work which Jehovah will do before your eyes.
17.Is it not wheat harvest? I will cry out to Jehovah today, and He will send thunder and rain so that you may know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking for yourselves a king.”
¶18. And Samuel cried out to Jehovah, and Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.
19. And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray to Jehovah your God for your servants, so we won’t die! For we have added an evil to all our sins, to ask for ourselves a king!”
20. And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil. Yet, do not turn aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart!
21.Do not turn aside after vain things that cannot profit or deliver because they are vain!
22.For Jehovah will not forsake His people, for the sake of His great name. For it has pleased Jehovah to make you His people.
23.As for me, far be it from me to sin against Jehovah by ceasing to pray for you! But I will show you the good and right way.
24.Only fear Jehovah and serve Him in truth with all your heart! For see what a great thing He has done among you,
25.and if you still do evil, both you and your king shall be swept away!”
1Samuel 13
¶1. Saul reigned one year, and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
2.Saul chose for himself three thousand men out of Israel; two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the mountain of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people, each man, he sent to his tent.
3. And Jonathan struck the garrison of Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew a shofar throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
4. And all Israel heard it said, “Saul has struck a garrison of Philistines,” and also, “Israel has become an abomination to the Philistines.” And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
5. And the Philistines assembled themselves to wage war against Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people like the sand that is on the seashore in number. And they went up and camped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
6. When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and among rocks, and in holes, and in pits,
7.and the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people following him trembled.
8. And he waited seven days according to the time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal. So the people began to scatter from him.
9. And Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offering!” And he offered up the burnt offering.
10. And it came to pass, as he finished offering up the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him, to salute him.
11. And Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and you did not come within the days appointed, and the Philistines were assembling at Michmash,
12.I started thinking, ‘Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not besought the face of Jehovah.’ So, I forced myself and offered up the burnt offering.”
13. And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly! You have not kept the commandment of Jehovah your God which He commanded you. For then, Jehovah would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
14. But now, your kingdom will not continue. Jehovah has sought for Himself a man after his own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him ruler over His people because you have not kept that which Jehovah commanded you.”
¶15. Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul mustered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.
16. And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were found with them remained in Geba of Benjamin, and the Philistines were encamped in Michmash.
17. And raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned toward the way of Ophrah to the land of Shual,
18.and one company turned the way of Beth-Horan, and one company turned the way of the border that looks down over the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
¶19. Now there was no smith to be found throughout the land of Israel for the Philistines had said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.”
20. But all Israel went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his plowshare, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock,
21.and the sharpening fee was one pim for plowshares, and for coulters, and for three-pronged forks, and for axes, and for setting the goads.
22. And it came to pass on the day of battle that neither sword nor spear could be found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But one was found for Saul and for Jonathan his son.
23. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
1Samuel 14
¶1. And it came to pass one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man, his armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is over there.” But he did not tell his father.
2. And Saul was sitting on the outskirts of Gibeah, beneath the pomegranate tree that is in Migron. And the people who were with him were about six hundred men,
3.including Ahijah ben-Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, Jehovah’s priest in Shiloh wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
4. Now, among the passes where Jonathan sought to cross over to the garrison of the Philistines was a rugged cliff on this side and a rugged cliff on the other side, the name of the one being Bozez, and the name of the other, Seneh.
5. The face of one cliff was north, toward Michmash, and the other was south, toward Geba.
¶6. And Jonathan said to the young man, his armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. Perhaps Jehovah will do something for us, for nothing can keep Jehovah from saving, whether by many or by few.”
7. And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you, whatever you decide.”
8. And Jonathan said, “Behold, we will pass over to these men and show ourselves to them.
9.If they say to us something like, ‘Stay there until we come to you,’ then we will stay in our place and not go up to them.
10.But if they say something like, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for Jehovah has delivered them into our hands, and that will be our sign.”
11. And they both showed themselves to the Philistines’ garrison. And the Philistines said, “Behold! Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they hid themselves.”
12. And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and they said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something!” And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”
13. And Jonathan went up on his hands and on his feet, with his armor-bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer finished them off after him.
14. Now, the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made was about twenty men in an area about half a furrow long, as plowed by a yoke of oxen.
15. And there was panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people of the garrison; and even the raiders themselves trembled. And the earth shook, and there was very great panic.
16. And in Gibeah of Benjamin, Saul’s watchmen looked, and behold, the multitude was melting away, and they went in all directions.
¶17. And Saul said to the people who were with him, “Call the roll, now, and see who has gone out from us.” So they called the roll, and behold, neither Jonathan nor his armor-bearer were there.
18. And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” For at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel.
19. And it came to pass while Saul was speaking to the priest that the roar that was in the camp of the Philistines became greater and greater. And Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
20. Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled and went out to the battle. And behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion.
21. And the Hebrews all around who were with the Philistines previously, who had gone up with them to the camp, even they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22. And when all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines fled, then they, too, hotly pursued them in the battle.
23. So Jehovah delivered Israel on that day. Now, the battle had extended beyond Beth-aven,
24.and the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day, for Saul had adjured the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food before sunset, that I be avenged upon my enemies.” And so, none of the people had tasted any food.
¶25. Now, all the people of the land used to come to the woods, and there was honey on the face of the ground.
26. And when the people came to the forest, behold, the honey was flowing; however, no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the curse.
27. But Jonathan did not hear his father make the people take the oath, and he put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and he dipped it into the honey of the forest, and he brought his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.
28. And one of the people spoke up and said, “Your father adjured the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today,’ though the people were faint.”
29. Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land! See how my eyes are enlightened since I tasted a little of this honey.
30.How much better if only the people could have freely eaten today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. But now, the slaughter of the Philistines is not great.”
31. Yet, they struck the Philistines on that day from Michmash to Aijalon, though the people were very faint.
32. And the people pounced on the spoil, and they took sheep, and cattle, and calves, and they slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood.
33. And they reported to Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against Jehovah, eating with the blood! And he said, “You have behaved treacherously. Roll a great stone to me today.”
34. And Saul said, “Spread out among the people and tell them, ‘Bring me every man his ox, or every man his sheep, and slaughter it and eat it here. And do not sin against Jehovah by eating with the blood.’” And that night, all the people, every man, brought his own ox and slaughtered it there.
35. And Saul built an altar to Jehovah, the first altar he built to Jehovah.
¶36. Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them before the light of morning. And let’s not spare a single one.” And they said, “Do all that is good in your eyes.” But the priest said, “We should approach God here.”
37. So, Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him that day.
38. Then Saul said, “Let all the leaders of the people come here. Find out and see how this sin came about today.
39.For as Jehovah lives who delivers Israel, even if it was by Jonathan my son, he shall certainly die.” But no one among all the people answered him.
40. And he said to all of Israel, “You be on the one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what is good in your eyes.”
¶41. And Saul said to Jehovah, “O God of Israel, give a perfect lot!” Then Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.
42. And Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken.
43. Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him, and said, “I tasted a little of the honey, using the end of my staff. Here I am; I must die.”
44. And Saul said, “God do so to me, and even more, if you are not put to death, Jonathan!”
45. But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die who has brought about this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Jehovah lives, let us be damned if a single hair of his head falls to the ground![7] He has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, that he did not die.
46. And Saul ceased following after the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
¶47. So, Saul assumed the kingship over Israel, and he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. And wherever he turned, he vexed them.
48. And he formed an army and struck Amalek, and he delivered Israel from the hand of its spoilers.
¶49. Now, the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Jishui, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters are: the name of the firstborn, Merab, and the name of the younger, Michal.
50. And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner ben-Ner, Saul’s uncle.
51. And Kish was Saul’s father, and Ner was Abner’s father, the son of Abiel.
¶52. And the war against the Philistines was fierce all of Saul’s days. And when Saul saw any mighty man, or any able man, he took him for himself.
1Samuel 15
¶1. And Samuel said to Saul, “Jehovah sent me to anoint you to be king over His people, over Israel. So now, hear the voice of the words of Jehovah!
2.Thus says the Lord of Hosts: I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt.
3.Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have. And have no pity on them, but slay both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and ass.”
¶4. And Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.
5. And Saul came to a city of Amalek and laid wait in the valley.
6. And Saul said to the Kenites, “Go! Leave! Get away from the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them! For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” And so, the Kenites got away from the Amalekites.
7. And Saul struck Amalek down, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is on the border of Egypt.
8. And he took Agag, King of the Amalekites, alive, but he utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
9. So, Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and the cattle, and the seconds, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them, but every loathsome or worthless thing, that they destroyed.
¶10. Then came the word of Jehovah to Samuel, saying,
11.“I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried out to Jehovah all night.
12. And Samuel arose early to meet Saul in the morning, but it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he erected a pillar for himself, but he has turned back and passed on, and has gone down to Gilgal.”
13. And Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you of Jehovah! I have performed the commandment of Jehovah.”
14. But Samuel said, “What, then, is this bleating in my ears and the lowing that I hear?”
15. And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle to sacrifice to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
16. Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop, and let me tell you what Jehovah said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”
17. And Samuel said, “Is it not so that when you were small in your own eyes, you were made head of the tribes of Israel, for Jehovah anointed you king over Israel?
18.And Jehovah sent you on a journey and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, Amalek, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’
19.Why, then, have you not obeyed the voice of Jehovah, but have pounced on the spoil and done evil in the sight of Jehovah!”
20. And Saul said to Samuel, “I obeyed the voice of Jehovah! I went the way that Jehovah sent me; I brought back Agag, the king of Amalek; and I utterly destroyed Amalek!
21.But the people took of the spoil, sheep and cattle, the best of the devoted things to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal.”
22. And Samuel said, “Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen, than the fat of rams.
23.For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you from being king!”
24. And Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. For I have transgressed the command of Jehovah and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
25.But now, I beg you, forgive my sin and return with me, that I may worship Jehovah.”
26. And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you rejected the word of the Lord, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
27. And as Samuel turned to go, he grabbed the end of his robe, and it tore.
28. And Samuel said to him, “Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you.
29.The Eternal One of Israel neither lies nor repents, for he is not a man, that He should change His mind.”
30. Then he said, “I have sinned! O honor me now, I beg you, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship Jehovah your God.”
31. So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul worshipped Jehovah.
32. Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of Amalek!” And Agag came to him trembling. And Agag said, “Surely, the bitterness of death is past.”
33. And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother shall be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag into pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
34. Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul.
35. And Samuel did not see Saul again, even to the day of his death. Yet, Samuel mourned for Saul, for Jehovah had repented that He made Saul king over Israel.
1Samuel 16
¶1. And Jehovah said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing that I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go! I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided me a king from among his sons.”
2. And Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” But Jehovah said, “Take with you a heifer from the herd, and say, ‘I have come to make sacrifice to Jehovah.’
3.And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do, for you shall anoint for me whomever I tell you.”
4. So, Samuel did what Jehovah said, and he came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city trembled at his coming and said, “Have you come in peace?”
5. And he said, “In peace. I have come to make sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6. And it came to pass when they came in that he saw Eliab, and he said, “Surely, the Lord’s anointed is before Him.”
7. But Jehovah said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance nor on his tall stature, for I have rejected him. God does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks at the heart.”
8. So Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Jehovah has not chosen this one, either.”
9. Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Jehovah has not chosen this one, either.”
10. And Jesse made his seven sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “Jehovah has not chosen any of these.”
11. And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “The youngest is still left, but, behold, he is tending the flock.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and fetch him, for we will not sit around until he comes here.”
12. So he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes, and handsome. And Jehovah said, “Arise! Anoint him. For this is he.”
13. And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and the Spirit of Jehovah came powerfully upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
¶14. And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord began tormenting him.
15. And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
16.Let our lord now command your servants before you that they seek out a man who knows how to play a harp; and then, when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play with his hand, and it will do you good.”
17. And Saul said to his servants, “Find me a man who can play well and bring him to me.”
18. And one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, a skillful player, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a handsome man, and Jehovah is with him.”
19. And so, Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the flock.”
20. And Jesse took an ass, and sent to Saul bread and a skin of wine, and one kid by the hand of David his son.
21. And David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.
22. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”
23. And so it was that when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the harp and played with his hand, and Saul was relieved and felt better, for the evil spirit departed from him.
1Samuel 17
¶1. And the Philistines gathered their armies for battle, and they assembled at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they made camp between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.
2. And Saul and the men of Israel assembled, and they camped in the valley of Elah, and they set the battle in order to engage the Philistines.
3. And the Philistines stood on the one mountain, and Israel stood on the other mountain, and a valley was between them.
4. Then a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5. And he was wearing a helmet of bronze on his head, and an armor of scales that weighed five thousand shekels of bronze,
6.and greaves of bronze on his legs, and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders.
7. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear was six hundred shekels of iron. And a shield-bearer went before him.
8. And he stood and cried out to the battle line of Israel, and said to them, “Why are you coming out in battle order? Am I not a Philistine, and you, servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and have him come down to me!
9.If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants, but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.”
10. And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day! Give me a man that we may fight one another!”
11. And when Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and very afraid.
¶12. Now, David was the son of a man whose name was Jesse, an Ephrathite who was from Bethlehem-Judah, and he had eight sons. And the man, though old, went among the men in the days of Saul.
13. And the three oldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab, the firstborn, and his second, Abinadab, and the third, Shammah.
14. As for David, he was the youngest, and the three oldest followed Saul.
¶15. Now, David had left and returned from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem.
16. And the Philistine drew near, morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
17. And Jesse said to David his son, “Take now this ephah of parched grain and these ten loaves for your brothers, and hurry on to your brothers’ camp.
18.And take these ten cuts of cheese to the captain of the thousand, and then look into the welfare of your brothers and bring a token from them.”
19. Now Saul, and they, and every man of Israel were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.
20. So David arose early in the morning, and left the flock with a keeper, and took and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the army was going out to the battle line, and they raised the battle cry.
21. And Israel and the Philistines set the battle in order, army against army.
22. So David left the stuff he brought in the hand of the keeper of the supplies, and ran to the battle line, and came and asked of his brothers’ welfare.
23. And as he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine named Goliath of Gath, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke those same words, and David heard him.
24. And every man of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were very afraid.
25. And a man of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who comes up? He comes up to defy Israel, and the man who kills him, the king will make him rich with great riches, and will give his daughter to him, and make his father’s house free in Israel.”
26. Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills that Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that reproaches the armies of the living God!”
27. And those people told him the same thing, saying, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”
28. And Eliab, his oldest brother, heard him speak to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know the pride and wickedness of your heart! You came down to watch the battle!”
29. Then David said, “What have I done now? Wasn’t it just talk?”
30. And he turned from him toward another and spoke in the same manner, and the people returned the same answer to him as before.
31. And they heard the words that David spoke and reported them to Saul, and he sent for him.
32. And David said to Saul, “Do not let any man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
33. Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are a boy, and he, a man of war from his youth.”
34. Moreover, David said to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd of his father’s flock. And when there came a lion or a bear and carried off a lamb from the flock,
35.then I would go out after him, and strike him, and deliver it from his mouth. And when he rose up against me, I would grab his chin and strike him down, and kill him.
36.Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be as one of them, for he has reproached the armies of the living God.”
37. And David said, “Jehovah, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Then Saul said to David, “Go, and Jehovah be with you!”
38. And Saul clothed David with his garments, and put a helmet of bronze on his head, and put a coat of armor on him,
39.and girded David with his sword over his armor. And he tried to walk, but he had not proved them. Then David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I have no training.” So David took them off.
40. Then he took his staff in his hand, and he chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch. And his sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.
41. And the Philistine came, coming and drawing near to David, and the man bearing the shield before him.
42. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him, for he was a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance.
43. And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks!” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and to the beasts of the field.”
45. But David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, and a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
46.This day, Jehovah will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and take off your head from you. And I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army this day to the birds of the sky and to the beasts of the earth, so all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel!
47.And all this company shall know that Jehovah does not save by sword or spear, for the battle is Jehovah’s, and He has given you into our hands!”
48. And it came to pass that when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the battle-line to meet the Philistine.
49. And David put his hand into his bag and took a stone out of it, and he slung it, and he struck the Philistine in his forehead, and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.
50. So, David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him, and no sword was in David’s hand.
51. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it from the sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and fled.
52. So the men of Israel and Judah rose up and shouted, and they pursued the Philistines until you come to the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded Philistines fell on the Road of Two Gates[8], even to Gath and to Ekron.
53. And the children of Israel returned from pursuing after the Philistines and pillaged their camps.
54. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath’s stuff in his tent.
55. Now, when Saul was watching David go out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O King, I do not know.”
56. And the king said, “Ask whose son this youth is.”
57. And when David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, and the head of the Philistine was in his hand.
58. And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you young man?” And David said, “A son of your servant, Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
1Samuel 18
¶1. And it came to pass when he had finished speaking with Saul that Jonathan’s soul was knit to David’s soul, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2. And Saul took him that day and would not allow him to return to his father’s house.
3. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul.
4. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, along with his military attire, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
5. And David went forth, wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. So, Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of Saul’s servants.
¶6. Now, it came to pass that when David returned from slaying the Philistines, the women joyfully came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with timbrels and three-stringed instruments, singing and dancing as they were coming.
7. And the women answered one another as they played and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, but David, his ten thousands!”
8. Then Saul became very angry, for this saying was evil in his eyes. And he said, “They ascribed ten thousands to David, but to me, they ascribed thousands! And only the kingdom remains for him.”
9. And so it was that Saul eyed David from that day onward.
¶10. And it came to pass the next day that an evil spirit from God came powerfully upon Saul, and he prophesied within the house. And David was playing with his hand, as he did from day to day, and Saul had his spear in hand.
11. And Saul threw the spear, for he thought, “I will strike David through, even to the wall!” But David got away from him twice.
12. And Saul was afraid of David’s presence, for Jehovah was with him and was departed from Saul.
13. So, Saul removed him from himself and appointed him as his captain of a thousand, and he went out and came in before the people.
¶14. And David was prudent in all his ways, and Jehovah was with him.
15. And Saul perceived that he was very prudent, and he was afraid of him.
16. But all of Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them.
¶17. Then Saul said to David, “Behold, my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife, only you must be a mighty man for me and fight Jehovah’s battles.” For Saul said, “Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.”
18. And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my kinsmen among my father’s family in Israel that I should be son-in-law to the king?”
19. But when the time came to give Merab, Saul’s daughter, to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
20. Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David, and they told Saul, and the thing was good in his eyes,
21.for Saul thought, “Let me give her to him so that she may be a snare for him, that the hand of the Philistines may come upon him.” And Saul said to David the second time, “Today, you shall be my son-in-law.”
22. Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David privately, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you. So now, become the king’s son-in-law.’”
23. And Saul’s servants spoke these words in the ears of David. But David said, “Is it a trifling matter in your eyes to become a son-in-law to the king, as I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?”
24. And Saul’s servants told him, saying, “David spoke according to these words.”
25. Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David: The king does not desire a bride-price, except for one hundred Philistine foreskins, to be avenged of the king’s enemies.” For Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26.And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David to make himself the king’s son-in-law. And the days were not expired
27.when David rose up and went, he and his men, and struck two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins to become the king’s son-in-law, and they tallied them in full for the king. And Saul gave him Michal, his daughter, to wife.
28. Then Saul perceived and knew that Jehovah was with David and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him,
29.and Saul feared David’s presence all the more, and Saul became David’s enemy continually.
30. And the commanders of the Philistines would go forth, but it came to pass that whenever they went forth, David was more successful than any of Saul’s servants, and his name was held in high regard.
1Samuel 19
¶1. And Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David,
2.and Jonathan reported it to David, saying, “My father Saul wants to kill you. So, be on guard now, I beg you, in the morning. Stay in the secret place, and hide yourself
3.and I will go out and stand by my father in the field where you are, and I will speak for you to my father and see how it is, and then report to you.”
4. So, Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and he said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and his deeds have been very good toward you.
5.He even took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great deliverance for all Israel – and you saw it and rejoiced! Now, why would you sin against innocent blood, to kill David for no reason?”
6. And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As Jehovah lives, he shall not be slain.”
7. And Jonathan summoned David, and Jonathan reported all these words to him, and then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.
¶8. And there was war again, and David went out and fought against the Philistines, and he struck them with such a great blow that they fled from before him.
9. And the evil spirit from Jehovah was on Saul. And he was sitting in his house, and a spear was in his hand. And David was playing with his hand.
10. And Saul tried to smite David with the spear against the wall, but he got away from Saul and the spear stuck in the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
11. But Saul sent messengers to David’s house, to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal his wife told David, saying, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, you will be killed tomorrow.”
12. And Michal let David down through the window, and he went, and fled, and escaped.
13. And Michal took an image and put it on the bed, and she added a net of goat’s hair on its head and covered it with a garment.
14. And Saul sent messengers to take David, but she said, “He is sick.”
15. Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I might kill him.”
16. And the messengers went in, and behold, the idol was on the bed with a net of goat’s hair on its head.
17. And Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy get away, and he has escaped!” And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”
18. So, David fled and escaped. And he went in to Samuel in Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him, and he and Samuel went and lodged at Naioth.
19. And it was reported to Saul, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”
20. So, Saul sent messengers to take David, and one saw the company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing in position over them. And the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s messengers, and they, too, began prophesying,
21.and it was told Saul. And he sent other messengers, but they, too, began to prophesy. So, again, Saul sent a third group of messengers, and they also began to prophesy.
22. Then he himself also went to Ramah. And when he came to the great well at Sechu,[9] he asked and said, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, at Naioth in Ramah.”
23. And so, he went there, to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God also came upon him, and as he walked along, he prophesied until he entered Naioth in Ramah.
24. Then he stripped off his clothes, and falling down naked, he prophesied before Samuel all that day and all night. That is why they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
1Samuel 20
¶1. And David fled from Naioth in Ramah and he came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”
2. And he said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me about it. Why, then, should my father hide this thing from me? It isn’t so!”
3. But David still insisted, saying, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know about this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, as Jehovah lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”
4. And Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”
5. And David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I must sit with the king to eat, but let me go so that I can hide myself in the field until the third evening.
6.If your father misses me at all, then you say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem, his city, because of the yearly sacrifice for all the family there.’
7.If he says something like ‘Good’, it is safe for your servant. But if it enrages him, know that harm has been determined by him.
8.So deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Jehovah with you. But if there is iniquity in me, you put me to death, for why should you bring me to your father?”
9. But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you. If I knew for sure that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”
10. And David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me whether your father answers you harshly?”
11. And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let’s go out to the field.” And the two of them went out to the field.
12. And Jonathan said to David, “Jehovah, God of Israel, is witness that about this time tomorrow, or the third day, I will sound out my father, and behold, if he is well-disposed toward David, and I do not send to you and reveal it to you,
13.may Jehovah do thus to Jonathan and much more! If my father is pleased to do you harm, then I will reveal it to you and send you away, that you may go in peace. And Jehovah be with you as He used to be with my father!
14.And not only while I am still living, and not only with me will you show the kindness of Jehovah, that I not perish,
15.but you will never cut off your kindness from my house, not even when Jehovah cuts off the enemies of David, each one, from the face of the earth.”
16. And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Jehovah require it from the hand of David’s enemies.”
17. And because of his love for him, Jonathan made David swear again, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
¶18. Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty.
19.And on the third day, you hurry down and go to the place where you hid yourself the day this business started, and wait by Ezel Rock.
20.And I will shoot three arrows to the side as though I shot at a target.
21.And behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go find the arrows!’ If I specifically tell the boy, ‘Behold! The arrows are on this side of you,’ take him and come in because it is safe for you and there is no problem, as Jehovah lives.
22.But if I say this to the youth, ‘Behold! The arrows are beyond you,’ then go, because Jehovah has sent you away.
23.And as for the matter which you and I have discussed, behold, Jehovah be between you and me for ever.”
¶24. So, David hid himself in the field. And the new moon came, and the king sat down to eat bread.
25. And the king sat on his seat as at other times, on the seat by the wall, but Jonathan stood. And Abner sat beside Saul, but David’s place was empty.
26. But Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; certainly, he is not clean.”
27. And it came to pass on the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, neither yesterday nor today?”
28. And Jonathan answered Saul, “David begged permission from me to go to Bethlehem.
29.He said, ‘Let me go, I beg you, because our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother, he has commanded me to come. So, if I have found grace in your eyes, let me now slip away and see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come in to the king’s table.”
30. Then Saul’s anger burned hot toward Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness!
31.As long as the son of Jesse is alive upon the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. You send now and bring him to me! He is but a dead man!”
32. And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”
33. Then Saul threw the spear at him to kill him, and then Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David.
34. So, Jonathan rose up from the table in great anger and ate no food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved for David because his father had humiliated him.
¶35. And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out to the field at the time agreed upon with David, and a young boy was with him.
36. And he said to his boy, “Run, now! Find the arrows I shoot.” The boy ran, and he shot the arrow beyond him.
37. And the boy went to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, and Jonathan called out after the boy, saying, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?”
38. And Jonathan called out after the boy, “Hurry up! Quick! Do not delay!” So the boy picked up the arrow and came to his lord.
39. Now, the boy did not know anything; only Jonathan and David were aware of the matter.
40. And Jonathan gave his gear to his boy and told him, “Go! Carry it into the city.”
41. The boy went, and David rose up from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and he bowed himself three times. And they kissed one another and wept together until David exceeded.
42. And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn, both of us, by the name of the Lord, saying, ‘Jehovah be between me and you, and between my children and your children, forever.’” And he rose up and went away, and Jonathan went into the city.
1Samuel 21
¶1. And David went to Nob to Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech trembled at meeting David, and said to him, “Why are you by yourself and no man with you?”
2. And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king commanded me something and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about this business that I am sending you on or what I have commanded you. And I have directed the servants to such and such a place.’
3.And now, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves, or whatever can be found.”
4. And the priest answered David and said, “I do not have any common bread; there is only consecrated bread – if the young men have at least kept themselves from women.”
5. Then David answered the priest and said to him, “Indeed, women have been kept from us, as usual when I go out, and so, the vessels of the young men are holy, and this bread, in a way, is common, for only today was it consecrated in the pan.”
6. And so, the priest gave holy bread to him, for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence, which is taken away from before Jehovah to set out hot bread on the day it is taken.
7. And one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before Jehovah, and his name was Doeg the Edomite, chief of the shepherds that belong to Saul.
8. And David said to Ahimelech, “Do you not have here in your possession a spear or a sword? For I did not take with me either my sword or my stuff, for the business of the king was urgent.
9. And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath, the Philistine whom you killed in the valley of Elah, is here. It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take it with you, take it. There is no other here but that one.” And David said, “There is none like it. Give it to me.”
10. And David rose up and fled that day from Saul’s face, and went to Achish, the king of Gath.
11. And the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, king of the land? Didn’t they sing about this man with dances, saying, ‘Saul slew his thousands, but David his ten thousands?’ ”
12. David took these words to heart and was terrified at the presence of Achish, the king of Gath.
13. And he changed his behavior in their sight, and he acted insane in their hands, and he made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard.
14. Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold! You see the man is acting crazy! Why did you bring him to me?
15.Am I in need of madmen, that you brought this man to act crazy for me? Shall this man come into my house?”
1Samuel 22
¶1. And David left there and fled to a cave in Adullam, and his brothers and all his father’s house heard of it and went down to him there.
2. And every man in distress, and every man who had a creditor, and every man who was discontented gathered together to him, and he was captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.
3. And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, “I pray, allow my father and my mother to come stay among you until I see what God will do with me.”
4. Then he brought them before the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time that David was in the stronghold.
¶5. And Gad the prophet said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go, and get yourself into the land of Judah.” So David went, and he entered the forest of Hareth.
6. And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him. And Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, and his spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.
7. And Saul said to his servants who were standing around him, “Hear now, you Benjaminites! The son of Jesse should give fields and vineyards to all of you! He should appoint all of you as captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds,
8.for all of you have conspired against me. For no one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and no one among you felt sorry for me and told me that my son raised up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.”
9. Then Doeg the Edomite, who was set over Saul’s servants, answered and said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Nob, to Ahimelech ben-Ahitub.
10.And he inquired of Jehovah for him! And he gave him provisions, and he gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11. And the king sent to summon Ahimelech ben-Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests who were in Nob. And all of them came to the king.
¶12. And Saul said, “Hear now, you son of Ahitub!” And he said, “Here I am, my lord.”
13. And Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired together against me – you and the son of Jesse – so that you have given him food, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise up against me, to lie in wait, as on this day!”
14. Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David and is the King’s son-in-law who goes about at your command, and is as honored in your house?
15.Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, nor to any of my father’s house, for your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much!”
16. But the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech! You and all your father’s house!”
17. And the king said to the footmen who were stationed around him, “Turn, and kill the priests of Jehovah, for their hand is also with David and because they knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me!” But the king’s servants would not put forth their hand to strike the priests of Jehovah.
18. So the King said to Doeg, “You turn, and fall upon the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests. And he killed on that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod,
19.and Nob, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the sword, both man and woman, both child and infant, and with the edge of the sword, ox, and donkey, and sheep.
20. But one of the sons of Ahimelech ben-Ahitub, whose name was Abiathar, escaped and fled to David.
21. And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of Jehovah.
22. And David said to Abiathar, “I knew when Doeg the Edomite was there that day that he would certainly make it known to Saul. I have brought about the death of every soul of your father’s house.
23.Stay with me. Do not be afraid. He who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me, you will be safe.”
1Samuel 23
1. And men reported to David, saying, “Behold, Philistines are attacking at Keilah, and they are plundering the threshing floors.”
2. So David inquired of Jehovah, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” And Jehovah said to David, “Go and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
3. But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?”
4. So David inquired of Jehovah again. And Jehovah answered him and said, “Arise. Go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand.”
5. So David and his men went to Keilah. And he fought against the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter, and led their cattle away. So David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.
¶6. And it came to pass when Abiathar ben-Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7. And it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, and Saul said, “God has given him over into my hand, for he has closed himself in by going into a city with gates and bars.”
8. And Saul summoned all the people to battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
9. And when David found out that Saul was planning evil against him, he told Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
10. And David said, “O Jehovah, God of Israel, your servant has heard for certain that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account.
11.Will the inhabitants of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Jehovah, God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant!” And Jehovah said, “He will come down.”
12. And David said, “Will the rulers of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hand?” And Jehovah said, “They will deliver you up.”
13. So David and his men rose up, about six hundred men, and they left Keilah and went wherever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah, so he decided not to go out.
14. And David dwelt in the wilderness in the strongholds, and he dwelt in the mountain of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.
15. And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life, and David was in the wilderness of Ziph, at Horesh.
¶16. And Jonathan the son of Saul rose up and went to David at Horesh, and he strengthened his hand in God,
17.and he said to him, “Do not be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will rule over Israel, and I will be second to you. And even Saul my father knows it is so.”
18. And the two of them made a covenant before Jehovah. And David stayed in Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.
¶19. And men of Ziph went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Isn’t David hiding himself among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon?
20.So now, as it is your whole heart’s desire to come down, let the king come down, and our part will be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”
21. And Saul said, “Blessed be you of Jehovah! For you have had compassion on me!
22.Go, I pray you. Make doubly certain, and learn and observe his place, where his movement is, and who has seen him there. For it is told me that he is very crafty.
23.So, watch and take note of all the hiding places where he hides, and return to me when you are certain, and then I will go with you. And if it be that he is in the area, then I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.”
24. So they rose up and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. And David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the desert to the south of Jeshimon.
25. And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they reported it to David; so, he came down from the rock and dwelt in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard of it, and he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
26. And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. And David made haste to get away from Saul, but Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men, to catch them.
27. But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry, and come! For the Philistines have invaded the land!”
28. So, Saul turned back from pursuing after David and went to confront the Philistines. This is why they named that place Sela Hammah-lekoth.[10]
29. And David went up from there and dwelt in strongholds at En-gedi.
1Samuel 24
¶1. And when Saul returned from following the Philistines, it came to pass that one reported to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”
2. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men at Wild Goats’ Rocks.
3. And on the way, he came to the sheepfolds, where there is a cave, and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now, David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave.
4. And David’s men said to him, “Behold! The day of which Jehovah said to you, ‘Behold, I am going to put your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him whatever seems good in your eyes.’ ” But David arose and stealthily cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe.
5. And it came to pass afterward that David’s heart struck him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6. And he said to his men, “Before Jehovah, far be it from me that I should do this thing to my lord – to Jehovah’s anointed – to stretch out my hand against him, for he is Jehovah’s anointed.”
7. And David shamed his men with these words, and he did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose from the cave and went on his way.
8. Then David arose afterward and went out of the cave, and he called after Saul, saying, “My lord! O king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed down, face to the ground, and did obeisance.
9. And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of a man who says, ‘Behold, David is seeking your harm.’
10.Behold, your eyes see this day that Jehovah gave you into my hand today in the cave. And one said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you and I said, ‘I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is Jehovah’s anointed.’
11.Now look, my father, and see the skirt from your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the skirt of your robe but did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor treason in my hand and that I have not sinned against you; yet, you lie in wait for my life to take it.
12.Jehovah judge between me and you, and Jehovah avenge me of you, but my hand shall not be against you,
13.as the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked, but my hand shall not be against you.’
14.After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog! After a flea!
15.But Jehovah will be judge, and He will judge between me and you. And may He see and plead my case, and deliver me from your hand!”
¶16. And it came to pass when David finished saying these words to Saul that Saul said, “Is this your voice, David, my son?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
17. And he said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, but I have repaid you evil.
18.And today you have made it known that you have dealt well with me, in that Jehovah gave me into your hand, but you did not kill me.
19.For when does a man find his enemy and let him go away safely? Jehovah will certainly reward you with good for this that you have done to me this day.
20.And now, behold, I know that you will certainly be king, and in your hand shall the kingdom of Israel be established.
21.Yet now, swear to me by Jehovah, that you will not cut off my seed after me and that you will not cause my name to be wiped out from my father’s house.”
22. And David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his house, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
1Samuel 25
¶1. Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered together and mourned for him, and they buried him in Ramah, his home. Then David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
¶2. And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. And the man was very great; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
3. And the man’s name was Nabal,[11] and his wife’s name was Abigail. And the woman had good discernment and was beautiful. But the man was hard and evil in his doings, and he was a descendent of Caleb.
4. And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
5. So, David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and in my name, ask him of his welfare.
6.And then say this: ‘Life and peace be to you, and peace to your house, and peace to all that you have.
7.I hear that your men are shearing now. All the while your shepherds were with us, we did them no harm, and nothing of theirs was missing all the days they were in Carmel.
8.Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore, let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come at a good time. If you will, give what you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”
9. And David’s young men went, and they spoke all these words to Nabal in David’s name, and then they waited.
10. But Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away from their masters.
11.And am I going to take my bread, and my water, and my meat which I slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men who come from I don’t know where!”
12. So, David’s young men turned back to their way and returned, and they came in and told him all these words.
13. And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And each of them strapped on his sword, and David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men followed David and went up, while two hundred remained with the stuff.
¶14. Now, one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our lord, but he railed at them.
15.But the men were very good to us and did us no harm, and we didn’t miss anything the whole time we went about with them, when we were in the field.
16.They were a wall to us both night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep.
17.So now, know and consider what you should do, for evil is determined against our lord and all his house, and he is such a son of Belial that no one can talk to him!”
18. And Abigail hastened and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five prepared sheep, and five measures of parched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
19. And she said to her young men, “Go on before me. Behold, I will follow behind you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20. And it came to pass that she rode on the donkey and came down to the mountain hiding place, and behold, David and his men were coming down to meet her, and she met them.
21. Now, David had said, “Surely, in vain have I guarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all which was his, and he has returned me evil for good.
22.God do so to the enemies of David, and even more, if by morning I leave anyone that belongs to him – even one who pisses against the wall.”
23. And Abigail saw David, and she hurried and got down from the donkey, and because of David’s anger, she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground.
24. And when she fell at his feet, she said, “On me, my lord, be the wrong! Let your maidservant, I beg you, speak in your ears. And do listen to the words of your servant!
25.I pray, let my lord pay no attention to this man of Belial, to Nabal, for he is just like his name. His name is Fool, and foolishness is with him. But I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men that you sent.
26.And now, my lord, as Jehovah lives and as your soul lives, since Jehovah has held you back from blood-guilt and from avenging yourself by your own hand, let now your enemies and those who seek to do my lord harm be as Nabal.
27.And now this gift that I, your handmaiden, have brought for my lord, let it be given to the young men who are following my lord.
28.Forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your maidservant, for Jehovah shall make an established house for my lord because my lord fights Jehovah’s battles, and evil has not been found in you all your days.
29.And yet, a man has risen up to pursue you and to seek your soul, but the soul of my lord will be bound up in the bundle of the living with Jehovah your God, but the soul of your enemies shall be slung from the pocket of the sling.
30.And it shall come to pass that when Jehovah does for my lord according to all the good that has been spoken concerning you and has appointed you as ruler over Israel,
31.that this shall not be for you a cause for regret or a stumbling-block in my lord’s heart, either for shedding blood without cause or for my lord avenging himself. And when Jehovah has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.”
32. And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me.
33.And blessed be your discernment. And blessed be you, who have restrained me today from coming to blood-guilt and from avenging myself by my own hand
34.But indeed, as Jehovah the God of Israel lives who held me back from hurting you, had you not hurried and come to meet me, surely by morning light, there had not been left to Nabal any that pisses against the wall.”
35. And David took from her hand what she had brought him, and he said to her, “Go in peace to your house. Behold, I have listened to your voice and have shown you favor.”
36. So Abigail went back to Nabal and behold, he was holding a feast in his house like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, and he was very drunk, so she did not tell him anything, less or more, until daybreak.
37. And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things. And his heart died within him, and he was like a stone.
38. And it came to pass after ten days that Jehovah struck Nabal and he died.
¶39. When David heard that Nabal had died, and he said, “Blessed be Jehovah, who has pleaded the case of my reproach at the hand of Nabal and has kept His servant from evil. And Jehovah has returned Nabal’s wickedness upon his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her for his wife.
40. And David’s servants went to Abigail at Carmel, and they spoke to her, saying, “David sent us to you to take you for his wife.”
41. And she rose up, and she bowed her face to the ground and said, “Behold, let your maidservant be a handmaiden to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”
42. Then Abigail hurried and rose up, and she rode on the donkey, and five of her servant-girls attended her. And she followed David’s messengers, and she became his wife.
43. David also took Ahinoam from Jezreel, and so, the two of them became his wives.
¶44. Now, Saul had given his daughter, David’s wife, Michal to Phalti ben-Laish, who was from Gallim.
1Samuel 26
1. And the men of Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Isn’t David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, to the east of Jeshimon?”
2. Then Saul rose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and three thousand chosen men of Israel were with him, to look for David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3. And Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah which is east of Jeshimon, on the road. And David was dwelling in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness.
4. And David sent spies, and he found that Saul had certainly come.
5. Then David arose and went to the place where Saul had made camp. And David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner ben-Ner, captain of his army. Now, Saul was sleeping within the encampment, and the people were encamped around him.
6. And David answered and spoke to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Zeruiah’s son Abishai, the brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul, to the camp?” And Abishai said, “Me! I’ll go down with you!”
7. So, David and Abishai came to the company by night, and behold, Saul lay asleep in the encampment with his spear stuck in the ground at his head. And Abner and the people were sleeping around him.
¶8. And Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. So, let me now pin him to the ground with the spear, I pray you – just once, and I will not strike him twice.”
9. And David said to Abishai, “Do him no harm. For who can stretch out his hand against Jehovah’s anointed and be innocent?”
10. For David said, “As Jehovah lives, certainly, Jehovah will strike him down, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish.
11.Jehovah forbid that I stretch out my hand against Jehovah’s anointed! So, take if you will, the spear that is at his head and the water jug, and let’s go.”
12. Then David took the spear and the water jug at Saul’s head, and they got themselves away. And no one saw it or knew it, nor did anyone awaken, for they all slept because a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen upon them.
13. And David went over to the other side and stood on top of a distant hill, a large space being between them.
14. And David called out to the people and to Abner ben-Ner, saying, “Abner! Will you not answer?” And Abner answered and said, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
¶15. And David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a man? And who is like you in Israel? So, why did you not guard your lord the king when one of the people came in to harm your lord the king?
16.This thing that you have done is not good. As Jehovah lives, you men are worthy of death, seeing that you did not watch over your lord, over the anointed of Jehovah. And now, look! Where is the king’s spear and the water jug that were at his head?”
17. And Saul recognized David’s voice, and he said, “David, is this your voice, my son?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”
18. And he said, “Why is my lord chasing after his servant? What have I done? And what evil is in my hand?
19.I beg you, let my lord the king hear now the words of his servant. If Jehovah has incited you against me, let Him accept an offering, but if it be the sons of men, cursed be they before Jehovah, for today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’
20.But let not my blood fall to the ground now before the face of Jehovah, for the king of Israel has come out seeking a flea, as when one chases a partridge on the mountains.”
21. And Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, David my son, for I will do you no more harm, seeing that my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have done foolishly and have erred very badly.”
22. And David answered and said, “Behold! The spear of the king! Let one of the lads come over and get it!
23.And Jehovah shall repay to each his righteousness and his faithfulness. Jehovah delivered you into my hand this day, but I would not stretch out my hand against the anointed of Jehovah.
24.And behold, just as your life was esteemed this day in my eyes, so let my life be esteemed in Jehovah’s eyes, and let Him deliver me from all trouble.”
25. Then Saul said to David, “Be blessed, my son David. You shall both do great things and prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
1Samuel 27
¶1. But David said in his heart, “I will now perish one day at the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape quickly into the land of the Philistines. And Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more within all the borders of Israel, and I will escape out of his hand.”
2. And David arose, and passed over, he and six hundred men that were with him, to Achish ben-Maoch, king of Gath.
3. And David dwelt with Achish in Gath, he and his men, every man and his household, and David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.
4. And it was told to Saul that David fled to Gath, and he did not seek him again.
5. And David said to Achish, “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the towns in the countryside, and let me dwell there, for why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”
6. And that day, Achish gave him Ziklag. Wherefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.
¶7. And the number of days that David dwelt in the Philistine countryside was a year and four months.
8. And David and his men went up, and raided the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites (for those were of old the inhabitants of the land), as you enter into Shur, even to the land of Egypt.
9. And David would strike the land and leave neither man nor woman alive, and he would take sheep, and oxen, and asses, and camels, and garments, and return and come in to Achish.
10. And Achish would say, “Where did you make a raid today?” And David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah”, or “Against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites”, or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.”
11. And David left neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, saying, “Otherwise, they will tell on us, saying, ‘Thus David did.’” And this was his practice all the days he lived in the Philistine countryside.
12. And Achish believed David, saying, “He has made himself loathsome to his people, Israel. He shall be my servant forever.”
1Samuel 28
¶1. And it came to pass in those days that the Philistines assembled their forces for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know assuredly that you and your men are to go with me to battle.”
2. Then David said to Achish, “Very well. You shall find out what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “For this, I will appoint you keeper of my head forever.”
3. (Now, Samuel had died, and all Israel mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. Also, Saul had put away the mediums and those with familiar spirits from the land.)
4. And the Philistines assembled, and came and camped in Shunem. And Saul assembled all Israel and camped in Gilboa.
5. And when Saul caught sight of the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
6. And Saul inquired of Jehovah, but Jehovah did not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
7. And Saul said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a master medium, that I might go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, a woman at Endor is a master medium.”
8. So, Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing, and he went, and two other men with him. And they came to the woman at night, and he said, “Divine for me, if you will, by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me whom I tell you.”
9. But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and those with familiar spirits from the land. So, why are you setting a trap for my life, to bring about my death?”
10. But Saul swore to her by Jehovah, saying, “As Jehovah lives, you shall not be punished for this thing!”
11. Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring me up Samuel.”
12. And when the woman saw Samuel, she screamed. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me! You’re Saul!”
13. But the king said to her, “Don’t be afraid – but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth!”
14. Then he said to her, “What does he look like?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed his face to the ground and did homage.
15. Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me to bring me up!” And Saul said, “I am greatly distressed, for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has left me and doesn’t answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. So, I summoned you to let me know what I should do.”
¶16. And Samuel said, “Why, then, are you inquiring of me, since Jehovah has departed from you and has become your adversary?
17.And Jehovah has done to him just as He spoke by me, for Jehovah has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to David, your neighbor,
18.since you did not obey Jehovah’s voice nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek. That is why Jehovah has done this thing to you today.
19.Moreover, Jehovah will deliver Israel, with you, into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow, you and your sons will be with me. Yea, Jehovah will deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines!”
20. And immediately, Saul fell full length upon the ground and was in great fear because of Samuel’s words. Moreover, he had no strength left in him because he had not eaten food all day and all night.
21. Then the woman came to Saul and could see that he was distraught, and she said to him, “Behold, your handmaid obeyed your voice and put my life in my hand, and I obeyed your words that you spoke to me.
22.So then, I beg you now to listen to the voice of your handmaid. Let me set a little food before you, and you eat, and let it give you strength so that you can go on your way.”
23. But he refused and said, “I will not eat!” But his servants, along with the woman, compelled him, and he listened to their voice. And he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.
24. And the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it, and she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread.
25. And she placed it before Saul and before his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went their way that night.
1Samuel 29
¶1. And the Philistines gathered all their armies at Aphek. And the Israelites camped by the spring that is in Jezreel.
2. And the lords of the Philistines were marching by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men marched in the rear with Achish.
3. And the rulers of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish said to the rulers of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And I have found no fault in him from the day he deserted to this day.”
4. But the rulers of the Philistines were angry with him, and the rulers of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man go back and return to his place that you assigned him. He shall not go down with us into battle, lest in the battle, he become an adversary to us! For with what will he reconcile himself to his master, except with the heads of these men?
5.Is this not David, of whom they sing to one another in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, but David, his ten thousands!’”
¶6. Then Achish summoned David and said to him, “As Jehovah lives, you are certainly upright, and it is good in my sight that you go out and come in with me in the camp, for I have found no evil in you from the day you came to me until this day. However, in the eyes of the lords, it is not good for you to do so.
7.So, return now, and go in peace, so that you do not displease the lords of the Philistines.”
8. And David said to Achish, “What have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day that I came before you until today, that I may not come and fight the enemies of my lord the king?”
9. And Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are good in my eyes, like an angel of God. But the rulers of the Philistines said, ‘He shall not go up with us into the battle!’
10.Now you rise early in the morning, and the servants of your lord who came with you, and when you rise early in the morning and have light, go.”
11. So, David rose early in the morning, he and his men, to go to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
1Samuel 30
¶1. And it came to pass on the third day, when David and his men came to Ziklag, that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev, and to Ziklag, and they had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire.
2. And they had taken captive the women who were there, from young to old; they had put no one to death, but led them off and went their way.
3. Then David and his men entered the city, and behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.
4. And David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they could weep no more.
5. And David’s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6. And David was very distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for the soul of all the people was grieved, each one for his sons and for his daughters. But David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.
¶7. And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring the ephod to me, I pray you.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8. And David asked Jehovah, saying, “If I pursue this band, will I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Make pursuit! For you will certainly overtake them and recover everything.”
9. And so, David went, he and six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the Brook Besor, where they were left behind who stayed there.
10. But David made pursuit, he and four hundred men, for two hundred men stayed behind because they were too exhausted to cross the Brook Besor.
11. And they found an Egyptian in the field, and they took him to David, and they gave him bread and he ate, and they gave him water to drink.
12. And they gave him a fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate, and his spirit returned to him, for he had not eaten food or drunk water three days and three nights.
13. And David said to him, “Who do you belong to, and where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, slave to an Amalekite, but my master abandoned me because I fell sick three days ago.
14.We made a raid south of the Cherethites, and on territory belonging to Judah, and to the south of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.”
15. And David said to him, “Can you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me and that you will not hand me over to my owner, and I will take you down to this band.”
16. And he brought him down. And behold, they were by themselves over the face of the whole land, eating and drinking and feasting, with all the great plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.
17. And David slaughtered them from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man escaped them, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and got away.
18. So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.
19. And nothing of theirs was missing, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, nor spoil – nothing of theirs that they had taken; David brought everything back.
20. And David took all the flocks and herds. They drove on ahead of this livestock, and they said, “This is David’s spoil.”
21. And David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, but had been left behind at the Brook Besor, and they went out to greet David and to greet the people who were with him. And when David drew near the people, he asked of their welfare.
22. Then every wicked and worthless man among the men who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with me, I will not give them the spoil that we have recovered, except to each man his wife and his children. Let them take them and go!”
23. But David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what Jehovah has given to us. For He has kept us and has given into our hands the marauding band that came in upon us.
24.So, who would listen to you in this matter? The portion of him who goes down to the battle shall be like the portion of him who stays by the stuff. They shall share alike!”
25. And it came to pass, from that day onward, that he established it as an ordinance and a law for Israel, until this day.
¶26. Then David came to Ziklag, and he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold! A blessing for you from the enemies of Jehovah!”
27.To those in Bethel, and to those in Ramoth-Negev, and to those in Jattir,
28.and to those in Aroer, and to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoah,
29.and to those in Racal, and to those in the cities of the Jarahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the Kenites,
30.and to those in Hormah, and to those in Bor-ashan, and to those in Athach,
31.and to those in Hebron, and to those in all the places where David and his men had roamed.
1Samuel 31
¶1. Now, the Philistines had begun to fight against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and they fell, slain on Mount Gilboa.
2. And the Philistines were on the heels of Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons.
3. And the fight increased around Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers.
4. And Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and run me through, and abuse me!” But his armor-bearer would not, for he was very afraid. So, Saul took the sword and fell on it.
5. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he, too, fell on his sword and died with him.
6. So, Saul and his three sons died, and his armor-bearer, as well as all his men, on the same day, together.
7. And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and who were beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled, and the Philistines entered in and lived in them.
¶8. And it came to pass on the following day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9. And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the news to the house of their idols and to the people.
10. And they put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his dead body to the wall of Beth-shean.
11. But when those who lived in Jabesh-Gilead heard about what the Philistines had done to Saul,
12.then all the stalwart men arose, and they walked all night, and they took Saul’s body and the bodies of his sons off the wall of Beth-Shean, and they went to Jabesh and burned them there.
13. Then they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.
Footnotes
[1] Samuel means, “Asked of God”.
[2] Literally, only “ – if the iniquity of Eli’s house . . .” The curse intended with this oath is so unthinkable – God’s own death and damnation – that it is not even uttered.
[3] Ichabod means, “without glory”.
[4] Ebenezer means “stone of help”.
[5] The Septuagint reading. The Hebrew text says, “young men”.
[6] Or Gibeah of God.
[7] Literally, only “ – if a single hair of his head falls . . .” The curse intended with this oath is so horrific – calling for one’s own death and damnation – that it is not even uttered.
[8] Or, the road of Shaaraim.
[9] Or, “the lookout point”.
[10] “Rock of Divisions” or “Rock of Separations”.
[11] That is, “fool”.