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Aramaic Peshitta Bible Repository

Lamsa OT - 1Samuel

"1 ¶ NOW there was a certain man of Ramath-dokey, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Hilkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite; 2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Pannah; and Pannah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 And this man used to go up out of his town yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there. 4 And when the time came, Hilkanah sacrificed, and he gave to Pannah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions; 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah; but the LORD had shut up her womb. 6 And her rival also taunted her sorely to make her fret because the LORD had shut up her womb. 7 And Pannah did this year by year when she went up to the house of the LORD, and thus she provoked her; therefore Hannah wept and did not eat. 8 Then Hilkanah her husband said to her, Why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Behold, am I not better to you than ten sons?"

"9 ¶ So Hannah rose up after she had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, and she went up to the house of the LORD. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon a seat by the post of the temple of the LORD. 10 And she was bitter of soul, and she prayed before the LORD and wept bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thy maidservant, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give to thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart only, and her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought her to be drunk. 14 And Eli said to her, How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine from you. 15 Hannah answered and said to him, No, my lord, I am a woman full of grief; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. 16 Count not your maidservant in your presence a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken hitherto. 17 Then Eli answered and said to her, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant you the petition that you have asked of him. 18 And she said, Let your maidservant find grace in your sight. So the woman went her way, and her countenance was no more sad."

"19 ¶ And they rose up early in the morning and worshipped before the LORD, and returned and came to their house at Ramtha; and Hilkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. 20 And it came to pass, in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD, 21 And the man Hilkanah and all his household went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifices of his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up; for she said to her husband, I will wait until the child is weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide forever. 23 And Hilkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems good to you; wait until you have weaned him; may the LORD establish your word. So the woman waited, and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year old bullock and an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh; and the boy was very young. 25 And they slew the bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 26 Then Hannah said to Eli, I beseech you, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman that stood by you here, praying to the LORD for this boy. 27 I prayed and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of him; 28 Therefore also I have promised him to the LORD as long as he lives; for I petitioned him of the LORD. And they worshipped the LORD there."

"2:1 ¶ AND Hannah prayed and said, My heart is magnified in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God; my mouth utters words against my enemies, because thou hast caused me to rejoice in thy salvation. 2 There is none holy like the LORD; for there is none besides thee; and there is none powerful like our God. 3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouths; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and no devices can stand before him. 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that are weak are girded with strength. 5 Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread; and those who were hungry have food left over; the barren has given birth and is satisfied; and she who has many children is lonely. 6 It is the LORD who makes men to die and makes alive; he brings down to Sheol and brings up. 7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he also exalts. 8 He raises up the poor out of the dust and lifts up the needy from the dung-hill, to set them with the princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory; for the depths of the earth are protected by the LORD, and he has set the world upon them. 9 He will guard the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for not by his own strength shall a mighty man prevail. 10 The LORD shall defeat his adversaries; out of heaven shall he thunder against them; the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed."

"11 ¶ And Hilkanah and his wife Hannah returned to Ramtha to his house. And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest. 12 Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they did not know the LORD. 13 They took the dues of the priests from the people, of every man who offered a sacrifice; and they made for themselves meat-forks with three prongs, and the priest’s servant came, while the meat was boiling, with the three-pronged fork in his hand, 14 And he thrust it into the pot or caldron or pan or kettle; all that the meat-fork brought up the priest took for himself. Thus they did to all the Israelites who came thither to Shiloh. 15 Also before they burnt the sacrifices, the priest’s servant came and said to the man who was sacrificing, Give meat to roast for the priest; for I will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw. 16 And if the man said to him, They will surely offer sacrifices today, and then take for yourself as much as you wish; then he would say, No; you shall give it now; and if not, I will take it by force. 17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; because they offended the men who offered before the LORD. 18 But the boy Samuel ministered before the LORD, and he wore a linen ephod. 19 And his mother made him a little mantle, and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifices of his vow. 20 And Eli blessed Hilkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give you another offspring from this woman for the child which she has dedicated to the LORD. And they went to their own home. 21 And the LORD blessed Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before the LORD. 22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel; and how they reviled the women who prayed in the tabernacle of the congregation. 23 And he said to them, Why do you do such things? For I hear evil reports about you from all this people. 24 No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear; for you drive away the people of the LORD. 25 If a man sin against a man, he will seek forgiveness before the LORD; but if a man sin against the LORD, from whom shall he seek forgiveness? But they did not hearken to the voice of their father, because it was the LORD’S will that they should be slain. 26 And the boy Samuel grew up, and was in favor both with the LORD and also with men."

"27 ¶ And there came a man of the LORD to Eli, and said to him, Thus says the LORD, I did surely reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh; 28 And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon my altar, to burn incense before me, and to wear an ephod; and I gave to the house of your father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel. 29 Why then do you deal wrongly with my sacrifices and my offerings, which I have commanded in the wilderness; and honor your sons above me, to choose the choicest of all the offerings of Israel my people? 30 Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel, I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should minister before me for ever; but now the LORD says, Far be this from me; for those that honor me I will honor, and those that despise me shall be despised. 31 Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your offspring and the offspring of your father, that there shall not be an old man in your house, 32 Nor him that bears rule in your habitation, in all the prosperity which God shall bring in Israel; and there shall not be an old man in your house for ever. 33 And a man of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to sadden you and to grieve your heart; and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower of their age. 34 And this shall be a sign to you that shall come upon your two sons, upon Hophni and upon Phinehas; both of them shall die on the same day. 35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, according to the choice of my heart, who shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind; and I will build him a sure house: and he shall walk before my anointed for ever. 36 And it shall come to pass that every one who is left in your house shall come to bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Send me to one of the priests, that I may eat a piece of bread."

"3:1 ¶ AND the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD, assisting Eli the priest. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was lying down in his bed, and his eyes had begun to grow dim so that he could not see; 3 And the lamp of the LORD was not yet put out, and Samuel was lying down to sleep in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 And the LORD called Samuel; and he answered, Here I am. 5 And he ran to Eli and said, Here I am; for you called me. And he said, I did not call; go back and lie down. And he went and lay down. 6 And the LORD called again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here I am; for you did call me. And he answered, I did not call, my son; go back and lie down. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD revealed to him. 8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here I am; for you did call me. Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go back and lie down; and it shall be, if he calls you, you shall say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant hears. So Samuel went back and lay down in his place. 10 And the LORD came and stood and called twice, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak, LORD; for thy servant hears."

"11 ¶ And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do such a thing in Israel that whoever shall hear of it, shall give heed. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I will show him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knew when his sons reviled the people and he did not rebuke them. 14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s household shall not be purged with sacrifices nor offerings for ever. 15 And Samuel lay until the morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to tell the vision to Eli. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. 17 And he said to him, What is the thing that the LORD has said to you? Do not be afraid of me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that the LORD said to you. 18 And Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And Eli said, It is the LORD; let him do what is good in his sight."

"19 ¶ And Samuel knew that the LORD was with him, and he did not ignore any of his words. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was to be a prophet of the LORD. 21 And the LORD continued to reveal himself by his words in Shiloh; and Samuel’s words were declared throughout all Israel."

"4:1 ¶ AND the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped by the Rock of Help; and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel; and when they fought, Israel was defeated before the Philistines; and there were slain on the battlefield about four thousand men. 3 And when the people were come to the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has the LORD smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts out of Shiloh to us, that it may go with us and save us from our enemies. 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells upon the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 5 And it came to pass, when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that it reechoed. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise, they said, What is this noise of shouting in the camp of the Hebrews? And they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. 7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing before. 8 Woe to us! who shall deliver us from the hands of the mighty God? This is the God who smote the whole of Egypt with all sorts of plagues and performed wonders in the wilderness. 9 Be strong, and conduct yourselves like men, O Philistines, lest you become servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you; be strong and fight with them."

"10 ¶ And the Philistines fought with Israel, and Israel was defeated, and they fled every man to his tent; and there was a very great slaughter in Israel; for there fell of Israel in that day thirty thousand footmen. 11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain."

"12 ¶ And there ran a man of Benjamin from the battle line, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent and with earth upon his head. 13 And Eli was sitting upon a seat by the wayside watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city to tell of the disaster, all the city cried out. 14 And when Eli heard the noise of crying, he said, What is this noise of tumult? And the man came in hastily and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was seventy-eight years old; and his eyes were dim so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, I am he who came from the battle line, and I fled today from the battle line. And he said to him, What is the news, my son? 17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken. 18 And it came to pass, when Eli thought of the ark of God, he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years."

"19 ¶ And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child; and was near to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed down and travailed; for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death, the women that stood by her said to her, Fear not; for you have borne a son. But she neither answered nor did she pay attention to it. 21 And she named the child Jochabar, saying, The glory is departed from Israel; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken."

"5:1 ¶ AND the Philistines took the ark God, and brought it from the Rock of Help to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by the side of Dagon. 3 And when the inhabitants of Ashdod arose early the next morning, they found Dagon was fallen upon his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon and set him in his place again. 4 And when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any that enter Dagon’s house cross the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day."

"6 ¶ But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon the inhabitants of Ashdod, and he destroyed them and afflicted them with boils, both Ashdod and the territory thereof. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is heavy upon us and upon Dagon our god. 8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be returned to Gath. So they took back the ark of the God of Israel there. 9 And after they took it back, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they were covered with boils. 10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And when the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people. 11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not slay us and our people. For the fear of death caused a panic that spread throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men who did not die were smitten with the boils; and the cry of the city went up to heaven."

"6:1 ¶ AND the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the lords, saying, What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us by what means shall we send it to its place. 3 And they said, If you send away the ark of the LORD God of Israel, do not send it away empty; but you must surely bring trespass offerings to it; then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. 4 And they said, What sort of offerings shall we bring to it? They answered, Five golden boils and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was upon you all and upon your lords. 5 Wherefore you shall make likenesses of your boils and images of the mice that are destroying the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps he will remove his hand from you and from your god and from your land. 6 And you shall not harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts, and as they mocked the Israelites and did not send them nor let them go. 7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch cows upon which there has come no yoke, and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; 8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the vessels of gold which you have brought for it as offerings, in a box by its side; and send it away, that it may go on its way. 9 And watch, for if it goes up by the way of the border which goes up to Beth-shemesh, then it is the LORD who has done us this great evil; but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that afflicted us, but it has happened to us by chance."

"10 ¶ And the men did so; and took two milch cows and tied them to the cart and shut up their calves at home; 11 And they laid the ark of God upon the cart, and the box with the mice of gold and the images of their boils. 12 And they sent out the cows by the way which is by the border of Beth-shemesh, and they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand nor to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh. 13 And the men of the town of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced when they saw it. 14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth-shemeshite, and stopped where there was a great stone; and they split the wood of the cart, and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD. 15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was with it in which were the vessels of gold, and put them on the great stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrifices on that day to the LORD. 16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. 17 And these are the golden boils which the Philistines had brought as offerings to God: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines, belonging to the five lords, both of the five fortified cities and of the country villages of the Perrizites, and as far as the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD, which to this day is in the field of Joshua, the Beth-shemeshite."

"19 ¶ And the LORD smote the men of Beth-shemesh because they worshipped the ark of the LORD, and the LORD smote five thousand and seventy men of the people; and the people mourned because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. 20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And who shall carry up from us the ark? 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Koriath-narin, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of the LORD; come down and take it up to you."

"7:1 ¶ AND the men of Koriath-narin came, and took up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and Abinadab consecrated Eleazar his son, who kept the ark of the LORD. 2 And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Koriath-narin, that the time was long; for it was about twenty years; and all the house of Israel yearned after the LORD."

"3 ¶ Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, If you return with all your heart to the LORD, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your heart unto the LORD, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 4 So the children of Israel put away Baal and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. 5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel at Mizpeh, and I will pray for you to the LORD. 6 And they gathered together at Mizpeh, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpeh."

"7 ¶ And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpeh, 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, Do not cease to pray before the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines. 9 And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a burnt offering wholly to the LORD; and Samuel prayed before the LORD for the children of Israel; and the LORD answered him. 10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines, and threw them into confusion; and they were defeated before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh and pursued the Philistines and smote them as far as below Beth-jashan. 12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Beth-jashan, and called its name Rock of Help, and he said, Hitherto the LORD has helped us."

"13 ¶ So the Philistines were defeated, and they came no more into the territory of Israel; and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel from Ekron even to Gath, and the boundaries thereof. Thus the LORD delivered Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. 15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el and Gilgal and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. 17 And he always returned to Ramtha; for there was his house, and there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the LORD."

"8:1 ¶ AND it came to pass, when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his first-born son was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes and perverted judgment."

"4 ¶ Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramtha, 5 And they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now give us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said to him, Give us a king to judge us like all the nations. And Samuel prayed before the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken 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 that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt even to this day, as they have forsaken me and served other gods, so do they also to you. 9 Now therefore hearken to their voice; but testify solemnly to them, and show them the law of the king who shall reign over them. 10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked of him a king. 11 Then he said, This will be the law of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them for himself for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself officers of thousands and officers of hundreds and officers of fifties and officers of tens. And they shall plow his ground and reap his harvest and make his implements of war and instruments for his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters to be weavers and grinders and bakers. 14 And he will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your oliveyards, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your crops and of your vineyards, and give to his officers and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants and your maidservants, and your goodly young men and your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep; and you shall be his servants. 18 And you shall cry for help in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not answer you on that day. 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said to him, No; but we will have a king over us, 20 That we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them before the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go every man to his city."

"9:1 ¶ NOW there was a man from Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zerod, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice young man and a goodly; and there was not among the children of Israel a more attractive person than he; he was head and shoulders higher than any of the people."

"3 ¶ And the asses of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go seek the asses. And Saul arose and went, and took one of the servants with him, and they went to seek the asses of his father. 4 And they passed through mount Ephraim and through the land of Gomrey, but they did not find them; then they passed through the land of Taley, and they were not there; and they passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them. 5 And when they came to the land of Sur, Saul said to the servant who was with him, Come, let us return, lest my father cease to be anxious about the asses and begin to be concerned about us. 6 But his servant said to him, Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is an honorable man in the eyes of the people; all that he says comes surely to pass; now let us go there; perhaps he can tell us about the errand for which we have come. 7 Then Saul said to his servant, Behold, if we go, what shall we bring to the man of God? For the bread is spent in our bags and there are no provisions to bring a present to the man of God, because we have nothing. 8 And the servant answered his master again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver; let us give it to the man of God, that he may tell us about our errand. 9 (Because formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, let us go to the seer; for he who is now called a prophet, before was called a seer.) 10 Then Saul said to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was."

"11 ¶ And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and Saul said to them, Is there a seer here? 12 And they answered him and said, There is; behold, he is ahead of you; go up now quickly, for he came today to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people today on the high place; 13 As soon as you enter the city, you shall straightway find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifices; and afterwards those who are invited, eat. Now therefore go up; for today you shall find him. 14 And they went up to the city; and just as they were entering the city gate, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place. 15 Now the LORD had told Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 16 Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be a ruler over my people Israel, and he shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen the oppression of my people, and their cry has come to me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, whom the LORD had chosen, then the LORD said to Samuel, Behold the man of whom I spoke to you! This man shall reign over my people."

"18 ¶ Then Saul drew near to Samuel at the gate, and said, Tell me, 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; for you shall eat with me today, and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 And as for your asses that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the hope of the house of Israel? Is it not on you and on your father’s house? 21 And Saul answered and said to Samuel, Behold, I am a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family is the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin. Why then have you spoken thus to me? 22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the house, and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, Set it apart. 24 And the cook took up the shoulder and the thigh, and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! Set it before you and eat; because it has been kept for you for some time. So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel conversed with Saul upon the roof. 26 And they arose at dawn, and Samuel called to Saul upon the roof, saying, Up, that I may send you away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel. 27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Tell the servant to pass on before us, but you stop where you are, that I may tell you the word of God."

"10:1 ¶ THEN Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head and kissed him, and said to him, Behold, the LORD has anointed you to be a ruler over his inheritance. 2 When you depart from me today, behold, you will find two men at Rachel’s sepulchre in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, The asses which you went to seek are found; and, lo, your father has ceased worrying about the asses, and is concerned about you, saying, What shall I do for my son? 3 Then when you shall go on from there and you shall come to the oak of Tabor, behold, you will find there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids and another carrying three loaves of bread and another carrying a skin of wine; 4 And they will salute you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands. 5 After that you shall come to the hill of God where there is a garrison of the Philistines; and it shall come to pass when you arrive there at the city, behold, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with psalteries and tabrets and tambourines and timbrels before them; and they will be prophesying; 6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you shall prophesy with them, and you shall be changed into another man. 7 And it shall be when these signs are come to you, that you shall do whatever you wish, for the LORD is with you. 8 And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to make sacrifices of peace offerings; seven days you shall wait, till I come to you, and show you what you shall do."

"9 ¶ And it came to pass when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 And when they came to Ramtha, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it came to pass when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? 12 And a man of the same place answered and said, But who is his father? Therefore it became a byword, Is Saul also among the prophets? 13 And when he had finished prophesying, he left the high place, and came home. 14 And Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, Where did you go? And they said, To seek the asses; and when we found them nowhere, we went to Samuel. 15 And Saul’s uncle said to him, Tell me what Samuel said to you. 16 And Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him."

"17 ¶ And Samuel called the people together before the LORD at Mizpeh; 18 And he said to the children of Israel, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt and later delivered you from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you; 19 But you have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you from all your calamities and your tribulations; and you have said, Not so, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands. 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21 Then when he caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken by lot, and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore Samuel inquired further of the LORD, saying, Where is this man? And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage. 23 And they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was head and shoulders higher than any of the people. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, Now have you seen him whom the LORD has chosen, because there is none like him among all the people? And the people shouted and said, Long live the king! 25 Then Samuel told the people the law governing the king, and wrote it in a book and laid it before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, and they went every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went to his house at Ramtha; and there went with him a band of men whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some of the wicked men said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him and brought him no presents. But he held his peace."

"11:1 ¶ THEN Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a treaty with us and we will serve you. 2 But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition will I make a treaty with you, when you thrust out all your right eyes, that I may make you a reproach upon all Israel. 3 And the eiders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days respite, that we may send messengers throughout all the territory of Israel; and when we see if we have a savior or not, then we will come out to you. 4 Then the messengers came to Ramtha of Saul, and told these words before the people; and all the people lifted up their voices and wept."

"5 ¶ And, behold, Saul was coming behind the oxen from the field; and Saul said, What ails the people that they are weeping? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever does not follow after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they all came out as one man. 8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers who had come from Jabesh, Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh and of Gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall be delivered. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do to us whatever seems good to you. 11 And it came to pass, on the next day, Saul divided the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together."

"12 ¶ Then the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men that we may put them to death. 13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today the LORD has wrought salvation in Israel. 14 Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there. 15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly."

"12:1 ¶ AND Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king is before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons are with you; and I have walked before you from my childhood to this day. 3 Behold, I am standing before you; testify against me before the LORD and before his anointed; whose ox have I taken? Or whose ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Or whom have I oppressed? Or of whose hand have I taken a bribe to look upon him with favor? Tell me, and I will restore it to you. 4 And they said to him, You have not defrauded us nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from any one of us. 5 And he said to them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything wrong with me. And they said, He is witness."

"6 ¶ And Samuel said to the people, The LORD is the only God, who advanced Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still that I may judge you before the LORD in all his righteous acts which he did to you and to your fathers. 8 When Jacob went into Egypt and your fathers prayed before the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they forgot the LORD their God, he delivered them into the hand of Sisera, general 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 they prayed before the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD our God and have served Baal and Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies and we will serve thee. 11 And the LORD sent Deborah and Barak and Gideon and Jephthah and Samson, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies round about you, and you dwelt in safety. 12 And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No; but a king shall reign over us; yet the LORD your God was your king. 13 Now therefore behold the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have requested! And, behold, the LORD has given you a king. 14 If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not provoke him, then shall both you and also the king who reigns over you continue following the LORD your God. 15 But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God, but provoke him, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you as it was against your fathers."

"16 ¶ Now therefore be ready, and see this great thing which the LORD will do for you. 17 Behold, it is wheat harvest today; I will call to the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, in that you have asked for yourselves a king. 18 Then Samuel called to the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain on that place; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 And all the people said to Samuel. Pray for your servants before the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins a great evil, in that we have asked for ourselves a king. 20 And Samuel said to the people, Fear not; you have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve him with all your heart; 21 And do not turn aside after vain things which cannot deliver you; that you may not die, for they are vain things. 22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake; because he is pleased to make you his people. 23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way; 24 Only revere the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart and with all your soul; for consider what great things he has done for you. 25 But if you shall continue to do wickedly, you shall die, both you and your king."

"13:1 ¶ AND when Saul had reigned one or two years in his kingdom over Israel, 2 He then chose for himself three thousand men of Israel; two thousand were with him in Michmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan his son in Ramtha of Benjamin; and the rest of the people he sent every man to his house. 3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews and all Israel hear the news 4 That Saul has smitten the garrison of the Philistines and that Israel has prevailed over the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. 5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, three thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude; and they came up and encamped in Michmash, east of Beth-el. 6 And when the men of Israel saw them, they were afraid; so they hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in clefts and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people were with him."

"8 ¶ And he waited seven days, according to the set time appointed by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were deserting Saul. 9 And Saul said, Bring here a burnt offering to me, and he offered peace offerings and burnt offerings. 10 And as soon as he had finished making the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might bless him. 11 And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, When I saw that the people were deserting me and that you did not come within the time appointed and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12 Therefore I said, The Philistines might come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not inquired of the LORD, so I ventured to offer a burnt offering. 13 And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly; for you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now would the LORD have established your kingdom over Israel, as he had said, I will establish you for ever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue; for the LORD has chosen for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be a ruler over his people, because you have not kept all the commandments that the LORD your God gave you."

"15 ¶ And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Ramtha of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 And Saul and Jonathan his son dwelt in Gibeah of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 And raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies; one went toward the way of Ophrah to attack the land of Shual; 18 And another went toward the way of Beth-hauran; and another turned toward the way of the border that looks toward the valley of Zebaon and to the wilderness. 19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, We do not want the Hebrews to make swords and spears; 20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his sickle and his ploughshare and his axe and his mattock. 21 And there was a broad file for the sickle and for the ploughshare and for mattocks and for the axe and to sharpen the goads. 22 So in the day of the battle, there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash."

"14:1 ¶ NOW it came to pass one day, Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison that is on the other side yonder. But he did not tell his father. 2 And Saul was staying in the outskirts of Ramtha under the pomegranate tree which is in Gibeon; and the people who were with him were about six hundred men; 3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Jochebar’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’S priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone to the crossing place. 4 And as he sought to cross over to the Philistine garrison, behold, there was a steep rock on one side and a steep rock on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Siaa. 5 One crag stood out northward over against Michmash and the other southward over against Gibeah. 6 And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will help us; for nothing will prevent the LORD from saving by many or by few. 7 And his armorbearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart; turn aside, and go; beho ld, I am with you; do whatever is in your heart. 8 Then Jonathan said to him, Behold, we will cross over against these men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say to us. Stop until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up against them. 10 But if they say to us thus, Come up to us; then we will go up; for the LORD our God has delivered them into our hand; and this shall be a sign to us. 11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said. Behold, the Hebrews are coming forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. 12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you something. And Jonathan said to his armorbearer, Come up after me; for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor-bearer followed after him; and the Philistine garrison retreated before Jonathan; and his armorbearer slew with him. 14 And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men; they cut them to pieces like stone-cutters and like men who plough a field. 15 And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people that stood by; and the raiders also trembled and the earth quaked; and the fear of the LORD fell upon them."

"16 ¶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the Philistine army was in confusion, going away defeated. 17 Then Saul said to the people that were with him, Take a count and see who is gone from us. And when they had mustered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there. 18 And Saul said to Ahiah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. 19 And it came to pass, while Saul was talking to the priest, that the noise in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand. 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him shouted together, and they came to the battle; and, behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great confusion. 21 Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who had gone up with them to the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites and with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled before the Israelites, even they armed themselves and followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the LORD saved Israel that day; then the men of Israel passed over to Beth-aon to battle."

"24 ¶ And Saul drew near that day and said to the people, Cursed be the man who eats food until evening, until I am avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. 25 And they went throughout all the land and came into a forest; and, behold, there was honey in the forest on the ground. 26 And when the people were come into the forest, behold, the honey was dropping; but no one put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people; so he put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened. 28 Then one of the men of the people spoke and said to Jonathan, Your father has surely adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day. And the people were faint with hunger. 29 Then Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land; see, how my eyes have been brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 Moreover, because the people had not eaten today 6f the spoil of their enemies which they found, therefore there was not a greater slaughter of the Philistines. 31 We have smitten the Philistines today from Michmash to Aijalon; and the people are very faint with hunger. 32 Then the people rushed greedily on the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people have sinned against the LORD in eating flesh with blood. And Saul said, You have transgressed; roll a great stone to me this day. 34 And Saul said, Go round about among the people and say to them, Bring every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and do not sin against the LORD in eating flesh with the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. 35 And Saul built there an altar to the LORD; thus he began to build his first altar to the LORD."

"36 ¶ And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatever seems good to you. 37 And Saul said to God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? But the LORD did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, Bring here all the families of the people; and know and see wherein this sin has been committed this day. 39 For, as the LORD lives, who saved Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was no one of all the people that answered him. 40 Then Saul said to all Israel, Be you on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do whatever seems good to you. 41 Therefore Saul said, O LORD God of Israel, give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken; but the people were not taken. 42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan. Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did taste a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand, and on account of that must I die? 44 And Saul said, God do so to me and more also, unless you shall surely die, Jonathan. 45 And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid; as the LORD lives, there shall not a hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has saved the people of God this day. So the people delivered Jonathan and he did not die. 46 Then Saul returned from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own country."

"47 ¶ And Saul took the kingship over Israel, and he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab and against the children of Ammon and against Edom and against the kingdom of Zobah and against the Philistines; and wherever he turned he was victorious. 48 And he mobilized an army and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hand of those who plundered them. 49 Now these were the sons of Saul: Jonathan, Ishui, Melchi-shua, and Ashbashul; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the elder Nadab, and the name of the younger Malchel; 50 And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the general of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel. 52 And there was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any valiant man or any strong man, he took him to himself."

"15:1 ¶ SAMUEL said to Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over his people Israel. Now therefore hearken to the voice of the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD Of hosts, I remember what Amalek did to Israel on their journey when they were coming up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and smite the Amalekites, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both men and women, young people and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and asses. 4 And Saul summoned the people to war, and he numbered them in Telaye, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to a city of the Amalekites, and issued a directive in the valley. 6 And Saul said to the Kenites, Turn aside, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is over near Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared King Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the stall-fed beasts and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and despised in their sight, that they destroyed utterly."

"10 ¶ Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, 11 I regret that I have made Saul king; for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he prayed before the LORD all night. 12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul has come to Carmel, and, behold, he has set up a dwelling place for himself, and has turned and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. 13 And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, Blessed be the LORD, who has performed his commandment. 14 And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear? 15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, and brought them to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, Be still, and I will tell you what the LORD has said to me this night. And Saul said to him, Say on. 17 And Samuel said to Saul, Behold, even though you were little in your own eyes; nevertheless you were made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed. 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but have spared the plunder, and have done evil in the sight of the LORD? 20 And Saul said to Samuel, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of the Amalekites, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal. 22 And Samuel said, The LORD is not as well pleased with burnt offerings and sacrifices as with one who obeys his voice. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifices, and to hearken, than the fat of rams. 23 For divination is a rebellion, and divination is a grievous iniquity. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king."

"24 ¶ And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD. 26 And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return home with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel. 27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also his Excellency the LORD of Israel will not lie nor seek counsel; for he is not a human being, that he should seek counsel. 30 Then Saul said, I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return again with me, that I may worship the LORD your God. 31 So Samuel returned again with Saul, and Saul worshipped the LORD."

"32 ¶ Then said Samuel, Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me. And Agag said, Surely death is bitter. 33 And Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel cut King Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramtha; and Saul went up to his house to Ramtha of Saul. 35 And Samuel saw Saul no more until the day of his death; nevertheless, Samuel grieved for Saul; and the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel."

"16:1 ¶ AND the LORD said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and come; I will send you to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have found for myself a king among his sons. 2 And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said to Samuel, Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint to me him whom I name unto you. 4 And Samuel did as the LORD had commanded him, and came to Bethlehem of Judah. And the elders of the town went out to meet him, and said, Is your coming peaceable? 5 And he said, Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice."

"6 ¶ And when they were come, he looked to Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’S anointed is like him. 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for I do not see as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has the LORD chosen this one. 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, Neither has the LORD chosen this one. 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The LORD has not chosen these. 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, Are these all the sons you have? And he said to him, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he is tending the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him here; for I will not leave till he comes here. 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes, and very handsome. And the LORD said to Samuel, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel rose up and went to Ramtha to his house."

"14 ¶ But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from before the LORD troubled him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, Behold, your servants are before you; 16 Let them seek out a man who can play well on the harp; and when the evil spirit is upon you, he will play with his hands, and you shall be well. 17 And Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me. 18 Then one of the young men answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, who is skilful in playing and a mighty valiant man, a man of war and prudent in speech, a handsome man, and the LORD is with him. 19 Wherefore King Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send me David your son; he will be useful to me. 20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread and a skin of wine and a kid of goats, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David attend me; for he has found favor in my sight. 23 And whenever the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, David took a harp, and played on it; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him."

"17:1 ¶ NOW the Philistines gathered together their armies for battle, and were massed at the border of Judah, and they encamped between the border and Arka in Epher-samin. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Terebinth, and they set the army in array to fight against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, and the valley was between them. 4 And there went out a mighty man from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of his coat of mail was five thousand shekels of brass. 6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a cuirass of mail between his shoulders. 7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shieldbearer went before him. 8 And he stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, Why have you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, that he may come out against 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 have defied the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard the words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid."

"12 ¶ Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Beth-lehem of Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons; and the man was old and advanced in years in the days of Saul. 13 And the three older sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle; and their names were Eliab the first-born, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 And David was the youngest; 15 Now David had returned from Saul, and was gone to tend his father’s sheep at Beth-lehem. 16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself for forty days. 17 And Jesse said to David his son, Take now for your brothers an ephah of parched wheat and ten loaves of bread, and run to the camp to your brothers; 18 And carry these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand and inquire into the welfare of your brothers and bring the news of them to me. 19 Now Saul and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Terebinth fighting with the Philistines. 20 And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with the keeper, and took and went as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the camp in the valley which goes up to the battle array, and the army shouted for the battle. 21 Then Israel and the Philistines put themselves in battle array, army against army. 22 And David put off his provisions by the side of the baggage, and ran into the army ranks, and came and saluted his brothers. 23 And while he was talking with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spoke the same words; and David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the mighty man, were afraid and fled from him. 25 And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely to defy Israel he has come up; and it shall be that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel. 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, What shall be done for the man who kills this uncircumcised Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 And the people told him the king’s promises, saying, So shall it be done to the man who kills him. 28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard him when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said to him, Why have you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your boldness and the evil of your heart; for you have come down to see the battle. 29 And David said, What have I done now? Behold, I was just talking. 30 And he turned from him to the other side, and spoke in the same manner; and the people answered him again as they had done before."

"31 ¶ And when the words which David spoke were reported to Saul, he sent for him. 32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a boy, and he has been a man of war from his youth. 34 And David said to Saul, Your servant was tending his father’s sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb from the flock; 35 And I went out after the lion and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and he growled at me, and I caught him by his beard, and I smote him and slew him. 36 Your servant slew both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me out of the hands of the Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and the LORD be with you. 38 And Saul armed David with his own armor and put a helmet of brass upon his head; and armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his armor, but he was unwilling to go; for he had not tried them out. So David took them off."

"40 ¶ And he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones out of the gravel, and put them into his shepherd’s bag, even into his wallet, and his sling was in his hand; and he drew near to the Philistine. 41 And behold, the Philistine came and drew near to David; and his shieldbearer went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you come to me with a staff? 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 fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field. 45 Then David said to the Philistine, You come against me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield; but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands; and I will slay you and take your head from you; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day to the wild beasts of the earth and to the fowls of the air, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will deliver you into our hands."

"48 ¶ And, behold, when the Philistine came and drew near to meet David, David hastened and ran to the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took thence a stone, and slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, and the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and slew him and cut off his head. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and as far as the valley of Ekron. And the slain of the Philistines fell by the way of Shaarain, even to Gath and to Ekron. 53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and plundered their camps. 54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent. 55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of his army, Whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I do not know. 56 And the king said, Inquire whose son this young man is. 57 And when David returned after he had slain the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? And David said to him, I am the son of your servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite."

"18:1 ¶ WHEN David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because Jonathan loved David as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword and his bow and his girdle. 5 And David went out wherever Saul sent him and was victorious; so that Saul appointed him over the men of war, and he found favor in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants."

"6 ¶ And it came to pass as they returned, when David came back from the slaughter of the Philistines, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, and with cymbals, and were rejoicing. 7 And the women sang as they played, and laughed, saying, Saul has slain by thousands, and David by tens of thousands. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands; and what more can he have but the kingdom? 9 And Saul began to envy David from that day forward. 10 And it came to pass after some days that an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house, and David was playing music in his presence, as at other times; and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul threw the javelin; for he said, I will pin David to the wall. But David evaded it twice."

"12 ¶ And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and had departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him a commander over a thousand; and he went out to war and came in before the people. 14 And David was a man of understanding in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he was exceedingly wise, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out to war and came in before them. 17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Nadab, I will give her to you to wife, but you must become a commander-in-chief for me and fight the LORD’S battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him. 18 And David said to Saul, Who am I? And what have I done, or what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king? 19 But it came to pass at the time when Nadab, Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, she was given to Azriel the Meholathite to wife. 20 And Malchel Saul’s daughter loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 And Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a hindrance to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, You shall this day be my son-in-law in doing one of two things. 22 And Saul commanded his servants to speak to David the son of Jesse, saying, Behold the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore be the king’s son-in-law. 23 And Saul’s servants spoke these words to David. And David said, Seems it to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and despised? 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, These are the words which David spoke. 25 And Saul said, Thus shall you say to David, The king does not desire any dowry, but two hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of his enemies. But King Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when the servants of Saul told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law; but the time had not come. 27 Wherefore David arose and went out, he and his men, and slew two hundred men of the Philistines; and David brought their foreskins and gave them to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him Malchel his daughter to wife. 28 land Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David and that Malchel Saul’s daughter loved David exceedingly. 29 And Saul was still the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy thenceforth. 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth raiding; and it came to pass at the time they went forth raiding, David was more successful than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly honored."

"19:1 ¶ AND Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants that they should kill David. 2 But Jonathan, Saul’s son, was delighted much in David; and Jonathan spoke to David, saying, Saul my father seeks to kill you; now therefore take heed to yourself, and sit in a secret place and hide yourself; 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father concerning you; and I will see what is on his mind, and I will tell you. 4 And Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Let not the king sin against his servant David; for he has not sinned against you, and his works are sufficient proof of his loyalty to you; 5 For he put his life at your disposal, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel by his hand; you saw it and rejoiced; and now, why then will you sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan his son; and Saul swore, saying, As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death. 7 Then Jonathan called David and told him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was with him as in times past."

"8 ¶ And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him. 9 And an evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand; and David played the harp in his presence. 10 And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the javelin; but he fled from Saul’s presence, and Saul stuck the javelin into the wall; and David fled, and escaped that night."

"11 ¶ Saul then sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to slay him in the morning; but Malchel, David’s wife, told him, saying, If you do not save yourself tonight, tomorrow you will be put to death. 12 So Malchel let David down through a window; and he fled and escaped. 13 And Malchel took an idol, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goat’s skin at the head of it, and covered it with a bedcover. 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him. 16 And when the messengers came in, behold, there was an idol in the bed, with a pillow of goat’s skin at its head. 17 And they told Saul, and Saul said to Malchel, Why have you deceived me so, and let my enemy depart, so that he has escaped? And Malchel said to Saul, He said to me, Let me go; or else I will kill you."

"18 ¶ So David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramtha and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Jonath which is in Ramtha. 19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Jonath which is in Ramtha. 20 And Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying and Samuel standing as a leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then he himself went to Ramtha, and came as far as the great cistern which is at the end of the town; and Saul said, Where are Samuel and David? And they said to him, Behold, they are at Jonath which is in Ramtha. 23 And he went toward Jonath in Ramtha; and the Spirit of God came upon him also; and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Jonath in Ramtha. 24 And he stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Behold, is Saul also among the prophets?"

"20:1 ¶ AND David fled from Jonath, which is in Ramtha, and came and said to Jonathan, What have I done? And what is my offence? And what is my crime before your father that he seeks my life? 2 And Jonathan said to him, God forbid; you shall not die; behold, my father does nothing either great or small which he does not reveal to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so. 3 And David swore moreover, and said, It is because your father knows that I have found favor in your eyes; therefore he has said. Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; but truly as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death. 4 Then Jonathan said to David, Whatever you desire, I will do for you. 5 And David said to Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit in the presence of your father to eat; but let me go that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at evening. 6 If your father should miss me, then say to him. David earnestly asked leave of me that he might go to Beth-lehem his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7 If he says thus, It is well; then your servant shall have peace; but if he is displeased, then be sure that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you; but if there is folly in me, slay me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?"

"9 ¶ And Jonathan said, God forbid; for if I knew of a certainty that evil were determined by my father to come upon you, then I would come to you and tell you. 10 Then David said to Jonathan, Who shall report to me, if your father answers you roughly? 11 And Jonathan said to David, Come, and let us go out into the field. So they both went out into the field. 12 And Jonathan said to David. The LORD God of Israel be a witness that I will sound my father about this time tomorrow, the third hour; and behold, if he feels good toward you, then I will send to you, and disclose it to you; 13 The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan; but if it please my father to do you harm, then I will disclose it to you, and send you away that you may go in peace; and the LORD be with you as he has been with my father. 14 And if only you will show me the kindness of God while I live, before I die; 15 And also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house for ever, when the LORD destroys the enemies of David from the face of the earth; 16 So Jonathan’s house shall flourish with the house of David; and may the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies. 17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18 Then Jonathan said to him. Tomorrow is the new moon; and you shall be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 And when at the third hour you will be wanted very much, then you shall come tomorrow to the place where you hid yourself, and you shall sit down beside the same stone. 20 And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. 21 And. behold, I will send a lad to go to gather up the arrows. And if I should say to the lad, The arrows are on this side of you, take them and come; then you will know and see that there is peace to you, there is no danger, as the LORD liveth. 22 But if I say thus to the lad, Behold, the arrows are beyond you; then go your way; for the LORD has sent you away. 23 And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the LORD is between you and me forever."

"24 ¶ So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to dine. 25 And the king sat upon his seat by the wall as at other times; and Jonathan went and sat upon a seat, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day; for he thought, Something has happened to him, or perhaps he is unclean, or perhaps he has not purified himself. 27 And it came to pass on the morrow, the second day of the new moon, David’s place was still empty; and Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has not the son of Jesse come to eat, either yesterday or today? 28 And Jonathan answered and said to Saul his father, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem; 29 And he said, Let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city; and my brother has commanded me to be there; and now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers. That is the reason he has not come to the king’s table. 30 Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, O you rebellious son, do I not know that you are delighted in the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore, now I will send and have him brought to me, for he shall surely die. 32 And Jonathan answered and said to Saul his father, Why should he be put to death? What has he done? 33 And Saul lifted up a javelin to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that his father was determined to slay David. 34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had determined evil against him."

"35 ¶ And it came to pass in the morning, Jonathan went out into the field to meet David, and a little lad was with him. 36 And he said to his lad, Run, gather up the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 And when the lad came to the place where Jonathan had shot the arrow, Jonathan called after the lad and said, Behold, the arrow is beyond you. 38 And Jonathan called again after the lad, saying, Make haste, quick, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows and brought them to his master. 39 But the lad knew not anything; only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40 And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city. 41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose from beside the stone and came to Jonathan and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times; and they kissed each other, and wept over each other; but David wept more. 42 Then Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, inasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and you and between my descendants and your descendants forever. Then Jonathan arose and went into the city."

"21:1 ¶ THEN David came to Noh, to Ahimeleck the priest; and Ahimeleck was afraid at meeting David, and said to him, Why have you come alone, and no man with you? 2 And David said to Ahimeleck the priest, The king has entrusted me with a matter, and has said to me, Let no man know the thing for which I send you, and what I have commanded you; and I have stationed my servants at hidden and obscure places. 3 Now therefore what provisions have you in your possession? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found. 4 And the priest answered David and said to him, There is no common bread in my possession, but there is hallowed bread; you may have it if the young men have kept themselves from touching unclean things. 5 And David answered the priest and said to him, The hallowed bread has been lawful for us since yesterday and the day before, when we left, and behold, the clothes of the young men are holy, and the bread is now practically common, even though it were sanctified this day in the vessels. 6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there but the shewbread that was taken from before the LORD to be replaced by hot bread on the day when it was taken away. 7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul. 8 And David said to Ahimeleck, Is there not here in your possession a sword or a spear? For I have brought neither my sword nor my javelin with me, because the king’s business required haste. 9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you slew in the valley of Terebinth, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you wish to take that, take it, for there is no other but that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it to me."

"10 ¶ And David arose and fled that day from fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David, the king of the land of Israel? Did not the daughters of Israel sing to one another of him in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands? 12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was exceedingly afraid of Achish, the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior in his presence, and disguised himself in their sight, and he sat at the doorpost and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants. Lo, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack good manners, that you have brought this fellow who misbehaves in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"

"22:1 ¶ DAVID therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave of Arlam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And there gathered to him every man who was in distress and every man who was in debt and every man who was discontented, and he became chief over them; and there were with him about four hundred men. 3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother dwell with you, till I know what God will do with me. 4 And he left them with the king of Moab; and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in Mizpeh. 5 And the prophet Gad said to David, Do not abide in Mizpeh; depart and go into the land of Judah. Then David departed and came into the forest of Hiziuth."

"6 ¶ And when Saul heard that David was located, and the men who were with him (now Saul was staying in Gibeah under the almond tree in Ramtha, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him); 7 Then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, Hear now, you Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all commanders of thousands and captains of hundreds; 8 And have all of you conspired against me, so that there is none to tell me about the covenant of my son with the son of Jesse; and is there none that discloses to me that my son has made a league with the son of Jesse, and is there none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servants against me to lie in wait as at this day? 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw David when he came to Noh, to Ahimeleck, the son of Ahitub the priest. 10 And he inquired of God for him and gave him weapons and provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11 Then the king summoned Ahimeleck the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Noh; and all of them came to the king. 12 And Saul said, Hear now, I beseech you, son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. 13 Then Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait as at this day? 14 And Ahimeleck the priest answered the king and said, And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and heeds your commands and is honored in your house? 15 Did I begin today to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me; let not the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knew nothing of all this matter, less or more. 16 And the king said, You shall surely die, Ahimeleck, you and all your father’s house. 17 Then the king said to the guards who stood about him. Turn, and slay the priests of God; because their hand also is with David and because they knew that he fled, and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hands and harm the priests of God. 18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn and fall upon the priests. And Doeg fell upon the priests and slew on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. 19 And Noh, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, young men and children and oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword."

"20 ¶ But one of the sons of Ahimeleck, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the priests of God. 22 And David said to Abiathar, I knew it that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would surely tell Saul; I myself am guilty for the death of all the persons of your father’s house. 23 Abide with me; fear not; for he that seeks my life seeks your life also, but with me you shall be protected."

"23:1 ¶ THEN they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors. 2 And David inquired of the LORD, saying. Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said to him, Go and smite the Philistines and save Keilah. 3 And David’s men said to him, We are afraid here in Judea, how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand. 5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their cattle and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimeleck fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand."

"7 ¶ And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has delivered him into my hands; for he has shut himself up by entering a town that has gates and bars. 8 And Saul called all the people together to war to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9 land David knew that Saul was plotting mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod to me. 10 Then David said, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant has heard for certain that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. 11 Will the men of the city deliver me and the men who are with me into the hand of Saul? 12 And the LORD said, They will deliver you; arise and go out of the city. 13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. And it was told Saul that David had fled from Keilah; and he forbore to go forth."

"14 ¶ And David abode in the wilderness of Misroth, and remained in a mountain in 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 was come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a forest. 16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the forest, and strengthened his hands in God. 17 And he said to him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be with you, and you shall live; and even Saul my father knows that it is so. 18 And they two made a covenant in the valley before the LORD (who sits upon the cherubim). And Jonathan went to his house."

"19 ¶ Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, Behold, David is hiding himself with us in Mizroth, in the forest in Gibaoth, in the valley which is on the right side of the desert. 20 Now therefore, come down against us according to all the desire of your soul, and we shall deliver him into the king’s hand. 21 And Saul said to them, Blessed be you of the LORD; for you have compassion on me. 22 Return and search and find the place where his haunt is and learn who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very subtle. 23 Know therefore and learn of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and return to me, to inform me with certainty, and I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. 24 So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul; but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain by the side of the desert. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek David. And they told David: therefore he came down to Selah and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on one side of the mountain and David and his men on the other side of the mountain: and David made haste to flee from Saul; for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them. 27 But there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Make haste and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; therefore they called that land the Division of Sinar. 29 land David went up from thence, and dwelt in Mizroth, which is in Gibaoth."

"24:1 ¶ AND it came to pass when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines that it was told him, saying, Behold. David is in Mizroth, which is in Gibaoth. 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the mountains of the wild goats. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds on the way where there was a cave; and Saul went into the cave and lay down there; and David and his men were staying on the slope of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, Behold, this is the day of which the LORD said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hands, that you may do to him as shall seem good in your sight. Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe stealthily. 5 But afterward David regretted that he had cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe. 6 And David said to the men who were with him, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, because he is the anointed of the LORD. 7 So David restrained the men who were with him with these words, and did not permit them to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way. 8 David also arose afterward and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and did him obeisance."

"9 ¶ And David said to Saul, You must not listen to the words of the men who say, Behold, David seeks your hurt. 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave; and the men who were with me bade me kill you, but I had pity on you, and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed. 11 Moreover, turn back, and see that even the skirt of your robe is in my hand; because when I cut off the skirt of your robe I did not kill you; now you should know and see that there is neither evil nor fault in my hand, and I have not sinned against you; yet you hunt me to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between me and you, and the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As it is said in the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked proceeds wickedness: but my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom have you come out, O king of Israel? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog, and after a flea? 15 The LORD therefore shall be judge, and judge between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me from your hands."

"16 ¶ And when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said to him, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 And he said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have showed this day how you have dealt well with me, in that the LORD had delivered me into your hands, and you did not kill me. 19 For when a man finds his enemy, and lets him go free, the LORD will reward him with good; wherefore the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know well that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear now therefore to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house. 22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home; but David and the men who were with him went up to Mizpeh."

"25:1 ¶ AND Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together and mourned for him, and buried him in his grave at Ramtha. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran."

"2 ¶ And there was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very wealthy; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and it came to pass, that he sheared his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife was Abigail; and she was a beautiful woman, and of a beautiful countenance; but the man Nabal was harsh and evil in his doings, and like a dog. 4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5 And David sent out ten young men, and said to the young men, Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name; 6 And thus shall you say to him who lives in prosperity, Peace be both to you and to your house. 7 Your shepherds were with us and we did not harm them, and they did not miss anything all the time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your servants, and they will tell you. Now therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes; for we have come on a good day; give whatever you wish to your servants and to your son David. 9 And when David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David. 10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who have broken away every man from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men whom I know not whence they are?"

"12 ¶ So David’s young men turned about and came back and told David all these words. 13 And David said to the men who were with him, Gird you on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred remained with the baggage. 14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our master; and he railed at them. 15 But the men were very good to us and did not hurt us, and neither have they caused us to miss anything all the time that we went with them; 16 And when we were in the wilderness, they were a wall to us both by night and day, and all the time we were with them tending the sheep. 17 Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master and against all his household; and Nabal was with the shepherds."

"18 ¶ Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves of bread and two skins of wine and five sheep ready dressed and five measures of parched wheat and one hundred cheeses and two hundred bunches of raisins, and laid them on asses. 19 And she said to the servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 And as she was riding on the ass and coming down by the covert of the mountain, behold, David and his men were coming up in her direction; and she met them. 21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have we guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missing of all that belonged to him; and he has rewarded us evil for good. 22 The LORD do so and more also to his servant David, if I leave of all that belongs to him by morning any mature male. 23 And when Abigail saw David, she hastened and alighted from the ass, and fell before David on her face and bowed herself to the ground, 24 And fell at his feet, and said, I beseech you, my lord, let this iniquity be upon me, my lord; and let your handmaid speak before you concerning this man Nabal. 25 For as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and his folly is with him; but I, your handmaid, did not see the young men whom my lord sent. 26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, my lord, seeing the LORD has withholden you from coming to shed blood, now, my lord, let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to you be as Nabal. 27 And now this present which your handmaid has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men that follow my lord. 28 Forgive this trespass of your handmaid; for the LORD will certainly make for my lord a sure house; because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil has not been found in you all your days. 29 Yet a man is resolved to pursue you and to seek your life; but the life of my lord is bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God; but the lives of your enemies the LORD shall throw out of a sling. 30 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and shall have appointed you ruler over Israel, 31 That this shall not be a grief to you, nor an offence in your heart, to shed blood without cause; and when the LORD shall have dealt well with you, then remember your handmaid."

"32 ¶ And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel who sent you this day to meet me; 33 And blessed be your advice, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and spared my hands this day from shedding blood. 34 For indeed, as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, if you had not made haste and come to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal by the morning any mature male. 35 So David received of her hands that which she had brought, and said to her, Go up in peace to your house; see, I have hearkened to your voice and have accepted your person."

"36 ¶ And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning. 37 But it came to pass in the morning, when he had shaken off the effects of wine, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him and he became paralyzed. 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, the LORD smote Nabal and he died. 39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hands of Nabal, and has kept his servant from evil; for the LORD has returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 40 And when the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to you, to take you to him to wife. 41 And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let your handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 42 And Abigail hastened and arose, and rode upon an ass with five of her maidens who went after her; and she went with the messengers of David and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and both of them became his wives. 44 But Saul had given Malchel his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim."

"26:1 ¶ THEN the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, Behold, David is hiding himself in Gibaoth-hawilah, which is before the wilderness. 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped in Gibaoth-hawilah, which is before the wilderness by the wayside. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him in the wilderness. 4 David therefore sent out spies, and learned that Saul had come after him. 5 And David arose and came to the place where Saul was encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, was lying in the path, and the people were encamped round about him."

"6 ¶ Then David said to Ahimeleck the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zoriah, Joab’s brother, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul’s camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you. 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay asleep in the path, with his spear lying on the ground by his bedside; and Abner and the people lay round about him. 8 Then said Abishai to David, Your God has delivered your enemy into your hands this day; now therefore let me smite him just once with this spear which is on the ground, and I will not smite him the second time. 9 But David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless? 10 David said furthermore, As the LORD lives, the LORD shall smite him; or the day of his death shall come; or he will be smitten in battle and perish. 11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the LORD’S anointed; but now take the spear that is by his bedside, and the jug of water, and let us go. 12 So David took the spear and the jug of water from Saul’s bedside; and they went away, and no man saw it nor knew it, neither awaked, for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them."

"13 ¶ Then David went over to the other side from Saul, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great space being between them; 14 And David called to the king and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Will you not answer, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who are you that calls to the king? 15 And David said to Abner, Are you not a valiant man? And who is like you in all Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For there came in one of the people today to destroy your lord the king. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not guarded your master, the LORD’S anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the jug of water that was at his bedside. 17 And Saul heard David’s voice, and said to him, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. 18 Then David said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hands? 19 Now therefore, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD has stirred you up against me, let us make an offering; but if it be of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out, that I should have no shelter in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods. 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth far off from the face of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as one who pursues a partridge in the mountain."

"21 ¶ Then Saul said to David, I have sinned; return, my son David: for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22 And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 The LORD renders to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against the LORD’S anointed. 24 And, behold, as your life was highly esteemed this day in my sight, so my life shall be highly esteemed in the sight of the LORD. 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son; you have surely done great things, and also you have surely prevailed. So David went on his way, and Saul also returned to his house."

"27:1 ¶ AND David said in his heart, Now if I should fall some day into the hands of Saul, it would not be good for me, but it is better for me that I should escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of seeking me any more in the territory of Israel; so I shall escape out of his hands. 2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish, the son of Maachah, king of Gath. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men and the household of David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 4 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath; and he sought no more after him. 5 And David said to Achish, If I have now found grace in your eyes, let the people give me a place in one of the towns in the desert, that I may dwell there; so that your servant may not dwell in the royal city with you. 6 Then Achish gave him Zinklag that day; therefore Zinklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 And the time that David dwelt in the land of the Philistines was a full year and four months."

"8 ¶ And David and his men went up and made raids upon the Geshurites and the Gadolites and the Amalekites; for these nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, and they raided Geshur as far as the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive, and he took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the apparel; then David returned and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said to David, Where have you made a raid today? And David said, Against the south of Judah and against the south of Jerahmel and against the south of Kailah. 11 And David spared neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, Thus David has done, and such was his custom all the while he dwelt in the land of the Philistines. 12 And Achish believed David, saying, He has surely displeased his people Israel; therefore he has become my servant for ever."

"28:1 ¶ AND it came to pass in those days, the Philistines gathered their armies together in the valley for war to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, Know assuredly that you shall go out with me to the host, you and your men. 2 And David said to Achish, Surely you shall know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore I will make you my bodyguard forever. 3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned over him and buried him in Ramtha in his own sepulchre. And Saul had put away the diviners and the wizards out of the land. 4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shechem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilgal. 5 And when Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, he did not answer him, either by dreams or by fire or by prophets."

"7 ¶ Then Saul said to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor. 8 And Saul disguised himself and put on other raiment, and he went and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and Saul said to her, Divine for me by the familiar spirit, and bring up for me him whom I shall tell you. 9 And the woman said to him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has removed those who have familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land. Why then are you laying a snare for my life to cause me to be put to death? 10 And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD lives, there shall no harm come upon you for this thing. 11 Then the woman said, Whom shall I bring up to you? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and she said to Saul, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul. 13 And the king said to her, Fear not; what do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. 14 And he said to her, What is their appearance? And she said to him, An old man is coming up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and made obeisance."

"15 ¶ And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines are making war against me, and God has departed from me, and answers me no more although I have inquired by the prophets and also by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may tell me what I shall do. 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, Why do you ask of me, seeing the LORD has departed from you, and now he is with your neighbor David? 17 And the LORD has done to him, as he spoke by me; for he has rent asunder the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David; 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD and did not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me; the LORD also shall deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines."

"20 ¶ Then Saul fell straightway upon his face on the ground, and was exceedingly afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all that day, nor all that night. 21 And the woman came to Saul, and saw that he was exceedingly afraid, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has obeyed your voice, and I have put my life in your hand, and have listened to the words which you spoke to me. 22 Now therefore, listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, because you are going on a journey. 23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, begged him; and he hearkened to their voice. So he arose from the ground and sat upon the bed. 24 Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she made haste and killed it, and took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread; 25 And she brought it before Saul and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up and went away that night."

"29:1 ¶ NOW the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek; and the Israelites were encamped by the fountain which is in Jezreel. 2 And the lords of the Philistines were passing in review by hundreds and by thousands; but David and his men marched in the rear with Achish. 3 Then the princes of the Philistines said to Achish, Why are these men marching here? And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, This is David, the servant of Saul, the king of Israel, who has been with us a year and some months, and I have found no fault in him from the day he came to me until this day. 4 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and they said to him, Drive this fellow out of the camp, that he may return to his place which you have assigned him; and let him not go with us to the battle, lest he be an adversary to us there; for how could this man reconcile himself to his lord, except with our heads? 5 Is not this David, of whom the daughters of Israel sang one to another with timbrels, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands?"

"6 ¶ Then Achish called David and said to him, As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your coming in and your going out with me in the battle is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to us to this day; nevertheless you are not good in the sight of the lords. 7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines. 8 And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day that I have come to you until this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king? 9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God; but the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go with us to the battle. 10 Now therefore rise up early in the morning with your master’s servants who came with you; and at daybreak, go on your way. 11 So David and his men rose up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel."

"30:1 ¶ AND when David and his men were come to Zinklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the Negeb and Zinklag, and burned them with fire; 2 And had taken captive all the people who were in them, both the small and the great; and they put to death the men of war; and they took the spoil and went on their way. 3 And David and his men came to the city, and. behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives and their sons and their daughters were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 5 And David’s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in the LORD his God."

"7 ¶ And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimeleck’s son, Bring me here the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the LORD, saying. Shall I pursue these raiders? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them soon and deliver the captives. 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook of Besor, and David left two hundred men there. 10 And David continued the pursuit with four hundred men; then the two hundred men who were left behind rose up and kept guard, that the raiders might not cross the brook of Besor. 11 And they found an Egyptian in a field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water to drink; 12 And they gave him two cakes of figs, and when he had eaten, his spirit revived; for he had not eaten bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, To whom do you belong? And where do you come from? And the young man said, I am an Egyptian, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me because I have been sick for three days, 14 After we returned from raiding the Negeb of Judah and the Negeb of Caleb and from Zinklag, and we burned the towns with fire. 15 And David said to him, Will you bring me down to this band of robbers? And he said to him. Swear to me by the LORD that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hand of my master, and I will show you this band of robbers. 16 And David swore to him, and when he had brought him down, behold, they were scattered upon the ground, eating and drinking and rejoicing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 And David smote them from the morning until evening from the rear; and there escaped not a man of them, except four hundred men who rode upon camels and fled. 18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken captive, and he rescued his two wives that day. 19 And they lost nothing, for David recovered all. 20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, and an abundance of other things in addition; and they said, This is David’s spoil."

"21 ¶ And David came to the two hundred men who were left behind to guard the baggage, whom he had placed there to guard the road to Besor; and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him; and when David and the people drew near, they exchanged greetings. 22 Then answered some of David’s men who were evil and wicked, and said, Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any portion of the spoil which we have recovered, save that every man may take his wife and his children. 23 But David said, You shall not do thus, my brethren, with that which the LORD has given us, he who has preserved us and delivered into our hands the raiders that came against us. 24 For who will hearken to you in this matter? For as his portion is who goes down to battle, so shall his portion be who tarries by the baggage: they shall divide alike. 25 And it was so from that day forward that David made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel even to this day. 26 And when David came to Zinklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah and to their neighbors, saying, Here is a blessing for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; 27 Moreover, he sent of the spoil to those who were in Beth-el and to those who were in Ramoth of the Negeb and to those who were in Ai 28 And to those who were in Adoer and those who were in Siphmoth and to those who were in Eshtemoa 29 And to those who were in Rachal and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites 30 And to those who were in Hirmah and to those who were in Bar-beshan and to those who were in Tanach 31 And to those who were in Hebron and to all the places in which David and his men had traveled."

"31:1 ¶ NOW the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and many fell dead on mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Jeshui and Melchishua, Saul’s sons. 3 And the battle was intense against Saul, and the archers overtook him with bows, and he was exceedingly afraid of the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armorbearer, Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and slay me and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was exceedingly afraid. Thereupon Saul took his sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 6 So Saul died, and his three sons and his armorbearer and also all his servants, that same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley of the Jordan saw that the men of Israel fled and that Saul and his sons were slain, they abandoned the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them."

"8 ¶ And on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, 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 to publish the news in the land of the Philistines and among the people and in the house of their idols. 10 And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-jashan. 11 Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul and to his sons, 12 All the valiant men arose and marched all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-jashan, and brought them to Jabesh and burnt them there. 13 And they took their bones and buried them under the almond tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days."