▲1.1 There was a man of
Armathaim Sipha, of mount Ephraim, and his name [was] Helkana, a son of
Jeremeel the son of Elias the son of Thoke, in Nasib Ephraim. 1.2 And he
[had] two wives; the name of the one [was] Anna, and the name of the
second Phennana. And Phennana had children, but Anna had no child. 1.3 And the
man went up from year to year from his city, from Armathaim, to worship
and sacrifice to the Lord God of Sabaoth at Selom: and [there were]
Heli and his two sons Ophni and Phinees, the priests of the Lord. 1.4 And the
day came, and Helkana sacrificed, and gave portions to his wife
Phennana and her children. 1.5 And to
Anna he gave a prime portion, because she had no child, only Helkana
loved Anna more than the other; but the Lord [had] closed her womb. 1.6 For the
Lord gave her no child in her affliction, and according to the
despondency of her affliction; and she was dispirited on this account,
that the Lord shut up her womb so as not to give her a child. 1.7 So she
did year by year, in going up to the house of the Lord; and she was
dispirited, and wept, and did not eat. 1.8 And
Helkana her husband said to her, Anna: and she said to him, Here [am]
I, my lord: and he said to her, What ails thee that thou weepest? and
why dost thou not eat? and why does thy heart smite thee? [am] I not
better to thee than ten children? 1.9 And
Anna rose up after they had eaten in Selom, and stood before the Lord:
and Heli the priest [was] on a seat by the threshold of the temple of
the Lord. 1.10 And
she [was] very much grieved in spirit, and prayed to the Lord, and wept
abundantly. 1.11 And
she vowed a vow to the Lord, saying, O Lord God of Sabaoth, if thou
welt indeed look upon the humiliation of thine handmaid, and remember
me, and give to thine handmaid a man-child, then will I indeed dedicate
him to thee till the day of his death; and he shall drink no wine nor
strong drink, and no razor shall come upon his head. 1.12 And it
came to pass, while she was long praying before the Lord, that Heli the
priest marked her mouth. 1.13 And
she was speaking in her heart, and her lips moved, but her voice was
not heard: and Heli accounted her a drunken woman. 1.14 And
the servant of Heli said to her, How long wilt thou be drunken? take
away thy wine from thee, and go out from the presence of the Lord. 1.15 And
Anna answered and said, Nay, my lord, [I live] in a hard day, and I
have not drunk wine or strong drink, and I pour out my soul before the
Lord. 1.16 Count
not thy handmaid for a pestilent woman, for by reason of the abundance
of my importunity I have continued [my prayer] until now. 1.17 And
Heli answered and said to her, Go in peace: the God of Israel give thee
all thy petition, which thou hast asked of him. 1.18 And
she said, Thine handmaid has found favour in thine eyes: and the woman
went her way, and entered into her lodging, and ate and drank with her
husband, and her countenance was no more sad. 1.19 And
they rise early in the morning, and worship the Lord, and they go their
way: and Helkana went into his house at Armathaim, and knew his wife
Anna; and the Lord remembered her, and she conceived. 1.20 And it
came to pass when the time was come, that she brought forth a son, and
called his name Samuel, and said, Because I asked him of the Lord God
of Sabaoth. 1.21 And
the man Helkana and all his house went up to offer in Selom the yearly
sacrifice, and his vows, and all the tithes of his land. 1.22 But
Anna did not go up with him, for she said to her husband, [I will not
go up] until the child goes up, when I have weaned him, and he shall be
presented before the Lord, and he shall abide there continually. 1.23 And
Helkana her husband said to her, Do that which is good in thine eyes,
abide still until thou shalt have weaned him; but may the Lord
establish that which comes out of thy mouth: and the woman tarried, and
suckled her son until she had weaned him. 1.24 And
she went up with him to Selom with a calf of three years old, and
loaves, and an ephah of fine flour, and a bottle of wine: and she
entered into the house of the Lord in Selom, and the child with them. 1.25 And
they brought him before the Lord; and his father slew his offering
which he offered from year to year to the Lord; and he brought near the
child, and slew the calf; and Anna the mother of the child brought him
to Heli. 1.26 And
she said, I pray thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, I [am] the woman
that stood in thy presence with thee while praying to the Lord. 1.27 For
this child I prayed; and the Lord has given me my request that I asked
of him. 1.28 And I
lend him to the Lord all his days that he lives, a loan to the Lord:
and she said, ▲2.1 My heart is established in
the Lord, my horn is exalted in my God; my mouth is enlarged over my
enemies, I have rejoiced in thy salvation. 2.2 For
there is none holy as the Lord, and there is none righteous as our God;
there is none holy besides thee. 2.3 Boast
not, and utter not high things; let not high-sounding words come out of
your mouth, for the Lord [is] a God of knowledge, and God prepares his
own designs. 2.4 The bow
of the mighty has waxed feeble, and the weak have girded themselves
with strength. 2.5 They
that were full of bread are brought low; and the hungry have forsaken
the land; for the barren has born seven, and she that abounded in
children has waxed feeble. 2.6 The
Lord kills and makes alive; he brings down to the grave, and brings up. 2.7 The
Lord makes poor, and makes rich; he brings low, and lifts up. 2.8 He
lifts up the poor from the earth, and raises the needy from the
dunghill; to seat him with the princes of the people, and causing them
to inherit the throne of glory: 2.9
granting his petition to him that prays; and he blesses the years of
the righteous, for by strength cannot man prevail. 2.10 The
Lord will weaken his adversary; the Lord [is] holy. Let not the wise
man boast in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast in his strength,
and let not the rich man boast in his wealth; but let him that boasts
boast in this, to understand and know the Lord, and to execute
judgement and justice in the midst of the earth. The Lord has gone up
to the heavens, and has thundered: he will judge the extremities of the
earth, and he gives strength to our kings, and will exalt the horn of
his Christ. And she left him there before the Lord, 2.11 and
departed to Armathaim: and the child ministered in the presence of the
Lord before Heli the priest. 2.12 And
the sons of Heli the priest [were] evil sons, not knowing the Lord. 2.13 And
the priest's claim from every one of the people that sacrificed [was
this:] the servant of the priest came when the flesh was in seething,
and a flesh-hook of three teeth [was] in his hand. 2.14 And he
struck it into the great caldron, or into the brazen vessel, or into
the pot, and whatever came up with the flesh-hook, the priest took for
himself: so they did to all Israel that came to sacrifice to the Lord
in Selom. 2.15 And
before the fat was burnt for a sweet savour, the servant of the priest
would come, and say to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for
the priest, and I will by no means take of thee sodden flesh out of the
caldron. 2.16 And
[if] the man that sacrificed said, First let the fat be burned, as it
is fit, and take for thyself of all things which thy soul desires: then
he would say, Nay, for thou shalt give it me now; and if not I will
take it by force. 2.17 So the
sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for they set at
nought the offering of the Lord. 2.18 And
Samuel ministered before the Lord, a child girt with a linen ephod. 2.19 And
his mother made him a little doublet, and brought it to him from year
to year, in her going up in company with her husband to offer the
yearly sacrifice. 2.20 And
Heli blessed Helcana and his wife, saying The Lord recompense to thee
seed of this woman, in return for the loan which thou hast lent to the
Lord: and the man returned to his place. 2.21 And
the Lord visited Anna, and she bore yet three sons, and two daughters.
And the child Samuel grew before the Lord. 2.22 And
Heli [was] very old, and he heard what his sons did to the children of
Israel. 2.23 And he
said to them, Why do ye according to this thing, which I hear from the
mouth of all the people of the Lord? 2.24 Nay
[my] sons, for the report which I hear [is] not good; do not so, for
the reports which I hear [are] not good, so that the people do not
serve God. 2.25 If a
man should at all sin against another, then shall they pray for him to
the Lord; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him?
But they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord
would by all means destroy them. 2.26 And
the child Samuel advanced, and was in favour with God and with men. 2.27 And a
man of God came to Heli, and said, Thus says the Lord, I plainly
revealed myself to the house of thy father, when they were servants in
Egypt to the house of Pharao. 2.28 And I
chose the house of thy father out of all the tribes of Israel to
minister to me in the priest's office, to go up to my altar, and to
burn incense, and to wear an ephod. And I gave to the house of thy
father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel for food. 2.29 And
wherefore hast thou looked upon my incense-offering and my
meat-offering with a shameless eye, and hast honoured thy sons above
me, so that they should bless themselves with the first-fruits of every
sacrifice of Israel before me? 2.30
Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel, I said, Thy house and the
house of thy father shall pass before me for ever: but now the Lord
says, That be far from me; for will only honour them that honour me,
and he that sets me at nought shall be despised. 2.31
Behold, the days come when I will destroy thy seed and the seed of thy
father's house. 2.32 And
thou shalt not have an old man in my house for ever. 2.33 And
[if] I do not destroy a man of thine from my altar, [it shall be] that
his eyes may fail and his soul may perish; and every one that remains
in thy house shall fall by the sword of men. 2.34 And
this which shall come upon thy two sons Ophni and Phinees shall be a
sign to thee; in one day they shall both die. 2.35 And I
will raise up to myself a faithful priest, who shall do all that is in
my heart and in my soul; and I will build him a sure house, and he
shall walk before my Christ for ever. 2.36 And it
shall come to pass that he that survives in thy house, shall come to do
obeisance before him for a little piece of silver, saying, Put me into
one of thy priest's offices to eat bread. ▲3.1 And the child Samuel
ministered to the Lord before Heli the priest: and the word of the Lord
was precious in those days, there was no distinct vision. 3.2 And it
came to pass at that time that Heli was sleeping in his place; and his
eyes began to fail, and could not see. 3.3 And the
lamp of God [was burning] before it was trimmed, and Samuel slept in
the temple, where [was] the ark of God. 3.4 And the
Lord called, Samuel, Samuel; and he said, Behold, [here am] I. 3.5 And he
ran to Heli, and said, [Here am] I, for thou didst call me: and he
said, I did not call thee; return, go to sleep; and he returned and
went to sleep. 3.6 And the
Lord called again, Samuel, Samuel: and he went to Heli the second time,
and said, Behold [here am] I, for thou didst call me: and he said, I
called thee not; return, go to sleep. 3.7 And [it
was] before Samuel knew the Lord, and [before] the word of the Lord was
revealed to him. 3.8 And the
Lord called Samuel again for the third time: and he arose and went to
Heli, and said, Behold, I [am here], for thou didst call me: and Heli
perceived that the Lord [had] called the child. 3.9 And he
said, Return, child, go to sleep; and it shall come to pass if he shall
call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak for thy servant hears: and Samuel
went and lay down in his place. 3.10 And
the Lord came, and stood, and called him as before: and Samuel said,
Speak, for thy servant hears. 3.11 And
the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I execute my words in Israel; whoever
hears them, both his ears shall tingle. 3.12 In
that day I will raise up against Heli all things that I have said
against his house; I will begin, and I will make an end. 3.13 And I
have told him that I will be avenged on his house perpetually for the
iniquities of his sons, because his sons spoke evil against God, and he
did not admonish them. 3.14 And
[it shall] not [go on] so; I have sworn to the house of Eli, the
iniquity of the house of Eli shall not be atoned for with incense or
sacrifices for ever. 3.15 And
Samuel slept till morning, and rose early in the morning, and opened
the doors of the house of the Lord; and Samuel feared to tell [Heli]
the vision. 3.16 And
Heli said to Samuel, Samuel, [my] son; and he said, Behold, [here am] I. 3.17 And he
said, What [was] the word that was spoken to thee? I pray thee hide it
not from me: may God do these things to thee, and more also, if thou
hide from me any thing of all the words that were spoken to thee in
thine ears. 3.18 And
Samuel reported all the words, and hid them not from him. And Heli
said, He [is] the Lord, he shall do that which is good in his sight. 3.19 And
Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and there did not fall one of
his words to the ground. 3.20 And
all Israel knew from Dan even to Bersabee, that Samuel [was] faithful
as a prophet to the Lord. 3.21 And
the Lord manifested himself again in Selom, for the Lord revealed
himself to Samuel; and Samuel was accredited to all Israel as a prophet
to the Lord from one end of the land to the other: and Heli [was] very
old, and his sons kept advancing [in wickedness], and their way [was]
evil before the Lord. ▲4.1 And it came to pass in
those days that the Philistines gathered themselves together against
Israel to war; and Israel went out to meet them and encamped at
Abenezer, and the Philistines encamped in Aphec. 4.2 And the
Philistines prepare to fight with Israel, and the battle was turned
against them; and the men of Israel fell before the Philistines, and
there were smitten in the battle in the field four thousand men. 4.3 And the
people came to the camp, and the elders of Israel said, Why has the
Lord caused us to fall this day before the Philistines? let us take the
ark of our God out of Selom, and let it proceed from the midst of us,
and it shall save us from the hand of our enemies. 4.4 And the
people sent to Selom, and they take thence the ark of the Lord who
dwells between the cherubs: and both the sons of Heli, Ophni and
Phinees, [were] with the ark. 4.5 And it
came to pass when the ark of the Lord entered into the camp, that all
Israel cried out with a loud voice, and the earth resounded. 4.6 And the
Philistines heard the cry, and the Philistines said, What [is] this
great cry in the camp of the Hebrews: and they understood that the ark
of the Lord was come into the camp. 4.7 And the
Philistines feared, and said, These are the Gods that are come to them
into the camp. 4.8 Woe to
us, O Lord, deliver us to-day for such a thing has not happened
aforetime: woe to us, who shall deliver us out of the hand of these
mighty Gods? these [are] the Gods that smote Egypt with every plague,
and in the wilderness. 4.9
Strengthen yourselves and behave yourselves like men, O ye Philistines,
that ye may not serve the Hebrews as they have served us, but be ye men
and fight with them. 4.10 And
they fought with them; and the men of Israel fall, and they fled every
man to his ten; and there was a very great slaughter; and there fell of
Israel thirty thousand fighting men. 4.11 And
the ark of God was taken, and both the sons of Heli, Ophni, and
Phinees, died. 4.12 And
there ran a man of Benjamin out of the battle, and he came to Selom on
that day: and his clothes [were] rent, and earth [was] upon his head. 4.13 And he
came, an behold, Heli was upon the seat by the gate looking along the
way, for his heart was greatly alarmed for the ark of God: and the man
entered into the city to bring tidings; and the city cried out. 4.14 And
Heli heard the sound of the cry, and said, What [is] the voice of this
cry? and the men hasted and went in, and reported to Heli. 4.15 Now
Heli [was] ninety years old, and his eyes were fixed, and he saw not. 4.16 And
Heli said to them that stood round about him, What [is] the voice of
this sound? And the man hasted and advanced to Heli, and said to him, I
am he that is come out of the camp, and I have fled from the battle
to-day: and Heli said, What [is] the even, [my] son? 4.17 And
they young man answered and said, The men of Israel fled from the face
of the Philistines, and there was a great slaughter among the people,
and both thy sons are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 4.18 And it
came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from the
seat backward near the gate, and his back was broken, and he died, for
[he was] an old man and heavy: and he judged Israel twenty years. 4.19 And
his daughter-in-law the wife of Phinees [was] with child, [about] to
bring forth; and she heard the tidings, that the ark of God was taken,
and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead; and she wept and
was delivered, for her pains came upon her. 4.20 And in
her time she was at the point of death; and the women that stood by
her, said to her, Fear not, for thou hast born a son: but she answered
not, and her heart did not regard it. 4.21 And
she called the child Uaebarchaboth, because of the ark of God, and
because of her father-in-law, and because of her husband. 4.22 And
they said, The glory of Israel is departed, forasmuch as the ark of the
Lord is taken. ▲5.1 And the Philistines took
the ark of God, and brought it from Abenezer to Azotus. 5.2 And the
Philistines took the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of
Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 5.3 And the
people of Azotus rose early, and entered into the house of Dagon; and
looked, and behold, Dagon had fallen on his face before the ark of the
Lord: and they lifted up Dagon, and set him in his place. And the hand
of the Lord was heavy upon the Azotians, and he plagued them, and he
smote them in their secret parts, Azotus and her coasts. 5.4 And it
came to pass when they rose early in the morning, behold, Dagon had
fallen on his face before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; and the
head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands [were] cut off each
before the threshold, and both the wrists of his hands had fallen on
the floor of the porch; only the stump of Dagon was left. 5.5
Therefore the priests of Dagon, and every one that enters into the
house of Dagon, do not tread upon the threshold of the house of Dagon
in Azotus until this day, for they step over. 5.6 And the
hand of the Lord was heavy upon Azotus, and he brought evil upon them,
and it burst out upon them into the ships, and mice sprang up in the
midst of their country, and there was a great and indiscriminate
mortality in the city. 5.7 And the
men of Azotus saw that [it was] so, and they said, The ark of the God
of Israel shall not abide with us, for his hand [is] heavy upon us and
upon Dagon our god. 5.8 And
they send and gather the lords of the Philistines to them, and say,
What shall we do to the ark of the God of Israel? and the Gittites say,
Let the ark of God come over to us; and the ark of the God of Israel
came to Geth. 5.9 And it
came to pass after it went about to Geth, that the hand of the Lord
comes upon the city, a very great confusion; and he smote the men of
the city small and great, and smote them in their secret parts: and the
Gittites made to themselves images of emerods. 5.10 And
they send away the ark of God to Ascalon; and it came to pass when the
ark of God went into Ascalon, that the men of Ascalon cried out,
saying, Why have ye brought back the ark of the God of Israel to us, to
kill us and our people? 5.11 And
they send and gather the lords of the Philistines, and they said, Send
away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it lodge in its place; and
let it not slay us and our people. 5.12 For
there was a very great confusion in all the city, when the ark of the
God of Israel entered there; and those, who lived and died not were
smitten with emerods; and the cry of the city went up to heaven. ▲6.1 And the ark was seven
months in the country of the Philistines, and their land brought forth
swarms of mice. 6.2 And the
Philistines call their priests, and their prophets, and their
enchanters, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? teach us
wherewith we shall send it away to its place. 6.3 And
they said, If ye send away the ark of the covenant of the Lord God of
Israel, do not on any account send it away empty, but by all means
render to it an offering for the plague; and then shall ye be healed,
and an atonement shall be made for you: should not his hand be [thus]
stayed from off you? 6.4 And
they say, What [is] the offering for the plague [which] we shall return
to it? and they said, 6.5
According to the number of the lords of the Philistines, five golden
emerods, for the plague was on you, and on your rulers, and on the
people; and golden mice, the likeness of the mice that destroy your
land: and ye shall give glory to the Lord, that he may lighten his hand
from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6.6 And why
do ye harden your hearts, as Egypt and Pharao hardened their hearts?
[was it] not [so] when he mocked them, [that] they let the people go,
and they departed? 6.7 And now
take wood and make a new wagon, and take two cows, that have calved for
the first time, without their calves; and do ye yoke the cows to the
wagon, and lead away the calves from behind them home. 6.8 And ye
shall take the ark and put it on the wagon; and ye shall restore to it
the golden articles for the trespass-offering in a coffer by the side
of it: and ye shall let it g, and sent it away, and ye shall depart. 6.9 And ye
shall see, if it shall go the way of its coasts along by Baethsamys, he
has brought upon us this great affliction; and if not, then shall we
know that his hand has not touched us, but this [is a] chance [which]
has happened to us. 6.10 And
the Philistines did so; and they took two cows that had calved for the
first time, and yoked them to the waggon, and shut up their calves at
home. 6.11 And
they set the ark of the Lord, and the coffer, and the golden mice, on
the waggon. 6.12 And
the cows went straight on the way to the way of Baethsamys, they went
along one track; and laboured, and turned not aside to the right hand
or to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after it as far
as the coasts of Baethsamys. 6.13 And
the men of Baethsamys were reaping the wheat harvest in the valley; and
they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark of the Lord, and rejoiced to
meet it. 6.14 And
the waggon entered into the field of Osee, which was in Baethsamys, and
they set there by it a great stone; and they split the wood of the
waggon, and offered up the cows for a whole-burnt-offering to the Lord. 6.15 And
the Levites brought up the ark of the Lord, and the coffer with it, and
the golden articles upon it, and placed them on the great stone, and
the men of Baethsamys offered whole-burnt-offerings and meat offerings
on that day to the Lord. 6.16 And
the five lords of the Philistines saw, and returned to Ascalon in that
day. 6.17 And
these [are] the golden emerods which the lords of the Philistines gave
as a trespass-offering to the Lord; for Azotus one, for Gaza one, for
Ascalon one, for Geth one, for Accaron one. 6.18 And
the golden mice according to the number of all the cities of the
Philistines, belonging to the five lords, from the fenced city to the
village of the Pherezite, and to the great stone, on which they placed
the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that was in the field of Osee the
Baethsamysite. 6.19 And
the sons of Jechonias were not pleased with the men of Baethsamys,
because they saw the ark of the Lord; and [the Lord] smote among them
seventy men, and fifty thousand men: and the people mourned, because
the Lord had inflicted on the people, a very great plague. 6.20 And
the men of Baethsamys said, Who shall be able to pass before this holy
Lord God? and to whom shall the ark of the Lord go up from us? 6.21 And
they send messengers to the inhabitants of Cariathiarim, saying, The
Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord, go down and take it
home to yourselves. ▲7.1 And the men of Cariathiarim
come, and bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord: and they bring
it into the house of Aminadab in the hill; and they sanctified Eleazar
his son to keep the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 7.2 And it
came to pass from the time that the ark was in Cariathiarim, the days
were multiplied, and [the time] was twenty years; and all the house of
Israel looked after the Lord. 7.3 And
Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do with all your
heart return to the Lord, take away the strange gods from the midst of
you, and the groves, and prepare your hearts to [serve] the Lord, and
serve him only; and he shall deliver you from the hand of the
Philistines. 7.4 And the
children of Israel took away Baalim and the groves of Astaroth, and
served the Lord only. 7.5 And
Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Massephath, and I will pray for you
to the Lord. 7.6 And
they were gathered together to Massephath, and they drew water, and
poured it out upon the earth before the Lord. And they fasted on that
day, and said, We have sinned before the Lord. And Samuel judged the
children of Israel in Massephath. 7.7 And the
Philistines heard that all the children of Israel were gathered
together to Massephath: and the lords of the Philistines went up
against Israel: and the children of Israel heard, and they feared
before the Philistines. 7.8 And the
children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry to the Lord thy God
for us, and he shall save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 7.9 And
Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it up as a whole-burnt-offering
with all the people to the Lord: and Samuel cried to the Lord for
Israel, and the Lord heard him. 7.10 And
Samuel was offering the whole-burnt-offering; and the Philistines drew
near to war against Israel; and the Lord thundered with a mighty sound
in that day upon the Philistines, and they were confounded and
overthrown before Israel. 7.11 And
the men of Israel went forth out of Massephath, and pursued the
Philistines, and smote them to the parts under Baethchor. 7.12 And
Samuel took a stone, and set it up between Massephath and the old
[city]; and he called the name of it Abenezer, stone of the helper; and
he said, Hitherto has the Lord helped us. 7.13 So the
Lord humbled the Philistines, and they did not anymore come into the
border of Israel; and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines
all the days of Samuel. 7.14 And
the cities which the Philistines took from the children of Israel were
restored; and they restored them to Israel from Ascalon to Azob: and
they took the coast of Israel out of the hand of the Philistines; and
there was peace between Israel and the Amorite. 7.15 And
Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 7.16 And he
went year by year, and went round Baethel, and Galgala, and Massephath;
and he judged Israel in all these consecrated places. 7.17 And
his return was to Armathaim, because there was his house; and there he
judged Israel, and built there an altar to the Lord. ▲8.1 And it came to pass when
Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 8.2 And
these [are] the names of his sons; Joel the first-born, and the name of
the second Abia, judges in Bersabee. 8.3 And his
sons did not walk in his way; and they turned aside after gain, and
took gifts, and perverted judgments. 8.4 And the
men of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Armathaim to
Samuel, 8.5 and
they said to him, Behold, thou art grown old, and thy sons walk not in
thy way; and now set over us a king to judge us as also the other
nations [have]. 8.6 And the
thing [was] evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king
to judge us: and Samuel prayed to the Lord. 8.7 And the
Lord said to Samuel, Hear the voice of the people, in whatever they
shall say to thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have
rejected me from reigning over them. 8.8
According to all their doings which they have done to me, from the day
that I brought them out of Egypt until this day, even [as] they have
deserted me, and served other gods, so they do also to thee. 8.9 And now
hearken to their voice; only thou shalt solemnly testify to them, and
thou shalt describe to them the manner of the king who shall reign over
them. 8.10 And
Samuel spoke every word of the Lord to the people who asked of him a
king. 8.11 And he
said, This shall be the manner of the king that shall rule over you: he
shall take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and among his
horsemen, and running before his chariots, 8.12 and
[his manner shall be] to make them to himself captains of hundreds and
captains of thousands; and to reap his harvest, and gather his vintage,
and prepare his instruments of war, and the implements of his chariots. 8.13 And he
will take your daughters to be perfumers, and cooks, and bakers. 8.14 And he
will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your good oliveyards,
and give them to his servants. 8.15 And he
will take the tithe of your seeds and your vineyards, and give [it] to
his eunuchs, and to his servants. 8.16 And he
will take your servants, and your handmaids, and your good herds and
your asses, and will take the tenth of them for his works. 8.17 And he
will tithe your flocks; and ye shall be his servants. 8.18 And ye
shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen to
yourselves, and the Lord shall not hear you in those days, because ye
have chosen to yourselves a king. 8.19 But
the people would not hearken to Samuel; and they said to him, Nay, but
there shall be a king over us. 8.20 And we
also will be like all the nations; and our king shall judge us, and
shall go out before us, and fight our battles. 8.21 And
Samuel heard all the words of the people, and spoke them in the ears of
the Lord. 8.22 And
the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and appoint them a
king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let each man depart to his
city. ▲9.1 And [there was] a man of
the sons of Benjamin, and his name [was] Kis, the son of Abiel, the son
of Jared, the son of Bachir, the son of Aphec, the son of a Benjamite,
a man of might. 9.2 And
this man [had] a son, and his name was Saul, of great stature, a goodly
man; and there was not among the sons of Israel a goodlier than he,
high above all the people from his shoulders and upward. 9.3 And the
asses of Kis the father of Saul were lost; and Kis said to Saul his
son, Take with thee one of the young men, and arise ye, and go seek the
asses. 9.4 And
they went through mount Ephraim, and they went through the land of
Selcha, and found them not: and they passed through the land of
Segalim, and they were not there: and they passed through the land of
Jamin, and found them not. 9.5 And
when they came to Sigh, then Saul said to his young man that was with
him, Come and let us return, lest my father leave the asses, and take
care for us. 9.6 And the
young man said to him, Behold now, [there is] a man of God in this
city, and the man [is] of high repute; all that he shall speak will
surely come to pass: now then let us go, that he may tell us our way on
which we have set out. 9.7 And
Saul said to his young man that was with him, Lo, then, we will go; but
what shall we bring the man of God? for the loaves are spent out of our
vessels, and we have nothing more with us that belongs to us to bring
to the man of God. 9.8 And the
young man answered Saul again, and said, Behold, there is found in my
hand a fourth part of a shekel of silver; and thou shalt give it to the
man of God, and he shall tell us our way. 9.9 Now
before time in Israel every one in going to enquire of God said, Come
and let us go to the seer; for the people beforetime called the
prophet, the seer. 9.10 And
Saul said to his servant, Well said, come and let us go: and they went
to the city where the man of God was. 9.11 As
they went up the ascent to the city, they find damsels come out to draw
water, and they say to them, Is the seer here? 9.12 And
the virgins answered them, and they say to them, He is: behold, [he is]
before you: now he is coming to the city, because of the day, for
to-day [there is] a sacrifice for the people in Bama. 9.13 As
soon as ye shall enter into the city, so shall ye find him in the city,
before he goes up to Bama to eat; for the people will not eat until he
comes in, for he blesses the sacrifice, and afterwards the guests eat;
now then go up, for ye shall find him because of the holiday. 9.14 And
they go up to the city; and as they were entering into the midst of the
city, behold, Samuel came out to meet them, to go up to Bama. 9.15 And
the Lord uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before Saul came to him,
saying, 9.16 At
this time to-morrow I will send to thee a man out of the land of
Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel,
and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I
have looked upon the humiliation of my people, for their cry is come
unto me. 9.17 And
Samuel looked upon Saul, and the Lord answered him, Behold the man of
whom I spoke to thee, this one shall rule over my people. 9.18 And
Saul drew near to Samuel into the midst of the city, and said, Tell me
now which [is] the house of the seer? 9.19 And
Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am he: go up before me to Bama, and
eat with me to-day, and I will send thee away in the morning, and I
will tell thee all that is in thine heart. 9.20 And
concerning thine asses that have been lost now these three days, care
not for them, for they are found. And to whom does the excellency of
Israel belong? does it not to thee and to thy father's house? 9.21 And
Saul answered and said, Am not I the son of a Benjamite, the least
tribe of the people of Israel? and of the least family of the whole
tribe of Benjamin? and why hast thou spoken to me according to this
word? 9.22 And
Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them to the inn, and set
them there a place among the chief of those that were called, about
seventy men. 9.23 And
Samuel said to the cook, Give me the portion which I gave thee, which I
told thee to set by thee. 9.24 Now
the cook [had] boiled the shoulder, and he set it before Saul; and
Samuel said to Saul, Behold that which is left: set before thee, an
eat; for it is set thee for a testimony in preference to the others;
take [of it]: and Saul ate with Samuel on that day. 9.25 And he
went down from Bama into the city; and they prepared a lodging for Saul
on the roof, and he lay down. 9.26 An it
came to pass when the morning dawned, that Samuel called Saul on the
roof, saying, Rise up, and I will dismiss thee. And Saul arose, and he
and Samuel went out. 9.27 As
they went down to a part of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Speak to the
young man, and let him pass on before us; and do thou stand as to-day,
and hearken to the word of God. ▲10.1 And Samuel took a vial of
oil, and poured [it] on his head, and kissed him, and said to him, Has
not the Lord anointed thee for a ruler over his people, over Israel?
and thou shalt rule among the people of the Lord, and thou shalt save
them out of the hand of their enemies; and this [shall be] the sign to
thee that the Lord has anointed thee for a ruler over his inheritance. 10.2 [As
soon] as thou shalt have departed this day from me, thou shalt find two
men by the burial-place of Rachel on the mount of Benjamin, exulting
greatly; and they shall say to thee, The asses are found which ye went
to seek; and, behold, thy father has given up the matter of the asses,
and he is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? 10.3 And
thou shalt depart thence, and shalt go beyond that as far as the oak of
Thabor, and thou shalt find there three men going up To God to Baethel,
one bearing three kids, and another bearing three vessels of bread, and
another bearing a bottle of wine. 10.4 And
they shall ask thee how thou doest, and shall give thee two presents of
bread, and thou shall receive them of their hand. 10.5 And
afterward thou shalt go to the hill of God, where is the encampment of
the Philistines; there [is] Nasib the Philistine: an it shall come to
pass when ye shall have entered into the city, that thou shalt meet a
band of prophets coming down from the Bama; and before them will be
lutes, and a drum, and a pipe, and a harp, and they shall prophesy. 10.6 And
the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy
with them, and shalt be turned into another man. 10.7 And it
shall come to pass when these signs shall come upon thee,-- [then] do
thou whatsoever thy hand shall find, because God [is] with thee. 10.8 And
thou shalt go down in front of Galgal, and behold, I come down to thee
to offer a whole-burnt-offering and peace-offerings: seven days shalt
thou wait until I shall come to thee, and I will make known to thee
what thou shalt do. 10.9 And it
came to pass when he turned his back to depart from Samuel, God gave
him another heart; and all these signs came to pass in that day. 10.10 And
he comes thence to the hill, and behold a band of prophets opposite to
him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied in the
midst of them. 10.11 And
all that had known him before came, and saw, and behold, he [was] in
the midst of the prophets: and the people said every one to his
neighbour, What [is] this that has happened to the son of Kis? [is]
Saul also among the prophets? 10.12 And
one of them answered and said, And who [is] his father? and therefore
it became a proverb, [Is] Saul also among the prophets? 10.13 And
he ceased prophesying, and comes to the hill. 10.14 And
his kinsman said to him and to his servant, Whither went ye? and they
said, To seek the asses; and we saw that they were lost, and we went in
to Samuel. 10.15 And
his kinsman said to Saul, Tell me, I pray thee, What did Samuel say to
thee? 10.16 And
Saul said to his kinsman, he verily told me that the asses were found.
But the matter of the kingdom he told him not. 10.17 And
Samuel summoned all the people before the Lord to Massephath. 10.18 And
he said to the children of Israel, Thus has the Lord God of Israel
spoken, saying, I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, and I
rescued you out of the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and out of all the
kingdoms that afflicted you. 10.19 And
ye have this day rejected God, who is himself your Deliverer out of all
your evils and afflictions; and ye said, Nay, but thou shalt set a king
over us: and now stand before the Lord according to your tribes, and
according to your families. 10.20 And
Samuel brought nigh all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin
is taken by lot. 10.21 And
he brings near the tribe of Benjamin by families, and the family of
Mattari is taken by lot: and they bring near the family of Mattari, man
by man, and Saul the son of Kis is taken; and he sought him, but he was
not found. 10.22 And
Samuel asked yet again of the Lord, Will the man come hither? and the
Lord said, Behold, he is hid among the stuff. 10.23 And
he ran and took him thence, and he set him in the midst of the people;
and he was higher than all the people by his shoulders and upwards. 10.24 And
Samuel said to all the people, Have ye seen whom the Lord has chosen to
himself, that there is none like to him among you all? And all the
people took notice, and said, Let the king live! 10.25 And
Samuel told the people the manner of the king, and wrote it in a book,
and set it before the Lord: and Samuel sent away all the people, and
each went to his place. 10.26 And
Saul departed to his house to Gabaa; and there went with Saul mighty
men whose hearts God had touched. 10.27 But
evil men said, Who [is] this man [that] shall save us? and they
despised him, and brought him no gifts. ▲11.1 And it came to pass about a
month after this, that Naas the Ammanie went up, and encamped against
Jabis Galaad: and all the men of Jabis said to Naas the Ammanite, Make
a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. 11.2 Naas
the Ammanite said to them, On these terms will I make a covenant with
you, that I should put out all your right eyes, and I will lay a
reproach upon Israel. 11.3 And
the men of Jabis say to him, Allow us seven days, and we will send
messengers into all the coasts of Israel: if there should be no one to
deliver us, we will come out to you. 11.4 And
the messengers came to Gabaa to Saul, and they speak the words into the
ears of the people; and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 11.5 And,
behold, Saul came after the early morning out of the field: and Saul
said, Why does the people week? and they tell him the words of the men
of Jabis. 11.6 And
the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul when he heard these words, and
his anger was greatly kindled against them. 11.7 And he
took two cows, and cut them in pieces, and sent them into all the
coasts of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoso comes not
forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall they do to his oxen: and a
transport from the Lord came upon the people of Israel, and they came
out to battle as one man. 11.8 And he
reviews them at Bezec in Bama, every man of Israel six hundred
thousand, and the men of Juda seventy thousand. 11.9 And he
said to the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say to the men of
Jabis, To-morrow ye shall have deliverance when the sun is hot; and the
messengers came to the city, and told the men of Jabis, and they
rejoiced. 11.10 And
the men of Jabis said to Naas the Ammanite, To-morrow we will come
forth to you, and ye shall do to us what seems good in your sight. 11.11 And
it came to pass on the morrow, that Saul divided the people into three
companies, and they go into the midst of the camp in the morning watch,
and they smote the children of Ammon until the day was hot; at it came
to pass that those who were left were scattered, and there were not
left among them two together. 11.12 And
the people said to Samuel, Who has said that Saul shall not reign over
us? Give up the men, and we will put them to death. 11.13 And
Saul said, No man shall die this day, for to-day the Lord has wrought
deliverance in Israel. 11.14 And
Samuel spoke to the people, saying, Let us go to Galgala, and there
renew the kingdom. 11.15 And
all the people went to Galgala, and Samuel anointed Saul there to be
king before the Lord in Galgala, and there he offered meat-offerings
and peace-offerings before the Lord: and Samuel and all Israel rejoiced
exceedingly. ▲12.1 And Samuel said to all
Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all things that ye
have said to me, and I have set a king over you. 12.2 And
now, behold, the king goes before you; and I am grown old and shall
rest; and, behold, my sons [are] among you; and, behold, I have gone
about before you from my youth to this day. 12.3
Behold, [here am] I, answer against me before the Lord and before his
anointed: whose calf have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom
of you have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I taken a bribe, even
[to] a sandal? bear witness against me, and I will make restitution to
you. 12.4 And
they said to Samuel, Thou hast not injured us, and thou hast not
oppressed us; and thou hast not afflicted us, and thou hast not taken
anything from any one's hand. 12.5 And
Samuel said to the people, The Lord [is] witness among you, and his
anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found anything in my
hand: and they said, [He is] witness. 12.6 And
Samuel spoke to the people, saying, The Lord who appointed Moses and
Aaron [is] witness, who brought our fathers up out of Egypt. 12.7 And
now stand still, and I will judge you before the Lord; and I will
relate to you all the righteousness of the Lord, the things which he
has wrought among you and your fathers. 12.8 When
Jacob and his sons went into Egypt, and Egypt humbled them, then our
fathers cried to the Lord, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron; and they
brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he made them to dwell in this
place. 12.9 And
they forgot the Lord their God, and he sold them into the hands of
Sisara captain of the host of Jabis king of Asor, and into the hands of
the Philistines, and into the hands of the king of Moab; and he fought
with them. 12.10 And
they cried to the Lord, and said, We have sinned, for we have forsaken
the Lord, and have served Baalim and the groves: and now deliver us out
of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. 12.11 And
he sent Jerobaal, and Barac, and Jephthae, and Samuel, and rescued us
out of the hand of our enemies round about, and ye dwelt in security. 12.12 And
ye saw that Naas king of the children of Ammon came against you, and ye
said, Nay, none but a king shall reign over us; whereas the Lord our
God [is] our king. 12.13 And
now behold the king whom ye have chosen; and behold, the Lord has set a
king over you. 12.14 If ye
should fear the Lord, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not
resist the mouth of the Lord, and ye and your king that reigns over you
should follow the Lord, [well]. 12.15 But
if ye should not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and ye should resist
the mouth of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be upon you and
upon your king. 12.16 And
now stand still, and see this great thing, which the Lord will do
before your eyes. 12.17 [Is
it] not wheat-harvest to-day? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall
send thunder and rain; and know ye and see, that your wickedness [is]
great which ye have wrought before the Lord, having asked for
yourselves a king. 12.18 And
Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunders and rain in
that day; and all the people feared greatly the Lord and Samuel. 12.19 And
all the people said to Samuel, Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy
God, and let us not die; for we have added to all our sins this
iniquity, in asking for us a king. 12.20 And
Samuel said to the people, Fear not: ye have [indeed] wrought all this
iniquity; only turn not from following the Lord, and serve the Lord
with all your heart. 12.21 And
turn not aside after the [gods] that are nothing, who will do nothing,
and will not deliver [you], because they are nothing. 12.22 For
the Lord will not cast off his people for his great name's sake,
because the Lord graciously took you to himself for a people. 12.23 And
far be it from me to sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you:
but I will serve the Lord, and shew you the good and the right way. 12.24 Only
fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and with all your heart, for ye
see what great things he has wrought with you. 12.25 But
if ye continue to do evil, then shall ye and your king be consumed. ▲13.1 And Saul chooses for
himself three thousand men of the men of Israel: 13.2 and
there were with Saul two thousand who were in Machmas, and in mount
Baethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gabaa of Benjamin: and he
sent the rest of the people every man to his tent. 13.3 And
Jonathan smote Nasib the Philistine that dwelt in the hill; and the
Philistines hear of it, and Saul sounds the trumpet through all the
land, saying, The servants have despised [us]. 13.4 And
all Israel heard say, Saul has smitten Nasib the Philistine; now Israel
had been put to shame before the Philistines; and the children of
Israel went up after Saul in Galgala. 13.5 And
the Philistines gather together to war with Israel; and then come up
against Israel thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and
people as the sand by the seashore for multitude: and they come up, and
encamp in Machmas, opposite Baethoron southward. 13.6 And
the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait so that they could not
draw nigh, and the people hid themselves in caves, and sheepfolds, and
rocks, and ditches, and pits. 13.7 And
they that went over went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Galaad: and
Saul was yet in Galgala, and all the people followed after him in
amazement. 13.8 And he
continued seven days for the appointed testimony, as Samuel told him,
and Samuel came not to Gagala, and his people were dispersed from him. 13.9 And
Saul said, Bring hither [victims], that I may offer
whole-burnt-offerings and peace-offerings: and he offered the
whole-burnt-offering. 13.10 And
it came to pass when he had finished offering the whole-burnt-offering,
that Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to meet him, [and] to bless him. 13.11 And
Samuel said, What hast thou done? and Saul said, Because I saw how the
people were scattered from me, and thou was not present as thou
purposedst according to the set time of the days, and the Philistines
were gathered to Machmas. 13.12 Then
I said, Now will the Philistines come down to me to Galgala, and I have
not sought the face of the Lord: so I forced myself and offered the
whole-burnt-offering. 13.13 And
Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; for thou hast not kept
my command, which the Lord commanded thee, as now the Lord would have
confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever. 13.14 But
now thy kingdom shall not stand to thee, and the Lord shall seek for
himself a man after his own heart; and the Lord shall appoint him to be
a ruler over his people, because thou hast not kept all that the Lord
commanded thee. 13.15 And
Samuel arose, and departed from Galgala, and the remnant of the people
went after Saul to meet [him] after the men of war, when they had come
out of Galgala to Gabaa of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that
were found with him, about six hundred men. 13.16 And
Saul and Jonathan his son, and the people that were found with them,
halted in Gabaa, of Benjamin; and they wept: and the Philistines had
encamped in Machmas. 13.17 And
men came forth to destroy out of the land of the Philistines in three
companies; one company turning by the way of Gophera toward the land of
Sogal, 13.18 and
another company turning the way of Baethoron, and another company
turning by the way of Gabae that turns aside to Gai of Sabim. 13.19 And
there was not found a smith in all the land of Israel, for the
Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make themselves sword or spear. 13.20 And
all Israel went down to the Land of the Philistines to forge every one
his reaping-hook and his tool, and every one his axe and his sickle. 13.21 And
it was near the time of vintage: and their tools were [valued at] three
shekels for a plough-share, and there was the same rate for the axe and
the sickle. 13.22 And
it came to pass in the days of the war of Machmas, that there was not a
sword or spear found in the hand of all the people, that were with Saul
and Jonathan; but with Saul and Jonathan his son was there found. 13.23 And
there went out some from the camp of the Philistines to the place
beyond Machmas. ▲14.1 And when a certain day
arrived, Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his
armour, Come, and let us go over to Messab of the Philistines that is
on the other side yonder; but he told not his father. 14.2 And
Saul sat on the top of the hill under the pomegranate tree that is in
Magdon, and there were with him about six hundred men. 14.3 And
Achia son of Achitob, the brother of Jochabed the son of Phinees, the
son of Heli, [was] the priest of God in Selom wearing an ephod: and the
people knew not that Jonathan was gone. 14.4 And in
the midst of the passage whereby Jonathan sought to pass over to the
encampment of the Philistines, there was both a sharp rock on this
side, and a sharp rock on the other side: the name of the one [was]
Bases, and the name of the other Senna. 14.5 The
one way [was] northward to one coming to Machmas, and the other way
[was] southward to one coming to Gabae. 14.6 And
Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, let us go
over to Messab of these uncircumcised, if [peradventure] the Lord may
do something for us; for the Lord is not straitened to save by many or
by few. 14.7 And
his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that thine heart inclines toward:
behold, I [am] with thee, my heart [is] as thy heart. 14.8 And
Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over to the men, and will come down
suddenly upon them. 14.9 If
they should say thus to us, Stand aloof there until we shall send you
word; then we will stand still by ourselves, and will not go up against
them. 14.10 [But]
if they should say thus to us, Come up to us; then will we go up, for
the Lord has delivered them into our hands; this [shall be] a sign to
us. 14.11 And
they both went in to Messab of the Philistines; and the Philistines
said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of their Caves, where they had
hidden themselves. 14.12 And
the men of Messab answered Jonathan and his armour-bearer, and said,
Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing: and Jonathan said to his
armour-bearer, Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into
the hands of Israel. 14.13 And
Jonathan went up on his hands and feet, and his armour-bearer with him;
and they looked on the face of Jonathan, and he smote them, and his
armour-bearer did smite [them] after him. 14.14 And
the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armour-bearer effected was
twenty men, with darts and slings, and pebbles of the field. 14.15 And
there was dismay in the camp, and in the field; and all the people in
Messab, and the spoilers were amazed; and they would not act, and the
land was terror-struck, and there was dismay from the lord. 14.16 And
the watchmen of Saul beheld in Gabaa of Benjamin, and, behold, the army
was thrown into confusion on every side. 14.17 And
Saul said to the people with him, Number yourselves now, and see who
has gone out from you: and they numbered themselves, and behold,
Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not found. 14.18 And
Saul said to Achia, Bring the ephod; for he wore the ephod in that day
before Israel. 14.19 And
it came to pass while Saul was speaking to the priest, that the sound
in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase greatly; and Saul
said to the priest, Withdraw thy hands. 14.20 And
Saul went up and all the people that were with him, and they come to
the battle: and, behold, [every] man's sword was against his neighbour,
a very great confusion. 14.21 And
the servants who had been before with the Philistines, who had gone up
to the army, turned themselves also to be with the Israelites who were
with Saul and Jonathan. 14.22 And
all the Israelites who were hidden in mount Ephraim heard also that the
Philistines fled; and they also gather themselves after them to battle:
and the Lord saved Israel in that day; and the war passed through
Bamoth; and all the people with Saul were about ten thousand men. 14.23 And
the battle extended itself to every city in the mount Ephraim. 14.24 And
Saul committed a great trespass of ignorance in that day, and he lays a
curse on the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who shall eat bread
before the evening; so I will avenge myself on my enemy: and none of
the people tasted bread, though all the land was dining. 14.25 And
Jaal was a wood abounding in swarms of bees on the face of the ground. 14.26 And
the people went into the place of the bees, and, behold, they continued
speaking; and, behold, there was none that put his hand to his mouth,
for the people feared the oath of the Lord. 14.27 And
Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people; and he
reached forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, an dipped it
into the honeycomb, and returned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes
recovered their sight. 14.28 And
one of the people answered and said, Thy father solemnly adjured the
people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who shall eat bread to-day. And the
people were very faint, 14.29 and
Jonathan knew it, and said, My father has destroyed the land: see how
my eyes have received sight [now] that I have tasted a little of this
honey. 14.30
Surely if the people had this day eaten freely of the spoils of their
enemies which they found, the slaughter among the Philistines would
have been greater. 14.31 And
on that day he smote some of the Philistines in Machmas; and the people
were very weary. 14.32 And
the people turned to the spoil; and the people took flocks, and herds,
and calves, and slew them on the ground, and the people ate with the
blood. 14.33 And
it was reported to Saul, saying, The people have sinned against the
Lord, eating with the blood: and Saul said, Out of Getthaim roll a
great stone to me hither. 14.34 And
Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them to bring
hither every one his calf, and every one his sheep: and let them slay
it on this [stone] and sin not against the Lord in eating with the
blood: and the people brought each one that which was in his hand, and
they slew [them] there. 14.35 And
Saul built an altar there to the Lord: this was the first altar that
Saul built to the Lord. 14.36 And
Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines this night, and let us
plunder among them till the day break, and let us not leave a man among
them. And they said, Do all that is good in thy sight: and the priest
said, let us draw nigh hither to God. 14.37 And
Saul enquired of God, If I go down after the Philistines, wilt thou
deliver them into the hands of Israel? And he answered him not in that
day. 14.38 And
Saul said, Bring hither all the chiefs of Israel, and know and see by
whom this sin has been committed this day. 14.39 For
as the Lord lives who has saved Israel, if answer should be against my
son Jonathan, he shall surely die. And there was no one that answered
out of all the people. 14.40 And
he said to all the men of Israel, Ye shall be under subjection, and I
an Jonathan my son will be under subjection: and the people said to
Saul, Do that which is good in thy sight. 14.41 And
Saul said, O Lord God of Israel, why hast thou not answered thy servant
this day? [is] the iniquity in me, or in Jonathan my son? Lord God of
Israel, give clear [manifestations]; and if [the lot] should declare
this, give, I pray thee, to thy people of Israel, give, I pray,
holiness. And Jonathan and Saul are taken, and the people escaped. 14.42 And
Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and my son Jonathan: whomsoever the
Lord shall cause to be taken by lot, let him die: and the people said
to Saul, This thing is not [to be done: and Saul prevailed against the
people, and they cast [lots] between him and Jonathan his son, and
Jonathan is taken by lot. 14.43 And
Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done: and Jonathan told
him, and said, I did indeed taste a little honey, with the end of my
staff that was in my hand, and, lo! I [am to] die. 14.44 And
Saul said to him, God do so to me, and more also, thou shalt surely die
to-day. 14.45 And
the people said to Saul, Shall he that has wrought this great salvation
in Israel be put to death this day? [As] the Lord lives, there shall
not fall to the ground one of the hairs of his head; for the people of
God have wrought successfully this day. And the people prayed for
Jonathan in that day, and he died not. 14.46 And
Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines
departed to their place. 14.47 And
Saul received the kingdom, by lot he inherits the office [of ruling]
over Israel: and he fought against all his enemies round about, against
Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against the children of
Edom, and against Baethaeor, and against the king of Suba, and against
the Philistines: whithersoever he turned, he was victorious. 14.48 And
he wrought valiantly, and smote Amalec, and rescued Israel out of the
hand of them that trampled on him. 14.49 And
the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Jessiu, and Melchisa: and [these
were] the names of his two daughters, the name of the first-born Merob,
and the name of the second Melchol. 14.50 And
the name of his wife was Achinoom, the daughter of Achimaa: and the
name of his captain of the host was Abenner, the son of Ner, son of a
kinsman of Saul. 14.51 And
Kis [was] the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abenezer, [was]
son of Jamin, son of Abiel. 14.52 And
the war was vehement against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and
when Saul saw any mighty man, and any valiant man, then he took them to
himself. ▲15.1 And Samuel said to Saul,
The Lord sent me to anoint thee king over Israel: and now hear the
voice of the Lord. 15.2 Thus
said the Lord of hosts, Now will I take vengeance for what Amalec did
to Israel, when he met him in the way as he came up out of Egypt. 15.3 And
now go, and thou shalt smite Amalec and Hierim and all that belongs to
him, and thou shalt not save anything of him alive, but thou shalt
utterly destroy him: and thou shalt devote him and all his to
[destruction], and thou shalt spare nothing belonging to him; and thou
shalt slay both man and woman, and infant and suckling, and calf and
sheep, and camel and ass. 15.4 And
Saul summoned the people, and he numbered them in Galgala, four hundred
thousand regular troops, and Juda thirty thousand regular troops. 15.5 And
Saul came to the cities of Amalec, and laid wait in the valley. 15.6 And
Saul said to the Kinite, Go, and depart out of the midst of the
Amalekites, lest I put thee with them; for thou dealedst mercifully
with the children of Israel when they went up out of Egypt. So the
Kinite departed from the midst of Amalec. 15.7 And
Saul smote Amalec from Evilat to Sur fronting Egypt. 15.8 And he
took Agag the king of Amalec alive, and he slew all the people and
Hierim with the edge of the sword. 15.9 And
Saul and all the people saved Agag alive, and the best of the flocks,
and of the herds, and of the fruits, of the vineyards, and of all the
good things; and they would not destroy them: but every worthless and
refuse thing they destroyed. 15.10 And
the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 15.11 I
have repented that I have made Saul to be king: for he has turned back
from following me, and has not kept my word. And Samuel was grieved,
and cried to the Lord all night. 15.12 And
Samuel rose early and went to meet Israel in the morning, and it was
told Saul, saying, Samuel has come to Carmel, and he has raised up help
for himself: and he turned his chariot, and came down to Galgala to
Saul; and, behold, he was offering up a whole-burnt-offering to the
Lord, the chief of the spoils which he brought out of Amalec. 15.13 And
Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said to him, Blessed [art] thou of the
Lord: I have performed all that the Lord said. 15.14 And
Samuel said, What then [is] the bleating of this flock in my ears, and
the sound of the oxen which I hear? 15.15 And
Saul said, I have brought them out of Amalec, that which the people
preserved, even the best of the sheep, and of the cattle, that it might
be sacrificed to the Lord thy God, and the rest have I utterly
destroyed. 15.16 And
Samuel said to Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord has said
to me this night: and he said to him, Say on. 15.17 And
Samuel said to Saul, Art thou not little in his eyes, [though] a leader
of one of the tribes of Israel? and [yet] the Lord anointed thee to be
king over Israel. 15.18 And
the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said to thee, Go, and utterly
destroy: thou shalt slay the sinners against me, [even] the Amalekites;
and thou shalt war against them until thou have consumed them. 15.19 And
why didst not thou hearken to the voice of the Lord, but didst haste to
fasten upon the spoils, and didst that which was evil in the sight of
the Lord? 15.20 And
Saul said to Samuel, Because I listened to the voice of the people: yet
I went the way by which the Lord sent me, and I brought Agag the king
of Amalec, and I destroyed Amalec. 15.21 But
the people took of the spoils the best flocks and herds [out] of that
which was destroyed, to sacrifice before the Lord our God in Galgal. 15.22 And
Samuel said, Does the Lord take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings and
sacrifices, as in hearing the words of the Lord? behold, obedience [is]
better than a good sacrifice, and hearkening than the fat of rams. 15.23 For
sin is [as] divination; idols bring on pain and grief. Because thou
hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord also shall reject thee
from being king over Israel. 15.24 And
Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, in that I have transgressed the
word of the Lord and thy direction; for I feared the people, and I
hearkened to their voice. 15.25 And
now remove, I pray thee, my sin, and turn back with me, and I will
worship the Lord thy God. 15.26 And
Samuel said to Saul, I will not turn back with thee, for thou hast
rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord will reject thee from being
king over Israel. 15.27 And
Samuel turned his face to depart, and Saul caught hold of the skirt of
his garment, and tore it. 15.28 And
Samuel said to him, The Lord has rent thy kingdom from Israel out of
thy hand this day, and will give it to thy neighbour who is better than
thou. 15.29 And
Israel shall be divided to two: and [God] will not turn nor repent, for
he is not as a man to repent. 15.30 And
Saul said, I have sinned; yet honour me, I pray thee, before the elders
of Israel, and before my people; and turn back with me, and I will
worship the Lord thy God. 15.31 So
Samuel turned back after Saul, and he worshipped the Lord. 15.32 And
Samuel said, Bring me Agag the king of Amalec: and Agag came to him
trembling; and Agag said Is death thus bitter? 15.33 And
Samuel said to Agag, As thy sword has bereaved women of their children,
so shall thy mother be made childless among women: and Samuel slew Agag
before the Lord in Galgal. 15.34 And
Samuel departed to Armathaim, and Saul went up to his house at Gabaa. 15.35 And
Samuel did not see Saul again till the day of his death, for Samuel
mourned after Saul, and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king
over Israel. ▲16.1 And the Lord said to
Samuel, How long dost thou mourn for Saul, whereas I have rejected him
from reigning over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come, I will
send thee to Jessae, to Bethleem; for I have seen among his sons a king
for me. 16.2 And
Samuel said, How can I go? whereas Saul will hear of it, and slay me:
and the Lord said, Take a heifer in thine hand and thou shall say, I am
come to sacrifice to the Lord. 16.3 And
thou shalt call Jessae to the sacrifice, and I will make known to thee
what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint him whom I shall mention to
thee. 16.4 And
Samuel did all that the Lord told him; and he came to Bethleem: and the
elders of the city were amazed at meeting him, and said, Dost thou come
peaceably, thou Seer? 16.5 And he
said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify
yourselves, and rejoice with me this day: and he sanctified Jessae and
his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice. 16.6 And it
came to pass when they came in, that he saw Eliab, and said, Surely the
Lord's anointed [is] before him. 16.7 But
the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance, nor on his
stature, for I have rejected him; for God sees not as man looks; for
man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. 16.8 And
Jessae called Aminadab, and he passed before Samuel: and he said,
Neither has God chosen this one. 16.9 And
Jessae caused Sama to pass by: and he said, Neither has God chosen this
one. 16.10 And
Jessae caused his seven sons to pass before Samuel: and Samuel said,
the Lord has not chosen these. 16.11 And
Samuel said to Jessae, Hast thou no more sons? And Jessae said, [There
is] yet a little one; behold, he tends the flock. And Samuel said to
Jessae, Send and fetch him for we may not sit down till he comes. 16.12 And
he sent and fetched him: and he was ruddy, with beauty of eyes, and
very goodly to behold. And the Lord said to Samuel, Arise, and anoint
David, for he is good. 16.13 And
Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his
brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day
forward: and Samuel arose, and departed to Armathaim. 16.14 And
the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the
Lord tormented him. 16.15 And
Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, and evil spirit from the Lord
torments thee. 16.16 Let
now thy servants speak before thee, and let them seek for our lord a
man skilled to play on the harp; and it shall come to pass when an evil
spirit comes upon thee and he shall play on his harp, that thou shalt
be well, and he shall refresh thee. 16.17 And
Saul said to his servants, Look now out for me a skillful player, and
bring him tome. 16.18 And
one of his servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of
Jessae the Bethleemite, and he understands playing [on the harp], and
the man [is] prudent, and a warrior, and wise in speech, and the man
[is] handsome, and the Lord [is] with him. 16.19 And
Saul sent messengers to Jessae, saying, Send to me thy son David who is
with thy flock. 16.20 And
Jessae took a homer of bread, and a bottle of wine, and one kid of the
goats, and sent them by the hand of his son David to Saul. 16.21 And
David went in to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly;
and he became his armour-bearer. 16.22 And
Saul sent to Jessae, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me,
for he has found grace in my eyes. 16.23 And
it came to pass when the evil spirit was upon Saul, that David took his
harp, and played with his hand: and Saul was refreshed, and [it was]
well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him. ▲17.1 And the Philistines gather
their armies to battle, and gather themselves to Socchoth of Judaea,
and encamp between Socchoth and Azeca Ephermen. 17.2 And
Saul and the men of Israel gather together, and they encamp in the
valley, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 17.3 And
the Philistines stand on the mountain on one side, and Israel stands on
the mountain on the other side, and the valley was between them. 17.4 And
there went forth a mighty man out of the army of the Philistines,
Goliath, by name, out of Geth, his height [was] four cubits and a span. 17.5 And
[he had] a helmet upon his head, and he wore a breastplate of chain
armour; and the weight of his breastplate [was] five thousand shekels
of brass and iron. 17.6 And
greaves of grass [were] upon his legs, and a brazen target [was]
between his shoulders. 17.7 And
the staff of his spear [was] like a weaver's beam, and the spear's head
[was formed] of six hundred shekels of iron; and his armour-bearer went
before him. 17.8 And he
stood and cried to the army of Israel, and said to them, Why are ye
come forth to set yourselves in battle array against us? Am not I a
Philistine, and ye He brews of Saul? Choose for yourselves a man, and
let him come down to me. 17.9 And if
he shall be able to fight against me, and shall smite me, then will we
be your servants: but if I should prevail and smite him, ye shall be
our servants, and serve us. 17.10 And
the Philistine said, Behold, I have defied the armies of Israel this
very day: give me a man, and we will both of us fight in single combat. 17.11 And
Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, and they were
dismayed, and greatly terrified. 17.12 [vide] 17.13 [vide] 17.14 [vide] 17.15 [vide] 17.16 [vide] 17.17 [vide] 17.18 [vide] 17.19 [vide] 17.20 [vide] 17.21 [vide] 17.22 [vide] 17.23 [vide] 17.24 [vide] 17.25 [vide] 17.26 [vide] 17.27 [vide] 17.28 [vide] 17.29 [vide] 17.30 [vide] 17.31 [vide] 17.32 And
David said to Saul, Let not, I pray thee, the heart of my lord be
dejected within him: thy servant will go, and fight with this
Philistine. 17.33 And
Saul said to David, Thou wilt not in anywise be able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him, for thou art a mere youth, and he a man
of war from his youth. 17.34 And
David said to Saul, Thy servant was tending the flock for his father;
and when a lion came and a she-bear, and took a sheep out of the flock, 17.35 then
I went forth after him, and smote him, and drew [the spoil] out of his
mouth: and as he rose up against me, then I caught hold of his throat,
and smote him, and slew him. 17.36 Thy
servant smote both the lion and the bear, and the uncircumcised
Philistine shall be as one of them: shall I not go and smite him, and
remove this day a reproach from Israel? For who [is] this uncircumcised
one, who has defied the army of the living God? 17.37 The
Lord who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out the paw of the
bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this uncircumcised
Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord shall be with thee. 17.38 And
Saul clothed David with a military coat, and [put] his brazen helmet on
his head. 17.39 And
he girt David with his sword over his coat: an he made trial walking
[with them] once and again: and David said to Saul, I shall not be able
to go with these, for I have not proved [them]: so they remove them
from him. 17.40 And
he took his staff in his hand, and he chose for himself five smooth
stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's scrip which he
had for his store, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the
Philistine. 17.41 [vide] 17.42 And
Goliath saw David, and despised him; for he was a lad, and ruddy, with
a fair countenance. 17.43 And
the Philistine said to David, Am I as a dog, that thou comest against
me with a staff and stones? [[and David said, Nay, but worse than a
dog.]] And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 17.44 And
the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to
the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth. 17.45 And
David said to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with sword, and with
spear, and with shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord God
of hosts of the army of Israel, which thou hast defied 17.46 this
day. And the Lord shall deliver thee this day into my hand; and I will
slay thee, and take away thy head from off thee, and will give thy
limbs and the limbs of the army of the Philistines this day to the
birds of the sky, and to the wild beasts of the earth; and all the
earth shall know that there is a God in Israel. 17.47 And
all this assembly shall know that the Lord delivers not by sword or
spear, for the battle [is] the Lord's, and the Lord will deliver you
into our hands. 17.48 And
the Philistine arose and went to meet David. 17.49 And
David stretched out his hand to his scrip, and took thence a stone, and
slang it, and smote the Philistine on his forehead, and the stone
penetrated through the helmet into his forehead, and he fell upon his
face to the ground. 17.50 [vide] 17.51 And
David ran, and stood upon him, and took his sword, and slew him, and
cut off his head: and the Philistines saw that their champion was dead,
and they fled. 17.52 And
the men of Israel and Juda arose, and shouted and pursued them as far
as the entrance to Geth, and as far as the gate of Ascalon: and the
slain men of the Philistines fell in the way of the gates, both to
Geth, and to Accaron. 17.53 And
the men of Israel returned from pursuing after the Philistines, and
they destroyed their camp. 17.54 And
David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but
he put his armour in his tent. 17.55 [vide] 17.56 [vide] 17.57 [vide] 17.58 [vide] ▲18.1 [vide] 18.2 [vide] 18.3 [vide] 18.4 [vide] 18.5 [vide] 18.6 And
there came out women in dances to meet David out of all the cities of
Israel, with timbrels, and with rejoicing, and with cymbals. 18.7 And
the women began [the strain], and said, Saul has smitten his thousands,
and David his ten thousands. 18.8 And it
seemed evil in the eyes of Saul concerning this matter, and he said, To
David they have given ten thousands, and to me they have given
thousands. 18.9 [vide] 18.10 [vide] 18.11 [vide] 18.12 And
Saul was alarmed on account of David. 18.13 And
he removed him from him, and made him a captain of a thousand for
himself; and he went out and came in before the people. 18.14 And
David was prudent in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. 18.15 And
Saul saw that he was very wise, and he was afraid of him. 18.16 And
all Israel and Juda loved David, because he came in and went out before
the people. 18.17 [vide] 18.18 [vide] 18.19 [vide] 18.20 And
Melchol the daughter of Saul loved David; and it was told Saul, and the
thing was pleasing in his eyes. 18.21 And
Saul said, I will give her to him, and she shall be a stumbling-block
to him. Now the hand of the Philistines was against Saul. 18.22 And
Saul charged his servants, saying, Speak ye privately to David, saying,
Behold, the king delights in thee, and all his servants love thee, and
do thou becomes the king's son-in-law. 18.23 And
the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David; and David
said, [Is it] a light thing in your eyes to become son-in-law to the
king? Whereas I [am] an humble man, an not honourable? 18.24 And
the servants of Saul reported to him according to these words, which
David spoke. 18.25 And
Saul said, Thus shall ye speak to David, The king wants no gift but a
hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the kings
enemies. Now Saul thought to cast him into the hands of the Philistines. 18.26 And
the servants of Saul report these words to David, and David was well
pleased to become the son-in-law to the king. 18.27 And
David arose, and went, he and his men, and smote among the Philistines
a hundred men: and he brought their foreskins, and he becomes the
king's son-in-law, and [Saul] gives him Melchol his daughter to wife. 18.28 And
Saul saw that the Lord [was] with David, and [that] all Israel loved
him. 18.29 And
he was yet more afraid of David. 18.30 [vide] ▲19.1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan
his son, and to all his servants, to slay David. 19.2 And
Jonathan, Saul's son, loved David much: and Jonathan told David,
saying, Saul seeks to kill thee: take heed to thyself therefore
to-morrow morning, and hide thyself, and dwell in secret. 19.3 And I
will go forth, and stand near my father in the field where thou shalt
be, and I will speak concerning thee to my father; and I will see what
his answer may be, and I will tell thee. 19.4 And
Jonathan spoke favorably concerning David to Saul his father, and said
to him, Let not the king sin against thy servant David, for he has not
sinned against thee, and his deeds [are] very good. 19.5 And he
put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and the Lord
wrought a great deliverance; and all Israel saw, and rejoined: why then
dost thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? 19.6 And
Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, saying, [As]
the Lord lives, he shall not die. 19.7 And
Jonathan called David, and told him all these words; and Jonathan
brought David in to Saul, and he was before him as in former times. 19.8 And
there was again war against Saul; and David did valiantly, and fought
against the Philistines, and smote them with a very great slaughter,
and they fled from before him. 19.9 And an
evil spirit from God was upon Saul, and he was resting in his house,
and a spear [was] in his hand, and David was playing on the harp with
his hands. 19.10 And
Saul sought to smite David with the spear; and David withdrew
[suddenly] from the presence of Saul; and he drove the spear into the
wall; and David retreated and escaped. 19.11 And
it came to pass in that night, that Saul sent messengers to the house
of David to watch him, in order to slay him in the morning; and Melchol
David's wife told him, saying, Unless thou save thy life this night,
to-morrow thou shalt be slain. 19.12 So
Melchol lets David down by the window, and he departed, and fled, and
escaped. 19.13 And
Melchol took images, and laid them on the bed, and she put the liver of
a goat by his head, and covered them with clothes. 19.14 And
Saul sent messengers to take David; and they say that he is sick. 19.15 And
he sends to David, saying, Bring him to me on the bed, that I may slay
him. 19.16 And
the messengers come, and, behold, the images [were] on the bed, and the
goat's liver at his head. 19.17 And
Saul said to Melchol, Why hast thou thus deceived me, and suffered my
enemy to depart, and he has escaped? and Melchol said to Saul, He said,
let me go, and if not, I will slay thee. 19.18 So
David fled, and escaped, and comes to Samuel to Armathaim, and tells
him all that Saul had done to him: and Samuel and David went, and dwelt
in Navath in Rama. 19.19 And
it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David [is] in Navath in Rama. 19.20 And
Saul sent messengers to take David, and they saw the assembly of the
prophets, and Samuel stood [as] appointed over them; and the Spirit of
God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they prophesy. 19.21 And
it was told Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also
prophesied: and Saul sent again a third set of messengers, and they
also prophesied. 19.22 And
Saul was very angry, and went himself also to Armathaim, and he comes
as far as the well of the threshing floor that is in Sephi; and he
asked and said, Where [are] Samuel and David? And they said, Behold, in
Navath in Rama. 19.23 And
he went thence to Navath in Rama: and there came the Spirit of God upon
him also, and he went on prophesying till he came to Navath in Rama. 19.24 And
he took off his clothes, and prophesied before them; and lay down naked
all that day and all that night: therefore they said, [Is] Saul also
among the prophets? ▲20.1 And David fled from Navath
in Rama, and comes into the presence of Jonathan; and he said, What
have I done, and what [is] my fault, and wherein have I sinned before
thy father, that he seeks my life? 20.2 And
Jonathan said to him, Far be it from thee: thou shalt not die: behold,
my father will not do any thing great or small without discovering it
to me; and why should my father hide this matter from me? This thing is
not [so]. 20.3 And
David answered Jonathan, and said, Thy father knows surely that I have
found grace in thy sight, and he said, Let not Jonathan know this, lest
he refuse his consent: but [as] the Lord lives and thy soul lives, as I
said, [the space] is filled up between me and death. 20.4 And
Jonathan said to David, What does thy soul desire, and what shall I do
for thee. 20.5 And
David said to Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow [is] the new moon, and I
shall not on any account sit down to eat, but thou shalt let me go, and
I will hide in the plain till the evening. 20.6 And if
thy father do in anywise enquire for me, then shalt thou say, David
earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethleem his city, for [there is]
there, a yearly sacrifice for all the family. 20.7 If he
shall say thus, Well,-- [all is] safe for thy servant: but if he shall
answer harshly to thee, know that evil is determined by him. 20.8 And
thou shalt deal mercifully with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy
servant into a covenant of the Lord with thyself: and if there is
iniquity in thy servant, slay me thyself; but why dost thou thus bring
me to thy father? 20.9 And
Jonathan said, That e far from thee: for if I surely know that evil is
determined by my father to come upon thee, although it should not be
against thy cities, I will tell thee. 20.10 And
David said to Jonathan, Who can tell me if thy father should answer
roughly? 20.11 And
Jonathan said to David, Go, and abide in the field. And they went out
both into the field. 20.12 And
Jonathan said to David, the Lord God of Israel knows that I will sound
my father as I have an opportunity, three several times, and, behold,
[if good] should be determined concerning David, and I do not send to
thee to the field, 20.13 God
do so to Jonathan and more also: as I shall [also] report the evil to
thee, and make it known to thee, and I will let thee go; and thou shalt
depart in peace, and the Lord shall be with thee, as he was with my
father. 20.14 And
if indeed I continue to live, then shalt thou deal mercifully with me;
and if I indeed die, 20.15 thou
shalt not withdraw thy mercy from my house for ever: and if thou doest
not, when the Lord cuts off the enemies of David each from the face of
the earth, 20.16
[should it happen] that the name of Jonathan be discovered by the house
of David, then let the Lord seek out the enemies of David. 20.17 And
Jonathan swore yet again to David, because he loved the soul of him
that loved him. 20.18 And
Jonathan said, To-morrow [is] the new moon, and thou wilt be enquired
for, because thy seat will be observed as vacant. 20.19 And
thou shalt stay three days, and watch an opportunity, and shalt come to
thy place where thou mayest hide thyself in the day of thy business,
and thou shalt wait by that ergab. 20.20 And I
will shoot three arrows, aiming them at a mark. 20.21 And
behold, I [will] send a lad, saying, Go find me the arrow. 20.22 If I
should expressly say to the lad, The arrow [is] here, and on this side
of thee, take it; [then] come, for it is well with thee, and there is
no reason [for fear, as] the Lord lives: [but] if I should say thus to
the young man, The arrow [is] on that side of thee, and beyond go, for
the Lord hath sent thee away. 20.23 And
as for the word which thou and I have spoken, behold, the Lord [is]
witness between me and thee for ever. 20.24 So
David hides himself in the field, and the [new] month arrives, and the
king comes to the table to eat. 20.25 And
he sat upon his seat as in former times, even on his seat by the wall,
and he went before Jonathan; and Abenner sat on one side of Saul, and
the place of David was empty. 20.26 And
Saul said nothing on that day, for he said, It seems to have fallen out
that he is not clean, because he has not purified himself. 20.27 And
it came to pass on the morrow, on the second day of the month, that the
place of David was empty; and Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has
not the son of Jessae attended both yesterday and today at the table? 20.28 And
Jonathan answered Saul, and said to him, David asked leave of me to go
as far as Bethleem his city; 20.29 and
he said, Let me go, I pray thee, for we have a family sacrifice in the
city, and my brethren have sent for me; and now, if I have found grace
in thine eyes, I will even go over and see my brethren: therefore he is
not present at the table of the king. 20.30 And
Saul was exceedingly angry with Jonathan, and said to him, Thou son of
traitorous damsels! for do I not know that thou art an accomplice with
the son of Jessae to thy same, and to the shame of thy mother's
nakedness? 20.31 For
so long as the son of Jessae lives upon the earth, thy kingdom shall
not be established: now then send and take the young man, for he shall
surely die. 20.32 And
Jonathan answered Saul, Why is he to die? What has he done? 20.33 And
Saul lifted up his spear against Jonathan to slay him: so Jonathan knew
that this evil was determined on by his father to slay David. 20.34 And
Jonathan sprang up from the table in great anger, and did not eat bread
on the second [day] of the month, for he grieved bitterly for David,
because his father determined [on mischief] against him. 20.35 And
morning came, and Jonathan went out to the field, as he appointed [to
do] for a signal to David, and a little boy [was] with him. 20.36 And
he said to the boy, Run, find me the arrows which I shoot: and the boy
ran, and [Jonathan] shot an arrow, and sent it beyond [him]. 20.37 And
the boy came to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan shot; and
Jonathan cried out after the lad, and said, The arrow [is] on that side
of thee and beyond thee. 20.38 And
Jonathan cried out after his boy, saying, Make all speed, and stay not.
And Jonathan's boy gathered up the arrows, and brought the arrows to
his master. 20.39 And
the boy knew nothing, only Jonathan and David [knew]. 20.40 And
Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to his boy, Go, enter
into the city. 20.41 And
when the lad went in, then David arose from the argab, and fell upon
his face, and did obeisance to him three times, and they kissed each
other, and wept for each other, for a great while. 20.42 (20.42a)
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, and as we have both sworn in
the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord shall be witness between me and
thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever-- [even so let it be]. 20.43 (20.42b)
And David arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. ▲21.1 And David comes to Nomba to
Abimelech the priest: and Abimelech was amazed at meeting him, and said
to him, Why [art] thou alone, and nobody with thee? 21.2 And
David said to the priest, The king gave me a command to-day, and said
to me, Let no one know the matter on which I send thee, an concerning
which I have charged thee: and I have charged my servants [to be] in
the place that is called, The faithfulness of God, phellani maemoni. 21.3 And
now if there are under thy hand five loaves, give into my hand what is
ready. 21.4 And
the priest answered David, and said, There are no common loaves under
my hand, for I have none but holy loaves: if the young men have been
kept at least from women, then they shall eat [them]. 21.5 And
David answered the priest, and said to him, Yea, we have been kept from
women for three day: when I came forth for the journey all the young
men were purified; but this expedition is unclean, wherefore it shall
be sanctified this day because of my weapons. 21.6 So
Abimelech the priest gave him the shewbread; for there were no loaves
there, but only the presence loaves which had been removed from the
presence of the Lord, in order that hot bread should be set on, on the
day on which he took them. 21.7 And
there was there on that day one of Saul's servants detained before the
Lord, and his name [was] Doec the Syrian, tending the mules of Saul. 21.8 And
David said to Abimelech, See if there is here under thy hand spear or
sword, for I have not brought in my hand my sword or my weapons, for
the word of the king was urgent. 21.9 And
the priest said, Behold the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou
smotest in the valley of Ela; and it is wrapped in a cloth: if thou
wilt take it, take it for thyself, for there is no other except it
here. And David said, Behold, there is none like it; give it me. 21.10 And
he gave it him; and David arose, and fled in that day from he presence
of Saul: and David came to Anchus king of Geth. 21.11 And
the servants of Anchus said to him, [Is] not this David the king of the
land? Did not the dancing women begin the son to him, saying, Saul has
smitten his thousand, and David his ten thousands? 21.12 And
David laid up the words in his heart, and was greatly afraid of Anchus
king of Geth. 21.13 And
he changed his appearance before him, and feigned himself a false
character in that day; and drummed upon the doors of the city, and used
extravagant gestures with his hands, and fell against the doors of the
gate, and his spittle ran down upon his beard. 21.14 And
Anchus said to his servants, Lo! ye see the man [is] mad: why have ye
brought him in to me? 21.15 [Am]
I in want of madmen, that ye have brought him in to me to play the
madman? He shall not come into the house. ▲22.1 And David departed thence,
and escaped; and he comes to the cave of Odollam, and his brethren
hear, and the house of his father, and they go down to him there. 22.2 And
there gathered to him every one that was in distress, and every one
that was in debt, and every one that was troubled in mind; and he was a
leader over them, and there were with him about four hundred men. 22.3 And
David departed thence to Massephath of Moab, and said to the king of
Moab, Let, I pray thee, my father and my mother be with thee, until I
know what God will do to me. 22.4 And he
persuaded the King of Moab, and they dwell with him continually, while
David was in the hold. 22.5 And
Gad the prophet said to David, Dwell not in the hold: go, and thou
shalt enter the land of Juda. So David went, and came and dwelt in the
city of Saric. 22.6 And
Saul heard that David was discovered, and his men with him: now Saul
dwelt in the hill below the field that is in Rama, and his spear [was]
in his hand, and all his servants stood near him. 22.7 And
Saul said to his servants that stood by him, Hear now, ye sons of
Benjamin, will the son of Jessae indeed give all of you fields and
vineyards, and will he make you all captains of hundreds and captains
of thousands? 22.8 That
ye are conspiring against me, and there is no one that informs me,
whereas my son has made a covenant with the son of Jessae, and there is
no one of you that is sorry for me, or informs me, that my son has
stirred up my servant against me for an enemy, as [it is] this day? 22.9 And
Doec the Syrian who was over the mules of Saul answered and said, I saw
the son of Jessae as he came to Nomba to Abimelech son of Achitob the
priest. 22.10 And
[the priest] enquired of God for him, and gave him provision, and gave
him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 22.11 And
the king sent to call Abimelech son of Achitob and all his father's
sons, the priests that were in Nomba; and they all came to the king. 22.12 And
Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Achitob. And he said, Lo! I [am here],
speak, [my] lord. 22.13 And
Saul said to him, Why have thou and the son of Jessae conspired against
me, that thou shouldest give him bread and a sword, and shouldest
enquire of God for him, to raise him up against me as an enemy, as [he
is] this day? 22.14 And
he answered the king, and said, And who [is] there among all thy
servants faithful as David, and [he is] a son-in-law of the king, and
[he is] executor of all thy commands, and [is] honourable in thy house? 22.15 Have
I begun to-day to enquire of God for him? By no means: let not the king
bring a charge against his servant, and against thee whole of my
father's house; for thy servant knew not in all these matters anything
great or small. 22.16 And
king Saul said, Thou shalt surely die, Abimelech, thou, and all thy
father's house. 22.17 And
the king said to the footmen that attended on him, Draw nigh and slay
the priests of the Lord, because their hand [is] with David, and
because they knew that he fled, and they did not inform me. But the
servants of the king would not lift their hands to fall upon the priest
of the Lord. 22.18 And
the king said to Doec, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests: and Doec
the Syrian turned, and slew the priests of the Lord in that day, three
hundred and five men, all wearing an ephod. 22.19 And
he smote Nomba the city of the priest with the edge of the sword, both
man, and woman, infant and suckling, and calf, and ox, and sheep. 22.20 And
one son of Abimelech son of Achitob escapes, and his name [was]
Abiathar, and he fled after David. 22.21 And
Abiathar told David that Saul had slain all the priests of the Lord. 22.22 And
David said to Abiathar, I knew it in that day, that Doec the Syrian
would surely tell Saul: I am guilty of the death of the house of thy
father. 22.23 Dwell
with me; fear not, for wherever I shall seek a place [of safety] for my
life, I will also seek a place for thy life, for thou art safely
guarded [while] with me. ▲23.1 And it was told David,
saying, behold, the Philistines war in Keila, and they rob, they
trample on the threshing-floors. 23.2 And
David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these
Philistines? And the Lord said, Go, and thou shalt smite these
Philistines, and shalt save Keila. 23.3 And
the men of David said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judea; and
how shall it be if we go to Keila? Shall we go after the spoils of the
Philistines? 23.4 And
David enquired yet again of the Lord; and the Lord answered him, and
said to him, Arise and go down to Keila, for I will deliver the
Philistines into thy hands. 23.5 So
David and his men with him went to Keila, and fought with the
Philistines; and they fled from before him, and he carried off their
cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter, and David rescued the
inhabitants of Keila. 23.6 And it
came to pass when Abiathar the son of Achimelech fled to David, that he
went down with David to Keila, having and ephod in his hand. 23.7 And it
was told Saul that David was come to Keila: and Saul said, God has sold
him into my hands, for he is shut up, having entered into a city that
has gates and bars. 23.8 And
Saul charged all the people to go down to war to Keila, to besiege
David and his men. 23.9 And
David knew that Saul spoke openly of mischief against him: and David
said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod of the Lord. 23.10 And
David said, Lord God of Israel, thy servant has indeed heard, that Saul
seeks to come against Keila to destroy the city on my account. 23.11 Will
[the place] be shut up? And now will Saul come down, as thy servant has
heard? Lord God of Israel, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, It will
be shut up. 23.12 [vide] 23.13 And
David arose, and the men with him, in number about four hundred, and
they went forth from Keila, and went whithersoever they could go: and
it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keila, and he forbore to
come. 23.14 And
he dwelt in Maserem in the wilderness, in the narrow [passes]; and
dwelt in the wilderness in mount Ziph, in the dry country. And Saul
sought him continually, but the Lord delivered him not into his hands. 23.15 And
David perceived that Saul went forth to seek David; and David was in
the dry mountain in the New Ziph. 23.16 And
Jonathan son of Saul rose, and went to David to Caene, and strengthened
his hands in the Lord. 23.17 And
he said to him, Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find
thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be second to
thee; and Saul my father knows it. 23.18 So
they both made a covenant before the Lord; and David dwelt in Caene,
and Jonathan went to his home. 23.19 And
the Ziphites came up out of the dry country to Saul to the hill,
saying, Behold, is not David hidden with us in Messara, in the narrows
in Caene in the hill of Echela, which is on the right of Jessaemon? 23.20 And
now [according to] all the king's desire to come down, let him come
down to us; they have shut him up into the hands of the king. 23.21 And
Saul said to them, Blessed [be] ye of the Lord, for ye have been
grieved on my account. 23.22 Go, I
pray you, and make preparations yet, and notice his place where his
foot shall be, quickly, in that place which ye spoke of, lest by any
means he should deal craftily. 23.23 Take
notice, then, and learn, and I will go with you; and it shall come to
pass that if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the
thousands of Juda. 23.24 And
the Ziphites arose, and went before Saul: and David and his men [were]
in the wilderness of Maon, westward, to the right of Jessaemon. 23.25 And
Saul and his men went to seek him: and they brought word to David, and
he went down to the rock that was in the wilderness of Maon: and Saul
heard, and followed after David to the wilderness of Maon. 23.26 And
Saul and his men go on one side of the mountain, and David and his men
are on the other side of the mountain: and David was hiding himself to
escape from Saul: and Saul and his men encamped against David and his
men, in order to take them. 23.27 And
there came a messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come hither,
for the Philistines have invaded the land. 23.28 So
Saul returned from following after David, and went to meet the
Philistines: therefore that place was called The divided Rock. ▲24.1(23.29) And
David rose up from thence, and dwelt in the narrow passes of Engaddi. 24.2 (24.1)
And it came to pass when Saul returned from pursuing after the
Philistines, that it was reported to him, saying, David [is] in the
wilderness of Engaddi. 24.3 (24.2)
And he took with him three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and
went to seek David and his men in front of Saddaeem. 24.4 (24.3)
And he came to the flocks of sheep that were by the way, and there was
a cave there; and Saul went in to make preparation, and David and his
men were sitting in the inner part of the cave. 24.5 (24.4)
And the men of David said to him, Behold, this [is] the day of which
the Lord spoke to thee, that he would deliver thine enemy into thy
hands; and thou shalt do to him as [it is] good in thy sight. So David
arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's garment secretly. 24.6 (24.5)
And it came to pass after this that David's heart smote him, because he
had cut off the skirt of his garment. 24.7 (24.6)
And David said to his men, The Lord forbid it me, that I should do this
ting to my lord the anointed of the Lord, to lift my hand against him;
for he is the anointed of the Lord. 24.8 (24.7)
So David persuaded his men by [his] words, and did not suffer them to
arise and slay Saul: and Saul arose and went his way. 24.9 (24.8)
And David rose up [and went] after him out of the cave: and David cried
after Saul, saying, [My] lord, [O] king! and Saul looked behind him,
and David bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance to him. 24.10 (24.9)
And David said to Saul, Why dost thou hearken to the words of the
people, saying, Behold, David seeks thy life? 24.11 (24.10)
Behold, thine eyes have seen this day how that the Lord has delivered
thee this day into my hands in the cave; and I would not slay thee, but
spared thee, and said, I will not lift up my hand against my lord, for
he is the Lord's anointed. 24.12 (24.11)
And behold, the skirt of thy mantle [is] in my hand, I cut off the
skirt, and did not slay thee: know then and see to-day, there is no
evil in my hand, nor impiety, nor rebellion; and I have not sinned
against thee, yet thou layest snares for my soul to take it. 24.13 (24.12)
The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord requite thee on
thyself: but my hand shall not be upon thee. 24.14 (24.13)
As the old proverb says, Transgression will proceed from the wicked
ones: but my hand shall not be upon thee. 24.15 (24.14)
And now after whom dost thou come forth, O king of Israel? After whom
dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, and after a flea? 24.16 (24.15)
The Lord be judge and umpire between me and thee, the Lord look upon
and judge my cause, and rescue me out of thy hand. 24.17 (24.16)
And it came to pass when David had finished speaking these words to
Saul, that Saul said, [Is] this thy voice, Son David? And Saul lifted
up his voice, and wept. 24.18 (24.17)
And Saul said to David, Thou [art] more righteous that I, for thou hast
recompensed me good, but I have recompensed thee evil. 24.19 (24.18)
And thou hast told me to-day what good thou hast done me, how the Lord
shut me up into thy hands to-day, and thou didst not slay me. 24.20 (24.19)
And if any one should find his enemy in distress, and should send him
forth in a good way, then the Lord will reward him good, as thou has
done this day. 24.21 (24.20)
And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely reign, and the kingdom
of Israel shall be established in thy hand. 24.22 (24.21)
Now then swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed
after me, that thou wilt not blot out my name from the house of my
father. 24.23 (24.22)
So David swore to Saul: and Saul departed to his place, and David and
his men went up to the strong-hold of Messera. ▲25.1 And Samuel died, and all
Israel assembled, and bewailed him, and they bury him in his house in
Armathaim: and David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Maon. 25.2 And
there was a man in Maon, and his flocks were in Carmel, and [he was] a
very great man; and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand
she-goats: and he happened to be shearing his flock in Carmel. 25.3 And
the man's name [was] Nabal, and his wife's name [was] Abigaia: and his
wife [was] of good understanding and very beautiful in person: but the
man [was] harsh, and evil in his doings, and the man [was] churlish. 25.4 And
David heard in the wilderness, that Nabal the Carmelite was shearing
his sheep. 25.5 And
David sent ten young men, and he said to the young men, Go up to
Carmel, and go to Nabal, and ask him in my name how he is. 25.6 And
thus shall ye say, May thou and thy house seasonably prosper, and all
thine be in prosperity. 25.7 And
now, behold, I have heard that thy shepherds who were with is in the
wilderness are shearing thy sheep, and we hindered them not, neither
did we demand any thing from them all the time they were in Carmel. 25.8 Ask
thy servants, and they will tell thee. Let then thy servants find grace
in thine eyes, for we are come on a good day; give we pray thee,
whatsoever thy hand may find, to thy son David. 25.9 So the
servants come and speak these words to Nabal, according to all these
words in the name of David. 25.10 And
Nabal sprang up, and answered the servants of David, and said, Who [is]
David? and who [is] the son of Jessae? Now-a-days there is abundance of
servants who depart every one from his master. 25.11 And
shall I take my bread, and my wine, and my beasts that I have slain for
my shearers, and shall I give them to men of whom I know not whence
they are? 25.12 So
the servants of David turned back, and returned, and came and reported
to David according to these words. 25.13 And
David said to his men, Gird on every man his sword. And they went up
after David, about four hundred men: and two hundred abode with the
stuff. 25.14 And
one of the servants reported to Abigaia the wife of Nabal, saying,
Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our lord;
but he turned away from them. 25.15 And
the men were very good to us; they did not hinder us, neither did they
demand from us any thing all the days that we were with them. 25.16 And
when we were in the field, they were as a wall round about us, both y
night and by day, all the days that we were with them feeding the flock. 25.17 And
now do thou consider, and see what thou wilt do; for mischief is
determined against our lord and against his house; and he [is] a vile
character, and one cannot speak to him. 25.18 And
Abigaia hasted, and took two hundred loaves, and two vessels of wine,
and five sheep ready dressed, and five ephahs of fine flour, and one
homer of dried grapes, and two hundred cakes of figs, and put them upon
asses. 25.19 And
she said to her servants, Go on before me, and behold I come after you:
but she told not her husband. 25.20 And
it came to pass when she had mounted her ass and was going down by the
covert of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down to meet
her, and she met them. 25.21 And
David said, Perhaps I have kept all his possessions in the wilderness
that he should wrong me, and we did not order the taking anything of
all his goods; yet he has rewarded me evil for good. 25.22 So
God do to David and more also, if I leave one male of all that belong
to Nabal until the morning. 25.23 And
Abigaia saw David, and she hasted and alighted from her ass; and she
felt before David on her face, and did obeisance to him, [bowing] to
the ground 25.24
[even] to his feet, and said, On me, my lord, be my wrong: let, I pray
thee, thy servant speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy
servant. 25.25 Let
not my lord, I pray thee, take to heart this pestilent man, for
according to his name, so is he; Nabal [is] his name, and folly [is]
with him: but I thy handmaid saw not the servants of my lord whom thou
didst send. 25.26 And
now, my lord, [as] the Lord lives, and thy soul lives, as the Lord has
kept thee from coming against innocent blood, and from executing
vengeance for thyself, now therefore let thine enemies, and those that
seek evil against my lord, become as Nabal. 25.27 And
now accept this token of goodwill, which thy servant has brought to my
lord, and thou shalt give it to the servants that wait on my lord. 25.28
Remove, I pray thee, the trespass of thy servant; for the Lord will
surely make for my lord a sure house, for the Lord fights the battles
of my lord, and there shall no evil be ever found in thee. 25.29 And
[if] a man shall rise up persecuting thee and seeking thy life, yet
shall the life of my lord be bound up in the bundle of life with the
Lord God, and thou shalt whirl the life of thine enemies [as] in the
midst of a sling. 25.30 And
it shall be when the Lord shall have wrought for my lord all the good
things he has spoken concerning thee, and shall appoint thee to be
ruler over Israel; 25.31 then
this shall not be an abomination and offence to my lord, to have shed
innocent blood without cause, and for my lord to have avenged himself:
and so may the Lord do good to my lord, and thou shalt remember thine
handmaid to do her good. 25.32 And
David said to Abigaia, Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel, who sent
thee this very day to meet me: 25.33 and
blessed [be] thy conduct, and blessed [be] thou, who hast hindered me
this very day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself. 25.34 But
surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who hindered me this day from
doing thee harm, if thou hadst not hasted and come to meet me, then I
said, There shall [surely] not be left to Nabal till the morning one
male. 25.35 And
David took of her hand all that she brought to him, and said to her, Go
in peace to thy house: see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and accepted
thy petition. 25.36 And
Abigaia came to Nabal: and, behold, he had a banquet in this house, as
the banquet of a king, and the heart of Nabal [was] merry within him,
and he [was] very drunken: and she told him nothing great or small till
the morning light. 25.37 And
it came to pass in the morning, when Nabal recovered from his wine, his
wife told him these words; and his heart died within him, and he became
as a stone. 25.38 And
it came to pass after about ten days, that the Lord smote Nabal, and he
died. 25.39 And
David heard it and said, Blessed [be] the Lord, wh has judged the cause
of my reproach at the hand of Nabal, and has delivered his servant from
the power of evil; and the Lord has returned the mischief of Nabal upon
his own head. And David sent and spoke concerning Abigaia, to take her
to himself for a wife. 25.40 So
the servants of David came to Abigaia to Carmel, and spoke to her,
saying, David has sent us to thee, to take thee to himself for a wife. 25.41 And
she arose, and did reverence with her face to the earth, and said,
Behold, thy servant [is] for an handmaid to wash the feet of thy
servants. 25.42 And
Abigaia arose, and mounted her ass, and five damsels followed her: and
she went after the servants of David, and became his wife. 25.43 And
David took Achinaam out of Jezrael, and they were both his wives. 25.44 And
Saul gave Melchol his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Amis
who was of Romma. ▲26.1 And the Ziphites come out
of the dry country to Saul to the hill, saying, Behold, David hides
himself with us in the hill Echela, opposite Jessemon. 26.2 And
Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him
[went] three thousand men chosen out of Israel, to seek David in the
wilderness of Ziph. 26.3 And
Saul encamped in the hill of Echela in front of Jessemon, by the way,
and David dwelt in the wilderness: and David saw that Saul came after
him into the wilderness. 26.4 And
David sent spies, and ascertained that Saul was come prepared out of
Keila. 26.5 And
David arose secretly, and goes into the place where Saul was sleeping,
and there [was] Abenner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and
Saul was sleeping in a chariot, and the people had encamped along round
about him. 26.6 And
David answered and spoke to Abimelech the Chettite, and to Abessa the
son Saruia the brother of Joab, saying, Who will go in with me to Saul
into the camp? And Abessa said, I will go in with thee. 26.7 So
David and Abessa go in among the people by night: and behold, Saul was
fast asleep in the chariot, and his spear was stuck in the ground near
his head, and Abenner and his people slept round about him. 26.8 And
Abessa said to David, The Lord has this day shut up thine enemy into
thine hands, and now I will smite him to the earth with the spear to
the ground once [for all], and I will not smite him again. 26.9 And
David said to Abessa, Do not lay him low, for who shall lift up his
hand against the anointed of the Lord, and be guiltless? 26.10 And
David said, [As] the Lord lives, if the Lord smite him not, or his day
come and he die, or he go down to battle and be added [to his fathers,
do not so]. 26.11 The
Lord forbid it me that I should lift up my hand against the anointed of
the Lord: and now take, I pray thee, the spear from his bolster, and
the pitcher of water, and let us return home. 26.12 So
David took the spear, and the pitcher of water from his bolster, and
they went home: and there was no one that saw, and no one that knew,
and there was no one that awoke, all being asleep, for a stupor from
the Lord had fallen upon them. 26.13 So
David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar
off, and [there was] a good distance between them. 26.14 And
David called to the people, and spoke to Abenner, saying, Wilt thou not
answer, Abenner? and Abenner answered and said, Who art thou that
callest? 26.15 And
David said to Abenner, [Art] not thou a man? and who [is] like thee in
Israel? Why then dost thou not guard thy lord the king? for one out of
the people went in to destroy thy lord the king. 26.16 And
this thing [is] not good which thou hast done. [As] the Lord lives, ye
are worthy of death, ye who guard your lord the king, the anointed of
the Lord: and now behold, I pray you, the spear of the king, and the
cruse of water: where are the articles that should be at his head? 26.17 And
Saul recognized the voice of David, and said, [Is] this thy voice, son
David? and David said, I [am] thy servant, [my] lord, O king. 26.18 And
he said, Why does my lord thus pursue after his servant? for in what
have I sinned? and what unrighteousness ha been found in me? 26.19 And
now let my lord the king hear the word of his servant. If God stirs
thee up against me, let thine offering be acceptable: but if the sons
of men, they [are] cursed before the Lord, for they have cast me out
this day so that I should not be established in the inheritance of the
Lord, saying, Go, serve other Gods. 26.20 And
now let not my blood fall to the ground before the Lord, for the king
of Israel has come forth to seek thy life, as the night hawk pursues
[its prey] in the mountains. 26.21 And
Saul said, I have sinned: turn, son David, for I will not hurt thee,
because my life was precious in thine eyes; and to-day I have been
foolish and have erred exceedingly. 26.22 And
David answered and said, Behold, the spear of the king: let one of the
servants come over and take it. 26.23 And
the Lord shall recompense each according to his righteousness and his
truth, since the Lord delivered thee this day into my hands, and I
would not lift my hand against the Lord's anointed. 26.24 And,
behold, as thy life has been precious this very day in my eyes, so let
my life be precious before the Lord, and may he protect me, and deliver
me out of all affliction. 26.25 And
Saul said to David, Blessed [be] thou, [my] son; and thou shalt surely
do valiantly, and surely prevail. And David went on his way, and Saul
returned to his place. ▲27.1 And David said in his
heart, Now shall I be one day delivered [for death] into the hands of
Saul; and there is no good thing for me unless I should escape into the
land of the Philistines, and Saul should cease from seeking me through
every coast of Israel: so I shall escape out of his hand. 27.2 So
David arose, and the six hundred men that were with him, and he went to
Anchus, son Ammach, king of Geth. 27.3 And
David dwelt with Anchus, he and his men, each with his family; and
David and both his wives, Achinaam, the Jezraelitess, and Abigaia the
wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 27.4 And it
was told Saul that David had fled to Geth; and he no longer sought
after him 27.5 And
David said to Anchus, If now thy servant has found grace in thine eyes,
let them give me, I pray thee, a place in one of the cities in the
country, and I will dwell there: for why does thy servant dwell with
thee in a royal city? 27.6 And he
gave him Sekelac in that day: therefore Sekelac came into possession of
the king of Judea to this day. 27.7 And
the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the
Philistines was four months. 27.8 And
David and his men went up, and made an attack on all the Gesirites and
on the Amalekites: and behold, the land was inhabited, (even the land
from Gelampsur) by those who come from the fortified [cities] even to
the land of Egypt. 27.9 And he
smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive; and they took
flocks, and herds, and asses, and camels, and raiment; and they
returned and came to Anchus. 27.10 And
Anchus said to David, On whom have ye made an attack to-day? And David
said to Anchus, On the south of Judea, and on the south of Jesmega, and
on the south of the Kenezite. 27.11 And I
have not saved man or woman alive to bring them to Geth, saying, Lest
they carry a report to Geth against us, saying, These things David
does. And this was his manner all the days that David dwelt in the
country of the Philistines. 27.12 So
David had the full confidence of Anchus, who said, He is thoroughly
disgraced among his people in Israel and he shall be my servant for
ever. ▲28.1 And it came to pass in
those days that the Philistines gathered themselves together with their
armies to go out to fight with Israel; and Anchus said to David, Know
surely, that thou shalt go forth to battle with me, [thou], and thy men. 28.2 And
David said to Anchus, Thus now thou shalt know what thy servant will
do. And Anchus said to David, So will I make thee captain of my
body-guard continually. 28.3 And
Samuel died, and all Israel lamented for him, and they bury him in his
city, in Armathaim. And Saul had removed those who had in them divining
spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 28.4 And
the Philistines assemble themselves, and come and encamp in Sonam: and
Saul gathers all the men of Israel, and they encamp in Gelbue. 28.5 And
Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, and he was alarmed, and his heart
was greatly dismayed. 28.6 And
Saul enquired of the Lord; and the Lord answered him not by dreams, nor
by manifestations, nor by prophets. 28.7 Then
Saul said to his servants, Seek for me a woman who has in her a
divining spirit, and I will go to her, and enquire of her: and his
servants said to him, Behold, [there is] a woman who has in her a
divining spirit at Aendor. 28.8 And
Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he goes, and two
men with him, and they come to the woman by night; and he said to her,
Divine to me, I pray thee, by the divining spirit within thee, and
bring up to me him whom I shall name to thee. 28.9 And
the woman said to him, Behold now, thou knowest what Saul has done, how
he has cut off those who had in them divining spirits, and the wizards
from the land, and why dost thou spread a snare for my life to destroy
it? 28.10 And
Saul swore to her, and said, [As] the Lord lives, no injury shall come
upon thee on this account. 28.11 And
the woman said, Whom shall I bring up to thee? and he said, Bring up to
me Samuel. 28.12 And
the woman saw Samuel, and cried out with a loud voice: and the woman
said to Saul, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 28.13 And
the king said to her, Fear not; tell me whom thou has seen. And the
woman said to him, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. 28.14 And
he said to her, What didst thou perceive? and she said to him, An
upright man ascending out of the earth, and he [was] clothed with a
mantle. And Saul knew that this was Samuel, and he stooped with his
face to the earth, and did obeisance to him. 28.15 And
Samuel said, Why hast thou troubled me, that I should come up? And Saul
said, I am greatly distressed, and the Philistines war against me, and
God has departed from me, and no longer hearkens to me either by he
hand of the prophets or by dreams: and now I have called thee to tell
me what I shall do. 28.16 And
Samuel said, Why askest thou me, whereas the Lord has departed from
thee, and taken part with thy neighbour? 28.17 And
the Lord has done to thee, as the Lord spoke by me; and the Lord will
rend thy kingdom out of thy hand, and will give it to thy neighbour
David. 28.18
because thou didst not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and didst not
execute his fierce anger upon Amalec, therefore the Lord has done this
thing to thee this day. 28.19 And
the Lord shall deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the
Philistines, and to-morrow thou and thy sons with thee shall fall, and
the Lord shall deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the
Philistines. 28.20 And
Saul instantly fell at his full length upon the earth, and was greatly
afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no longer any
strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day, and all that
night. 28.21 And
the woman went in to Saul, and saw that he was greatly disquieted, and
said to him, Behold now, thine handmaid has hearkened to thy voice, and
I have put my life in my hand, and have heard the words which thou has
spoken to me. 28.22 And
now hearken, I pray thee, to the voice of thine handmaid, and I will
set before thee a morsel of bread, and eat, and thou shalt be
strengthened, for thou wilt be going on thy way. 28.23 But
he would not eat; so his servants and the woman constrained him, and he
hearkened to their voice, and rose up from the earth, and sat upon a
bench. 28.24 And
the woman had a fat heifer in the house; and she hasted and slew it;
and she took meal and kneaded it, and baked unleavened cakes. 28.25 And
she brought [the meat] before Saul, and before his servants; and they
ate, and rose up, and departed that night. ▲29.1 And the Philistines gather
all their armies to Aphec, and Israel encamped in Aendor, which is in
Jezrael. 29.2 And
the lords of the Philistines went on by hundreds and thousands, and
David and his men wen on in the rear with Anchus. 29.3 And
the lords of the Philistines said, Who [are] these that pass by? And
Anchus said to the captains of the Philistines, [Is] not this David the
servant of Saul king of Israel? He has been with us some time, even
this second year, and I have not found any fault in him from the day
that he attached himself to me even until this day. 29.4 And
the captains of the Philistines were displeased at him, and they say to
him, Send the man away, and let him return to his place, where thou
didst set him; and let him not come with us to the war, and let him not
be a traitor in the camp: and wherewith will he be reconciled to his
master? Will it not be with the heads of those men? 29.5 [Is]
not this David whom they celebrated in dances, saying, Saul has smitten
his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 29.6 And
Anchus called David, and said to him, [As] the Lord lives, thou [art]
right and approved in my eyes, and [so is] thy going out and thy coming
in with me in the army, and I have not found [any] evil to charge
against thee from the day that thou camest to me until this day: but
thou art not approved in the eyes of the lords. 29.7 Now
then return and go in peace, thus thou shalt not do evil in the sight
of the lords of the Philistines. 29.8 And
David said to Anchus, What have I done to thee? and what hast thou
found in thy servant from the [first] day that I was before thee even
until this day, that I should not come and war against the enemies of
the lord my king? 29.9 And
Anchus answered David, I know that thou [art] good in my eyes, but the
lords of the Philistines say, He shall not come with us to the war. 29.10 Now
then rise up early in the morning, thou and the servants of thy lord
that are come with thee, and go to the place where I appointed you, and
entertain no evil thought in thy heart, for thou [art] good in my
sight: and rise early for your journey when it is light, and depart. 29.11 So
David arose early, he and his men, to depart and guard the land of the
Philistine: and the Philistines went up to Jezrael to battle. ▲30.1 And it came to pass when
David and his men had entered Sekelac on the third day, that Amalec had
made an incursion upon the south, and upon Sekelac, and smitten
Sekelac, and burnt it with fire. 30.2 And as
to the women and all things that were in it, great and small, they slew
neither man nor woman, but carried them captives, and went on their way. 30.3 And
David and his men came into the city, and, behold, it was burnt with
fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters were carried
captive. 30.4 And
David and his men lifted up their voice, and wept till there was no
longer any power within them to weep. 30.5 And
both the wives of David were carried captive, Achinaam, the
Jezraelitess, and Abigaia the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 30.6 And
David was greatly distressed, because the people spoke of stoning him,
because the soul of all the people was grieved, each for his sons and
his daughters: but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. 30.7 And
David said to Abiathar the priest the son of Achimelech, Bring near the
ephod. 30.8 And
David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop?
shall I overtake them? and he said to him, Pursue, for thou shalt
surely overtake them, and thou shalt surely rescue [the captives]. 30.9 So
David went, he an the six hundred men with him, an they come as far as
the brook Bosor, and the superfluous ones stopped. 30.10 And
he pursued them with four hundred men; and there remained behind two
hundred men, who tarried on the other side of the brook Bosor. 30.11 And
they find an Egyptian in the field, and they take him, and bring him to
David; and they gave him bread and he ate, and they caused him to drink
water. 30.12 And
they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and he ate, and his spirit was
restored in him; for he had not eaten bread, and had not drunk water
three days and three nights. 30.13 And
David said to him, Whose art thou? and whence art thou? and the young
man the Egyptian said, I am the servant of an Amalekite; and my master
left me, because I was taken ill three days ago. 30.14 And
we made an incursion on the south of the Chelethite, and on the parts
of Judea, and on the south of Chelub, and we burnt Sekelac with fire. 30.15 And
David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this troop? And he said,
Swear now to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, and that thou wilt
not deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down
upon this troop. 30.16 So be
brought him down thither, and behold, they [were] scattered abroad upon
the surface of the whole land, eating and drinking, and feasting by
[reason of] all the great spoils which they had taken out of the land
of the Philistines, and out of the land of Juda. 30.17 And
David came upon them, and smote them from the morning till the evening,
and on the next day; and not one of them escaped, except four hundred
young men, who were mounted on camels, and fled. 30.18 And
David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued both
his wives. 30.19 And
nothing was wanting to them of great or small, either of the spoils, or
the sons and daughters, or anything that they had taken of theirs; and
David recovered all. 30.20 And
he took all the flocks, and the herds, and led them away before the
spoils: and it was said of these spoils, These [are] the spoils of
David. 30.21 And
David comes to the two hundred men who were left behind that they
should not follow after David, and he had caused them to remain by the
brook of Bosor; and they came forth to meet David, and to meet his
people with him: and David drew near to the people, and they asked him
how he did. 30.22 Then
every ill-disposed and bad man of the soldiers who had gone with David,
answered and said, Because they did not pursue together with us, we
will not give them of the spoils which we have recovered, only let each
one lead away with him his wife and his children, and let them return. 30.23 And
David said, Ye shall not do so, after the Lord has delivered [the
enemy] to us, and guarded us, and the Lord has delivered into our hands
the troop that came against u. 30.24 And
who will hearken to these your words? for they are not inferior to us;
for according to the portion of him that went down to the battle, so
shall be the portion of him that abides with the baggage; they shall
share alike. 30.25 And
it came to pass from that day forward, that it became an ordinance and
a custom in Israel until this day. 30.26 And
David came to Sekelac, and sent of the spoils to the elders of Juda,
and to his friends, saying, Behold [some] of the spoils of the enemies
of the Lord; 30.27 to
those in Baethsur, and to those in Rama of the south, and to those in
Gethor. 30.28 And
to those in Aroer, and to those in Ammadi, and to those in Saphi, and
to those in Esthie, and to those in Geth, and to those in Cimath, and
to those in Saphec, and to those in Themath, 30.29 and
to those in Carmel, and to those in the cities of Jeremeel, and to
those in the cities of the Kenezite; 30.30 and
to those in Jerimuth, and to those in Bersabee, and to those in Nombe, 30.31 and
to those in Chebron, and to all the places which David and his men had
passed through. ▲31.1 And the Philistines fought
with Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines,
and they fall down wounded in the mountain in Gelbue. 31.2 And
the Philistines press closely on Saul and his sons, and the Philistines
smite Jonathan, and Aminadab, and Melchisa son of Saul. 31.3 And
the battle prevails against Saul, and the shooters with arrows, even
the archers find him, and he was wounded under the ribs. 31.4 And
Saul said to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword and pierce me through
with it; lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me through, and mock
me. But his armour-bearer would not, for he feared greatly: so Saul
took his sword and fell upon it. 31.5 And
his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, and he fell also himself upon
his sword, and died with him. 31.6 So
Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, in that dy
together. 31.7 And
the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those
beyond Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his
sons were dead; and they leave their cities and flee: and the
Philistines come and dwell in them. 31.8 And it
came to pass on the morrow that the Philistines come to strip the dead,
and they find Saul and his three sons fallen on the mountains of Gelbue. 31.9 And
they turned him, and stripped off his armour, and sent it into the land
of the Philistines, sending round glad tidings to their idols and to
the people. 31.10 And
they set up his armour at the temple of Astarte, and they fastened his
body on the wall of Baethsam. 31.11 And
the inhabitants of Jabis Galaad hear what the Philistines did to Saul. 31.12 And
they rose up, [even] every man of might, and marched all night, and
took the body of Saul and the body of Jonathan his son from the wall of
Baethsam; and they bring them to Jabis, and burn them there. 31.13 And
they take their bones, and bury them in the field that is in Jabis, and
fast seven days.