Bible in 90 Days

³⁰ “Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: ‘I said that your House, and the House of your father, should walk before Me, forever.’ But now, the LORD says: ‘It shall not be so. For those who honor Me, I will honor. And those who despise Me, shall be despised.

³¹ ‘Behold, the days come that I will cut off your arm, and the arm of your father’s House, so that there shall not be an old man in your House.

³² ‘And you shall see your enemy in the habitation of the LORD, in all things with which God shall bless Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your House, forever.

³³ ‘Nevertheless, I will not destroy every one of yours from My Altar, to make your eyes fail and to make your heart sorrowful. And all the multitude of your House shall die men.

³⁴ ‘And this shall be a sign to you, that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. In one day, they shall both die.

³⁵ ‘And I will stir up a faithful Priest, who shall do according to My Heart, and according to My Mind. And I will build him a sure House. And he shall walk before My anointed, forever.

³⁶ ‘And all who are left in your House, shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, “Please appoint me to one of the priest’s offices, so that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”

3 Now the child, Samuel, ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the Word of the LORD was precious in those days; for there was no manifest vision.

² And at that time, as Eli lay in his place, his eyes began to grow dim, so that he could not see.

³ And before the Light of God went out, Samuel slept in the Temple of the LORD, where the Ark of God was.

⁴ Then, the LORD called Samuel. And he said, “Here I am.”

⁵ And he ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am! For you called me!” But he said, “I did not call you. Go back. Sleep.” And he went and slept.

⁶ And the LORD called Samuel once again. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “I am here! For you called me!” And he answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back. Sleep.”

⁷ Thus did Samuel, before he knew the LORD and before the Word of the LORD was revealed to him.

⁸ And the LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, “I am here! For you have called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

⁹ Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go. Sleep. And if He calls you, then say, “Speak LORD, for Your servant hears.” So, Samuel went and slept in his place.

¹⁰ And the LORD came and stood and called, as at other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then Samuel answered, “Speak. For Your servant hears.”

¹¹ Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, of which whoever shall hear, his two ears shall tingle.

¹² “On that day, I will raise up against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his House. What I begin, I will also finish.

¹³ “And I have told him that I will judge his House forever, for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons despised themselves, and he did not rebuke them.

¹⁴ “Now, therefore, I have sworn to the House of Eli that the wickedness of Eli’s House shall not ever be purged with Sacrifice or Offering.”

¹⁵ Afterward, Samuel slept until the morning, and opened the doors of the House of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to show Eli the vision.

¹⁶ Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he answered, “Here I am.”

¹⁷ Then he said, “What is it that the LORD said to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that He said to you.”

¹⁸ So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, “It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”

¹⁹ And Samuel grew. And the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.

²⁰ And all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that faithful Samuel was the LORD’s Prophet.

²¹ And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh; for the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by His Word.

4 And Samuel spoke to all Israel. And Israel went out against the Philistines to battle and camped beside Ebenezer. And the Philistines camped in Aphek.

² And the Philistines put themselves in formation against Israel. And when they joined the battle, Israel was struck down before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.

³ So, when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD struck us down this day before the Philistines? Let us bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh to us, so that when it comes among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.”

⁴ Then the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of Hosts, Who dwells between the Cherubims. And there were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, with the Ark of the Covenant of God.

⁵ And when the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted a mighty shout, so that the Earth echoed.

⁶ And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What is the meaning of the sound of this mighty shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” And they understood that the Ark of the LORD had come into the camp.

⁷ And the Philistines were afraid, and said, “God has come into the camp!” Therefore, they said, “Woe to us! For it has not been so until now.

⁸ “Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? These are the Gods Who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness!

⁹ “Be strong and play the men, O Philistines, so that you will not be servants to the Hebrews as they have served you! Be valiant, therefore, and fight!”

¹⁰ And the Philistines fought. And Israel was struck down; and every man fled into his tent. And there was an exceedingly great slaughter. For thirty thousand footmen of Israel fell.

¹¹ And the Ark of God was taken. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

¹² And the same day, a man of Benjamin ran out of the army and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and earth upon his head.

¹³ And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the roadside, waiting. For his heart feared for the Ark of God. And when the man came into the city to tell it, all the city cried out.

¹⁴ And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, “What does this noise of tumult mean?” And the man came in, hastily, and told Eli.

¹⁵ Now, Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see.

¹⁶ And the man said to Eli, “I came from the army, and I fled this day out of the camp.” And he said, “What has happened, my son?”

¹⁷ Then the messenger answered, and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines; and there has also been a great slaughter among the people. And moreover, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead. And the Ark of God has been taken.”

¹⁸ And when he mentioned of the Ark of God, Eli fell from his seat, backward, by the side of the gate. And his neck was broken, and he died. For he was an old man and heavy. And he had judged Israel for forty years.

¹⁹ And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near labor. And when she heard the report that the Ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself, and went into labor. For her pains came upon her.

²⁰ And about the time of her death, the women that stood around her said to her, “Do not fear. For you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention.

²¹ And she named the child, Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the Ark of God was taken,” and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

²² She said again, “The glory has departed from Israel! For the Ark of God has been taken!”

5 Then the Philistines took the Ark of God and carried it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

² The Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

³ And when they of Ashdod rose the next day, in the morning, behold, Dagon had fallen upon his face on the ground, before the Ark of the LORD. And they took up Dagon and set him in his place again.

⁴ They also rose up early in the morning the next day. And behold, Dagon had fallen upon his face on the ground, before the Ark of the LORD. And the head of Dagon and the two palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold. Only the stump of Dagon was left of him.

⁵ Therefore, the priests of Dagon, and all who come into Dagon’s house, do not walk on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.

⁶ But the Hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories.

⁷ And when the men of Ashdod saw this, they said, “Do not let the Ark of the God of Israel remain with us! For His Hand is severe upon us, and upon Dagon, our god!”

⁸ They sent, therefore, and gathered all the princes of the Philistines to them, and said, “What shall we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the Ark of the God of Israel be carried around to Gath.” And they carried the Ark of the God of Israel around.

⁹ And when they had carried it around, the Hand of the LORD was against the city with very great destruction. And He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and they had tumors break out.

¹⁰ Therefore, they sent the Ark of God to Ekron. And as soon as the Ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought theArk of the God of Israel to us to kill us and our people!”

¹¹ Therefore they sent and gathered together all the princes of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the Ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people!” For there was a destruction and death throughout all the city; and the Hand of God was very severe there.

¹² And the men who did not die were struck with the tumors. And the cry of the city went up to Heaven.

6 So the Ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines for seven months.

² And the Philistines called the priests and the soothsayers, saying, “What shall we do with the Ark of the LORD? Tell us how we should send it home again?”

³ And they said, “If you send away the Ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away empty, but give it a Sin Offering. Then you shall be healed, and it shall be revealed to you why His Hand has not departed from you.”

⁴ Then they said, “What shall be the Sin Offering which we shall give to it?” And they answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden rats, according to the number of the princes of the Philistines. For one plague was on you all, and on your princes.

⁵ “Therefore, you shall make the likenesses of your tumors and the likenesses of your rats who destroy the land. So you shall give glory to the God of Israel, so that He may take His Hand from you and from your gods and from your land.

⁶ “Why, then, should you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts when He wrought mightily among them? Did they not let them go, and they departed?

⁷ “Now, therefore, make a new cart, and take two milk cows, upon which there has never come a yoke. And tie the cows to the cart and bring the calves home from them.

⁸ “Then take the Ark of the LORD and set it upon the cart. And put the jewels of gold, which you give it for a Sin Offering, in a coffer by its side. And send it away, so that it may go.

⁹ “And watch. If it goes up by way of its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, it is He who brought us this great calamity. But if not, we shall know then that it is not His Hand that struck us. It happened to us by chance.”

¹⁰ And the men did so. For they took two cows that gave milk and tied them to the cart and shut up the calves at home.

¹¹ So, they set the Ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the rats of gold, and with the likenesses of their tumors.

¹² And the cows went the straight way to Beth Shemesh, and kept one path, and lowed as they went, and turned neither to the right nor to the left. Also, the princes of the Philistines went after them to the borders of Beth Shemesh.

¹³ Now, they of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And they lifted up their eyes and spied the Ark and rejoiced when they saw it.

¹⁴ And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth Shemite, and stood still there. There was also a great stone. And they split the wood of the cart and offered the cow for a Burnt Offering to the LORD.

¹⁵ And the Levites took down the Ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it (in which the jewels of gold were) and put them on the great stone. And the men of Beth Shemesh offered Burnt Offering and sacrificed Sacrifices that same day to the LORD.

¹⁶ And when the five princes of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

¹⁷ So these are the golden tumors which the Philistines gave for a Sin Offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Askelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron;

¹⁸ and golden rats (according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines) to the five princes (both of walled towns and of towns unwalled) as far as the great Stone of Abel, upon which they set the Ark of the LORD (which remains to this day in the field of Joshua, the Beth Shemite).

¹⁹ And He struck some of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked in the Ark of the LORD. He killed fifty thousand seventy men among the people. And the people lamented because the LORD had killed the people with so great a slaughter.

²⁰ Therefore, the men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this Holy LORD God? And to whom shall He go from us?”

²¹ And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the Ark of the LORD. Come down! Take it up to you!”

7 Then, the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took up the Ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab, on the hill. And they sanctified Eleazar, his son, to keep the Ark of the LORD.

² (For the Ark had stayed in Kirjath Jearim a long time, for twenty years.) And all the House of Israel lamented after the LORD.

³ Then Samuel spoke to all the House of Israel, saying, “If you have come back to the LORD with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtoreth, and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him only; and He shall deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

⁴ Then, the children of Israel did put away Baal and Ashtoreth and served the LORD only.

⁵ And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to the LORD.”

⁶ And they gathered together to Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted the same day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD!” And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together in Mizpah, the princes of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard that, they were afraid of the Philistines.

⁸ And the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease crying to the LORD our God for us, so that He may save us out of the hand of the Philistines!”

⁹ Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it all together for a Burnt Offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

¹⁰ And as Samuel offered the Burnt Offering, the Philistines came to fight against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder upon the Philistines that day and scattered them. So they were killed before Israel.

¹¹ And the men of Israel went from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them until they came under Beth Car.

¹² Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name, Ebenezer. And he said, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

¹³ So the Philistines were subdued. And they no longer came back into the territory of Israel. And the Hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life.

¹⁴ Also, the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron all the way to Gath. And Israel delivered the territories of the same out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

¹⁵ And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life,

¹⁶ and went about year after year to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah and judged Israel in all those places.

¹⁷ Afterward, he returned to Ramah, for his house was there. And there he judged Israel. Also, he built an Altar there to the LORD.

8 When Samuel had now become old, he made his sons judges over Israel,

² judges in Beersheba. The name of his eldest son was Joel and the name of the second was Abijah.

³ And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after unjust gain, and took bribes, and perverted their judgment.

⁴ Therefore, all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel, to Ramah,

⁵ and said to him, “Behold, you are old. And your sons do not walk in your ways. Make us now a king to judge us, like all the nations.”

⁶ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD.

⁷ And the LORD said to Samuel, “Hear the voice of the people in all that they shall say to you. For they have not cast you away, but have cast Me away, so that I would not reign over them.

⁸ “As they have always done, since I brought them out of Egypt up until this day (forsaking Me and serving other gods), even so they do to you.

⁹ “Now, therefore, listen to their voice. However, still testify to them and show them the behavior of the king who shall reign over them.”

¹⁰ So, Samuel told all the Words of the LORD to the people who asked for a king from Him.

¹¹ And he said, “This shall be the behavior of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen. And some shall run before his chariot.

¹² “Also, he will make them his captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make instruments of war, and the things that serve for his chariots.

¹³ “He will also take your daughters and make them apothecaries and cooks and bakers.

¹⁴ “And he will take your fields and your vineyards and your best olive trees and give them to his servants.

¹⁵ “And he will take a tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give it to his eunuchs and to his servants.

¹⁶ “And he will take your menservants and your maidservants and the chief of your young men and your donkeys and put them to work for him.

¹⁷ “He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you shall be his servants.

¹⁸ “And you shall cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the LORD will not hear you on that day.”

¹⁹ But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, but said, “No, but there shall be a king over us!

²⁰ “And we, also, will be like all other nations; and our king shall judge us and go out before us and fight our battles!”

²¹ Therefore, when Samuel heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the Ears of the LORD.

²² And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice; and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city!”

9 There was now a man of Benjamin, mighty in power, named Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man of Benjamin.

² And he had a son called Saul, a fine young man and handsome, so that among the children of Israel there was none better than he. From the shoulders upward, he was higher than any of the people.

³ Now, the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Therefore, Kish said to Saul, his son, “Take now one of the servants with you and arise, go and seek the donkeys.

⁴ So, he passed through Mount Ephraim, and went through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they went through the land of Shaalim; and they were not there. He also went through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

⁵ When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come and let us return, lest my father leaves the donkeys and becomes worried about us.”

⁶ And he said to him, “Behold, now, in this city is a man of God. And he is an honorable man. All that he says comes to pass. Let us now go there, if so be that he can show us what way we may go.”

⁷ Then Saul said to his servant, “Well then, let us go! But what shall we bring to the man? For the bread in our vessels is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”

⁸ And the servant answered Saul again, and said, “Behold, I have found a fourth of a shekel of silver lying around. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.”

⁹ (In the old time in Israel, when a man went to seek an answer from God, he said, “Come and let us go to the Seer.” For he who is now called a Prophet was in the old time called a Seer.)

¹⁰ Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said! Come, let us go.” So they went into the city where the man of God was.

¹¹ And as they were going up the highway to the city, they found maids who came out to draw water, and said to them, “Is there a Seer here?”

¹² And they answered them, and said, “Yea, lo, he is before you. Hurry now, for he came this day to the city. For there is an Offering of the people this day in the high place.

¹³ “When you shall come into the city, you shall find him immediately, before he comes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he will bless the Sacrifice. And then those who are invited to the feast may eat. Now, therefore, go up. For you shall find him now.”

¹⁴ Then they went up into the city. And when they had come into the midst of the city, Samuel came out opposite them, to go up to the high place.

¹⁵ But the LORD had revealed to Samuel secretly (a day before Saul came) saying,

¹⁶ “Tomorrow, about this time, I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin. You shall anoint him to be Governor over My people, Israel, so that he may save My people out of the hands of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people and their cry has come to Me.”

¹⁷ Therefore, when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD answered him, “See, this is the man of whom I spoke to you. He shall rule My people.”

¹⁸ Then Saul went to Samuel in the midst of the gate, and said, “Tell me, please, where the Seer’s house is.”

¹⁹ And Samuel answered Saul, and said, “I am the Seer. Go up before me to the high place; for you shall eat with me today and tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart.

²⁰ “And as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And on whom is set all the desire of Israel? Is it not upon you, and on all your father’s House?”

²¹ But Saul answered, and said, “Am I not the son of Benjamin, of the smallest tribe of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why, then, do you speak so to me?”

²² And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the chamber, and made them sit in the chief place among those who were invited (which was about thirty people).

²³ And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring forth the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, “Keep it with you.”

²⁴ And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Behold that which remains, set apart for you! Eat! For up to now it has been kept for you, since I said, “I have called the people!” So, Saul ate with Samuel that day.

²⁵ And when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house.

²⁶ And when they arose early, about the dawn of the day, Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, “Up, so that I may send you away!” And Saul arose. And they went out, both he and Samuel.

²⁷ And when they had come down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Bid the servant go before us,” (and he went) “But you stand still now, so that I may show you the Word of God.”

10 Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you to be Governor over His inheritance?

² “After you have departed from me this day, you shall find two men by Rachel’s sepulcher, on the border of Benjamin, at Zelzah; and they will say to you, “The donkeys which you went to seek have been found. And lo, your father has left the care of the donkeys and worries about you, saying, ‘What shall I do for my son?’

³ “Then you shall go forth from there and shall come to the plain of Tabor. And you shall meet three men there going up to God, to Bethel, one carrying three goats and another carrying three loaves of bread and another carrying a bottle of wine.

⁴ “And they will ask you if all is well and will give you the two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands.

⁵ “After that, you shall come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is. And when you have come there to the city, you shall meet a company of Prophets coming down from the high place with a lute and a tambourine and a flute and a harp before them; and they shall prophesy.

⁶ “Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you. And you shall prophesy with them and shall be turned into another man.

⁷ “Therefore, when these signs shall come to you, do as the occasion shall require. For God is with you.

⁸ “And you shall go down before me to Gilgal. And I, also, will come down to you, to offer Burnt Offerings, and to sacrifice Sacrifices of peace. Wait for me for seven days, until I come to you and tell you what you shall do.”

⁹ And when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all those signs came to pass that same day.

¹⁰ And when they came there to the hill, behold, the company of Prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him; and he prophesied among them.

¹¹ Therefore, all the people who knew him before, when they saw that he prophesied among the Prophets, said each to other, “What has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the Prophets?”

¹² And one from the same place answered, and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore, it was a proverb, “Is Saul also among the Prophets?”

¹³ And when he had finished Prophesying, he came to the high place.

¹⁴ And Saul’s uncle said to him, and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To look for the donkeys. And when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Samuel.”

¹⁵ And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.”

¹⁶ Then Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But concerning the kingdom of which Samuel had spoken, he told him nothing.

¹⁷ And Samuel assembled the people to the LORD in Mizpah,

¹⁸ And he said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I have brought Israel out of Egypt and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hands of all kingdoms that troubled you.

¹⁹ ‘But you have this day cast away your God, Who alone delivers you out of all your adversities and tribulations. And you said to Him, “No! But appoint a king over us!” Now, therefore, stand before the LORD, according to your tribes and according to your thousands.’”

²⁰ And when Samuel had gathered together all the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

²¹ Afterward, he assembled the tribe of Benjamin, according to their families; and the family of Matri was taken. So Saul, the son of Kish, was taken. And when they sought him, he could not be found.

²² Therefore, they asked the LORD again if that man should still come there. And the LORD answered, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the implements.”

²³ And they ran and brought him there. And when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from the shoulders upward.

²⁴ And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you not see him whom the LORD has chosen, so that there is no one like him among all the people?” And all the people shouted and said, “God save the king!”

²⁵ Then Samuel told the people the duty of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each man to his house.

²⁶ Saul, also, went home to Gibeah. And a band of men followed him whose hearts God had touched.

²⁷ But some wicked men said, “How shall he save us?” So they despised him and brought him no presents. But he held his tongue.

11 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will be your servants.”

² And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “On this condition I will make a covenant with you: that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring that shame upon all Israel.”

³ To whom the elders of Jabesh said, “Give us seven days respite, so that we may send messengers to all the territories of Israel. and then if no man delivers us, we will come out to you.”

⁴ Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told this news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept.

⁵ And behold, Saul came following the cattle out of the field. And Saul said, “What ails the people, so that they weep?” And they told him the news of the men of Jabesh.

⁶ Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard that news. And he was exceedingly angry

⁷ and took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territories of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come forth with Saul, and with Samuel, so shall his oxen be served.” And the fear of the LORD fell on the people; and they came out as one man.

⁸ And when he counted them in Bezek, the children of Israel numbered three hundred thousand men, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

⁹ Then they said to the messengers who came, “So say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow by the time the Sun is hot, you shall have help.’” And the messengers came and told it to the men of Jabesh, who were glad.

¹⁰ Therefore, the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you; and you shall do with us all that pleases you.”

¹¹ And when the next day had come, Saul put the people in three bands. And they came in upon the army during the morning watch and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who remained were scattered, so that not even two of them were left together.

¹² Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, so that we may kill them.”

¹³ “But,” said Saul, “no man shall die this day. For today the LORD has saved Israel.”

¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, so that we may go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.”

¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king there, before the LORD in Gilgal. And they offered Peace Offerings before the LORD there. And Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced exceedingly there.

12 Samuel then said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me and have appointed a king over you.

² “Now, therefore, behold! Your king walks before you. And I am old and grayheaded. And behold, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my childhood to this day.

³ “Behold, here I am. Bear record of me before the LORD and before His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or, whose donkey have I taken? Or, to whom have I done wrong? Or, whom have I hurt? Or, of whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? And I will restore it you.”

⁴ Then they said, “You have done us no wrong. Nor have you hurt us. Nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand.”

⁵ And he said to them, “The LORD is Witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have found nothing in my hands.” And they answered, “Witness!”

⁶ Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD Who made Moses and Aaron, and Who brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt.

⁷ “Now, therefore, stand still, so that I may reason with you before the LORD, according to all the righteousness of the LORD which He showed to you and to your fathers.

⁸ “After Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place.

⁹ “And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them.

¹⁰ “And they cried to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served Baal and Ashtoreth! Now, therefore, deliver us out of the hands of our enemies and we will serve You!’

¹¹ “Therefore, the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hands of your enemies on every side. And you dwelled safely.

¹² “Nevertheless, when you saw that Nahash, the king of the children of Ammon, came against you, you said to me, ‘No! But a king shall reign over us!’ When the LORD your God was still your King.

¹³ “Now, therefore, behold the king whom you have chosen, whom you have desired. Lo, therefore, the LORD has set a king over you.

¹⁴ “If you will fear the LORD and serve Him, and hear His Voice, and not disobey the Word of the LORD, both you and the king who reigns over you shall follow the LORD your God.

¹⁵ “But if you will not obey the Voice of the LORD, but disobey the LORD’s Mouth, then the Hand of the LORD shall be upon you and on your fathers.

¹⁶ “Now, also, stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes.

¹⁷ “Is it not now wheat harvest? I will call to the LORD; and He shall send thunder and rain, so that you may perceive and see how great your wickedness is which you have done in the sight of the LORD in asking for a king for yourselves.”

¹⁸ Then Samuel called to the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain the same day. And all the people feared the LORD, and Samuel, exceedingly.

¹⁹ And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we do not die. For we have sinned in asking for a king for ourselves, in addition to all our other sins.”

²⁰ And Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear! You have indeed done all this wickedness. Still, do not depart from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart!

²¹ “Do not turn back, either! For that would be after meaningless things which cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are but empty.

²² “For the LORD will not forsake His people for His great Name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people.

²³ “Moreover, may it never be that I should sin against the LORD and cease praying for you! But I will show you the good and right way.

²⁴ “Therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in the truth with all your hearts, and consider what great things He has done for you.

²⁵ “But if you do wickedly, you shall perish, both you and your king.”

13 Saul now had been king for one year. And he reigned over Israel for two years.

² Then Saul chose for himself three thousand of Israel. And two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and on Mount Bethel. And a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent away, each man to his tent.

³ And Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was on the hill. And the Philistines’ heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Hear, O you Hebrews!”

⁴ And all Israel heard say, “Saul has destroyed a garrison of the Philistines!” Therefore, Israel was made abhorrent to the Philistines. And the people gathered together with Saul to Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines also gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen. For the people were like the sand which is by the seaside in multitude, and came up and camped in Michmash, eastward from Beth Aven.

⁶ And when the men of Israel saw that they were in distress (for the people were oppressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holds and in rocks and in towers and in pits.

⁷ And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan, to the land of Gad and Gilead. And Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people, for fear followed him.

⁸ And he waited for seven days, according to the time that Samuel had appointed. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal. Therefore, the people were scattered from him.

⁹ And Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings.” And he offered a burnt offering.

¹⁰ And as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went forth to meet him, to greet him.

¹¹ And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Then Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you had not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together to Michmash,

¹² “therefore I said, ‘The Philistines will come down now upon me, to Gilgal. And I have not made supplication to the LORD.’ I was bold, therefore, and offered a burnt offering.”

¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly! You have not kept the Commandment of the LORD your [j]God, which He Commanded you! For the LORD had now established your kingdom upon Israel forever.

¹⁴ “But now, your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after his own heart. And the LORD has Commanded him to be Governor over His people, because you have not kept that which the LORD had Commanded you.”

¹⁵ And Samuel arose and got himself up from Gilgal in Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul counted the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.

¹⁶ And Saul and Jonathan, his son, and the people who were found with them, had their lodging in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines camped in Michmash.

¹⁷ And three bands came out of the camp of the Philistines, to destroy. One band turned to the road of Ophrah, to the land of Shual.

¹⁸ And another band turned toward the road to Beth Horon. And the third band turned toward the road of the territory that looks toward the valley of Zeboim, toward the wilderness.

¹⁹ Then there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears.”

²⁰ Therefore, all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, so that each man could sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his weeding hook.

²¹ But they already had a file for the plowshares and for the mattocks and for the pick forks and for the axes and to sharpen the goads.

²² So, when the day of battle had come, there was neither sword nor spear found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but with Saul and Jonathan (his son).

²³ And the garrison of the Philistines came out to the passage of Michmash.

14 Then, on a day when Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come and let us go over toward the Philistines’ garrison that is yonder, on the other side,” he did not tell his father.

² And Saul waited on the border of Gibeah, under a pomegranate tree, which was in Migron. And the people who were with him were about six hundred men.

³ And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, was the LORD’s Priest in Shiloh and wore an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.

⁴ Now, on the road whereby Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side. The name of one was called “Bozez” and the name of the other “Seneh”.

⁵ The one rock stretched from the North toward Michmash, and the other from the South toward Gibeah.

⁶ And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work with us. For it is not hard for the LORD to save with many or with few.”

⁷ And he who bore his armor said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go where it pleases you. Behold, I am with you as your heart desires.”

⁸ Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we go over to those men and will show ourselves to them.

⁹ “If they say this to us: ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them.

¹⁰ “But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up. For the LORD has delivered them into our hand. And this shall be a sign to us.”

¹¹ So they both showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “See, the Hebrews come out of the holes in which they had hidden themselves.”

¹² And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us. For we will teach you something.” Then Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me. For the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”

¹³ So Jonathan went up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor bearer after him. And some fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed them from behind.

¹⁴ So the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men, within half an acre of land which two oxen plow.

¹⁵ And there was a fear in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Also, the garrison and those who went out to plunder were afraid. And the earth trembled, for it was stricken with fear by God.

¹⁶ Then, the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin saw. And behold, the multitude melted away as they went, being struck down.

¹⁷ Therefore, Saul said to the people who were with him, “Search, now, and see who is gone from us.” And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

¹⁸ And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the Ark of God here.” (for the Ark of God was, at that time, with the children of Israel)

¹⁹ And while Saul talked to the Priest, the noise that was in the camp of the Philistines spread further away and increased. Therefore, Saul said to the Priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

²⁰ And Saul was assembled with all the people who were with him. And they came to the battle. And behold, every man’s sword was against his neighbor. There was very great confusion.

²¹ Moreover, the Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had come with them into all parts of the camp, they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

²² Also, all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves on Mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines had fled, they followed after them in the battle.

²³ And so, the LORD saved Israel that day. And the battle continued to Beth Aven.

²⁴ And at that time, the men of Israel were hard-pressed that day. For Saul charged the people with an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats food before night, so that I may be avenged of my enemies.” So, none of the people tasted sustenance.

²⁵ And all those of the land came to a forest, where honey lay upon the ground.

²⁶ And the people came into the forest. And behold, the honey dropped. And no man moved his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

²⁷ But Jonathan did not hear when his father charged the people with the oath. Therefore, he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth. And his eyes were made clear.

²⁸ Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father made the people swear, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats sustenance this day.” And the people were weary.

²⁹ Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See now how my eyes are made clear because I have tasted a little of this honey.

³⁰ “How much more if the people had eaten today of the plunder of their enemies which they found? For would there not now have been a greater slaughter among the Philistines?”

³¹ And they had stricken the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were exceedingly faint.

³² So, the people turned to the plunder and took sheep and oxen and calves and killed them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood.

³³ Then men told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood.” And he said, “You have trespassed. Roll a great stone to me this day.”

³⁴ Again Saul said, “Scatter yourselves among the people and ask every man to bring me his ox, and every man his sheep, and to kill them here and eat, and to not sin against the LORD in eating with the blood.” And that night, every man brought his ox in his hand and killed it there.

³⁵ Then Saul made an Altar to the LORD. This was the first Altar that he made to the LORD.

³⁶ And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light. And let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever you think best.” Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”

³⁷ So Saul asked of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hands of Israel?” But He did not answer him at that time.

³⁸ And Saul said, “All you chiefs of the people, come here and know and see by whom this sin is done this day.

³⁹ “For as the LORD lives Who saves Israel, even though it is done by Jonathan, my son, he shall die the death.” But none of the people answered him.

⁴⁰ Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side; and I and Jonathan, my son, will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what you think best.”

⁴¹ Then Saul said to the LORD God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.

⁴² And Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan, my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, and said, “I tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. And lo, I must die.”

⁴⁴ Again Saul answered, “God do so and more also, unless you die the death, Jonathan.”

⁴⁵ And the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has so mightily delivered Israel? May it never be! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground! For he has worked with God this day.” So, the people delivered Jonathan, so that he did not die.

⁴⁶ Then Saul came up from the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

⁴⁷ So Saul held the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the children of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. And wherever he went, he handled them as wicked men.

⁴⁸ He also gathered an army and struck Amalek, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who spoiled them.

⁴⁹ Now, the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Jishui, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters: the elder was called Merab, and the younger was named Michal.

⁵⁰ And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of his chief captain was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.

⁵¹ And Kish was Saul’s father. And Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel.

⁵² And there was fierce war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And whoever Saul viewed as a strong man, and fit for the war, he gathered to it.

15 Afterward, Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now, therefore, obey the Voice of the Words of the LORD.

² “Thus says the LORD of Hosts: ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how they laid in wait for them on the road, as they came up from Egypt.

³ ‘Now go and strike Amalek, and destroy all that they have, and have no compassion on them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

⁴ And Saul assembled the people in Telaim and counted them, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.

⁵ And Saul came to a city of Amalek and set a watch at the river.

⁶ And Saul said to the Kenites, “Go! Depart! Get yourselves down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed mercy to all the children of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” And the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

⁷ So Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah (as you come to Shur, that is before Egypt),

⁸ and took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive and destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

⁹ But Saul and the people spared Agag and the better sheep and the oxen and the fat beasts and the lambs and all that was good; and they would not destroy them. But everything that was vile and worth nothing, that they destroyed.

¹⁰ Then came the Word of the LORD to Samuel, saying,

¹¹ “I regret that I have made Saul king; for he has turned from Me and has not performed My Commandments.” And Samuel was moved and cried to the LORD all night.

¹² And when Samuel arose early to meet Saul in the morning, one told Samuel, saying, “Saul has gone to Carmel. And behold, he has made himself a place there, from where he returned and departed and has gone down to Gilgal.”

¹³ Then Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you of the LORD! I have fulfilled the Commandment of the LORD!”

¹⁴ But Samuel said, “What, then, does the bleating of the sheep in my ears mean, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”

¹⁵ And Saul answered, “They have brought them from the Amalekites. For the people spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, to sacrifice them to the LORD your God. And the rest we have destroyed.”

¹⁶ Again, Samuel said to Saul, “Let me tell you what the LORD has said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Say on.”

¹⁷ Then Samuel said, “When you were little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel? For the LORD anointed you king over Israel.

¹⁸ “And the LORD sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go and destroy those sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until you destroy them!’

¹⁹ “Now, why have you not obeyed the Voice of the LORD, but have turned to the prey and have done wickedly in the sight of the LORD?”

²⁰ And Saul said to Samuel, “Yea, I have obeyed the Voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag, the king of Amalek, and have destroyed the Amalekites.

²¹ “But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen and the best of the things which should have been destroyed, to offer to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”

²² And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great a pleasure in Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices as when the Voice of the LORD is obeyed? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen is better than the fat of rams.

²³ “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft; and transgression is wickedness and idolatry. Because you have cast away the Word of the LORD, therefore He has cast away you from being king.”

²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. For I have transgressed the Commandment of the LORD, and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

²⁵ “Now, therefore, please take away my sin and turn back with me, so that I may worship the LORD.”

²⁶ But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have cast away the Word of the LORD, and the LORD has cast away you, so that you shall not be king over Israel.”

²⁷ And as Samuel turned himself to go away, he caught the lap of his coat, and it tore.

²⁸ Then Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

²⁹ “For indeed the Strength of Israel will neither lie nor repent. For He is not a man that He should repent.”

³⁰ Then he said, “I have sinned. But, please honor me before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.

³¹ So, Samuel turned back and followed Saul. And Saul worshipped the LORD.

³² Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag, the king of the Amalekites, here to me.” And Agag came to him pleasantly; and Agag said, “Truly the bitterness of death has passed.”

³³ And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among other women.” And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

³⁴ So Samuel departed to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house, to Gibeah of Saul.

³⁵ And Samuel no longer came to see Saul until the day of his death. But Samuel mourned for Saul. And the LORD regretted that He made Saul king over Israel.