The First Book of Samuel

1, 1Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite: 1, 2and he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 1, 3This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the L-rd of Hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to the L-rd, were there. 1, 4When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 1, 5but to Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but the L-rd had shut up her womb. 1, 6Her rival provoked her severely, to make her fret, because the L-rd had shut up her womb. 1, 7As he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the L-rd, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and didn’t eat. 1, 8Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" 1, 9So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of the L-rd. 1, 10She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the L-rd, and wept bitterly. 1, 11She vowed a vow, and said, "the L-rd of Hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget your handmaid, but will give to your handmaid a boy, then I will give him to the L-rd all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head." 1, 12It happened, as she continued praying before the L-rd, that Eli saw her mouth. 1, 13Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 1, 14Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you." 1, 15Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the L-rd. 1, 16Don’t count your handmaid for a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation." 1, 17Then Eli answered, "Go in peace; and may the G-d of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him." 1, 18She said, "Let your handmaid find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way, and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more. 1, 19They rose up in the morning early, and worshiped before the L-rd, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the L-rd remembered her. 1, 20It happened, when the time had come, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked him of the L-rd." 1, 21The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the L-rd the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 1, 22But Hannah didn’t go up; for she said to her husband, "Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the L-rd, and stay there forever." 1, 23Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the L-rd establish his word." So the woman waited and nursed her son, until she weaned him. 1, 24When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the L-rd’s house in Shiloh. The child was young. 1, 25They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli. 1, 26She said, "Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the L-rd. 1, 27For this child I prayed; and the L-rd has given me my petition which I asked of him. 1, 28Therefore also I have granted him to the L-rd. As long as he lives he is granted to the L-rd." He worshiped the L-rd there.

2, 1Hannah prayed, and said:

"My heart exults in the L-rd!

My horn is exalted in the L-rd.

My mouth is enlarged over my enemies,

because I rejoice in your salvation.

2, 2There is no one as holy as the L-rd,

For there is no one besides you,

nor is there any rock like our G-d.

2, 3"Talk no more so exceeding proudly.

Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth,

For the L-rd is a G-d of knowledge.

By him actions are weighed.

2, 4"The bows of the mighty men are broken.

Those who stumbled are armed with strength.

2, 5Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread.

Those who were hungry are satisfied.

Yes, the barren has borne seven.

She who has many children languishes.

2, 6"the L-rd kills, and makes alive.

He brings down to Hell, and brings up.

2, 7The L-rd makes poor, and makes rich.

He brings low, he also lifts up.

2, 8He raises up the poor out of the dust.

He lifts up the needy from the dunghill,

To make them sit with princes,

and inherit the throne of glory.

For the pillars of the earth are the L-rd’s.

He has set the world on them.

2, 9He will keep the feet of his holy ones,

but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness;

for no man shall prevail by strength.

2, 10Those who strive with the L-rd shall be broken to pieces.

He will thunder against them in the sky.

"the L-rd will judge the ends of the earth.

He will give strength to his king,

and exalt the horn of his anointed."

3, 1The child Samuel ministered to the L-rd before Eli. The word of the L-rd was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. 3, 2It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), 3, 3and the lamp of G-d hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in the temple of the L-rd, where the ark of G-d was; 3, 4that the L-rd called Samuel; and he said, "Here I am." 3, 5He ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He said, "I didn’t call; lie down again." He went and lay down. 3, 6And the L-rd called yet again, "Samuel!" Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He answered, "I didn’t call, my son; lie down again." 3, 7Now Samuel didn’t yet know the L-rd, neither was the word of the L-rd yet revealed to him. 3, 8The L-rd called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." Eli perceived that the L-rd had called the child. 3, 9Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, the L-rd; for your servant hears.’" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 3, 10The L-rd came, and stood, and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak; for your servant hears." 3, 11The L-rd said to Samuel, "Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 3, 12In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. 3, 13For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them. 3, 14Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever." 3, 15Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the L-rd. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 3, 16Then Eli called Samuel, and said, "Samuel, my son!" He said, "Here I am." 3, 17He said, "What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. G-d do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you." 3, 18Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him. He said, "It is the L-rd. Let him do what seems good to him." 3, 19Samuel grew, and the L-rd was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. 3, 20All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the L-rd. 3, 21The L-rd appeared again in Shiloh; for the L-rd revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the L-rd.

4, 1The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 4, 2The Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was struck before the Philistines; and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men. 4, 3When the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the L-rd struck us today before the Philistines? Let us get the ark of the covenant of the L-rd out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies." 4, 4So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the L-rd of Hosts, who sits above the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of G-d. 4, 5When the ark of the covenant of the L-rd came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 4, 6When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" They understood that the ark of the L-rd had come into the camp. 4, 7The Philistines were afraid, for they said, "G-d has come into the camp." They said, "Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing before. 4, 8Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 4, 9Be strong, and behave like men, O you Philistines, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Strengthen yourselves like men, and fight!" 4, 10The Philistines fought, and Israel was struck, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 4, 11The ark of G-d was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. 4, 12There ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn, and with earth on his head. 4, 13When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of G-d. When the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 4, 14When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, "What does the noise of this tumult mean?" The man hurried, and came and told Eli. 4, 15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that he could not see. 4, 16The man said to Eli, "I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army." He said, "How did the matter go, my son?" 4, 17He who brought the news answered, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of G-d has been captured." 4, 18It happened, when he made mention of the ark of G-d, that Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years. 4, 19His daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered. When she heard the news that the ark of G-d was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth; for her pains came on her. 4, 20About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, "Don’t be afraid; for you have given birth to a son." But she didn’t answer, neither did she regard it. 4, 21She named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel;" because the ark of G-d was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 4, 22She said, "The glory has departed from Israel; for the ark of G-d is taken."

5, 1Now the Philistines had taken the ark of G-d, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 5, 2The Philistines took the ark of G-d, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 5, 3When they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the L-rd. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 5, 4When they arose early on the next day morning, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the L-rd; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact. 5, 5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day. 5, 6But the hand of the L-rd was heavy on them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders. 5, 7When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, "The ark of the G-d of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is severe on us, and on Dagon our god." 5, 8They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the G-d of Israel?" They answered, "Let the ark of the G-d of Israel be carried over to Gath." They carried the ark of the G-d of Israel there. 5, 9It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of the L-rd was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them. 5, 10So they sent the ark of G-d to Ekron. It happened, as the ark of G-d came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, "They have brought about the ark of the G-d of Israel to us, to kill us and our people." 5, 11They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, "Send away the ark of the G-d of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people." For there was a deadly confusion throughout all the city; the hand of G-d was very heavy there. 5, 12The men who didn’t die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

6, 1The ark of the L-rd was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 6, 2The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of the L-rd? Show us with which we shall send it to its place." 6, 3They said, "If you send away the ark of the G-d of Israel, don’t send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you." 6, 4Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, for the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 6, 5Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the G-d of Israel: perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6, 6Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn’t they let the people go, and they departed? 6, 7"Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; 6, 8and take the ark of the L-rd, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go. 6, 9Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us." 6, 10The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home; 6, 11and they put the ark of the L-rd on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors. 6, 12The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh. 6, 13They of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 6, 14The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to the L-rd. 6, 15The Levites took down the ark of the L-rd, 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 offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to the L-rd. 6, 16When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. 6, 17These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to the L-rd: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 6, 18and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of the L-rd. That stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. 6, 19He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the L-rd, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because the L-rd had struck the people with a great slaughter. 6, 20The men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before the L-rd, this holy G-d? To whom shall he go up from us?" 6, 21They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of the L-rd; come down, and bring it up to yourselves."

7, 1The men of Kiriath Jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the L-rd, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the L-rd. 7, 2It happened, from the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the L-rd. 7, 3Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you do return to the L-rd with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to the L-rd, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." 7, 4Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the L-rd only. 7, 5Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to the L-rd." 7, 6They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the L-rd, and fasted on that day, and said there, "We have sinned against the L-rd." Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah. 7, 7When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 7, 8The children of Israel said to Samuel, "Don’t cease to cry to the L-rd our G-d for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines." 7, 9Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to the L-rd: and Samuel cried to the L-rd for Israel; and the L-rd answered him. 7, 10As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the L-rd thundered with a great thunder on that day on the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel. 7, 11The men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and struck them, until they came under Beth Kar. 7, 12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, "the L-rd helped us until now." 7, 13So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel. The hand of the L-rd was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 7, 14The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered its border out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites. 7, 15Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 7, 16He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places. 7, 17His return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar to the L-rd.

8, 1It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 8, 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba. 8, 3His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice. 8, 4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah; 8, 5and they said to him, "Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." 8, 6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." Samuel prayed to the L-rd. 8, 7The L-rd said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. 8, 8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you. 8, 9Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who shall reign over them." 8, 10Samuel told all the words of the L-rd to the people who asked of him a king. 8, 11He said, "This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots; 8, 12and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. 8, 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 8, 14He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants. 8, 15He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 8, 16He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 8, 17He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants. 8, 18You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen you; and the L-rd will not answer you in that day." 8, 19But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No; but we will have a king over us, 8, 20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles." 8, 21Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the L-rd. 8, 22The L-rd said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."

9, 1Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. 9, 2He had a son, whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a better person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 9, 3The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, "Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go seek the donkeys." 9, 4He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they weren’t there: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them. 9, 5When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, and let us return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys, and be anxious for us." 9, 6He said to him, "See now, there is in this city a man of G-d, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says comes surely to pass. Now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go." 9, 7Then Saul said to his servant, "But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of G-d. What do we have?" 9, 8The servant answered Saul again, and said, "Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of G-d, to tell us our way." 9, 9(In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of G-d, thus he said, "Come, and let us go to the seer;" for he who is now called a prophet was before called a Seer.) 9, 10Then Saul said to his servant, "Well said. Come, let us go." So they went to the city where the man of G-d was. 9, 11As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, "Is the seer here?" 9, 12They answered them, and said, "He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he has come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place. 9, 13As soon as you have come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you shall find him." 9, 14They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place. 9, 15Now the L-rd had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 9, 16"Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked on my people, because their cry has come to me." 9, 17When Samuel saw Saul, the L-rd said to him, "Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! this same shall have authority over my people." 9, 18Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, "Please tell me where the seer’s house is." 9, 19Samuel answered Saul, and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. 9, 20As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don’t set your mind on them; for they are found. For whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father’s house?" 9, 21Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?" 9, 22Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons. 9, 23Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’" 9, 24The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, "Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before yourself and eat; because for the appointed time has it been kept for you, for I said, ‘I have invited the people.’" So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 9, 25When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop. 9, 26They arose early: and it happened about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, "Get up, that I may send you away." Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 9, 27As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant pass on before us" (and he passed on), "but stand still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of G-d."

10, 1Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, "Isn’t it that the L-rd has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance? 10, 2When you have departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel’s tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to seek have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, "What shall I do for my son?"’ 10, 3"Then you shall go on forward from there, and you shall come to the oak of Tabor; and three men shall meet you there going up to G-d to Bethel, one carrying three young goats, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: 10, 4and they will greet you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive of their hand. 10, 5"After that you shall come to the hill of G-d, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall happen, when you have come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying: 10, 6and the Spirit of the L-rd will come mightily on you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man. 10, 7Let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you; for G-d is with you. 10, 8"You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: you shall wait seven days, until I come to you, and show you what you shall do." 10, 9It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, G-d gave him another heart: and all those signs happened that day. 10, 10When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of G-d came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them. 10, 11It happened, when all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, "What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" 10, 12One of the same place answered, "Who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" 10, 13When he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. 10, 14Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, "Where did you go?" He said, "To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel." 10, 15Saul’s uncle said, "Please tell me what Samuel said to you." 10, 16Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys were found." But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him. 10, 17Samuel called the people together to the L-rd to Mizpah; 10, 18and he said to the children of Israel, "Thus says the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you:’ 10, 19but you have this day rejected your G-d, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, ‘No! Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the L-rd by your tribes, and by your thousands." 10, 20So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 10, 21He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found. 10, 22Therefore they asked of the L-rd further, "Is there yet a man to come here?" the L-rd answered, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage." 10, 23They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 10, 24Samuel said to all the people, "You see him whom the L-rd has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?" All the people shouted, and said, "Let the king live!" 10, 25Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the L-rd. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 10, 26Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the army, whose hearts G-d had touched. 10, 27But certain worthless fellows said, "How shall this man save us?" They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

11, 1Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you." 11, 2Nahash the Ammonite said to them, "On this condition I will make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel." 11, 3The elders of Jabesh said to him, "Give us seven day, that we may send messengers to all the borders of Israel; and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you." 11, 4Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 11, 5Behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, "What ails the people that they weep?" They told him the words of the men of Jabesh. 11, 6The Spirit of G-d came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. 11, 7He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever doesn’t come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." The dread of the L-rd fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 11, 8He numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 11, 9They said to the messengers who came, "Thus you shall tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance.’" The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 11, 10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us all that seems good to you." 11, 11It was so on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it happened, that those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. 11, 12The people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!" 11, 13Saul said, "There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today the L-rd has worked deliverance in Israel." 11, 14Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there." 11, 15All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the L-rd in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the L-rd; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

12, 1Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 12, 2Now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day. 12, 3Here I am. Witness against me before the L-rd, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind my eyes therewith? I will restore it to you." 12, 4They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man’s hand." 12, 5He said to them, "the L-rd is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." They said, "He is witness." 12, 6Samuel said to the people, "It is the L-rd who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 12, 7Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the L-rd concerning all the righteous acts of the L-rd, which he did to you and to your fathers. 12, 8"When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the L-rd, then the L-rd sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 12, 9"But they forgot the L-rd their G-d; and 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. 12, 10They cried to the L-rd, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the L-rd, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 12, 11The L-rd sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety. 12, 12"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 L-rd your G-d was your king. 12, 13Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and behold, the L-rd has set a king over you. 12, 14If you will fear the L-rd, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the L-rd, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the L-rd your G-d. 12, 15But if you will not listen to the voice of the L-rd, but rebel against the commandment of the L-rd, then will the hand of the L-rd be against you, as it was against your fathers. 12, 16"Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the L-rd will do before your eyes. 12, 17Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to the L-rd, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the L-rd, in asking for a king." 12, 18So Samuel called to the L-rd; and the L-rd sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the L-rd and Samuel. 12, 19All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the L-rd your G-d, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king." 12, 20Samuel said to the people, "Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn aside from following the L-rd, but serve the L-rd with all your heart. 12, 21Don’t turn aside to go after vain things which can’t profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 12, 22For the L-rd will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the L-rd to make you a people to himself. 12, 23Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the L-rd in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 12, 24Only fear the L-rd, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he has done for you. 12, 25But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed, both you and your king."

13, 1Saul reigned a year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 13, 2Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 13, 3Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!" 13, 4All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal. 13, 5The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven. 13, 6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits. 13, 7Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 13, 8He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel: but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 13, 9Saul said, "Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings." He offered the burnt offering. 13, 10It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 13, 11Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; 13, 12therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of the L-rd.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering." 13, 13Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the L-rd your G-d, which he commanded you; for now the L-rd would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. 13, 14But now your kingdom shall not continue. the L-rd has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the L-rd has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the L-rd commanded you." 13, 15Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 13, 16Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 13, 17The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 13, 18and another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 13, 19Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears;" 13, 20but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle; 13, 21yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads. 13, 22So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 13, 23The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

14, 1Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side." But he didn’t tell his father. 14, 2Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with him were about six hundred men; 14, 3and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the L-rd in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn’t know that Jonathan was gone. 14, 4Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 14, 5The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 14, 6Jonathan 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 L-rd will work for us; for there is no restraint on the L-rd to save by many or by few." 14, 7His armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Turn and, behold, I am with you according to your heart." 14, 8Then Jonathan said, "Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them. 14, 9If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them. 14, 10But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up; for the L-rd has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us." 14, 11Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!" 14, 12The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something!" Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me; for the L-rd has delivered them into the hand of Israel." 14, 13Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him. 14, 14That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land. 14, 15There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling. 14, 16The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away, and scattered. 14, 17Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Count now, and see who is missing from us." When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 14, 18Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of G-d here." For the ark of G-d was with the children of Israel at that time. 14, 19It happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand!" 14, 20Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow: a very great confusion. 14, 21Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines as before, and who went up with them into the camp, from all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 14, 22Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 14, 23So the L-rd saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth Aven. 14, 24The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies." So none of the people tasted food. 14, 25All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground. 14, 26When the people had come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. 14, 27But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 14, 28Then one of the people answered, and said, "Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’" The people were faint. 14, 29Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 14, 30How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now has there been no great slaughter among the Philistines." 14, 31They struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint; 14, 32and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 14, 33Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people are sinning against the L-rd, in that they eat meat with the blood." He said, "You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me this day!" 14, 34Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, ‘Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don’t sin against the L-rd in eating meat with the blood.’" All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there. 14, 35Saul built an altar to the L-rd. This was the first altar that he built to the L-rd. 14, 36Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them." They said, "Do whatever seems good to you." Then the priest said, "Let us draw near here to G-d." 14, 37Saul asked counsel of G-d, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But he didn’t answer him that day. 14, 38Saul said, "Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day. 14, 39For, as the L-rd lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 14, 40Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side." The people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you." 14, 41Therefore Saul said to the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, "Show the right." Jonathan and Saul were chosen; but the people escaped. 14, 42Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." Jonathan was selected. 14, 43Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done!" Jonathan told him, and said, "I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die." 14, 44Saul said, "G-d do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan." 14, 45The people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the L-rd lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with G-d this day!" So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn’t die. 14, 46Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place. 14, 47Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and wherever he turned himself, he defeated them. 14, 48He did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them. 14, 49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 14, 50and the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 14, 51Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 14, 52There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

15, 1Samuel said to Saul, "the L-rd sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of the words of the L-rd. 15, 2Thus says the L-rd of Hosts, ‘I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. 15, 3Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don’t spare them; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’" 15, 4Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 15, 5Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 15, 6Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 15, 7Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, that is before Egypt. 15, 8He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 15, 9But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the cattle, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and wouldn’t utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 15, 10Then the word of the L-rd came to Samuel, saying, 15, 11"It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments." Samuel was angry; and he cried to the L-rd all night. 15, 12Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal." 15, 13Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, "You are blessed by the L-rd! I have performed the commandment of the L-rd." 15, 14Samuel said, "Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?" 15, 15Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to sacrifice to the L-rd your G-d. We have utterly destroyed the rest." 15, 16Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay, and I will tell you what the L-rd has said to me last night." He said to him, "Say on." 15, 17Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? the L-rd anointed you king over Israel; 15, 18and the L-rd sent you on a journey, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 15, 19Why then didn’t you obey the voice of the L-rd, but took the spoils, and did that which was evil in the sight of the L-rd?" 15, 20Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the L-rd, and have gone the way which the L-rd sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 15, 21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and cattle, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice to the L-rd your G-d in Gilgal." 15, 22Samuel said, "Has the L-rd as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the L-rd? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 15, 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of the L-rd, he has also rejected you from being king." 15, 24Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the L-rd, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 15, 25Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the L-rd." 15, 26Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the L-rd, and the L-rd has rejected you from being king over Israel." 15, 27As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 15, 28Samuel said to him, "the L-rd has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. 15, 29Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent." 15, 30Then he said, "I have sinned: yet please honor me now before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and come back with me, that I may worship the L-rd your G-d." 15, 31So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped the L-rd. 15, 32Then Samuel said, "Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites!" Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." 15, 33Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!" Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the L-rd in Gilgal. 15, 34Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. 15, 35Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and the L-rd grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

16, 1The L-rd said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons." 16, 2Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." the L-rd said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the L-rd. 16, 3Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you." 16, 4Samuel did that which the L-rd spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" 16, 5He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the L-rd. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 16, 6It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely the L-rd’s anointed is before him." 16, 7But the L-rd said to Samuel, "Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for I see not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the L-rd looks at the heart." 16, 8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the L-rd chosen this one." 16, 9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, "Neither has the L-rd chosen this one." 16, 10Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, "the L-rd has not chosen these." 16, 11Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?" He said, "There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is keeping the sheep." Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." 16, 12He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful face, and goodly to look on. the L-rd said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he." 16, 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the L-rd came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 16, 14Now the Spirit of the L-rd departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the L-rd troubled him. 16, 15Saul’s servants said to him, "See now, an evil spirit from G-d troubles you. 16, 16Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It shall happen, when the evil spirit from G-d is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well." 16, 17Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me." 16, 18Then one of the young men answered, and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a comely person; and the L-rd is with him." 16, 19Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep." 16, 20Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 16, 21David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer. 16, 22Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight." 16, 23It happened, when the spirit from G-d was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

17, 1Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. 17, 2Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 17, 3The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 17, 4There went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 17, 5He had a helmet of brass on his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 17, 6He had brass shin armor on his legs, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders. 17, 7The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield bearer went before him. 17, 8He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 17, 9If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then you will be our servants, and serve us." 17, 10The Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day! Give me a man, that we may fight together!" 17, 11When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 17, 12Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken among men. 17, 13The three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 17, 14David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul. 17, 15Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. 17, 16The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17, 17Jesse said to David his son, "Now take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers; 17, 18and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers are doing, and bring back news." 17, 19Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 17, 20David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the place of the wagons, as the army which was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle. 17, 21Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army. 17, 22David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 17, 23As he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words: and David heard them. 17, 24All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were terrified. 17, 25The men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? He has surely come up to defy Israel. It shall be, that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel." 17, 26David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living G-d?" 17, 27The people answered him in this way, saying, "So shall it be done to the man who kills him." 17, 28Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you have come down that you might see the battle." 17, 29David said, "What have I now done? Is there not a cause?" 17, 30He turned away from him toward another, and spoke like that again; and the people answered him again the same way. 17, 31When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. 17, 32David said to Saul, "Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 17, 33Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." 17, 34David said to Saul, "Your servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb out of the flock, 17, 35I went out after him, and struck him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him. 17, 36Your servant struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living G-d." 17, 37David said, "the L-rd who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go; and the L-rd shall be with you." 17, 38Saul dressed David with his clothing. He put a helmet of brass on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. 17, 39David strapped his sword on his clothing, and he tried to move; for he had not tested it. David said to Saul, "I can’t go with these; for I have not tested them." David took them off. 17, 40He took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his wallet. His sling was in his hand; and he drew near to the Philistine. 17, 41The Philistine came on and drew near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him. 17, 42When the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair face. 17, 43The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" The Philistine cursed David by his gods. 17, 44The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the field." 17, 45Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of the L-rd of Hosts, the G-d of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 17, 46Today, the L-rd will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you, and take your head from off you. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky, and to the wild animals of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a G-d in Israel, 17, 47and that all this assembly may know that the L-rd doesn’t save with sword and spear: for the battle is the L-rd’s, and he will give you into our hand." 17, 48It happened, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 17, 49David put his hand in his bag, took a stone, and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 17, 50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 17, 51Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head therewith. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 17, 52The men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until you come to Gai, and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron. 17, 53The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 17, 54David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent. 17, 55When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I can’t tell." 17, 56The king said, "Inquire whose son the young man is!" 17, 57As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 17, 58Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, you young man?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

18, 1It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 18, 2Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. 18, 3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 18, 4Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his clothing, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his sash. 18, 5David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 18, 6It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music. 18, 7The women sang one to another as they played, and said,

"Saul has slain his thousands,

David his ten thousands."

19, 1Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. 19, 2Jonathan told David, saying, "Saul my father seeks to kill you. Now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, and live in a secret place, and hide yourself. 19, 3I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk with my father about you; and if I see anything, I will tell you." 19, 4Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, "Don’t let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you; 19, 5for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and the L-rd worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?" 19, 6Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, "As the L-rd lives, he shall not be put to death." 19, 7Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as before. 19, 8There was war again. David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him. 19, 9An evil spirit from the L-rd was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand. 19, 10Saul sought to pin David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he stuck the spear into the wall. David fled, and escaped that night. 19, 11Saul sent messengers to David’s house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, "If you don’t save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed." 19, 12So Michal let David down through the window. He went, fled, and escaped. 19, 13Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with the clothes. 19, 14When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick." 19, 15Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him." 19, 16When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head. 19, 17Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he is escaped?" Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’" 19, 18Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth. 19, 19It was told Saul, saying, "Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah." 19, 20Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of G-d came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 19, 21When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. 19, 22Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" One said, "Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah." 19, 23He went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of G-d came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 19, 24He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

20, 1David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?" 20, 2He said to him, "Far from it; you shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so." 20, 3David swore moreover, and said, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, ‘Don’t let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved:’ but truly as the L-rd lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death." 20, 4Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you." 20, 5David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to the third day at evening. 20, 6If your father miss me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’ 20, 7If he says, ‘It is well;’ your servant shall have peace: but if he be angry, then know that evil is determined by him. 20, 8Therefore deal kindly with your servant; for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the L-rd with you: but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?" 20, 9Jonathan said, "Far be it from you; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you that?" 20, 10Then David said to Jonathan, "Who shall tell me if perchance your father answers you roughly?" 20, 11Jonathan said to David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." They both went out into the field. 20, 12Jonathan said to David, "By the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good toward David, shall I not then send to you, and disclose it to you? 20, 13So, the L-rd do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in peace: and the L-rd be with you, as he has been with my father. 20, 14You shall not only while yet I live show me the loving kindness of the L-rd, that I not die; 20, 15but also you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever; no, not when the L-rd has cut off the enemies of David everyone from the surface of the earth." 20, 16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "the L-rd will require it at the hand of David’s enemies." 20, 17Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 20, 18Then Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon: and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 20, 19When you have stayed three days, you shall go down quickly, and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and shall remain by the stone Ezel. 20, 20I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark. 20, 21Behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ If I tell the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them;’ then come; for there is peace to you and no hurt, as the L-rd lives. 20, 22But if I say this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you;’ then go your way; for the L-rd has sent you away. 20, 23Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the L-rd is between you and me forever." 20, 24So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon had come, the king sat him down to eat food. 20, 25The king sat on his seat, as at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side: but David’s place was empty. 20, 26Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day: for he thought, "Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean." 20, 27It happened on the next day after the new moon, the second day, that David’s place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why doesn’t the son of Jesse come to eat, neither yesterday, nor today?" 20, 28Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. 20, 29He said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city. My brother has commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers.’ Therefore he has not come to the king’s table." 20, 30Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don’t I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? 20, 31For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die!" 20, 32Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?" 20, 33Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 20, 34So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame. 20, 35It happened in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy with him. 20, 36He said to his boy, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot." As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 20, 37When the boy had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, "Isn’t the arrow beyond you?" 20, 38Jonathan cried after the boy, "Go fast! Hurry! Don’t delay!" Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 20, 39But the boy didn’t know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 20, 40Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, "Go, carry them to the city." 20, 41As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, and David wept the most. 20, 42Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the name of the L-rd, saying, ‘the L-rd shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever.’" He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.

21, 1Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no man with you?" 21, 2David said to Ahimelech the priest, "The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, ‘Let no man know anything of the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you; and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place.’ 21, 3Now therefore what is under your hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever there is present." 21, 4The priest answered David, and said, "There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women." 21, 5David answered the priest, and said to him, "Truly, women have been kept from us about these three days. When I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey. How much more then today shall their vessels be holy?" 21, 6So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread, that was taken from before the L-rd, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. 21, 7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the L-rd; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul. 21, 8David said to Ahimelech, "Isn’t there here under your hand spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste." 21, 9The priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it; for there is no other except that here." David said, "There is none like that. Give it to me." 21, 10David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 21, 11The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing one to another about him in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?’" 21, 12David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 21, 13He changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard. 21, 14Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 21, 15Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"

22, 1David therefore departed there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 22, 2Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 22, 3David went there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and my mother come out with you, until I know what G-d will do for me." 22, 4He brought them before the king of Moab; and they lived with him all the while that David was in the stronghold. 22, 5The prophet Gad said to David, "Don’t stay in the stronghold. Depart, and go into the land of Judah." Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth. 22, 6Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him. 22, 7Saul said to his servants who stood about him, "Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, 22, 8that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a treaty with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?" 22, 9Then Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, answered and said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 22, 10He inquired of the L-rd for him, gave him food, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine." 22, 11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. 22, 12Saul said, "Hear now, you son of Ahitub." He answered, "Here I am, my lord." 22, 13Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of G-d for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?" 22, 14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, "Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house? 22, 15Have I today begun to inquire of G-d for him? Be it far from me! Don’t let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more." 22, 16The king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father’s house." 22, 17The king said to the guard who stood about him, "Turn, and kill the priests of the L-rd; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn’t disclose it to me." But the servants of the king wouldn’t put forth their hand to fall on the priests of the L-rd. 22, 18The king said to Doeg, "Turn and attack the priests!" Doeg the Edomite turned, and he attacked the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five people who wore a linen ephod. 22, 19He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and cattle and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 22, 20One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 22, 21Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the L-rd’s priests. 22, 22David said to Abiathar, "I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the persons of your father’s house. 22, 23Stay with me, don’t be afraid; for he who seeks my life seeks your life. For with me you shall be in safeguard."

23, 1David was told, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing floors." 23, 2Therefore David inquired of the L-rd, saying, "Shall I go and strike these Philistines?" the L-rd said to David, "Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah." 23, 3David’s men said to him, "Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?" 23, 4Then David inquired of the L-rd yet again. the L-rd answered him, and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand." 23, 5David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their livestock, and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 23, 6It happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 23, 7It was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. Saul said, "G-d has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars." 23, 8Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 23, 9David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here." 23, 10Then David said, "O the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. 23, 11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant." the L-rd said, "He will come down." 23, 12Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?" the L-rd said, "They will deliver you up." 23, 13Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went wherever they could go. It was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he gave up going there. 23, 14David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but G-d didn’t deliver him into his hand. 23, 15David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood. 23, 16Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose, and went to David into the woods, and strengthened his hand in G-d. 23, 17He said to him, "Don’t be afraid; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; and you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; and that also Saul my father knows." 23, 18They both made a covenant before the L-rd: and David stayed in the woods, and Jonathan went to his house. 23, 19Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Doesn’t David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? 23, 20Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king’s hand." 23, 21Saul said, "You are blessed by the L-rd; for you have had compassion on me. 23, 22Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly. 23, 23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides himself, and come again to me with certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall happen, if he is in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah." 23, 24They arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert. 23, 25Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon. 23, 26Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them. 23, 27But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land!" 23, 28So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth. 23, 29David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

24, 1It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi." 24, 2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats. 24, 3He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave. 24, 4The men of David said to him, "Behold, the day of which the L-rd said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’" Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly. 24, 5It happened afterward, that David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 24, 6He said to his men, "the L-rd forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the L-rd’s anointed, to put forth my hand against him, since he is the L-rd’s anointed." 24, 7So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 24, 8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect. 24, 9David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks your hurt?’ 24, 10Behold, this day your eyes have seen how that the L-rd had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you; but I spared you; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the L-rd’s anointed. 24, 11Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn’t kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it. 24, 12May the L-rd judge between me and you, and may the L-rd avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you. 24, 13As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness;’ but my hand shall not be on you. 24, 14Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? 24, 15May the L-rd therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand." 24, 16It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 24, 17He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you. 24, 18You have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, because when the L-rd had delivered me up into your hand, you didn’t kill me. 24, 19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the L-rd reward you good for that which you have done to me this day. 24, 20Now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 24, 21Swear now therefore to me by the L-rd, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house." 24, 22David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

25, 1Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 25, 2There was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 25, 3Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful face: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. 25, 4David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 25, 5David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, "Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. 25, 6You shall tell him, ‘Long life to you! Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 25, 7Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds have now been with us, and we didn’t hurt them, neither was there anything missing from them, all the while they were in Carmel. 25, 8Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore, let the young men find favor in your eyes; for we come in a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand, to your servants, and to your son David.’" 25, 9When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 25, 10Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, "Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants who break away from their masters these days. 25, 11Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who I don’t know where they come from?" 25, 12So David’s young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him according to all these words. 25, 13David said to his men, "Every man put on his sword!" Every man put on his sword. David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David; and two hundred stayed by the baggage. 25, 14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, "Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to Greet our master; and he railed at them. 25, 15But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields. 25, 16They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 25, 17Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house; for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t speak to him." 25, 18Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two bottles of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five measures of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 25, 19She said to her young men, "Go on before me. Behold, I come after you." But she didn’t tell her husband, Nabal. 25, 20It was so, as she rode on her donkey, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she met them. 25, 21Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He has returned me evil for good. 25, 22G-d do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall. 25, 23When Abigail saw David, she hurried, and alighted from her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground. 25, 24She fell at his feet, and said, "On me, my lord, on me be the iniquity; and please let your handmaid speak in your ears. Hear the words of your handmaid. 25, 25Please don’t let my lord regard this worthless fellow, even Nabal; for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your handmaid, didn’t see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 25, 26Now therefore, my lord, as the L-rd lives, and as your soul lives, since the L-rd has withheld you from blood guiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies, and those who seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 25, 27Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. 25, 28Please forgive the trespass of your handmaid. For the L-rd will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of the L-rd; and evil shall not be found in you all your days. 25, 29Though men may rise up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the L-rd your G-d. He will sling out the souls of your enemies, as from the hollow of a sling. 25, 30It shall come to pass, when the L-rd has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and shall have appointed you prince over Israel, 25, 31that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When the L-rd has dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid." 25, 32David said to Abigail, "Blessed is the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 25, 33Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you, that have kept me this day from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand. 25, 34For indeed, as the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, lives, who has withheld me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn’t have been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall. 25, 35So David received of her hand that which she had brought him: and he said to her, "Go up in peace to your house. Behold, I have listened to your voice, and have granted your request." 25, 36Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken. Therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 25, 37It happened in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 25, 38It happened about ten days after, that the L-rd struck Nabal, so that he died. 25, 39When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed is the L-rd, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil. the L-rd has returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head." David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to him as wife. 25, 40When the servants of David had come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, "David has sent us to you, to take you to him as wife." 25, 41She arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, "Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord." 25, 42Abigail hurried, and arose, and rode on a donkey, with five ladies of hers who followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 25, 43David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they both became his wives. 25, 44Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

26, 1The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Doesn’t David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?" 26, 2Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 26, 3Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 26, 4David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had certainly come. 26, 5David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped around him. 26, 6Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?" Abishai said, "I will go down with you." 26, 7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him. 26, 8Then Abishai said to David, "G-d has delivered up your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time." 26, 9David said to Abishai, "Don’t destroy him; for who can put forth his hand against the L-rd’s anointed, and be guiltless?" 26, 10David said, "As the L-rd lives, the L-rd will strike him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish. 26, 11The L-rd forbid that I should put forth my hand against the L-rd’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let us go." 26, 12So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head; and they went away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the L-rd was fallen on them. 26, 13Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them; 26, 14and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, "Don’t you answer, Abner?" Then Abner answered, "Who are you who cries to the king?" 26, 15David said to Abner, "Aren’t you a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord. 26, 16This thing isn’t good that you have done. As the L-rd lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the L-rd’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head." 26, 17Saul knew David’s voice, and said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" David said, "It is my voice, my lord, O king." 26, 18He said, "Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand? 26, 19Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that the L-rd has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before the L-rd; for they have driven me out this day that I shouldn’t cling to the L-rd’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’ 26, 20Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the L-rd; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains." 26, 21Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly." 26, 22David answered, "Behold the spear, O king! Then let one of the young men come over and get it. 26, 23The L-rd will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the L-rd delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t put forth my hand against the L-rd’s anointed. 26, 24Behold, as your life was respected this day in my eyes, so let my life be respected in the eyes of the L-rd, and let him deliver me out of all oppression." 26, 25Then Saul said to David, "You are blessed, my son David. You shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail." So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

27, 1David said in his heart, "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand." 27, 2David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 27, 3David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 27, 4It was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 27, 5David said to Achish, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?" 27, 6Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: why Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day. 27, 7The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 27, 8David and his men went up, and made a raid on the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt. 27, 9David struck the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the cattle, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the clothing; and he returned, and came to Achish. 27, 10Achish said, "Against whom have you made a raid today?" David said, "Against the South of Judah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites." 27, 11David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, "Lest they should tell of us, saying, ‘David this, and this has been his way all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’" 27, 12Achish believed David, saying, "He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he shall be my servant forever."

28, 1It happened in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. Achish said to David, "Know assuredly that you shall go out with me in the army, you and your men." 28, 2David said to Achish, "Therefore you shall know what your servant will do." Achish said to David, "Therefore will I make you my bodyguard for ever." 28, 3Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 28, 4The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa. 28, 5When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 28, 6When Saul inquired of the L-rd, the L-rd didn’t answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 28, 7Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her." His servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor." 28, 8Saul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, "Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomever I shall name to you." 28, 9The woman said to him, "Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?" 28, 10Saul swore to her by the L-rd, saying, "As the L-rd lives, no punishment shall happen to you for this thing." 28, 11Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up to you?" He said, "Bring Samuel up for me." 28, 12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!" 28, 13The king said to her, "Don’t be afraid. For what do you see?" The woman said to Saul, "I see a god coming up out of the earth." 28, 14He said to her, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man comes up. He is covered with a robe." Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and showed respect. 28, 15Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up?" Saul answered, "I am very distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and G-d has departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do." 28, 16Samuel said, "Why then do you ask of me, since the L-rd has departed from you and has become your adversary? 28, 17The L-rd has done to you as he spoke by me. the L-rd has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to David. 28, 18Because you didn’t obey the voice of the L-rd, and didn’t execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore the L-rd has done this thing to you this day. 28, 19Moreover the L-rd will deliver Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. the L-rd will deliver the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines." 28, 20Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was terrified, because of the words of Samuel. There was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. 28, 21The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was very troubled, and said to him, "Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 28, 22Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way." 28, 23But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed. 28, 24The woman had a fattened calf in the house. She hurried and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread of it. 28, 25She brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

29, 1Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel. 29, 2The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish. 29, 3Then the princes of the Philistines said, "What about these Hebrews?" Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, "Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away to this day?" 29, 4But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, "Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these men? 29, 5Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?’" 29, 6Then Achish called David, and said to him, "As the L-rd lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords don’t favor you. 29, 7Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines." 29, 8David said to Achish, "But what have I done? What have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" 29, 9Achish answered David, "I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of G-d. Notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ 29, 10Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart." 29, 11So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel.

30, 1It happened, when David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the South, and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire, 30, 2and had taken captive the women and all who were therein, both small and great. They didn’t kill any, but carried them off, and went their way. 30, 3When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive. 30, 4Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 30, 5David’s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 30, 6David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in the L-rd his G-d. 30, 7David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring me here the ephod." Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 30, 8David inquired of the L-rd, saying, "If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them?" He answered him, "Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them, and shall without fail recover all." 30, 9So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 30, 10But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn’t go over the brook Besor. 30, 11They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink. 30, 12They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights. 30, 13David asked him, "To whom do you belong? Where are you from?" He said, "I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick. 30, 14We made a raid on the South of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire." 30, 15David said to him, "Will you bring me down to this troop?" He said, "Swear to me by G-d that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop." 30, 16When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread around over all the ground, eating, drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 30, 17David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped from there, except four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled. 30, 18David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives. 30, 19There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them. David brought back all. 30, 20David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other livestock, and said, "This is David’s spoil." 30, 21David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to stay at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him. When David came near to the people, he greeted them. 30, 22Then all the wicked men and base fellows, of those who went with David, answered and said, "Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart." 30, 23Then David said, "You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which the L-rd has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand. 30, 24Who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who tarries by the baggage: they shall share alike." 30, 25It was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day. 30, 26When David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, "Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the L-rd." 30, 27He sent it to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the South, and to those who were in Jattir, 30, 28and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa, 30, 29and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites, 30, 30and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Borashan, and to those who were in Athach, 30, 31and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men used to stay.

31, 1Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa. 31, 2The Philistines followed hard on Saul and on his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 31, 3The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers. 31, 4Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me!" But his armor bearer would not; for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it. 31, 5When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him. 31, 6So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, that same day together. 31, 7When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them. 31, 8It happened on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 31, 9They cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry the news to the house of their idols, and to the people. 31, 10They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. 31, 11When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul, 31, 12all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. 31, 13They took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

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