tell thee all that is in thy heart. Jed thee to be captain over his inhe20 And as for thine asses that ritance? were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house? 21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? ƒ 22 And Samuel took Saul, and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons. r 2 When thou art departed from me to-day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found and lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? g3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: 23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which Ir And they will salute thee, and gave thee, of which I said unto thee, give thee two loaves of bread; Set it by thee. which thou shalt receive of their hands. 24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon f 5 After that thou shalt come to it, and set it before Saul. And Sa- the hill of God, where is the garrimuel said, Behold that which is left! son of the Philistines: and it shall set it before thee, and eat; for unto come to pass, when thou art come this time hath it been kept for thee thither to the city, that thou shalt since I said, I have invited the peo-meet a company of prophets coming ple. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. 25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. d 26 And they arose early and it came to pass about the spring of the day that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and the passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God. CHAP. X. HEN Samuel took a vial of down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp before them; and they shall prophesy: 6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion shall serve thee; for God is with thee. g 8 And thou shalt go down before shew thee what thou shalt do. THEN took a von his muel, God gave him another heart and all those signs came to pass that head, and kissed him, and said, Is it a 10 And when they came thither 21 When he had caused the tribe to the hill, behold, a company of of Benjamin to come near by their prophets met him; and the Spirit of families, the family of Matri was God came upon him, and he pro- taken, and Saul the son of Kish phesied among them. was taken and when they sought him, he could not be found." 11 And it came to pass when all that knew him beforetime, saw, that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff. 23 And they ran and fetched him 12 And one of the same place an-thence: and when he stood among swered and said, But who is their the people, he was higher than any father? Therefore it became a pro- of the people from his shoulders and verb, Is Saul also among the pro- upward. phets? 13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. 14¶ And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel. 15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you. 16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not. g 17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh; f 18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of 24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king. 25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. g 26 ¶ And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched. f27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. CHAP. XI. HEN Nahash the Ammonite Israel, I brought up Israel out off came up, and encamped Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: 19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities, and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands. 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken. against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, 13 And Saul said, There shall we will come out to thee. 4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. f 5 And behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. t 6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. not a man be put to death this day: f CHAP. XII. said unto all rael, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. 7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth 2 And now, behold, the king after Saul and after Samuel, so shall walketh before you and I am old it be done unto his oxen. And the and grey-headed; and behold, my fear of the LORD fell on the peo-sons are with you and I have walkple, and they came out with one ed before you from my childhood unto this day. consent. 8 And when he numbered theme 3 Behold, here I am witness in Bezek, the children of Israel against me before the LORD, and were three hundred thousand, and before his anointed; whose ox have the men of Judah thirty thousand. I taken? or whose ass have I taken? f 9 And they said unto the messen- or whom have I defrauded? whom gers that came, Thus shall ye say have I oppressed? or of whose hand unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To- have I received any bribe to blind morrow, by that time the sun be hot, mine eyes therewith? and I will reye shall have help. And the mes- store it you. sengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. f 11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morningwatch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together. f 12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. 4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand. 5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. ƒ 6 ¶ And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. I 7 Now therefore stand still, that may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the Lord, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8 When Jacob was come into ye may perceive and see that your Egypt, and your fathers cried unto wickedness is great, which ye have the LORD, then the LORD sent Mo- done in the sight of the LORD, in ses and Aaron, which brought forth asking you a king. your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10 And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. f 11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe. c 12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king. a 18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. d 20 ¶ And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. 22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. d 23 Morcover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: d 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you. 13 Now therefore, behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. d 14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and to 25 But if ye shall still do wicknot rebel against the commandmentedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye of the LORD, then shall both ye, and and your king. also the king that reigneth over you, continue following the LORD your ƒ God. CHAP. XIII. AUL reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, w 15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against 2 Saul chose him three thousand the commandment of the LORD, men of Israel; whereof two thouthen shall the band of the LORD be sand were with Saul in Michmash against you, as it was against your and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibef16 Now therefore stand and ah of Benjamin: and the rest of the see this great thing, which the LORD people he sent every man to his will do before your eyes. fathers. tent. r17 Is it not wheat-harvest to-day?g 3 And Jonathan smote the I will call unto the LORD, and he garrison of the Philistines that shall send thunder and rain; that was in Geba; and the Philistines 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he command heard of it. And Saul blew the myself therefore, and offered a burnttrumpet throughout all the land, say-offering. ing, Let the Hebrews hear. g4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philis-ed thee: for now would the LORD tines and the people were called have established thy kingdom upon together after Saul to Gilgal. Israel for ever. g5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven. r 14 But now thy kingdom shall f 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and ing 16 And Saul, and Jonathan his high places, and in pits. son, and the people that were preg7 And some of the Hebrews went sent with them, abode in Gibeah of over Jordan to the land of Gad and Benjamin but the Philistines enGilead. As for Saul, he was yet in camped in Michmash. Gilgal, and all the people followed g 17 And the spoilers came out himi trembling. of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: 8 ¶ And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. g 18 And another company turned the way to Beth-horon: aud another 9 And Saul said, Bring hither a company turned to the way of the burnt-offering to me, and peace-of-border that looketh to the valley of ferings. And he offered the burnt- Zeboim toward the wilderness. offering. f19 T Now there was no smith 10 And it came to pass, that as found throughout all the land of Issoon as he had made an end of offer-rael: (for the Philistines said, Lest ing the burnt-offering, behold, Sa- the Hebrews make them swords or muel came; and Saul went out to spears :) meet him, that he might salute him. f11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced 20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 22 So 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 that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul |