LAWTON CHURCH OF GOD, LAWTON, OKLAHOMA

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1^ST SAMUEL

CHAPTER 1

1 Now there was a certaine man of Ramathaim Zophim, of mount Ephraim, & his name was Elkanah, the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Elihu, the sonne of Tohu, the sonne of Zuph, an Ephrathite;
2 And he had two wiues, the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 And this man went vp out of his citie yeerely, to worship and to sacrifice vnto the Lord of hostes in Shiloh; and the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas, the Priests of the Lord, were there.
4 And when the time was, that Elkanah offered, he gaue to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sonnes, and her daughters, portions.
5 But vnto Hannah he gaue a worthy portion: (for he loued Hannah, but the Lord had shut vp her wombe.
6 And her aduersary also prouoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut vp her wombe.)
7 And as he did so yeere by yeere, when she went vp to the house of the Lord, so she prouoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieued? Am not I better to thee, then ten sonnes?
9 So Hannah rose vp after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunke; (now Eli the Priest sate vpon a seat by a poste of the Temple of the Lord. )
10 And shee was in bitternesse of soule, and prayed vnto the Lord, and wept sore.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hostes, if thou wilt indeed looke on the affliction of thine handmayd, and remember me, and not forget thine handmayd, but wilt giue vnto thine handmayd a man childe, then I will giue him vnto the Lord all the dayes of his life, and there shall no rasor come vpon his head.
12 And it came to passe as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.
13 Now Hannah, shee spake in her heart; onely her lippes mooued, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had beene drunken.
14 And Eli said vnto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
15 And Hannah answered, and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowfull spirit: I haue drunke neither wine nor strong drinke, but haue powred out my soule before the Lord.
16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and griefe, haue I spoken hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered, and said, Goe in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, that thou hast asked of him.
18 And she said, Let thine handmaid finde grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eate, and her countenance was no more sad.
19 And they rose vp in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knewe Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembred her.
20 Wherefore it came to passe when the time was come about, after Hannah had conceiued, that shee bare a sonne, and called his name Samuel, saying; Because I haue asked him of the Lord.
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went vp to offer vnto the Lord the yeerely sacrifice, and his vowe.
22 But Hannah went not vp; for shee said vnto her husband, I will not goe vp vntill the childe be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appeare before the Lord, and there abide for euer.
23 And Elkanah her husband said vnto her, Do what seemeth thee good, tary vntill thou haue weaned him, only the Lord establish his word: so the woman abode, and gaue her sonne sucke vntill she weaned him.
24 And when shee had weaned him, shee tooke him vp with her, with three bullocks, and one Ephah of floure, and a bottle of wine, and brought him vnto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the childe was young.
25 And they slew a bullocke, and brought the childe to Eli.
26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soule liueth, my lord, I am the woman, that stood by thee heere, praying vnto the Lord.
27 For this childe I prayed, and the Lord hath giuen me my petition, which I asked of him:
28 Therefore also I haue lent him to the Lord as long as hee liueth, he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

CHAPTER 2

1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart reioyceth in the Lord, mine horne is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is inlarged ouer mine enemies: because I reioyce in thy saluation.
2 There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any Rocke like our God.
3 Talke no more so exceeding proudly, let not arrogancie come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The vowes of the mightie men are broken, and they that stumbled are girt with strength.
5 They that were full, haue hired out themselues for bread: and they that were hungry, ceased: so that the barren hath borne seuen, and she that hath many children, is waxed feeble.
6 The Lord killeth and maketh aliue, he bringeth downe to the graue, and bringeth vp.
7 The Lord maketh poore, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth vp.
8 He raiseth vp the poore out of the dust, and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lords, and hee hath set the world vpon them.
9 He will keepe the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall bee silent in darkenesse; for by strength shall no man preuaile.
10 The aduersaries of the Lord shalbe broken to pieces: out of heauen shal he thunder vpon them: the Lord shall iudge the ends of the earth, and he shal giue strength vnto his king, and exalt the horne of his Anointed.
11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house, and the child did minister vnto the Lord before Eli the Priest.
12 Now the sonnes of Eli were sonnes of Belial, they knewe not the Lord.
13 And the priests custome with the people was, that when any man offred sacrifice, the priestes seruant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhooke of three teeth in his hand,
14 And he strooke it into the panne, or kettle, or caldron, or pot: all that the flesh-hooke brought vp, the priest tooke for himselfe: so they did in Shiloh vnto all the Israelites that came thither.
15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priests seruant came, & said to the man that sacrificed, Giue flesh to roste for the priest, for he wil not haue sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
16 And if any man said vnto him, Let them not faile to burne the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soule desireth: then hee would answere him, Nay, but thou shalt giue it mee now: and if not, I will take it by force.
17 Wherefore the sinne of the yong men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
18 But Samuel ministred before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linnen Ephod.
19 Moreouer, his mother made him a litle coate, and brought it to him from yeere to yeere, when she came vp with her husband, to offer the yeerely sacrifice.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah, and his wife, and said, The Lord giue thee seed of this woman, for the loane which is lent to the Lord. And they went vnto their owne home.
21 And the Lord visited Hannah, so that shee conceiued, and bare three sonnes, and two daughters: and the child Samuel grew before the Lord.
22 Now Eli was very olde, and heard all that his sonnes did vnto all Israel, and how they lay with the women that assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation
23 And he said vnto them, Why doe ye such things? for I heare of your euil dealings, by all this people.
24 Nay my sonnes: for it is no good report that I heare; yee make the Lords people to transgresse.
25 If one man sinne against another, the Iudge shall iudge him: but if a man sinne against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not vnto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.
26 (And the child Samuel grew on, and was in fauour, both with the Lord, and also with men.)
27 And there came a man of God vnto Eli, and saide vnto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainely appeare vnto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaohs house?
28 And did I chuse him out of all the tribes of Israel, to be my Priest, to offer vpon mine altar, to burne incense, to weare an Ephod before me? and did I giue vnto the house of thy father, all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
29 Wherefore kicke ye at my sacrifice, and at mine offering, which I haue commaunded in my habitation, and honourest thy sonnes aboue mee, to make your selues fat with the chiefest of all the offrings of Israel my people?
30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I sayd indeede that thy house, & the house of thy father should walke before me for euer: but now the Lord saith, Be it farre from mee; for them that honour me, I will honour, and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed.
31 Behold, the dayes come, that I will cut off thine arme, and the arme of thy fathers house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
32 And thou shalt see an enemie in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall giue Israel, and there shall not bee an olde man in thine house for euer.
33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine Altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieue thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the floure of their age.
34 And this shall bee a signe vnto thee, that shall come vpon thy two sonnes, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them.
35 And I will raise me vp a faithfull Priest, that shall doe according to that which is in my heart and in my mind, and I will build him a sure house, and hee shall walke before mine Anointed for euer.
36 And it shall come to passe, that euery one that is left in thine house, shal come and crouch to him for a piece of siluer, and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me (I pray thee) into one of the Priests offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.

CHAPTER 3

1 And the child Samuel ministred vnto the Lord before Eli: and the word of the Lord was precious in those daies; there was no open vision.
2 And it came to passe at that time, when Eli was layd downe in his place, and his eyes beganne to waxe dimme, that he could not see;
3 And yer the lampe of God went out in the Temple of the Lord, where the Arke of God was, and Samuel was layd downe to sleepe;
4 That the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, Here am I.
5 And he ranne vnto Eli, and sayd, Here am I, for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie downe againe. And he went and lay downe.
6 And the Lord called yet againe, Samuel. And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou diddest call me. And he answered, I called not, my sonne; lie downe againe.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet reuealed vnto him.
8 And the Lord called Samuel againe the third time. And hee arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou diddest call me. And Eli perceiued that the Lord had called the childe.
9 Therefore Eli said vnto Samuel, Go, lie downe, & it shal be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speake Lord, for thy seruant heareth. So Samuel went, and lay downe in his place.
10 And the Lord came, and stood and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speake, for thy seruant heareth.
11 And the Lord sayd to Samuel, Behold, I will doe a thing in Israel, at which, both the eares of euery one that heareth it, shall tingle.
12 In that day, I will performe against Eli, all things which I haue spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
13 For I haue tolde him, that I will iudge his house for euer, for the iniquitie which hee knoweth: because his sonnes made themselues vile, and he restrained them not.
14 And therefore I haue sworne vnto the house of Eli, that the iniquitie of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice, nor offering for euer.
15 And Samuel lay vntill the morning, and opened the doores of the house of the Lord: and Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel my sonne. And he answered, Here am I.
17 And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said vnto thee? I pray thee hide it not from mee: God doe so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me, of all the things that hee said vnto thee.
18 And Samuel tolde him euery whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: Let him doe what seemeth him good.
19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
20 And all Israel from Dan euen to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel was established to bee a Prophet of the Lord.
21 And the Lord appeared againe in Shiloh: for the Lord reueiled himselfe to Samuel in Shiloh, by the word of the Lord.

CHAPTER 4

1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battell, and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
2 And the Philistines put themselues in aray against Israel: and when they ioyned battell, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the armie in the field, about foure thousand men.
3 And when the people were come into the campe, the Elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten vs to day before the Philistines? Let vs fetch the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord out of Shiloh vnto vs, that when it commeth among vs, it may saue vs out of the hand of our enemies.
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord of hostes, which dwelleth betweene the Cherubims: and the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas were there, with the Arke of the Couenant of God.
5 And when the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord came into the campe, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang againe.
6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the campe of the Hebrewes? And they vnderstood, that the Arke of the Lord was come into the campe.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they saide, God is come into the campe. And they said, Woe vnto vs: for there hath not bene such a thing heretofore.
8 Woe vnto vs: who shall deliuer vs out of the hand of these mightie Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wildernesse.
9 Bee strong, and quit your selues like men, O ye Philistines, that yee be not seruants vnto the Hebrewes, as they haue bene to you: quit your selues like men, and fight.
10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled euery man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirtie thousand footmen.
11 And the Arke of God was taken, and the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas were slaine.
12 And there ran a man of Beniamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth vpon his head.
13 And when hee came, loe, Eli sate vpon a seat by the way side, watching: for his heart trembled for the Arke of God. And when the man came into the citie, and told it, all the city cried out.
14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, hee said; What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
15 Now Eli was ninetie and eight yeeres old, and his eyes were dimme, that he could not see.
16 And the man said vnto Eli, I am he, that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my sonne?
17 And the messenger answered, and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath bene also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sonnes also, Hophni & Phinehas, are dead, and the Arke of God is taken.
18 And it came to passe when hee made mention of the Arke of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his necke brake, and hee died: for hee was an old man, and heauie, and hee had iudged Israel fortie yeeres.
19 And his daughter in law Phinehas wife was with childe neere to be deliuered: and when shee heard the tidings that the Arke of God was taken, and that her father in law, and her husband were dead, shee bowed her selfe and traueyled; for her paines came vpon her.
20 And about the time of her death, the women that stood by her, said vnto her: Feare not, for thou hast borne a sonne. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
21 And she named the childe Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel, (because the Arke of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.)
22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the Arke of God is taken.

CHAPTER 5

1 And the Philistines tooke the Arke of God, and brought it from Ebenezer vnto Ashdod.
2 When the Philistines tooke the Arke of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
3 And when they of Ashdod arose earely on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen vpon his face to the earth, before the Arke of the Lord: and they tooke Dagon, and set him in his place againe.
4 And when they arose earely on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen vpon his face to the ground, before the Arke of the Lord: and the head of Dagon, and both the palmes of his hands were cut off vpon the threshold, only the stumpe of Dagon was left to him.
5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagons house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod vnto this day.
6 But the hand of the Lord was heauy vpon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with Emerods, euen Ashdod, and the coastes thereof.
7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The Arke of the God of Israel shall not abide with vs: for his hand is sore vpon vs, and vpon Dagon our god.
8 They sent therefore, and gathered all the lords of the Philistines vnto them, and said, What shall we doe with the Arke of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the Arke of the God of Israel bee caried about vnto Gath. And they caried the Arke of the God of Israel about thither.
9 And it was so, that after they had caried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the citie with a very great destruction: and hee smote the men of the citie both small and great, and they had Emerods in their secret parts.
10 Therfore they sent the Arke of God to Ekron: and it came to passe as the Arke of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They haue brought about the Arke of the God of Israel to vs, to slay vs, and our people.
11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the Arke of the God of Israel, and let it goe againe to his owne place, that it slay vs not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the citie: The hand of God was very heauy there.
12 And the men that died not, were smitten with the Emerods: and the cry of the citie went vp to heauen.

CHAPTER 6

1 And the Arke of the Lord was in the countrey of the Philistines seuen moneths.
2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diuiners, saying, What shall we doe to the Arke of the Lord ? Tell vs wherewith we shall send it to his place?
3 And they said, If yee send away the Arke of the God of Israel, send it not empty: but in any wise returne him a trespasse offring: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be knowen to you, why his hand is not remooued from you.
4 Then said they, What shall be the trespasse offering, which wee shall returne to him? They answered, Fiue golden Emerods, and fiue golden mice, according to the number of the lordes of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your Emerodes, and images of your Mice, that marre the land, and ye shall giue glory vnto the God of Israel: peraduenture hee will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
6 Wherefore then doe yee harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people goe, and they departed?
7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch-kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring the calues home from them.
8 And take the Arke of the Lord, and lay it vpon the cart, and put the iewels of golde, which ye returne him for a trespasse offering, in a coffer by the side thereof, and send it away, that it may goe.
9 And see, if it goeth vp by the way of his owne coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done vs this great euill: but if not, then wee shall know that it is not his hand that smote vs; it was a chance that happened to vs.
10 And the men did so: and tooke two milch-kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut vp their calues at home.
11 And they layde the Arke of the Lord vpon the cart, and the coffer, with the mice of golde, and the images of their Emerods.
12 And the kine tooke the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the high way, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand, or to the left: and the lords of the Philistines went after them, vnto the border of Bethshemesh.
13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat haruest in the valley: and they lifted vp their eyes, and saw the Arke, and reioyced to see it.
14 And the cart came into the field of Ioshua a Bethshemite, & stood there, where there was a great stone: and they claue the wood of the cart, and offered the kine, a burnt offering vnto the Lord.
15 And the Leuites tooke downe the Arke of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the iewels of golde were, and put them on the great stone: And the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offrings, and sacrificed sacrifices the same day vnto the Lord.
16 And when the fiue lordes of the Philistines had seene it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17 And these are the golden Emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespasse offering vnto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one.
18 And the golden Mice according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines, belonging to the fiue lordes, both of fenced cities, and of countrey villages, euen vnto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set downe the Arke of the Lord; which stone remaineth vnto this day, in the field of Ioshua the Bethshemite.
19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the Arke of the Lord, euen he smote of the people fiftie thousand, and threescore and tenne men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shal he goe vp from vs?
21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-iearim, saying, The Philistines haue brought againe the Arke of the Lord; come ye downe, and fetch it vp to you.

CHAPTER 7

1 And the men of Kiriath-iearim came, and fetcht vp the Arke of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his sonne, to keepe the Arke of the Lord.
2 And it came to passe while the Arke abode in Kiriath-iearim, that the time was long: for it was twentie yeeres: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.
3 And Samuel spake vnto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye doe returne vnto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods, and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts vnto the Lord, and serue him onely: & he will deliuer you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and serued the Lord onely.
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you vnto the Lord.
6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and powred it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We haue sinned against the Lord. And Samuel iudged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went vp against Israel: and when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to crie vnto the Lord our God for vs, that he will saue vs out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 And Samuel tooke a sucking lambe, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly vnto the Lord; and Samuel cried vnto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.
10 And as Samuel was offering vp the burnt offering, the Philistines drewe neere to battell against Israel: but the Lord thundred with a great thunder on that day vpon the Philistines, and discomfited them, and they were smitten before Israel.
11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, vntill they came vnder Bethcar.
12 Then Samuel tooke a stone, and set it betweene Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-Ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped vs.
13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines, all the dayes of Samuel.
14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Ekron euen vnto Gath, and the coasts thereof did Israel deliuer out of the hands of the Philistines: and there was peace betweene Israel and the Amorites.
15 And Samuel iudged Israel all the dayes of his life.
16 And he went from yeere to yeere in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and iudged Israel in all those places.
17 And his returne was to Ramah: for there was his house: and there hee iudged Israel, and there hee built an altar vnto the Lord.

CHAPTER 8

1 And it came to passe, when Samuel was old, that he made his sonnes Iudges ouer Israel.
2 Now the name of his first borne was Ioel, and the name of his second, Abiah: they were Iudges in Beer-sheba.
3 And his sonnes walked not in his wayes, but turned aside after lucre, and tooke bribes, & peruerted iudgement.
4 Then all the Elders of Israel gathered themselues together, and came to Samuel vnto Ramah,
5 And said vnto him, Behold, thou art olde, and thy sonnes walke not in thy wayes: now make vs a King to iudge vs, like all the nations.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Giue vs a King to iudge vs: and Samuel prayed vnto the Lord.
7 And the Lord said vnto Samuel, Hearken vnto the voyce of the people in all that they say vnto thee: for they haue not reiected thee, but they haue reiected mee, that I should not reigne ouer them.
8 According to all the works which they haue done since the day that I brought them vp out of Egypt euen vnto this day, wherewith they haue forsaken me, and serued other gods: so doe they also vnto thee.
9 Nowe therefore hearken vnto their voyce: howbeit, yet protest solemnly vnto them, and shew them the maner of the King that shall reigne ouer them.
10 And Samuel told all the words of the Lord vnto the people, that asked of him a King.
11 And hee sayd, This will be the maner of the king that shall reigne ouer you: Hee will take your sonnes, and appoint them for himselfe for his charets, and to bee his horsemen, and some shall runne before his charets.
12 And hee will appoint him Captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer fifties, and will set them to eare his ground, and to reape his haruest, and to make his instruments of warre, and instruments of his charets.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cookes, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliue-yards, euen the best of them, and giue them to his seruants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and giue to his officers, and to his seruants.
16 And hee will take your men seruants, and your mayd seruants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his worke.
17 Hee will take the tenth of your sheepe, and ye shall be his seruants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day, because of your king which ye shall haue chosen you; and the Lord will not heare you in that day.
19 Neuerthelesse, the people refused to obey the voyce of Samuel; and they said, Nay, but we will haue a King ouer vs:
20 That we also may be like all the nations, and that our King may iudge vs, and goe out before vs, and fight our battels.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the eares of the Lord.
22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken vnto their voyce, and make them a King. And Samuel said vnto the men of Israel, Goe yee euery man vnto his citie.

CHAPTER 9

1 Now there was a man of Beniamin, whose name was Kish, the sonne of Abiel, the sonne of Zeror, the sonne of Bechorath, the sonne of Aphiah, a Beniamite, a mighty man of power.
2 And he had a sonne, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person then hee: from his shoulders and vpward, hee was higher then any of the people.
3 And the asses of Kish, Sauls father, were lost; and Kish said to Saul his sonne, Take nowe one of the seruants with thee, and arise, goe seeke the asses.
4 And he passed thorow mount Ephraim, and passed thorow the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed thorow the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and hee passed thorow the land of the Beniamites, but they found them not.
5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his seruant that was with him, Come, and let vs returne, lest my father leaue caring for the asses, and take thought for vs.
6 And hee said vnto him, Behold now, there is in this citie a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith, commeth surely to passe: Now let vs goe thither; peraduenture he can shew vs our way that we should goe.
7 Then said Saul to his seruaunt, But behold, if we goe, what shall wee bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: What haue wee?
8 And the seruant answered Saul againe, and said, Behold, I haue here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of siluer; that wil I giue to the man of God, to tell vs our way.
9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake; Come, and let vs go to the Seer: for he that is now called a Prophet, was beforetime called a Seer.)
10 Then said Saul to his seruant, Wel said, come, let vs go: so they went vnto the city where the man of God was.
11 And as they went vp the hill to the city, they found yong maydens going out to draw water, and said vnto them, Is the Seer here?
12 And they answered them, and said, He is: behold, he is before you, make haste now: for he came to day to the citie; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the hie place.
13 Assoone as ye be come into the citie, ye shall straightway finde him, before he goe vp to the high place to eate: for the people will not eate vntill hee come, because he doth blesse the sacrifice, and afterwards they eat that be bidden: Now therefore get you vp, for about this time ye shall finde him.
14 And they went vp into the citie: and when they were come into the citie, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to goe vp to the hie place.
15 Now the Lord had told Samuel in his eare a day before Saul came, saying,
16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Beniamin, and thou shalt anoynt him to be Captaine ouer my people Israel, that he may saue my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I haue looked vpon my people, because their cry is come vnto me.
17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said vnto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of: this same shall reigne ouer my people.
18 Then Saul drew neere to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the Seers house is.
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the Seer: Goe vp before me vnto the high place, for ye shall eate with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee goe, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
20 And as for thine asses that were lost three dayes agoe, set not thy minde on them, for they are found: And on whom is all the desire of Israel? is it not on thee, & on all thy fathers house?
21 And Saul answered, and said, Am not I a Beniamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Beniamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
22 And Samuel tooke Saul, and his seruant, and brought them into the parlour, & made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirtie persons.
23 And Samuel said vnto the cooke, Bring the portion which I gaue thee, of which I said vnto thee, Set it by thee.
24 And the cooke took vp the shoulder, and that which was vpon it, and set it before Saul, and Samuel said, Behold, that which is left, set it before thee, and eate: for vnto this time hath it bene kept for thee, since I said I haue inuited the people: So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25 And when they were come downe from the high place into the citie, Samuel communed with Saul vpon the top of the house.
26 And they arose early: and it came to passe 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, hee and Samuel, abroad.
27 And as they were going downe to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the seruant passe on before vs, (and he passed on) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.

CHAPTER 10

1 Then Samuel tooke a viall of oile, and powred it vpon his head, & kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anoynted thee to be captain ouer his inheritance?
2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachels sepulchre in the border of Beniamin, at Zelzah: and they will say vnto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seeke, are found: and loe, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I doe for my sonne?
3 Then shalt thou goe on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plaine of Tabor, and there shall meete thee three men, going vp to God to Bethel, one carying three kids, and another carying three loaues of bread, and another carying a bottle of wine.
4 And they will salute thee, and giue thee two loaues of bread, which thou shalt receiue of their hands.
5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garison of the Philistines: and it shall come to passe when thou art come thither to the citie, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets comming downe from the high place, with a psalterie, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harpe before them, and they shall prophecie.
6 And the Spirit of the Lord will come vpon thee, and thou shalt prophecie with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
7 And let it be when these signes are come vnto thee, that thou doe as occasion serue thee, for God is with thee.
8 And thou shalt goe downe before me to Gilgal, and behold, I will come downe vnto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seuen dayes shalt thou tarie, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt doe.
9 And it was so that when he had turned his backe to go from Samuel, God gaue him another heart: and all those signes came to passe that day.
10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of the prophets met him, and the spirit of God came vpon him, and hee prophesied among them.
11 And it came to passe when all that knew him beforetime, saw, that behold, hee prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come vnto the sonne of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
12 And one of the same place answered, and sayd, But who is their father? Therefore it became a prouerbe, Is Saul also among the Prophets?
13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
14 And Sauls vncle saide vnto him, and to his seruant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seeke the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.
15 And Sauls vncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said vnto you.
16 And Saul sayd vnto his vncle; He told vs plainely that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdome, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
17 And Samuel called the people together vnto the Lord to Mizpeh;
18 And said vnto the children of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought vp Israel out of Egypt, and deliuered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdomes, and of them that oppressed you.
19 And ye haue this day reiected your God, who himselfe saued you out of all your aduersities & your tribulations: and ye haue said vnto him, Nay, but set a king ouer vs. Now therefore present your selues before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands.
20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come neere, the tribe of Beniamin was taken.
21 When he had caused the tribe of Beniamin to come neere by their families, the familie of Matri was taken, and Saul the sonne of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.
22 Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither: and the Lord answered, Behold, hee hath hid himselfe among the stuffe.
23 And they ranne, and fetched him thence, and when he stood among the people, he was higher then any of the people, from the shoulders & vpward.
24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whome the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and saide, God saue the King.
25 Then Samuel tolde the people the maner of the kingdome, and wrote it in a booke, and layd it vp before the Lord, and Samuel sent all the people away, euery man to his house.
26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah, and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
27 But the children of Belial sayd, Howe shall this man saue vs? and they despised him, and brought him no presents: but he held his peace.

CHAPTER 11

1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came vp, and encamped against Iabesh Gilead: and all the men of Iabesh sayde vnto Nahash, Make a couenant with vs, and we will serue thee.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a couenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproch vpon all Israel.
3 And the Elders of Iabesh sayd vnto him, Giue vs seuen daies respite, that we may send messengers vnto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to saue vs, we will come out to thee.
4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the eares of the people: and all the people lift vp their voyces, and wept.
5 And behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field, and Saul sayd, What aileth the people that they weep? and they told him the tidings of the men of Iabesh.
6 And the Spirit of God came vpon Saul, when he heard those tydings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7 And he tooke a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoeuer commeth not foorth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it bee done vnto his oxen: and the feare of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
8 And when he numbred them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Iudah thirty thousand.
9 And they said vnto the messengers that came, Thus shall yee say vnto the men of Iabesh Gilead, To morrow by that time the sunne be hote, ye shal haue helpe. And the messengers came, and shewed it to the men of Iabesh, and they were glad.
10 Therfore the men of Iabesh said, To morrow wee will come out vnto you, and ye shall doe with vs all that seemeth good vnto you.
11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three copanies, and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slewe the Ammonites, vntill the heat of the day: and it came to passe, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12 And the people said vnto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reigne ouer vs? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the Lord hath wrought saluation in Israel.
14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let vs goe to Gilgal, and renew the kingdome there.
15 And all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul King before the Lord in Gilgal: and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord: and there Saul and all the men of Israel reioyced greatly.

CHAPTER 12

1 And Samuel saide vnto all Israel, Beholde, I haue hearkned vnto your voice in all that ye said vnto mee, and haue made a King ouer you.
2 And now behold, the King walketh before you: and I am olde, and gray headed, and behold, my sonnes are with you: and I haue walked before you from my childhood vnto this day.
3 Behold, here I am, witnesse against me before the Lord, and before his Anoynted: Whose oxe haue I taken? or whose asse haue I taken? or whom haue I defrauded? whom haue I oppressed? or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded vs, nor oppressed vs, neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand.
5 And hee said vnto them, The Lord is witnesse against you, and his Anointed is witnesse this day, that ye haue not found ought in my hand: And they answered, He is witnesse.
6 And Samuel said vnto the people, It is the Lord that aduanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers vp out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord, of all the righteous acts of the Lord, which he did to you and your fathers.
8 When Iacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried vnto the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought foorth 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 captaine of the hoste 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 vnto the Lord, and said, Wee haue sinned, because we haue forsaken the Lord, and haue serued Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliuer vs out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serue thee.
11 And the Lord sent Ierubbaal, and Bedan, and Iephthah, and Samuel, and deliuered you out of the hand of your enemies on euery side, and yee dwelled safe.
12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said vnto me, Nay, but a King shall reigne ouer vs, when the Lord your God was your King.
13 Now therefore, behold the King whom yee haue chosen, and whom yee haue desired: and behold, the Lord hath set a King ouer you.
14 If ye will feare the Lord, and serue him, and obey his voice, and not rebell against the Commandement of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the King that reigneth ouer you, continue following the Lord your God.
15 But if ye wil not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the Commandement of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing which the Lord will doe before your eyes.
17 Is it not wheat haruest to day? I will call vnto the Lord, and hee shall send thunder and raine, that ye may perceiue and see that your wickednesse is great, which ye haue done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a King.
18 So Samuel called vnto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and raine that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
19 And all the people said vnto Samuel, Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we haue added vnto all our sinnes, this euil, to aske vs a King.
20 And Samuel saide vnto the people, Feare not: (ye haue done al this wickednesse, yet turne not aside from following the Lord, but serue the Lord with all your heart:
21 And turne ye not aside, for then should ye goe after vaine things, which cannot profit, nor deliuer, for they are vaine.)
22 For the Lord wil not forsake his people, for his great Names sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.
23 Moreouer, 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.
24 Onely feare the Lord, and serue him in trueth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
25 But if yee shall still doe wickedly, yee shall be consumed, both yee and your King.

CHAPTER 13

1 Saul reigned one yeere, and when he had reigned two yeeres ouer Israel,
2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel: whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Ionathan in Gibeah of Beniamin: and the rest of the people he sent euery man to his tent.
3 And Ionathan smote the garison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it: and Saul blew the trumpet thorowout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrewes heare.
4 And all Israel heard say, that Saul had smitten a garison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines: and the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
5 And the Philistines gathered themselues together, to fight with Israel, thirtie thousand charets, and sixe thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude, and they came vp, and pitched in Michmash, Eastward from Bethauen.
6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait: (for the people were distressed:) then the people did hide themselues in caues, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
7 And some of the Hebrewes went ouer Iordane, to the land of Gad and Gilead; as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 And he taried seuen dayes, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him.
9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offring to me, and peace offrings. And he offered the burnt offering.
10 And it came to passe that assoone as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came, and Saul went out to meete him, that he might salute him.
11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I sawe that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the dayes appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselues together to Michmash:
12 Therfore said I, The Philistines will come downe now vpon me to Gilgal, and I haue not made supplication vnto the Lord: I forced my selfe therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God, which hee commanded thee: for now would the Lord haue established thy kingdome vpon Israel for euer.
14 But now thy kingdome shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his owne heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to bee captaine ouer his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
15 And Samuel arose, and gate him vp from Gilgal, vnto Gibeah of Beniamin, and Saul numbred the people that were present with him, about sixe hundred men.
16 And Saul and Ionathan his sonne, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Beniamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17 And the spoilers came out of the campe of the Philistines, in three companies: one company turned vnto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, vnto the land of Shual.
18 And another company turned the way to Bethoron: and another companie turned to the way of the border, that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wildernesse.
19 Now there was no smith found thorowout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrewes make them swords or speares.
20 But all the Israelites went downe to the Philistines, to sharpen euery man his share and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattocke.
21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forkes, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
22 So it came to passe in the day of battell, that there was neither sword nor speare found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Ionathan: but with Saul & with Ionathan his sonne was there found.
23 And the garison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

CHAPTER 14

1 Now it came to passe vpon a day, that Ionathan the sonne of Saul said vnto the yong man that bare his armour, Come, and let vs goe ouer to the Philistines garison, that is on the other side: but hee told not his father.
2 And Saul taried in the vttermost part of Gibeah, vnder a Pomegranate tree, which is in Migron: and the people that were with him, were about sixe hundred men:
3 And Ahiah the sonne of Ahitub, Ichabods brother, the sonne of Phinehas, the sonne of Eli, the Lords Priest in Shiloh, wearing an Ephod: and the people knew not that Ionathan was gone.
4 And betweene the passages, by which Ionathan sought to go ouer vnto the Philistines garison, there was a sharpe rocke on the one side, and a sharp rocke on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The forefront of the one was situate Northward ouer against Michmash, and the other Southward ouer against Gibeah.
6 And Ionathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let vs goe ouer vnto the garison of these vncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will worke for vs: for there is no restraint to the Lord, to saue by many, or by few.
7 And his armour bearer sayd vnto him, Doe all that is in thine heart: turne thee, behold, I am with thee, according to thy heart.
8 Then said Ionathan, Behold, we will passe ouer vnto these men, and we will discouer our selues vnto them.
9 If they say thus vnto vs, Tary vntill we come to you: then wee will stand still in our place, and will not goe vp vnto them.
10 But if they say thus, Come vp vnto vs: then we will goe vp; for the Lord hath deliuered them into our hand: and this shall be a signe vnto vs.
11 And both of them discouered themselues vnto the garison of the Philistines: and the Philistines sayd, Behold, the Hebrewes come foorth out of the holes, where they had hid themselues.
12 And the men of the garison answered Ionathan and his armour bearer, and said, Come vp to vs, and wee will shew you a thing. And Ionathan said vnto his armour bearer, Come vp after me; for the Lord hath deliuered them into the hand of Israel.
13 And Ionathan climed vp vpon his hands, and vpon his feete, and his armour bearer after him: and they fell before Ionathan; and his armour bearer slew after him.
14 And that first slaughter which Ionathan and his armour-bearer made, was about twentie men, within as it were an halfe acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
15 And there was trembling in the hoste, in the field, and among all the people: the garison and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Beniamin looked: and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating downe one another.
17 Then said Saul vnto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from vs. And when they had numbred, behold, Ionathan and his armour bearer were not there.
18 And Saul said vnto Ahiah, Bring hither the Arke of God: (for the Arke of God was at that time with the children of Israel.)
19 And it came to passe while Saul talked vnto the Priest, that the noise that was in the hoste of the Philistines went on, and increased: And Saul said vnto the Priest, Withdraw thine hand.
20 And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselues, and they came to the battel, and behold, euery mans sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.
21 Moreouer, the Hebrewes that were with the Philistines before that time, which went vp with them into the campe from the countrey round about; euen they also turned to be with the Israelites, that were with Saul and Ionathan.
22 Likewise all the men of Israel, which had hid themselues in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, euen they also followed hard after them in the battell.
23 So the Lord saued Israel that day: and the battell passed ouer vnto Beth-auen.
24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adiured the people, saying, Cursed bee the man that eateth any foode vntill euening, that I may be auenged on mine enemies: so none of the people tasted any food.
25 And all they of the land came to a wood, and there was honie vpon the ground.
26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honie dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.
27 But Ionathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath; wherefore he put foorth the ende of the rodde that was in his hand, and dipt it in an hony combe, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.
28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.
29 Then said Ionathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes haue beene enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honie:
30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoile of their enemies which they found? for had there not beene now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aiialon: and the people were very faint.
32 And the people flewe vpon the spoile, and tooke sheepe, and oxen, and calues, and slew them on the ground, and the people did eate them with the blood.
33 Then they tolde Saul, saying, Behold, the people sinne against the Lord, in that they eate with the blood. And he said, Yee haue transgressed: roule a great stone vnto mee this day.
34 And Saul said, Disperse your selues among the people, and say vnto them, Bring me hither euery man his oxe, and euery man his sheepe, and slay them here, and eat, and sinne not against the Lord in eating with the blood. And all the people brought euery man his oxe with him that night, and slew them there.
35 And Saul built an altar vnto the Lord: the same was the first altar that he built vnto the Lord.
36 And Saul saide, Let vs goe downe after the Philistines by night, and spoile them vntil the morning light, and let vs not leaue a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoeuer seemeth good vnto thee. Then said the priest, Let vs draw neere hither vnto God.
37 And Saul asked counsell of God, Shall I goe downe after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliuer them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
38 And Saul said, Draw yee neere hither all the chiefe of the people: and know and see, wherein this sinne hath beene this day.
39 For as the Lord liueth, which saueth Israel, though it bee in Ionathan my sonne, he shall surely die: But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.
40 Then said he vnto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I, and Ionathan my sonne will be on the other side. And the people said vnto Saul, Doe what seemeth good vnto thee.
41 Therefore Saul saide vnto the Lord God of Israel, Giue a perfect lot. And Saul and Ionathan were taken: but the people escaped.
42 And Saul said, Cast lots betweene me and Ionathan my sonne. And Ionathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Ionathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathan tolde him, and said, I did but taste a litle hony with the end of the rodde that was in mine hand, and loe, I must die.
44 And Saul answered, God do so, and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Ionathan.
45 And the people said vnto Saul, Shall Ionathan die, who hath wrought this great saluation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liueth, there shal not one haire of his head fall to the ground: for hee hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Ionathan, that hee died not.
46 Then Saul went vp from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their owne place.
47 So Saul tooke the kingdom ouer Israel, and fought against all his enemies on euery side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoeuer hee turned himselfe, he vexed them.
48 And he gathered an hoste, and smote the Amalekites, and deliuered Israel out of the handes of them that spoiled them.
49 Now the sonnes of Saul, were Ionathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the first borne Merab, and the name of the yonger Michal:
50 And the name of Sauls wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz, and the name of the captaine of his host was Abner, the sonne of Ner, Sauls vncle.
51 And Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the sonne of Abiel.
52 And there was sore warre against the Philistines, all the dayes of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he tooke him vnto him.

CHAPTER 15

1 Samuel also saide vnto Saul, The Lord sent me to annoint thee to bee king ouer his people, ouer Israel: nowe therefore hearken thou vnto the voyce of the words of the Lord.
2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way when he came vp from Egypt.
3 Now goe, and smite Amalek, and vtterly destroy all that they haue, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, oxe and sheepe, camell and asse.
4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbred them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Iudah.
5 And Saul came to a citie of Amalek, and laid waite in the valley.
6 And Saul saide vnto the Kenites, Goe, depart, get you downe from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for yee shewed kindnesse to all the children of Israel when they came vp out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Hauilah, vntill thou commest to Shur, that is ouer against Egypt.
8 And hee tooke Agag the king of the Amalekites aliue, and vtterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheepe, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambes, and all that was good, and would not vtterly destroy them: but euery thing that was vile, and refuse, that they destroyed vtterly.
10 Then came the word of the Lord vnto Samuel, saying;
11 It repenteth me that I haue set vp Saul to be king: for hee is turned backe from following me, and hath not performed my commandements. And it grieued Samuel; and he cried vnto the Lord all night.
12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was tolde Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set him vp a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone downe to Gilgal.
13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said vnto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I haue performed the commandement of the Lord.
14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the oxen which I heare?
15 And Saul sayde, They haue brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheepe, and of the oxen, to sacrifice vnto the Lord thy God, and the rest we haue vtterly destroyed.
16 Then Samuel sayd vnto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to mee this night. And he said vnto him, Say on.
17 And Samuel said, When thou wast litle in thine owne sight, wast thou not made the Head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee King ouer Israel?
18 And the Lord sent thee on a iourney, and said, Goe, and vtterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them, vntill they be consumed.
19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst flie vpon the spoile, and didst euill in the sight of the Lord ?
20 And Saul said vnto Samuel; Yea, I haue obeyed the voice of the Lord, and haue gone the way which the Lord sent me, and haue brought Agag the king of Amalek, and haue vtterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21 But the people tooke of the spoile, sheepe and oxen, the chiefe of the things which should haue bene vtterly destroyed, to sacrifice vnto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.
22 And Samuel saide, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? Behold, to obey, is better then sacrifice: and to hearken, then the fat of rammes.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubburnnesse is as iniquitie and idolatrie: because thou hast reiected the word of the Lord, he hath also reiected thee from being king.
24 And Saul said vnto Samuel, I haue sinned: for I haue transgressed the Commandement of the Lord, and thy wordes; because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sinne, and turne againe with me, that I may worship the Lord.
26 And Samuel said vnto Saul, I will not returne with thee: for thou hast reiected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath reiected thee from being king ouer Israel.
27 And as Samuel turned about to goe away, he laid hold vpon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
28 And Samuel said vnto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdome of Israel from thee this day, and hath giuen it to a neighbour of thine, that is better then thou.
29 And also the strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent: for he is not a man that he should repent.
30 Then he said, I haue sinned; yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the Elders of my people, and before Israel, and turne againe with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.
31 So Samuel turned againe after Saul, and Saul worshipped the Lord.
32 Then said Samuel, Bring you hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites: and Agag came vnto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitternesse of death is past.
33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childlesse, so shall thy mother bee childlesse among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went vp to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul vntill the day of his death: neuerthelesse, Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king ouer Israel.

CHAPTER 16

1 And the Lord said vnto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourne for Saul, seeing I haue reiected him from reigning ouer Israel? Fill thine horne with oile, and goe, I will send thee to Iesse the Bethlehemite: for I haue prouided mee a King among his sonnes.
2 And Samuel said, How can I goe? if Saul heare it, he will kill mee. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.
3 And call Iesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt doe: and thou shalt anoynt vnto mee him whom I name vnto thee.
4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem: and the elders of the towne trembled at his comming, and said, Commest thou peaceably?
5 And hee said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice vnto the Lord: sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the sacrifice: and he sanctified Iesse, and his sonnes, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 And it came to passe when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lords anointed is before him.
7 But the Lord said vnto Samuel, Looke not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I haue refused him: for the Lord seeth not, as man seeth; For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
8 Then Iesse called Abinadab, and made him passe before Samuel: and he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
9 Then Iesse made Shammah to passe by: and he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
10 Againe Iesse made seuen of his sonnes to passe before Samuel; and Samuel said vnto Iesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.
11 And Samuel saide vnto Iesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the yongest, and behold, he keepeth the sheepe. And Samuel said vnto Iesse, Send, and fetch him: for we will not sit downe, till hee come hither.
12 And he sent, and brought him in: now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautifull countenance, and goodly to looke to: And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13 Then Samuel tooke the horne of oile, and annointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came vpon Dauid, from that day forward: So Samuel rose vp and went to Ramah.
14 But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an euil spirit from the Lord troubled him.
15 And Sauls seruants said vnto him, Behold now, an euill spirit from God troubleth thee.
16 Let our lord now command thy seruants which are before thee, to seeke out a man, who is a cunning player on an harpe: and it shall come to passe when the euill spirit from God is vpon thee, that hee shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17 And Saul said vnto his seruants, Prouide mee now a man, that can play well, and bring him to me.
18 Then answered one of the seruants, and said, Behold, I haue seene a sonne of Iesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of warre, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.
19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers vnto Iesse, and said, Send me Dauid thy sonne, which is with the sheepe.
20 And Iesse tooke an asse laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by Dauid his sonne vnto Saul.
21 And Dauid came to Saul, and stood before him: and hee loued him greatly, and hee became his armour bearer.
22 And Saul sent to Iesse, saying, Let Dauid, I pray thee, stand before me: for hee hath found fauour in my sight.
23 And it came to passe, when the euill spirit from God was vpon Saul, that Dauid tooke an harpe, and played with his hand: So Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the euill spirit departed from him.

CHAPTER 17

1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battell, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Iudah, and pitched betweene Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim.
2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battell in aray against the Philistines.
3 And the Philistines stood on a mountaine on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountaine on the other side: and there was a valley betweene them.
4 And there went out a champion out of the campe of the Philistines, named Goliath of Gath: whose height was sixe cubites and a span.
5 And he had an helmet of brasse vpon his head, and he was armed with a coate of male: and the weight of the coat was fiue thousand shekels of brasse.
6 And he had greaues of brasse vpon his legs, and a target of brasse betweene his shoulders.
7 And the staffe of his speare was like a weauers beame, and his speares head weighed sixe hundred shekels of yron: and one bearing a shield, went before him.
8 And hee stood and cried vnto the armies of Israel, and said vnto them, Why are yee come out to set your battell in aray? Am not I a Philistine, and you seruants to Saul? Chuse you a man for you, and let him come downe to me.
9 If he be able to fight with mee, and to kill me, then will we be your seruants: but if I preuaile against him, and kill him, then shall yee be our seruants, and serue vs.
10 And the Philistine said, I defie the armies of Israel this day; giue me a man, that we may fight together.
11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
12 Now Dauid was the sonne of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Iudah, whose name was Iesse, and hee had eight sonnes: and the man went among men for an old man in the dayes of Saul.
13 And the three eldest sonnes of Iesse went, and followed Saul to the battell: and the names of his three sonnes that went to the battell, were, Eliab the first borne, and next vnto him, Abinadab, and the third, Shammah.
14 And Dauid was the yongest: and the three eldest followed Saul.
15 But Dauid went, and returned from Saul, to feed his fathers sheepe at Bethlehem.
16 And the Philistine drewe neere, morning and euening, and presented himselfe forty dayes.
17 And Iesse said vnto Dauid his sonne, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corne, and these ten loaues, and run to the campe to thy brethren.
18 And carie these ten cheeses vnto the Captaine of their thousand, and looke how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20 And Dauid rose vp earely in the morning, and left the sheepe with a keeper, and tooke, and went, as Iesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battell.
21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battel in aray, army against armie.
22 And Dauid left his cariage in the hand of the keeper of the cariage, and ranne into the armie, and came and saluted his brethren.
23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came vp the champion (the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name) out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and Dauid heard them.
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
25 And the men of Israel said, Haue yee seene this man that is come vp? Surely to defie Israel is he come vp: and it shall be that the man who killeth him, the king wil enrich him with great riches, and will giue him his daughter, and make his fathers house free in Israel.
26 And Dauid spake to the men that stood by him, saying; What shall bee done to the man that killeth this Philistine; and taketh away the reproch from Israel? For who is this vncircumcised Philistine, that he should defie the armies of the liuing God?
27 And the people answered him after this maner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake vnto the men, and Eliabs anger was kindled against Dauid, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernesse? I know thy pride, and the naughtinesse of thine heart; for thou art come downe, that thou mightest see the battell.
29 And Dauid saide, What haue I now done? Is there not a cause?
30 And hee turned from him towards another, and spake after the same maner: and the people answered him againe after the former maner.
31 And when the words were heard which Dauid spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.
32 And Dauid said to Saul, Let no mans heart faile, because of him: thy seruant will goe and fight with this Philistine.
33 And Saul said to Dauid, Thou art not able to goe against this Philistine, to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of warre from his youth.
34 And Dauid said vnto Saul, Thy seruant kept his fathers sheepe, and there came a Lyon, and a Beare, and tooke a lambe out of the flocke:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and deliuered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy seruant slew both the Lyon and the Beare: and this vncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the liuing God.
37 Dauid saide moreouer, The Lord that deliuered me out of the paw of the Lyon, and out of the pawe of the Beare, he will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said vnto Dauid, Goe, and the Lord be with thee.
38 And Saul armed Dauid with his armour, and hee put an helmet of brasse vpon his head, also he armed him with a coat of male.
39 And Dauid girded his sword vpon his armour, and he assayed to goe, for he had not proued it: and Dauid said vnto Saul, I cannot goe with these: for I haue not proued them. And Dauid put them off him.
40 And hee tooke his staffe in his hand, and chose him fiue smoothe stones out of the brooke, and put them in a shepheards bag which he had, euen in a scrip, and his sling was in his hande, and he drew neere to the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine came on and drew neere vnto Dauid, and the man that bare the shield, went before him.
42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw Dauid, hee disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a faire countenance.
43 And the Philistine said vnto Dauid, Am I a dog, that thou commest to me with staues? And the Philistine cursed Dauid by his gods.
44 And the Philistine said to Dauid, Come to me, and I will giue thy flesh vnto the foules of the aire, and to the beasts of the field.
45 Then said Dauid to the Philistine, Thou commest to mee with a sword, and with a speare, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hostes, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day wil the Lord deliuer thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee, and I wil giue the carkeises of the host of the Philistines this day vnto the foules of the aire, and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shal know that the Lord saueth not with sword & speare (for the battell is the Lords ) and he will giue you into our hands.
48 And it came to passe when the Philistine arose, and came, and drewe nigh to meet Dauid, that Dauid hasted, and ran toward the armie to meete the Philistine.
49 And Dauid put his hande in his bag, and tooke thence a stone, and slang it, & smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunke into his forehead, and he fell vpon his face to the earth.
50 So Dauid preuailed ouer the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him, but there was no sword in the hande of Dauid.
51 Therefore Dauid ran and stood vpon the Philistine, and tooke his sword, and drewe it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines sawe their champion was dead, they fled.
52 And the men of Israel, and of Iudah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, vntill thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron: and the wounded of the Philistines fell downe by the way to Shaaraim, euen vnto Gath, and vnto Ekron.
53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.
54 And Dauid tooke the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Ierusalem, but he put his armour in his tent.
55 And when Saul sawe Dauid goe forth against the Philistine, he sayd vnto Abner the captaine of the hoste, Abner, whose sonne is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soule liueth, O king, I cannot tell.
56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose sonne the stripling is.
57 And as Dauid returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner tooke him, & brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
58 And Saul saide to him, Whose sonne art thou, thou yong man? And Dauid answered, I am the sonne of thy seruant Iesse, the Bethlehemite.

CHAPTER 18

1 And it came to passe when hee made an ende of speaking vnto Saul, that the soule of Ionathan was knit with the soule of Dauid, and Ionathan loued him as his owne soule.
2 And Saul tooke him that day, and would let him go no more home to his fathers house.
3 Then Ionathan and Dauid made a couenant, because he loued him as his owne soule.
4 And Ionathan stript himselfe of the robe that was vpon him, and gaue it to Dauid, and his garments, euen to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
5 And Dauid went out, whither soeuer Saul sent him, and behaued himselfe wisely: and Saul set him ouer the men of warre, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Sauls seruants.
6 And it came to passe as they came when Dauid was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meete king Saul, with tabrets, with ioy, and with instruments of musicke.
7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slaine his thousands, and Dauid his ten thousands.
8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him, and he sayd, They haue ascribed vnto Dauid tenne thousands, and to me they haue ascribed but thousands: and what can he haue more, but the kingdome?
9 And Saul eyed Dauid from that day, and forward.
10 And it came to passe on the morrow, that the euill spirit from God came vpon Saul, and he prophecied in the midst of the house: and Dauid played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a iauelin in Sauls hand.
11 And Saul cast the iauelin; for hee said, I will smite Dauid euen to the wall with it: and Dauid auoided out of his presence twice.
12 And Saul was afraid of Dauid, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.
13 Therefore Saul remooued him from him, and made him his captaine ouer a thousand, and hee went out and came in before the people.
14 And Dauid behaued himselfe wisely in all his wayes; & the Lord was with him.
15 Wherefore when Saul saw that hee behaued himselfe very wisely, hee was afraid of him.
16 But all Israel and Iudah loued Dauid, because hee went out and came in before them.
17 And Saul said to Dauid, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I giue thee to wife: onely be thou valiant for me, and fight the Lords battels: for Saul said, Let not mine hand be vpon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be vpon him.
18 And Dauid said vnto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my fathers family in Israel, that I should be sonne in law to the king?
19 But it came to passe at the time when Merab Sauls daughter should haue beene giuen to Dauid, that shee was giuen vnto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
20 And Michal Sauls daughter loued Dauid: and they tolde Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 And Saul said, I will giue him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to Dauid, Thou shalt this day be my sonne in law, in the one of the twaine.
22 And Saul commanded his seruants, saying, Commune with Dauid secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his seruants loue thee: now therefore be the kings sonne in law.
23 And Sauls seruants spake those wordes in the eares of Dauid: And Dauid said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a kings sonne in law, seeing that I am a poore man, and lightly esteemed?
24 And the seruants of Saul tolde him, saying; On this manner spake Dauid.
25 And Saul said, Thus shall yee say to Dauid, The King desireth not any dowrie, but an hundred foreskinnes of the Philistines, to be auenged of the kings enemies. But Saul thought to make Dauid fal by the hand of the Philistines.
26 And when his seruants told Dauid these wordes, it pleased Dauid well to be the kings sonne in lawe: and the dayes were not expired.
27 Wherefore Dauid arose, hee and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men, and Dauid brought their foreskinnes, and they gaue them in full tale to the king, that hee might be the kings sonne in law: and Saul gaue him Michal his daughter to wife.
28 And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with Dauid, and that Michal Sauls daughter loued him.
29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of Dauid; and Saul became Dauids enemie continually.
30 Then the Princes of the Philistines went foorth: and it came to passe after they went foorth, that Dauid behaued himselfe more wisely then all the seruants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.

CHAPTER 19

1 And Saul spake to Ionathan his sonne, and to all his seruants, that they should kill Dauid.
2 But Ionathan Sauls sonne delighted much in Dauid, and Ionathan told Dauid, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: Now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thy selfe vntill the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thy selfe:
3 And I will goe out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee, and what I see, that I will tell thee.
4 And Ionathan spake good of Dauid vnto Saul his father, and said vnto him, Let not the King sinne against his seruant, against Dauid: because hee hath not sinned against thee, and because his workes haue bene to thee ward very good.
5 For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, & the Lord wrought a great saluation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst reioyce: Wherefore then wilt thou sinne against innocent blood, to slay Dauid without a cause?
6 And Saul hearkened vnto the voyce of Ionathan; and Saul sware, As the Lord liueth, he shall not be slaine.
7 And Ionathan called Dauid, and Ionathan shewed him all those things: and Ionathan brought Dauid to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.
8 And there was warre againe, and Dauid went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter, & they fled from him.
9 And the euill spirit from the Lord was vpon Saul, as he sate in his house with his iauelin in his hand: and Dauid played with his hand.
10 And Saul sought to smite Dauid euen to the wall with the iauelin: but hee slipt away out of Sauls presence, and he smote the iauelin into the wall: and Dauid fled, and escaped that night.
11 Saul also sent messengers vnto Dauids house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal Dauids wife tolde him, saying, If thou saue not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slaine.
12 So Michal let Dauid downe thorow a window: and hee went and fled, and escaped.
13 And Michal tooke an image, and laid it in the bedde, and put a pillow of goats haire for his bolster, and couered it with a cloth.
14 And when Saul sent messengers to take Dauid, she said, He is sicke.
15 And Saul sent the messengers againe to see Dauid, saying, Bring him vp to me in the bedde, that I may slay him.
16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goates haire for his bolster.
17 And Saul said vnto Michal, Why hast thou deceiued me so, and sent away mine enemie, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, Hee said vnto me, Let mee goe; Why should I kill thee?
18 So Dauid fledde, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him: and hee and Samuel went, and dwelt in Naioth.
19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, Dauid is at Naioth in Ramah.
20 And Saul sent messengers to take Dauid: and when they sawe the company of the Prophets prophecying, and Samuel standing as appointed ouer them, the Spirit of God was vpon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophecied.
21 And when it was tolde Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophecied likewise: and Saul sent messengers againe the third time, and they prophecied also.
22 Then went hee also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked, and said, Where are Samuel and Dauid? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.
23 And hee went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was vpon him also, and he went on and prophecied vntill hee came to Naioth in Ramah:
24 And he stript off his clothes also, and prophecied before Samuel in like manner, and lay downe naked all that day, and all that night: wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the Prophets?

CHAPTER 20

1 And Dauid fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Ionathan, What haue I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sinne before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
2 And he said vnto him, God forbid, thou shalt not die; beholde, my father will doe nothing, either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
3 And Dauid sware moreouer, and said, Thy father certeinly knoweth that I haue found grace in thine eyes, and he sayth, Let not Ionathan know this, lest he be grieued: but truely, as the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, there is but a step betweene me & death.
4 Then said Ionathan vnto Dauid, Whatsoeuer thy soule desireth, I will euen doe it for thee.
5 And Dauid said vnto Ionathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moone, and I should not faile to sit with the king at meate: but let me goe, that I may hide my selfe in the fields vnto the third day at euen.
6 If thy father at all misse me, then say, Dauid earnestly asked leaue of me that he might runne to Bethlehem his citie: for there is a yeerely sacrifice there for all the family.
7 If he say thus, It is well, thy seruant shall haue peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that euill is determined by him.
8 Therefore thou shalt deale kindly with thy seruant, for thou hast brought thy seruant into a couenant of the Lord with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquitie, slay me thy selfe: for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
9 And Ionathan said, Farre be it from thee: for if I knew certainely that euill were determined by my father to come vpon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
10 Then said Dauid to Ionathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answere thee roughly?
11 And Ionathan said vnto Dauid, Come, and let vs goe out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
12 And Ionathan said vnto Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, when I haue sounded my father, about to morrow any time, or the third day, and behold, if there be good toward Dauid, and I then send not vnto thee, and shew it thee;
13 The Lord doe so and much more to Ionathan: but if it please my father to doe thee euill, then I wil shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest goe in peace, and the Lord be with thee, as hee hath beene with my father.
14 And thou shalt not onely while yet I liue, shew me the kindnesse of the Lord, that I die not:
15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindnesse from my house for euer: no not when the Lord hath cut off the enemies of Dauid, euery one from the face of the earth.
16 So Ionathan made a couenant with the house of Dauid, saying, Let the Lord euen require it at the hande of Dauids enemies.
17 And Ionathan caused Dauid to sweare againe, because he loued him: for he loued him as he loued his owne soule.
18 Then Ionathan said to Dauid, To morrow is the newe moone: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat wil be emptie.
19 And when thou hast stayed three dayes, then thou shalt goe downe quickly, and come to the place where thou diddest hide thy selfe, when the businesse was in hand, and shalt remaine by the stone Ezel.
20 And I will shoot three arrowes on the side thereof, as though I shot at a marke.
21 And behold, I will send a ladde, saying, Goe, find out the arrowes. If I expresly say vnto the lad, Behold, the arrowes are on this side of thee, take them: then come thou, for there is peace to thee, and no hurt, as the Lord liueth.
22 But if I say thus vnto the yong man, Behold, the arrowes are beyond thee: goe thy way, for the Lord hath sent thee away.
23 And as touching the matter which thou and I haue spoken of, behold, the Lord be betweene thee and mee for euer.
24 So Dauid hid himselfe in the field: and when the newe moone was come, the king sate him downe to eate meate.
25 And the king sate vpon his seate, as at other times, euen vpon a seate by the wall: and Ionathan arose, and Abner sate by Sauls side, and Dauids place was emptie.
26 Neuerthelesse, Saul spake not any thing that day: for hee thought, Some thing hath befallen him, hee is not cleane; surely he is not cleane.
27 And it came to passe on the morrow which was the second day of the moneth, that Dauids place was emptie: and Saul said vnto Ionathan his sonne, Wherefore commeth not the sonne of Iesse to meat, neither yesterday nor to day?
28 And Ionathan answered Saul, Dauid earnestly asked leaue of me, to goe to Bethlehem.
29 And he said, Let me goe, I pray thee, for our familie hath a sacrifice in the citie, and my brother, hee hath commanded mee to be there: and now if I haue found fauour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren: Therefore he commeth not vnto the kings table.
30 Then Sauls anger was kindled against Ionathan, and hee said vnto him, Thou sonne of the peruerse rebellious woman, doe not I know that thou hast chosen the sonne of Iesse to thine owne confusion, and vnto the confusion of thy mothers nakednesse?
31 For as long as the sonne of Iesse liueth vpon the ground, thou shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdome: wherefore now send and fetch him vnto mee, for he shall surely die.
32 And Ionathan answered Saul his father, and said vnto him, Wherefore shall hee be slaine? what hath hee done?
33 And Saul cast a iauelin at him to smite him, whereby Ionathan knewe that it was determined of his father to slay Dauid.
34 So Ionathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eate no meat the second day of the moneth: for hee was grieued for Dauid, because his father had done him shame.
35 And it came to passe in the morning, that Ionathan went out into the field, at the time appointed with Dauid, and a little ladde with him.
36 And he said vnto his lad, Runne, finde out now the arrowes which I shoote. And as the ladde ranne, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37 And when the ladde was come to the place of the arrow, which Ionathan had shot, Ionathan cryed after the ladde, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?
38 And Ionathan cryed after the ladde, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Ionathans ladde gathered vp the arrowes, and came to his master.
39 But the lad knew not any thing: onely Ionathan and Dauid knew the matter.
40 And Ionathan gaue his artillery vnto his ladde, and said vnto him, Goe, cary them to the citie.
41 And assoone as the ladde was gone, Dauid arose out of a place toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himselfe three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, vntill Dauid exceeded.
42 And Ionathan said to Dauid, Goe in peace, forasmuch as wee haue sworne both of vs in the Name of the Lord, saying; The Lord be betweene me and thee, and betweene my seede and thy seede for euer. And hee arose, and departed: and Ionathan went into the citie.

CHAPTER 21

1 Then came Dauid to Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest, and Ahimelech was afraide at the meeting of Dauid, and said vnto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
2 And Dauid said vnto Ahimelech the Priest, The king hath commanded me a businesse, and hath said vnto me, Let no man know any thing of the businesse whereabout I send thee, and what I haue commanded thee: and I haue appointed my seruants to such and such a place.
3 Now therefore what is vnder thine hand? giue me fiue loaues of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
4 And the Priest answered Dauid, and said, There is no common bread vnder mine hand, but there is hallowed bread: if the young men haue kept themselues at least from women.
5 And Dauid answered the Priest, and said vnto him, Of a trueth women haue beene kept from vs about these three dayes, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessell.
6 So the Priest gaue him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there, but the Shewbread that was taken from before the Lord, to put hote bread in the day when it was taken away.
7 Now a certaine man of the seruants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord, and his name was Doeg an Edomite, the chiefest of the heardmen that belonged to Saul.
8 And Dauid said vnto Ahimelech, And is there not here vnder thine hand speare or sword? for I haue neither brought my sword nor my weapons with mee, because the kings businesse required haste.
9 And the Priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whome thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is heere wrapt in a cloth behinde the Ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other saue that, here. And dauid saide, There is none like that, giue it me.
10 And Dauid arose, and fled that day, for feare of Saul, and went to Achish, the king of Gath.
11 And the seruants of Achish sayd vnto him, Is not this Dauid the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in daunces, saying, Saul hath slaine his thousands, and Dauid his ten thousands?
12 And Dauid layd vp these wordes in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
13 And he changed his behauiour before them, and fained himselfe mad in their hands, and scrabled on the doores of the gate, and let his spittle fall downe vpon his beard.
14 Then saide Achish vnto his seruants, Loe, you see the man is mad: wherefore then haue yee brought him to mee?
15 Haue I need of mad-men, that ye haue brought this fellow to play the mad-man in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?

CHAPTER 22

1 Dauid therefore departed thence, and escaped to the caue Adullam: and when his brethren, and all his fathers house heard it, they went downe thither to him.
2 And euery one that was in distresse, and euery one that was in debt, and euery one that was discontented, gathered themselues vnto him, and he became a captaine ouer them: and there were with him about foure hundred men.
3 And Dauid went thence to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said vnto the king of Moab, Let my father, and my mother, I pray thee, come foorth, and be with you, till I know what God will doe for me.
4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that Dauid was in the hold.
5 And the Prophet Gad said vnto Dauid, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Iudah. Then Dauid departed, and came into the forrest of Hareth.
6 When Saul heard that Dauid was discouered, and the men that were with him: (now Saul abode in Gibeah vnder a tree in Ramah, hauing his speare in his hand, and all his seruants were standing about him.)
7 Then Saul saide vnto his seruants that stood about him, Heare now, ye Beniamites: Will the sonne of Iesse giue euery one of you fields, and Uineyards, and make you all captaines of thousands, and captaines of hundreds:
8 That all of you haue conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth mee, that my sonne hath made a league with the sonne of Iesse, and there is none of you that is sory for me, or sheweth vnto me that my sonne hath stirred vp my seruant against me, to lye in wait, as at this day?
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, (which was set ouer the seruants of Saul) and saide, I saw the sonne of Iesse comming to Nob, to Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub.
10 And hee enquired of the Lord for him, and gaue him victuals, and gaue him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the Priest, the sonne of Ahitub, and all his fathers house, the Priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
12 And Saul said, Heare now thou sonne of Ahitub: and hee answered, Here I am, my lord.
13 And Saul saide vnto him, Why haue ye conspired against me, thou and the sonne of Iesse, in that thou hast giuen him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against mee, to lye in waite, as at this day?
14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithfull among all thy seruants, as Dauid, which is the kings sonne in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?
15 Did I then beginne to enquire of God for him? be it farre from mee: let not the king impute any thing vnto his seruant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy seruant knew nothing of all this, lesse or more.
16 And the king saide, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy fathers house.
17 And the king said vnto the footmen that stood about him, Turne and slay the Priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with Dauid, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to mee. But the seruants of the king would not put foorth their hand to fall vpon the Priestes of the Lord.
18 And the king said to Doeg, Turne thou and fall vpon the Priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and hee fell vpon the Priests, and slew on that day foure score and fiue persons that did weare a linnen Ephod.
19 And Nob the citie of the Priests smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses, and sheepe, with the edge of the sword.
20 And one of the sonnes of Ahimelech, the sonne of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after Dauid:
21 And Abiathar shewed Dauid that Saul had slaine the Lords Priests.
22 And Dauid said vnto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I haue occasioned the death of all the persons of thy fathers house.
23 Abide thou with me, feare not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt bee in safegard.

CHAPTER 23

1 Then they told Dauid, saying, Beholde, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing floores.
2 Therefore Dauid enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said vnto Dauid, Goe, and smite the Philistines, and saue Keilah.
3 And Dauids men said vnto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Iudah: how much more then if wee come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
4 Then Dauid enquired of the Lord yet againe: And the Lord answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah: for I will deliuer the Philistines into thine hand.
5 So Dauid and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistins, and brought away their cattell, and smote them with a great slaughter: so Dauid saued the inhabitants of Keilah.
6 And it came to passe when Abiathar the sonne of Ahimelech fled to Dauid to Keilah, that hee came downe with an Ephod in his hand.
7 And it was told Saul that Dauid was come to Keilah: and Saul said, God hath deliuered him into mine hand: for he is shut in, by entring into a towne that hath gates and barres.
8 And Saul called all the people together to warre, to goe downe to Keilah, to besiege Dauid, and his men.
9 And Dauid knewe that Saul secretly practised mischiefe against him, and hee said to Abiathar the Priest, Bring hither the Ephod.
10 Then saide Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, thy seruant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the citie for my sake.
11 Will the men of Keilah deliuer me vp into his hande? will Saul come downe, as thy seruant hath heard, O Lord God of Israel? I beseech thee tell thy seruant. And the Lord said, He will come downe.
12 Then said Dauid, Will the men of Keilah deliuer me, and my men, into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliuer thee vp.
13 Then Dauid and his men, which were about sixe hundred, arose, and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoeuer they could goe: and it was told Saul that Dauid was escaped from Keilah, and hee forbare to goe foorth.
14 And Dauid abode in the wildernesse in strong holds, and remained in a mountaine in the wildernes of Ziph: and Saul sought him euery day, but God deliuered him not into his hand.
15 And Dauid saw that Saul was come out to seeke his life: and Dauid was in the wildernes of Ziph in a wood.
16 And Ionathan Sauls sonne arose, & went to Dauid into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
17 And he said vnto him, Feare not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not finde thee, and thou shalt be king ouer Israel, and I shall be next vnto thee: and that also Saul my father knoweth.
18 And they two made a couenant before the Lord: and Dauid abode in the wood, and Ionathan went to his house.
19 Then came vp the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not Dauid hide himselfe with vs in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the South of Ieshimon?
20 Now therefore, O king, come downe according to all the desire of thy soule to come downe, and our part shall be to deliuer him into the kings hand.
21 And Saul said, Blessed be yee of the Lord, for yee haue compassion on me.
22 Goe, I pray you, prepare yet, and know, and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seene him there: for it is told mee that he dealeth very subtilly.
23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himselfe, and come ye againe to me with the certainty, and I will goe with you: and it shall come to passe, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Iudah.
24 And they arose, & went to Ziph before Saul: but Dauid and his men were in the wildernesse of Maon, in the plaine on the South of Ieshimon.
25 Saul also and his men went to seeke him, and they told Dauid: wherefore he came downe into a rocke, and abode in the wildernesse of Maon: and when Saul heard that, he pursued after Dauid in the wildernes of Maon.
26 And Saul went on this side of the mountaine, and Dauid and his men on that side of the mountaine: and Dauid made haste to get away for feare of Saul: for Saul and his men compassed Dauid and his men round about to take them.
27 But there came a messenger vnto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistines haue inuaded the land.
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after Dauid, & went against the Philistines; therefore they called that place Sela-Hammahlekoth.
29 And Dauid went vp from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.

CHAPTER 24

1 And it came to passe when Saul was returned from folowing the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, Dauid is in the wildernesse En-gedi.
2 Then Saul tooke three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to secke Dauid and his men vpon the rockes of the wilde goates.
3 And hee came to the sheepe coates by the way, where was a caue, and Saul went in to couer his feete: and Dauid and his men remained in the sides of the caue.
4 And the men of Dauid sayd vnto him, Beholde the day of which the Lord sayd vnto thee, Behold, I wil deliuer thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest doe to him as it shall seeme good vnto thee. Then Dauid arose, and cut off the skirt of Sauls robe priuily.
5 And it came to passe afterward, that Dauids heart smote him, because he had cut off Sauls skirt.
6 And hee sayd vnto his men, The Lord forbid that I should doe this thing vnto my master the Lords Anoynted, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the Anoynted of the Lord.
7 So Dauid stayed his seruants with these wordes, and suffered them not to rise against Saul: but Saul rose vp out of the caue, and went on his way.
8 Dauid also rose afterward, and went out of the caue, and cryed after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behinde him, Dauid stouped with his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe.
9 And Dauid said to Saul, Wherfore hearest thou mens words, saying, Behold, Dauid seeketh thy hurt?
10 Behold, this day thine eyes haue seene, how that the Lord had deliuered thee to day into mine hand in the caue: and some bade me kill thee, but mine eye spared thee, and I said, I will not put foorth mine hand against my lord, for hee is the Lords Anointed.
11 Moreouer my father, See, yea see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see, that there is neither euill nor transgression in mine hand, and I haue not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soule, to take it.
12 The Lord iudge betweene me and thee, and the Lord auenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be vpon thee.
13 As saith the prouerbe of the ancients, Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be vpon thee.
14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom doest thou pursue? After a dead dogge, after a flea.
15 The Lord therfore be Iudge, and iudge betweene me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliuer me out of thine hand.
16 And it came to passe when Dauid had made an ende of speaking these words vnto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my sonne Dauid? And Saul lift vp his voice, and wept.
17 And he said to Dauid, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast rewarded mee good, whereas I haue rewarded thee euill.
18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had deliuered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
19 For if a man finde his enemie, will hee let him goe well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good, for that thou hast done vnto me this day.
20 And now behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be King, and that the kingdome of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
21 Sweare now therefore vnto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seede after mee, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my fathers house.
22 And Dauid sware vnto Saul, and Saul went home: but Dauid and his men gate them vp vnto the holde.

CHAPTER 25

1 And Samuel died, and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And Dauid arose, & went downe to the wildernesse of Paran.
2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel, and the man was very great, and hee had three thousand sheepe, and a thousand goates: and he was shearing his sheepe in Carmel.
3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife, Abigail: and shee was a woman of good vnderstanding, and of a beautifull countenance: but the man was churlish and euill in his doings, and hee was of the house of Caleb.
4 And Dauid heard in the wildernesse, that Nabal did sheare his sheepe.
5 And Dauid sent out ten yong men, and Dauid said vnto the young men, Get you vp to Carmel, and goe to Nabal, and greete him in my name;
6 And thus shall ye say to him that liueth in prosperitie, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be vnto all that thou hast.
7 And now, I haue heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepheards which were with vs, wee hurt them not, neither was there ought missing vnto them, all the while they were in Carmel.
8 Aske thy yong men, and they will shew thee: wherefore let the yong men finde fauour in thine eyes: (for we come in a good day) giue, I pray thee, whatsoeuer commeth to thine hand, vnto thy seruants, and to thy sonne Dauid.
9 And when Dauids yong men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of Dauid, and ceased.
10 And Nabal answered Dauids seruants, and said, Who is Dauid? and who is the sonne of Iesse? There bee many seruants now a daies that breake away euery man from his master.
11 Shall I then take my bread and my water, and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers, and giue it vnto men, whom I know not whence they bee?
12 So Dauids yong men turned their way, and went againe, and came and told him all those sayings.
13 And Dauid said vnto his men, Gird you on euery man his sword. And they girded on euery man his sword, and Dauid also girded on his sword: and there went vp after Dauid about foure hundred men, and two hundred abode by the stuffe.
14 But one of the yong men told Abigail Nabals wife, saying, Behold, Dauid sent messengers out of the wildernesse to salute our master: and he railed on them.
15 But the men were very good vnto vs, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing as long as wee were conuersant with them, when we were in the fields.
16 They were a wall vnto vs both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping sheepe.
17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt doe: for euill is determined against our master, and against all his houshold: for he is such a sonne of Belial, that a man cannot speake to him.
18 Then Abigail made haste, and tooke two hundred loaues, and two bottles of wine, and fiue sheepe readie dressed, and fiue measures of parched corne, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figges, and laid them on asses.
19 And she said vnto her seruants, Goe on before me, behold, I come after you: but she told not her husband Nabal.
20 And it was so as she rode on the asse, that she came downe by the couert of the hill, and behold, Dauid and his men came downe against her, and she met them.
21 (Now Dauid had said, Surely in vaine haue I kept all that this fellow hath in the wildernesse, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained vnto him: and he hath requited me euil for good.
22 So and more also doe God vnto the enemies of Dauid, if I leaue of all that pertaine to him by the morning light, any that pisseth against the wall.)
23 And when Abigail saw Dauid, she hasted, and lighted off the asse, and fell before Dauid on her face, and bowed her selfe to the ground,
24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, vpon me let this iniquitie be, and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speake in thine audience, and heare the words of thine handmaid.
25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, euen Nabal: for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: But I thine handmaid saw not the yong men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
26 Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from comming to shed blood, and from auenging thy selfe with thine owne hand: now let thine enemies and they that secke euill to my lord, bee as Nabal.
27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought vnto my lord, let it euen be giuen vnto the yong men that follow my lord.
28 I pray thee, forgiue the trespasse of thine handmaide: for the Lord will certainely make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battels of the Lord, and euill hath not bene found in thee all thy dayes.
29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seeke thy soule: but the soule of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God, and the soules of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.
30 And it shall come to passe when the Lord shal haue done to my lord, according to all the good that hee hath spoken concerning thee, and shall haue appointed thee ruler ouer Israel;
31 That this shall bee no griefe vnto thee, nor offence of heart vnto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causelesse, or that my lord hath auenged himselfe: But when the Lord shall haue dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmayd.
32 And Dauid sayd to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me.
33 And blessed bee thy aduice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from comming to shed blood, and from auenging my selfe with mine owne hand.
34 For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liueth, which hath kept mee backe from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not bene left vnto Nabal, by the morning light, any that pisseth against the wall.
35 So Dauid receiued of her hand that which shee had brought him, and sayd vnto her, Goe vp in peace to thine house; See, I haue hearkened to thy voyce, and haue accepted thy person.
36 And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king; & Nabals heart was merry within him, for hee was very drunken: wherefore shee tolde him nothing, lesse or more, vntill the morning light.
37 But it came to passe in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
38 And it came to passe about ten dayes after, that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died.
39 And when Dauid heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproch from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his seruant from euil: for the Lord hath returned the wickednesse of Nabal vpon his owne head. And Dauid sent, and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
40 And when the seruants of Dauid were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake vnto her, saying, Dauid sent vs vnto thee, to take thee to him to wife.
41 And shee arose, and bowed her selfe on her face to the earth, and sayd, Beholde, let thine handmayd bee a seruant to wash the feet of the seruants of my lord.
42 And Abigail hasted, and rose, and rode vpon an asse, with fiue damosels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of Dauid, and became his wife.
43 Dauid also tooke Ahinoam of Iezreel, and they were also both of them his wiues.
44 But Saul had giuen Michal his daughter, Dauids wife, to Phalti the sonne of Laish, which was of Gallim.

CHAPTER 26

1 And the Ziphites came vnto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doeth not Dauid hide himselfe in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Ieshimon?
2 Then Saul arose, and went downe to the wildernesse of Ziph, hauing three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seeke Dauid in the wildernesse of Ziph.
3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Ieshimon by the way: but Dauid abode in the wildernesse, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wildernesse.
4 Dauid therefore sent out spies, and vnderstood that Saul was come in very deed.
5 And Dauid arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and Dauid beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the sonne of Ner the captaine of his hoste: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him.
6 Then answered Dauid, and sayd to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah brother to Ioab, saying, Who will goe downe with me to Saul to the campe? And Abishai sayd, I will goe downe with thee.
7 So Dauid and Abishai came to the people by night, and behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his speare stucke in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
8 Then said Abishai to Dauid, God hath deliuered thine enemie into thine hand this day: now therefore let mee smite him, I pray thee, with the speare, euen to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
9 And Dauid sayd to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed, and be guiltlesse?
10 Dauid said furthermore, As the Lord liueth, the Lord shal smite him, or his day shall come to die, or hee shall descend into battell, and perish.
11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch foorth mine hand against the Lords Anointed: but I pray thee, take thou now the speare that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let vs goe.
12 So Dauid tooke the speare and the cruse of water from Sauls bolster, and they gate them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleepe, because a deepe sleepe from the Lord was fallen vpon them.
13 Then Dauid went ouer to the other side, and stood on the toppe of an hill afarre off (a great space being betweene them:)
14 And Dauid cryed to the people, and to Abner the sonne of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered, and sayd, Who art thou that cryest to the King?
15 And Dauid said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? Wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in, to destroy the king thy lord.
16 This thing is not good that thou hast done: as the Lord liueth, ye are worthy to die, because yee haue not kept your master the Lords Anointed: and now see where the Kings speare is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.
17 And Saul knew Dauids voyce, and said, Is this thy voice, my sonne Dauid? And Dauid saide, It is my voice, my lord, O king.
18 And he said, Wherefore doeth my lord thus pursue after his seruant? for what haue I done? or what euill is in mine hand?
19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king heare the words of his seruant: If the Lord haue stirred thee vp against mee, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord: for they haue driuen me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Goe serue other gods.
20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seeke a flea, as when one doeth hunt a partridge in the mountaines.
21 Then said Saul, I haue sinned: Returne, my sonne Dauid, for I will no more doe thee harme, because my soule was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I haue played the foole, and haue erred exceedingly.
22 And Dauid answered, and sayd, Behold the kings speare, and let one of the yong men come ouer and fetch it.
23 The Lord render to euery man his righteousnesse, and his faithfulnesse: for the Lord deliuered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch foorth mine hand against the Lords Anointed.
24 And behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes: so let my life bee much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliuer me out of all tribulation.
25 Then Saul said to Dauid, Blessed be thou, my sonne Dauid: thou shalt both doe great things, and also shalt still preuaile. So Dauid went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

CHAPTER 27

1 And Dauid sayd in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me, then that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shal despaire of me, to seeke me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
2 And Dauid arose, and hee passed ouer with the sixe hundred men that were with him, vnto Achish the sonne of Maoch king of Gath.
3 And Dauid dwelt with Achish at Gath, he, and his men, euery man with his houshold, euen Dauid with his two wiues, Ahinoam the Iezreelitesse, and Abigail the Carmelitesse Nabals wife.
4 And it was told Saul, that Dauid was fled to Gath, and he sought no more againe for him.
5 And Dauid said vnto Achish, If I haue now found grace in thine eyes, let them giue mee a place in some towne in the countrey, that I may dwel there: for why should thy seruant dwell in the royall citie with thee?
6 Then Achish gaue him Ziklag that day: wherfore Ziklag pertaineth vnto the kings of Iudah vnto this day.
7 And the time that Dauid dwelt in the countrey of the Philistines, was a full yeere, and foure moneths.
8 And Dauid and his men went vp and inuaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, euen vnto the land of Egypt.
9 And Dauid smote the land, and left neither man nor woman aliue, and tooke away the sheepe, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparell, and returned, and came to Achish.
10 And Achish said, Whither haue ye made a rode to day? And Dauid said, Against the South of Iudah, and against the South of the Ierahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.
11 And Dauid saued neither man nor woman aliue, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on vs, saying, So did Dauid, and so will be his maner, all the while he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistines.
12 And Achish beleeued Dauid, saying, Hee hath made his people Israel vtterly to abhorre him, therefore hee shall be my seruant for euer.

CHAPTER 28

1 And it came to passe in those dayes, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel: And Achish said vnto Dauid, Knowe thou assuredly, that thou shalt goe out with me to battell, thou, and thy men.
2 And Dauid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy seruant can doe. And Achish said to Dauid, Therfore will I make thee keeper of mine head for euer.
3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, euen in his owne citie: and Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wyzards, out of the land.
4 And the Philistines gathered themselues together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.
5 And when Saul saw the hoste of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
6 And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreames, nor by Urim, nor by Prophets.
7 Then said Saul vnto his seruants, Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may goe to her, and enquire of her. And his seruant said to him, Beholde, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
8 And Saul disguised himselfe, and put on other raiment, and hee went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, and he said, I pray thee diuine vnto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him vp whom I shall name vnto thee.
9 And the woman saide vnto him, Beholde, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how hee hath cut off those that haue familiar spirits, and the wyzards out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
10 And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liueth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
11 Then said the woman, Whome shall I bring vp vnto thee? and he said, Bring me vp Samuel.
12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a lowd voyce; and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceiued me? for thou art Saul.
13 And the king sayd vnto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said vnto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 And he said vnto her, What forme is he of? And she said, An old man commeth vp, and he is couered with a mantle. And Saul perceiued that it was Samuel, and hee stouped with his face to the ground, and bowed himselfe.
15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me vp? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistins make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by Prophets, nor by dreames: therefore I haue called thee, that thou mayst make knowen vnto me, what I shall doe.
16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then doest thou aske of mee, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?
17 And the Lord hath done to him, as hee spake by mee: for the Lord hath rent the kingdome out of thine hand, and giuen it to thy neighbour, euen to Dauid:
18 Because thou obeiedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath vpon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing vnto thee this day.
19 Moreouer, the Lord will also deliuer Israel with thee, into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sonnes bee with mee: the Lord also shall deliuer the hoste of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel, & there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor al the night.
21 And the woman came vnto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and sayd vnto him, Behold, thine handmayd hath obeyed thy voice, and I haue put my life in my hand, and haue hearkened vnto thy words which thou spakest vnto me:
22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also vnto the voyce of thine handmaid, & let me set a morsel of bread before thee; & eat, that thou mayest haue strength, when thou goest on thy way.
23 But hee refused, and said, I will not eate. But his seruants together with the woman compelled him, and he hearkened vnto their voyce: so he arose from the earth, & sate vpon the bed.
24 And the woman had a fat calfe in the house, and she hasted, and killed it, and tooke flower and kneaded it, and did bake vnleauened bread thereof.
25 And she brought it before Saul, and before his seruants, and they did eate: then they arose vp, and went away that night.

CHAPTER 29

1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountaine which is in Iezreel.
2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but Dauid and his men passed on in the rere-ward with Achish.
3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What doe these Hebrewes here? And Achish said vnto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this Dauid the seruant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath bene with me these dayes, or these yeeres, and I haue found no fault in him since he fell vnto me, vnto this day?
4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him, and the princes of the Philistines said vnto him, Make this fellow returne, that he may goe againe to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go downe with vs to battel, lest in the battell he be an aduersary to vs: for wherewith should hee reconcile himselfe vnto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?
5 Is not this Dauid, of whom they sang one to another in daunces, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and Dauid his ten thousands?
6 Then Achish called Dauid, and said vnto him, Surely, as the Lord liueth, thou hast bene vpright, and thy going out and thy comming in with me in the hoste is good in my sight: for I haue not found euil in thee, since the day of thy comming vnto me vnto this day: neuertheles, the lords fauour thee not.
7 Wherefore now returne and goe in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
8 And Dauid said vnto Achish, But what haue I done? and what hast thou found in thy seruant so long as I haue bene with thee vnto this day, that I may not goe fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
9 And Achish answered, and said to Dauid, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an Angel of God: notwithstanding the Princes of the Philistines haue said, Hee shall not goe vp with vs to the battell.
10 Wherfore now rise vp early in the morning, with thy masters seruants that are come with thee: and assoone as yee be vp early in the morning, and haue light, depart.
11 So Dauid and his men rose vp early to depart in the morning, to returne into the land of the Philistines; and the Philistines went vp to Iezreel.

CHAPTER 30

1 And it came to passe when Dauid and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had inuaded the South and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fire:
2 And had taken the women captiues, that were therein; they slewe not any either great or smal, but caried them away, and went on their way.
3 So Dauid and his men came to the citie, and beholde, it was burnt with fire, and their wiues, and their sonnes, and their daughters were taken captiues.
4 Then Dauid and the people that were with him, lift vp their voice, and wept, vntill they had no more power to weepe.
5 And Dauids two wiues were taken captiues, Ahinoam the Iezreelitesse, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6 And Dauid was greatly distressed: for the people spake of stoning him, because the soule of all the people was grieued, euery man for his sonnes, and for his daughters: but Dauid encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God.
7 And Dauid said to Abiathar the Priest Ahimelechs sonne, I pray thee, bring mee hither the Ephod: and Abiathar brought thither the Ephod to Dauid.
8 And Dauid enquired at the Lord, saying; Shall I pursue after this troupe? shall I ouertake them? And he answered him, Pursue, for thou shalt surely ouertake them, and without faile recouer all.
9 So Dauid went, hee, and the sixe hundred men that were with him, and came to the brooke Besor, where those that were left behinde, stayed.
10 But Dauid pursued, he and foure hundred men: (for two hundred abode behinde, which were so faint that they could not goe ouer the brooke Besor.)
11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to Dauid, and gaue him bread, and he did eate, and they made him drinke water.
12 And they gaue him a piece of a cake of figges, and two clusters of raisins: and when hee had eaten, his spirit came againe to him: for hee had eaten no bread, nor drunke any water, three dayes and three nights.
13 And Dauid sayde vnto him, To whome belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a yong man of Egypt, seruant to an Amalekite, and my master left me, because three dayes agone I fell sicke.
14 Wee made an inuasion vpon the South of the Cherethites, and vpon the coast which belongeth to Iudah, and vpon the South of Caleb, and wee burnt Ziklag with fire.
15 And Dauid sayde to him, Canst thou bring me downe to this company? And he said, Sweare vnto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliuer mee into the handes of my master, and I will bring thee downe to this company.
16 And when he had brought him downe, behold, they were spread abroad vpon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dauncing, because of all the great spoile that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Iudah.
17 And Dauid smote them from the twilight, euen vnto the euening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, saue foure hundred yong men which rode vpon camels, and fled.
18 And Dauid recouered all that the Amalekites had caried away: and Dauid rescued his two wiues.
19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sonnes nor daughters, neither spoile, nor any thing that they had taken to them: Dauid recouered all.
20 And Dauid tooke all the flockes, and the herds, which they draue before those other cattell, and said, This is Dauids spoile.
21 And Dauid came to the two hundred men which were so faint that they could not follow Dauid, whome they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet Dauid, and to meete the people, that were with him; and when Dauid came neere to the people, he saluted them.
22 Then answered all the wicked men, and men of Belial, of those that went with Dauid, and said, Because they went not with vs, we wil not giue them ought of the spoile, that wee haue recouered, saue to euery man his wife and his children, that they may leade them away, and depart.
23 Then said Dauid, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath giuen vs, who hath preserued vs, and deliuered the companie that came against vs, into our hand.
24 For who will hearken vnto you in this matter? But as his part is that goeth downe to the battell, so shall his part bee that tarieth by the stuffe: they shall part alike.
25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute, and an ordinance for Israel, vnto this day.
26 And when Dauid came to Ziklag, hee sent of the spoile vnto the Elders of Iudah, euen to his friends, (saying, Behold a Present for you, of the spoile of the enemies of the Lord )
27 To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in South Ramoth, and to them which were in Iattir,
28 And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa,
29 And to them which were in Rachal, and them which were in the cities of the Ierahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites,
30 And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chorashan, and to them which were in Athach,
31 And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where Dauid himselfe and his men were wont to haunt.

CHAPTER 31

1 Nowe the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell downe slaine in mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines followed hard vpon Saul, and vpon his sonnes, and the Philistines slewe Ionathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Sauls sonnes.
3 And the battell went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was sore wounded of the archers.
4 Then said Saul vnto his armour bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these vncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse mee. But his armour bearer would not, for he was sore afraid: therfore Saul tooke a sword, & fell vpon it.
5 And when his armour bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise vpon his sword, and died with him.
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour bearer, and all his men that same day together.
7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Iordane, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sonnes were dead, they forsooke the cities and fled, and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 And it came to passe on the morrow when the Philistines came to strip the slaine, that they found Saul, and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about to publish it in the house of their idoles, and among the people.
10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.
11 And when the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul:
12 All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and tooke the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sonnes from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Iabesh, and burnt them there.
13 And they tooke their bones, and buried them vnder a tree at Iabesh, and fasted seuen dayes.