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- 1Sam 4:1 (ASV) And the word of
Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against
the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ezer:
and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
- 2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against
Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten
before the Philistines; and they slew of the army in the
field about four thousand men.
- 3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders
of Israel said, Wherefore hath Jehovah smitten us to-day
before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the
covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh unto us, that it may
come among us, and save us out of the hand of our
enemies.
- 4 So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from
thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of hosts, who
sitteth [above] the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli,
Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the
covenant of God.
- 5 And when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into
the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that
the earth rang again.
- 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout,
they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in
the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark
of Jehovah was come into the camp.
- 7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is
come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there
hath not been such a thing heretofore.
- 8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of
these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote the
Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness.
- 9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye
Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as
they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and
fight.
- 10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten,
and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very
great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand
footmen.
- 11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli,
Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
- 12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and
came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes rent, and
with earth upon his head.
- 13 And when he came, lo, Eli was sitting upon his seat by
the wayside watching; for his heart trembled for the ark
of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it,
all the city cried out.
- 14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said,
What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man
hasted, and came and told Eli.
- 15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes
were set, so that he could not see.
- 16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of
the army, and I fled to-day out of the army. And he said,
How went the matter, my son?
- 17 And he that brought the tidings answered and said,
Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath
been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two
sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of
God is taken.
- 18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark
of God, that [Eli] feel from off his seat backward by the
side of the gate; and his neck brake, and he died: for he
was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty
years.
- 19 And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with
child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the
tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her
father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed
herself and brought forth; for her pains came upon her.
- 20 And about the time of her death the women that stood
by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast brought
forth a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard
it.
- 21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is
departed from Israel; because the ark 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 ark of God is taken.
- 5:1 Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and
they brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod.
- 2 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it
into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
- 3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow,
behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground
before the ark of Jehovah. And they took Dagon, and set
him in his place again.
- 4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning,
behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground
before the ark of Jehovah; and the head of Dagon and both
the palms of his hands [lay] cut off upon the threshold;
only [the stump of] Dagon was left to him.
- 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that
come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon
in Ashdod, unto this day.
- 6 But the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod,
and he destroyed them, and smote them with tumors, even
Ashdod and the borders thereof.
- 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they
said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with
us; for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
- 8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the
Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with
the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the
ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And
they carried the ark of the God of Israel [thither].
- 9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about,
the hand of Jehovah was against the city with a very
great discomfiture: and he smote the men of the city,
both small and great; and tumors brake out upon them.
- 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to
pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites
cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the
God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
- 11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the
lords of the Philistines, and they said, Send away the
ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own
place, that is slay us not, and our people. For there was
a deadly discomfiture throughout all the city; the hand
of God was very heavy there.
- 12 And the men that died not were smitten with the
tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
- 6:1 And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the
Philistines seven months.
- 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the
diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of
Jehovah? show us wherewith we shall sent it to its place.
- 3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of
Israel, send it not empty; but by all means return him a
trespass-offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall
be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
- 4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass-offering
which we shall return to him? And they said, Five golden
tumors, and five golden mice, [according to] the number
of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on
you all, and on your lords.
- 5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your tumors, and
images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give
glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will
lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods,
and from off your land.
- 6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the
Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had
wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the
people go, and they departed?
- 7 Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two
milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke; and tie the
kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;
- 8 and take the ark of Jehovah, and lay it upon the cart;
and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a
trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and
send it away, that it may go.
- 9 And see; if it goeth up by the way of its own border to
Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but
if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that
smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.
- 10 And the men did so, and took two milch kine, and tied
them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;
- 11 and they put the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the
coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their
tumors.
- 12 And the kine took the straight way by the way to
Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, 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
unto the border of Beth-shemesh.
- 13 And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat
harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and
saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
- 14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua the
Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great
stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered
up the kine for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah.
- 15 And the Levites took down the ark of Jehovah, and the
coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were,
and put them on the great stone: and the men of
Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed
sacrifices the same day unto Jehovah.
- 16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen
it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
- 17 And these are the golden tumors which the Philistines
returned for a trespass-offering unto Jehovah: for Ashdod
one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon 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 five
lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages,
even unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark
of Jehovah, [which stone remaineth] unto this day in the
field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
- 19 And he smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they
had looked into the ark of Jehovah, he smote of the
people seventy men, [and] fifty thousand men; and the
people mourned, because Jehovah had smitten the people
with a great slaughter.
- 20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand
before Jehovah, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up
from us?
- 21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of
Kiriath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back
the ark of Jehovah; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
- 7:1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up
the ark of Jehovah, and brought it into the house of
Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to
keep the ark of Jehovah.
- 2 And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in
Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty
years: and all the house of Israel lamented after
Jehovah.
- 3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying,
If ye do return unto Jehovah with all your heart, then
put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among
you, and direct your hearts unto Jehovah, and serve him
only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the
Philistines.
- 4 Then the children of Israel did put away the Baalim and
the Ashtaroth, and served Jehovah only.
- 5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I
will pray for you unto Jehovah.
- 6 And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water,
and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day,
and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And
Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
- 7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of
Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the
Philistines went up 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
cry unto Jehovah our God for us, that he will save us out
of the hand of the Philistines.
- 9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a
whole burnt-offering unto Jehovah: and Samuel cried unto
Jehovah for Israel; and Jehovah answered him.
- 10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the
Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but
Jehovah thundered with a great thunder on that day upon
the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were
smitten down before Israel.
- 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued
the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under
Beth-car.
- 12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah
and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying,
Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us.
- 13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more
within the border of Israel: and the hand of Jehovah was
against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
- 14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from
Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto
Gath; and the border thereof did Israel deliver out of
the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between
Israel and the Amorites.
- 15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
- 16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el
and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those
places.
- 17 And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house;
and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar
unto Jehovah.
- 8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel
was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
- 2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name
of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
- 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside
after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
- 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves
together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah;
- 5 and they said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy
sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us
like all the nations.
- 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give
us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah.
- 7 And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of
the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have
not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I
should not be king over them.
- 8 According to all the works which they have done since
the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto
this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other
gods, so do they also unto thee.
- 9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou
shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the
manner of the king that shall reign over them.
- 10 And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah unto the
people that asked of him a king.
- 11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that
shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint
them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen;
and they shall run before his chariots;
- 12 and he will appoint them unto him for captains of
thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set
some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to
make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his
chariots.
- 13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and
to be cooks, and to be bakers.
- 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and
your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to
his servants.
- 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your
vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
- 16 And he will take your men-servants, and your
maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your
asses, and put them to his work.
- 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall be
his servants.
- 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king
whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not
answer you in that day.
- 19 But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of
Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over
us,
- 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our
king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our
battles.
- 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he
rehearsed them in the ears of Jehovah.
- 22 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice,
and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of
Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
- 9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish,
the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath,
the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man
of valor.
- 2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and
a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel
a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward
he was higher than any of the people.
- 3 And the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And
Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants
with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
- 4 And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and
passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them
not: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and
there they were not: and he passed through the land of
the Benjamites, but they found them not.
- 5 When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to
his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return,
lest my father leave off caring for the asses, and be
anxious for us.
- 6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city
a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honor; all
that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go
thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our
journey whereon we go.
- 7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go,
what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in
our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the
man of God: what have we?
- 8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold,
I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver:
that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
- 9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of
God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for
he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a
Seer.)
- 10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us
go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
- 11 As they went up the ascent to the city, they found
young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto
them, Is the seer here?
- 12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he
is] before thee: make haste now, for he is come to-day
into the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day in
the high place:
- 13 as soon as ye are come into the city, ye shall
straightway find him, before he goeth up to the high
place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come,
because he doth bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards
they eat that are bidden. Now therefore get you up; for
at this time ye shall find him.
- 14 And they went up to the city; [and] as they came
within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to
go up to the high place.
- 15 Now Jehovah had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul
came, saying,
- 16 To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out
of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be
prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people
out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked
upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
- 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said unto him,
Behold, the man of whom I spake to thee! this same shall
have authority over my people.
- 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said,
Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.
- 19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go
up before me unto the high place, for ye shall eat with
me to-day: and in the morning I will let thee go, and
will tell thee all that is in thy heart.
- 20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago,
set not they mind on them; for they are found. And for
whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for
thee, and for all thy father's house?
- 21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of
the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the
least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?
wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner?
- 22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them
into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest
place among them that were bidden, who were about thirty
persons.
- 23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which
I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
- 24 And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was
upon it, and set it before Saul. And [Samuel] said,
Behold, that which hath been reserved! set it before thee
and eat; because unto the appointed time hath it been
kept for thee, for I said, I have invited the people. So
Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
- 25 And when they were come down from the high place into
the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop.
- 26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the
spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the
housetop, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul
arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel,
abroad.
- 27 As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel
said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he
passed on), but stand thou still first, that I may cause
thee to hear the word of God.
- 10:1 Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon
his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that
Jehovah hath anointed thee to be prince over his
inheritance?
- 2 When thou art departed from me to-day, then thou shalt
find two men by Rachel's sepulchre, in the border of
Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The
asses which thou wentest to seek are found; and, lo, thy
father hath left off caring for the asses, and is anxious
for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
- 3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou
shalt come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet thee
there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying
three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread,
and another carrying a bottle of wine:
- 4 and they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of
bread, which thou shalt receive of their hand.
- 5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is
the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to
pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou
shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the high
place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a
harp, before them; and they will be prophesying:
- 6 and the Spirit of Jehovah will come mightily upon thee,
and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned
into another man.
- 7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee,
that thou do as occasion shall serve thee; for God is
with thee.
- 8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and,
behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer
burnt-offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of
peace-offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come
unto thee, and show thee what thou shalt do.
- 9 And it was so, that, when he had turned his back to go
from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those
signs came to pass that day.
- 10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a band
of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily
upon him, and he prophesied among them.
- 11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime
saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then
the people said one to another, What is this that is come
unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
- 12 And one of the same place answered and said, And who
is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul
also among the prophets?
- 13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to
the high place.
- 14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant,
Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses; and when
we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.
- 15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what
Samuel said unto you.
- 16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that
the asses were found. But concerning the matter of the
kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
- 17 And Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah to
Mizpah;
- 18 and he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith
Jehovah, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of
Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that
oppressed you:
- 19 but ye have this day rejected your God, who himself
saveth you out of all your calamities and your
distresses; and ye have said unto him, [Nay], but set a
king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before
Jehovah by your tribes, and by your thousands.
- 20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and
the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
- 21 And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their
families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and
Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him,
he could not be found.
- 22 Therefore they asked of Jehovah further, Is there yet
a man to come hither? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he
hath hid himself among the baggage.
- 23 And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood
among the people, he was higher than any of the people
from his shoulders and upward.
- 24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom
Jehovah hath chosen, that there is none like him along
all the people? And all the people shouted, and said,
[Long] live the king.
- 25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom,
and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Jehovah.
And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his
house.
- 26 And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there
went with him the host, whose hearts God had touched.
- 27 But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man
save us? And they despised him, and brought him no
present. But he held his peace.
- 11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped
against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said
unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve
thee.
- 2 And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, On this
condition will I make it with you, that all your right
eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon
all Israel.
- 3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven
days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the
borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us,
we will come out to thee.
- 4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake
these words in the ears of the people: and all the people
lifted up their voice, and wept.
- 5 And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the
field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they
weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
- 6 And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he
heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.
- 7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and
sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the
hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth
after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his
oxen. And the dread of Jehovah fell on the people, and
they came out as one man.
- 8 And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of
Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah
thirty thousand.
- 9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall
ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by the
time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the
messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were
glad.
- 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will
come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that
seemeth good unto you.
- 11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people
in three companies; and they came into the midst of the
camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until
the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they that
remained were scattered, so that not two of them were
left together.
- 12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said,
Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put
them to death.
- 13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death
this day; for to-day Jehovah hath wrought deliverance in
Israel.
- 14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to
Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
- 15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made
Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal; and there they
offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah; and
there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
- 12:1 And Samuel said unto all
Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all
that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
- 2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am
old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you:
and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day.
- 3 Here I am: witness against me before Jehovah, and
before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass
have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I
oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to
blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
- 4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor
oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's
hand.
- 5 And he said unto them, Jehovah is witness against you,
and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not
found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.
- 6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is Jehovah that
appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers
up out of the land of Egypt.
- 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you
before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of
Jehovah, which he did to you and to your fathers.
- 8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried
unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who
brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to
dwell in this place.
- 9 But they forgat Jehovah their God; and he sold them
into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor,
and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand
of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
- 10 And they cried unto Jehovah, and said, We have sinned,
because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the
Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the
hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
- 11 And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah,
and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your
enemies on every side; and ye dwelt in safety.
- 12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children
of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a
king shall reign over us; when Jehovah your God was your
king.
- 13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and
whom ye have asked for: and, behold, Jehovah hath set a
king over you.
- 14 If ye will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and hearken
unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of
Jehovah, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over
you be followers of Jehovah your God, [well]:
- 15 but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah,
but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then will
the hand of Jehovah be against you, as it was against
your fathers.
- 16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing,
which Jehovah will do before your eyes.
- 17 Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto
Jehovah, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall
know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have
done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking you a king.
- 18 So Samuel called unto Jehovah; and Jehovah sent
thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly
feared Jehovah and Samuel.
- 19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy
servants unto Jehovah thy God, that we die not; for we
have added unto all our sins [this] evil, to ask us a
king.
- 20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have
indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from
following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart:
- 21 and turn ye not aside; for [then would ye go] after
vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are
vain.
- 22 For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great
name's sake, because it hath pleased Jehovah to make you
a people unto himself.
- 23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should
sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you: but I
will instruct you in the good and the right way.
- 24 Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all
your heart; for consider how great things he hath done
for you.
- 25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be
consumed, both ye and your king.
- 13:1 Saul was [forty]] years old when he began to reign;
and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
- 2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel, whereof
two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount
of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah
of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man
to his tent.
- 3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that
was in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul
blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the
Hebrews hear.
- 4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the
garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had
in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were
gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
- 5 And the Philistines assembled themselves together to
fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six
thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the
sea-shore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in
Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven.
- 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait
(for the people were distressed), then the people did
hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks,
and in coverts, and in pits.
- 7 Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the
land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in
Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
- 8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time
that Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel came not to
Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
- 9 And Saul said, Bring hither the burnt-offering to me,
and the peace-offerings. And he offered the
burnt-offering.
- 10 And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an
end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, Samuel came;
and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
- 11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said,
Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and
that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that
the Philistines assembled themselves together at
Michmash;
- 12 therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down
upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of
Jehovah: I forced myself therefore, and offered the
burnt-offering.
- 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly;
thou hast not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God,
which he commanded thee: for now would Jehovah have
established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
- 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: Jehovah hath
sought him a man after his own heart, and Jehovah hath
appointed him to be prince over his people, because thou
hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee.
- 15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto
Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that
were present with him, about six hundred men.
- 16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that
were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but
the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
- 17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the
Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto
the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual;
- 18 and another company turned the way to Beth-horon; and
another company turned the way of the border that looketh
down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
- 19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land
of Israel; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews
make them swords or spears:
- 20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines,
to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his
axe, and his mattock;
- 21 yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the
coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set
the goads.
- 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there
was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of
the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with
Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
- 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out unto the
pass of Michmash.
- 14:1 Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of
Saul said unto the young man that bare his armor, Come,
and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is
on yonder side. But he told not his father.
- 2 And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under
the pomegranate-tree which is in Migron: and the people
that were with him were about six hundred men;
- 3 and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the
son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Jehovah in
Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that
Jonathan was gone.
- 4 And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go
over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky
crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side:
and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the
other Seneh.
- 5 The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash,
and the other on the south in front of Geba.
- 6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor,
Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these
uncircumcised: it may be that Jehovah will work for us;
for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or
by few.
- 7 And his armorbearer said unto him, Do all that is in
thy heart: turn thee, behold, I am with thee according to
thy heart.
- 8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto the
men, and we will disclose ourselves unto them.
- 9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you;
then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up
unto them.
- 10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go
up; for Jehovah hath delivered them into our hand: and
this shall be the sign unto us.
- 11 And both of them disclosed themselves unto the
garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said,
Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where
they had hid themselves.
- 12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his
armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show
you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armorbearer, Come
up after me; for Jehovah hath delivered them into the
hand of Israel.
- 13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his
feet, and his armorbearer after him: and they fell before
Jonathan; and his armorbearer slew them after him.
- 14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his
armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were
half a furrow's length in an acre of land.
- 15 And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field,
and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers,
they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an
exceeding great trembling.
- 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked;
and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went
[hither] and thither.
- 17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with him,
Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they
had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were
not there.
- 18 And Saul said unto Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of
God. For the ark of God was [there] at that time with the
children of Israel.
- 19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the
priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the
Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the
priest, Withdraw thy hand.
- 20 And Saul and all the people that were with him were
gathered together, and came to the battle: and, behold,
every man's sword was against his fellow, [and there was]
a very great discomfiture.
- 21 Now the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as
beforetime, and that went up with them into the camp,
[from the country] round about, even they also [turned]
to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and
Jonathan.
- 22 Likewise all the men of Israel that had hid themselves
in the hill-country of Ephraim, when they heard that the
Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them
in the battle.
- 23 So Jehovah saved Israel that day: and the battle
passed over by Beth-aven.
- 24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for
Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man
that eateth any food until it be evening, and I be
avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted
food.
- 25 And all the people came into the forest; and there was
honey upon the ground.
- 26 And when the people were come unto the forest, behold,
the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth;
for the people feared the oath.
- 27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the
people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of
the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the
honeycomb, 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 food this day. And the people were
faint.
- 29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land:
see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened,
because I tasted a little of this honey.
- 30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely
to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found?
for now hath there been no great slaughter among the
Philistines.
- 31 And they smote of the Philistines that day from
Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint;
- 32 and the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep,
and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground; and
the people did eat them with the blood.
- 33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin
against Jehovah, in that they eat with the blood. And he
said, ye have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone
unto me this day.
- 34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people,
and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and
every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin
not against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And all the
people brought every man his ox with him that night, and
slew them there.
- 35 And Saul built an altar unto Jehovah: the same was the
first altar that he built unto Jehovah.
- 36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by
night, and take spoil among them until the morning light,
and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do
whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest,
Let us draw near hither unto God.
- 37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after
the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of
Israel? But he answered him not that day.
- 38 And Saul said, Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of the
people; and know and see wherein this sin hath been this
day.
- 39 For, as Jehovah liveth, who saveth Israel, though it
be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was
not a man among all the people that answered him.
- 40 Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I
and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the
people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.
- 41 Therefore Saul said unto Jehovah, the God of Israel,
Show the right. And Jonathan and Saul were taken [by
lot]; but the people escaped.
- 42 And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my
son. And Jonathan was taken.
- 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast
done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly
taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in
my hand; and, lo, I must die.
- 44 And Saul said, God do so and more also; for thou shalt
surely die, Jonathan.
- 45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who
hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far from it:
as Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of his head
fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this
day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
- 46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and
the Philistines went to their own place.
- 47 Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he
fought against all his enemies on every side, against
Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against
Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the
Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he put
[them] to the worse.
- 48 And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and
delivered Israel out of the hands of them that despoiled
them.
- 49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and
Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were
these: the name of the first-born Merab, and the name of
the younger Michal:
- 50 and the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter
of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his host was
Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
- 51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of
Abner was the son of Abiel.
- 52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the
days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any
valiant man, he took him unto him.
- 15:1 And Samuel said unto Saul,
Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to be king over his
people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the
voice of the words of Jehovah.
- 2 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I have marked that which
Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in
the way, when he came up out of Egypt.
- 3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that
they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and
woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
- 4 And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in
Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand
men of Judah.
- 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in
the valley.
- 6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you
down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with
them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of
Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites
departed from among the Amalekites.
- 7 And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as thou
goest to Shur, that is before Egypt.
- 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and
utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the
sword.
- 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of
the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the
lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly
destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse,
that they destroyed utterly.
- 10 Then came the word of Jehovah unto Samuel, saying,
- 11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king;
for he is turned back from following me, and hath not
performed my commandments. And Samuel was wroth; and he
cried unto Jehovah all night.
- 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and
it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and,
behold, he set him up a monument, and turned, and passed
on, and went down to Gilgal.
- 13 And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him,
Blessed be thou of Jehovah: I have performed the
commandment of Jehovah.
- 14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of
the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which
I hear?
- 15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the
Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep
and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God; and
the rest we have utterly destroyed.
- 16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee
what Jehovah hath said to me this night. And he said unto
him, Say on.
- 17 And Samuel said, Though thou wast little in thine own
sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of
Israel? And Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel;
- 18 and Jehovah sent thee on a journey, and said, Go, and
utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight
against them until they be consumed.
- 19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of
Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that
which was evil in the sight of Jehovah?
- 20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the
voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah
sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and
have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
- 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the
chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice unto Jehovah
thy God in Gilgal.
- 22 And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in
burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice
of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and
to hearken than the fat of rams.
- 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and
stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou
hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected
thee from being king.
- 24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have
transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words,
because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
- 25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn
again with me, that I may worship Jehovah.
- 26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with
thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and
Jehovah hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
- 27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, [Saul] laid
hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it rent.
- 28 And Samuel said unto him, Jehovah hath rent the
kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it
to a neighbor of thine, that is better than 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 have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray
thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel,
and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah thy
God.
- 31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped
Jehovah.
- 32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king
of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him cheerfully. And
Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
- 33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women
childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women.
And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
- 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his
house to Gibeah of Saul.
- 35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of
his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Jehovah
repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
- 1Sam 16:1 (ASV) And Jehovah said unto Samuel, How long
wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from
being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go: I
will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have
provided me a king among his sons.
- 2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will
kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and
say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.
- 3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee
what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him
whom I name unto thee.
- 4 And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to
Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him
trembling, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
- 5 And he said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto
Jehovah: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the
sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and
called them to the sacrifice.
- 6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he
looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is
before him.
- 7 But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his
countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I
have rejected him: for [Jehovah seeth] not as man seeth;
for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah
looketh on the heart.
- 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before
Samuel. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.
- 9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said,
Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.
- 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before
Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Jehovah hath not
chosen these.
- 11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children?
And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and,
behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto
Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till
he come hither.
- 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and
withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look
upon. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him; for this is
he.
- 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in
the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Jehovah came
mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose
up, and went to Ramah.
- 14 Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an
evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him.
- 15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil
spirit from God troubleth thee.
- 16 Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before
thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the
harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit
from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand,
and thou shalt be well.
- 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man
that can play well, and bring him to me.
- 18 Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold,
I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is
skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man
of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and
Jehovah is with him.
- 19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said,
Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.
- 20 And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread, and a bottle
of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto
Saul.
- 21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he
loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer.
- 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray
thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my
sight.
- 23 And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God
was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with
his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the
evil spirit departed from him.
- 17:1 Now the Philistines gathered
together their armies to battle; and they were gathered
together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah, and encamped
between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
- 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together,
and encamped in the vale of Elah, and set the battle in
array against the Philistines.
- 3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one
side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side:
and there was a valley between them.
- 4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the
Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six
cubits and a span.
- 5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was
clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was
five thousand shekels of brass.
- 6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a
javelin of brass between his shoulders.
- 7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam;
and his spear's head [weighed] six hundred shekels of
iron: and his shield-bearer went before him.
- 8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and
said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in
array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul?
choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
- 9 If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will
we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and
kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
- 10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel
this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
- 11 And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the
Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
- 12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of
Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight
sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Saul,
stricken [in years] among men.
- 13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul
to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went
to the battle were Eliab the first-born, and next unto
him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
- 14 And David was the youngest; and the three eldest
followed Saul.
- 15 Now David went to and fro from Saul to feed his
father's sheep at Beth-lehem.
- 16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and
presented himself forty days.
- 17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy
brethren an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten
loaves, and carry [them] quickly to the camp to thy
brethren;
- 18 and bring these ten cheeses unto the captain of their
thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their
pledge.
- 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in
the vale of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
- 20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the
sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had
commanded him; and he came to the place of the wagons, as
the host which was going forth to the fight shouted for
the battle.
- 21 And Israel and the Philistines put the battle in
array, army against army.
- 22 And David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper
of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and saluted
his brethren.
- 23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the
champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of
the ranks of the Philistines, and spake according to the
same words: and David 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, Have ye seen this man that
is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it
shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will
enrich him with great riches, and will give him his
daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
- 26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying,
What shall be done to the man that killeth this
Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for
who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy
the armies of the living God?
- 27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying,
So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
- 28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto
the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and
he said, Why art thou come down? and with whom hast thou
left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride,
and the naughtiness of thy heart; for thou art come down
that thou mightest see the battle.
- 29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a
cause?
- 30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spake
after the same manner: and the people answered him again
after the former manner.
- 31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they
rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him.
- 32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail
because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this
Philistine.
- 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go
against this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art
but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
- 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant was keeping his
father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear,
and took a lamb out of the flock,
- 35 I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered 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 servant smote both the lion and the bear: and this
uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing
he hath defied the armies of the living God.
- 37 And David said, Jehovah that delivered me out of the
paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will
deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul
said unto David, Go, and Jehovah shall be with thee.
- 38 And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a
helmet of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a
coat of mail.
- 39 And David girded his sword upon his apparel, and he
assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said
unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved
them. And David put them off him.
- 40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five
smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the
shepherd's bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his
sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the
Philistine.
- 41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David;
and the man that bare the shield went before him.
- 42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David,
he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and
withal of a fair countenance.
- 43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that
thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed
David by his gods.
- 44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I
will give thy flesh unto the birds of the heavens, and to
the beasts of the field.
- 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me
with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I
come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of
the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
- 46 This day will Jehovah deliver thee into my hand; and I
will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I
will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines
this day unto the birds of the heavens, and to the wild
beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that
there is a God in Israel,
- 47 and that all this assembly may know that Jehovah
saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is
Jehovah's, and he will give you into our hand.
- 48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and
came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened,
and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
- 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a
stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his
forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he
fell upon his face to the earth.
- 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling
and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him;
but there was no sword in the hand of David.
- 51 Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and
took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof,
and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when
the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they
fled.
- 52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted,
and pursued the Philistines, until thou comest to Gai,
and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the
Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto
Gath, and unto Ekron.
- 53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after
the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.
- 54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought
it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.
- 55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the
Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host,
Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy
soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
- 56 And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the
stripling is.
- 57 And as David returned from the slaughter of the
Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul
with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
- 58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young
man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant
Jesse the Beth-lehemite.
- 18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of
speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit
with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own
soul.
- 2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no
more home to his father's house.
- 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he
loved him as his own soul.
- 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon
him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his
sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
- 5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, [and]
behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of
war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and
also in the sight of Saul's servants.
- 6 And it came to pass as they came, when David returned
from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came
out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to
meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with
instruments of music.
- 7 And the women sang one to another as they played, and
said, Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten
thousands.
- 8 And Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased
him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten
thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands:
and what can he have more but the kingdom?
- 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
- 10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit
from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in
the midst of the house: and David played with his hand,
as he did day by day. And Saul had his spear in his hand;
- 11 and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite
David even to the wall. And David avoided out of his
presence twice.
- 12 And Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with
him, and was departed from Saul.
- 13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his
captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in
before the people.
- 14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and
Jehovah was with him.
- 15 And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely,
he stood in awe of him.
- 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out
and came in before them.
- 17 And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter
Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant
for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let
not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the
Philistines be upon him.
- 18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I, and what is my
life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be
son- in-law to the king?
- 19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's
daughter, should have been given to David, that she was
given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
- 20 And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they
told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
- 21 And Saul said, I will give 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 David, Thou shalt
this day be my son-in-law a second time.
- 22 And Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune
with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath
delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now
therefore be the king's son-in-law.
- 23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of
David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to
be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man,
and lightly esteemed?
- 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this
manner spake David.
- 25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king
desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the
Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now
Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the
Philistines.
- 26 And when his servants told David these words, it
pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the
days were not expired;
- 27 and David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of
the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their
foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king,
that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him
Michal his daughter to wife.
- 28 And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David; and
Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
- 29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul
was David's enemy continually.
- 30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it
came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David
behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of
Saul; so that his name was much set by.
- 19:1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his
son, and to all his servants, that they should slay
David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.
- 2 And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh
to slay thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to
thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and
hide thyself:
- 3 and I will go out and stand beside my father in the
field where thou art, and I will commune with my father
of thee; and if I see aught, I will tell thee.
- 4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father,
and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his
servant, against David; because he hath not sinned
against thee, and because his works have been to
thee-ward very good:
- 5 for he put his life in his hand, and smote the
Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great victory for all
Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then
wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David
without a cause?
- 6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul
sware, As Jehovah liveth, he shall not be put to death.
- 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all
those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he
was in his presence, as beforetime.
- 8 And there was war again: and David went out, and fought
with the Philistines, and slew them with a great
slaughter; and they fled before him.
- 9 And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul, as he
sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David
was playing with his hand.
- 10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with
the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence,
and he smote the spear into the wall: and David fled, and
escaped that night.
- 11 And Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch
him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal, David's
wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life
to-night, to-morrow thou wilt be slain.
- 12 So Michal let David down through the window: and he
went, and fled, and escaped.
- 13 And Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed,
and put a pillow of goats' [hair] at the head thereof,
and covered it with the clothes.
- 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said,
He is sick.
- 15 And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying,
Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
- 16 And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim
was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' [hair] at the
head thereof.
- 17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me
thus, and let mine enemy go, so that he is escaped? And
Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why
should I kill thee?
- 18 Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to
Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he
and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
- 19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at
Naioth in Ramah.
- 20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they
saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel
standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon
the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
- 21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers,
and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again
the third time, and they also prophesied.
- 22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well
that is in Secu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel
and David? And one said, Behold, they are at Naioth in
Ramah.
- 23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit
of God came upon him also, and he went on, and
prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
- 24 And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also
prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day
and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also
among the prophets?
- 20:1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and
said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine
iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he
seeketh my life?
- 2 And he said unto him, Far from it; thou shalt not die:
behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small,
but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my
father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
- 3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father knoweth
well that I have found favor in thine eyes; and he saith,
Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly
as Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a
step between me and death.
- 4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul
desireth, I will even do it for thee.
- 5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is the
new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at
meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field
unto the third day at even.
- 6 If thy father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly
asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his
city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the
family.
- 7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have
peace: but if he be wroth, then know that evil is
determined by him.
- 8 Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast
brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee:
but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why
shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
- 9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should
at all know that evil were determined by my father to
come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
- 10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if
perchance thy father answer thee roughly?
- 11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out
into the field. And they went out both of them into the
field.
- 12 And Jonathan said unto David, Jehovah, the God of
Israel, [be witness]: when I have sounded my father about
this time to-morrow, [or] the third day, behold, if there
be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee,
and disclose it unto thee?
- 13 Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it
please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not
unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in
peace: and Jehovah be with thee, as he hath been with my
father.
- 14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the
lovingkindness of Jehovah, that I die not;
- 15 but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my
house for ever; no, not when Jehovah hath cut off the
enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
- 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David,
[saying], And Jehovah will require it at the hand of
David's enemies.
- 17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love
that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own
soul.
- 18 Then Jonathan said unto him, To-morrow is the new
moon: and thou wilt be missed, because thy seat will be
empty.
- 19 And when thou hast stayed three days, thou shalt go
down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide
thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain
by the stone Ezel.
- 20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as
though I shot at a mark.
- 21 And, behold, I will send the lad, [saying], Go, find
the arrows. If I say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are
on this side of thee; take them, and come; for there is
peace to thee and no hurt, as Jehovah liveth.
- 22 But if I say thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are
beyond thee; go thy way; for Jehovah hath sent thee away.
- 23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have
spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between thee and me for
ever.
- 24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new
moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food.
- 25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times,
even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up,
and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was
empty.
- 26 Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he
thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean;
surely he is not clean.
- 27 And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon,
[which was] the second [day], that David's place was
empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore
cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday,
nor to-day?
- 28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked
leave of me to go to Beth-lehem:
- 29 and he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family
hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath
commanded me [to be there]: and now, if I have found
favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and
see my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king's
table.
- 30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he
said unto him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman,
do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to
thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy mother's
nakedness?
- 31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the
ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom.
Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall
surely die.
- 32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto
him, Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he
done?
- 33 And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby
Jonathan knew that is was determined of his father to put
David to death.
- 34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and
did eat no food the second day of the month; for he was
grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
- 35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went
out into the field at the time appointed with David, and
a little lad with him.
- 36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find now the arrows
which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow
beyond him.
- 37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow
which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad,
and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?
- 38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste,
stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and
came to his master.
- 39 But the lad knew not anything: only Jonathan and David
knew the matter.
- 40 And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said
unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
- 41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of [a
place] toward the South, and fell on his face to the
ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed
one another, and wept one with another, until David
exceeded.
- 42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as
we have sworn both of us in the name of Jehovah, saying,
Jehovah shall be between me and thee, and between my seed
and thy seed, for ever. And he arose and departed: and
Jonathan went into the city.
- 21:1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and
Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto
him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
- 2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath
commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no
man know anything of the business whereabout I send thee,
and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed the
young men to such and such a place.
- 3 Now therefore what is under thy hand? give me five
loaves of bread in my hand, or whatsoever there is
present.
- 4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no
common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if
only the young men have kept themselves from women.
- 5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a
truth women have been kept from us about these three
days; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were
holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more
then to-day shall their vessels be holy?
- 6 So the priest gave him holy [bread]; for there was no
bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before
Jehovah, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken
away.
- 7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there
that day, detained before Jehovah; and his name was Doeg
the Edomite, the chiefest of the herdsmen that belonged
to Saul.
- 8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here
under thy hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought
my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's
business required haste.
- 9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the
Philistine, whom thou slewest in the vale of Elah,
behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod:
if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other
save that here. And David said, There is none like that;
give it me.
- 10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul,
and went to Achish the king of Gath.
- 11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this
David the king of the land? did they not sing one to
another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his
thousands, And David his ten thousands?
- 12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was
sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
- 13 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned
himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of
the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
- 14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man
is mad; wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
- 15 Do I lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to
play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come
into my house?
- 22:1 David therefore departed
thence, and escaped to the cave of Adullam: and when his
brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went
down thither to him.
- 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that
was in debt, and every one that was discontented,
gathered themselves unto him; and he became captain over
them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
- 3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said
unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I
pray thee, come forth, [and be] with you, till I know
what God will do for me.
- 4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they
dwelt with him all the while that David was in the
stronghold.
- 5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the
stronghold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah.
Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.
- 6 And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men
that were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under
the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand,
and all his servants were standing about him.
- 7 And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him,
Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every
one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all
captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,
- 8 that all of you have conspired against me, and there is
none that discloseth to me when my son maketh a league
with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is
sorry for me, or discloseth unto me that my son hath
stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at
this day?
- 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the
servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming
to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
- 10 And he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him
victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the
Philistine.
- 11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the
son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests
that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.
- 12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he
answered, Here I am, my lord.
- 13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against
me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given
him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him,
that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at
this day?
- 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who
among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is
the king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and
is honorable in thy house?
- 15 Have I to-day begun to inquire of God for him? be it
far from me: let not the king impute anything unto his
servant, nor to all the house of my father; for thy
servant knoweth nothing of all this, less or more.
- 16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech,
thou, and all thy father's house.
- 17 And the king said unto the guard that stood about him,
Turn, and slay the priests of Jehovah; because their hand
also is with David, and because they knew that he fled,
and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the
king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the
priests of Jehovah.
- 18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon
the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell
upon the priests, and he slew on that day fourscore and
five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
- 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the
edge of the sword, both men and women, children and
sucklings, and oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of
the sword.
- 20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub,
named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
- 21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah's
priests.
- 22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew on that day, when
Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell
Saul: I have occasioned [the death] of all the persons of
thy father's house.
- 23 Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my
life seeketh thy life: for with me thou shalt be in
safeguard.
- 23:1 And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines
are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the
threshing-floors.
- 2 Therefore David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go
and smite these Philistines? And Jehovah said unto David,
Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
- 3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we are afraid
here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah
against the armies of the Philistines?
- 4 Then David inquired of Jehovah yet again. And Jehovah
answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I
will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.
- 5 And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with
the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew
them with a great slaughter. So David save the
inhabitants of Keilah.
- 6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech
fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod
in his hand.
- 7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And
Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is
shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and
bars.
- 8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to
Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
- 9 And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against
him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the
ephod.
- 10 Then said David, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thy
servant hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to
Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
- 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand?
will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O
Jehovah, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy
servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.
- 12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up to
me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said,
They will deliver thee up.
- 13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred,
arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever
they could go. And it was told Saul that David was
escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.
- 14 And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds,
and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of
Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered
him not into his hand.
- 15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life:
and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.
- 16 And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and went to David
into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
- 17 And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul
my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king
over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also
Saul my father knoweth.
- 18 And they two made a covenant before Jehovah: and David
abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
- 19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying,
Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in
the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south
of the desert?
- 20 Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the
desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to
deliver him up into the king's hand.
- 21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of Jehovah; for ye have
had compassion on me.
- 22 Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see
his place where his haunt is, [and] who hath seen him
there; for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly.
- 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the
lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye again
to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it
shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will
search him out among all the thousands of Judah.
- 24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but
David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the
Arabah on the south of the desert.
- 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told
David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in
the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he
pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
- 26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David
and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made
haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men
compassed David and his men round about to take them.
- 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste
thee, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon
the land.
- 28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went
against the Philistines: therefore they called that place
Sela-hammahlekoth.
- 29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the
strongholds of En-gedi.
- 24:1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from
following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying,
Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.
- 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all
Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks
of the wild goats.
- 3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a
cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and
his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.
- 4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of
which Jehovah said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver
thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to him as it
shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off
the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
- 5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote
him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
- 6 And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should
do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put
forth my hand against him, seeing he is Jehovah's
anointed.
- 7 So David checked his men with these words, and suffered
them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of
the cave, and went on his way.
- 8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave,
and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when
Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the
earth, and did obeisance.
- 9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearkenest thou to
men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
- 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah
had delivered thee to-day into my hand in the cave: and
some bade me kill thee; but [mine eye] spared thee; and I
said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for
he is Jehovah's anointed.
- 11 Moreover, 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 evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have
not sinned against thee, though thou huntest after my
life to take it.
- 12 Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge
me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
- 13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Out of the
wicked cometh forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be
upon thee.
- 14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom
dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
- 15 Jehovah therefore be judge, and give sentence between
me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me
out of thy hand.
- 16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of
speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this
thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice,
and wept.
- 17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I;
for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have
rendered unto thee evil.
- 18 And thou hast declared this day how that thou hast
dealt well with me, forasmuch as when Jehovah had
delivered me up into thy hand, thou killedst me not.
- 19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well
away? wherefore Jehovah reward thee good for that which
thou hast done unto me this day.
- 20 And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be
king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established
in thy hand.
- 21 Swear now therefore unto me by Jehovah, that thou wilt
not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not
destroy my name out of my father's house.
- 22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but
David and his men gat them up unto the stronghold.
- 25:1 And Samuel died; and all Israel
gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and
buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and
went down to the wilderness of Paran.
- 2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in
Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three
thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing
his sheep in Carmel.
- 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his
wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding,
and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish
and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.
- 4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was
shearing his sheep.
- 5 And David sent ten young men, and David said unto the
young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and
greet him in my name:
- 6 and thus shall ye say to him that liveth [in
prosperity], Peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy
house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.
- 7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: thy
shepherds have now been with us, and we did them no hurt,
neither was there aught missing unto them, all the while
they were in Carmel.
- 8 Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee: wherefore
let the young men find favor in thine eyes; for we come
in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to
thy hand, unto thy servants, and to thy son David.
- 9 And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal
according to all those words in the name of David, and
ceased.
- 10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is
David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many
servants now-a-days that break away every man from his
master.
- 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh
that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men
of whom I know not whence they are?
- 12 So David's young men turned on their way, and went
back, and came and told him according to all these words.
- 13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his
sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David
also girded on his sword: and there went up after David
about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the
baggage.
- 14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife,
saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the
wilderness to salute our master; and he railed at them.
- 15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not
hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we went with
them, when we were in the fields:
- 16 they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all
the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
- 17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for
evil is determined against our master, and against all
his house: for he is such a worthless fellow, that one
cannot speak to him.
- 18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves,
and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed,
and five measures of parched grain, and a hundred
clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and
laid them on asses.
- 19 And she said unto her young men, Go on before me;
behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband
Nabal.
- 20 And it was so, as she rode on her ass, and came down
by the covert of the mountain, that, behold, David and
his men came down toward her; and she met them.
- 21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all
that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing
was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath
returned me evil for good.
- 22 God do so unto the enemies of David, and more also, if
I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light
so much as one man-child.
- 23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and alighted
from her ass, and fell before David on her face, and
bowed herself to the ground.
- 24 And she fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord,
upon me be the iniquity; and let thy handmaid, I pray
thee, speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy
handmaid.
- 25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this worthless
fellow, even Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal
is his name, and folly is with him: but I thy handmaid
saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
- 26 Now therefore, my lord, as Jehovah liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, seeing Jehovah hath withholden thee from
bloodguiltiness, and from avenging thyself with thine own
hand, now therefore let thine enemies, and them that seek
evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
- 27 And now this present which thy servant hath brought
unto my lord, let it be given unto the young men that
follow my lord.
- 28 Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid:
for Jehovah will certainly make my lord a sure house,
because my lord fighteth the battles of Jehovah; and evil
shall not be found in thee all thy days.
- 29 And though men be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek
thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the
bundle of life with Jehovah thy God; and the souls of
thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the
hollow of a sling.
- 30 And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah shall have
done to my lord according to all the good that he hath
spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee
prince over Israel,
- 31 that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of
heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood
without cause, or that my lord hath avenged himself. And
when Jehovah shall have dealt well with my lord, then
remember thy handmaid.
- 32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God
of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me:
- 33 and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou,
that hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and from
avenging myself with mine own hand.
- 34 For in very deed, as Jehovah, the God of Israel,
liveth, who hath withholden me from hurting thee, except
thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had
not been left unto Nabal by the morning light so much as
one man-child.
- 35 So David received of her hand that which she had
brought him: and he said unto her, Go up in peace to thy
house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have
accepted thy person.
- 36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a
feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's
heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken:
wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the
morning light.
- 37 And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was
gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things,
and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
- 38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that Jehovah
smote Nabal, so that he died.
- 39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said,
Blessed be Jehovah, that hath pleaded the cause of my
reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept back his
servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Nabal hath
Jehovah returned upon his own head. And David sent and
spake concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
- 40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to
Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David hath sent us
unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.
- 41 And she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the
earth, and said, Behold, thy handmaid is a servant to
wash the feet of the servants of my lord.
- 42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass,
with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she went
after the messengers of David, and became his wife.
- 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they became
both of them his wives.
- 44 Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife,
to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.
- 26:1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying,
Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah,
which is before the desert?
- 2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of
Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with
him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
- 3 And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is
before the desert, by the way. But David abode in the
wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the
wilderness.
- 4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that
Saul was come of a certainty.
- 5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had
encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and
Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul
lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were
encamped round about him.
- 6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite,
and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab,
saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And
Abishai said, I will go down with thee.
- 7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and,
behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons,
with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner
and the people lay round about him.
- 8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine
enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let me smite
him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one
stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.
- 9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can
put forth his hand against Jehovah's anointed, and be
guiltless?
- 10 And David said, As Jehovah liveth, Jehovah will smite
him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down
into battle and perish.
- 11 Jehovah forbid that I should put forth my hand against
Jehovah's anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spear
that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us
go.
- 12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from
Saul's head; and they gat them away: and no man saw it,
nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all
asleep, because a deep sleep from Jehovah was fallen upon
them.
- 13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on
the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being
between them;
- 14 and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of
Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner
answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?
- 15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a [valiant] man?
and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast
thou not kept watch over 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 Jehovah
liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept
watch over your lord, Jehovah's anointed. And now see
where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that
was at his head.
- 17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy
voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my
lord, O king.
- 18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his
servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my
hand?
- 19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear
the words of his servant. If it be Jehovah that hath
stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering:
but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before
Jehovah: for they have driven me out this day that I
should not cleave unto the inheritance of Jehovah,
saying, Go, serve other gods.
- 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away
from the presence of Jehovah: for the king of Israel is
come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a
partridge in the mountains.
- 21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David;
for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was
precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played
the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
- 22 And David answered and said, Behold the spear, O king!
let then one of the young men come over and fetch it.
- 23 And Jehovah will render to every man his righteousness
and his faithfulness; forasmuch as Jehovah delivered thee
into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth my hand
against Jehovah's anointed.
- 24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in
mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of
Jehovah, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.
- 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son
David: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely
prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his
place.
- 27:1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one
day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me
than that I should escape into the land of the
Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any
more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out
of his hand.
- 2 And David arose, and passed over, he and the six
hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of
Maoch, king of Gath.
- 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men,
every man with his household, even David with his two
wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the
Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.
- 4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and
he sought no more again for him.
- 5 And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor
in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the
cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why
should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
- 6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag
pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
- 7 And the number of the days that David dwelt in the
country of the Philistines was a full year and four
months.
- 8 And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the
Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for
those [nations] were the inhabitants of the land, who
were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of
Egypt.
- 9 And David smote the land, and saved neither man nor
woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and
the asses, and the camels, and the apparel; and he
returned, and came to Achish.
- 10 And Achish said, Against whom have ye made a raid
to-day? And David said, Against the South of Judah, and
against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the
South of the Kenites.
- 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring
them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us,
saying, So did David, and so hath been his manner all the
while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.
- 12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his
people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be
my servant for ever.
- 1Sam 28:1 (ASV) And it came to pass
in those days, that the Philistines gathered their hosts
together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish
said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go
out with me in the host, thou and thy men.
- 2 And David said to Achish, Therefore thou shalt know
what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David,
Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head for ever.
- 3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him,
and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul
had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the
wizards, out of the land.
- 4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and
came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel
together, and they encamped in Gilboa.
- 5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was
afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
- 6 And when Saul inquired of Jehovah, Jehovah answered him
not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
- 7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that
hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire
of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a
woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.
- 8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment,
and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the
woman by night: and he said, Divine unto me, I pray thee,
by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomsoever I
shall name unto thee.
- 9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what
Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have
familiar spirits, and the wizards, 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 Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah
liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this
thing.
- 11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee?
And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
- 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud
voice; and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou
deceived me? for thou art Saul.
- 13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what
seest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I see a god
coming up out of the earth.
- 14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she
said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a
robe. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed
with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.
- 15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me,
to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed;
for the Philistines make war against me, and God is
departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by
prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee,
that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
- 16 And Samuel said, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me,
seeing Jehovah is departed from thee, and is become thine
adversary?
- 17 And Jehovah hath done unto thee, as he spake by me:
and Jehovah hath rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and
given it to thy neighbor, even to David.
- 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of Jehovah, and
didst not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore
hath Jehovah done this thing unto thee this day.
- 19 Moreover Jehovah will deliver Israel also with thee
into the hand of the Philistines; and to-morrow shalt
thou and thy sons be with me: Jehovah will deliver the
host of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.
- 20 Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the
earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of
Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had
eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
- 21 And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore
troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thy handmaid hath
hearkened unto thy voice, and I have put my life in my
hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou
spakest unto me.
- 22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the
voice of thy handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread
before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength,
when thou goest on thy way.
- 23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his
servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and
he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the
earth, and sat upon the bed.
- 24 And the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she
hasted, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded
it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:
- 25 and she brought it before Saul, and before his
servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went
away that night.
- 29:1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their
hosts to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the
fountain which is in Jezreel.
- 2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds,
and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the
rearward with Achish.
- 3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What [do]
these Hebrews [here]? And Achish said unto the princes of
the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul
the king of Israel, who hath been with me these days, or
[rather] these years, and I have found no fault in him
since he fell away [unto me] unto this day?
- 4 But he princes of the Philistines were wroth with him;
and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make
the man return, that he may go back to his place where
thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us
to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to
us: for wherewith should this [fellow] reconcile himself
unto his lord? should it not be with the heads of these
men?
- 5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in
dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, And David
his ten thousands?
- 6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, As Jehovah
liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy
coming in with me in the host is good in my sight; for I
have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming
unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favor thee
not.
- 7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou
displease not the lords of the Philistines.
- 8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and
what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have
been before thee unto this day, that I may not go and
fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
- 9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou
art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding
the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go
up with us to the battle.
- 10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with the
servants of thy lord that are come with thee; and as soon
as ye are up early in the morning, and have light,
depart.
- 11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in
the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines.
And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
- 30:1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were
come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had
made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had
smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire,
- 2 and had taken captive the women [and all] that were
therein, both small and great: they slew not any, but
carried them off, and went their way.
- 3 And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it
was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons,
and their daughters, were taken captive.
- 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up
their voice and wept, until they had no more power to
weep.
- 5 And David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the
Carmelite.
- 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake
of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was
grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters:
but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.
- 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of
Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And
Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
- 8 And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, If I pursue
after this troop, shall I overtake them? And he answered
him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake [them], and
shalt without fail recover [all].
- 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were
with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that
were left behind stayed.
- 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two
hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they could
not go over the brook Besor.
- 11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought
him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and
they gave him water to drink.
- 12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two
clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit
came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk
any water, three days and three nights.
- 13 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and
whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt,
servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because
three days ago I fell sick.
- 14 We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and
upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of
Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
- 15 And David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this
troop? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt
neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my
master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.
- 16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were
spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking,
and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had
taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the
land of Judah.
- 17 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the
evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of
them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels
and fled.
- 18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken;
and David rescued his two wives.
- 19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small
nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor
anything that they had taken to them: David brought back
all.
- 20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, [which]
they drove before those [other] cattle, and said, This is
David's spoil.
- 21 And David came to the two hundred men, who were so
faint that they could not follow David, whom also they
had made to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth
to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him:
and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.
- 22 Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of
those that went with David, and said, Because they went
not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil
that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and
his children, that he may lead them away, and depart.
- 23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with
that which Jehovah hath given unto us, who hath preserved
us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our
hand.
- 24 And who will hearken unto you in this matter? for as
his share is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his
share be that tarrieth by the baggage: they shall share
alike.
- 25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a
statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.
- 26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil
unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying,
Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of
Jehovah:
- 27 To them that were in Beth-el, and to them that were in
Ramoth of the South, and to them that were in Jattir,
- 28 and to them that were in Aroer, and to them that were
in Siphmoth, and to them that were in Eshtemoa,
- 29 and to them that were in Racal, and to them that were
in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them that were
in the cities of the Kenites,
- 30 and to them that were in Hormah, and to them that were
in Bor-ashan, and to them that were in Athach,
- 31 and to them that were in Hebron, and to all the places
where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.
- 31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the
men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell
down slain in mount Gilboa.
- 2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon
his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and
Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.
- 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers
overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of
the archers.
- 4 Then said Saul to his armorbearer, Draw thy sword, and
thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised
come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his
armorbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore
Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
- 5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he
likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.
- 6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armorbearer,
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 beyond the Jordan, saw
that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons
were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the
Philistines came and dwelt in them.
- 8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines
came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his
three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
- 9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor,
and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to
carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to
the people.
- 10 And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth;
and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
- 11 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard
concerning him that which the Philistines had done to
Saul,
- 12 all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and
took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the
wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt
them there.
- 13 And they took their bones, and buried them under the
tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
- 2Sam 1:1 (ASV) And it came to pass
after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the
slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days
in Ziklag;
- 2 it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man
came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes rent,
and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to
David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
- 3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And
he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
- 4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray
thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from
the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and
dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
- 5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How
knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
- 6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by
chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon
his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen
followed hard after him.
- 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called
unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
- 8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him,
I am an Amalekite.
- 9 And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and
slay me; for anguish hath taken hold of me, because my
life is yet whole in me.
- 10 So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was
sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and
I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet
that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my
lord.
- 11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them;
and likewise all the men that were with him:
- 12 and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for
Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of
Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were
fallen by the sword.
- 13 And David said unto the young man that told him,
Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a
sojourner, an Amalekite.
- 14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to
put forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?
- 15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go
near, and fall upon him. And he smote him, so that he
died.
- 16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head;
for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have
slain Jehovah's anointed.
- 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and
over Jonathan his son
- 18 (and he bade them teach the children of Judah [the
song of] the bow: behold, it is written in the book of
Jashar):
- 19 Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty fallen!
- 20 Tell it not in Gath, Publish it not in the streets of
Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
- 21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, Let there be no dew nor rain
upon you, neither fields of offerings: For there the
shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of
Saul, not anointed with oil.
- 22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the
mighty, The bow of Jonathan turned not back, And the
sword of Saul returned not empty.
- 23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their
lives, And in their death they were not divided: They
were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
- 24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed
you in scarlet delicately, Who put ornaments of gold upon
your apparel.
- 25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.
- 26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: Very
pleasant hast thou been unto me: Thy love to me was
wonderful, Passing the love of women.
- 27 How are the mighty fallen, And the weapons of war
perished!
- 2:1 And it came to pass after this, that David inquired
of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities
of Judah? And Jehovah said unto him, Go up. And David
said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.
- 2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also,
Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal
the Carmelite.
- 3 And his men that were with him did David bring up,
every man with his household: and they dwelt in the
cities of Hebron.
- 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed
David king over the house of Judah. And they told David,
saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried
Saul.
- 5 And David sent messengers unto the men of
Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of
Jehovah, that ye have showed this kindness unto your
lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.
- 6 And now Jehovah show lovingkindness and truth unto you:
and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye
have done this thing.
- 7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye
valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house
of Judah have anointed me king over them.
- 8 Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, had
taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over
to Mahanaim;
- 9 and he made him king over Gilead, and over the
Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over
Benjamin, and over all Israel.
- 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he
began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But
the house of Judah followed David.
- 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the
house of Judah was seven years and six months.
- 12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of
Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to
Gibeon.
- 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of
David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and
they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and
the other on the other side of the pool.
- 14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray
thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them
arise.
- 15 Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for
Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve
of the servants of David.
- 16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and
[thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell
down together: wherefore that place was called
Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
- 17 And the battle was very sore that day: and Abner was
beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of
David.
- 18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and
Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a
wild roe.
- 19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned
not to the right hand nor to the left from following
Abner.
- 20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Is it thou,
Asahel? And he answered, It is I.
- 21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right
hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the
young men, and take thee his armor. But Asahel would not
turn aside from following him.
- 22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from
following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the
ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy
brother?
- 23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with
the hinder end of the spear smote him in the body, so
that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down
there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass,
that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down
and died stood still.
- 24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun
went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that
lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
- 25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves
together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on
the top of a hill.
- 26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword
devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be
bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then,
ere thou bid the people return from following their
brethren?
- 27 And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou hadst not
spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone
away, nor followed every one his brother.
- 28 So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood
still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought
they any more.
- 29 And Abner and his men went all that night through the
Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through
all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.
- 30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he
had gathered all the people together, there lacked of
David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.
- 31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and
of Abner's men, [so that] three hundred and threescore
men died.
- 32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the
sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And
Joab and his men went all night, and the day brake upon
them at Hebron.
- 3:1 Now there was long war between
the house of Saul and the house of David: and David waxed
stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker
and weaker.
- 2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his
first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
- 3 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal
the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah
the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
- 4 and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the
fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
- 5 and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These
were born to David in Hebron.
- 6 And it came to pass, while there was war between the
house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made
himself strong in the house of Saul.
- 7 Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the
daughter of Aiah: and [Ish-bosheth] said to Abner,
Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?
- 8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth,
and said, Am I a dog's head that belongeth to Judah? This
day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father,
to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not
delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou
chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman.
- 9 God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Jehovah hath
sworn to David, I do not even so to him;
- 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to
set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah,
from Dan even to Beer-sheba.
- 11 And he could not answer Abner another word, because he
feared him.
- 12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,
saying, Whose is the land? saying [also], Make thy league
with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to
bring about all Israel unto thee.
- 13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee; but
one thing I require of thee: that is, thou shalt not see
my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter,
when thou comest to see my face.
- 14 And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son,
saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me
for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
- 15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband,
even from Paltiel the son of Laish.
- 16 And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and
followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go,
return: and he returned.
- 17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel,
saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over
you:
- 18 now then do it; for Jehovah hath spoken of David,
saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my
people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out
of the hand of all their enemies.
- 19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and
Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron
all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of
Benjamin.
- 20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with
him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him
a feast.
- 21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and
will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they
may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign
over all that thy soul desireth. And David sent Abner
away; and he went in peace.
- 22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from
a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but
Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him
away, and he was gone in peace.
- 23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were
come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came
to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in
peace.
- 24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou
done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou
hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?
- 25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to
deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming
in, and to know all that thou doest.
- 26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent
messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from
the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.
- 27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him
aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him
quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he
died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
- 28 And afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my
kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah for ever of the
blood of Abner the son of Ner:
- 29 let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his
father's house; and let there not fail from the house of
Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that
leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the sword, or that
lacketh bread.
- 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he
had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
- 31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that
were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with
sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David
followed the bier.
- 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted
up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the
people wept.
- 33 And the king lamented for Abner, and said, Should
Abner die as a fool dieth?
- 34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into
fetters: As a man falleth before the children of
iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people wept
again over him.
- 35 And all the people came to cause David to eat bread
while it was yet day; but David sware, saying, God do so
to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else,
till the sun be down.
- 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased
them; as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
- 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day
that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.
- 38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that
there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in
Israel?
- 39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and
these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me:
Jehovah reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.
- 4:1 And when [Ish-bosheth], Saul's son, heard that Abner
was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the
Israelites were troubled.
- 2 And [Ish-bosheth], Saul's son, [had] two men that were
captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and
the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the
Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also
is reckoned to Benjamin:
- 3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have been
sojourners there until this day).
- 4 Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of
his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of
Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him
up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to
flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was
Mephibosheth.
- 5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and
Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the
house of Ish-bosheth, as he took his rest at noon.
- 6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, as
though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him
in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
- 7 Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed
in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and
beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of
the Arabah all night.
- 8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to
Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of
Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy
life; and Jehovah hath avenged my lord the king this day
of Saul, and of his seed.
- 9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the
sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As
Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all
adversity,
- 10 when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead,
thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of
him, and slew him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave
him for his tidings.
- 11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous
person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now
require his blood of your hand, and take you away from
the earth?
- 12 And David commanded his young men, and they slew them,
and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them
up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of
Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in
Hebron.
- 5:1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto
Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and
thy flesh.
- 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou
that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and Jehovah
said to thee, Thou shalt be shepherd of my people Israel,
and thou shalt be prince over Israel.
- 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron;
and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before
Jehovah: and they anointed David king over Israel.
- 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned forty years.
- 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six
months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three
years over all Israel and Judah.
- 6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the
Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spake unto
David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the
lame, thou shalt not come in hither; thinking, David
cannot come in hither.
- 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the
same is the city of David.
- 8 And David said on that day, Whosoever smiteth the
Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and [smite]
the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul.
Wherefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he
cannot come into the house.
- 9 And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the
city of David. And David built round about from Millo and
inward.
- 10 And David waxed greater and greater; for Jehovah, the
God of hosts, was with him.
- 11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and
cedar-trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built
David a house.
- 12 And David perceived that Jehovah had established him
king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for
his people Israel's sake.
- 13 And David took him more concubines and wives out of
Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were
yet sons and daughters born to David.
- 14 And these are the names of those that were born unto
him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and
Solomon,
- 15 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
- 16 and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet.
- 17 And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed
David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to
seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the
stronghold.
- 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in
the valley of Rephaim.
- 19 And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up
against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my
hand? And Jehovah said unto David, Go up; for I will
certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand.
- 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them
there; and he said, Jehovah hath broken mine enemies
before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called
the name of that place Baal-perazim.
- 21 And they left their images there; and David and his
men took them away.
- 22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread
themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
- 23 And when David inquired of Jehovah, he said, Thou
shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come
upon them over against the mulberry-trees.
- 24 And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of
marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then
thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is Jehovah gone out
before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.
- 25 And David did so, as Jehovah commanded him, and smote
the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gezer.
- 6:1 And David again gathered
together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
- 2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were
with him, from Baale-judah, to bring up from thence the
ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of
Jehovah of hosts that sitteth [above] the cherubim.
- 3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and
brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the
hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the
new cart.
- 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which
was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went
before the ark.
- 5 And David and all the house of Israel played before
Jehovah with all manner of [instruments made of]
fir-wood, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with
timbrels, and with castanets, and with cymbals.
- 6 And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon,
Uzzah put forth [his hand] to the ark of God, and took
hold of it; for the oxen stumbled.
- 7 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah; and
God smote him there for his error; and there he died by
the ark of God.
- 8 And David was displeased, because Jehovah had broken
forth upon Uzzah; and he called that place Perez-uzzah,
unto this day.
- 9 And David was afraid of Jehovah that day; and he said,
How shall the ark of Jehovah come unto me?
- 10 So David would not remove the ark of Jehovah unto him
into the city of David; but David carried it aside into
the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
- 11 And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of
Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and Jehovah blessed
Obed-edom, and all his house.
- 12 And it was told king David, saying, Jehovah hath
blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth
unto him, because of the ark of God. And David went and
brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom
into the city of David with joy.
- 13 And it was so, that, when they that bare the ark of
Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a
fatling.
- 14 And David danced before Jehovah with all his might;
and David was girded with a linen ephod.
- 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the
ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of the
trumpet.
- 16 And it was so, as the ark of Jehovah came into the
city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked
out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing
before Jehovah; and she despised him in her heart.
- 17 And they brought in the ark of Jehovah, and set it in
its place, in the midst of the tent that David had
pitched for it; and David offered burnt-offerings and
peace-offerings before Jehovah.
- 18 And when David had made an end of offering the
burnt-offering and the peace-offerings, he blessed the
people in the name of Jehovah of hosts.
- 19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the
whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to
every one a cake of bread, and a portion [of flesh], and
a cake of raisins. So all the people departed every one
to his house.
- 20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal
the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said,
How glorious was the king of Israel to-day, who uncovered
himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his
servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly
uncovereth himself!
- 21 And David said unto Michal, [It was] before Jehovah,
who chose me above thy father, and above all his house,
to appoint me prince over the people of Jehovah, over
Israel: therefore will I play before Jehovah.
- 22 And I will be yet more vile than this, and will be
base in mine own sight: but of the handmaids of whom thou
hast spoken, of them shall I be had in honor.
- 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the
day of her death.
- 7:1 And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his
house, and Jehovah had given him rest from all his
enemies round about,
- 2 that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I
dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth
within curtains.
- 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thy
heart; for Jehovah is with thee.
- 4 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of
Jehovah came unto Nathan, saying,
- 5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah, Shalt
thou build me a house for me to dwell in?
- 6 for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I
brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to
this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
- 7 In all places wherein I have walked with all the
children of Israel, spake I a word with any of the tribes
of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people
Israel, saying, Why have ye not built me a house of
cedar?
- 8 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant
David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I took thee from the
sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest
be prince over my people, over Israel;
- 9 and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest,
and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and
I will make thee a great name, like unto the name of the
great ones that are in the earth.
- 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and
will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place,
and be moved no more; neither shall the children of
wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,
- 11 and [as] from the day that I commanded judges to be
over my people Israel; and I will cause thee to rest from
all thine enemies. Moreover Jehovah telleth thee that
Jehovah will make thee a house.
- 12 When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with
thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that
shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his
kingdom.
- 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will
establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
- 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he
commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men,
and with the stripes of the children of men;
- 15 but my lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I
took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
- 16 And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure for
ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for
ever.
- 17 According to all these words, and according to all
this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
- 18 Then David the king went in, and sat before Jehovah;
and he said, Who am I, O Lord Jehovah, and what is my
house, that thou hast brought me thus far?
- 19 And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes, O Lord
Jehovah; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house
for a great while to come; and this [too] after the
manner of men, O Lord Jehovah!
- 20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou
knowest thy servant, O Lord Jehovah.
- 21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart,
hast thou wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant
know it.
- 22 Wherefore thou art great, O Jehovah God: for there is
none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee,
according to all that we have heard with our ears.
- 23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people,
even like Israel, whom God went to redeem unto himself
for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great
things for you, and terrible things for thy land, before
thy people, whom thou redeemest to thee out of Egypt,
[from] the nations and their gods?
- 24 And thou didst establish to thyself thy people Israel
to be a people unto thee for ever; and thou, Jehovah,
becamest their God.
- 25 And now, O Jehovah God, the word that thou hast spoken
concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, confirm
thou it for ever, and do as thou hast spoken.
- 26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying,
Jehovah of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of thy
servant David shall be established before thee.
- 27 For thou, O Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, hast
revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee a
house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to
pray this prayer unto thee.
- 28 And now, O Lord Jehovah, thou art God, and thy words
are truth, and thou hast promised this good thing unto
thy servant:
- 29 now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of
thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee;
for thou, O Lord Jehovah, hast spoken it: and with thy
blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for
ever.
- 8:1 And after this it came to pass, that David smote the
Philistines, and subdued them: and David took the bridle
of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.
- 2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line,
making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured
two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep
alive. And the Moabites became servants to David, and
brought tribute.
- 3 David smote also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of
Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.
- 4 And David took from him a thousand and seven hundred
horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hocked
all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for a
hundred chariots.
- 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor
Hadadezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians two
and twenty thousand men.
- 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the
Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute.
And Jehovah gave victory to David whithersoever he went.
- 7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the
servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
- 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer,
king David took exceeding much brass.
- 9 And when Toi king of Hamath heard that David had
smitten all the host of Hadadezer,
- 10 then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute
him, and to bless him, because he had fought against
Hadadezer and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with
Toi. And [Joram] brought with him vessels of silver, and
vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:
- 11 These also did king David dedicate unto Jehovah, with
the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations
which he subdued;
- 12 of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon,
and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil
of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
- 13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting
the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand
men.
- 14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put
he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to
David. And Jehovah gave victory to David whithersoever he
went.
- 15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed
justice and righteousness unto all his people.
- 16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and
Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
- 17 and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of
Abiathar, were priests; and Seraiah was scribe;
- 18 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was over] the
Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were
chief ministers.
- 9:1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the
house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for
Jonathan's sake?
- 2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name
was Ziba, and they called him unto David; and the king
said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is
he.
- 3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of
Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And
Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, who is
lame of his feet.
- 4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said
unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the
son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.
- 5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house
of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.
- 6 And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul,
came unto David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance.
And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold,
thy servant!
- 7 And David said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely
show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and
will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and
thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
- 8 And he did obeisance, and said, What is thy servant,
that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?
- 9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said
unto him, All that pertained to Saul and to all his house
have I given unto thy master's son.
- 10 And thou shalt till the land for him, thou, and thy
sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in [the
fruits], that thy master's son may have bread to eat: but
Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my
table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
- 11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my
lord the king commandeth his servant, so shall thy
servant do. As for Mephibosheth, [said the king], he
shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.
- 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica.
And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants
unto Mephibosheth.
- 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem; for he did eat
continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both
his feet.
- 10:1 And it came to pass after
this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and
Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
- 2 And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son
of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me. So
David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his
father. And David's servants came into the land of the
children of Ammon.
- 3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto
Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy
father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath
not David sent his servants unto thee to search the city,
and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
- 4 So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one
half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the
middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
- 5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them; for
the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at
Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
- 6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they were
become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and
hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of
Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah
with a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand
men.
- 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the
host of the mighty men.
- 8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle
in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of
Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were
by themselves in the field.
- 9 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him
before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of
Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
- 10 And the rest of the people he committed into the hand
of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against
the children of Ammon.
- 11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then
thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too
strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
- 12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our
people, and for the cities of our God: and Jehovah do
that which seemeth him good.
- 13 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh
unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before
him.
- 14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians
were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered
into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of
Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
- 15 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the
worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
- 16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that
were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with
Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their
head.
- 17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel
together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam.
And the Syrians set themselves in array against David,
and fought with him.
- 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of
the Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and
forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of
their host, so that he died there.
- 19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer
saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they
made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians
feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
- 11:1 And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at
the time when kings go out [to battle], that David sent
Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they
destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But
David tarried at Jerusalem.
- 2 And it came to pass at eventide, that David arose from
off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's
house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the
woman was very beautiful to look upon.
- 3 And David send and inquired after the woman. And one
said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the
wife of Uriah the Hittite?
- 4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came
in unto him, and he lay with her (for she was purified
from her uncleanness); and she returned unto her house.
- 5 And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David,
and said, I am with child.
- 6 And David sent to Joab, [saying], Send me Uriah the
Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
- 7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David asked of him
how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war
prospered.
- 8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash
thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and
there followed him a mess [of food] from the king.
- 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with
all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his
house.
- 10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not
down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Art thou not
come from a journey? wherefore didst thou not go down
unto thy house?
- 11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and
Judah, abide in booths; and my lord Joab, and the
servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field;
shall I then go into my house, to eat and to drink, and
to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul
liveth, I will not do this thing.
- 12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to-day also, and
to-morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in
Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
- 13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink
before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went
out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but
went not down to his house.
- 14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a
letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
- 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in
the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from
him, that he may be smitten, and die.
- 16 And it came to pass, when Joab kept watch upon the
city, that he assigned Uriah unto the place where he knew
that valiant men were.
- 17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with
Joab: and there fell some of the people, even of the
servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
- 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things
concerning the war;
- 19 and he charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast
made an end of telling all the things concerning the war
unto the king,
- 20 it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he
say unto thee, Wherefore went ye so nigh unto the city to
fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
- 21 who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a
woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so
that he died at Thebez? why went ye so nigh the wall?
then shalt thou say, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is
dead also.
- 22 So the messenger went, and came and showed David all
that Joab had sent him for.
- 23 And the messenger said unto David, The men prevailed
against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we
were upon them even unto the entrance of the gate.
- 24 And the shooters shot at thy servants from off the
wall; and some of the king's servants are dead, and thy
servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
- 25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou
say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the
sword devoureth one as well as another; make thy battle
more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and
encourage thou him.
- 26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her
husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.
- 27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and took
her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bare
him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased
Jehovah.
- 2Sam 12:1 (ASV) And Jehovah sent Nathan unto David. And
he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men
in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
- 2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds;
- 3 but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb,
which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up
together with him, and with his children; it did eat of
his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his
bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
- 4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he
spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to
dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but
took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that
was come to him.
- 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man;
and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah liveth, the man that
hath done this is worthy to die:
- 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did
this thing, and because he had no pity.
- 7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith
Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over
Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
- 8 and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's
wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel
and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would
have added unto thee such and such things.
- 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do
that which is evil in his sight? thou hast smitten Uriah
the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be
thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the
children of Ammon.
- 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy
house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the
wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
- 11 Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will raise up evil
against thee out of thine own house; and I will take thy
wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor,
and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
- 12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing
before all Israel, and before the sun.
- 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against
Jehovah. And Nathan said unto David, Jehovah also hath
put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
- 14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great
occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, the
child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
- 15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And Jehovah struck
the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was
very sick.
- 16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David
fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
- 17 And the elders of his house arose, [and stood] beside
him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not,
neither did he eat bread with them.
- 18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child
died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that
the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the
child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he hearkened
not unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we
tell him that the child is dead!
- 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering
together, David perceived that the child was dead; and
David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they
said, He is dead.
- 20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and
anointed himself, and changed his apparel; and he came
into the house of Jehovah, and worshipped: then he came
to his own house; and when he required, they set bread
before him, and he did eat.
- 21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this
that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the
child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead,
thou didst rise and eat bread.
- 22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted
and wept: for I said, Who knoweth whether Jehovah will
not be gracious to me, that the child may live?
- 23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I
bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not
return to me.
- 24 And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in
unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he
called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him;
- 25 and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he
called his name Jedidiah, for Jehovah's sake.
- 26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of
Ammon, and took the royal city.
- 27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have
fought against Rabbah; yea, I have taken the city of
waters.
- 28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together,
and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the
city, and it be called after my name.
- 29 And David gathered all the people together, and went
to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.
- 30 And he took the crown of their king from off his head;
and the weight thereof was a talent of gold, and [in it
were] precious stones; and it was set on David's head.
And he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding
much.
- 31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and
put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under
axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln:
and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of
Ammon. And David and all the people returned unto
Jerusalem.
- 13:1 And it came to pass after
this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister,
whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved
her.
- 2 And Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick because of his
sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to
Amnon to do anything unto her.
- 3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son
of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very
subtle man.
- 4 And he said unto him, Why, O son of the king, art thou
thus lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And
Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's
sister.
- 5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed,
and feign thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see
thee, say unto him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray
thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my
sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.
- 6 So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick: and when
the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king,
Let her sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a
couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her
hand.
- 7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy
brother Amnon's house, and dress him food.
- 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was
laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made
cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.
- 9 And she took the pan, and poured them out before him;
but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men
from me. And they went out every man from him.
- 10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the food into the
chamber, that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the
cakes which she had made, and brought them into the
chamber to Amnon her brother.
- 11 And when she had brought them near unto him to eat, he
took hold of her, and said unto her, Come, lie with me,
my sister.
- 12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force
me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not
thou this folly.
- 13 And I, whither shall I carry my shame? and as for
thee, thou wilt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now
therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will
not withhold me from thee.
- 14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice; but being
stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.
- 15 Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for
the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the
love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her,
Arise, be gone.
- 16 And she said unto him, Not so, because this great
wrong in putting me forth is [worse] than the other that
thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.
- 17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him,
and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the
door after her.
- 18 And she had a garment of divers colors upon her; for
with such robes were the king's daughters that were
virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and
bolted the door after her.
- 19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment
of divers colors that was on her; and she laid her hand
on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.
- 20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy
brother been with thee? but now hold thy peace, my
sister: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart.
So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's
house.
- 21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was
very wroth.
- 22 And Absalom spake unto Amnon neither good nor bad; for
Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister
Tamar.
- 23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom
had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside
Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
- 24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now,
thy servant hath sheep-shearers; let the king, I pray
thee, and his servants go with thy servant.
- 25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not
all go, lest we be burdensome unto thee. And he pressed
him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.
- 26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother
Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should
he go with thee?
- 27 But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the
king's sons go with him.
- 28 And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye
now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I
say unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill him; fear not; have
not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.
- 29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom
had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every
man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.
- 30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that
the tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all
the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.
- 31 Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on
the earth; and all his servants stood by with their
clothes rent.
- 32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother,
answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have
killed all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only
is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been
determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.
- 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing
to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead;
for Amnon only is dead.
- 34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the
watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there
came much people by the way of the hill-side behind him.
- 35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's
sons are come: as thy servant said, so it is.
- 36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of
speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted
up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his
servants wept very sore.
- 37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of
Ammihur, king of Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son
every day.
- 38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there
three years.
- 39 And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth unto
Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he
was dead.
- 14:1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the
king's heart was toward Absalom.
- 2 And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise
woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to
be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee,
and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that
hath a long time mourned for the dead:
- 3 and go in to the king, and speak on this manner unto
him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.
- 4 And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell
on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said,
Help, O king.
- 5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she
answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is
dead.
- 6 And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove
together in the field, and there was none to part them,
but the one smote the other, and killed him.
- 7 And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy
handmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his
brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother
whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will
they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my
husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the
earth.
- 8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and
I will give charge concerning thee.
- 9 And the woman of Tekoa said unto the king, My lord, O
king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house;
and the king and his throne be guiltless.
- 10 And the king said, Whosoever saith aught unto thee,
bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
- 11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember
Jehovah thy God, that the avenger of blood destroy not
any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As
Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall
to the earth.
- 12 Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee,
speak a word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
- 13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou devised
such a thing against the people of God? for in speaking
this word the king is as one that is guilty, in that the
king doth not fetch home again his banished one.
- 14 For we must needs die, and are as water split on the
ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth
God take away life, but deviseth means, that he that is
banished be not an outcast from him.
- 15 Now therefore seeing that I am come to speak this word
unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made
me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto
the king; it may be that the king will perform the
request of his servant.
- 16 For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of
the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son
together out of the inheritance of God.
- 17 Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of
my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God,
so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and
Jehovah thy God be with thee.
- 18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide
not from me, I pray thee, aught that I shall ask thee.
And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.
- 19 And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with thee in
all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul
liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand
or to the left from aught that my lord the king hath
spoken; for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all
these words in the mouth of thy handmaid;
- 20 to change the face of the matter hath thy servant Joab
done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the
wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in
the earth.
- 21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done
this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom
back.
- 22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did
obeisance, and blessed the king: and Joab said, To-day
thy servant knoweth that I have found favor in thy sight,
my lord, O king, in that the king hath performed the
request of his servant.
- 23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom
to Jerusalem.
- 24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but
let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own
house, and saw not the king's face.
- 25 Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised
as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even
to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
- 26 And when he cut the hair of his head (now it was at
every year's end that he cut it; because it was heavy on
him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his
head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.
- 27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one
daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair
countenance.
- 28 And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem; and he
saw not the king's face.
- 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king;
but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second
time, but he would not come.
- 30 Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field
is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on
fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.
- 31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house,
and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my
field on fire?
- 32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee,
saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to
say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it were better for
me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's
face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me.
- 33 So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he
had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed
himself on his face to the ground before the king: and
the king kissed Absalom.
- 15:1 And it came to pass after
this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and
fifty men to run before him.
- 2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of
the gate: and it was so, that, when any man had a suit
which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom
called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he
said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
- 3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good
and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to
hear thee.
- 4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the
land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might
come unto me, and I would do him justice!
- 5 And it was so, that, when any man came nigh to do him
obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him,
and kissed him.
- 6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came
to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of
the men of Israel.
- 7 And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that
Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and
pay my vow, which I have vowed unto Jehovah, in Hebron.
- 8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in
Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall indeed bring me again to
Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah.
- 9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose,
and went to Hebron.
- 10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of
Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the
trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.
- 11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of
Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their
simplicity; and they knew not anything.
- 12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's
counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was
offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong;
for the people increased continually with Absalom.
- 13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The
hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
- 14 And David said unto all his servants that were with
him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none
of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart,
lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us,
and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
- 15 And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold,
thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king
shall choose.
- 16 And the king went forth, and all his household after
him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines,
to keep the house.
- 17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him;
and they tarried in Beth-merhak.
- 18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the
Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the
Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath,
passed on before the king.
- 19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore
goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king:
for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile; [return] to
thine own place.
- 20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day
make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I
may? return thou, and take back thy brethren; mercy and
truth be with thee.
- 21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As Jehovah
liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what
place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for
life, even there also will thy servant be.
- 22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai
the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the
little ones that were with him.
- 23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all
the people passed over: the king also himself passed over
the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward
the way of the wilderness.
- 24 And, lo, Zadok also [came], and all the Levites with
him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set
down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the
people had done passing out of the city.
- 25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of
God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of
Jehovah, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and
his habitation:
- 26 but if he say thus, I have no delight in thee; behold,
here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
- 27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art thou
[not] a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two
sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of
Abiathar.
- 28 See, I will tarry at the fords of the wilderness,
until there come word from you to certify me.
- 29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God
again to Jerusalem: and they abode there.
- 30 And David went up by the ascent of the [mount of]
Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head
covered, and went barefoot: and all the people that were
with him covered every man his head, and they went up,
weeping as they went up.
- 31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the
conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I
pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into
foolishness.
- 32 And it came to pass, that, when David was come to the
top [of the ascent], where God was worshipped, behold,
Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent,
and earth upon his head.
- 33 And David said unto him, If thou passest on with me,
then thou wilt be a burden unto me:
- 34 but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom,
I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy
father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy
servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of
Ahithophel.
- 35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar
the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing
soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou
shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
- 36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons,
Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and
by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye shall
hear.
- 37 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city; and
Absalom came into Jerusalem.
- 16:1 And when David was a little past the top [of the
ascent], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met
him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two
hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of
raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of
wine.
- 2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by
these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's
household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for
the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are
faint in the wilderness may drink.
- 3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And
Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem;
for he said, To-day will the house of Israel restore me
the kingdom of my father.
- 4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine is all that
pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I do
obeisance; let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, O
king.
- 5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came
out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul,
whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and
cursed still as he came.
- 6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of
king David: and all the people and all the mighty men
were on his right hand and on his left.
- 7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone,
thou man of blood, and base fellow:
- 8 Jehovah hath returned upon thee all the blood of the
house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and
Jehovah hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of
Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art [taken] in thine
own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.
- 9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why
should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go
over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
- 10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons
of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because Jehovah hath
said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore
hast thou done so?
- 11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants,
Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my
life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let
him alone, and let him curse; for Jehovah hath bidden
him.
- 12 It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done
unto me, and that Jehovah will requite me good for [his]
cursing of me this day.
- 13 So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went
along on the hill-side over against him, and cursed as he
went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.
- 14 And the king, and all the people that were with him,
came weary; and he refreshed himself there.
- 15 And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel,
came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
- 16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's
friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto
Absalom, [Long] live the king, [Long] live the king.
- 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to
thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
- 18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom Jehovah,
and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen,
his will I be, and with him will I abide.
- 19 And again, whom should I serve? [should I] not [serve]
in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy
father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.
- 20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give your counsel
what we shall do.
- 21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy
father's concubines, that he hath left to keep the house;
and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy
father: then will the hands of all that are with thee be
strong.
- 22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the
house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines
in the sight of all Israel.
- 23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those
days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so
was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and
with Absalom.
-