The First Book of
SAMUEL
-- Literal Translation of the Holy Bible - Copyright © 1976 - 2000 --

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1 Samuel 1
1 ¶ And there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim from the hills of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.
2 And he had two wives, the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 And that man went up from his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice before Jehovah of Hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to Jehovah there.
4 And came the day, and Elkanah sacrificed. And he would give to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and her daughters portions.
5 And to Hannah he gave one double portion, for he loved Hannah. And Jehovah had shut up her womb.
6 And even to vexation her rival provoked her, so as to make her tremble, because Jehovah had shut up her womb.
7 And so he did year by year, as often as she went up to the house of Jehovah, so she provoked her. And she wept, and did not eat.
8 And her husband Elkanah said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart afflicted? Am I not better to you than ten sons?
9 ¶ And Hannah rose up after eating in Shiloh, and after drinking. And Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the side post of the temple of Jehovah.
10 And she was bitter of soul, and prayed to Jehovah, and weeping she wept.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of Hosts, if looking You will look upon the affliction of Your handmaid, and shall remember me, and not forget Your handmaid, and shall give to Your handmaid a seed of men, then I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life; and a razor shall not go up on his head.
12 And it happened, when she prayed long before Jehovah, Eli was watching her mouth.
13 And Hannah was speaking in her heart; only, her lips moved; but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought that she was drunk.
14 And Eli said to her, Until when will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you.
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord; I am a woman pained in spirit. And I have not drunk wine or fermented drink, but I am pouring out my soul before Jehovah.
16 Do not put your handmaid down for a daughter of wickedness; for from the abundance of my complaint and frustration until now I have been speaking.
17 And Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you your petition which you have asked of Him.
18 And she said, Let your handmaid find grace in your eyes. And the woman went her way, and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
19 ¶ And they rose up early in the morning and worshiped before Jehovah. And they went back and came to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and Jehovah remembered her.
20 And it happened when the time had come around, Hannah conceived and bore a son. And she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Jehovah.
21 And the man Elkanah and all his house went up to sacrifice to Jehovah a sacrifice of the days, and to vow his vow.
22 And Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, Until the child is weaned, then I will bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah and remain there forever.
23 And her husband Elkanah said to her, Do that which is good in your eyes. Remain until you wean him. Only, may Jehovah lift up His Word. And the woman remained, and suckled her son until she had weaned him.
24 And when she had weaned him, she brought him up with her, along with three bulls, and one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. And she brought him to the house of Jehovah at Shiloh. And the child was a young one.
25 And they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli.
26 And she said, O my lord, may your soul live! My lord, I am the woman who stood with you here to pray to Jehovah.
27 I prayed for this boy, and Jehovah has given my petition to me which I asked of Him.
28 And I have asked him to be given to Jehovah all the days which he shall be, he is asked for Jehovah. And he worshiped there before Jehovah.

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1 Samuel 2
1 ¶ And Hannah prayed and said: My heart has exulted in Jehovah; my horn has been high in Jehovah. My mouth has been large over my enemies; for I have rejoiced in Your salvation.
2 None is holy like Jehovah, for there is none except You; yea, there is no rock like our God.
3 Do not multiply your haughty words; let not arrogance go out from your mouth; for Jehovah is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.
4 Bows of the mighty are broken; and they that stumble gird on strength.
5 They that were full have hired themselves out for bread; and the hungry have ceased, while the barren has borne seven; yea, she who had many sons has languished.
6 Jehovah kills and keeps alive; He brings down and causes to go to Sheol.
7 Jehovah brings down, and He gives riches; He brings low; yea, He lifts up high.
8 He raises the poor from the dust; He lifts up the needy from the dunghill, to cause them to sit with nobles; yea, He causes them to inherit a throne of honor; for to Jehovah are the pillars of the earth; and He sets the habitable world on them.
9 He keeps the feet of His saints, and the wicked are silenced in darkness; for man does not become mighty by power.
10 They who strive with Jehovah will be smashed; He thunders in the heavens against him. Jehovah judges the ends of the earth and gives strength to His king; and He exalts the horn of His anointed.
11 ¶ And Elkanah went to Ramah, to his house. And the child served Jehovah before Eli the priest.
12 And the sons of Eli were sons of worthlessness; they did not know Jehovah.
13 And the custom of the priests with the people was: any man offering a sacrifice and the priest's young man came when the flesh was boiling with the three-toothed hook in his hand,
14 even he stuck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the hook brought up, the priest took for himself. So they did to all Israel who came in there to Shiloh.
15 Yea, before they made the fat to smoke, then the priest's young man came in. And he said to the man who was sacrificing, Give meat to roast for the priest; and he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw.
16 And if the man said to him, Let the fat be made to smoke as the day, and then take as much as your soul desires; then he would say, No, but you shall give now. And if not, I will take it by force.
17 And the sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah, for the men had despised the offering of Jehovah.
18 And Samuel was serving before Jehovah, a boy girded with an ephod of linen.
19 And his mother made a small coat for him, and she brought it up to him from year to year, as she came up with her husband to offer the sacrifice of the days.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah shall give you seed of this woman, because of the petition she prayed to Jehovah. And they went away to their place.
21 So Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up with Jehovah.
22 And Eli was very old and had heard all that his sons did to Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
23 And he said to them, Why do you do things like these? For I am hearing of your evil doings from all these people.
24 No my sons, for the report which I am hearing is not good, causing the people of Jehovah to transgress.
25 If a man sins against a man, then God shall judge him. But if a man sins against Jehovah, who shall pray for him? But they did not listen to the voice of their father because Jehovah desired to execute them.
26 And the boy Samuel went on, growing both in stature and in good looks, both with Jehovah and also with men.
27 ¶ And a man of God came to Eli, and said to him, So says Jehovah: Did I reveal Myself plainly to the house of your father when they were in Egypt, at the house of Pharaoh,
28 even to choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be priest to Me, to go up on My altar, to cause incense to smoke, to bear an ephod before Me? And did I give to your father's house all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel?
29 Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I commanded in My habitation? And why do you honor your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of My people?
30 So says Jehovah the God of Israel, I said indeed that your house and your father's house should walk before Me until forever. But now Jehovah says, Be it far from Me! For those who honor Me I will honor; and those despising Me will be despicable.
31 Behold, days come when I shall cut off your arm, and the arm of your father's house, that no old man shall be in your house.
32 And you shall see an adversary in My habitation, in all that he does good with Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house all the days.
33 And the man of yours that I shall not cut off from My altar shall be to cause your eyes to fail, and to grieve your soul. And all the increase of your house shall die young men.
34 And this shall be the sign to you, that which shall come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day the both of them shall die.
35 And I shall raise up for Myself a faithful priest. He shall do all that is in My heart and in My soul. And I shall build for him a sure house; and he shall walk before My anointed all the days.
36 And it shall be, everyone who is left in your house shall come in to bow to him for a wage of silver and a loaf of bread. And they shall say, please admit me into one of the priest's offices to eat a bit of bread.

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1 Samuel 3
1 ¶ And the boy Samuel was serving Jehovah before Eli. And the Word of Jehovah was rare in those days. There was no breaking-through vision.
2 And it happened at that time, Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes had begun to be dim; he was not able to see.
3 And the lamp of God had not yet gone out. And Samuel was lying down in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God rested.
4 And Jehovah called to Samuel. And he said, Behold me.
5 And he ran to Eli and said, Behold, I am here. For you have called to me. And he said, I did not call. Go back and lie down. And he went and lay down.
6 And Jehovah again called Samuel. And Samuel rose up and went to Eli and said, Behold me, for you have called me. And he said, I have not called, my son. Go back and lie down.
7 And Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, and the Word of Jehovah had not yet been revealed to him.
8 And Jehovah again called Samuel the third time. And he rose up and went to Eli and said, Behold me, for you have called me. And Eli understood that Jehovah was calling the boy.
9 And Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if One calls you, even you shall say, Speak, O Jehovah, for Your servant hears. And Samuel lay down in his place.
10 And Jehovah came and stood, and called as the other times, Samuel, Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for Your servant hears.
11 ¶ And Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold! I am doing a thing in Israel at which the two ears of every one hearing it shall tingle.
12 In that day I will confirm to Eli all that I have spoken to his house, beginning and making an end.
13 And I declare to him that I am judging his house forever, for the iniquity which he has known; for his sons have been making themselves vile, and he has not restrained them.
14 And so I have sworn to the house of Eli, the iniquity of the house of Eli shall not be atoned for, by sacrifice or by offering, until forever.
15 And Samuel lay until the morning. And he opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel was afraid to declare the vision to Eli.
16 And Eli called Samuel and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Behold me.
17 And he said, What is the word which He has spoken to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you keep back anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.
18 And Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide from him. And he said, It is Jehovah; He does that which is good in His eyes.
19 ¶ And Samuel grew up, and Jehovah was with him, and did not let any of his words fall to the earth.
20 And all Israel knew, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, that Samuel was confirmed to be a prophet to Jehovah.
21 And Jehovah again appeared in Shiloh. For Jehovah revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh, by the Word of Jehovah.

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1 Samuel 4
1 ¶ And the word of Samuel was revealed to all Israel. And Israel went out to meet the Philistines for battle. And they pitched beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
2 And the Philistines set themselves in order to meet Israel, and the battle was spread. And Israel was stricken before the Philistines. And they struck about four thousand men from the battle line in the field.
3 And the people came into the camp, and the elders of Israel said, Why has Jehovah stricken us today before the Philistines? Let us take the ark of the covenant of Jehovah to us, and let it come into our midst; and it will save us from the hand of our enemies.
4 And the people sent to Shiloh, and they took from there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubs. And the two sons of Eli were there with the ark of the covenant of God, Hophni and Phinehas.
5 And it happened, when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, all Israel shouted a great shout, and the earth shook.
6 And the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, and said, What is the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they saw that the ark of Jehovah had come into the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come to the camp. And they said, Woe to us! For never has it been like this before.
8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us out of the hand of these great gods? These are the gods who struck Egypt with every plague in the wilderness.
9 Make yourselves strong and become men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were slaves to you. Then you must be men and fight.
10 ¶ And the Philistines fought, and Israel was beaten. And they each one fled to his tent. And the blow was very great, and thirty thousand footmen of Israel fell.
11 And the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli died, Hophni and Phinehas.
12 ¶ And a man of Benjamin ran out of the battle line and came to Shiloh on that day. And his clothes were torn, and earth on his head.
13 And he came in. And, behold, Eli was sitting on the seat by the side of the highway, watching. For his heart trembled for the ark of God. And the man came in to report in the city. And all the city cried out.
14 And Eli heard the noise of the cry, and said, What is the noise of this tumult? And the man hurried and came and reported to Eli.
15 And Eli was ninety eight years old, and his eyes were set, and he was not able to see.
16 And the man said to Eli, I am he who has come from the ranks, and I fled today out of the battle line. And he said, How did the matter go, my son?
17 And he bearing the news answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines; and also there has been a great slaughter among the people. And also your two sons have died, Hophni and Phinehas. And the ark of God has been taken.
18 And it happened when he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward, by the side of the gate. And his neck was broken, and he died. For the man was old and heavy. And he judged Israel forty years.
19 ¶ And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child, about to bear. And she heard the report of the taking of the ark of God, and that her father-in-law and her husband had died. And she bowed and bore, for her pains had turned in on her.
20 And at the time of her death, when the women who stood by her said, Fear not, for you have borne a son; she did not even answer, nor set her heart.
21 And she called the child Ichabod, saying, The glory has departed from Israel, because of the taking of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 And she said, The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been taken.

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1 Samuel 5
1 ¶ And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
2 And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon, and set it near Dagon.
3 And the men of Ashdod rose early on the next day. And, behold! Dagon had fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of Jehovah! And they took Dagon and put it back in its place.
4 And they rose early in the morning on the next day; and, behold! Dagon had fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of Jehovah, and the head of Dagon, and the two palms of its hands, were cut off at the threshold. Only the flat part had been left to him.
5 On account of this the priests of Dagon, and all those coming into the house of Dagon, do not step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod until this day.
6 ¶ And the hand of Jehovah was heavy on the men of Ashdod. And He wasted them, and struck them with hemorrhoids, Ashdod and its borders.
7 And the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, and said, The ark of God of Israel shall not remain with us, for His hand has been hard on us, and on our god Dagon.
8 And they sent and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines to them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they said, Let the ark of the God of Israel go around to Gath. And they brought around the ark of the God of Israel.
9 And it happened after they had brought it around, the hand of Jehovah was against the city with a very great destruction. And He struck the men of the city, from the least to the greatest; and hemorrhoids broke forth in them.
10 And they sent the ark of God around to Ekron. And it happened as the ark of God came into Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought around the ark of the God of Israel to me to cause me and my people to die.
11 And they sent and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its place, and it may not cause me and my people to die. For there had been a great destruction throughout all the city. The hand of God had been very heavy there.
12 And the men who had not died were stricken with hemorrhoids. And the cry of the city went up to the heavens.

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1 Samuel 6
1 ¶ And the ark of Jehovah was in the field of the Philistines seven months.
2 And the Philistines called for priests and for those divining, saying, What shall we do to the ark of Jehovah? Let us know with what we shall send it to its place.
3 And they said, If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, you shall not send it away empty. For turning back you shall return a guilt offering back to Him. Then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His hand has not turned away from you.
4 And they said, What shall be the guilt offering which we shall send back to Him? And they said, The number of the rulers of the Philistines, five golden hemorrhoids, and five golden mice. For one plague has been on all of you, and on your rulers.
5 And you shall make images of your hemorrhoids, and images of your mice that are corrupting the land, and shall give honor to the God of Israel. It may be that He will lighten His hand from off you and from off your gods, and from off your land.
6 And why do you harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? When He acted powerfully with them, did they not send them away? And they went.
7 And now, take and make one new cart, and two suckling cows, on which a yoke has never gone up. And you shall tie the cows to the cart, and cause their young ones to return home from them.
8 And you shall take the ark of Jehovah and put it on the cart, and the vessels of gold which you shall return to Him for a guilt offering. Put them in a coffer in its side and send it away; and let it go.
9 And watch; if it goes up by way of its own border, to Beth-shemesh, He has done this great evil to us. And if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that touched us; it was an accident to us.
10 ¶ And the men did so. And they took two suckling cows and tied them to the cart. And they shut their young ones in the house.
11 And they placed the ark of Jehovah on the cart, and the coffer with the golden mice and the images of their hemorrhoids.
12 And the cows went straight in the way, on the way to Beth-shemesh. They went on one highway, going and lowing. And they did not turn to the right or to the left. And the rulers of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
13 And those 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 had come to the field of Joshua the Bethshemite, and stood there. And there was a great stone. And they cut the wood of the cart, and they offered the cows as a burnt offering to Jehovah.
15 And the Levites took the ark of Jehovah down, and the coffer which was with it, in which were the vessels of gold. And they placed them on the great stone. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices in that day to Jehovah.
16 And the five rulers of the Philistines saw it, and turned back to Ekron on that day.
17 And these were the golden hemorrhoids which the Philistines sent back as a guilt offering to Jehovah: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron:
18 and the golden mice, the number of all the cities of the Philistines, for the five rulers, from the fortified city even to the hamlet of the villagers, even to the great meadow on which they placed the ark of Jehovah remain until this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
19 ¶ And he struck among the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked into the ark of Jehovah. Yea, He struck seventy among the people, fifty out of a thousand men. And the people mourned because Jehovah destroyed among the people with a great destruction.
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 ones living in Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have sent back the ark of Jehovah. Come down: take it up to you.

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1 Samuel 7
1 ¶ And the men of Kirjath-jearim came and brought up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it to the house of Abinadab, in the hill. And they sanctified his son Eleazar to keep the ark of Jehovah.
2 And it happened from the day the ark began to dwell in Kirjath-jearim, the days became many; yea, they were twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.
3 ¶ And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, saying, If you are returning to Jehovah with all your heart, put aside the foreign gods from among you, and the Ashtoroth. And prepare your heart to Jehovah, and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 And the sons of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Jehovah only.
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Jehovah for you.
6 And they were gathered to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured out before Jehovah. And they fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpah.
7 ¶ And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah. And the rulers of the Philistines went up against Israel, and the sons of Israel heard, and were afraid before the Philistines.
8 And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, Do not cease to cry to Jehovah our God for us, that He save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 And Samuel took a milk lamb and offered a whole burnt offering to Jehovah. And Samuel cried to Jehovah for Israel. And Jehovah answered him.
10 And it happened as Samuel made to go up a whole burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. And Jehovah thundered with a great noise on that day, on the Philistines, and troubled them. And they were stricken before Israel.
11 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them as far as below Beth-car.
12 And Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Stone of Help, saying, Jehovah has helped us until now.
13 ¶ And the Philistines were subdued and did not yet again come into the border of Israel. And the hand of Jehovah was on 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 to Gath. And Israel delivered their border 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 even in a circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all these places.
17 And he returned to Ramah, for his house was there. And there he judged Israel; and he built an altar to Jehovah there.

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1 Samuel 8
1 ¶ And it happened when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 And the name of his first-born was Joel, and the name of his second, Abiah, judges in Beer-sheba.
3 And his sons did not walk in his ways, and turned aside after dishonest gain, and took a bribe, and perverted judgment.
4 ¶ And all the elders of Israel gathered and came in to Samuel, to Ramah.
5 And they said to him, Behold, you have become old, and your sons have not walked in your ways. Now appoint a king to us, to judge us, like all the nations.
6 And the thing was evil in Samuel's eyes when they said, Give to us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.
7 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people, to all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from reigning over them.
8 According to all the works that they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day, when they forsook Me and served other gods, so they are also doing to you.
9 And now listen to their voice. Only, protesting you shall protest to them, and shall declare to them the privilege of the king who shall reign over them.
10 And Samuel spoke all Jehovah's Words to the people who were asking a king from him.
11 And he said, This is the privilege of the king who shall reign over you. He shall take your sons and shall appoint them for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen. And they shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; and to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make weapons for war for him, and weapons for his charioteer.
13 And he will take your daughters for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards, the best; and give them to his servants.
15 And he will tithe your seed and your vineyards, and will give them to his eunuchs and to his servants.
16 And he will take your male slaves and your slave-girls, and the best of your young men, and your asses, and will use them for his own work.
17 He will tithe your flock, and you will be servants to him.
18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves. And Jehovah will not answer you in that day.
19 And the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and said, No, but a king shall be over us.
20 And we shall be, even we, like all the nations. And our king shall judge us and shall go out before us and fight our battles.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and spoke them in the ears of Jehovah.
22 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and you shall cause a king to reign over them. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Each of you go to his city.

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1 Samuel 9
1 ¶ And there was a man of Benjamin, and his name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath the son of Aphiah, a man of Benjamin, a mighty warrior.
2 And he had a young and handsome son, and his name was Saul. And there was not a man among the sons of Israel more handsome than he, being taller than any of the people from his shoulder and upward.
3 ¶ And the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, Please take with you one of the young men, and rise up, go seek the asses.
4 And he passed through the hills of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha. And they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. And he passed through the land of the Benjamites, and they did not find them.
5 And they came to the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his young man with him, Come and we shall turn back, lest my father give up the asses and become anxious for us.
6 And he said to him, Behold now, a man of God is in this city, and the man is held in honor. All that he speaks certainly comes to pass. Now let us go there. It may be he will declare our way to us on which we should go.
7 And Saul said to his young man, Yea, behold, we will go. But what will we bring in to the man? For the bread from our vessels is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What is with us?
8 And the young man answered Saul again and said, Behold, I have found a fourth of a shekel of silver; and I shall give it to the man of God, and he shall declare our way to us.
9 Before in Israel, a man who was going to seek God said this, Come and we shall go to the seer; for the prophet of today before was called the seer.
10 And Saul said to his young man, Your word is good; come and we shall go. And they went into the city where the man of God was.
11 ¶ They were going up the ascent to the city, and found young women going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer in this place?
12 And they replied to them and said, He is. See, he is before you. Hurry now, for today he will come into the city, for the people have a sacrifice in the high place.
13 As you go into the city, so you shall find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, for he shall bless the sacrifice. Afterward they who are called will eat. And now, go up, for this day you will find him.
14 And they went up to the city. They were coming into the middle of the city, and, behold, Samuel was coming out to meet them, to go up to the high place.
15 And Jehovah revealed in Samuel's ear one day before Saul came, saying,
16 At this time tomorrow I will send to you a man out of the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him for the leader over My people Israel. And he shall save My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for his cry has come to Me.
17 When Samuel saw Saul, then Jehovah answered him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall exercise restraint over My people.
18 ¶ And Saul drew near to Samuel amidst the gate, and said, Please tell me where is the seer's house?
19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer. Go up before me into the high place, and you shall eat with me today. And I will send you away in the morning, and all that is in your heart, I will declare to you.
20 And as to the asses which were lost to you three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not to you and to all the house of your father?
21 And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family is the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin. And why have you spoken to me according to this word?
22 And Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the room, and gave to them a place at the head of the invited ones. And they were about thirty men.
23 And Samuel said to the cook, Give the portion which I gave to you, of which I said to you, Set it beside you.
24 And the cook lifted up the leg, and that on it, and set it before Saul. And he said, Behold that which is reserved. Set it before you, eat. For it has been kept for you for this appointed time, saying, I have invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.
25 And they came down from the high place to the city. And he spoke with Saul on the roof.
26 And they rose up early, and about the going up of the dawn it happened that Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, Rise up, and I will send you away. And Saul rose up, and they went out, both of them, he and Samuel, to the outside.
27 They were going down to the edge of the city, and Samuel said to Saul, Say to the young man that he should pass on before us and cross over. And you stand still at this time, and I will cause you to hear the Word of God.

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1 Samuel 10
1 ¶ And Samuel took the flask of oil and poured on his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because Jehovah has anointed you for a leader over His inheritance?
2 As you go from me today even you will find two men by Rachel's tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. And they will say to you, The she asses that you went to seek have been found. And, behold, your father has left off the matters of the she asses and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
3 And you will go on from there even further, and you will come to the great tree of Tabor. And you will find three men going up to God at Bethel, one carrying three kids, and one carrying three loaves of bread, and one carrying a skin of wine.
4 And they will ask you of your welfare and give to you two loaves of bread, and you will take them from their hand.
5 Afterward you will come to the hill of God where there is a fort of the Philistines. And it will happen as you come there to the city even you will meet a band of prophets going down from the high place; and before them will be a harp, and a tambourine, and a flute, and a lyre. And they will be prophesying.
6 And the Spirit of Jehovah will be powerful on you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be turned into another man.
7 And it will be, when these signs come to you, do for yourself what your hand finds, for God is with you.
8 And you will go before me to Gilgal. And, behold! I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings, to sacrifice peace offerings. You will wait seven days until I come to you and make known to you what you shall do.
9 ¶ And it happened when he turned his back to go from Samuel, God changed him with another heart. And all these signs came on that day.
10 And they came there to the hill. And behold! A band of prophets were there to meet him. And the Spirit of God pushed on him, and he prophesied in their midst.
11 And it happened, all who knew him from yesterday and the third day, and saw him even behold, he prophesied with prophets. And the people said, each one to his neighbor, What is this happening to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
12 And a man from there answered and said, And who is their father? On account of this it is for a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?
13 And he finished from prophesying, and he came to the high place.
14 And the uncle of Saul said to him and to his young man, Where did you go? And he said, To seek the she asses. And we saw that they were not, and we went to Samuel.
15 And the uncle of Saul said, Please tell me what Samuel said to you.
16 And Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the she asses were found. But he did not tell what Samuel said about the matter of the kingdom.
17 ¶ And Samuel called the people to Jehovah, to Mizpah.
18 And he said to the sons of Israel, So says Jehovah the God of Israel, I caused Israel to go up from Egypt and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all the kingdoms who oppressed you.
19 But today you have rejected your God who Himself is your deliverer from all your evils and your distresses; yet you say to Him, But set a king over us! And now present yourselves before the face of Jehovah, by your tribes and by your families.
20 And Samuel brought near all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21 And he brought near the tribe of Benjamin by its families, and the family of Matri was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken. And they sought him, but not did find him.
22 And they inquired again of Jehovah, Has the man yet come here? And Jehovah said, Behold he is hiding himself by the baggage.
23 And they ran and took him from there. And he stood in the midst of the people, and he was taller than all the people, from his shoulders and upward.
24 And Samuel said to all the people, Do you see him whom Jehovah has chosen, for none is like him among all the people? And all the people shouted and said, May the king live!
25 And Samuel spoke to the people the duties of the kingdom, and wrote in the book, and placed it before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, each to his house.
26 And Saul also went to his house, to Gibeah, and with him went the force whose hearts God had touched.
27 But the sons of worthlessness said, How can this one deliver us? And they despised him and did not bring a gift to him. But he was as one keeping silent.

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1 Samuel 11
1 ¶ And Nahash the Ammonite went up and camped against Jabesh-gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Cut a covenant for us, and we will serve you.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, With this I will cut a covenant for you, when all the right eye is dug out for you; and I will make it a reproach on all Israel.
3 And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Slack off from us seven days, and we will send messengers in all the boundary of Israel. And if there is no deliverer for us, then we will come out to you.
4 And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul. And they spoke the words in the ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voice and wept.
5 ¶ And, behold, Saul came behind the oxen from the field. And Saul said, What is it to the people, that they weep? And they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the Spirit of God came powerfully on Saul when he heard these words, and his anger glowed greatly.
7 And he took the team of oxen and cut them in pieces, and he sent them into all the boundary of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so it shall be done to his oxen. And the fear of Jehovah fell on the people. And they came out as one man.
8 And he mustered them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah, thirty thousand.
9 And they said to the messengers who came, So you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead. Tomorrow there shall be deliverance for you, in the heat of the sun. And the messengers came and related this to the men of Jabesh; and they rejoiced.
10 And the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you do to us according to all the good in your eyes.
11 And it happened, on the next day Saul put the people in three heads, and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and they struck Ammon until the heat of the day. And it was, the ones left were scattered; in them were not two left together.
12 ¶ And the people said to Samuel, Who is he saying, Shall Saul reign over us? Give the men and we will execute them.
13 And Saul said, Not a man shall be executed on this day, for today Jehovah worked deliverance in Israel.
14 And Samuel said to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.
15 And all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul to reign there in Gilgal, before the face of Jehovah. And they offered Sacrifices of peace offerings there before Jehovah. And Saul and all the men of Israel greatly rejoiced there.

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1 Samuel 12
1 ¶ And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have heard your voice, to all that you said to me, and I made a king to reign over you.
2 And now, behold, the king is walking before you, but I am old and gray. And, behold, my sons, they are with you. And I have walked before your face from my youth until this day.
3 Behold, I am here! Testify against me before Jehovah and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, and whose ass have I taken, and whom have I offended? Whom have I crushed, and from whose hand have I taken a bribe that I might hide my eyes with it; and I will give back to you.
4 And they said, You have not oppressed us, and you have not crushed us, and you have not taken from the hand of any man.
5 And he said to them, Jehovah is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they said, He is witness.
6 ¶ And Samuel said to the people, It is Jehovah who made Moses and Aaron, and who caused your fathers to go up from the land of Egypt.
7 And now stand, and I will contend with you before the face of Jehovah regarding all the righteous acts of Jehovah which He did with you and with your fathers.
8 When Jacob came into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron; and they brought your fathers out from Egypt and made them dwell in this place.
9 And they forgot Jehovah their God. And He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
10 And they cried to Jehovah and said, We have sinned, for we forsook Jehovah and served the Baals and the Ashtoroth, but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies and we will serve You.
11 And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies from all around; and you lived securely.
12 And you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, and you said to me, No, for a king shall reign over us even though Jehovah your God was king over you.
13 And now, behold the king whom you chose, whom you requested. And behold Jehovah gave a king over you.
14 If you will fear Jehovah and serve Him, and listen to His voice, and do not rebel against the mouth of Jehovah, then you, both you and also the king who reigns over you, shall follow Jehovah your God.
15 But if you will not listen to the voice of Jehovah, and you rebel against the mouth of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah shall be against you and against your fathers.
16 ¶ Also, now present yourselves and see this great thing that Jehovah will do before your eyes.
17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah and He will give sounds and rain. And know and see that your evil is great, that which you have done in the eyes of Jehovah, to ask a king for yourselves.
18 And Samuel called to Jehovah. And Jehovah gave sounds and rain in that day. And all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.
19 And all the people said to Samuel, Pray to Jehovah your God for your servants, that we may not die, for we have added this evil to all our sins to ask a king for ourselves.
20 And Samuel said to the people, Do not fear. You have done all this evil, only do not turn aside from following Jehovah, and serve Jehovah with all your heart.
21 And do not turn aside to go after worthless things which do not profit and do not deliver, for they are worthless.
22 For Jehovah will not abandon His people, for the sake of His great name. For Jehovah undertakes to make you a people for Himself.
23 Also I, far be it from me from sinning against Jehovah, from 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 see that He has done great things for you.
25 But if you still do evilly, both you and your king will be swept away.

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1 Samuel 13
1 ¶ It was one year since Saul became king, then he reigned two more years over Israel.
2 And Saul chose for himself three thousand out of Israel. And two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and in the hills of Bethel. And a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And he sent the rest of the people each to his tent.
3 And Jonathan struck the fort of the Philistines in Geba. And the Philistines heard. And Saul blew with the ram's horn throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
4 And all Israel heard, saying, Saul has struck a fort of the Philistines; and also Israel has made himself stink to the Philistines. And all the people were called after Saul, to Gilgal.
5 And the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel, with thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the lip of the sea for multitude. And they came up and pitched in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
6 And the men of Israel saw that they were distressing to them, for the people were distressed. And the people hid themselves in caves, and in crevices, and in crags, and in tombs, and in cisterns.
7 And the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. And Saul was still in Gilgal. And all the people followed him, trembling.
8 ¶ And he waited seven days, according to the set time with Samuel. But Samuel had not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9 And Saul said, Bring near to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings. And he offered up the burnt offering.
10 And it happened, as soon as he finished the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him, and to bless him.
11 And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and you did not come in the days set out, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash,
12 then I said, Now the Philistines will come down to me to Gilgal, and I have not sweetened the face of Jehovah; and I forced myself, and offered a burnt offering.
13 And Samuel said to Saul, You have acted foolishly that you have not kept the command of Jehovah your God which He commanded you. For now Jehovah would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
14 But now your kingdom shall not stand. Jehovah has sought out for Himself a man according to His own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him as leader over His people. For you have not kept that which Jehovah commanded you.
15 ¶ And Samuel rose up and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.
16 And Saul and his son Jonathan, and the people who were found with them, were staying in Gibeah of Benjamin; and the Philistines pitched in Michmash.
17 And the ones ravaging came out of the Philistine camp in three heads; one head turned to the way to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;
18 And another head turned the way to Beth-horon. And another head turned to the way of the border looking down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 And there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.
20 And all Israel went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his plowshare, and his mattock, and his axe, and his plowshare.
21 And the sharpening charge was a pim for the plowshares, and for the mattocks, and for the three pronged forks, and for the axes, and for setting the plowshares.
22 And it happened in the day of battle that there was neither sword nor spear in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan. But one was found with Saul and with his son Jonathan.
23 And the fort of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

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1 Samuel 14
1 ¶ And the day came that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, Come, and we will go over to the fort of the Philistines on the other side. But he did not tell his father.
2 And Saul was waiting at the edge of Gibeah, under the pomegranate in Migron; also the people with him, about six hundred men.
3 And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, was wearing the ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had left.
4 And between the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine fort, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and the rocky crag opposite this; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other, Seneh.
5 The one crag was a pillar on the north in front of Michmash, and the one on the south in front of Gibeah.
6 And Jonathan said to the young man bearing his weapons, Come, we shall cross over to the fort of these uncircumcised ones. It may be Jehovah will work for us, for there is no hindrance to Jehovah, to save by many or by few.
7 And his armorbearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself. Behold, I am with you according to your heart.
8 And Jonathan said, Behold, we will cross over to the men and show ourselves to them.
9 If they say this to us, Stand still until we reach you, then we will stand in our place and not go up to them.
10 But if they say this, Come up to us, then we will go up, for Jehovah has given them into our hand; and this will be the sign for us.
11 And both of them were revealed to the fort of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, See, Hebrews coming out from the holes there where they hid themselves!
12 And the men of the fort answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will teach you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armorbearer, Come up after me, for Jehovah has given them into the hand of Israel.
13 And Jonathan went up on his hands and on his feet, and the armorbearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and the armorbearer made them die behind him.
14 And this was the first blow, when Jonathan and his armorbearer struck about twenty men in about half of a furrow of an acre of a field.
15 And there was trembling in the camp in the field, and among all the people; the fort and the spoilers trembled, even them. And the ground quaked, and it was for a trembling of God.
16 ¶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude had melted away; and they went, even here and there.
17 And Saul said to the people with him, Make a count now and see who has gone from us. And they counted, and, behold, Jonathan and the armorbearer were not there.
18 And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring the ark of God here, for the ark of God was with the sons of Israel on that day.
19 And it happened while Saul spoke to the priest, that the turmoil which was in the camp, even the Philistines went on, going and increasing. And Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand.
20 And Saul and all the people with him gathered together and went to the battle. And, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great panic!
21 Then the Hebrews who were for the Philistines before, who had gone with them to the camp all around, even they turned to be with Israel, with Saul and Jonathan.
22 And all the men of Israel who had been hiding themselves in the hills of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled. And they also pursued them in battle.
23 And Jehovah saved Israel that day. And the battle passed over to Beth-aven.
24 ¶ And the men of Israel were distressed on that day, for Saul took an oath of the people, saying, Cursed shall be the man who eats food until the evening, when I have been avenged on my foes. And none of the people tasted food.
25 And all those of the land came into a forest, and there was honey on the ground.
26 And the people came into the forest; and behold, a flow of honey! But no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27 And Jonathan did not hear when his father made the people swear. And he put out the tip of the staff in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. And he put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.
28 And one of the people answered and said, Swearing your father made the people swear, saying, Cursed shall be the man who eats food today. And the people were weak.
29 And Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. See, now, that my eyes became bright, for I tasted this little honey.
30 How much more if the people had eaten freely today of this spoil of its enemies which it has found. For now would not the blow among the Philistines have been great?
31 And they struck the Philistines on that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very weak.
32 And the people fell on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and sons of the herd, and slaughtered them to the ground. And the people ate with the blood.
33 And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people are sinning against Jehovah, to eat with the blood. And he said, You have acted treacherously. Now roll me a great stone today.
34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, Each one bring his ox near to me, and each his sheep, and you slaughter here, and eat; and you shall not sin against Jehovah, to eat with the blood. And each of all the people brought near his ox in his hand that night, and they slaughtered there.
35 And Saul built an altar to Jehovah. With it he began to build an altar to Jehovah.
36 ¶ And Saul said Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light, and not a man remains among them. And they said, Do all that is good in your eyes. And the priest said, Let us draw near here to God.
37 And Saul asked of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel? But He did not answer him on that day.
38 And Saul said, All leaders of the people draw near here, and know and see how this sin has happened today.
39 For as Jehovah lives, who delivers Israel, surely if it is my son Jonathan, dying he shall die. And no one answered him from all the people.
40 And he said to all Israel, You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on another side. And the people said to Saul, Do that which is good in your eyes.
41 And Saul said to Jehovah, the God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people went out.
42 And Saul said, Cast between me and my son Jonathan. And Jonathan was taken.
43 And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me, what did you do? And Jonathan told him, and said, I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff in my hand. Behold, I! I will die.
44 And Saul said, God do so and more also, for dying you shall die, Jonathan.
45 And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, he who did this great deliverance in Israel? Far be it! As Jehovah lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day. And the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
46 And Saul went up from following the Philistines. And the Philistines went to their own place.
47 ¶ And Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies all around, with Moab, and with the sons of Ammon, and with Edom, and with the kings of Zobah, and with the Philistines, and wherever he turned, he put them to the worse.
48 And he acted with force and struck Amalek, and delivered Israel from the hand of their plunderers.
49 And the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and his two daughters' names: the first-born's name was 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 his army commander was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
51 And Kish was Saul's father, and Ner Abner's father was the son of Abiel.
52 And the war was strong against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any mighty man, or any brave man, then he gathered him to himself.

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1 Samuel 15
1 ¶ And Samuel said to Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. And now listen to the voice of the words of Jehovah.
2 So says Jehovah of Hosts, I will visit Amalek with what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
3 Now go, and you shall strike Amalek and destroy all that he has. And you shall have no pity on him, and you shall put to death all from man to woman, from little one to suckling, from ox to sheep, from camel to ass.
4 And Saul heard and mustered the people in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand were men of Judah.
5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in a torrent-bed.
6 And Saul said to the Kenite, Go! Depart! Go out from the midst of Amalek, lest I destroy you with him. For you acted with kindness toward all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. And the Kenite departed from the midst of Amalek.
7 And Saul struck Amalek from Havilah, as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt.
8 And he captured Agag the king of Amalek alive. But he exterminated all the people with the mouth of the sword.
9 And Saul and the people had pity on Agag, and on the best of the flock, and of the herd, and the seconds, and the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to exterminate them. But they exterminated every despised and worthless thing.
10 ¶ And the Word of Jehovah was to Samuel, saying,
11 I repent that I made Saul reign as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and he has not risen to do My Words. And Samuel was angry, and he cried to Jehovah all night.
12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul has come to Carmel. And behold, he has set up a monument to himself, and has gone around, and has passed over and gone down to Gilgal.
13 And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, Blessed are you of Jehovah. I have risen to do the Word of Jehovah.
14 And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears, and the sound of the herd that I hear?
15 And Saul said, They have brought them from Amalek, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have exterminated.
16 And Samuel said to Saul, Stop, and I will declare to you that which Jehovah spoke to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak.
17 And Samuel said, Were you not, even you, little in your own eyes before becoming leader of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you as king over Israel.
18 And Jehovah sent you on the way, and said, Go, and exterminate the sinners, Amalek; and fight against them until they finish them.
19 Then why did you not listen to the voice of Jehovah? Yea, you flew on the spoil, and did you not do evil in the eyes of Jehovah.
20 And Saul said to Samuel, I did obey the voice of Jehovah, and I went in the way which Jehovah sent me, and brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I exterminated Amalek.
21 And the people took from the spoil of the flock, and the first of the herd, that devoted, to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal.
22 And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold! Obeying is better than sacrifice; to give attention is better than the fat of rams.
23 For the sin of divination is rebellion; insolence is both iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, so He has rejected you from being king.
24 ¶ And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the mouth of Jehovah and your word, because I feared the people, and I listened to their voice.
25 And now please lift up my sin, and return with me that I may worship Jehovah.
26 And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel.
27 And Samuel turned around to go. And he took hold on the skirt of his robe, and it tore.
28 And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent.
30 And he said, I have sinned. Honor me now, I beg you, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and return with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God.
31 And Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped Jehovah.
32 ¶ And Samuel said, Bring near to me Agag the king of Amalek. And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death has passed.
33 And Samuel said, As your sword has bereaved women of children, so shall your mother be bereft among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.
34 And Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went to his house, to Gibeah of Saul.
35 And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.

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1 Samuel 16
1 ¶ And Jehovah said to Samuel, Until when will you mourn for Saul, for I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have seen a king for Me among his sons.
2 And Samuel said, How can I go? When Saul hears, then he will kill me. And Jehovah said, You shall take a heifer from the herd in your hand, and shall say, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah.
3 And you invite Jesse to the sacrifice. And I will make you know what you shall do. And you shall anoint for Me whomever I say to you.
4 And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city trembled to meet him, and said, Do you come in peace?
5 And he said, Peace! I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves and you shall come to me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 ¶ And it happened as they came in, that he saw Eliab, and said, Surely His anointed is before Jehovah.
7 And Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance, nor to the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For man does not see what He sees. For man looks for the eyes, but Jehovah looks for the heart.
8 And Jesse called to Abinadab, and he passed him before Samuel but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one.
9 And Jesse passed Shammah by, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one.
10 And Jesse passed seven of his sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen among these.
11 And Samuel said to Jesse, Are these all the young men? And he said, There yet remains the youngest; and behold, he is feeding the flock. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him, for we will not sit until he comes here.
12 And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and good form. And Jehovah said, Rise up, anoint him, for this is he.
13 And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon David from that day and onward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
14 ¶ And the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah terrified him.
15 And Saul's servants said to him, Behold, now an evil spirit from God is terrifying you.
16 Please let our lord say to your servants before you, let them seek out a man who knows how to play on the harp. And it shall be, when the evil spirit from God is upon you, then he shall play with his hand, and it shall be well with you.
17 And Saul said to his servants, Now look for a man who is good at playing for me, and bring him to me.
18 One of the servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, and a mighty warrior, and a man of battle, and skillful in speech, and a man of form. And Jehovah is with him.
19 And Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send your son David to me, who is with the flock.
20 And Jesse took an ass, with bread, and a skin of wine, and one kid of the goats; and he sent by the hand of his son David to 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, Please let David stand before me, for he has found grace in my eyes.
23 And it happened, when the evil spirit from God was on Saul, then David would take the harp and play with his hand. And there was relief for Saul, and it was well with him. And the evil spirit would depart from him.

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1 Samuel 17
1 ¶ And the Philistines had gathered their armies for battle, and were gathered at Socoh of Judah. And they camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.
2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and camped in the valley of Elah. And they set the battle in order to meet the Philistines.
3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on this side, and Israel stood on the mountain on that side, and the valley between them.
4 And a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines, Goliath was his name, from Gath; his height was six cubits and a span.
5 And a bronze helmet was on his head, and he was clothed with scaled body armor; and the weight of the armor was five thousand shekels of bronze.
6 And a covering of bronze was on his legs, and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders.
7 And the wood of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and the blade of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And the shield bearer went before him.
8 And he stood and called to the ranks of Israel, and said to them, Why do you come out to set in order the battle? Am I not the Philistine, and you Saul's servants? Choose one of yourselves, and let him come to me.
9 If he is able to fight with me and strike me, then we shall become slaves to you. But if I prevail over him, and strike him, then you shall become slaves to us and shall serve us.
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man, and we will fight together.
11 And Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine. And they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
12 ¶ And David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem-Judah named Jesse. And to him were eight sons. And the man was old among men in the days of Saul.
13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went out; they went after Saul to the battle. And the name of his three sons who went into the battle: Eliab, the first-born; and his second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah.
14 And David was the youngest. And the three eldest had gone after Saul.
15 And David went and returned from Saul, to feed his father's flock at Bethlehem.
16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
17 And Jesse said to his son David, Please take to your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves, and run to the camp, to your brothers.
18 And you shall take these ten cuttings of cheese to the commander of the thousand, and you shall visit your brothers, as to how they fare. And you shall bring their token.
19 And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20 And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and got up and went, as Jesse commanded him. And he came to the barricade, and to the army which was going out to the battle array. And they were shouting for battle.
21 And Israel and the Philistines set up in battle array for rank to meet rank.
22 And David left the goods on him into the hands of the keeper of the goods, and he ran to the army. And he he came and asked his brothers of their welfare.
23 And as he was speaking to them, even, behold! The man between the two, Goliath the Philistine was his name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines. And he spoke according to these words. And David heard.
24 And when they saw the man, all the men of Israel ran from him, and were very much afraid.
25 And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who comes up? For he has come to reproach Israel. And it shall be, the man who strikes him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and he will give his daughter to him. And he will make his father's house free in Israel.
26 And David spoke to the men who were standing with him, saying, What shall be done to the man who strikes this Philistine, and turns aside reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should reproach the armies of the living God?
27 And the people spoke to him according to this word, saying, So shall it be done to the man who strikes him.
28 And his eldest brother Eliab heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger glowed against David. And he said, Why is it you have come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.
29 And David said, What have I done now? Was it not but a word?
30 And he turned around from him to another and said according to this word. And the people answered him a word like the first word.
31 ¶ And the words which David had spoken were heard. And they were told before Saul, and he received him.
32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and will fight with this Philistine.
33 And Saul said to David, You are not able to go to this Philistine, to fight with him, for you are a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth.
34 And David said to Saul, Your servant has been a shepherd among sheep for his father. And the lion came, and the bear, and took away a sheep out of the flock.
35 And I went out after him and struck him, and delivered out of his mouth. And he rose against me, and I took hold of his beard and struck him, and killed him.
36 Your servant has struck both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, for he has reproached the armies of the living God.
37 And David said, Jehovah, who has delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He shall deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and Jehovah be with you.
38 And Saul clothed David with his apparel, and put a bronze helmet on his head, and clothed him with body armor.
39 And David girded his sword on his apparel, and started to go. But he had not tested these. And David said to Saul, I am not able to go with these, for I have not tested them. And David took them off him.
40 ¶ And he took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones from the valley. And he put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch. And his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine came on, coming and drawing near to David; and the shield bearer was before him.
42 And the Philistine looked, and he saw David, and disdained him, for he was a youth, even ruddy, with a handsome form.
43 And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you have come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the field.
45 And David said to the Philistine, You are coming to me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin. But I am coming to you in the name of Jehovah of Hosts , the God of the armies of Israel, which you have reproached.
46 Today Jehovah shall shut you up into my hand, and I shall strike you, and take off your head from you and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the earth today. And all the earth shall know that there is a God for Israel.
47 And all this company shall know that Jehovah does not save by sword and by spear, but that the battle belongs to Jehovah, and He has given you into our hand.
48 ¶ And it happened, when the Philistine arose and went, and drew near to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the ranks to meet the Philistine.
49 And David put his hand into the pouch and took a stone from there. And he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.
50 And David was stronger than the Philistine with the sling and with the stone. And he struck the Philistine and killed him. And there was no sword in David's hand.
51 And David ran and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword; and he drew it out of its sheath and killed him. And he cut off his head with it. And the Philistines saw that their warrior was dead, and they fled.
52 And the men of Israel and Judah rose up and shouted, and pursued the Philistines until you enter the valley, even to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell in the way of Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron.
53 And the sons of Israel returned from hotly pursuing the Philistines; and they pillaged their camps.
54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; and he put his weapons in his own tent.
55 And when Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, the army commander, Whose son is this youth, Abner? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.
56 And the king said, You ask whose son this young man is.
57 And when David returned from striking the Philistine, then Abner took him and brought him before Saul; and the head of the Philistine was in his hand.
58 And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, boy? And David said, The son of your servant Jesse, the Bethlehemite.

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1 Samuel 18
1 ¶ And it happened, when he finished speaking to Saul, 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 not let him return to his father's house.
3 And Jonathan and David cut a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 And Jonathan stripped off the robe on him and gave it to David; also his apparel, even to his sword and to his bow and to his belt.
5 And David went out wherever Saul sent him. And he acted wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war. And it was good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.
6 ¶ And it happened as they came in, as David returned from striking the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to sing with the dancers, to meet Saul the king with tambourines and with joy and three-stringed instruments.
7 And the women who were playing answered and said, Saul has slain his thousands, but David his myriads.
8 And it very much burned Saul, and this thing was evil in his eyes. And he said, They have given myriads to David, and to me they have given thousands. And is there more to him, except the kingdom?
9 And from that day forward Saul was watching David.
10 And on the next day it happened that the evil spirit from God came on Saul. And he prophesied in the midst of the house; and David was playing with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul's spear was in his hand.
11 And Saul threw the spear, and said, I will strike David, even to the wall. And David twice drew back from his face.
12 ¶ And Saul feared David, because Jehovah was with him, and had departed from Saul.
13 And Saul separated him from himself and set him as his commander over a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people.
14 And David acted wisely in all his ways, and Jehovah was with him.
15 And Saul saw that he was acting wisely, and was afraid of him.
16 And 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! I will give her to you for a wife; only, you be a brave son for me and fight the battles of Jehovah. And Saul said, Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.
18 And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what my life, and the family of my father in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?
19 And it happened at the time Saul was to give his daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.
20 And Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing was right in his eyes.
21 And Saul said, I will give her to him, and she shall be a snare to him. And the hand of the Philistines shall be on him. And Saul said to David a second time, You shall be my son-in-law today.
22 And Saul commanded his servants, Speak to David secretly, saying, Behold the king delights in you, and all his servants love you. And now, be son-in-law to the king.
23 And Saul's servants spoke these words in David's ears. And David said, Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king? And I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed.
24 And Saul's servants spoke to him, saying, David has spoken according to these words.
25 And Saul said, So you shall say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged on the king's enemies. And Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26 And his servants told David these words. And the thing was right in David's eyes, to be son-in-law to the king. And the days had not been fulfilled.
27 And David rose up and went out, he and his men. And they struck two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and he gave them in full to the king, in order to be son-in-law to the king. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife.
28 And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David, and that Saul's daughter Michal loved him.
29 And Saul was still more afraid of David. And Saul was an enemy to David continually.
30 And the rulers of the Philistines came out. And it happened from the time they came out, David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul. And His name was greatly esteemed.

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1 Samuel 19
1 ¶ And Saul spoke to his son Jonathan, and to all his servants, to kill David.
2 And Saul's son Jonathan delighted exceedingly in David. And Jonathan told David, saying, My father Saul is seeking to kill you. And, now, please be on guard in the morning, and you shall stay in the secret place, and shall hide.
3 And I, I will go out and will stand by my father's side in the field where you are. And I will speak of you to my father, and shall see what it is, and will tell you.
4 And Jonathan spoke good of David to his father Saul, and said to him, Do not let the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you; also because his works for you are very good.
5 Yea, he has put his life in his hand and killed the Philistine. And Jehovah worked a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. And why do you sin against innocent blood, to put David to death for no reason?
6 And Saul listened to Jonathan's voice, and Saul swore, As Jehovah lives he shall not die.
7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was before him as yesterday and the day before.
8 ¶ And there was war again. And David went out and fought against the Philistines, and struck among them with a great slaughter. And they fled from his face.
9 And the evil spirit from Jehovah was on Saul. And he was sitting in his house, and his spear in his hand. And David was playing with the hand.
10 And Saul tried to strike with the spear through David and through the wall. But he burst forth from Saul's presence. And he struck the spear through the wall. And David fled, and escaped during that night.
11 ¶ And Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, and to kill him in the morning. And his wife Michal told David, saying, If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.
12 And Michal made David go down through the window. And he went, and fled, and escaped.
13 And Michal took an image and laid it on the bed; and she put the quilt of goat's hair at his head-place, and covered with a spread.
14 And Saul sent messengers to take David. And she said, He is sick.
15 And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, to kill him.
16 And the messengers came in. And, behold, the image was on the bed, and the quilt of goat's hair was at his head-place.
17 And Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me this way, that you have sent away my enemy, and he has escaped? And Michal said to Saul, He said to me, Send me away; why should I kill you?
18 ¶ And David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he went, he and Samuel, and they lived in Naioth.
19 And it was told to Saul, saying, Behold, David is in Naioth in Ramah.
20 And Saul sent messengers to take David. And they saw the assembly of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them. And the Spirit of God came on Saul's messengers, and they also prophesied.
21 And they told Saul, and he sent other messengers. And they also prophesied. And again Saul sent messengers, a third time. And they also prophesied.
22 And he went, he also, to Ramah, and came to the great well in Sechu. And Saul asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, in Naioth in Ramah.
23 And he went there, to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God was on him, him also. And going on, he went and prophesied until he came into Naioth in Ramah.
24 And he stripped off his garments, he also, and he prophesied before Samuel, even he. And he fell down disrobed all that day and all that night. Because of this they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

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1 Samuel 20
1 ¶ And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?
2 And he said to him, Far be it! You shall not die. Behold, my father shall not do anything great or small, and not reveal it to my ear. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.
3 And David again swore and said, Your father has certainly known that I have found favor in your eyes; and he said, Do not let Jonathan know this, that he not be grieved. And yet, as Jehovah lives, and your soul lives, there is only a step between me and death.
4 And Jonathan said to David, What your soul may say, I also will do for you.
5 And David said to Jonathan, Behold, the new moon is tomorrow. And sitting I should certainly sit with the king to eat. And you shall send me away, and I shall be hidden in the field until the third evening.
6 If looking your father looks for me, then you shall say, David asked earnestly of me to run to his city Bethlehem; for the yearly sacrifice is there for all the family.
7 If he shall say so, Good! Peace shall be for your servant. But if it burns him greatly, know that evil has been determined by him.
8 And you shall do kindness to your servant, for you have brought your servant with you into a covenant of Jehovah. And if there is iniquity in me, you kill me. For why is this, that you bring me to your father?
9 ¶ And Jonathan said, Far be it from you! For if I knew with certainty that evil was determined by my father, to come on you, would I not tell it to you?
10 Then David said to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? Or what if your father answers harshly?
11 And Jonathan said to David, Come, and we shall go out to the field; and both of them went out to the field.
12 And Jonathan said to David, Jehovah the God of Israel be witness when I search my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, and behold, there is good toward David and I do not send to you and do not reveal it in your ear,
13 so may Jehovah do to Jonathan and do much more than this. If it should seem good to my father to do evil to you, then I will reveal it in your ear and send you away. And you shall go in peace; and may Jehovah be with you, as He was with my father.
14 And not only while I live, even you shall do with me the kindness of Jehovah, that I not die,
15 but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, not even when Jehovah cuts off the enemies of David, each one from off the face of the earth.
16 And Jonathan covenanted with the house of David, that Jehovah should seek it from the hand of David's enemies.
17 And Jonathan again made David swear, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18 And Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon, and you shall be expected, for your seat will be empty.
19 And on the third day you shall quickly come down, and shall come there to the place where you were hidden in the day of the deed. And you shall remain near the stone Ezel.
20 And I will shoot three arrows to the side, shooting at a mark for myself.
21 And, behold, I shall send a boy, saying, Find the arrows! If I expressly say to the boy, Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, take them; then you come, for peace shall be to you, and there is nothing, as Jehovah lives.
22 But if I say to the young man, Behold, the arrows are away from you and onwards; go, for Jehovah has sent you away.
23 As to the thing which we have spoken, you and I; behold, Jehovah is between you and me forever.
24 ¶ And David was hidden in the field. And it was the new moon. And the king sat down by the food to eat.
25 And the king sat on his seat, as from time to time, on the seat by the wall. And Jonathan rose up, and Abner sat at Saul's side. And David's place was empty.
26 But Saul did not say anything on that day, for he said, It is an accident; he is not clean; he is surely not clean.
27 And it happened on the day after the new moon, David's place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?
28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked of me to go to Bethlehem.
29 And he said, Please send me away, for we have a family sacrifice in the city, and my brother commanded me. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me be released, and to see my brothers. So he has not come to the table of the king.
30 And the anger of Saul glowed against Jonathan. And he said to him, Son of a perverse rebelliousness! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your shame, and to the shame of the nakedness of your mother?
31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on earth you shall not be established, you and your kingdom. And now send and bring him to me, for he is a son of death.
32 And Jonathan answered his father Saul, and said to him, Why should he die? What has he done?
33 And Saul threw the spear at him, to strike him. And Jonathan knew that it had been determined by his father to kill David.
34 And Jonathan rose up from the table in the heat of anger. And he did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved for David. For his father had put him to shame.
35 ¶ And it happened in the morning that Jonathan went out in the field for the meeting with David. And a little boy was with him.
36 And he said to the boy, Now run and find the arrow which I am shooting. The boy ran, and he shot the arrow, causing it to pass over him.
37 And the boy came to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot. And Jonathan called after the boy and said, Is the arrow not away from you and onwards?
38 And Jonathan called after the boy, Hurry, make haste, do not stand! And Jonathan's boy gathered the arrow and came to his master.
39 And the boy did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 And Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy with him, and said to him, Go, bring to the city.
41 The boy left, and David rose up from the south side. And he fell on his face to the ground. And he bowed three times. And they each one kissed his friend. And they each wept on his friend, until David was overcome.
42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, because we have sworn, the two of us, in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah shall be between you and me, and between my seed and your seed forever. And he rose up and went. And Jonathan went into the city.

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1 Samuel 21
1 ¶ And David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech trembled at meeting David, and said to him, Why are you by yourself, and no man with you?
2 And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a matter; and he said to me, Do not let a man know anything of the matter about which I am sending you, and which I told you. And I have directed the young men to such and such a place.
3 And now, what is there under your hand? Give five loaves into my hand, or whatever is found.
4 And the priest answered David and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but only holy bread, if the young men have only been kept from a woman.
5 And David answered the priest and said to him, Surely, a woman has been kept from us as yesterday and the third day, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy. And in a way the holy bread is common; also surely today it is sanctified in the vessels.
6 And the priest gave the holy bread to him, for there was no bread there except the Bread of the Presence which is taken from the presence of Jehovah in order to put hot bread in on the day it is taken away.
7 And a man was there on that day, of the servants of Saul detained before Jehovah. And his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds.
8 And David said to Ahimelech, Is there not here under your hand spear or sword? For I have taken neither my sword or my weapons, for the king's matter was urgent.
9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck in the valley of Elah; behold, it is wrapped in the cloak behind the ephod. If you desire, take it for yourself; for there is no other here except it. And David said, There is none like it. Give it to me.
10 ¶ And David rose up and fled from the face of Saul on that day, and he came to Achish the king of Gath.
11 And the servants of Achish said to him, Is this not David the king of the land? Is it not of this one they sang in dances, saying, Saul killed his thousands, and David his myriads?
12 And David put these words in his heart, and was very much afraid of the face of Achish the king of Gath.
13 And he changed his behavior before their eyes, and pretended himself to be insane in their hand, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall onto his beard.
14 And Achish said to his servants, Behold, you see the man is showing madness. Why do you bring him to me?
15 Do I have need of maddened ones, that you have brought this one in to show madness beside me? Shall this one come into my house?

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1 Samuel 22
1 ¶ And David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And his brothers heard, and all his father's house, and they went down to him there.
2 And every man in distress, and every man who had a creditor, and every man bitter of soul, gathered themselves to him. And he became commander over them. And about four hundred men were with him.
3 And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come and be with you, until I know what God will do to me.
4 And he settled them before the king of Moab; and they lived with him all the days David was in the stronghold.
5 And Gad the prophet said to David, You shall not remain in the stronghold. Go, and you come into the land of Judah. And David left and came into the forest of Hareth.
6 ¶ And Saul heard that David had been discovered, and the men with him. And Saul was staying in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand. And all his servants were standing by him.
7 And Saul said to his servants who were standing by him, Now hear, Benjamites. Will the son of Jesse also give to any of you fields and vineyards? Will he make each of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,
8 that all of you have conspired against me, and no one was revealing in my ear when my son cut a covenant with the son of Jesse? And not one of you is sorry for me, even to reveal in my ear that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.
9 And Doeg the Edomite, even he was set over Saul's servants, answered and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10 And he asked for him of Jehovah, and gave provisions to him, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11 And the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests in Nob. And they came, all of them, to the king.
12 And Saul said, Now hear, son of Ahitub. And he said, I am here, my lord.
13 And Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse by your giving bread and a sword to him, and to ask of God for him, to rise up against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?
14 And Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who among all your servants is as David the faithful, and son-in-law of the king; who does your bidding, and is honorable in all your house?
15 Have I today begun to ask of God for him? Far be it from me! Do not let the king lay anything against his servant, against any of my father's house, for your servant has known nothing of this, more or less.
16 And the king said, dying you shall die, Ahimelech, you and your father's house.
17 And the king said to the runners that stood by him, Turn and kill the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing, and did not reveal it in my ear. But the king's servants were not willing to put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Jehovah.
18 And the king said to Doeg, You turn and fall on the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned and fell on the priests and killed eighty five men bearing a linen ephod in that day.
19 And he struck Nob, the city of the priests with the mouth of the sword, from man even to woman, from child even to suckling, and ox, and ass, and sheep, with the mouth of the sword.
20 ¶ And one son escaped of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And his name was Abiathar, and he fled after David.
21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of Jehovah.
22 And David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he certainly would tell Saul. I am turned sad by every life of your father's house.
23 Stay with me. Do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life. For with me you will be under protection.

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1 Samuel 23
1 ¶ And they spoke to David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the threshing floors.
2 And David asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go? And shall I strike against these Philistines? And Jehovah said to David, Go, and you shall strike the Philistines and save Keilah.
3 And David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; and how shall we go to Keilah to the armies of the Philistines?
4 And David once again inquired of Jehovah. And Jehovah answered him and said, Rise up, go down to Keilah, for I have given the Philistines into your hand.
5 And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and led away their livestock, and killed among them with a great blow. And David saved those living in Keilah.
6 And it happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David, near Keilah, an ephod came in his hand.
7 ¶ And it was told to Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has estranged him into my hand. For he is shut in, to enter into a city of gates and a bar.
8 And Saul heard and called all the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege to David and to his men.
9 But David knew that Saul was devising evil against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod near.
10 And David said, O Jehovah the God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.
11 Will the masters of Keilah shut me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? I pray You, Jehovah the God of Israel, tell your servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.
12 And David said, Will the masters of Keilah shut me and my men up into Saul's hand? And Jehovah said, They will shut you up.
13 And David and his men, about six hundred men, rose up and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. And he ceased to go out.
14 ¶ And David stayed in the wilderness, in the strongholds. And he stayed in the hill, in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all his days. And God did not give him into his hand.
15 And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph, in the forest.
16 And Jonathan the son of Saul rose up and went out to David, to the forest. And he made his hand strong in God,
17 and said to him, Do not fear, for the hand of my father Saul shall not find you; and you shall reign over Israel; and I shall be second to you. And my father Saul knows it is so.
18 And they cut a covenant, both of them, before Jehovah. And David stayed in the forest, and Jonathan went to his house.
19 ¶ And the men of Ziph went to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Is not David hiding himself with us in strongholds, in the forest, in the hill of Hachilah, which is south of the wilderness?
20 And now, come down according to all the desires of your soul, O king. Come down, and our duty is to deliver him up into the king's hand.
21 And Saul said, You are blessed of Jehovah, for you have had pity on me.
22 Please go, make yet more sure, and know, and see his place where his foot is; who has seen him there, for one has said to me, He is being very crafty.
23 And see and know of all the hiding places where he hides himself. And you shall return to me ready, and I shall go with you, and it shall be, if he is in the land, that I shall search him out through all the thousands of Judah.
24 And they rose up 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 search. And they told David. And he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard, and pursued 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 was hurrying to go away from the face of Saul. And Saul and his men were encircling David and his men, to catch them.
27 And a messenger came to Saul, saying, Hurry, and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.
28 And Saul turned back from pursuing David, and went to meet the Philistines. On account of this they have called that place, The Rock of the Division.
29 And David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds at En-gedi.

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1 Samuel 24
1 ¶ And it happened, when Saul had returned from after the Philistines, they told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.
2 And Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the front of the rocks of the wild goats.
3 And on the way he came in to the folds of the flock. And there was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet. And David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.
4 And David's men said to him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it is good in your eyes. But David rose up and quietly cut off the skirt of Saul's robe.
5 And it happened afterward, the heart of David struck him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
6 And he said to his men, Far be it from me, by Jehovah. I shall not do this thing to my lord, to the anointed of Jehovah, to put out my hand against him. For he is the anointed of Jehovah.
7 And David held back his men by words, and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul rose up from the cave and went in the way.
8 And David rose up afterward and went out from the cave and called after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And Saul looked behind him. And David was bowing face to the earth and prostrated himself.
9 ¶ And David said to Saul, Why do you listen to the words of man, saying, Behold, David seeks to do you evil?
10 See, this day your eyes have seen how Jehovah has delivered you today into my hand in the cave. And one said to kill you, but I had pity on you. And I said, I shall not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of Jehovah.
11 And my father, behold! Yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand. For in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you are hunting my soul, to take it.
12 Jehovah shall judge between you and me, and Jehovah shall avenge me of you. But my hand shall not be on you.
13 As the proverb of the ancients says, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked. But my hand shall not be on you.
14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After a flea?
15 Yea, Jehovah shall be judge, and shall judge between you and me. Yea, He shall see and contend for my cause, and shall deliver me out of your hand.
16 ¶ And it happened, when David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
17 And he said to David, You are more righteous than I. For you have done good to me, and I have rewarded you with evil.
18 And you have today shown that you have dealt well with me, in that Jehovah shut me up into your hand, and you did not kill me.
19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go on his way well? And Jehovah will repay you good for that which you have done to me today.
20 And now, behold, I know that you shall certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
21 And now, swear to me by Jehovah that you shall not cut off my seed after me, nor shall you destroy my name from the house of my father.
22 And David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up into the stronghold.

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1 Samuel 25
1 ¶ And Samuel died, and all Israel was gathered, and mourned for him. And they buried him in his house, in Ramah. And David rose up and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
2 ¶ And a certain man was in Maon, and his work was in Carmel. And the man was very great, and there were three thousand sheep and a thousand goats to him. And he was shearing his flock in Carmel.
3 And the man's name was Nabal, and his wife's name, Abigail. And the woman was of good understanding, and beautiful of form. And the man was cruel and evil in his dealings. And He was of Caleb.
4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his flock.
5 And David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel, and you shall come to Nabal and ask him of his welfare in my name.
6 And say this, Long life and peace to you! And peace to your house, and peace to all that you have.
7 And now, I have heard that you have shearers. And your shepherds have been with us; we have not shamed them, nor was anything missing to them all the days they were in Carmel.
8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. And may the young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come at a good day. Please give that which your hand finds to your servants, and to your son, to David.
9 And the young men of David came and spoke to Nabal according to all these words, in the name of David, and rested.
10 And Nabal answered David's servants and said, Who is David, and who the son of Jesse? The servants have multiplied today who have broken away from his master.
11 And shall I take my bread, and my water, and my meat which I have killed for my shearers, and give to men whom I have not known, from where they are?
12 ¶ And the young men of David turned to their way, and returned and came and told him according to all these words.
13 And David said to his men, Each man gird on his sword. And David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David and two hundred stayed by the baggage.
14 And one young man of the youths told Abigail the wife of Nabal, saying, Behold, David has sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our lord, and he screamed at them.
15 And the men were good to us, and have not shamed us, and we have not missed anything all the days we have gone up and down with them when we were in the field.
16 They have been a wall to us both by day and by night, all the days we have been with them, feeding the flock.
17 And now, know and consider what you should do; for evil has been determined against our lord, and on all his house. And he is a son of worthlessness, no one can speak to him.
18 ¶ And Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five prepared sheep, and five measures of roasted grain, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. And she set them on the asses.
19 And she said to her young men, Pass on before me. Behold, I am coming after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20 And it happened she was riding on the ass and coming down by the cover of the mountain. And, behold, David and his men were coming down to meet her; and she met them.
21 And David had said, Surely, in vain I have guarded all that belongs to this fellow in the wilderness, so that not anything was missed of all that was his. And he has returned to me evil for good.
22 So may God do to the enemies of David, and may He do more so, if I leave any of all that is to him to the light of the morning, of one who urinates against a wall.
23 And Abigail saw David, and she hurried, and she dismounted from the ass and fell on her face before David and bowed to the earth.
24 And she fell at his feet and said, On me, even me, my lord, be the iniquity. And please, let your handmaid speak in your ears; and hear the words of your handmaid.
25 Please, do not let my lord set his heart toward this man of worthlessness, on Nabal. For as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and foolishness is with him. And I, your handmaid, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.
26 And now, my lord, as Jehovah lives, and as your soul lives, in that Jehovah has withheld you from coming in with blood, and delivering your hand for you; even now let your enemies be as Nabal, even those seeking evil to my lord.
27 And now this blessing which your handmaid has brought to my lord, even let it be given to the young men who go after my lord.
28 Please, bear with the transgression of your handmaid, for Jehovah shall certainly make a sure house for my lord. For my lord has fought the battles of Jehovah, and evil has not been found in you all your days.
29 And if a man rises up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, and will be the soul of my lord bound up in the bundle of life with Jehovah your God; and the souls of your enemies, He shall sling them from the hollow of the sling.
30 And it shall be, when Jehovah does to my lord according to all the good which He has spoken concerning you, and has commanded you to be ruler over Israel,
31 that this shall not be for a cause of staggering, or of stumbling of heart to my lord, either to shed blood for nothing, or that my lord saved himself. And may Jehovah do good to my lord, and you remember your handmaid.
32 ¶ And David said to Abigail, Blessed is Jehovah the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today.
33 And blessed is your discernment. And blessed are you in that you have kept me from coming in with blood this day, and from delivering myself with my own hand.
34 And, indeed, as Jehovah the God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from doing evil to you, for unless you had hurried and had come to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal one who urinates against the wall till the light of morning.
35 And David received from her hand what she had brought to him. And he said to her, Go in peace to your house. See, I have heard your voice, and have accepted your face.
36 ¶ And Abigail came to Nabal. And, behold, he was at a feast in his house, like the feast of the king. And Nabal's heart felt good within him, and he was drunk to excess. And she did not tell him a word, more or less, until the light of the morning.
37 And it happened in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things. And his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.
38 And it happened about ten days later, Jehovah struck Nabal and he died.
39 And David heard that Nabal had died, and said, Blessed be Jehovah who has contended for the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal; and His servant has been kept back from evil. And Jehovah has caused the evil doing of Nabal to return on his head. And David sent and spoke with Abigail, to take her to himself for a wife.
40 And David's servants came to Abigail at Carmel, and spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to you to take you to him for a wife.
41 And she rose up and bowed her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let your handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.
42 And Abigail hurried and arose and rode on an ass, and five of her young women following her. And she went after David's messengers. And she became a wife to him.
43 And David had taken Ahinoam from Jezreel. And they became, even both of them, wives to him.
44 And Saul gave his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

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1 Samuel 26
1 ¶ And the men of Ziph came to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, on the face of the desert?
2 And Saul rose up and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and three thousand men were with him, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3 And Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah which is on the face of the desert, by the highway. And David was staying in the wilderness. And he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness.
4 And David sent spies, and he knew that Saul had certainly come to Nachon.
5 And David rose up and came to the place where Saul camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay down. And Abner the son of Ner, his army commander, and Saul were lying within the barricade. And the people were camping all around him.
6 ¶ And David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, saying, Who shall go down with me to Saul, to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.
7 And David and Abishai came to the people by night. And, behold, Saul was lying down, sleeping within the barricade. And his spear was stuck into the earth at his head-place. And Abner and all the people were lying all around him.
8 And Abishai said to David, God has shut up your enemy into your hand today. And now please let me strike him with a spear, even to the earth one time, and I will not repeat it to him.
9 And David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him. For who shall put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah and be guiltless?
10 And David said, As Jehovah lives, except Jehovah strike him, or his day shall come and he dies, or he goes down and is devoured in battle,
11 far be it from me, by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah. And now, please take the spear at his head-place, and the jar of water, and we will go.
12 And David took the spear and the jar of water at the head-place of Saul, and they went away. And no one was seeing; and no one knew; and no one was awake; for all of them were sleeping because a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen on them.
13 ¶ And David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of the hill far away, the distance between them being great.
14 And David called to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Do you not answer, Abner? And Abner replied and said, Who are you, the one calling to the king?
15 And David said to Abner, Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? But why have you not watched over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king.
16 This thing which you have done is not good. As Jehovah lives, you also are sons of death, in that you have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of Jehovah. And now, see where the king's spear is, and the jar of water which was at his head-place?
17 And Saul recognized the voice of David, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, My voice, my lord, O king!
18 And he said, Why is this, that my lord is pursuing his servant? For what have I done, and what in my hand is evil?
19 And now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Jehovah has moved you against me, let Him accept an offering. And if the sons of men, they are cursed before Jehovah; for they have driven me out today from joining myself with the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.
20 And now, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of Jehovah, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as one hunts the partridge in the mountains.
21 ¶ And Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I shall not do evil to you any more, because my life has been precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and I have erred exceedingly much.
22 And David answered and said, Behold, the king's spear! And let one of the young men cross over and receive it.
23 And Jehovah will return to each his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that Jehovah has delivered you into my hand, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah.
24 And behold, as your life has been highly esteemed in my eyes today, so let my soul be highly esteemed in the eyes of Jehovah. And may He deliver me out of all distress.
25 And Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David. Both you shall surely do, also you shall surely be able. And David went on his way. And Saul returned to his place.

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1 Samuel 27
1 ¶ And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. Nothing is better for me than that escaping I escape to the land of the Philistines. And Saul will despair of me, to still seek me in all the border of Israel. And I shall escape out of his hand.
2 And David rose up and crossed over, he and six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, the king of Gath.
3 And David lived with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each one and his household: David and his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the former wife of Nabal of Carmel.
4 And it was told to Saul that David had fled to Gath, and he did not seek for him any more.
5 And David said to Achish, Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, they shall give to me a place in one of the cities of the field, and I shall live there. Yea, why should your servant live in the royal city with you?
6 And Achish gave Ziklag to him in that day. Therefore, Ziklag has been counted to the kings of Judah until this day.
7 And the number of days which David lived in the field of the Philistines was a year and four months.
8 ¶ And David and his men went up and attacked the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. For they were the ones living in the land from the past days, as you come into Shur and into the land of Egypt.
9 And David struck the land, and did not keep alive man, or woman, and took sheep, and oxen, and asses, and camels, and clothing, and turned back and came to Achish.
10 And Achish said, Did you not make raids today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and to the south of the Kenites.
11 David did not keep alive man or woman to bring news to Gath, saying, Lest they speak against us, saying, So David has done; And so has been his custom all the days that he has lived in the fields of the Philistines.
12 And Achish trusted David, saying, Surely he has made himself to be hated among his people in Israel, and has become my servant forever.

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1 Samuel 28
1 ¶ And in those days it happened that the Philistines gathered their armies for warfare, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, Going you shall go out with me in the army, you and our men.
2 And David said to Achish, By this you shall know that which your servant will do. And Achish said to David, Then I appoint you keeper of my head all the days.
3 And Samuel was dead. And all Israel had mourned for him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his city. And Saul had taken away the mediums and spirit-knowers out of the land.
4 And the Philistines had gathered and had come in and camped in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped in Gilboa.
5 And Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, and his heart trembled and he greatly feared.
6 And Saul asked of Jehovah, but Jehovah did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.
7 ¶ And Saul said to his servants, Seek out for me a woman, a medium, and I will go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, a woman, a medium, is in Endor.
8 And Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes. And he and two of the men with him went; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, I beg you, divine for me by necromancy, and bring up to me him whom I say to you.
9 And the woman said to him, Behold, you know that which Saul has done, that he has cut off mediums, and the spirit-knowers, out of the land. And why are you laying a snare for my life, to kill me?
10 And Saul swore to her by Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah lives, no evil shall happen to you because of this thing.
11 And the woman said, Whom shall I bring up to you? And he said, Bring up Samuel to me.
12 And the woman saw Samuel, and cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!
13 And the king said to her, Do not be afraid. For what have you seen? And the woman said to Saul, I have seen a god coming up out of the earth.
14 And he said to her, What is his appearance? And she said, An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a robe. And Saul knew that he was Samuel. And he bowed his face to the earth, and prostrated himself.
15 ¶ And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up. And Saul said, I am grievously distressed. And the Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned from me and has not answered me any more, either by the hand of the prophets, or by dreams. And I called for you to make known to me what I should do.
16 And Samuel said, And why do you ask me, since Jehovah has departed from you and is your foe?
17 And Jehovah is doing for Himself as He spoke by my hand. And Jehovah is tearing the kingdom out of your hand, and is giving it to your neighbor, to David.
18 Because you did not listen to the voice of Jehovah, or execute the anger of His wrath on Amalek, on this account Jehovah is doing this thing to you today.
19 Yea, Jehovah is also giving Israel into the hand of the Philistines along with you. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And Jehovah will give the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.
20 ¶ And Saul hurried and fell the full length of his stature to the earth, and greatly feared from the words of Samuel. And there was no power in him, for he had not eaten food all that day, and all the night.
21 And the woman came to Saul. And she saw that he was much terrified, and said to him, Behold, your servant has listened to your voice, and I put my life in my hand, and I obeyed your words which you spoke to me.
22 And now please, you listen to the voice of your servant, and I will set before you a bit of bread; and eat, and there will be strength in you when you go on your way.
23 And he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants forced him, and the woman also. And he listened to their voices and rose from the earth and sat on the bed.
24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house. And she hurried and slaughtered it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened cakes of it.
25 And she brought it near before Saul, and before his servants. And they ate, and rose up, and went on during that night.

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1 Samuel 29
1 ¶ And the Philistines gathered all their armies to Aphek. And Israel was camped at a fountain in Jezreel.
2 And the Philistine rulers were passing on by hundreds and by thousands. And David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish.
3 And the Philistine rulers said, What are these Hebrews? And Achish said to the Philistine rulers, Is this not David the servant of Saul the king of Israel who has been with me these days and years? And I have not found anything evil in him from the day he fell away until today.
4 And the Philistine rulers were angry against him. And the Philistine rulers said to him, Send the man back, and he shall return to his place where you have appointed him. And he shall not go down with us into battle, and shall not become a foe to us in battle. And with what should this one give pleasure to his master, if not with the heads of these men?
5 Is this not David, of whom they answer in dances, saying, Saul has killed his thousands, and David his myriads?
6 ¶ And Achish called David and said to him, As Jehovah lives, Surely you are upright and good in my eyes in your going out and in your coming in with me in the camp. For I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming in to me until today. But you are not good in the eyes of the rulers.
7 And now return, and go in peace, that you not do evil in the eyes of the rulers of the Philistines.
8 And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day that I have been in your presence until today, that I may not go in and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
9 And Achish replied and said to David, I have known that you are good in my eyes, like an angel of God. But the rulers of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us into battle.
10 And now, you and the servants of your lord who have come with you rise early in the morning. When you have light, then go.
11 And David rose up early, he and his men, to go in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

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1 Samuel 30
1 ¶ And it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided to the Negeb, even to Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire.
2 And they captured the women in it, from the small even to the great; they did not kill anyone, but they led them away, and went on their way.
3 And David and his men came into the city. And, behold! It was burned with fire! And their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.
4 And David and the people with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no power in them to weep.
5 And the two wives of David had been taken, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the former wife of Nabal of Carmel.
6 And David was greatly distressed, for the people said to stone him. For the soul of the people was bitter, each for his sons and for his daughters. And David made himself strong in Jehovah his God.
7 ¶ And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Please bring the ephod near to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8 And David asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake it? And He said to him, Pursue, for you shall certainly overtake, and shall certainly recover.
9 So David went on, he and six hundred men who were with him. And they came to the torrent Besor. And those that were left stood.
10 And David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred men stood, who were too exhausted to pass over the torrent Besor.
11 And they found a man, an Egyptian, in the field, and took him to David, and gave him food, and he ate. And they made him drink water.
12 And they gave to him a piece of fig-cake, and two bunches of raisins. And he ate, and his spirit returned to him, for he had not eaten food nor drunk water three days and three nights.
13 And David said to him, Whose are you? And from where do you come? And he said, I am an Egyptian youth, slave to an Amalekite man. And my lord abandoned me, for I had been sick three days.
14 We raided the south of the Cherethites, and went against that belonging to Judah, and against the south of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag with fire.
15 And David said to him, Are you able to bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear to me by God that you will neither put me to death, nor deliver me up into my master's hand, and I will bring you down to this troop.
16 And he brought him down. And, behold, they were spread out over the face of all the earth, eating and drinking and feasting, with all the great plunder which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
17 And David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. And not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.
18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David recovered his two wives.
19 And nothing was missing to them, from the small even to the great, and to sons and daughters, and from the plunder, even to all that they had taken for themselves; David brought back the whole of it.
20 And David took all the flock, and the herd. They drove on before those cattle. And they said, This is David's prize.
21 ¶ And David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to go after David, and whom they caused to remain at the torrent Besor. And they went out to meet David, and to meet the people with him. And David came up to the people, and asked them of their peace.
22 And every evil and worthless man of the men who had gone with David answered, and they said, Because they did not go with me, we will not give to them from the plunder which we have delivered, except to each man his wife and his sons. And let them take them and go.
23 And David said, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Jehovah has given to us. And He has protected us, and has given the troop which came against us into our hand.
24 And who will listen to you in this thing? For as the portion of him who goes down to battle, so shall be his share who remains by the baggage. They shall share together.
25 And it was so, from that day and forward he commanded it for a statute and for an ordinance for Israel to this day.
26 And David came to Ziklag. And he sent of the plunder to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, Behold, a blessing for you of the plunder of the enemies of Jehovah;
27 to those in Bethel, and to those in Ramoth of the Negeb, and to those in Jattir,
28 and to those in Aroer, and to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoa,
29 and to those in Rachal, and to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the Kenites,
30 and to those in Hormah, and to those in Chorashan, and to those in Athach,
31 and to those in Hebron, and to all the places where David had gone up and down, he and his men.

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1 Samuel 31
1 ¶ And the Philistines were fighting against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from the face of the Philistines, and they fell down wounded in Mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines followed Saul and his sons. And the Philistines struck Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.
3 And the battle went hard against Saul. And the archers, men with the bow, found him and he was sorely wounded by the archers.
4 And Saul said to his armorbearer, Draw your sword and thrust it through me, lest come these uncircumcised ones and thrust it through me and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not, for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.
5 And his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, and he also fell on his sword and died with him.
6 And Saul and three of his sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men died together on that day.
7 And the men of Israel who were beyond the valley, and who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons had died. And they abandoned the cities and fled. And the Philistines came in and lived in them.
8 ¶ And it happened on the next day, the Philistines came to strip the wounded. And they found Saul and his three sons fallen down on Mount Gilboa.
9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his weapons, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around to proclaim the news in the house of their idols, and among the people.
10 And they put his weapons in the house of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body on the wall of Beth-shan.
11 And when they heard about it, the ones living in Jabesh-gilead, that which the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 then all the mighty men rose up, and they went all the night; and they took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-shan. And they came to Jabesh, and burned them there.
13 And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.

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Scripture taken from the Literal Translation of the Holy Bible
Copyright © 1976 - 2000
By Jay P. Green, Sr.
Used by permission of the copyright holder

[Policy for Reprint & Quoting from the Literal Translation]