1st Samuel
Ruth 1-4 New Testament Old Testament 1 Samuel 11-20
1 Samuel 1
1 ¶Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount 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
other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto
the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the
priests of the LORD, were there.
4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and
to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD
had shut up her womb.
6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the
LORD had shut up her womb.
7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so
she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest
thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
9 ¶So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk.
Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on
the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine
handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him
unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his
head.
12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli
marked her mouth.
13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was
not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from
thee.
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful
spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul
before the LORD.
16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance
of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy
petition that thou hast asked of him.
18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went
her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
19 ¶And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and
returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife;
and the LORD remembered her.
20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had
conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I
have asked him of the LORD.
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the
yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until
the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the
LORD, and there abide for ever.
23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until
thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and
gave her son suck until she weaned him.
24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks,
and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of
the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.
25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that
stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.
27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked
of him:
28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be
lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
1 Samuel 2
1 ¶And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is
exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice
in thy salvation.
2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is
there any rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth:
for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with
strength.
5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were
hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many
children is waxed feeble.
6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and
bringeth up.
7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the
dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of
glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world
upon them.
9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in
darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he
thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give
strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
11 ¶And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the
LORD before Eli the priest.
12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
13 And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered
sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a
fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the
fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all
the Israelites that came thither.
15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the
man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have
sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently,
and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but
thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men
abhorred the offering of the LORD.
18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen
ephod.
19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year
to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of
this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own
home.
21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and
two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and
how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation.
23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil
dealings by all this people.
24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD'S people
to transgress.
25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin
against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not
unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also
with men.
27 ¶And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the
LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt
in Pharaoh's house?
28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to
offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I
give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children
of Israel?
29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have
commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves
fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the
house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be
it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me
shall be lightly esteemed.
31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy
father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God
shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to
consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine
house shall die in the flower of their age.
34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on
Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that
which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he
shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall
come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall
say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a
piece of bread.
1 Samuel 3
1 ¶And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the
LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his
eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of
God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I
called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and
said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son;
lie down again.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet
revealed unto him.
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli,
and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had
called the child.
9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call
thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went
and lay down in his place.
10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel.
Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
11 ¶And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which
both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken
concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity
which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them
not.
14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's
house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the
LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee
hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing
from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is
the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
19 ¶And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words
fall to the ground.
20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to
be a prophet of the LORD.
21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to
Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
1 Samuel 4
1 ¶And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the
Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched
in Aphek.
2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they
joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the
army in the field about four thousand men.
3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said,
Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch
the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh
among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the
covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two
sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of
God.
5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel
shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth
the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood
that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And
they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these
are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not
servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men,
and fight.
10 ¶And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man
into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel
thirty thousand footmen.
11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were slain.
12 ¶And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same
day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his
heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told
it, all the city cried out.
14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise
of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could
not see.
16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to
day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?
17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines,
and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons
also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell
from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he
died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19 ¶And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be
delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and
that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and
travailed; for her pains came upon her.
20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her,
Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard
it.
21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel:
because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her
husband.
22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
1 Samuel 5
1 ¶And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto
Ashdod.
2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of
Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen
upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and
set him in his place again.
4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon
his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and
both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of
Dagon was left to him.
5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house,
tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
6 ¶But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed
them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God
of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon
our god.
8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them,
and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered,
Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried
the ark of the God of Israel about thither.
9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was
against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the
city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark
of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought
about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and
said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own
place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction
throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the
city went up to heaven.
1 Samuel 6
1 ¶And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What
shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his
place.
3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not
empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed,
and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to
him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the
number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on
your lords.
5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that
mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he
will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your
land.
6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened
their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the
people go, and they departed?
7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath
come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from
them:
8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of
gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side
thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he
hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his
hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.
10 ¶And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and
shut up their calves at home:
11 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice
of gold and the images of their emerods.
12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along
the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to
the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of
Bethshemesh.
13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and
they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there,
where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered
the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with
it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the
men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same
day unto the LORD.
16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to
Ekron the same day.
17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a
trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one,
for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the
Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country
villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of
the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the
Bethshemite.
19 ¶And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of
the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men:
and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a
great slaughter.
20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD
God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The
Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it
up to you.
1 Samuel 7
1 ¶And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and
brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his
son to keep the ark of the LORD.
2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was
long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the
LORD.
3 ¶And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto
the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from
among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he
will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the
LORD only.
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the
LORD.
6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before
the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the
LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
7 ¶And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered
together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And
when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our
God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly
unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard
him.
10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near
to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that
day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before
Israel.
11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and
smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the
name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
13 ¶So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of
Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of
Samuel.
14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to
Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out
of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the
Amorites.
15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh,
and judged Israel in all those places.
17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged
Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
1 Samuel 8
1 ¶And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over
Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah:
they were judges in Beersheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took
bribes, and perverted judgment.
4 ¶Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to
Samuel unto Ramah,
5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways:
now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us.
And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all
that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected
me, that I should not reign over them.
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought
them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and
served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto
them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a
king.
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you:
He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to
be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties;
and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his
instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and
to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even
the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to
his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest
young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have
chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said,
Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and
go out before us, and fight our battles.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the
ears of the LORD.
22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.
And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.
1 Samuel 9
1 ¶Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the
son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man
of power.
2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and
there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his
shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
3 ¶And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son,
Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha,
but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there
they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found
them not.
5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was
with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses,
and take thought for us.
6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he
is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go
thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the
man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring
to the man of God: what have we?
8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the
fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell
us our way.
9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come,
and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime
called a Seer.)
10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto
the city where the man of God was.
11 ¶And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out
to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste
now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to
day in the high place:
13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he
go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come,
because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now
therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city,
behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin,
and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save
my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people,
because their cry is come unto me.
17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake
to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
18 ¶Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee,
where the seer's house is.
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the
high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go,
and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on
them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on
thee, and on all thy father's house?
21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the
tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of
Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and
made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were
about thirty persons.
23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which
I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it
before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and
eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited
the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel
communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that
Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee
away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid
the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while,
that I may shew thee the word of God.
1 Samuel 10
1 ¶Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him,
and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his
inheritance?
2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by
Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto
thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath
left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for
my son?
3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of
Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one
carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another
carrying a bottle of wine:
4 And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt
receive of their hands.
5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the
Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city,
that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with
a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall
prophesy:
6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with
them, and shalt be turned into another man.
7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion
serve thee; for God is with thee.
8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto
thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings:
seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt
do.
9 ¶And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave
him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met
him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he
prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this
that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
12 And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father?
Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he
said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to
Samuel.
15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.
16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found.
But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
17 ¶And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I
brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your
adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a
king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes,
and by your thousands.
20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe
of Benjamin was taken.
21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the
family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they
sought him, he could not be found.
22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come
thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he
was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that
there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and
said, God save the king.
25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a
book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every
man to his house.
26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men,
whose hearts God had touched.
27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they
despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.