1Samuel:11-13

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* Then Nahash the Ammonite came up , and encamped against Jabeshgilead : and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash , Make a covenant with us , and we will serve thee . * And Nahash the Ammonite answered them , On this condition will I make a covenant with you , that I may thrust out all your right eyes , and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel . * And the elders of Jabesh said unto him , Give us seven days ' respite , that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel : and then , if there be no man to save us , we will come out to thee . * Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul , and told the tidings in the ears of the people : and all the people lifted up their voices , and wept . * And , behold , Saul came after the herd out of the field ; and Saul said , What aileth the people that they weep ? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh . * And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings , and his anger was kindled greatly . * And he took a yoke of oxen , and hewed them in pieces , and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers , saying , Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel , so shall it be done unto his oxen . And the fear of the LORD fell on the people , and they came out with one consent . * And when he numbered them in Bezek , the children of Israel were three hundred thousand , and the men of Judah thirty thousand . * And they said unto the messengers that came , Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead , To morrow , by that time the sun be hot , ye shall have help . And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh ; and they were glad . * Therefore the men of Jabesh said , To morrow we will come out unto you , and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you . * And it was so on the morrow , that Saul put the people in three companies ; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch , and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day : and it came to pass , that they which remained were scattered , so that two of them were not left together . * And the people said unto Samuel , Who is he that said , Shall Saul reign over us ? bring the men , that we may put them to death . * And Saul said , There shall not a man be put to death this day : for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel . * Then said Samuel to the people , Come , and let us go to Gilgal , and renew the kingdom there . * And all the people went to Gilgal ; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal ; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD ; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly . * And Samuel said unto all Israel , Behold , I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me , and have made a king over you . * And now , behold , the king walketh before you : and I am old and grayheaded ; and , behold , my sons are with you : and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day . * Behold , here I am : witness against me before the LORD , and before his anointed : whose ox have I taken ? or whose ass have I taken ? or whom have I defrauded ? whom have I oppressed ? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith ? and I will restore it you . * And they said , Thou hast not defrauded us , nor oppressed us , neither hast thou taken ought of any man 's hand . * And he said unto them , The LORD is witness against you , and his anointed is witness this day , that ye have not found ought in my hand . And they answered , He is witness . * And Samuel said unto the people , It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron , and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt . * Now therefore stand still , that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD , which he did to you and to your fathers . * When Jacob was come into Egypt , and your fathers cried unto the LORD , then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron , which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt , and made them dwell in this place . * And when they forgat the LORD their God , he sold them into the hand of Sisera , captain of the host of Hazor , and into the hand of the Philistines , and into the hand of the king of Moab , and they fought against them . * And they cried unto the LORD , and said , We have sinned , because we have forsaken the LORD , and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth : but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies , and we will serve thee . * And the LORD sent Jerubbaal , and Bedan , and Jephthah , and Samuel , and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side , and ye dwelled safe . * And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you , ye said unto me , Nay ; but a king shall reign over us : when the LORD your God was your king . * Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen , and whom ye have desired ! and , behold , the LORD hath set a king over you . * If ye will fear the LORD , and serve him , and obey his voice , and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD , then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God : * But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD , but rebel against the commandment of the LORD , then shall the hand of the LORD be against you , as it was against your fathers . * Now therefore stand and see this great thing , which the LORD will do before your eyes . * Is it not wheat harvest to day ? I will call unto the LORD , and he shall send thunder and rain ; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great , which ye have done in the sight of the LORD , in asking you a king . * So Samuel called unto the LORD ; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day : and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel . * And all the people said unto Samuel , Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God , that we die not : for we have added unto all our sins this evil , to ask us a king . * And Samuel said unto the people , Fear not : ye have done all this wickedness : yet turn not aside from following the LORD , but serve the LORD with all your heart ; * And turn ye not aside : for then should ye go after vain things , which cannot profit nor deliver ; for they are vain . * For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name 's sake : because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people . * Moreover as for me , God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you : but I will teach you the good and the right way : * Only fear the LORD , and serve him in truth with all your heart : for consider how great things he hath done for you . * But if ye shall still do wickedly , ye shall be consumed , both ye and your king . * Saul reigned one year ; and when he had reigned two years over Israel , * Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel ; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel , and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin : and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent . * And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba , and the Philistines heard of it . And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land , saying , Let the Hebrews hear . * And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines , and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines . And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal . * And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel , thirty thousand chariots , and six thousand horsemen , and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude : and they came up , and pitched in Michmash , eastward from Bethaven . * When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait , (for the people were distressed ,) then the people did hide themselves in caves , and in thickets , and in rocks , and in high places , and in pits . * And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead . As for Saul , he was yet in Gilgal , and all the people followed him trembling . * And he tarried seven days , according to the set time that Samuel had appointed : but Samuel came not to Gilgal ; and the people were scattered from him . * And Saul said , Bring hither a burnt offering to me , and peace offerings . And he offered the burnt offering . * And it came to pass , that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering , behold , Samuel came ; and Saul went out to meet him , that he might salute him . * And Samuel said , What hast thou done ? And Saul said , Because I saw that the people were scattered from me , and that thou camest not within the days appointed , and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash ; * Therefore said I , The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal , and I have not made supplication unto the LORD : I forced myself therefore , and offered a burnt offering . * And Samuel said to Saul , Thou hast done foolishly : thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God , which he commanded thee : for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever . * But now thy kingdom shall not continue : the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart , and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people , because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee . * And Samuel arose , and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin . And Saul numbered the people that were present with him , about six hundred men . * And Saul , and Jonathan his son , and the people that were present with them , abode in Gibeah of Benjamin : but the Philistines encamped in Michmash . * And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies : one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah , unto the land of Shual : * And another company turned the way to Bethhoron : and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness . * Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel : for the Philistines said , Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears : * But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines , to sharpen every man his share , and his coulter , and his axe , and his mattock . * Yet they had a file for the mattocks , and for the coulters , and for the forks , and for the axes , and to sharpen the goads . * So it came to pass in the day of battle , that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan : but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found . * And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash . * Now it came to pass upon a day , that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour , Come , and let us go over to the Philistines ' garrison , that is on the other side . But he told not his father .

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