1Samuel:11-16

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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 . * And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron : and the people that were with him were about six hundred men ; * And Ahiah , the son of Ahitub , Ichabod 's brother , the son of Phinehas , the son of Eli , the LORD 'S priest in Shiloh , wearing an ephod . And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone . * And between the passages , by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines ' garrison , there was a sharp rock on the one side , and a sharp rock on the other side : and the name of the one was Bozez , and the name of the other Seneh . * The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash , and the other southward over against Gibeah . * And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour , Come , and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised : it may be that the LORD will work for us : for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few . * And his armourbearer said unto him , Do all that is in thine heart : turn thee ; behold , I am with thee according to thy heart . * Then said Jonathan , Behold , we will pass over unto these men , and we will discover ourselves unto them . * If they say thus unto us , Tarry until we come to you ; then we will stand still in our place , and will not go up unto them . * But if they say thus , Come up unto us ; then we will go up : for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand : and this shall be a sign unto us . * And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines : and the Philistines said , Behold , the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves . * And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer , and said , Come up to us , and we will shew you a thing . And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer , Come up after me : for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel . * And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet , and his armourbearer after him : and they fell before Jonathan ; and his armourbearer slew after him . * And that first slaughter , which Jonathan and his armourbearer made , was about twenty men , within as it were an half acre of land , which a yoke of oxen might plow . * And there was trembling in the host , in the field , and among all the people : the garrison , and the spoilers , they also trembled , and the earth quaked : so it was a very great trembling . * And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked ; and , behold , the multitude melted away , and they went on beating down one another . * Then said Saul unto the people that were with him , Number now , and see who is gone from us . And when they had numbered , behold , Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there . * And Saul said unto Ahiah , Bring hither the ark of God . For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel . * And it came to pass , while Saul talked unto the priest , that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased : and Saul said unto the priest , Withdraw thine hand . * And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves , and they came to the battle : and , behold , every man 's sword was against his fellow , and there was a very great discomfiture . * Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time , which went up with them into the camp from the country round about , even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan . * Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim , when they heard that the Philistines fled , even they also followed hard after them in the battle . * So the LORD saved Israel that day : and the battle passed over unto Bethaven . * And the men of Israel were distressed that day : for Saul had adjured the people , saying , Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening , that I may be avenged on mine enemies . So none of the people tasted any food . * And all they of the land came to a wood ; and there was honey upon the ground . * And when the people were come into the wood , behold , the honey dropped ; but no man put his hand to his mouth : for the people feared the oath . * But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath : wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand , and dipped it in an honeycomb , and put his hand to his mouth ; and his eyes were enlightened . * Then answered one of the people , and said , Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath , saying , Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day . And the people were faint . * Then said Jonathan , My father hath troubled the land : see , I pray you , how mine eyes have been enlightened , because I tasted a little of this honey . * How much more , if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found ? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines ? * And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon : and the people were very faint . * And the people flew upon the spoil , and took sheep , and oxen , and calves , and slew them on the ground : and the people did eat them with the blood . * Then they told Saul , saying , Behold , the people sin against the LORD , in that they eat with the blood . And he said , Ye have transgressed : roll a great stone unto me this day . * And Saul said , Disperse yourselves among the people , and say unto them , Bring me hither every man his ox , and every man his sheep , and slay them here , and eat ; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood . And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night , and slew them there . * And Saul built an altar unto the LORD : the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD . * And Saul said , Let us go down after the Philistines by night , and spoil them until the morning light , and let us not leave a man of them . And they said , Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee . Then said the priest , Let us draw near hither unto God . * And Saul asked counsel of God , Shall I go down after the Philistines ? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel ? But he answered him not that day . * And Saul said , Draw ye near hither , all the chief of the people : and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day . * For , as the LORD liveth , which saveth Israel , though it be in Jonathan my son , he shall surely die . But there was not a man among all the people that answered him . * Then said he unto all Israel , Be ye on one side , and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side . And the people said unto Saul , Do what seemeth good unto thee . * Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel , Give a perfect lot . And Saul and Jonathan were taken : but the people escaped . * And Saul said , Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son . And Jonathan was taken . * Then Saul said to Jonathan , Tell me what thou hast done . And Jonathan told him , and said , I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand , and , lo , I must die . * And Saul answered , God do so and more also : for thou shalt surely die , Jonathan . * And the people said unto Saul , Shall Jonathan die , who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel ? God forbid : as the LORD liveth , there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground ; for he hath wrought with God this day . So the people rescued Jonathan , that he died not . * Then Saul went up from following the Philistines : and the Philistines went to their own place . * So Saul took the kingdom over Israel , and fought against all his enemies on every side , against Moab , and against the children of Ammon , and against Edom , and against the kings of Zobah , and against the Philistines : and whithersoever he turned himself , he vexed them . * And he gathered an host , and smote the Amalekites , and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them . * Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan , and Ishui , and Melchishua : and the names of his two daughters were these ; the name of the firstborn Merab , and the name of the younger Michal : * And the name of Saul 's wife was Ahinoam , the daughter of Ahimaaz : and the name of the captain of his host was Abner , the son of Ner , Saul 's uncle . * And Kish was the father of Saul ; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel . * And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul : and when Saul saw any strong man , or any valiant man , he took him unto him . * Samuel also said unto Saul , The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people , over Israel : now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD . * Thus saith the LORD of hosts , I remember that which Amalek did to Israel , how he laid wait for him in the way , when he came up from Egypt . * Now go and smite Amalek , and utterly destroy all that they have , and spare them not ; but slay both man and woman , infant and suckling , ox and sheep , camel and ass . * And Saul gathered the people together , and numbered them in Telaim , two hundred thousand footmen , and ten thousand men of Judah . * And Saul came to a city of Amalek , and laid wait in the valley . * And Saul said unto the Kenites , Go , depart , get you down from among the Amalekites , lest I destroy you with them : for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel , when they came up out of Egypt . So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites . * And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur , that is over against Egypt . * And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive , and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword . * But Saul and the people spared Agag , and the best of the sheep , and of the oxen , and of the fatlings , and the lambs , and all that was good , and would not utterly destroy them : but every thing that was vile and refuse , that they destroyed utterly . * Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel , saying , * It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king : for he is turned back from following me , and hath not performed my commandments . And it grieved Samuel ; and he cried unto the LORD all night . * And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning , it was told Samuel , saying , Saul came to Carmel , and , behold , he set him up a place , and is gone about , and passed on , and gone down to Gilgal . * And Samuel came to Saul : and Saul said unto him , Blessed be thou of the LORD : I have performed the commandment of the LORD . * And Samuel said , What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears , and the lowing of the oxen which I hear ? * And Saul said , They have brought them from the Amalekites : for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen , to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God ; and the rest we have utterly destroyed . * Then Samuel said unto Saul , Stay , and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night . And he said unto him , Say on . * And Samuel said , When thou wast little in thine own sight , wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel , and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel ? * And the LORD sent thee on a journey , and said , Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites , and fight against them until they be consumed . * Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD , but didst fly upon the spoil , and didst evil in the sight of the LORD ? * And Saul said unto Samuel , Yea , I have obeyed the voice of the LORD , and have gone the way which the LORD sent me , and have brought Agag the king of Amalek , and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites . * But the people took of the spoil , sheep and oxen , the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed , to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal . * And Samuel said , Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices , as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? Behold , to obey is better than sacrifice , and to hearken than the fat of rams . * For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft , and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry . Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD , he hath also rejected thee from being king . * And Saul said unto Samuel , I have sinned : for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD , and thy words : because I feared the people , and obeyed their voice . * Now therefore , I pray thee , pardon my sin , and turn again with me , that I may worship the LORD . * And Samuel said unto Saul , I will not return with thee : for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD , and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel . * And as Samuel turned about to go away , he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle , and it rent . * And Samuel said unto him , The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day , and hath given it to a neighbour of thine , that is better than thou . * And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent : for he is not a man , that he should repent . * Then he said , I have sinned : yet honour me now , I pray thee , before the elders of my people , and before Israel , and turn again with me , that I may worship the LORD thy God . * So Samuel turned again after Saul ; and Saul worshipped the LORD . * Then said Samuel , Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites . And Agag came unto him delicately . And Agag said , Surely the bitterness of death is past . * And Samuel said , As thy sword hath made women childless , so shall thy mother be childless among women . And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal . * Then Samuel went to Ramah ; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul . * And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death : nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul : and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel . * And the LORD said unto Samuel , How long wilt thou mourn for Saul , seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel ? fill thine horn with oil , and go , I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite : for I have provided me a king among his sons . * And Samuel said , How can I go ? if Saul hear it , he will kill me . And the LORD said , Take an heifer with thee , and say , I am come to sacrifice to the LORD . * And call Jesse to the sacrifice , and I will shew thee what thou shalt do : and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee . * And Samuel did that which the LORD spake , and came to Bethlehem . And the elders of the town trembled at his coming , and said , Comest thou peaceably ? * And he said , Peaceably : I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD : sanctify yourselves , and come with me to the sacrifice . And he sanctified Jesse and his sons , and called them to the sacrifice . * And it came to pass , when they were come , that he looked on Eliab , and said , Surely the LORD 'S anointed is before him . * But the LORD said unto Samuel , Look not on his countenance , or on the height of his stature ; because I have refused him : for the LORD seeth not as man seeth ; for man looketh on the outward appearance , but the LORD looketh on the heart . * Then Jesse called Abinadab , and made him pass before Samuel . And he said , Neither hath the LORD chosen this . * Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by . And he said , Neither hath the LORD chosen this . * Again , Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel . And Samuel said unto Jesse , The LORD hath not chosen these . * And Samuel said unto Jesse , Are here all thy children ? And he said , There remaineth yet the youngest , and , behold , he keepeth the sheep . And Samuel said unto Jesse , Send and fetch him : for we will not sit down till he come hither . * And he sent , and brought him in . Now he was ruddy , and withal of a beautiful countenance , and goodly to look to . And the LORD said , Arise , anoint him : for this is he . * Then Samuel took the horn of oil , and anointed him in the midst of his brethren : and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward . So Samuel rose up , and went to Ramah . * But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul , and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him . * And Saul 's servants said unto him , Behold now , an evil spirit from God troubleth thee . * Let our lord now command thy servants , which are before thee , to seek out a man , who is a cunning player on an harp : and it shall come to pass , when the evil spirit from God is upon thee , that he shall play with his hand , and thou shalt be well . * And Saul said unto his servants , Provide me now a man that can play well , and bring him to me . * Then answered one of the servants , and said , Behold , I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite , that is cunning in playing , and a mighty valiant man , and a man of war , and prudent in matters , and a comely person , and the LORD is with him . * Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse , and said , Send me David thy son , which is with the sheep . * And Jesse took an ass laden with bread , and a bottle of wine , and a kid , and sent them by David his son unto Saul . * And David came to Saul , and stood before him : and he loved him greatly ; and he became his armourbearer . * And Saul sent to Jesse , saying , Let David , I pray thee , stand before me ; for he hath found favour in my sight . * And it came to pass , when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul , that David took an harp , and played with his hand : so Saul was refreshed , and was well , and the evil spirit departed from him . * Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle , and were gathered together at Shochoh , which belongeth to Judah , and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah , in Ephesdammim .

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