1Samuel:8-12

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* And it came to pass , when Samuel was old , that he made his sons judges over Israel . * Now the name of his firstborn was Joel ; and the name of his second , Abiah : they were judges in Beersheba . * And his sons walked not in his ways , but turned aside after lucre , and took bribes , and perverted judgment . * Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together , and came to Samuel unto Ramah , * 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 . * But the thing displeased Samuel , when they said , Give us a king to judge us . And Samuel prayed unto the LORD . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king . * 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 . * 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 . * And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries , and to be cooks , and to be bakers . * And he will take your fields , and your vineyards , and your oliveyards , even the best of them , and give them to his servants . * And he will take the tenth of your seed , and of your vineyards , and give to his officers , and to his servants . * And he will take your menservants , and your maidservants , and your goodliest young men , and your asses , and put them to his work . * He will take the tenth of your sheep : and ye shall be his servants . * 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 . * Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel ; and they said , Nay ; but we will have a king over us ; * 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 . * And Samuel heard all the words of the people , and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 ? * 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 . * (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 .) * Then said Saul to his servant , Well said ; come , let us go . So they went unto the city where the man of God was . * 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 ? * 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 : * 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 . * 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 . * Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came , saying , * 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 . * 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 . * Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate , and said , Tell me , I pray thee , where the seer 's house is . * 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 . * 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 ? * 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 ? * 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 . * And Samuel said unto the cook , Bring the portion which I gave thee , of which I said unto thee , Set it by thee . * 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 . * And when they were come down from the high place into the city , Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 ? * 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 ? * 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 : * And they will salute thee , and give thee two loaves of bread ; which thou shalt receive of their hands . * 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 : * And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee , and thou shalt prophesy with them , and shalt be turned into another man . * And let it be , when these signs are come unto thee , that thou do as occasion serve thee ; for God is with thee . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 ? * 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 ? * And when he had made an end of prophesying , he came to the high place . * 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 . * And Saul 's uncle said , Tell me , I pray thee , what Samuel said unto you . * 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 . * And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh ; * 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 : * 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 . * And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near , the tribe of Benjamin was taken . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * And Saul also went home to Gibeah ; and there went with him a band of men , whose hearts God had touched . * 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 . * 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 ,

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