The Quest for Life Network

1 Samuel  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
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.
2:2 There is none holy as the LORD:  for there is none beside thee: 
 neither is there any rock like our God.
2:3 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.
2:4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are
 girded with strength.
2:5 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.
2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive:  he bringeth down to the grave, and
 bringeth up.
2:7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich:  he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
2:8 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.
2:9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in
 darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
2:10 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.
2:11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house.  And the child did minister
 unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
2:13 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;
2:14 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.
2:15 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.
2:16 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.
2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD:  for
 men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a
 linen ephod.
2:19 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.
2:20 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.
2:21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons
 and two daughters.  And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
2:22 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.
2:23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things?  for I hear of your evil
 dealings by all this people.
2:24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear:  ye make the
 LORD's people to transgress.
2:25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him:  but if a
 man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him?  Notwithstanding they
 hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay
 them.
2:26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and
 also with men.
2:27 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?
2:28 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?
2:29 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?
2:30 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.
2:31 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.
2:32 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.
2:33 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.
2:34 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.
2:35 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.
2:36 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  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
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.
3:2 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;
3:3 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;
3:4 That the LORD called Samuel:  and he answered, Here am I.
3:5 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.
3:6 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.
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD
 yet revealed unto him.
3:8 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.
3:9 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.
3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel,
 Samuel.  Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
3:11 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.
3:12 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.
3:13 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.
3:14 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.
3:15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of
 the LORD.  And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.
3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son.  And he answered,
 Here am I.
3:17 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.
3:18 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.
3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his
 words fall to the ground.
3:20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was
 established to be a prophet of the LORD.
3:21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh:  for the LORD revealed himself
 to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

1 Samuel  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
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.
4:2 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.
4:3 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.
4:4 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.
4:5 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.
4:6 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.
4:7 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.
4:8 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.
4:9 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.
4:10 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.
4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and
 Phinehas, were slain.
4:12 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.
4:13 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.
4:14 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.
4:15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he
 could not see.
4:16 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?
4:17 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.
4:18 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.
4:19 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.
4:20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto
 her, Fear not; for thou hast borne a son.  But she answered not, neither
 did she regard it.
4:21 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.
4:22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel:  for the ark of God is
 taken.

1 Samuel  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer
 unto Ashdod.
5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house
 of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
5:3 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.
5:4 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.
5:5 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.
5:6 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.
5:7 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.
5:8 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.
5:9 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.
5:10 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.
5:11 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.
5:12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods:  and the cry
 of the city went up to heaven.

1 Samuel  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
6:1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven
 months.
6:2 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.
6:3 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.
6:4 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.
6:5 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.
6:6 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?
6:7 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:
6:8 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.
6:9 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.
6:10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart,
 and shut up their calves at home:
6:11 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.
6:12 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.
6:13 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.
6:14 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.
6:15 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.
6:16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned
 to Ekron the same day.
6:17 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;
6:18 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.
6:19 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.
6:20 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?
6:21 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  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
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.
7:2 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.
7:3 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.
7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and
 served the LORD only.
7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you
 unto the LORD.
7:6 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.
7:7 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.
7:8 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.
7:9 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.
7:10 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.
7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines,
 and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
7:12 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.
7:13 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.
7:14 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.
7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
7:16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and
 Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
7:17 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  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges
 over Israel.
8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second,
 Abiah:  they were judges in Beersheba.
8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and
 took bribes, and perverted judgment.
8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to
 Samuel unto Ramah,
8:5 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.
8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge
 us.  And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
8:7 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.
8:8 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.
8:9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice:  howbeit yet protest solemnly
 unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of
 him a king.
8:11 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.
8:12 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.
8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be
 cooks, and to be bakers.
8:14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards,
 even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
8:15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and
 give to his officers, and to his servants.
8:16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your
 goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
8:17 He will take the tenth of your sheep:  and ye shall be his servants.
8:18 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.
8:19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they
 said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
8:20 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.
8:21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in
 the ears of the LORD.
8:22 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  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
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.
9:2 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.
9:3 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.
9:4 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.
9:5 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.
9:6 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 show us our way that we should
 go.
9:7 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?
9:8 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.
9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire 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. )
9:10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go.  So they
 went unto the city where the man of God was.
9:11 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?
9:12 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:
9:13 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.
9:14 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.
9:15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
9:16 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.
9:17 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.
9:18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray
 thee, where the seer's house is.
9:19 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.
9:20 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?
9:21 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?
9:22 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.
9:23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of
 which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
9:24 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.
9:25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city,
 Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
9:26 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.
9:27 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 show thee the word of God.

1 Samuel  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
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?
10:2 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?
10:3 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:
10:4 And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which
 thou shalt receive of their hands.
10:5 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:
10:6 And the spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy
 with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
10:7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as
 occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
10:8 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
 show thee what thou shalt do.
10:9 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.
10:10 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.
10:11 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?
10:12 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?
10:13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
10:14 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.
10:15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto
 you.
10:16 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.
10:17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
10:18 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:
10:19 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.
10:20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the
 tribe of Benjamin was taken.
10:21 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.
10:22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet
 come thither.  And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the
 stuff.
10:23 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.
10:24 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.
10:25 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.
10:26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of
 men, whose hearts God had touched.
10:27 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.

1 Samuel  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
11:1 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.
11:2 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.
11:3 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.
11:4 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.
11:5 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.
11:6 And the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and
 his anger was kindled greatly.
11:7 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.
11:8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three
 hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
11:9 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 showed it to the men of Jabesh;
 and they were glad.
11:10 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.
11:11 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.
11:12 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.
11:13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day:  for to
 day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.
11:14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and
 renew the kingdom there.
11:15 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.

1 Samuel  |  Top  | Up  |  Down
12:1 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.
12:2 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.
12:3 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.
12:4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither
 hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.
12:5 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.
12:6 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.
12:7 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.
12:8 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.
12:9 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.
12:10 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.
12:11 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.
12:12 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.
12:13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have
 desired!  and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
12:14 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:
12:15 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.
12:16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do
 before your eyes.
12:17 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.
12:18 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.
12:19 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.
12:20 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;
12:21 And turn ye not aside:  for then should ye go after vain things,
 which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
12:22 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.
12:23 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:
12:24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for
 consider how great things he hath done for you.
12:25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and
 your king.