And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt
indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and
not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man
child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life,
and there shall no razor come upon his head.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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?
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 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 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 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.
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 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.
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 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 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 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.
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 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 the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come
up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the
man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and
will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in
Israel.
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men;
and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest
thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the
wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for
thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will
smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the
carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the
air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know
that there is a God in Israel.
And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and
pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the
gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the
way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.
Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the
Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and
they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's
son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth
that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan
know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as
thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a
sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be
there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away,
I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the
king's table.
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have
sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between
me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose
and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.
And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded
me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the
business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I
have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth
women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out,
and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a
manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom
thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a
cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is
no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that;
give it me.
That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that
sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and
there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my
son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this
day?
And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn,
and slay the priests of the LORD: because their hand also is with
David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me.
But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall
upon the priests of the LORD.
See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places
where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty,
and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the
land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of
Judah.
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the
LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine
hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.
Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had
delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me
kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth
mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD's anointed.
Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my
hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee
not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in
mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my
soul to take it.
Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed
blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine
enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be
the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of
Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned
the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and
communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words
of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him
accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they
before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in
the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the
hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should
speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall
despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I
escape out of his hand.
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he
went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and
he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring
me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.
And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring
me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines
make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no
more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called
thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews
here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not
this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been
with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him
since he fell unto me unto this day?
And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the
princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return,
that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and
let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an
adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his
master? should it not be with the heads of these men?
Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD
liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in
with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in
thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless
the lords favour thee not.
And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread
abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because
of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the
Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that
they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the
brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people
that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted
them.
Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those
that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will
not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every
man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and
depart.
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust
me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me
through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was
sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the
valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men
of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the
cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.