Page images
PDF
EPUB

northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against 6 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 7 by few. And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart : 8 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 9 them. If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will 10 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.

11

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 12 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 show you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD 13 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 14 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 2an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

15

16

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.

Then

And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the 17 multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another. 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 armour18 bearer were not there. And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. 19 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 20 thine hand. And Saul and all the people that were with him 5 assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against 21 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 22 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, 23 even they also followed hard after them in the battle. So the LORD saved Israel that day and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven.

24.

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 25 be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. And all 26 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 27 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, 28 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 29 6 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. 30 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?

31

And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and 32 the people were very faint. And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep,

1 Heb. Be still.

3 Heb. a trembling of God. 5 Heb. were cried together. 6 Or, wcary.

2 Or, half a furrow of an acre of land. 4 Or, tumult.

B.C. cit. 1079.

and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them 33 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 1 transgressed: 34 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 35 that night, and slew them there. And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: 3 the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.

[graphic]

335

36

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 37 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.

38 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither all the chief of the people: and know 39 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 40 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. 41 And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee. Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, 5 Give a perfect lot.. And Saul and 42 Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. And Saul said, Cast lots 43 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, 02 44 lo, I must die. And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt 45 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 46 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.

47

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 whitherso48 ever he turned himself, he vexed them. And he 7 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 Melchi-shua: and the ac names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the 50 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 8 Abner, the 51 son of Ner, Saul's uncle. And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

52 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. 15 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 2 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 3 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.

1 Or, deall treacherously.

2 Heb. in his hand.

3 Heb. that altar he began
to build unto the LORD.

smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over 8 against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly 9 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.

10, 11

13

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 12 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 14 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 15 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 16 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.

17

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 18 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. 19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon 20 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 21 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 22 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 23 is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of 3 witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being 24 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 25 obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again 26 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 27 hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to 28 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, 29 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 30 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 31 worship the LORD thy God. So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.

32

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 33 death is past. And Samuel said, Ås 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.

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of 35 Saul. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul:

16, 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

1 Or, of the second sort.
2 Heb. they consume.

3 Heb. divination.

4 Or, Eternity, or, Victory.

4

B.C. cir. 1063.

1 SAMUEL XVII.

send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill 2 his sons. me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show 3 to sacrifice to the LORD. 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 Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peace5 ably? 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 6 and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on 8 Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is 7 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 8 looketh on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before 9 Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. Then Jesse made And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 5 Shammah to pass by. 10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said 11 unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. 12 fetch him: for we will not sit 6 down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal 7 of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 13 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.

[graphic]

14

But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the 15 LORD & troubled him. And Saul's servant said unto him, Behold now, an evil 16 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 17 play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. And Saul said unto his servants, 18 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 Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in 9 matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with 19 him. Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David 20 thy son, which is with the sheep. And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and 21 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 22 became his armourbearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray 23 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.

17

NOW the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between 2 Shochoh and Azekah, in 10 Ephes-dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel And the Philistines stood on a mountain on were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and 11 set the battle 3 in array against the Philistines. the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a 4 valley between them. And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was 12 armed with a coat 6 of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he

18.

4 Heb. eyes.

10 Or, the coast of Dammim, called
Pas-dammim, 1 Chron. xi. 13.
11 Heb. ranged the battle.
12 Heb. clothed.

1

had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a 1 target of brass between his shoulders. 7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed 8 six hundred shekels of iron and one bearing a shield went before him. And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to 9 Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail 10 against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we 11 may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old 13 man in the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were 14 Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. And 15 David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul But David went 16 and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem. And the

17

Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18 and carry these ten cheeses unto the 3 captain of their thousand, and look how 19 thy brethren fare, and take their pledge. Now Saul, and they, and all the men 20 of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David

rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the 21 host was going forth to the 5 fight, and shouted for the battle. For Israel and 22 the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. And David

left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the 23 army, and came and 7 saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: 24 and David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, 25 fled from him, and were sore afraid. 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. 26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the 27 living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall 28 it be done to the man that killeth him. 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. 29, 30 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner and the 31 people answered him again after the former manner. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he 10 sent for him.

[ocr errors]

And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant 33 will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him for thou art but a youth, and 34 he a man of war from his youth. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of 35 the flock: and I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote

1 Or, gorget.

2 Heb. cheeses of milk.

3 Heb. captain of a thousand.
4 Or, place of the carriage.

5 Or, battle array, or, place of fight.

6 Heb. the vessels from upon him.
7 Heb. asked his brethren of

peace.

8 Heb. from his face.

9 Heb. word.

10 Heb. took him.
11 Or, kid.

« PreviousContinue »