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The First Book of Samuel, starting at chapter 13
{13:1} Saul reigned a year; and when he had reigned two years over
Israel, {13:2} Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of
which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of
Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and
the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. {13:3} Jonathan
struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: and the
Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the [1>]shofar[<1] throughout all
the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!" {13:4} All Israel heard that
Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel
was had in abomination with the Philistines. The people were gathered
together after Saul to Gilgal. {13:5} The Philistines assembled
themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots,
and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the
seashore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash,
eastward of Beth Aven. {13:6} When the men of Israel saw that they
were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid
themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts,
and in pits. {13:7} Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan
to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal,
and all the people followed him trembling. {13:8} He stayed seven
days, according to the time set by Samuel: but Samuel didn't come to
Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. {13:9} Saul said,
"Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings." He
offered the burnt offering.
{13:10} It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of
offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to
meet him, that he might greet him. {13:11} Samuel said, "What have you
done?"
Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me,
and that you didn't come within the days appointed, and that the
Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; {13:12}
therefore I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal,
and I haven't entreated the favor of the LORD.' I forced myself
therefore, and offered the burnt offering."
{13:13} Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not
kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for
now the LORD would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.
{13:14} But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought
for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him
to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the
LORD commanded you."
{13:15} Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin.
Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred
men. {13:16} Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were
present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines
encamped in Michmash. {13:17} The spoilers came out of the camp of the
Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that
leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual; {13:18} and another company
turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of
the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the
wilderness. {13:19} Now there was no smith found throughout all
Eretz-Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make them
swords or spears"; {13:20} but all the Israelites went down to the
Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and
sickle; {13:21} yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the
plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.
{13:22} So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was
neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who
were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son
was there found. {13:23} The garrison of the Philistines went out to
the pass of Michmash.
{14:1} Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to
the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the
Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side." But he didn't tell
his father. {14:2} Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under
the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with
him were about six hundred men; {14:3} and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub,
Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of
the LORD in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn't know that
Jonathan was gone. {14:4} Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought
to go over to the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the
one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one
was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. {14:5} The one crag rose
up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in
front of Geba. {14:6} Jonathan said to the young man who bore his
armor, "Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these
uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us; for there is
no restraint on the LORD to save by many or by few." {14:7} His armor
bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Turn and, behold, I
am with you according to your heart." {14:8} Then Jonathan said,
"Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to
them. {14:9} If they say thus to us, 'Wait until we come to you!' then
we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them. {14:10}
But if they say this, 'Come up to us!' then we will go up; for the
LORD has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us."
{14:11} Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the
Philistines: and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews are coming
out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!" {14:12} The men of
the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, "Come
up to us, and we will show you something!"
Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me; for the LORD
has delivered them into the hand of Israel." {14:13} Jonathan climbed
up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and
they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him.
{14:14} That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer
made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length
in an acre of land. {14:15} There was a trembling in the camp, in the
field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they
also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great
trembling. {14:16} The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked;
and behold, the multitude melted away, and scattered. {14:17} Then
Saul said to the people who were with him, "Count now, and see who is
missing from us." When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his
armor bearer were not there.
{14:18} Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." For the
ark of God was with the children of Israel at that time. {14:19} It
happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in
the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to
the priest, "Withdraw your hand!"
{14:20} Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered
together, and came to the battle: and behold, every man's sword was
against his fellow: a very great confusion. {14:21} Now the Hebrews
who were with the Philistines as before, and who went up with them
into the camp, from all around, even they also turned to be with the
Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. {14:22} Likewise all the
men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of
Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also
followed hard after them in the battle. {14:23} So the LORD saved
Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.
{14:24} The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had
adjured the people, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until
it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies." So none of the people
tasted food.
{14:25} All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on
the ground. {14:26} When the people had come to the forest, behold,
the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the
people feared the oath. {14:27} But Jonathan didn't hear when his
father commanded the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the
end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb,
and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. {14:28}
Then one of the people answered, and said, "Your father directly
commanded the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed is the man who eats
food this day.'" The people were faint. {14:29} Then Jonathan said,
"My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been
enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. {14:30} How much
more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of
their enemies which they found? For now has there been no great
slaughter among the Philistines." {14:31} They struck of the
Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very
faint; {14:32} and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and
cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate
them with the blood. {14:33} Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the
people are sinning against the LORD, in that they eat meat with the
blood."
He said, "You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me
this day!" {14:34} Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people,
and tell them, 'Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his
sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don't sin against the LORD in
eating meat with the blood.'" All the people brought every man his ox
with him that night, and killed them there.
{14:35} Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar
that he built to the LORD. {14:36} Saul said, "Let us go down after
the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning
light, and let us not leave a man of them."
They said, "Do whatever seems good to you."
Then the priest said, "Let us draw near here to God."
{14:37} Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the
Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But he
didn't answer him that day. {14:38} Saul said, "Draw near here, all
you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been
this day. {14:39} For, as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it
is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a man
among all the people who answered him. {14:40} Then he said to all
Israel, "You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the
other side."
The people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."
{14:41} Therefore Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, "Show
the right."
Jonathan and Saul were chosen; but the people escaped.
{14:42} Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son."
Jonathan was selected.
{14:43} Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done!"
Jonathan told him, and said, "I certainly did taste a little honey
with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die."
{14:44} Saul said, "God do so and more also; for you shall surely
die, Jonathan."
{14:45} The people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has worked
this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there
shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked
with God this day!" So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn't die.
{14:46} Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the
Philistines went to their own place. {14:47} Now when Saul had taken
the kingdom over Israel, he 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
wherever he turned himself, he defeated them. {14:48} He did
valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the
hands of those who despoiled them. {14:49} Now the sons of Saul were
Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two
daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of
the younger Michal: {14:50} and the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam
the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner
the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. {14:51} Kish was the father of Saul; and
Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. {14:52} There was severe
war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw
any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.
{15:1} Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you to be
king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice
of the words of the LORD. {15:2} Thus says the LORD of Hosts, 'I have
marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him
in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. {15:3} Now go and strike
Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and don't spare them;
but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep,
camel and donkey.'"
{15:4} Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two
hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. {15:5} Saul
came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. {15:6} Saul
said to the Kenites, "Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites,
lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the
children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites
departed from among the Amalekites.
{15:7} Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur,
that is before Egypt. {15:8} He took Agag the king of the Amalekites
alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the
sword. {15:9} But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the
sheep, and of the cattle, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all
that was good, and wouldn't utterly destroy them: but everything that
was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. {15:10} Then the
word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, {15:11} "It grieves me that I
have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me,
and has not performed my commandments." Samuel was angry; and he cried
to the LORD all night.
{15:12} Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was
told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a
monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to
Gilgal."
{15:13} Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, "You are blessed
by the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD."
{15:14} Samuel said, "Then what does this bleating of the sheep in
my ears, and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?"
{15:15} Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for
the people spared the best of the sheep and of the cattle, to
sacrifice to the LORD your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest."
{15:16} Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay, and I will tell you what
the LORD has said to me last night."
He said to him, "Say on."
{15:17} Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight,
weren't you made the head of the tribes of Israel? the LORD anointed
you king over Israel; {15:18} and the LORD sent you on a journey, and
said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight
against them until they are consumed.' {15:19} Why then didn't you
obey the voice of the LORD, but took the spoils, and did that which
was evil in the sight of the LORD?"
{15:20} Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the
LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought
Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
{15:21} But the people took of the spoil, sheep and cattle, the chief
of the devoted things, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal."
{15:22} Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold,
to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
{15:23} For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is
as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of the
LORD, he has also rejected you from being king."
{15:24} Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed
the commandment of the LORD, and your words, because I feared the
people, and obeyed their voice. {15:25} Now therefore, please pardon
my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD."
{15:26} Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you
have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from
being king over Israel." {15:27} As Samuel turned about to go away,
Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore. {15:28} Samuel said
to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day,
and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
{15:29} Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is
not a man, that he should repent."
{15:30} Then he said, "I have sinned: yet please honor me now before
the elders of my people, and before Israel, and come back with me,
that I may worship the LORD your God."
{15:31} So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped the LORD.
{15:32} Then Samuel said, "Bring here to me Agag the king of the
Amalekites!"
Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of
death is past."
{15:33} Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so
your mother will be childless among women!" Samuel cut Agag in pieces
before the LORD in Gilgal.
{15:34} Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to
Gibeah of Saul. {15:35} Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day
of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD grieved that
he had made Saul king over Israel.
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Footnotes:
[1] {13:3} or, trumpet
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