reason with you before the Lor D of all the righteous acts of the Lor D, which he didto you and to your fathers. 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. 9 And when they forgat the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the holt of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10 And they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have finned, because we have forsaken the Lor D, and have served Baalim and Astitaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. 11 And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every lide,and yedwellcd safe. li And when ye sow that Nahalh the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king lhall reign over tis: when the Lord your God ivas your king. 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. 14. Ifye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel ng-iinst the commandment of the Lor D, then Hull both ye and also the king that rrigneth over you continue following the Lor D your Gcd: j 5 But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lor D, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then (hall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it •was against your fathers. 16 «,f Now therefore stand and see this great thing which the Lo R D will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he (hall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the light of the Lord, in asking you a king. 1? So Samuel called unto the Lor n; ?ld ;';e Lord sent thunder and rain th it day: and all the people greatly feared rhe Lord and Samuel. 19 And :.ll the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Loin thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our fins this evil, ■ to aik us a king. 9 And Saul said. Bring hither a burnt cffe. iag to me, and peace offerings. And ke offered the burnt offering. 10 And it came to pass, that as soon ai he had made an end of offering tlie burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he E!?;-.t salute him. 11 ^[ And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that th« people were scattered from me, and mat thou earnest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmaih; Ii Therefore laid I, The Philistines wjii come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lo R. E>: I foixed myself therefore, and olfered a burnt offering. %1 And Samuel did to Saul, Thou bast done fooiillily: thou hast not kept the commandment os the Lor D thy God which he commanded thee: for now would th= Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a loan at'rer his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to he captain over his people, because thou halt not kept that which the Lord commanded thee, i 5 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that '.'.•ere present with him, about six hundred me;*. \6 Aiid Saul and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmaih. 17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the w ay that Uadeth to Ophrah, unto the land ot Shual: 13 And another company turned the way to Beth-horon: and another company turned lo the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears •. xo But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every nun his share, and his coulter, and his ax, and Iris mattock. »i Yet they had a file for the mst xiv. Jonathan and his armourbtartr. tockst and for the coulters, and for she forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. *i So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither lwoid nor spear found in the hand os any os the people that were with Saul and Jomthan-. but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. *% And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmaih. CHAP. XIV. 1 Jonathan miraculously J'mitcth the Philistines' garrison. 1 5 Adivineterrormaketh them beat themselves. 14 .Saul's unadvised adjuration hindereth the victory. ^T OVV it came to pals upon a day, » that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that;/ on the other side. But he told not his father. a And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that lucre witn him lucre about fix hundred men; 3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, I-chabod's brother, the son of Phinchas, the son of Eli, the Lord's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. 4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there luas a lharp rock on the one fide, and a sharp rock, on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmaih, and the other southward over against Gibeah. si And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumciled: it may be that the Lor D will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lor D to save by many or by sew. 7 And lib armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee j behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. 8 Then (aid Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, aud we will discover ourselves unto them. 9 If they lay thus unto us, Tarrv until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will net go up unto them. 10 But if they fay thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the Lord Jonathan miraculously smiteth I. SAMUEL ,ord hath delivered them into our land: and this Jitall be a iign unto us. 11 And both of them discovered themrlves unto the garrison of the Philisinesl and the Philiitines said, Behold, he Hebrews come forth out of the holes rhere they had hid themselves. 12 And the men of the garrison anwered Jonathan and his armourbearer, nd said, Come "up to us, and we will hew you a thing. And Jonathan said into his armourbearer, Come up after ac: for the Lord hath delivered them nto the hand of Israel. 13 And Jonathan climbed up upon us hands and upon his feet, and his arnourbearer after him: and they fell >efore Jonathan; and his armourbearer lew after him, 1+ And that first slaughter, which Jolathan and his armourbearer made, vau about twenty men, within as it were in half acre of land, -which a yoke os x(ti might plonv, 15 51 And tlicre was trembling in the mit, in the Held, and among all tiie peo>le: the garrison, and the ipoilers, they Jib trembled, and the earth quaked: b it was a very great trembling. 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gi>eali of Beniamin looked; and, behold, he multitude melted away, and they vent on beating down oiu another. 17 Then ("aid Said unto the people hat ivere with him, Number now, and ee who is gone from us. And when hey had numbered, behold, Jonathan mil his armourbearer ivere not there. 18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring lither the ark of God. For the ark of Sod was at that time with the children )f Israel. 19 And it came to pass, while Saul alked unto the priest, that the noise :hat ivcii in the host of the Philistines .vent on and increased: and Saul said into the priest, Withdraw thine hand. 10 And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, ind they came to the battle: and, be10W, every man's sword was against his "ellow, and there <waj a very great dif:omfiture. 21 Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, Ahich went up with them into the camp rrom the country round about, even they ilso turned to be with the Israelites that ivere with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, the PIMistutes' gari/bti. even they also followed hard after tkein 23 So the Lo R n saved Israel that day: 24. fl And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, laying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that 1 may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. 25 And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. 26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey drop-. ped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath r wherefore heput forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honey comb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father stiaitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Curled be the man that eattth any food this day. And the people were faint. 29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have betn 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 t for had there not been now a much greater (laughter among the Philistines? 31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Micnmasti to Aijalon: and the people were very faint. 32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took slieep, and oxen, and calves, and (lew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, Ber hold, the people sin against the Lor D, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transirressed; roll a great stone unto me this day. 34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and fay unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and eveiy man his theep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the Lord, ill eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and Hew them there. 3 j And Saul built an altar unto the Lo R D: the fame was the first altar that he built unto the Lo R a. 36 And Saul said, Let us go down :«■ the Philistines by night, and spoil theaj Jt&hpst trtfrafs discovered. Chap. thee until the morning light, and let ti no! ieave a man of tnem. And they laid, Do whatever seemeth good unto tie*. Then laid the priest, Let us draw nor hither unto God. 57 And Saul afleed counsel of God, Shililgodown after the Philistines ? wilt tioudeiiyer them into the hand of I fracl 1 But lie answered him not that day. iiAadSaul said, Draw ye near hither, ill the chief of the people: and know w! lee wherein this sin hath been this fej. 39Fora/the Lor D liveth, which saved] Israel, though it be in Jonathan my fan, he shall surely die. But there was not a .-nan among all the people that iclucred him. +oThen said he unto all Israel, Be ye onoaefide, and I and Jonathan my Ion wiK be on the other side. And the people iiid unto Saul, Do what seemeth fed onto thee. \i Therefore Saul said unto the Lord Coins Iirael, Give a perfect lot. And kul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. ♦j And Saul said, Cast lots between rat and Jonathan my Ion, And Jonathan was taken. ♦3 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell mt what thou hall done. And Jonathan told him, and laid, I did but taitc a little jwney with the end of the rod that was Wmme hand, and, lo, 1 inuit die. 44 And Saul answered, God do so M more also: for thou shalt surely fa. Jonathan. 45 And the people said unto S»v», Stall Jonathan die, who hath wrought *i» great salvation in Iirael? God torhid : as the Lord liveth, there shall not on; hair of his head fall to the ground; •ot he hath wrought with God this day. Sy the people relcued Jonathan, that he wed not. 4< Then Saul went up from following 'he Philistines: and the Philistines went •o their own pb.ee. 4:So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, tod fought against all his enemies on "try fide, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, ^ against the kings of Zobah, and *5P"m the Philistines: and whithersotyfr he turned himself, he vexed them. 4* And he gathered an host, and smote '•Mikita, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them. « Now the sons of Saul were Jona TMn, and Ilhui, and Melchi-shua: and °w aaines 0f l)is two daughters were XV. Saul sent to destroy tfu Amaleiites.. these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 50 Aid the name of Saul's wife wae Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaax: and the name of the captain of his holt was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 And Kilh was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the Ion of Abiel. 51 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; aud when Saul saw any strong man, ov any valiant man, he took him unto him. C H A P. XV. 1 Samuel stiuletli Saul to destroy Ama/et. S He spareth Ago? and the best of tkc spoil. 31 Samuel killeth Aqair. SAMUEL also laid unto Saul, The Loxo. lent me to anoint thee lo bt king over hi* people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lor D. » Thus faith the Lor n of hosts, I rrmember that which Atmlek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now ^o and smite Amak-k, am! utterly ricltroy all that they have, and spare them not; but flay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and Iheep, camel and aft. 4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Tclami, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thouliind men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 6 And Saul laid unto the Kenitcs, Go, depart, get you down from among the Anialekitcs, lest I deltroy you with them: for ve shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalckites. 7 And Saul smote the Amalckites from Havilah until thou comeit to Shur, that is over against Egypt. 8 ^ And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best ostheflieep.and of the oxen, and of thefatlings.and thelambs.and all t/iatwas good,and would not utterlydestroy them: but every thingMaf was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 10 Then came the word of the Lor D unto Samuel, saying, 11 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 Saulffareth Agag. I. SAMUEL grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night. i 2 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, lay ing,Saul came to Carmel, and.hehold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and pallid on, and gone down to Gilgal. 13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lo R o: I have performed the commandment of the Lord. I+ And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? i s And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the belt of the (heep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rcll we have utterly dell royed. 16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lo R i» hath laid to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. 17 And Samuel said, When thou ivafl little in thine own sight, "wast thou not made the head of tiie tribes of Israel, and the Lo R D anointed thee king over Israel? i8 And the Lor D sent thee on a journey, and said, Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight againlt them until they be consumed. 19 Wherefore then didlt thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didlt iiy upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lo R D? 20 And Saul laid unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lor D, and have gone the way which the Lo R D sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 11 But the people took of the spoil, flieep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly delfroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. 22 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 is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the fin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou halt rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee from being king. 24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have tranlgressed the com Samuel killeth Agag. mandmentofthe Lord,arid thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, 1 pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord. 26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. 27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. 28 And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. 30 Then he laid, s 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 worship the Lord thy God. 31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the Lord. 32 f Then said Samuel, Bringyehither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag laid, Surely the bitterness of death is past. 33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childlels, so lhall 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 Saul. 35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul; and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel. CHAP. XVI. 1 Samuel, sent by God under prentence os a sacrifice, cometk to Beth-lehem. 6 His human judgement is reproved. 11 He anointeth David. AND the L'JRD 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 send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. 2 And Samuel laid, How can I go? if Saul hear rV, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, |