# verses

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So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the <n>That is of the house where the ark was.</n> temple of the LORD.


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Also she vowed a vowe, and sayd, O Lord of hostes, if thou wilt looke on the trouble of thine handmaide, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaide, but giue vnto thine handmaide a manchilde, then I will giue him vnto the Lord all the dayes of his life, and there shall no rasor come vpon his head.


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For Hannah spake in her heart: her lips did moue onely, but her voyce was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had bene drunken.


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Then Hannah answered and sayd, Nay my lord, but I am a woman troubled in spirit: I haue drunke neither wine nor strong drinke, but haue powred out my soule before the Lord.


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Count not thine handmaide for a wicked woman: for of the abundance of my complaint and my griefe haue I spoken hitherto.


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Then Eli answered, and sayd, Go in peace, and the God of Israel graunt thy petition that thou hast asked of him.


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And she said, Let thine handmaid find <n>That is, pray to the Lord for me.</n> grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more [sad].


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And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD <n>According to her petition.</n> remembered her.


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For in processe of time Hannah conceiued, and bare a sonne, and she called his name Samuel, Because, said she, I haue asked him of the Lord.


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And the man <n>This Elkanah was a Levite, (1Ch_6:27), and as some write once a year they were accustomed to appear before the Lord with their families.</n> Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.


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But Hannah went not vp: for she sayd vnto her husband, I will tarie vntill the childe be weined, then I will bring him that hee may appeare before the Lord, and there abide for euer.


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And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his <n>Because her prayer took effect, therefore it was called the Lord's promise.</n> word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.


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And when she had weined him, she tooke him with her with three bullockes and an Ephah of floure and a bottell of wine, and brought him vnto the house of the Lorde in Shiloh, and the childe was yong.


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And she said, Oh my lord, [as] thy <n>That is, most certainly.</n> soul liveth, my lord, I [am] the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.


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Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he <n>Meaning, Eli gave thanks to God for her.</n> worshipped the LORD there.


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And Hannah <n>After she had obtained a son by prayer she gave thanks.</n> prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine <n>I have recovered strength and glory by the benefit of the Lord.</n> horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is <n>I can answer them that criticize my barrenness.</n> enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.


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There is none holy as the Lord: yea, there is none besides thee, &amp; there is no god like our God.


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Talk <n>In that you condemn my barrenness, you show your pride against God.</n> 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.


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[They that were] full have hired out themselves for <n>They sell their labours for necessary food.</n> bread; and [they that were] hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.


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He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set [them] among <n>He prefers to honour, and does according to his own will, though man's judgment is contrary.</n> princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth [are] the <n>Therefore he may dispose all things according to his will.</n> LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.


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Hee will keepe the feete of his Saintes, and the wicked shall keepe silence in darkenes: for in his owne might shall no man be strong.


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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 <n>She grounded her prayer on Jesus Christ who was to come.</n> king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.


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And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the <n>In all that Eli commanded him.</n> LORD before Eli the priest.


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Now the sons of Eli [were] sons of Belial; they <n>That is, they neglected his ordinance.</n> knew not the LORD.


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For the Priestes custome towarde the people was this: when any man offered sacrifice, the Priestes boy came, while the flesh was seething, and a fleshhooke with three teeth, in his hand,


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And he struck [it] into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; <n>Transgressing the order appointed in the Law, (Lev_7:31), for their bellies sake.</n> all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.


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Also before they burnt the <n>Which was commanded first to have been offered to God.</n> 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.


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And [if] any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and [then] take [as much] as thy soul <n>Not passing for their own profit, so that God might be served rightly.</n> desireth; then he would answer him, [Nay]; but thou shalt give [it me] now: and if not, I will take [it] by force.


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Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men <n>Seeing the horrible abuse of it.</n> abhorred the offering of the LORD.


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And his mother made him a litle coat, and brought it to him from yeere to yeere, when she came vp with her husband, to offer the yerely sacrifice.


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And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The Lord giue thee seede of this woman, for the petition that she asked of the Lord: and they departed vnto their place.


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And the Lorde visited Hannah, so that she conceiued, &amp; bare three sonnes, &amp; two daughters; the childe Samuel grewe before the Lord.


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Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that <n>Which was (as the Hebrews write) after their travail, when they came to be purified, read (Exo_38:8; Lev_12:6).</n> assembled [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.


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And hee saide vnto them, Why doe ye such things? For of all this people I heare euill reportes of you.


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Nay, my sons; for [it is] no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD'S people to <n>Because they contemn their duty to God, (1Sa_2:17).</n> transgress.


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If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD <n>So that to obey good admonition is God's mercy, and to disobey them is his just judgment for sin.</n> would slay them.


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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 <n>That is, Aaron.</n> father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?


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And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my Priest, to offer vpon mine altar, and to burne incense, and to weare an Ephod before me, and I gaue vnto the house of thy father all the offrings made by fire of the children of Israel.


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Wherefore <n>Why have you contemned my sacrifices, and as it were trod them under foot?</n> 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?


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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, <n>God's promises are only effective to those he gives faith to fear and obey him.</n> Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.


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Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine <n>Thy power and authority.</n> arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.


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And thou <n>Your posterity will see the glory of the chief priest given to another, whom they will envy, (1Ki_2:27).</n> 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.


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Neuerthelesse, I will not destroy euery one of thine fro mine altar, to make thine eyes to faile, and to make thine heart sorowfull: and all ye multitude of thine house shall die when they be men.


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And this shalbe a signe vnto thee, that shal come vpon thy two sonnes Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both.


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And I will raise me up a <n>Meaning Zadok, who succeeded Abiathar, and was the figure of Christ.</n> 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.


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And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left in thine house shall come [and] <n>That is, will be inferior to him.</n> 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.


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And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD <n>The Chaldee text reads «while Eli lived».</n> before Eli. And the word of the LORD was <n>Because there were very few prophets to declare it.</n> precious in those days; [there was] no open vision.


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And it came to pass at that time, when Eli [was] laid down in his <n>In the court next to the tabernacle.</n> place, and his eyes began to wax dim, [that] he could not see;


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And ere the <n>That is, the lamps which burnt in the night.</n> lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God [was], and Samuel was laid down [to sleep];


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That the LORD <n>Josephus writes that Samuel was 12 years old when the Lord appeared to him.</n> called Samuel: and he answered, Here [am] I.


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And he ranne vnto Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou calledst me. But he said, I called thee not: goe againe and sleepe; he went and slept.


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And the Lorde called once againe, Samuel; Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, I am here: for thou diddest call me; he answered, I called thee not, my sonne: go againe and sleepe.


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Now Samuel did not yet know <n>By vision.</n> the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.


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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 <n>Such was the corruption of those times that the chief priest had become dull and negligent to understand the Lord's appearing.</n> perceived that the LORD had called the child.


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Therefore Eli saide vnto Samuel, Goe and sleepe: and if he call thee, then say, Speake Lorde, for thy seruant heareth. So Samuel went, and slept in his place.


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And the Lord came, and stoode, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speake, for thy seruant heareth.


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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 <n>God declares that sudden fear will come on men when they hear that the ark is taken, and see Eli's house destroyed.</n> tingle.


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In that day I will raise vp against Eli all things which I haue spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an ende.


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And I haue tolde him that I will iudge his house for euer, for the iniquitie which hee knoweth, because his sonnes ranne into a slaunder, and he stayed them not.


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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 <n>Meaning that his posterity would never enjoy the chief priests office.</n> ever.


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Afterward Samuel slept vntil the morning, and opened the doores of the house of the Lord, and Samuel feared to shewe Eli the vision.


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And he said, What [is] the thing that [the LORD] hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide [it] not from me: God <n>God punish you after this and that sort, unless you tell me the truth, (Rth_1:17).</n> do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide [any] thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.


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So Samuel tolde him euery whit, and hid nothing from him. Then hee said, It is the Lorde: let him do what seemeth him good.


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And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words <n>The Lord accomplished whatever he had said.</n> fall to the ground.


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And the Lorde appeared againe in Shiloh: for the Lorde reueiled himselfe to Samuel in Shiloh by his word.


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And Samuel spake vnto all Israel: and Israel went out against the Philistims to battel and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistims pitched in Aphek.


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And the Philistims put themselues in aray against Israel: and when they ioyned the battell, Israel was smitten downe before the Philistims: who slewe of the armie in the fielde about foure thousand men.


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And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, <n>For it seems that this war was undertaken by Samuel's commandment.</n> 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.


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So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which <n>For he used to appear to the Israelites between the cherubim over the ark of the covenant, (Exo_25:17).</n> dwelleth [between] the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, [were] there with the ark of the covenant of God.


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And when the Arke of the couenant of the Lord came into the hoste, all Israel shouted a mightie shoute, so that the earth rang againe.


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And when the Philistims heard the noyse of the shoute, they said, What meaneth the sound of this mightie shoute in the host of the Ebrewes? and they vnderstoode, that the Arke of the Lord was come into the hoste.


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And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, <n>Before we fought against men, and now God has come to fight against us.</n> Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.


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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 <n>For in the Red Sea in the wilderness the Egyptians were destroyed, which was the last of all his plagues.</n> wilderness.


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Be strong and play the men, O Philistims, that ye be not seruants vnto the Ebrewes, as they haue serued you: be valiant therefore, and fight.


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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 <n>David alluding to this place in (Psa_78:63) says they were consumed with fire: meaning they were suddenly destroyed.</n> thirty thousand footmen.


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And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes <n>In token of sorrow and mourning.</n> rent, and with earth upon his head.


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And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart <n>Lest it should be taken by the enemy.</n> trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told [it], all the city cried out.


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And when Eli heard the noyse of the crying, he sayd, What meaneth this noyse of the tumult? and the man came in hastily, and tolde Eli.


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And the man sayd vnto Eli, I came from the armie, and I fled this day out of the hoste: and he sayd, What thing is done, my sonne?


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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, <n>According as God had said before.</n> are dead, and the ark of God is taken.


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And when he had made mention of the Arke of God, Eli fell from his seate backward by the side of the gate, and his necke was broken, and he dyed: for he was an olde man and heauie: and he had iudged Israel fourtie yeeres.


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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 <n>And positioned her body for her labour and delivery.</n> bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.


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And about the time of her death, the women that stoode about her, sayd vnto her, Feare not: for thou hast borne a sonne: but she answered not, nor regarded it.


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And she named the childe Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel, because the Arke of God was taken, and because of her father in lawe and her husband.


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And she said, <n>She uttered her great sorrow by repeating her words.</n> The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.


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And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto <n>Which was one of the five principal cities of the Philistines.</n> Ashdod.


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When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of <n>Which was their chief idol, and as some write, from the navel downward was like a fish, and upward like a man.</n> Dagon, and set it by Dagon.


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And when they of Ashdod rose the next day in the morning, beholde, Dagon was fallen vpon his face on the ground before the Arke of the Lord, and they tooke vp Dagon, and set him in his place againe.


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Also they rose vp earely in the morning the next day, and beholde, Dagon was fallen vpon his face on the ground before the Arke of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and the two palmes of his hands were cut off vpon the thresholde: onely the stumpe of Dagon was left to him.


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Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, <n>Thus instead of acknowledging the true God by this miracle, they fall into greater superstition.</n> tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.


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But the hand of the Lord was heauie vpon them of Ashdod, and destroyed them, and smote them with the emerods, both Ashdod, and the coastes thereof.


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And when the men of Ashdod sawe this, they sayd, Let not the Arke of the God of Israel abide with vs: for his hand is sore vpon vs and vpon Dagon our god.


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They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, <n>Though they had felt God's power and were afraid of it, yet they tried him even further, which God turned to their destruction and his glory.</n> 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].


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And when they had caried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the citie with a very great destruction, and he smote the men of the citie both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret partes.


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Therefore they sent the Arke of God to Ekron: and assoone as the Arke of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cryed out, saying, They haue brought the Arke of the God of Israel to vs to slay vs and our people.


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So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send <n>The wicked when they feel the hand of God, grudge and reject him, where the godly humble themselves, and cry for mercy.</n> 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.


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And the men that dyed not, were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the citie went vp to heauen.


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And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines <n>They thought by continuance of time the plague would have ceased, and so would have kept the ark still.</n> seven months.


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And the Philistims called the priests and the soothsayers, saying, What shall we doe with the Arke of the Lord? tell vs wherewith we shall send it home againe.


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And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him <n>The idolaters confess there is a true God, who punishes sin justly.</n> a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.


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Then sayd they, What shalbe the sinne offring, which we shall giue vnto it? And they answered, Fiue golden emerods and fiue golden mise, according to the number of the princes of the Philistims: for one plague was on you all, and on your princes.


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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 <n>This is God's judgment on the idolaters, that knowing the true God, they do not worship him correctly.</n> gods, and from off your land.


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Wherefore then should ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let them goe, and they departed?


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Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on whome there hath come no yoke: and tye the kine to the cart, and bring the calues home from them.


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And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the <n>Meaning, the golden emerods and the golden mice.</n> 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.


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And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, [then] <n>The God of Israel.</n> 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 <n>The wicked attribute almost all things to fortune and chance, whereas indeed there is nothing done without God's providence and decree.</n> chance [that] happened to us.


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And the men did so: for they tooke two kine that gaue milke, and tied them to the cart, and shut the calues at home.


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So they set the Arke of the Lord vpon the cart, and the coffer with the mise of golde, and with the similitudes of their emerods.


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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 <n>For the trial of the matter.</n> them unto the border of Bethshemesh.


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Nowe they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheate haruest in the valley, and they lift vp their eyes, and spied the Arke, and reioyced when they sawe it.


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And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where [there was] a great stone: and <n>That is, the men of Bethshemesh, who were Israelites.</n> they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.


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And the Leuites tooke downe the Arke of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the iewels of golde were, and put them on the great stone, and the men of Beth-shemesh offred burnt offring, and sacrificed sacrifices that same day vnto the Lord.


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And these [are] the golden emerods which the Philistines returned [for] a trespass offering unto the LORD; for <n>These were the five principal cities of the Philistines, which were not all conquered to the time of David.</n> Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;


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And golden mise, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistims, belonging to the fiue princes, both of walled townes, and of townes vnwalled, vnto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set the Arke of the Lorde: which stone remaineth vnto this day in the fielde of Ioshua the Beth-shemite.


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And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they <n>For it was not lawful for anyone either to touch or to see it, only to Aaron and his sons (Num_4:15, Num_4:20).</n> 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.


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Wherefore the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go from vs?


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And they sent messengers to the inhabitans of Kiriath-iearim, saying, The Philistims haue brought againe the Arke of the Lord: come ye downe and take it vp to you.


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And the men of <n>A city in the tribe of Judah, called also Kirjathbaal, in (Jos_15:60).</n> 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.


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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 <n>Lamented for their sins, and followed the Lord.</n> after the LORD.


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Then Samuel spake vnto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye be come againe vnto the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtaroth, &amp; direct your hearts vnto the Lord, &amp; serue him only, and he shall deliuer you out of the hand of ye Philistims.


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And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to <n>For Shiloh was now desolate, because the Philistines had taken the ark from it.</n> Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.


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And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and <n>The Chaldee text says that they drew water out of their heart: that is, wept abundantly for their sins.</n> 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.


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When the Philistims heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the princes of the Philistims went vp against Israel: and when the children of Israel heard that, they were afraide of the Philistims.


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And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to <n>Signifying that in the prayers of the godly, there should be a vehement zeal.</n> cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.


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Then Samuel tooke a sucking lambe, and offered it all together for a burnt offering vnto the Lord, and Samuel cryed vnto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.


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And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD <n>According to the prophecy of Hannah Samuel's mother, (1Sa_2:10).</n> thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.


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And the men of Israel went from Mizpeh and pursued the Philistims, and smote them vntill they came vnder Beth-car.


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Then Samuel took a stone, and set [it] between Mizpeh and <n>Which was a great rock over against Mizpeh.</n> Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.


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So the Philistims were brought vnder, and they came no more againe into the coastes of Israel: and the hand of the Lorde was against the Philistims all the dayes of Samuel.


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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 <n>Meaning, the Philistines.</n> Amorites.


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And went about yeere by yere to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and iudged Israel in all those places.


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And his return [was] to Ramah; for there [was] his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an <n>Which was not contrary to the Law: for as yet a certain place was not appointed.</n> altar unto the LORD.


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And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he <n>Because he was not able to bear the charge.</n> made his sons judges over Israel.


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Now the name of his firstborn was <n>Who was also called Vashni, (1Ch_6:28).</n> Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: [they were] judges in Beersheba.


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And his sonnes walked not in his wayes, but turned aside after lucre, and tooke rewards, and peruerted the iudgement.


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Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto <n>For there his house was, (1Sa_7:17).</n> Ramah,


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And said vnto him, Beholde, thou art olde, and thy sonnes walke not in thy wayes: make vs nowe a King to iudge vs like all nations.


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But the thing <n>Because they were not content with the order that God had appointed, but would be governed as the Gentiles were.</n> displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.


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And the Lord said vnto Samuel, Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee: for they haue not cast thee away, but they haue cast me away, that I should not reigne ouer the.


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As they haue euer done since I brought them out of Egypt euen vnto this day, (and haue forsaken me, and serued other gods) euen so doe they vnto thee.


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Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet <n>To prove if they will forsake their wicked purpose.</n> protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.


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And he said, This will be the <n>Not that kings have this authority by their office, but that such as reign in God's wrath would usurp this over their brethren, contrary to the law, (Deu_17:20).</n> 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.


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Also he will make them his captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer fifties, and to eare his ground, and to reape his haruest, and to make instruments of warre, and the thinges that serue for his charets.


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And he will take your fieldes, &amp; your vineyardes, and your best Oliue trees, and giue them to his seruants.


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And he will take the tenth of your seede, and of your vineyards, &amp; giue it to his Eunuches, and to his seruants.


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And he will take your men seruants, and your maide seruants, and the chiefe of your yong men, and your asses, and put them to his worke.


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And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not <n>Because you do not repent for your sins, but because you long for your afflictions, into which you cast yourselves willingly.</n> hear you in that day.


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But the people would not heare the voyce of Samuel, but did say, Nay, but there shall be a King ouer vs.


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And we also will be like all other nations, and our King shall iudge vs, and goe out before vs, and fight our battels.


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And the Lord saide to Samuel, Hearken vnto their voyce, and make them a King; Samuel said vnto the men of Israel, Goe euery man vnto his citie.


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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 <n>That is, both valiant and rich.</n> mighty man of power.


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And he had a son, whose name [was] Saul, a <n>So that it might seem that God approved their request in appointing such a person.</n> 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.


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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 <n>All these circumstances were means to serve God's providence, by which Saul (though not approved by God) was made king.</n> seek the asses.


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So he passed through mount Ephraim, and went through the lande of Shalishah, but they found them not. Then they went through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: he went also through ye land of Iemini, but they found the not.


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[And] when they were come to the land of <n>Where was Ramath Zophim, the city of Samuel.</n> 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.


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And he said vnto him, Behold nowe, in this citie is a man of God, and he is an honorable man: all that he saith commeth to passe: let vs nowe goe thither, if so be that he can shewe vs what way we may goe.


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Then saide Saul to his seruant, Well then, let vs goe: but what shall we bring vnto the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is no present to bring to the man of God: what haue we?


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And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a <n>Which is about five pence, read (Gen_23:15).</n> shekel of silver: [that] will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.


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(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the <n>So called because he foresaw things to come.</n> seer: for [he that is] now [called] a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)


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Then saide Saul to his seruant, Well saide, come, let vs goe: so they went into the citie where the man of God was.


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And as they were going vp the hie way to the citie, they found maydes that came out to draw water, &amp; said vnto them, Is there here a Seer?


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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 <n>That is, a feast after the offering, which would be kept in a high place of the city appointed for that use.</n> sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:


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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 <n>That is, give thanks and distribute the meat according to their custom.</n> bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.


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Then they went vp into the citie, &amp; when they were come into the middes of the citie, Samuel came out against them, to goe vp to the hie place.


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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 <n>Despite their wickedness, yet God was ever mindful of his inheritance.</n> save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.


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When Samuel therefore sawe Saul, the Lord answered him, See, this is the man whom I spake to thee of, he shall rule my people.


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Then went Saul to Samuel in the middes of the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the Seers house is.


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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 <n>Meaning, all that you desire to know.</n> heart.


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And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And <n>Whom does Israel desire to be their king, but thee?</n> on whom [is] all the desire of Israel? [Is it] not on thee, and on all thy father's house?


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But Saul answered, and said, Am not I the sonne of Iemini of the smallest tribe of Israel? and my familie is the least of all the families of the tribe of Beniamin. Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?


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And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the <n>Where the feast was.</n> parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which [were] about thirty persons.


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And Samuel saide vnto the cooke, Bring foorth the portion which I gaue thee, and whereof I said vnto thee, Keepe it with thee.


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And the cook took up the shoulder, and [that] which [was] <n>That is, the shoulder with the breast, which the priest had for his family in all peace offerings, (Lev_10:14)</n> 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 <n>That both by the assembling of the people, and by the meat prepared for you, you might understand that I knew of your coming.</n> have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.


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And when they were come downe from the hie place into the citie, he communed with Saul vpon the top of the house.


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And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the <n>To speak with him secretly: for the houses were flat above.</n> 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.


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[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 shew thee <n>God's commandment concerning you.</n> the word of God.


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Then Samuel took a vial of <n>In the Law this anointing signified the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which were necessary for those who would rule.</n> 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?


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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 <n>Samuel confirms him by these signs, that God has appointed him king.</n> 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?


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Then shalt thou go forth from thence and shalt come to the plaine of Tabor, and there shal meete thee three men going vp to God to Bethel: one carying three kiddes, and an other carying three loaues of bread, and another carying a bottle of wine:


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And they will aske thee if all be well, and will giue thee the two loaues of bread, which thou shalt receiue of their handes.


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After that thou shalt come to the <n>Which was a high place in the city Kirjath-jearim, where the ark was, (1Sa_7:2).</n> 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:


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Then the Spirit of the Lord will come vpon thee, and thou shalt prophecie with them, and shalt be turned into another man.


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Therefore when these signes shall come vnto to thee, doe as occasion shall serue: for God is with thee.


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And thou shalt goe downe before me to Gilgal: and I also will come downe vnto thee to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace. Tary for me seuen dayes, till I come to thee and shewe thee what thou shalt doe.


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And it was [so], that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another <n>He gave him such virtues as were fitting for a king.</n> heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.


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And when they came thither to the hill, beholde, the companie of Prophets meete him, and the Spirit of God came vpon him, &amp; he prophecied among them.


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Therefore all the people that knewe him before, when they saw that he prophecied among the Prophets, saide eche to other, What is come vnto the sonne of Kish? is Saul also among the Prophets?


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And one of the same place answered and said, But who [is] their <n>Meaning, that prophecy comes not by succession, but is given to whom it pleases God.</n> father? Therefore it became a proverb, [Is] Saul also among the <n>Noting by it him that from low degree comes suddenly to honour.</n> prophets?


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And Sauls vncle saide vnto him, and to his seruant, Whither went ye? And he saide, To seeke the asses: and when we sawe that they were no where, we came to Samuel.


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Then Saul saide to his vncle, He tolde vs plainely that the asses were founde: but concerning the kingdome whereof Samuel spake, tolde he him not.


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And Samuel <n>Both to declare to them their fault in asking a king, and also to show God's sentence in it.</n> called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;


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And he saide vnto the children of Israel, Thus saith ye Lord God of Israel, I haue brought Israel out of Egypt, and deliuered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the handes of all kingdomes that troubled you.


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But ye haue this day cast away your God, who onely deliuereth you out of all your aduersities and tribulations: and ye said vnto him, No, but appoint a King ouer vs. Nowe therefore stand ye before the Lord according to your tribes, and according to your thousands.


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And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was <n>That is, by casting of lot.</n> taken.


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Afterwarde he assembled the tribe of Beniamin according to their families, and the familie of Matri was taken. So Saul the sonne of Kish was taken, and when they sought him, he coulde not be found.


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Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he <n>As though he were unworthy and unwilling.</n> hath hid himself among the stuff.


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And they ranne, and brought him thence: and when he stoode among the people, he was hier then any of the people from the shoulders vpwarde.


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And Samuel saide to all the people, See ye not him, whom the Lorde hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? and all the people shouted and saide, God saue the King.


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Then Samuel told the people <n>As it is written in (Deu_17:15).</n> 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.


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But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he <n>Both to avoid disputing and also to win them by patience.</n> held his peace.


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Then Nahash the Ammonite <n>After that Saul was chosen king: for fear of whom they asked a king, as in (1Sa_12:12).</n> 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.


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And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this [condition] will I make [a covenant] with you, that I may thrust out all your <n>This declares that the closer the tyrants are to their destruction, the more cruel they are.</n> right eyes, and lay it [for] a reproach upon all Israel.


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To whome the Elders of Iabesh said, Giue vs seuen daies respet, that we may sende messengers vnto all the coastes of Israel: and then if no man deliuer vs, we will come out to thee.


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Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and tolde these tidings in the eares of the people: and all the people lift vp their voices and wept.


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And behold, Saul came following the cattell out of the fielde, and Saul saide, What aileth this people, that they weepe? And they tolde him the tidings of the men of Iabesh.


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And the Spirit of God <n>God gave him the spirit of strength and courage to go against this tyrant.</n> came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.


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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 <n>He adds Samuel because Saul was not yet approved by all.</n> 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.


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And when he nombred them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundreth thousande men: and the men of Iudah thirtie thousand.


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And <n>Meaning, Saul and Samuel.</n> 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 shewed [it] to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.


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Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto <n>That is, to the Ammonites, concealing that they had hope of aid.</n> you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.


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And when the morowe was come, Saul put the people in three bandes, and they came in vpon the hoste in the morning watche, and slewe the Ammonites vntill the heate of the day: and they that remained, were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.


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And the people said unto Samuel, <n>By this victory the Lord won the hearts of the people to Saul.</n> Who [is] he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.


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And Saul said, There shall not a man be <n>By showing mercy he thought to overcome their malice.</n> put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.


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And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of <n>In sign of thanksgiving for the victory.</n> peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.


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And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have <n>I have granted your petition.</n> hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.


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And now, behold, the king walketh <n>To govern you in peace and war.</n> 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.


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Behold, here I [am]: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: <n>God would have this confession be a pattern for all who have any charge or office.</n> 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.


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Then they sayde, Thou hast done vs no wrong, nor hast hurt vs, neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand.


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And he said unto them, The LORD [is] witness against you, and his <n>Your King, who is anointed by the commandment of the Lord.</n> anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, [He is] witness.


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Then Samuel sayde vnto the people, It is the Lord that made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt.


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Nowe therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord according to all the righteousnesse of the Lorde, which he shewed to you and to your fathers.


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After that Iaakob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried vnto the Lorde, then the Lorde sent Moses and Aaron which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.


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And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, <n>Captain of Jabin's host, king of Hazor.</n> 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.


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And they cried vnto the Lorde, and saide, We haue sinned, because we haue forsaken the Lorde, and haue serued Baalim and Ashtaroth. Nowe therefore deliuer vs out of the handes of our enemies, and we will serue thee.


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And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, <n>That is Samson, (Jdg_13:25).</n> and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.


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And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, <n>Leaving God to seek the help of man, (1Sa_8:5).</n> Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God [was] your king.


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Nowe therefore beholde the King whome yee haue chosen, and whome yee haue desired: loe therefore, the Lord hath set a King ouer you.


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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 <n>You shall be preserved as they that follow the Lord's will.</n> following the LORD your God:


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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 <n>Meaning, the governors.</n> fathers.


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[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] <n>In that you have forsaken him, who has all power in his hand, for a mortal man.</n> great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.


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Then Samuel called vnto the Lorde, and the Lorde sent thunder and raine the same day: and all the people feared the Lorde and Samuel exceedingly.


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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 <n>Not only at other times, but now chiefly.</n> all our sins [this] evil, to ask us a king.


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And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: <n>He shows that there is no sin so great, but it shall be forgiven, if the sinner turn again to God.</n> yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;


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Neither turne yee backe: for that shoulde be after vaine things which cannot profite you, nor deliuer you, for they are but vanitie)


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For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you <n>Of his free mercy, and not of your merits, and therefore he will not forsake you.</n> his people.


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Moreouer God forbid, that I should sinne against the Lord, and cease praying for you, but I will shewe you the good and right way.


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Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your <n>Unfeignedly, and without hypocrisy.</n> heart: for consider how great [things] he hath done for you.


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Saul reigned <n>While these things were done.</n> one year; and when he had reigned <n>Before he took upon himself the state of a king.</n> two years over Israel,


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Then Saul chose him three thousand of Israel: and two thousande were with Saul in Michmash, &amp; in mount Beth-el, and a thousande were with Ionathan in Gibeah of Beniamin: and the rest of the people he sent euery one to his tent.


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And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that [was] in <n>Of Kirjath-jearim, where the ark was, (1Sa_10:5).</n> Geba, and the Philistines heard [of it]. And Saul blew the <n>That everyone should prepare themselves to fight.</n> trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.


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And al Israel heard say, Saul hath destroied a garison of the Philistims: wherefore Israel was had in abomination with the Philistims: and the people gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.


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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 <n>Which was also called Beth-el, in the tribe of Benjamin.</n> Bethaven.


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And when the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were in distresse ) the people hid themselues in caues, and in holdes, and in rockes, and in towres, and in pittes.


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And [some of] the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of <n>Where the two tribes and the half remained.</n> Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he [was] yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.


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And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were <n>Thinking that the absence of the prophet was a sign, that they would lose the victory.</n> scattered from him.


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And assoone as hee had made an ende of offering the burnt offering, beholde, Samuel came: and Saul went foorth to meete him, to salute him.


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And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were <n>Though these causes seem sufficient in man's judgment: yet because they had not the word of God, they turned to his destruction.</n> scattered from me, and [that] thou camest not within the days appointed, and [that] the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;


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Therefore said I, The Philistims will come downe nowe vpon me to Gilgal, and I haue not made supplication vnto the Lorde. I was bolde therefore and offred a burnt offring.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy <n>Who willed you to obey him, and rest on the words spoken by his prophet.</n> God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.


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But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a <n>That is, David.</n> man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded thee.


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And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto <n>And went to his city Ramah.</n> Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people [that were] present with him, about six hundred men.


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And Saul and Ionathan his sonne, and the people that were found with them, had their abiding in Gibeah of Beniamin: but the Philistims pitched in Michmash.


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And there came out of the hoste of the Philistims three bandes to destroie, one bande turned vnto the way of Ophrah vnto the lande of Shual,


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And another company turned the way [to] Bethhoron: and <n>So that to man's judgment these three armies would have overrun the whole country.</n> another company turned [to] the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.


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Then there was no smith founde throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistims sayde, Lest the Ebrewes make them swordes or speares.


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Wherefore all ye Israelites went downe to the Philistims, to sharpen euery man his share, his mattocke, and his axe, and his weeding hooke.


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Yet they had a file for the shares, and for the mattockes, and for the picke forkes, and for the axes, and for to sharpen the goades.


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So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither <n>To declare that the victory only came from God, and not by their force.</n> sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that [were] with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.


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Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, <n>By this example God declared to Israel that the victory did not consist in multitude or armour, but only because of his grace.</n> Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that [is] on the other side. But he told not his father.


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And Saul taried in the border of Gibeah vnder a pomegranate tree, which was in Migron, and the people that were with him, were about sixe hundreth men.


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And Ahiah the sonne of Ahitub, Ichabods brother, the sonne of Phinehas, the sonne of Eli, was the Lordes Priest in Shiloh, and ware an Ephod: and the people knewe not that Ionathan was gone.


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Nowe in the way whereby Ionathan sought to go ouer to the Philistims garison, there was a sharpe rocke on the one side, and a sharpe rocke on the other side: the name of the one was called Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.


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The one rocke stretched from the North towarde Michmash, and the other was from the South toward Gibeah.


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And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these <n>That is, the Philistines.</n> uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for [there is] no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.


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And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that [is] in thine heart: turn thee; behold, <n>I will follow you wherever you go.</n> I [am] with thee according to thy heart.


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<n>This he spoke by the spirit of prophecy, and by this God gave him assurance of victory.</n>If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.


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But if they say, Come vp vnto vs, then we will goe vp: for the Lorde hath deliuered them into our hande: and this shall be a signe vnto vs.


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And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the <n>Thus they spoke contemptuously and by derision.</n> holes where they had hid themselves.


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And the men of the garison answered Ionathan, and his armour bearer, and said, Come vp to vs: for we will shewe you a thing. Then Ionathan said vnto his armour bearer, Come vp after me: for the Lorde hath deliuered them into the hand of Israel.


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And Jonathan climbed up upon <n>That is, he crept up, or went up with all haste.</n> his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.


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And that <n>The second was when they slew one another, and the third when the Israelites chased them.</n> first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, [which] a yoke [of oxen might plow].


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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 <n>In that the insensible creatures tremble for fear of God's judgment, it declares how terrible his vengeance will be against his enemies.</n> quaked: so it was a very great trembling.


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Then the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Beniamin sawe: and beholde, the multitude was discomfited, and smitten as they went.


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Therefore saide Saul vnto the people that were with him, Search nowe and see, who is gone from vs; when they had nombred, beholde, Ionathan and his armour bearer were not there.


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And Saul said vnto Ahiah, Bring hither the Arke of God (for the Arke of God was at that time with the children of Israel)


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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, <n>Leave the Ephod alone, for I have no time now to ask counsel from God, (Num_27:21).</n> Withdraw thine hand.


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And Saul was assembled with all the people that were with him, and they came to the battell: and behold, euery mans sworde was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.


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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 <n>Though before for fear of the Philistines they declared themselves as enemies to their brethren.</n> Israelites that [were] with Saul and Jonathan.


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Also all the men of Israel which had hid themselues in mount Ephraim, when they heard, that the Philistims were fled, they followed after them in the battell.


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And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, <n>Such was his hypocrisy and arrogancy, that he thought to attribute to his policy that which God had given by the hand of Jonathan.</n> Cursed [be] the man that eateth [any] food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted [any] food.


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And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the <n>That is, the punishment if they break their oath.</n> oath.


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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, and put his hand to his mouth; and his <n>Which were dim before from weariness and hunger.</n> eyes were enlightened.


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Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father made the people to sweare, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth sustenance this day: and the people were faint.


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Then said Jonathan, My father hath <n>By making this cruel law.</n> troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.


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Howe much more, if the people had eaten to day of the spoyle of their enemies which they found? for had there not bene nowe a greater slaughter among the Philistims?


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And they smote the Philistims that day, from Michmash to Aiialon: and the people were exceeding faint.


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So the people turned to the spoile, &amp; tooke sheepe, and oxen, and calues, and slewe them on the ground, and the people did eate them with the blood.


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Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: <n>That the blood of the beast that shall be slain, may be pressed out upon it.</n> roll a great stone unto me this day.


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Againe Saul said, Goe abroade among the people, and bid them bring me euery man his oxe, and euery man his sheepe, and slay them here, and eate and sinne not against the Lord in eating with the blood; ye people brought euery man his oxe in his hand that night, &amp; slew them there.


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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 <n>To ask counsel from him.</n> draw near hither unto God.


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So Saul asked of God, saying, Shall I goe downe after ye Philistims? wilt thou deliuer them into the hands of Israel? But he answered him not at that time.


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And Saul said, All ye chiefe of the people, come ye hither, and knowe, and see by whom this sinne is done this day.


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For as the Lord liueth, which saueth Israel, though it be done by Ionathan my sonne, he shall dye the death. But none of all the people answered him.


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Then he saide vnto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Ionathan my sonne will be on the other side; the people saide vnto Saul, Doe what thou thinkest best.


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Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give <n>Cause the lot to fall on him that has broken the oath, but he does not consider his presumption in commanding the same oath.</n> a perfect [lot]. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.


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Then Saul said to Ionathan, Tell me what thou hast done; Ionathan tolde him, &amp; said, I tasted a litle hony with the ende of the rod, that was in mine hand, and loe, I must die.


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And the people said unto Saul, <n>The people thought it their duty to rescue him, who out of ignorance had broken a rash law, and by whom they had received so great a benefit.</n> 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.


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So Saul helde the kingdome ouer Israel, and fought against all his enemies on euery side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the Kings of Zobah, and against the Philistims: and whithersoeuer he went, he handled them as wicked men.


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And he gathered an host, and smote the <n>As the Lord had commanded, (Deu_25:17).</n> Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.


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Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, <n>Called also Abinadab, (1Sa_31:2).</n> and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters [were these]; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger <n>Who was the wife of David, (1Sa_18:27).</n> Michal:


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And the name of Saul's wife [was] Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host [was] <n>Whom Joab, David's captain, slew (2Sa_3:27).</n> Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.


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And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: <n>As Samuel had forewarned in (1Sa_8:11).</n> and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.


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Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee [to be] king over his people, over Israel: now therefore <n>Because he has preferred you to this honour, you are bound to obey him.</n> hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.


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Thus saith the Lorde of hostes, I remember what Amalek did to Israel, howe they laide waite for the in ye way, as they came vp fro Egypt.


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Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but <n>That this might be an example of God's vengeance against those who deal cruelly with his people.</n> slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.


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And Saul assembled ye people, and nombred them in Telaim, two hundreth thousande footemen, and ten thousand men of Iudah.


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And Saul said unto the <n>Which were the posterity of Jethro, Moses father in law.</n> Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed <n>For Jethro came to visit them, and gave them good counsel, (Exo_18:19).</n> kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.


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And tooke Agag the King of the Amalekites aliue, and destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.


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But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the better sheepe, and the oxen, and the fat beasts, and the lambes, and all that was good, and they would not destroy them: but euery thing that was vile and nought worth, that they destroyed.


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It <n>God in his eternal counsel never changes or repents, as in (1Sa_15:29), though he seems to us to repent when anything goes contrary to his temporal election.</n> 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 unto the LORD all night.


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And when Samuel arose early to meete Saul in the morning, one tolde Samuel, saying, Saul is gone to Carmel: and beholde, he hath made him there a place, from whence he returned, and departed, and is gone downe to Gilgal.


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And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed [be] thou of the LORD: I have performed the <n>This is the nature of hypocrites to be impudent against the truth, to condemn others, and justify themselves.</n> commandment of the LORD.


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But Samuel saide, What meaneth then the bleating of the sheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the oxen which I heare?


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And Saul answered, They haue brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheepe, and of the oxen to sacrifice them vnto the Lorde thy God, and the remnant haue we destroyed.


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Againe Samuel saide to Saul, Let me tell thee what the Lord hath saide to me this night; he said vnto him, Say on.


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And Samuel said, When thou [wast] <n>Meaning, of base condition as in (1Sa_9:21).</n> little in thine own sight, [wast] thou not [made] the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?


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And the Lord sent thee on a iourney, and saide, Goe, and destroy those sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them, vntill thou destroy them.


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Nowe wherefore hast thou not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde, but hast turned to the pray, and hast done wickedly in the sight of the Lord?


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And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, <n>He stands most impudently in his own defence both against God and his own conscience.</n> 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.


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But the people tooke of the spoyle, sheepe, and oxen, and the chiefest of the things which shoulde haue bene destroyed, to offer vnto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.


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And Samuel saide, Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed? Beholde, to obey is better then sacrifice, and to hearken is better then the fatte of rammes.


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For <n>God hates nothing more than the disobedience of his commandment, even though the intent seems good to man.</n> rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.


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Then Saul sayde vnto Samuel, I haue sinned: for I haue transgressed the commaundement of the Lord, and thy wordes, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voyce.


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Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my <n>This was not true repentance, but deceit out of fear for the loss of his kingdom.</n> sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.


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But Samuel saide vnto Saul, I will not returne with thee: for thou hast cast away the word of the Lorde, and the Lorde hath cast away thee, that thou shalt not be King ouer Israel.


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And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a <n>That is, to David.</n> neighbour of thine, [that is] better than thou.


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And also the <n>Meaning God, who maintains and prefers his own.</n> Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he [is] not a man, that he should repent.


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Then he saide, I haue sinned: but honour mee, I pray thee, before the Elders of my people, and before Israel, and turne againe with mee, that I may worship the Lord thy God.


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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 <n>He expected nothing less than death, or as some write, he passed not for death.</n> bitterness of death is past.


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And Samuel sayde, As thy sworde hath made women childlesse, so shall thy mother bee childelesse among other women; Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.


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Then Samuel went to <n>Where his house was.</n> Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.


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And Samuel came no more to <n>Though Saul came where Samuel was, (1Sa_19:22).</n> see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD <n>As in (1Sa_15:11).</n> repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.


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And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, <n>Signifying that we should not show ourselves more pitiful than God, nor to lament those whom he casts out.</n> seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.


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And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear [it], he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come <n>That is, to make a peace offering, which may be done even though the ark was not there.</n> to sacrifice to the LORD.


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And call Ishai to the sacrifice, and I will shewe thee what thou shalt doe, and thou shalt anoynt vnto me him whom I name vnto thee.


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And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town <n>Afraid, lest some grievous crime had been committed, because the prophet was not wont to come there.</n> trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?


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And he answeared, Yea: I am come to doe sacrifice vnto the Lorde: sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the sacrifice; he sanctified Ishai &amp; his sonnes, &amp; called them to the sacrifice.


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And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S <n>Thinking that Eliab had been appointed by God to be made king.</n> anointed [is] before him.


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But the Lord said vnto Samuel, Looke not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I haue refused him: for God seeth not as man seeth: for ma looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.


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Then Ishai called Abinadab, &amp; made him come before Samuel; he saide, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.


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Againe Ishai made his seue sonnes to come before Samuel: and Samuel saide vnto Ishai, The Lord hath chosen none of these.


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Finally, Samuel said vnto Ishai, Are there no more children but these? And hee sayde, There remaineth yet a litle one behinde, that keepeth the sheepe. Then Samuel saide vnto Ishai, Sende and set him: for we will not sit downe, till he be come hither.


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And he sent, and brought him in: and he was ruddie, &amp; of a good countenance, and comely visage; the Lorde saide, Arise, and anoynt him: for this is he.


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Then Samuel tooke the horne of oyle, and anoynted him in the middes of his brethren; the Spirit of the Lord came vpon Dauid, from that day forwarde: then Samuel rose vp, and went to Ramah.


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But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an <n>The wicked spirits are at God's commandment to execute his will against the wicked.</n> evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.


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Let our Lord therefore command thy seruants, that are before thee, to seeke a man that is a cunning plaier vpon the harpe: that when the euil spirit of God commeth vpon thee, hee may play with his hand, and thou maiest be eased.


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Saul then saide vnto his seruantes, Prouide me a man, I pray you, that can play well, &amp; bring him to me.


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Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a <n>Though David was now anointed king by the prophet, yet God would strengthen and test him in various ways before he had the use of his kingdom.</n> son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, [that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with him.


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Wherefore Saul sent messengers vnto Ishai, and said, Send me Dauid thy sonne which is with the sheepe.


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And Ishai tooke an asse laden with breade and a flagon of wine and a kidde, and sent them by the hand of Dauid his sonne vnto Saul.


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And Dauid came to Saul, and stoode before him: and he loued him verie well, and he was his armour bearer.


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And Saul sent to Ishai, saying, Let Dauid nowe remaine with me: for he hath found fauour in my sight.


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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 <n>God would have Saul receive this benefit from David's hand, that his condemnation might be even more evident, for his cruel hate toward him.</n> refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.


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Nowe the Philistims gathered their armies to battell, &amp; came together to Shochoh, which is in Iudah, and pitched betweene Shochoh and Azekah, in the coast of Dammim.


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And Saul, and the men of Israel assembled, and pitched in the valley of Elah, and put themselues in battell araie to meete the Philistims.


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And the Philistims stoode on a mountaine on the one side, and Israel stoode on a mountaine on the other side: so a valley was betweene them.


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And there <n>Between the two camps.</n> went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height [was] six cubits and a span.


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And [he had] an helmet of brass upon his head, and he [was] armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat [was] five thousand <n>That is, 156 pounds 4 ounces, after half and ounce to the shekel: and 600 shekels weight amounts to 18 3/4 pounds.</n> shekels of brass.


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And the shaft of his speare was like a weauers beame: and his speare head weyed sixe hundreth shekels of yron: and one bearing a shielde went before him.


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And he stoode, and cried against the hoste of Israel, and saide vnto them, Why are yee come to set your battell in aray? Am not I a Philistim, and you seruaunts to Saul? Chuse you a man for you, and let him come downe to me.


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If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then wil we be your seruants: but if I ouercome him, and kill him, then shal yee be our seruants, and serue vs.


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Also the Philistim saide, I defie the hoste of Israel this day: giue mee a man, that we may fight together.


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When Saul &amp; all Israel heard those wordes of the Philistim, they were discouraged, &amp; greatly afraide.


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Nowe this Dauid was the sonne of an Ephrathite of Beth-lehem Iudah, named Ishai, which had eight sonnes: and this man was taken for an olde man in the daies of Saul.


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And the three eldest sonnes of Ishai went and followed Saul to the battel: and the names of his three sonnes that went to battell, were Eliab the Eldest, and the next Abinadab, and the thirde Shammah.


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But David <n>To serve Saul, (1Sa_16:19).</n> went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.


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And Jesse said unto David his son, <n>Though Jesse meant one thing, yet God's providence directed David to another end.</n> Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched [corn], and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;


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And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of [their] thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their <n>If they have laid anything to gauge for their necessity, redeem it out.</n> pledge.


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(Then Saul and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistims)


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So Dauid rose vp earely in the morning, and left the sheepe with a keeper, and tooke and went as Ishai had commaunded him, and came within the compasse of the hoste: and the hoste went out in araie, and shouted in the battell.


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And Dauid left the things, which hee bare, vnder the handes of the keeper of the cariage, and ranne into the hoste, and came, and asked his brethren howe they did.


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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 <n>As in (1Sa_17:8-9).</n> same words: and David heard [them].


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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 <n>From taxes and payments.</n> free in Israel.


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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 <n>This dishonour that he does to Israel.</n> reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?


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And the people answered him after this maner, saying, Thus shall it be done to the man that killeth him.


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And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake vnto the men, and Eliab was verie angrie with Dauid, and sayde, Why camest thou downe hither? and with whome hast thou left those fewe sheepe in the wildernesse? I knowe thy pride and the malice of thine heart, that thou art come downe to see the battell.


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And David said, What have I now done? [Is there] not a <n>For his father's sending was a just occasion, and also he felt himself inwardly moved by God's Spirit.</n> cause?


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And hee departed from him into the presence of another, and spake of the same maner, and the people answered him according to the former woordes.


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And they that heard the wordes which Dauid spake, rehearsed them before Saul, which caused him to be brought.


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So Dauid saide to Saul, Let no mans heart faile him, because of him: thy seruant wil goe, and fight with this Philistim.


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And Saul said to David, Thou art not <n>Here Satan proves David's faith, by the infidelity of Saul.</n> able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou [art but] a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.


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And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a <n>David, because of previous experience with God's help, did not doubt to overcome this danger, seeing as he was zealous for God's honour.</n> lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:


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And I went out after him and smote him, and tooke it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by the beard, and smote him, and slue him.


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So thy seruaunt slue both the lyon, and the beare: therefore this vncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them, seeing hee hath railed on the hoste of the liuing God.


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David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, <n>For by these examples he saw that the power of God was with him.</n> Go, and the LORD be with thee.


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And Saul put his rayment vpon Dauid, &amp; put an helmet of brasse vpon his head, and put a brigandine vpon him.


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Then girded Dauid his sword vpon his rayment, and began to go: for he neuer proued it: and Dauid sayde vnto Saul, I can not goe with these: for I am not accustomed. wherefore Dauid put them off him.


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And he took his <n>So that by these weak means, It might be known that only God was the author of this victory.</n> staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.


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And the Philistim came and drew neere vnto Dauid, and the man that bare the shielde went before him.


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Now when the Philistim looked about &amp; saw Dauid, he disdeined him: for he was but yong, ruddie, and of a comely face.


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And the Philistine said unto David, [Am] I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine <n>He swore by his gods that he would destroy him.</n> cursed David by his gods.


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And the Philistim sayd to Dauid, Come to me, &amp; I will giue thy flesh vnto the foules of the heauen, and to the beastes of the field.


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Then sayd Dauid to the Philistim, Thou commest to me with a sword, and with a speare, &amp; with a shield, but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hostes, the God of the hoste of Israel, whom thou hast rayled vpon.


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This <n>David being assured both of his cause and of his calling prophecies of the destruction of the Philistines.</n> 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.


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And that all this assembly may know, that the Lord saueth not with sworde nor with speare (for the battel is the Lords) and he will giue you into our handes.


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And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David <n>Being moved with a fervent zeal to be revenged of this blaspheme of God's name.</n> hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.


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And Dauid put his hande in his bagge, and tooke out a stone, and slang it, &amp; smote the Philistim in his forehead, that the stone sticked in his forehead, and he fell groueling to the earth.


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So Dauid ouercame the Philistim with a sling &amp; with a stone, &amp; smote the Philistim, and slew him, when Dauid had no sword in his hand.


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Then Dauid ranne, &amp; stood vpon the Philistim, and tooke his sword and drew it out of his sheath, and slewe him, and cut off his head therewith. So whe the Philistims saw, that their champion was dead, they fled.


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And the men of Israel and Iudah arose, &amp; shouted, and followed after the Philistims, vntill they came to the valley, &amp; vnto the gates of Ekron: and the Philistims fell downe wounded by the way of Shaaraim, euen to Gath &amp; to Ekron.


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And Dauid tooke the head of ye Philistim, and brought it to Ierusalem, and put his armour in his tent.


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And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, <n>That is, of what family and tribe is he? He had forgotten David, even though he had received so great a benefit by him.</n> whose son [is] this youth? And Abner said, [As] thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.


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And when Dauid was returned from the slaughter of the Philistim, then Abner tooke him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistim in his hand.


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And Saul sayde to him, Whose sonne art thou, thou yong man? And Dauid answered, I am the sonne of thy seruant Ishai the Bethlehemite.


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And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the <n>His affection was fully bent toward him.</n> soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.


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And Ionathan put off the robe that was vpon him, &amp; gaue it Dauid, &amp; his garments, euen to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.


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And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself <n>That is, he prospered in all his doings.</n> wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.


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And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the <n>That is, Goliath.</n> Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.


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And the women sang by course in their play, and sayd, Saul hath slayne his thousand, &amp; Dauid his ten thousand.


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Therefore Saul was exceeding wroth, and the saying displeased him, &amp; he sayde, They haue ascribed vnto Dauid ten thousand, &amp; to me they haue ascribed but a thousand, &amp; what can he haue more saue the kingdome?


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And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he <n>That is, spoke as a man beside himself for so the people abused this word, when they could not understand.</n> prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and [there was] a javelin in Saul's hand.


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And Saul tooke the speare, and sayd, I will smite Dauid through to the wall. But Dauid auoyded twise out of his presence.


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Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went <n>Meaning he was captain over the people.</n> out and came in before the people.


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And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and <n>Fight against them that war against God's people.</n> fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.


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And Dauid answered Saul, What am I? and what is my life, or the family of my father in Israel, that I should be sonne in law to the King?


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But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter should have been given to David, that <n>By whom he had five sons who David put to death at the request of the Gibeonites, (2Sa_21:8).</n> she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.


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And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a <n>So his hypocrisy appears, for under pretence of favour he sought his destruction.</n> snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in [the one of] the twain.


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And Saul commanded his seruants, Speake with Dauid secretly, &amp; say, Behold, ye King hath a fauour to thee, and all his seruants loue thee: be now therefore the Kings sonne in law.


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And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, <n>Meaning, that he was not able to endow his wife with riches.</n> Seemeth it to you [a] light [thing] to be a king's son in law, seeing that I [am] a poor man, and lightly esteemed?


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And Saul sayd, This wise shal ye say to Dauid, The King desireth no dowrie, but an hundred foreskinnes of the Philistims, to bee auenged of the Kings enemies: for Saul thought to make Dauid fall into the handes of the Philistims.


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And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the <n>Because he thought himself able to compass the king's request.</n> king's son in law: and the days were not expired.


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Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and <n>Meaning, David and his soldiers.</n> 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.


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Then Saul sawe, and vnderstoode that the Lord was with Dauid, &amp; that Michal the daughter of Saul loued him.


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And Saul was yet the more afraid <n>To be deprived of his kingdom.</n> of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually.


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Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, [that] <n>That is, David had better success against the Philistines than Saul's men.</n> David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.


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And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should <n>Before Saul sought David's life secretly, but now his hypocrisy grows to open cruelty.</n> kill David.


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And Ionathan told Dauid, saying, Saul my father goeth about to slay thee: nowe therefore, I pray thee, take heede vnto thy selfe vnto the morning, &amp; abide in a secret place, &amp; hide thy selfe.


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And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou <n>That I may warn you what to do.</n> [art], and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.


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And Ionathan spake good of Dauid vnto Saul his father, &amp; said vnto him, Let not the King sinne against his seruat, against Dauid: for he hath not sinned against thee, but his works haue bene to thee very good.


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For he did put his life in daunger, and slew the Philistim, and the Lord wrought a great saluation for al Israel: thou sawest it, and thou reioycedst: wherefore then wilt thou sinne against innocent blood, and slay Dauid without a cause?


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And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul <n>Whatever he pretended outwardly, yet his heart was full of malice.</n> sware, [As] the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.


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So Ionathan called Dauid, and Ionathan shewed him all those words, &amp; Ionathan brought Dauid to Saul, and hee was in his presence as in times past.


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Againe the warre began, &amp; Dauid went out &amp; fought with the Philistims, and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.


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And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David <n>He played on his harp to appease the rage of the evil spirit, (1Sa_16:23).</n> played with [his] hand.


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And Saul intended to smite Dauid to the wall with the speare: but hee turned aside out of Sauls presence, &amp; he smote the speare against the wall: but Dauid fled, &amp; escaped the same night.


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Saul also sent messengers vnto Dauids house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal Dauids wife told it him, saying, If thou saue not thy selfe this night, to morowe thou shalt be slayne.


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So Michal <n>Thus God moved both the son and daughter of this tyrant to favour David against their father.</n> let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.


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Then Michal tooke an image, &amp; layde it in the bed, &amp; put a pillow stuffed with goates heare vnder the head of it, &amp; couered it with a cloth.


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And Saul sent the messengers [again] to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the <n>Behold, how the tyrants to accomplish their rage, neither regard oath nor friendship, God nor man.</n> bed, that I may slay him.


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And when the messengers were come in, behold, an image was in the bed, with a pillow of goates heare vnder the head of it.


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And Saul said vnto Michal, Why hast thou mocked me so, &amp; sent away mine enemie, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said vnto me, Let me go, or els I will kill thee.


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So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in <n>Naioth was a school where the word of God was studied, near Ramah.</n> Naioth.


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And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing <n>Being their chief instructor.</n> [as] appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also <n>Changed their minds and praised God.</n> prophesied.


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And when it was tolde Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophecied likewise: againe Saul sent the third messengers, and they prophecied also.


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Then went he himselfe to Ramah, &amp; came to a great well that is in Sechu, and he asked, and sayd, Where are Samuel and Dauid? &amp; one sayd, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.


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And he <n>With a mind to persecute them.</n> went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.


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And he stripped off his <n>His kingly apparel.</n> clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay <n>He humbled himself as others did.</n> down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, [Is] Saul also among the prophets?


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And David <n>For Saul was detained, and prophesied a day and a night by God's providence, that David might have time to escape.</n> fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what [is] mine iniquity? and what [is] my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?


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And he sayde vnto him, God forbid, thou shalt not die: beholde, my father will do nothing great nor small, but he will shewe it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? He will not doe it.


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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 <n>I am in great danger of death.</n> step between me and death.


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And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow [is] the <n>At what time there would be a solemn sacrifice, (Num_28:11), to which they added peace offerings and feasts.</n> new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third [day] at even.


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If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked [leave] of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for [there is] a <n>Read (1Sa_1:21).</n> yearly sacrifice there for all the family.


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And if he say thus, It is well, thy seruant shall haue peace: but if he be angrie, be sure that wickednesse is concluded of him.


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So shalt thou shew mercy vnto thy seruant: for thou hast ioyned thy seruant into a couenant of the Lord with thee, and if there be in me iniquitie, slay thou me: for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?


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And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were <n>That he were fully determined.</n> determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?


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Then said David to Jonathan, Who <n>If your father favours me.</n> shall tell me? or what [if] thy father answer thee roughly?


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And Ionathan sayde to Dauid, Come and let vs goe out into the fielde: and they twaine went out into the fielde.


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Then Ionathan sayde to Dauid, O Lorde God of Israel, when I haue groped my fathers minde to morow at this time, or within this three dayes, and if it be well with Dauid, and I then send not vnto thee, and shewe it thee,


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The LORD <n>The Lord punish me most grievously.</n> do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father [to do] thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.


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And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, <n>I know that if you were given the kingdom now, you would not destroy me, but show yourself friendly to my posterity.</n> that I die not:


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But I require that thou cut not off thy mercie from mine house for euer: no, not when the Lorde hath destroyed the enemies of Dauid, euery one from the earth.


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So Ionathan made a bond with the house of Dauid, saying, Let the Lorde require it at the hands of Dauids enemies.


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Then said Ionathan to him, To morowe is the first day of the moneth: and thou shalt be looked for, for thy place shalbe emptie.


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Therefore thou shalt hide thy selfe three dayes, then thou shalt goe downe quickely and come to the place where thou diddest hide thy selfe, when this matter was in hand, and shalt remayne by the stone Ezel.


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And after I wil sende a boy, saying, Goe, seeke the arrowes. If I say vnto the boy, See, the arrowes are on this side thee, bring them, &amp; come thou: for it is well with thee and no hurt, as the Lord liueth.


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But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows [are] beyond thee; go thy way: for the <n>The Lord is the author of your departure.</n> LORD hath sent thee away.


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As touching the thing which thou and I haue spoken of, beholde, the Lorde be betweene thee and me for euer.


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So Dauid hid him selfe in the field: and when the first day of the moneth came, the King sate to eate meate.


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And the King sate, as at other times vpon his seate, euen vpon his seate by the wall: and Ionathan arose, and Abner sate by Sauls side, but Dauids place was emptie.


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Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he [is] not <n>Yet he might have some business to let him.</n> clean; surely he [is] not clean.


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And it came to pass on the morrow, [which was] the second [day] of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not <n>Thus he speaks contemptuously of David.</n> the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?


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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 <n>Meaning, all his kinsfolk.</n> brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table.


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Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou <n>You are always contrary to me as your mother is.</n> son of the perverse rebellious [woman], do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?


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For as long as the sonne of Ishai liueth vpon the earth, thou shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdome: wherefore now send and fet him vnto me, for he shall surely die.


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And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be <n>For it was too great tyranny to put one to death and not to give a reason why.</n> slain? what hath he done?


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And Saul cast a speare at him to hit him, whereby Ionathan knew, that it was determined of his father to slay Dauid.


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So Ionathan arose from the table in a great anger, and did eate no meate the seconde day of the moneth: for he was sorie for Dauid, and because his father had reuiled him.


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And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field <n>For this was the third day, as it was agreed on in (1Sa_20:5).</n> at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.


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And he saide vnto his boy, Runne now, seeke the arrowes which I shoote, and as the boy ran, he shot an arrowe beyond him.


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And when the boy was come to the place where the arrowe was that Ionathan had shot, Ionathan cryed after the boy, and sayde, Is not the arrowe beyond thee?


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And Jonathan cried after the lad, <n>By these words be admonished David what he should do.</n> Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.


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Then Ionathan gaue his bowe and arrowes vnto the boy that was with him, and sayd vnto him, Goe, carrie them into the citie.


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[And] as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of [a place] toward the <n>It seems that he shot on the north side of the stone, least the boy should have seen David.</n> south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.


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And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have <n>Which oath he calls the covenant of the Lord in (1Sa_20:8).</n> 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.


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Then came David to <n>Where the ark then was to ask counsel of the Lord.</n> Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why [art] thou alone, and no man with thee?


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And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The <n>These infirmities that we see in the saints of God, teach us that no one has his justice in himself, but receives it from God's mercy.</n> 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.


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Nowe therefore if thou hast ought vnder thine hande, giue me fiue cakes of bread, or what commeth to hand.


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And the priest answered David, and said, [There is] no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from <n>If they have not accompanied with their wives.</n> women.


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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 <n>That is, their bodies.</n> vessels of the young men are holy, and [the bread is] in a manner common, yea, though it <n>Shall be more careful to keep his vessel holy, when he has eaten of this holy food.</n> were sanctified this day in the vessel.


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So the Priest gaue him halowed bread: for there was no bread there, saue the shewe bread that was taken from before the Lord, to put hote bread there, the day that it was taken away.


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Now a certain man of the servants of Saul [was] there that day, <n>Tarrying to worship before the ark.</n> detained before the LORD; and his name [was] Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that [belonged] to Saul.


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And Dauid said vnto Ahimelech, Is there not here vnder thine hand a speare or a sworde? for I haue neither brought my sworde nor mine harnesse with me, because the Kings businesse required haste.


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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 <n>Behind that place where the high priests garment lay.</n> 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.


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And David arose, and <n>That is, out of Saul's domain.</n> fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.


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And the seruants of Achish said vnto him, Is not this Dauid the King of the land? did they not sing vnto him in daunces, saying, Saul hath slayne his thousand, and Dauid his ten thousande?


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And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and <n>By making marks and toys.</n> scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.


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Then said Achish vnto his seruants, Lo, ye see the man is beside him selfe, wherefore haue ye brought him to me?


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Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this [fellow] to play the mad man in my presence? <n>Is he fit to be in a king's house.</n> shall this [fellow] come into my house?


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David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave <n>Which was in the tribe of Judah, near Bethlehem.</n> Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard [it], they went down thither to him.


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And there gathered vnto him all men that were in trouble and all men that were in dette, and all those that were vexed in minde, and he was their prince, and there were with him about foure hundreth men.


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And David went thence to Mizpeh of <n>For there was another so called in Judah.</n> Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, [and be] with you, till I know what God will do for me.


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And he <n>For he feared the rage of Saul against his house.</n> brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in <n>That is, in Mizpeh, which was a stronghold.</n> the hold.


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And the Prophet Gad sayde vnto Dauid, Abide not in the holde, but depart and goe into the land of Iudah. Then Dauid departed &amp; came into the forest of Hareth.


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When Saul heard that David was <n>That a great brute came on him.</n> discovered, and the men that [were] with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants [were] standing about him;)


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Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye <n>You that are of my tribe and lineage.</n> Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, [and] make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;


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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 <n>By this he would persuade them that this conspiracy was most horrible, where the son conspired against the father, and the servant against his master.</n> son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?


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Then answered Doeg the Edomite (who was appoynted ouer the seruants of Saul) &amp; sayd, I saw the sonne of Ishai when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub,


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Who asked counsell of the Lorde for him and gaue him vitailes, and he gaue him also the sword of Goliath the Philistim.


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Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, <n>Which were the remnant of the house of Eli, whose house God threatened to punish.</n> the priests that [were] in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.


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Then Saul sayde vnto him, Why haue yee conspired against me, thou &amp; the sonne of Ishai, in that thou hast giuen him vitaile, and a sworde, and hast asked counsell of God for him, that he should rise against me, and lye in wayte as appeareth this day?


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And Ahimelech answered the King, and sayde, Who is so faithfull among all thy seruants as Dauid, being also the Kings sonne in lawe, and goeth at thy commandement, and is honourable in thine house?


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<n>Have I not at other times also, when he had great affairs, consulted with the Lord for him?</n>Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute [any] thing unto his servant, [nor] to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.


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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 <n>For they knew that they should not obey the wicked commandment of the king in slaying the innocent.</n> would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.


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Then the King sayde to Doeg, Turne thou and fall vpon the Priests; Doeg the Edomite turned, and ran vpon the Priestes, and slewe that same daye foure score and fiue persons that did weare a linen Ephod.


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Also Nob the citie of the Priestes smote he with the edge of the sword, both man &amp; woman, both childe and suckling, both oxe and asse, and sheepe with the edge of the sword.


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And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, <n>This was God's providence, who according to his promise preserved some of the house of Eli, (1Sa_2:33).</n> escaped, and fled after David.


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And Dauid sayd vnto Abiathar, I knewe it the same day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would tell Saul. I am the cause of the death of all the persons of thy fathers house.


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Abide thou with me, &amp; feare not: for he that seeketh my life, shall seeke thy life also: for with me thou shalt be in safegard.


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Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against <n>Which was a city in the tribe of Judah, (Jos_15:44).</n> Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.


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Therfore Dauid asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shal I goe and smite these Philistims? And the Lord answered Dauid, Go and smite the Philistims, and saue Keilah.


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And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in <n>That is, in the midst of Judah, much more when we come to the borders against our enemies.</n> Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?


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Then Dauid asked counsell of the Lord againe; the Lord answered him, &amp; sayd, Arise, go downe to Keilah: for I wil deliuer the Philistims into thine hand.


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So Dauid and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistims, &amp; brought away their cattel, &amp; smote them with a great slaughter: thus Dauid saued the inhabitants of Keilah.


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And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an <n>By God's providence the ephod was preserved and kept with David the true king.</n> ephod in his hand.


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And it was tolde Saul that Dauid was come to Keilah, &amp; Saul sayd, God hath deliuered him into mine hand: for he is shut in, seeing he is come into a citie that hath gates and barres.


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Then Saul called all the people together to warre, for to go downe to Keilah, &amp; to besiege Dauid and his men.


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And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, <n>To consult with the Lord by Urim and Thummim.</n> Bring hither the ephod.


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Then sayde Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, thy seruat hath heard, that Saul is about to come to Keilah to destroy the citie for my sake.


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Wil the lordes of Keilah deliuer me vp into his hand? and will Saul come downe, as thy seruant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy seruant; the Lord sayde, He will come downe.


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Then said Dauid, Will the lords of Keilah deliuer me vp, and the men that are with me, into the hand of Saul? And the Lord sayde, They will deliuer thee vp.


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Then Dauid and his men, which were about sixe hundreth, arose, &amp; departed out of Keilah, and went whither they coulde; it was tolde Saul, that Dauid was fled from Keilah, and he left off his iourney.


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And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God <n>No power nor policy can prevail against God's children, but when he appoints the time.</n> delivered him not into his hand.


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And Dauid sawe that Saul was come out for to seeke his life: and Dauid was in the wildernes of Ziph in the wood.


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And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be <n>Jonathan assured David, that God would accomplish his promise, and that his father warred against his own conscience.</n> king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.


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So they twaine made a couenant before ye Lorde: and Dauid did remaine in the wood: but Ionathan went to his house.


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Then came vp the Ziphims to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doeth not Dauid hide himselfe by vs in holdes, in the wood in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right side of Ieshimon?


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Nowe therefore, O King, come downe according to all that thine heart can desire, and our part shall be to deliuer him into the Kinges handes.


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And Saul said, <n>the Lord recompense this friendship.</n> Blessed [be] ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.


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Goe, I pray you, &amp; prepare ye yet better: know and see his place where he haunteth, and who hath seene him there: for it is sayd to me, He is subtile, and craftie.


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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 <n>In your country of Ziph, which is in Judah.</n> land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.


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Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul, but Dauid and his men were in the wildernesse of Maon, in the playne on the right hande of Ieshimon.


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Saul also and his men went to seek [him]. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of <n>Which was also in the tribe of Judah, (Jos_15:55).</n> Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.


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And Saul and his men went on the one side of the mountaine, and Dauid and his men on the other side of the mountaine: and Dauid made haste to get from the presence of Saul: for Saul and his men compassed Dauid and his men round about, to take them.


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But there came a <n>Thus the Lord can pull back the bridle of the tyrants and deliver his out of the lion's mouth.</n> messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.


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Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place <n>That is, stone of division, because there they divided themselves one from another.</n> Selahammahlekoth.


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And David went up from thence, and dwelt in <n>That is, in strong places, which were defended by nature.</n> strong holds at Engedi.


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And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David [is] in the wilderness of <n>A city of Judah, (Jos_15:62).</n> Engedi.


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{\cf2 (24:3)} Then Saul tooke three thousande chosen men out of all Israel, &amp; went to seeke Dauid and his men vpon the rocks among the wilde goates.


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{\cf2 (24:4)} And hee came to the sheepecoates by the way where there was a caue, &amp; Saul went in to do his easement: and Dauid and his men sate in the inward parts of the caue.


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And the men of David said unto him, <n>Here we see how ready we are to hasten God's promise, if the occasion serve never so little.</n> 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.


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And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart <n>For seeing it was his own private cause, he repented that he had touched his enemy.</n> smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.


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{\cf2 (24:7)} And he said vnto his men, The Lord keepe mee from doing that thing vnto my master the Lords Anoynted, to lay mine hand vpon him: for he is the Anoynted of the Lord.


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{\cf2 (24:8)} So Dauid ouercame his seruants with these words, &amp; suffered them not to arise against Saul: so Saul rose vp out of the caue and went away.


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{\cf2 (24:9)} Dauid also arose afterward, and went out of the caue, and cryed after Saul, saying, O my lorde the King; when Saul looked behinde him, Dauid inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe.


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And David said to Saul, <n>Contrary to the report of those who said David was Saul's enemy, he proves himself to be his friend.</n> Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?


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{\cf2 (24:11)} Behold, this day thine eyes haue seene, that the Lorde had deliuered thee this day into mine hand in the caue, and some bade me kill thee, but I had compassion on thee, and said, I will not lay mine hande on my master: for he is the Lordes Anoynted.


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{\cf2 (24:12)} Moreouer my father, behold: behold, I say, the lappe of thy garment in mine hand: for when I cut off the lappe of thy garment, I killed thee not. Vnderstad &amp; see, that there is neither euil nor wickednesse in mee, neither haue I sinned against thee, yet thou huntest after my soule to take it.


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{\cf2 (24:13)} The Lord be iudge betweene thee and me, and the Lord auenge me of thee, &amp; let not mine hand be vpon thee.


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{\cf2 (24:14)} According as the olde prouerbe sayeth, Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand be not vpon thee.


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{\cf2 (24:15)} After whom is the King of Israel come out? after whome doest thou pursue? after a dead dog, and after a flea?


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{\cf2 (24:16)} The Lord therfore be iudge, and iudge betweene thee and me, and see, &amp; pleade my cause, and deliuer me out of thine hand.


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And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, <n>Though he was a cruel enemy to David, yet by his great gentleness his conscience compelled him to yield.</n> [Is] this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.


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{\cf2 (24:18)} And sayd to Dauid, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast rendred me good, and I haue rendred thee euill.


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{\cf2 (24:19)} And thou hast shewed this day, that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had closed me in thine hands, thou killedst me not.


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{\cf2 (24:20)} For who shal finde his enemie, and let him depart free? wherefore the Lorde render thee good for that thou hast done vnto me this day.


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And now, behold, I <n>Though this tyrant saw and confessed the favour of God toward David, yet he did not cease to persecute him against his own conscience.</n> know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.


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{\cf2 (24:22)} Sweare now therfore vnto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seede after me, and that thou wilt not abolish my name out of my fathers house.


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{\cf2 (24:23)} So Dauid sware vnto Saul, and Saul went home: but Dauid &amp; his men went vp vnto ye hold.


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And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his <n>That is, among his own kindred.</n> house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.


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And [there was] a man in <n>Maon and Carmel were cities in the tribe of Judah. Carmel the mountain was in Galilee.</n> Maon, whose possessions [were] in Carmel; and the man [was] very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.


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The name also of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail, &amp; she was a woman of singular wisdome, and beautifull, but the man was churlish, and euil conditioned, and was of the familie of Caleb.


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Therefore Dauid sent tenne yong men, &amp; Dauid said vnto the yong men, Go vp to Carmel, and go to Nabal, &amp; aske him in my name how he doeth.


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And thus shall ye say <n>Or, for salvation.</n> to him that liveth [in prosperity], Peace [be] both to thee, and peace [be] to thine house, and peace [be] unto all that thou hast.


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Behold, I haue heard, that thou hast sherers: now thy shepherds were with vs, and we did the no hurt, neyther did they misse any thing all the while they were in Carmel.


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Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever <n>Whatever you have ready for us.</n> cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.


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And when Dauids yong men came, they tolde Nabal all those wordes in the name of Dauid, and helde their peace.


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And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who [is] David? and who [is] the <n>Thus the covetous wretches instead of relieving the needs of God's children, reviled their persons and condemned their cause.</n> son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.


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Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I haue killed for my sherers, and giue it vnto men, whom I know not whence they be?


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And Dauid said vnto his men, Girde euery man his sword about him. And they girded euery man his sworde: Dauid also girded his sworde; about foure hundreth men went vp after Dauid, and two hundreth abode by the cariage.


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Nowe one of the seruantes tolde Abigail Nabals wife, saying, Beholde, Dauid sent messengers out of the wildernesse to salute our master, and he rayled on them.


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But the men [were] very good <n>When we kept our sheep in the wilderness of Paran.</n> unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:


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They were as a wall vnto vs both by night &amp; by day, all the while we were with them keeping sheepe.


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Nowe therefore take heede, and see what thou shalt doe: for euill will surely come vpon our master, and vpon all his familie: for he is so wicked that a man can not speake to him.


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Then Abigail made haste, &amp; tooke two hundreth cakes, &amp; two bottels of wine, &amp; fiue sheepe ready dressed, &amp; fiue measures of parched corne, and an hundreth frailes of raisins, &amp; two hundreth of figs, and laded them on asses.


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And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her <n>Because she knew his crooked nature, that he would rather die than agree to her enterprise.</n> husband Nabal.


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And as shee rode on her asse, shee came downe by a secret place of the mountaine, and beholde, Dauid and his men came downe against her, and she met them.


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And Dauid said, In deede I haue kept all in vaine that this fellow had in the wildernesse, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained vnto him: for he hath requited me euill for good.


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So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that [pertain] to him by the morning light any that <n>Meaning by this proverb that he would destroy both small and great.</n> pisseth against the wall.


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And when Abigail sawe Dauid, she hasted and lighted off her asse, and fell before Dauid on her face, and bowed her selfe to the ground,


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And fel at his feete, and sayd, Oh, my lord, I haue committed the iniquitie, and I pray thee, let thine handmayde speake to thee, and heare thou the wordes of thine handmayde.


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Let not my lorde, I pray thee, regard this wicked man Nabal: for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and follie is with him: but I thine handmayde sawe not the yong men of my lord whom thou sentest.


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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 <n>That is, that you should not be revenged by your enemy.</n> hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.


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And now, this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought vnto my lorde, let it be giuen vnto the yong men, that followe my lord.


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I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a <n>Confirm his kingdom to his posterity.</n> sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee [all] thy days.


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Yet <n>That is, Saul.</n> a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the <n>God will preserve you long in his service, and destroy your enemies.</n> bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, [as out] of the middle of a sling.


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And when the Lorde shall haue done to my lord al the good that he hath promised thee, and shall haue made thee ruler ouer Israel,


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That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath <n>That he did not avenge himself, which would have tormented his conscience.</n> avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.


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Then Dauid said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meete me.


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And blessed [be] thy advice, and blessed [be] thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to [shed] blood, <n>Read (1Sa_25:31).</n> and from avenging myself with mine own hand.


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For in very deed, [as] the LORD God of Israel liveth, <n>He attributes it to the Lord's mercy, and not to himself that he was stayed.</n> which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.


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Then Dauid receiued of her hande that which she had brought him, and said to her, Goe vp in peace to thine house: beholde, I haue heard thy voyce, and haue graunted thy petition.


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And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart [was] merry within him, for he [was] very drunken: wherefore she told him <n>For he had no reason either to consider, or to give thanks for this great benefit of deliverance.</n> nothing, less or more, until the morning light.


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But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became [as] <n>For fear of the great danger.</n> a stone.


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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 <n>For he had experienced her great godliness, wisdom and humility.</n> take her to him to wife.


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And whe the seruants of Dauid were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake vnto her, saying, Dauid sent vs to thee, to take thee to his wife.


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And she arose, and bowed her selfe on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmayde be a seruant to wash the feete of the seruants of my lord.


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And Abigail hasted, &amp; arose, and rode vpon an asse, and her fiue maides folowed her, and she went after the messengers of Dauid, and was his wife.


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Now Saul had giuen Michal his daughter Dauids wife to Phalti the sonne of Laish, which was of Gallim.


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Againe the Ziphims came vnto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doeth not Dauid hide him selfe in the hill of Hachilah before Ieshimon?


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Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand <n>That is, of the most skilful and valiant soldiers.</n> chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.


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And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Ieshimon by the way side. Now Dauid abode in the wildernesse, and he sawe that Saul came after him into the wildernesse.


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Then Dauid arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched, and when Dauid beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the sonne of Ner which was his chiefe captaine, (for Saul lay in the fort, and the people pitched round about him)


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Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the <n>Who was a stranger, and not an Israelite.</n> Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to <n>Who afterward was David's chief captain.</n> Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.


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So Dauid and Abishai came downe to the people by night: and beholde, Saul lay sleeping within the fort, and his speare did sticke in the ground at his head: and Abner and the people lay round about him.


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Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the <n>Meaning, he would make him sure at one stroke.</n> second time.


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And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand <n>That is, in his own private cause: for Jehu slew two kings at God's appointment, (2Ki_9:24).</n> against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?


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Moreouer Dauid said, As the Lord liueth, eyther the Lorde shall smite him, or his day shall come to dye, or he shall descend into battel, and perish.


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The Lorde keepe mee from laying mine hand vpon the Lordes anointed: but, I pray thee, take now the speare that is at his head, and the pot of water, and let vs goe hence.


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So Dauid tooke the speare and the pot of water from Sauls head, and they gate them away, and no man saw it, nor marked it, neither did any awake, but they were all asleepe: for the Lorde had sent a dead sleepe vpon them.


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Then Dauid went vnto the other side, and stoode on the toppe of an hill a farre off, a great space being betweene them.


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And Dauid cryed to the people, and to Abner the sonne of Ner, saying, Hearest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered, &amp; said, Who art thou that cryest to the King?


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And David said to Abner, [Art] not thou a [valiant] <n>Esteemed most valiant and fit to save the king?</n> man? and who [is] like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.


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This is not well done of thee: as the Lord liueth, ye are worthy to dye, because ye haue not kept your master the Lordes Anointed: and now see where the Kings speare is, and the pot of water that was at his head.


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And Saul knew David's voice, and said, [Is] this thy voice, <n>By this it appears, that the hypocrite persecuted David against his own conscience and contrary to his promise.</n> my son David? And David said, [It is] my voice, my lord, O king.


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And he sayde, Wherefore doeth my lorde thus persecute his seruant? for what haue I done? or what euill is in mine hand?


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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 <n>Let his anger toward us be pacified by a sacrifice.</n> 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 <n>As much as lay in them, they compelled him to idolatry because they forced him to flee to the idolaters.</n> other gods.


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Nowe therefore let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lorde: for the King of Israel is come out to seeke a flea, as one would hunt a partridge in the mountaines.


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Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was <n>Because you saved my life this day.</n> precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.


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Then Dauid answered, and saide, Beholde the Kings speare, let one of the yong men come ouer and set it.


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The LORD render to every man his <n>Thus he protests his innocency toward Saul, not defending his justice in the sight of God, in whose presence none is righteous, (Psa_14:3, Psa_130:3).</n> righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into [my] hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.


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And beholde, like as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes: so let my life be set by in the eyes of the Lord, that he may deliuer me out of all tribulation.


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Then Saul said to David, Blessed [be] thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great [things], and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his <n>To Gibeah of Benjamin.</n> place.


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And David said in his heart, I shall now <n>David distrusts God's protection and therefore flees to the idolaters, who were enemies to God's people.</n> 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.


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Dauid therefore arose, and he, and the sixe hundreth men that were with him, went vnto Achish the sonne of Maoch King of Gath.


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And David <n>Thus God by his providence changes the enemies hearts, and makes them favour his in their need.</n> dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, [even] David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.


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And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, <n>Let your officers appoint me a place.</n> let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?


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Then Achish gaue him Ziklag that same day: therefore Ziklag pertaineth vnto the kings of Iudah vnto this day.


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And the time that Dauid dwelt in the countrey of the Philistims, was foure moneths and certaine dayes.


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And David and his men went up, and invaded the <n>These were the wicked Canaanites, whom God had appointed to be destroyed.</n> Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those [nations were] of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.


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And Dauid smote the lande, and left neither man nor woman aliue, and tooke sheepe, &amp; oxen, and asses, and camels, and apparell, and returned and came to Achish.


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And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the <n>A family of the tribe of Judah, (1Ch_2:9).</n> Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.


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And Dauid saued neither man nor woman aliue, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tel on vs, and say, So did Dauid, and so will be his maner all the while that he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistims.


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And Achish beleeued Dauid, saying, He hath made his people of Israel vtterly to abhorre him: therefore he shalbe my seruant for euer.


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And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, <n>Though it was a great grief to David to fight against the people of God, yet such was his infirmity, he did not dare deny him.</n> Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.


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And Dauid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt knowe, what thy seruant can doe; Achish sayde to Dauid, Surely I will make thee keeper of mine head for euer.


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Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had <n>According to the commandment of God, (Exo_22:18; Deu_18:10-11).</n> put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.


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Then the Philistims assembled themselues, and came, and pitched in Shunem: and Saul assembled all Israel, and they pitched in Gilboa.


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And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by <n>Meaning, the high priest, (Exo_28:30).</n> Urim, nor by prophets.


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Then saide Saul vnto his seruants, Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirite, that I may goe to her, and aske of her; his seruants said to him, Beholde, there is a woman at En-dor that hath a familiar spirit.


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And Saul <n>He does not seek God in his misery, but is led by Satan to unlawful means, which in his conscience he condemns.</n> 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.


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And the woman saide vnto him, Beholde, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the sorcerers, and the southsayers out of the land: wherefore then seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to die?


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And Saul sware to her by the Lorde, saying, As the Lord liueth, no harme shall come to thee for this thing.


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Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up <n>He speaks according to his gross ignorance not considering the state of the saints after this life, and how Satan has no power over them.</n> Samuel.


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And when the woman sawe Samuel, she cryed with a loude voyce, and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceiued me? for thou art Saul.


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And the King said vnto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said vnto Saul, I saw gods ascending vp out of the earth.


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And he said unto her, What form [is] he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he [is] covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it [was] <n>To his imagination, even though it was Satan, who to blind his eyes took on him the form of Samuel, as he can do of an angel of light.</n> Samuel, and he stooped with [his] face to the ground, and bowed himself.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me vp? Then Saul answered, I am in great distresse: for the Philistims make warre against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by Prophetes, neither by dreames: therefore I haue called thee, that thou mayest tell me, what I shall doe.


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Then said Samuel, Wherefore then doest thou aske of me, seeing the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemie?


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And the LORD hath done to <n>That is, to David.</n> him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, [even] to David:


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Because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lorde, nor executedst his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lorde done this vnto thee this day.


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Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: <n>You will die, (1Sa_31:6).</n> and to morrow [shalt] thou and thy sons [be] with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.


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Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore <n>The wicked when they hear God's judgments, tremble and despair, but cannot seek for mercy by repentance.</n> afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.


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And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I <n>I have ventured my life.</n> have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.


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Now therefore, I pray thee, hearke thou also vnto ye voyce of thine handmaid, &amp; let me set a morsell of bread before thee, that thou mayest eat and get thee strength, and go on thy iourney.


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But he refused, and said, I will not eate: but his seruants and the woman together compelled him, and he obeyed their voyce: so he arose from the earth, and sate on the bed.


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And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded [it], and did bake <n>Because it required haste.</n> unleavened bread thereof:


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Then she brought them before Saul, and before his seruants: and when they had eaten, they stoode, and went away the same night.


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So the Philistims were gathered together with all their armies in Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by the fountaine, which is in Izreel.


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And the lords of the Philistines passed on by <n>According to their bands, or ensigns.</n> hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.


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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, <n>Meaning, a long time, that is, four months and certain days, (1Sa_27:7).</n> or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell [unto me] unto this day?


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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 <n>Would not Saul receive him to favour, if he would betray us?</n> heads of these men?


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Is not this Dauid, of whome they sang in daunces, saying, Saul slewe his thousande, and Dauid his ten thousande?


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Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, [as] the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy <n>That is, was conversant with me.</n> 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.


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And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may <n>This deception cannot be excused, for it grieved him to go against the people of God.</n> not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?


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Achish then answered, and said to Dauid, I knowe thou pleasest mee, as an Angell of God: but the princes of the Philistims haue saide, Let him not goe vp with vs to battell.


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Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy <n>With them that fled to thee from Saul.</n> master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.


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So Dauid and his men rose vp earely to depart in the morning, and to returne into the lande of the Philistims: and the Philistims went vp to Izreel.


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And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on <n>After that he departed from Achish.</n> the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and <n>That is, destroyed their city.</n> smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;


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And had taken the women that were therein, prisoners, both small and great, and slewe not a man, but caryed them away, &amp; went their wayes.


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So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, [it was] burned with fire; and their <n>For those only remained in the city, when the men were gone to war.</n> wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.


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Then Dauid and the people that was with him, lift vp their voyces and wept, vntill they could weepe no more.


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Dauids two wiues were taken prisoners also, Ahinoam the Izreelite, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


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And David was greatly distressed; for the people <n>Thus we see that in trouble and adversity we do not consider God's providence, but like raging beasts forget both our own duty and contemn God's appointment over us.</n> spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.


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And Dauid saide to Abiathar the Priest Ahimelechs sonne, I pray thee, bring me the Ephod; Abiathar brought the Ephod to Dauid.


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And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake [them], and without fail <n>Though God seem to leave us for a time, yet if we trust in him, we will be sure to find comfort.</n> recover [all].


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So Dauid and the sixe hundreth men that were with him, went, and came to the riuer Besor, where a part of them abode:


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But Dauid and foure hundreth men followed (for two hundreth abode behinde, being too wearie to goe ouer the riuer Besor)


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And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him <n>God by his providence both provides for the needs of the poor stranger, and made him a guide to David to accomplish his enterprise.</n> bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;


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Also they gaue him a fewe figges, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirite came againe to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunke any water in three dayes, and three nightes.


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And Dauid saide vnto him, To whome belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he saide, I am a yong man of Egypt, and seruant to an Amalekite: and my master left me three dayes agoe, because I fell sicke.


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We roued vpon the South of Chereth, &amp; vpon the coast belonging to Iudah, and vpon the South of Caleb, and we burnt Ziklag with fire.


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And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, <n>For others were in all ages held in most reverence, even among the heathen.</n> Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.


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And when he had brought him down, behold, [they were] spread abroad upon all the earth, <n>The wicked in their pomp and pleasures do not consider the judgment of God, which is then at hand to smite them.</n> 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.


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And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening <n>Some read, and to the morrow of the two evenings, that is, three days.</n> of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.


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And they lacked nothing, small or great, sonne or daughter, or of the spoyle of all that they had taken away: Dauid recouered them all.


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And David took all the flocks and the herds, [which] they drave before those [other] cattle, and said, This [is] David's <n>Which the Amalekites had taken from others, and David from them, besides the goods of Ziklag.</n> spoil.


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And Dauid came to the two hundreth men that were too wearie for to followe Dauid: whome they had made also to abide at the riuer Besor: and they came to meete Dauid, and to meete the people that were with him: so when Dauid came neere to the people, hee saluted them.


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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 <n>Under these are understood the cattle and goods, which belonged to every man.</n> wife and his children, that they may lead [them] away, and depart.


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Then saide Dauid, Yee shall not doe so, my brethren, with that which the Lorde hath giuen vs, who hath preserued vs, and deliuered the companie that came against vs, into our handes.


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For who will obey you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth downe to the battel, so shall his part be, that tarieth by the stuffe: they shal part alike.


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<n>Some refer these words to David, that he alleged an old custom and law, as if it were written, it is both now, and ever has been.</n>And it was [so] from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.


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When Dauid therefore came to Ziklag, he sent of the pray vnto the Elders of Iudah and to his friends, saying, See there is a blessing for you of the spoyle of the enemies of the Lord.


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And to them of Rachal, and to them of the cities of the Ierahmeelites, and to them of the cities of the Kenites,


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And to [them] which [were] in Hebron, and <n>Showing himself mindful of their benefits towards him.</n> to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.


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Now the Philistims fought against Israel, &amp; the me of Israel fled away from ye Philistims, and they fell downe wounded in mount Gilboa.


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And the Philistims preassed sore vpon Saul and his sonnes, and slewe Ionathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua Sauls sonnes.


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And when the battel went sore against Saul, the archers and bowmen hit him, and hee was sore wounded of the archers.


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Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, <n>So we see that his cruel life has a desperate end, as is commonly seen in those who persecute the children of God.</n> 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.


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And when his armour bearer sawe that Saul was dead, he fell likewise vpon his sword, &amp; dyed with him.


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And when the men of Israel that [were] on the other side of the <n>Near to Gilboa.</n> valley, and [they] that [were] on the other side <n>The tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh.</n> 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.


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And on the morowe when the Philistims were come to spoyle them that were slaine, they founde Saul and his three sonnes lying in mount Gilboa,


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And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to <n>In token of victory and triumph.</n> publish [it in] the house of their idols, and among the people.


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And they layed vp his armour in the house of Ashtaroth, but they hanged vp his body on the wall of Beth-shan.


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And when the inhabitants of <n>Whom he had delivered from their enemies, (1Sa_11:11).</n> Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;


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Then they arose (as many as were strong men) and went all night, and tooke the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sonnes, from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Iabesh, and burnt them there,


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And they took their bones, and buried [them] under a tree at Jabesh, and <n>According to the custom of mourners.</n> fasted seven days.


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Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; <n>The Argument - This book and the former are called Samuel, because they contain the conception, birth and the whole course of his life, and also the lives and acts of two kings, that is, of Saul and David, whom he anointed and consecrated kings by the ordinance of God. The first book contains those things which God brought to pass among this people under the government of Samuel and Saul. This second book declares the noble acts of David, after the death of Saul when he began to reign, to the end of his kingdom, and how it was expanded by him. It also contains the great troubles and dangers he sustained both within his house and without, the horrible and dangerous insurrections, uproars, and treasons wrought against him, partly by false counsellors, feigned friends and flatterers and partly by his own children and people. By God's assistance he overcame all difficulties, and enjoyed his kingdom in rest and peace. In the person of David the scripture sets forth Christ Jesus the chief king, who came from David according to the flesh, and was persecuted on every side with outward and inward enemies, as well in his own person, as in his members, but at length he overcomes all his enemies, and gives his Church victory against all power both spiritual and temporal; and so reigns with them, king for ever.</n>


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It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with <n>Seeming to lament the overthrow of the people of Israel.</n> his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and [so] it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.


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Then Dauid saide vnto him, Whence commest thou? And he said vnto him, Out of the host of Israel I am escaped.


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And Dauid saide vnto him, What is done? I pray thee, tell me. Then he said, that the people is fled from the battel, and many of the people are ouerthrowen, and dead, &amp; also Saul and Ionathan his sonne are dead.


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And Dauid saide vnto the yong man that tolde it him, Howe knowest thou that Saul and Ionathan his sonne be dead?


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And the young man that told him said, <n>As I fled the chase.</n> As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.


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And he said unto me, Who [art] thou? And I answered him, I [am] an <n>He was an Amalekite born, but renounced his country and joined with the Israelites.</n> Amalekite.


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He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my <n>I am sorry, because I am yet alive.</n> life [is] yet whole in me.


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So I came vpon him, and slewe him, and because I was sure that hee coulde not liue, after that hee had fallen, I tooke the crowne that was vpon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arme, and brought them hither vnto my lord.


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And they mourned and wept, and fasted vntil euen, for Saul and for Ionathan his sonne, &amp; for the people of the Lorde, and for the house of Israel, because they were slaine with the sword.


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<n>After the lamentation, he examined him again.</n>And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence [art] thou? And he answered, I [am] the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.


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And Dauid said vnto him, How wast thou not afrayd, to put forth thine hand to destroy the Anoynted of the Lord?


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Then Dauid called one of his yong men, and said, Goe neere, and fall vpon him; hee smote him that he dyed.


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And David said unto him, <n>You are justly punished for your fault.</n> Thy blood [be] upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.


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(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah <n>That they might be able to match their enemies the Philistines in that art.</n> [the use of] the bow: behold, [it is] written in the book of Jasher.)


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Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streetes of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistims reioyce, lest the daughters of the vncircumcised triumph.


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Ye mountains of Gilboa, [let there be] no dew, neither [let there be] rain, upon you, nor <n>Let their fertile fields be barren, and bring forth no fruit to offer to the Lord.</n> fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, [as though he had] not [been] anointed with oil.


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The bow of Ionathan neuer turned backe, neither did the sword of Saul returne emptie from the blood of the slaine, and from the fatte of the mightie.


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Saul and Jonathan [were] lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not <n>They died both together in Gilboa.</n> divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.


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Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, <n>As rich garments and costly jewels.</n> with [other] delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.


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Howe were the mightie slaine in the mids of the battel! O Ionathan, thou wast slaine in thine hie places.


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I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of <n>Either toward their husbands or their children.</n> women.


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And it came to pass after this, that David <n>By means of the high priest, (1Sa_23:2; 2Sa_5:19).</n> enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto <n>Which was also called Kirjatharba (Jos_14:15).</n> Hebron.


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So Dauid went vp thither, and his two wiues also, Ahinoam the Izreelite, and Abigail Nabals wife the Carmelite.


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And his men that [were] with <n>In the time of his persecution.</n> him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.


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Then the men of Iudah came, and there they anoynted Dauid King ouer the house of Iudah; they tolde Dauid, saying, that the men of Iabesh Gilead buried Saul.


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And Dauid sent messengers vnto the men of Iabesh Gilead, and said vnto them, Blessed are ye of the Lord, that yee haue shewed such kindenes vnto your lord Saul, that you haue buried him.


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And now the LORD shew kindness and <n>According to his promise, which is to repay those who are merciful.</n> truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.


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Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me <n>So that you shall not want a captain and a defender.</n> king over them.


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But Abner the sonne of Ner that was captaine of Sauls hoste, tooke Ish-bosheth the sonne of Saul, and brought him to Mahanaim,


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And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over <n>Over the eleven tribes.</n> all Israel.


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Ish-bosheth Sauls sonne was fourtie yeere olde wen he began to reigne ouer Israel, and reigned two yeere: but the house of Iudah followed Dauid.


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And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six <n>After this he reigned over all the country 33 years, (2Sa_5:5).</n> months.


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And Abner the sonne of Ner, and the seruantes of Ish-bosheth the sonne of Saul went out of Mahanaim to Gibeon.


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And Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah, and the seruants of Dauid went out and met one another by the poole of Gibeon: and they sate downe, the one on the one side of the poole, and the other on the otherside of the poole.


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And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and <n>Let us see how they can handle their weapons.</n> play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.


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Then there arose and went ouer twelue of Beniamin by number, which perteined to Ish-bosheth the sonne of Saul, and twelue of the seruants of Dauid.


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And they caught every one his <n>Meaning his adversary.</n> fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which [is] in Gibeon.


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And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, <n>After that these four and twenty were slain.</n> before the servants of David.


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And there were three sonnes of Zeruiah there, Ioab, and Abishai, and Asahel; Asahel was as light on foote as a wilde roe.


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And Asahel followed after Abner, and in going he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from Abner.


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Then Abner said, Turne thee either to the right hande, or to the left, and take one of the yong men, and take thee his weapons: and Asahel would not depart from him.


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And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: <n>Why do you provoke me to kill you?</n> wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?


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Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the <n>Some read, in those parts where the lively parts lie, the heart, lungs, liver, and gall bladder.</n> fifth [rib], that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, [that] as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.


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Ioab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sunne went downe, when they were come to the hill Ammah, that lieth before Giah, by the way of the wildernesse of Gibeon.


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And the children of Beniamin gathered them selues together after Abner, and were on an heape and stoode on the top of an hill.


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Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the <n>Shall we not make an end of murdering?</n> sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?


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And Joab said, [As] God liveth, unless thou hadst <n>If you had not provoked them to battle, (2Sa_2:14).</n> spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.


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So Ioab blew a trumpet, and all the people stoode still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.


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And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plaine, and went ouer Iorden, and past through all Bithron till they came to Mahanaim.


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Ioab also returned backe from Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of Dauids seruants nineteene men and Asahel.


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But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, [so that] three <n>Thus God would confirm David in his kingdom by the destruction of his adversaries.</n> hundred and threescore men died.


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And they tooke vp Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem: and Ioab and his men went all night, &amp; when they came to Hebron, the day arose.


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Now there was <n>That is, without intermission enduring two years, which was the whole reign of Ishbosheth.</n> long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.


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And vnto Dauid were children borne in Hebron: and his eldest sonne was Amnon of Ahinoam the Izreelite,


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And his second, <n>Who is also called Daniel, (1Ch_3:1).</n> Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;


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And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in <n>Within seven years and six months.</n> Hebron.


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Nowe while there was warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid, Abner made all his power for the house of Saul.


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And Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiiah; Ish-bosheth sayde to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in to my fathers concubine?


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Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, [Am] I a <n>Do you esteem me no more than a dog, for all my service done to your father's house?</n> dog's head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?


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<n>We see how the wicked cannot abide being admonished about their faults, but seek their displeasure, who go about to bring them from their wickedness.</n>So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;


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To remoue the kingdome from the house of Saul, that the throne of Dauid may be stablished ouer Israel, and ouer Iudah, euen from Dan to Beer-sheba.


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Then Abner sent messengers to Dauid on his behalfe, saying, Whose is the lande? who should also say, Make couenant with me, and beholde, mine hande shalbe with thee, to bring all Israel vnto thee.


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Who saide, Well, I will make a couenant with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, that thou see not my face except thou bring Michal Sauls daughter when thou commest to see me.


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Then Dauid sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Sauls sonne, saying, Deliuer me my wife Michal, which I marryed for an hundreth foreskinnes of the Philistims.


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And her husband went with her, &amp; came weeping behinde her, vnto Bahurim: then saide Abner vnto him, Go, and returne. So he returned.


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And Abner had <n>Rather for malice that he bore toward Ishbosheth, than for love he bore to David.</n> communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past [to be] king over you:


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Nowe then doe it: for the Lord hath spoken of Dauid, saying, By the hand of my seruant Dauid I will saue my people Israel out of the handes of the Philistims, and out of the handes of all their enemies.


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And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole <n>Who challenged the kingdom, because of their father Saul.</n> house of Benjamin.


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So Abner came to Dauid to Hebron, hauing twentie men with him, and Dauid made a feast vnto Abner, and to the men that were with him.


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Then Abner sayde vnto Dauid, I will rise vp, and goe gather all Israel vnto my lorde the King, that they may make a couenant with thee, and that thou mayest reigne ouer all that thine heart desireth. Then Dauid let Abner depart, who went in peace.


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And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came <n>From war against the Philistines.</n> from [pursuing] a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner [was] not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.


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When Ioab, &amp; all the hoste that was with him were come, men tolde Ioab, saying, Abner the sonne of Ner came to the King, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.


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Then Joab came to the king, and said, <n>Here appears the malicious mind of Joab, who would have had the king slay Abner for his private grudge.</n> What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why [is] it [that] thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?


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Thou knowest Abner the sonne of Ner: for he came to deceiue thee, and to knowe thy outgoing and ingoing, and to knowe all that thou doest.


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And when Ioab was gone out from Dauid, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him againe from the well of Siriah vnknowing to Dauid.


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And when Abner was come againe to Hebron, Ioab tooke him aside in the gate to speake with him peaceably, and smote him vnder the fift ryb, that he dyed, for the blood of Asahel his brother.


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And afterward when David heard [it], he said, I and my kingdom [are] <n>the Lord knows that I did not consent to his death.</n> guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:


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Let the blood fall on the head of Ioab, and on all his fathers house, that the house of Ioab be neuer without some that haue running issues, or leper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or that doeth fall on the sworde, or that lacketh bread.


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So Joab and <n>Abishai is said to slay him with Joab, because he consented to the murder.</n> Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.


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And David said to Joab, and to all the people that [were] with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn <n>Meaning before the corpse.</n> before Abner. And king David [himself] followed the bier.


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And when they had buryed Abner in Hebron, the King lift vp his voyce, and wept beside the sepulchre of Abner, and all the people wept.


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And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner <n>He declares that Abner died not as a wretch or vile person, but as a valiant man might do, being traitorously deceived by the wicked.</n> as a fool dieth?


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Thine handes were not bounde, nor thy feete tyed in fetters of brasse: but as a man falleth before wicked men, so diddest thou fall; all the people wept againe for him.


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And when all the people came to cause David to eat <n>According to their custom, which was to feast at burials.</n> meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.


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And all the people took notice [of it], and it <n>It is expedient sometimes not only to conceive inward sorrow, but also that it may appear to others, so that they may be satisfied.</n> pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.


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For all the people and all Israel vnderstoode that day, howe that it was not the Kings deede that Abner the sonne of Ner was slaine.


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And the King said vnto his seruants, Know ye not, that there is a prince &amp; a great man falle this day in Israel?


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And I am this day weake and newly anoynted King: and these men the sonnes of Zeruiah be too harde for me: the Lorde rewarde the doer of euill according to his wickednesse.


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And when Saul's <n>That is, Ishbosheth.</n> son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were <n>Meaning, that he was discouraged.</n> feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.


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And Saul's son had two men [that were] captains of bands: the name of the one [was] Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for <n>This city Beeroth was in the tribe of Benjamin, (Jos_18:25).</n> Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:


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And the Beerothites fled to <n>After the death of Saul, for fear of the Philistines.</n> Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)


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And Ionathan Sauls sonne had a sonne that was lame on his feete: he was fiue yere olde when the tydings came of Saul and Ionathan out of Israel: then his nourse tooke him, and fledde away; as she made haste to flee, the childe fell, and beganne to halte, and his name was Mephibosheth.


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And the sonnes of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah went and came in the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth (who slept on a bed at noone)


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And they came thither into the midst of the house, [as though] they <n>They disguised themselves as merchants, who came to buy wheat.</n> would have fetched wheat; and they <n>There is nothing so vile and dangerous, which the wicked will not undertake in hope of money and favour.</n> smote him under the fifth [rib]: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.


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For when they came into the house, he slept on his bed in his bed chamber, &amp; they smote him, and slewe him, and beheaded him, and tooke his head, and gate them away through the plaine all the night.


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And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth vnto Dauid to Hebron, and saide to the King, Beholde the head of Ish-bosheth Sauls sonne thine enemie, who sought after thy life: and the Lorde hath auenged my lorde the King this day of Saul, and of his seede.


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Then Dauid answered Rechab &amp; Baanah his brother, the sonnes of Rimmon the Beerothite, and saide vnto them, As the Lorde liueth, who hath deliuered my soule out of al aduersity,


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When one tolde me, and sayde that Saul was dead, (thinking to haue brought good tydings) I tooke him and slewe him in Ziklag, who thought that I woulde haue giuen him a rewarde for his tidings:


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How <n>In that neither the example of him that slew Saul, nor duty to their master, nor the innocency of the person, nor reverence for the place, nor time moved them, they deserved most grievous punishment.</n> much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?


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Then Dauid commanded his yong men, &amp; they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feete, and hanged them vp ouer the poole in Hebron: but they tooke the head of Ish-bosheth, &amp; buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.


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Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we [are] thy <n>We are of your kindred and closely related to you.</n> bone and thy flesh.


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And in time past when Saul was our King, thou leddest Israel in and out: and the Lord hath sayde to thee, Thou shalt feede my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captaine ouer Israel.


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So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron <n>That is, taking the Lord to witness: for the ark was still in Abinadab's house.</n> before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.


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In Hebron hee reigned ouer Iudah seuen yeere, and sixe moneths: and in Ierusalem hee reigned thirtie and three yeeres ouer all Israel and Iudah.


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And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the <n>The children of God called idols blind and lame guides: therefore the Jebusites meant that they should prove that their gods were neither blind nor lame.</n> blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.


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And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, [that are] hated of David's soul, [he shall be chief and captain]. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not <n>The idols should no longer enter into that place.</n> come into the house.


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So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from <n>He built from the town house round about to his own house (1Ch_11:8).</n> Millo and inward.


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Hiram also king of Tyrus sent messengers to Dauid, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons for walles: and they built Dauid an house.


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Then Dauid knewe that the Lorde had stablished him King ouer Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdome for his people Israels sake.


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And Dauid tooke him mo concubines &amp; wiues out of Ierusalem, after hee was come from Hebron, &amp; mo sonnes and daughters were borne to Dauid.


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And these bee the names of the sonnes that were borne vnto him in Ierusale: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Salomon,


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But when the Philistims hearde that they had anoynted Dauid King ouer Israel, all the Philistims came vp to seeke Dauid: and when Dauid heard, he went downe to a fort.


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And David <n>By Abiathar the priest.</n> enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.


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Then Dauid came to Baal-perazim, &amp; smote them there, and sayde, The Lorde hath deuided mine enemies asunder before mee, as waters be deuided asunder: therefore he called the name of that place, Baal-perazim.


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And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of <n>Meaning the valley of giants, which David called Baalperazim, because of his victory.</n> Rephaim.


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And when Dauid asked counsell of the Lorde, hee answered, Thou shalt not goe vp, but turne about behinde them, and come vpon them ouer against the mulberie trees.


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And when thou hearest the noyse of one going in the toppes of the mulberie trees, then remoue: for then shall the Lord goe out before thee, to smite the hoste of the Philistims.


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And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to <n>Which was in the tribe of Benjamin, but the Philistines possessed it.</n> Gazer.


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And David arose, and went with all the people that [were] with him from <n>This was a city in Judah called also Kirjathjearim, (Jos_15:9).</n> Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth [between] the cherubims.


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And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that [was] in <n>which was a high place in the city of Baale.</n> Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.


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And when they brought the Arke of God out of the house of Abinadab, that was at Gibeah, Ahio went before the Arke,


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And David and all the house of Israel <n>Praised God, and sang Psalms.</n> played before the LORD on all manner of [instruments made of] fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.


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And when they came to Nachons threshing floore, Vzzah put his hande to the Arke of God, and helde it: for the oxen did shake it.


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And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God <n>Here we see the danger it is to follow good intentions, or to do anything in God's service without his express word.</n> smote him there for [his] error; and there he died by the ark of God.


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And Dauid was displeased, because the Lord had smitten Vzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez Vzzah vntill this day.


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So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom <n>Who was a Levite, and had dwelt in Gittaim, (1Ch_15:21).</n> the Gittite.


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And the Arke of the Lorde continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, three moneths, and the Lorde blessed Obed-edom, and all his houshold.


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And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that [pertaineth] unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and <n>Meaning, he caused the Levites to bear it according to the law.</n> brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.


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And when they that bare the Arke of the Lord had gone sixe paces, he offred an oxe, and a fatte beast.


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And David danced before the LORD with all [his] might; and David [was] girded with a linen <n>With a garment like the priest's garment.</n> ephod.


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So Dauid &amp; all the house of Israel, brought the Arke of the Lord with shouting, and sound of trumpet.


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And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she <n>The worldlings are not able to comprehend the emotions that move the children of God to praise God in all kinds of ways.</n> despised him in her heart.


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And when they had brought in the Arke of the Lord, they set it in his place, in the mids of the tabernacle that Dauid had pitched for it: then Dauid offred burnt offrings, and peace offrings before the Lord.


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And assoone as Dauid had made an ende of offring burnt offrings and peace offrings, hee blessed the people in the Name of the Lorde of hostes,


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And gaue among all the people, euen among the whole multitude of Israel, aswel to the women as men, to euerie one a cake of bread, and a piece of flesh, and a bottell of wine: so all the people departed euerie one to his house.


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Then David returned to <n>That is, to pray for his house, as he had done for the people.</n> bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!


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And David said unto Michal, <n>It was for no worldly affection, but only for that zeal that I bore to God's glory.</n> [It was] before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.


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And will yet be more vile then thus, and will be low in mine owne sight, and of the verie same maidseruants, which thou hast spoken of, shal I be had in honour.


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Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had <n>Which was a punishment because she mocked the servant of God.</n> no child unto the day of her death.


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Afterwarde when the King sate in his house and the Lorde had giuen him rest rounde about from all his enemies,


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That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within <n>Within the tabernacle covered with skins, (Exo_26:7).</n> curtains.


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Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, <n>Meaning, he should not: yet Nathan speaking according to man's judgment and not by the spirit of prophecy permitted him.</n> Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?


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For I haue dwelt in no house since the time that I brought the children of Israel out of Egypt vnto this day, but haue walked in a tent and tabernacle.


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In all [the places] wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a <n>Concerning building a house: meaning without God's express word, nothing should be attempted.</n> word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?


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Nowe therefore so say vnto my seruant Dauid, Thus saieth the Lord of hostes, I tooke thee from the sheepecote following the sheepe, that thou mightest bee ruler ouer my people, ouer Israel.


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And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a <n>I have made you famous through all the world.</n> great name, like unto the name of the great [men] that [are] in the earth.


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Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move <n>He promises them quietness, if they will walk in his fear and obedience.</n> no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,


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And since the time that I set Iudges ouer my people of Israel) &amp; I will giue thee rest from al thine enemies: also the Lorde telleth thee, that he will make thee an house.


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And when thy daies bee fulfilled, thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers, and I wil set vp thy seede after thee, which shall proceede out of thy body, and will stablish his kingdome.


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I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the <n>That is, gently, as fathers use to chastise their children.</n> rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:


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But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I tooke it from Saul whome I haue put away before thee.


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And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be <n>This was begun in Solomon, as a figure, but accomplished in Christ.</n> established for ever.


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Then King Dauid went in, and sate before the Lorde, and sayde, Who am I, O Lorde God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?


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And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And [is] this the manner of <n>Does this not come rather from your free mercy, than from any worthiness that can be in man?</n> man, O Lord GOD?


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For thy words sake, and according to thine owne heart hast thou done all these great things, to make them knowen vnto thy seruant.


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Wherefore thou art great, O Lorde God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that wee haue heard with our eares.


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And what one nation in the earth [is] like thy people, [even] like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for <n>O Israel.</n> you great things and terrible, for <n>And inheritance, which is Israel.</n> thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, [from] the <n>From the Egyptians and their idols.</n> nations and their gods?


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For thou hast <n>He shows that God's free election is the only reason why the Israelites were chosen to be his people.</n> confirmed to thyself thy people Israel [to be] a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.


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Nowe therefore, O Lorde God, confirme for euer the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy seruant and his house, and doe as thou hast sayde.


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And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts [is] the God over Israel: and let the <n>This prayer is most effective when we chiefly seek God's glory, and the accomplishment of his promise.</n> house of thy servant David be established before thee.


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For thou, O Lord of hostes, God of Israel, hast reueiled vnto thy seruant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy seruant bene bold to pray this prayer vnto thee.


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Therefore now, O Lord God, (for thou art God, and thy words be true, and thou hast tolde this goodnes vnto thy seruant)


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Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast <n>Therefore I firmly believe it will come to pass.</n> spoken [it]: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.


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And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the <n>So that they paid no more tribute.</n> hand of the Philistines.


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And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with <n>He slew two parts as it pleased him, and reserved the third.</n> two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And [so] the Moabites became David's servants, [and] brought gifts.


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Dauid smote also Hadadezer the sonne of Rehob King of Zobah, as he went to recouer his border at the riuer Euphrates.


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And Dauid tooke of them a thousand and seuen hundreth horsemen, and twenty thousande footemen, and Dauid destroyed all the charets, but he reserued an hundreth charets of them.


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Then came the Aramites of Dammesek to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, but Dauid slewe of the Aramites two and twenty thousande men.


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Then David put garrisons in <n>In that part of Syria, where Damascus was.</n> Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, <n>They paid yearly tribute.</n> [and] brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.


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And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to <n>For the use of the temple.</n> Jerusalem.


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Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to <n>For seeing David victorious, he was glad to ask for peace.</n> bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And [Joram] brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:


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And King Dauid did dedicate them vnto the Lord with the siluer &amp; golde that he had dedicate of all the nations, which he had subdued:


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Of Aram, and of Moab, &amp; of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistims, and of Amalek, &amp; of the spoyle of Hadadezer ye sonne of Rehob King of Zobah.


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So Dauid gate a name after that hee returned, &amp; had slayne of the Aramites in the valley of salt eighteene thousand men.


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And he put a garison in Edom: throughout all Edom put he souldiers, and all they of Edom became Dauids seruants: and the Lord kept Dauid whithersoeuer he went.


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And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed <n>He gave judgment in controversies, and was merciful toward the people.</n> judgment and justice unto all his people.


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And Zadok the sonne of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the sonne of Abiathar were the Priestes, and Seraiah the Scribe.


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And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was over] both the <n>The Cherethites and Pelethites were as the king's guard, and had charge of his person.</n> Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.


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And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for <n>Because of my oath and promise made to Jonathan, (1Sa_20:15).</n> Jonathan's sake?


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And there was of the housholde of Saul a seruant whose name was Ziba, &amp; when they had called him vnto Dauid, the King sayd vnto him, Art thou Ziba? And he sayd, I thy seruant am he.


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And the king said, [Is] there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the <n>Such mercy as shall be acceptable to God.</n> kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, [which is] lame on [his] feet.


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Then the King said vnto him, Where is he? And Ziba said vnto the King, Behold, he is in the house of Machir ye sonne of Ammiel of Lo-debar.


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Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of <n>Who was also called Eliam the father of Bathsheba, David's wife.</n> Ammiel, from Lodebar.


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Nowe when Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan, the sonne of Saul was come vnto Dauid, he fel on his face, and did reuerence; Dauid sayde, Mephibosheth? And he answered, Beholde thy seruant.


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Then Dauid sayd vnto him, Feare not: for I wil surely shewe thee kindnes for Ionathan thy fathers sake, and will restore thee all the fieldes of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eate bread at my table continually.


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And he bowed himself, and said, What [is] thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such <n>Meaning, a despised person.</n> a dead dog as I [am]?


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Then the king called Ziba Sauls seruant, &amp; said vnto him, I haue giue vnto thy masters sonne all that perteined to Saul and to all his house.


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Thou therefore, and <n>Be ye provident overseers and governors of his lands, that they may be profitable.</n> thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in [the fruits], that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.


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Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. <n>That Mephibosheth may have all things at commandment, as becomes a king's son.</n> As for Mephibosheth, [said the king], he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.


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Mephibosheth also had a yong sonne named Micha, and all that dwelled in the house of Ziba, were seruants vnto Mephibosheth.


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And Mephibosheth dwelt in Ierusalem: for he did eate continually at the Kings table, &amp; was lame on both his feete.


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Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father <n>The children of God are not unmindful of a benefit received.</n> shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.


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And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David [rather] sent his servants unto thee, <n>Their arrogant malice would not allow them to see the simplicity of David's heart: therefore their counsel turned to the destruction of their country.</n> to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?


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Wherefore Hanun tooke Dauids seruants, and shaued off the halfe of their beard, &amp; cut off their garments in the middle, euen to their buttockes, and sent them away.


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When it was told vnto Dauid, he sent to meete them (for the men were exceedingly ashamed) and the King sayde, Tary at Iericho, vntill your beards be growen, then returne.


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And when the children of Ammon saw that they <n>That they deserved David's displeasure, for the harm done to his ambassadors.</n> stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.


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And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of <n>These were various parts of the country of Syria, by which it appears that the Syrians served where they might have entertainment, as now the Sweitzers do.</n> Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, [were] by themselves in the field.


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When Ioab saw that the front of the battel was against him before and behinde, he chose of all the choyse of Israel, and put them in aray against the Aramites.


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And the rest of the people hee deliuered into the hande of Abishai his brother, that hee might put them in aray against the children of Ammon.


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And he sayde, If the Aramites be stronger then I, thou shalt helpe me, and if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, I will come and succour thee.


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Be of good courage, and let us play the men for <n>Here it is declared why war should be undertaken: for the defence of true religion and God's people.</n> our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.


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Then Ioab, and the people that was with him, ioyned in battel with the Aramites, who fled before him.


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And when the children of Ammon sawe that the Aramites fled, they fled also before Abishai, &amp; entred into the citie. so Ioab returned fro the children of Ammon, and came to Ierusalem.


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And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Aramites that were beyond the Riuer: and they came to Helam, and Shobach the captaine of the hoste of Hadarezer went before them.


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And when it was told David, he gathered <n>Meaning, the greatest part.</n> all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.


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And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew [the men of] <n>Who were the chief and most principal: for in all he destroyed 7000, as in (1Ch_19:18), or the soldiers who were in 700 chariots.</n> seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.


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And when all the Kings, that were seruants to Hadarezer, saw that they fell before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and serued them; the Aramites feared to helpe the children of Ammon any more.


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And it came to pass, after the year was <n>The year following about the spring time.</n> expired, at the time when kings go forth [to battle], that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.


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And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his <n>Upon which he used to rest in the afternoon, as was read of Ishbosheth in (2Sa_4:7).</n> bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman [was] very beautiful to look upon.


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And David sent and enquired after the woman. And [one] said, [Is] not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the <n>Who was not an born an Israelite, but converted to the true religion.</n> Hittite?


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Then Dauid sent messengers, &amp; tooke her away: and she came vnto him &amp; he lay with her: (now she was purified from her vncleannes) &amp; she returned vnto her house.


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And the woman conceived, and sent and <n>Fearing lest she be stoned according to the law.</n> told David, and said, I [am] with child.


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And when Vriah came vnto him, Dauid demanded him how Ioab did, and howe the people fared, and how the warre prospered.


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And David said to Uriah, <n>David thought that if Uriah lay with his wife, his sin might be covered.</n> Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess [of meat] from the king.


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But Vriah slept at the doore of the Kings palace with all the seruants of his lord, and went not downe to his house.


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Then they tolde Dauid, saying, Vriah went not downe to his house: and Dauid saide vnto Vriah, Commest thou not from thy iourney? why didst thou not go downe to thine house?


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And Uriah said unto David, <n>By this God would touch David's conscience, for seeing the fidelity and religion of his servant, he would declare himself forgetful of God, and injurious to his servant.</n> The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? [as] thou livest, and [as] thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.


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Then Dauid sayd vnto Vriah, Tary yet this day, &amp; to morow I will send thee away. So Vriah abode in Ierusalem that day, and the morowe.


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And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him <n>He made him drink more liberally than he was wont to do, thinking by this he would have slept with his wife.</n> drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.


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And he wrote in the letter, saying, <n>Except God continually uphold us with his mighty Spirit, the most perfect fall headlong into all vice and abomination.</n> Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.


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So when Ioab besieged the citie, he assigned Vriah vnto a place, where he knewe that strong men were.


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And the men of the citie came out, and fought with Ioab: and there fell of the people of the seruants of Dauid, and Vriah the Hittite also dyed.


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And he charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an ende of telling all the matters of the warre vnto the King,


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And if the kings anger arise, so that he say vnto thee, Wherefore approched ye vnto the citie to fight? knewe ye not that they would hurle from the wall?


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Who smote Abimelech the son of <n>Meaning Gideon, (Jdg_9:52-53).</n> Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.


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And the messenger said vnto Dauid, Certainely the men preuailed against vs, and came out vnto vs into the field, but we pursued them vnto the entring of the gate.


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But the shooters shot from ye wall against thy seruants, and some of the Kings seruants be dead: &amp; thy seruant Vriah the Hittite is also dead.


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Then David said unto the messenger, <n>He conceals the truth from the messenger, so that neither his cruel commandment, nor Joab's wicked obedience would be discovered.</n> Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.


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So when the mourning was past, Dauid sent and tooke her into his house, and shee became his wife, and bare him a sonne: but ye thing that Dauid had done, displeased the Lord.


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And the LORD sent <n>Because David lay now drowned in sin, the loving mercy of God which does not allow his own to perish, wakes his conscience by this story and brings him to repentance.</n> Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.


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But the poore had none at all, saue one litle sheepe which he had bought, and nourished vp: and it grew vp with him, and with his children also, and did eate of his owne morsels, and dranke of his owne cup, and slept in his bosome, and was vnto him as his daughter.


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Now there came a stranger vnto the rich man, who refused to take of his owne sheepe, and of his owne oxen to dresse for the stranger that was come vnto him, but tooke the poore mans sheepe, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.


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Then Dauid was exceeding wroth with the man, and sayde to Nathan, As the Lorde liueth, the man that hath done this thing, shall surely dye,


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Then Nathan sayd to Dauid, Thou art the man. Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, I anoynted thee King ouer Israel, and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul,


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And I gave thee thy master's <n>For David succeeded Saul in his kingdom.</n> house, and thy master's <n>The Jews take this to be Eglah and Michal, or Rizpah and Michal.</n> wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that had been] too little, I would moreover have given unto thee <n>That is, greater things than these: for God's love and benefits increase toward his own, if they do not hinder him by their ingratitude.</n> such and such things.


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Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife [to be] thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the <n>You have most cruelly given him into the hands of God's enemies.</n> children of Ammon.


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Now therefore the sworde shall neuer depart from thine house, because thou hast despised me, and taken the wife of Vriah the Hittite to be thy wife.


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Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give [them] unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this <n>Meaning openly, at noon.</n> sun.


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And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath <n>For the Lord seeks the sinner to turn to him.</n> put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.


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Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to <n>In saying, that the Lord has appointed a wicked man to reign over his people.</n> blaspheme, the child also [that is] born unto thee shall surely die.


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So Nathan departed vnto his house: and the Lord stroke the childe that Vriahs wife bare vnto Dauid, and it was sicke.


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David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and <n>That is, to his private chamber.</n> went in, and lay all night upon the earth.


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And the elders of his house arose, [and went] to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat <n>Thinking by his constant prayer that God would have restored his child, but God had determined otherwise.</n> bread with them.


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So on the seuenth day the child dyed: and the seruants of Dauid feared to tell him that the childe was dead: for they sayde, Beholde, while the childe was aliue, we spake vnto him, and he woulde not hearken vnto our voyce: how then shall we say vnto him, The childe is dead, to vexe him more?


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But when Dauid sawe that his seruantes whispered, Dauid perceiued that the childe was dead: therefore Dauid sayde vnto his seruants, Is the childe dead? And they sayd, He is dead.


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Then David <n>Showing that our lamentations should not be excessive, but moderate: and that we must praise God in all his doings.</n> arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.


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Then <n>As they who did not consider that God grants many things to the sobs and tears of the faithful.</n> said his servants unto him, What thing [is] this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, [while it was] alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.


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And he sayde, While the childe was yet aliue, I fasted, and wept: for I sayde, Who can tell whether God will haue mercy on me, that the childe may liue?


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But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? <n>By this consideration he appeased his sorrow.</n> can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.


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And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and <n>That is, the Lord, (1Ch_22:9).</n> he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.


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And he sent by the hand of Nathan the <n>To call him Solomon.</n> prophet; and <n>Meaning, David.</n> he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.


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And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of <n>That is, the chief city and where all the water pipes are, is as good as taken.</n> waters.


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Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, &amp; besiege the city, that thou mayest take it, lest the victorie be attributed to me.


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And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof [was] a <n>That is, 60 pounds after the weight of the common talent.</n> talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was [set] on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.


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And he brought forth the people that [were] therein, and put [them] under <n>Signifying that as they were malicious enemies of God, so he put them to cruel death.</n> saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.


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And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name [was] <n>Tamar was Absalom's sister both by father and mother, and Amnon's only by father.</n> Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.


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And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she [was] a <n>And therefore kept her father's house, as virgins were accustomed.</n> virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.


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But Amnon had a friend called Ionadab, the sonne of Shimeah Dauids brother: and Ionadab was a very subtile man.


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Who sayde vnto him, Why art thou the Kings sonne so leane from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? Then Amnon answered him, I loue Tamar my brother Absaloms sister.


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And Jonadab said unto him, <n>Here we see that there is no enterprise so wicked that it cannot be encouraged to further wickedness.</n> Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see [it], and eat [it] at her hand.


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So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of <n>Meaning, some delicate and dainty meat.</n> cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.


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So Tamar went to her brother Amnons house, and he lay downe: and she tooke floure, and knead it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.


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And she took a pan, and <n>That is, she served them on a dish.</n> poured [them] out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from <n>For the wicked are ashamed to do that before men, which they are not afraid to commit in the sight of God.</n> me. And they went out every man from him.


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Then Amnon said vnto Tamar, Bring the meate into the chamber, that I may eate of thine hand; Tamar tooke the cakes which shee had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.


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And when she had set them before him to eate, he tooke her, and sayd vnto her, Come, lye with me, my sister.


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But shee answered him, Nay, my brother, doe not force me: for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: commit not this follie.


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And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of <n>As a lewd and wicked person.</n> the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.


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Howbeit he would not hearken vnto her voyce, but being stronger then she, forced her, and lay with her.


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Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater then the loue, wherewith hee had loued her: and Amnon sayde vnto her, Vp, get thee hence.


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And she answered him, There is no cause: this euill (to put mee away) is greater then the other that thou diddest vnto me: but he would not heare her,


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But called his seruant that serued him, &amp; sayd, Put this woman now out from me, &amp; locke the doore after her.


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And [she had] a garment of <n>For that which was of various colours or pieces, in those days was greatly esteemed, (Gen_37:3; Jdg_5:30).</n> divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters [that were] virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.


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And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent the garment of diuers colours which was on her, and layde her hand on her head, and went her way crying.


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And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but <n>For though he conceived sudden vengeance in his heart, yet he concealed it till an opportunity arose, and comforted his sister.</n> hold now thy peace, my sister: he [is] thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.


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And Absalom sayde vnto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.


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And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which [is] beside Ephraim: and <n>That is, to a banquet, thinking by it to fulfil his wicked purpose.</n> Absalom invited all the king's sons.


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And Absalom came to the King and sayd, Beholde now, thy seruant hath sheepesherers: I pray thee, that the King with his seruants would goe with thy seruant.


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But the King answered Absalom, Nay my sonne, I pray thee, let vs not goe all, lest we be chargeable vnto thee. Yet Absalom lay sore vpon him: howbeit he would not go, but thaked him.


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Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother <n>Pretending to the king that Amnon was most dear to him.</n> Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?


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Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not <n>Such is the pride of the wicked masters, that in all their wicked commandments they think to be obeyed.</n> I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.


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And the seruantes of Absalom did vnto Amnon, as Absalom had commanded: and al the Kings sonnes arose, and euery man gate him vp vpon his mule, and fled.


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And while they were in the way, tydings came to Dauid, saying, Absalom hath slaine al the Kings sonnes, &amp; there is not one of them left.


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Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the <n>Lamenting, as he that felt the wrath of God on his house, (2Sa_12:10).</n> earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.


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And Ionadab the sonne of Shimeah Dauids brother answered and sayde, Let not my lord suppose that they haue slayne all the yong men the Kings sonnes: for Amnon onely is dead, because Absalom had reported so, since hee forced his sister Tamar.


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Nowe therefore let not my lord the King take the thing so grieuously, to thinke that all ye Kings sonnes are dead: for Amnon only is dead.


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Then Absalom fled: and the yong man that kept the watch, lift vp his eyes, and looked, and behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behinde him.


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And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, <n>That only Amnon is dead.</n> so it is.


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And assoone as hee had left speaking, behold, the Kings sonnes came, &amp; lift vp their voyces, and wept: and the King also and all his seruants wept exceedingly sore.


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But Absalom fled, and went to <n>For Maachah his mother was the daughter of this Talmai, (2Sa_3:3).</n> Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son every day.


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And King Dauid desired to go forth vnto Absalom, because he was pacified concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.


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Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's <n>That the king favoured him.</n> heart [was] toward Absalom.


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And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and <n>In token of mourning: for they used anointing to seem cheerful.</n> anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:


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Then the woman of Tekoah spake vnto the king, &amp; fel downe on her face to the ground, and did obeysance, and sayd, Helpe, O King.


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Then the King sayd vnto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am in deede a widow, and mine husband is dead:


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And thy handmaid had two <n>Under this parable she describes the death of Amnon by Absalom.</n> sons, and they two strove together in the field, and [there was] none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.


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And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the <n>Because he has slain his brother he ought to be slain according to the law, (Gen_9:6; Exo_21:12).</n> life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband [neither] name nor remainder upon the earth.


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And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the <n>Concerning the breach of the Law which punishes blood, let me bear the blame.</n> iniquity [be] on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne [be] guiltless.


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Then said she, I pray thee, let the king <n>Swear that they will not revenge the blood, which are many in number.</n> remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, [As] the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.


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Then the woman said, I pray thee, let thine handmayde speake a worde to my lord the King; he sayd, Say on.


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And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou <n>Why do you give contrary sentence to your son Absalom?</n> thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.


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For we must needs die, and [are] as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect [any] person: yet doth he devise <n>God has often provided ways (as sanctuaries) to save them, whom man judges worthy of death.</n> means, that his banished be not expelled from him.


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Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, [it is] because the people <n>For I thought they would kill my son.</n> have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.


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For the King wil heare, to deliuer his handmayde out of the hande of the man that woulde destroy mee, and also my sonne from the inheritance of God.


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Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an <n>Is of great wisdom to discern right from wrong.</n> angel of God, so [is] my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.


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Then the King answered, and said vnto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall aske thee; the woman sayde, Let my lord the King now speake.


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And the king said, [Is not] <n>Have you not done this by the counsel of Joab.</n> the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, [As] thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:


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To fetch about this <n>By speaking further in a parable than plainly.</n> form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord [is] wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all [things] that [are] in the earth.


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And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have <n>I have granted your request.</n> done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.


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And Ioab fell to the grounde on his face, and bowed himselfe, &amp; thanked the King. Then Ioab sayde, This day thy seruant knoweth, that I haue found grace in thy sight, my lord the King, in that the King hath fulfilled the request of his seruant.


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And the king said, Let him <n>Covering by this his affection, and showing some part of justice to please the people.</n> turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.


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Nowe in all Israel there was none to be so much praysed for beautie as Absalom: from the sole of his foote euen to the toppe of his head there was no blemish in him.


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And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled [it]: because [the hair] was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred <n>Which weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces after half an ounce the shekel.</n> shekels after the king's weight.


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Therefore Absalom sent for Ioab to sende him to the King, but he would not come to him: and when he sent againe, he would not come.


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Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it <n>The wicked are impatient in their affections, and spare no unlawful means to accomplish them.</n> on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.


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Then Ioab arose, &amp; came to Absalom vnto his house, &amp; sayd vnto him, Wherefore haue thy seruants burnt my field with fire?


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And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? [it had been] good for me [to have been] there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and <n>If I have offended by revenging my sister's dishonour: thus the wicked justify themselves in their evil.</n> if there be [any] iniquity in me, let him kill me.


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Then Ioab came to the King, &amp; told him: &amp; he called for Absalom, who came to the King, and bowed himselfe to the grounde on his face before the King, and the King kissed Absalom.


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And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to <n>Which were as a guard to set forth his estate.</n> run before him.


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And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was [so], that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city [art] thou? And he said, Thy servant [is] of one of the <n>That is, noting of what city or place he was.</n> tribes of Israel.


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Then Absalom said vnto him, See, thy matters are good and righteous, but there is no man deputed of the King to heare thee.


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Absalom said moreover, <n>Thus by slander, flattery and fair promises, the wicked seek preference.</n> Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!


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And when any man came neere to him, and did him obeisance, he put forth his hand, &amp; tooke him, and kissed him.


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And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom <n>By enticing them from his father to himself.</n> stole the hearts of the men of Israel.


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And it came to pass after <n>Counting from the time that the Israelites had asked a king of Samuel.</n> forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.


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For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will <n>By offering a peace-offering, which was lawful to do in any place.</n> serve the LORD.


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Then Absalom sent spyes throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When yee heare the sound of the trumpet, Ye shal say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.


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And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, [that were] <n>And bid to his feast in Hebron.</n> called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.


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Also Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite Dauids counseller, from his citie Giloh, while he offred sacrifices: &amp; the treason was great: for the people encreased still with Absalom.


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And David said unto all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from <n>Whose heart he saw that Satan had so possessed that he would leave no mischief unattempted.</n> Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.


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And the Kings seruants sayd vnto him, Behold, thy seruants are ready to do according to all that my lord the King shal appoynt.


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So the King departed and all his houshold after him, and the King left ten concubines to keepe the house.


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And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was <n>That is, from Jerusalem.</n> far off.


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And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the <n>These were as the king's guard, or as some write, his counsellors.</n> Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.


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Then said the king to <n>Who as some write was the king's son of Gath.</n> Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou [art] a stranger, and also an exile.


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Whereas thou camest [but] yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy <n>Meaning, those of his family.</n> brethren: mercy and <n>God require of you your friendship and fidelity.</n> truth [be] with thee.


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And Ittai answered the King, and sayde, As the Lorde liueth, and as my lord the King liueth, in what place my lord the King shalbe, whether in death or life, euen there surely will thy seruant bee.


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Then Dauid sayd to Ittai, Come, &amp; go forward; Ittai the Gittite went, and all his men, and all the children that were with him.


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And all the country wept with a loud voice, and <n>That is, the four hundred men.</n> all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.


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And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites [were] with him, <n>Which was the charge, of the Kohathites, (Num_4:4).</n> bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went <n>To stand by the ark.</n> up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.


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Then the King said vnto Zadok, Carie the Arke of God againe into the citie: if I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lorde, he will bring me againe, and shewe me both it, and the Tabernacle thereof.


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But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, <n>The faithful in all their afflictions show themselves obedient to God's will.</n> [here am] I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.


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The King sayde againe vnto Zadok the Priest, Art not thou a Seer? returne into the citie in peace, and your two sonnes with you: to wit, Ahimaaz thy sonne, and Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar.


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Behold, I wil tarie in the fieldes of the wildernesse, vntill there come some worde from you to be tolde me.


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And David went up by the ascent of [mount] Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head <n>With ashes and dust in sign of sorrow.</n> covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that [was] with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.


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And [one] told David, saying, Ahithophel [is] among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the <n>The counsel of the crafty worldlings does more harm than the open force of the enemy.</n> counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.


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Then Dauid came to the toppe of the mount where he worshipped God: and beholde, Hushai the Archite came against him with his coate torne, and hauing earth vpon his head.


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But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy <n>Though Hushai was deceitful here at the king's request, we may not use this example to excuse our deceit.</n> servant, O king; [as] I [have been] thy father's servant hitherto, so [will] I now also [be] thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.


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And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the Priests? therefore what so euer thou shalt heare out of the Kings house, thou shalt shew to Zadok and Abiathar the Priests.


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Beholde, there are with them their two sonnes: Ahimaaz Zadoks sonne, and Ionathan Abiathars sonne: by them also shall ye send me euery thing that ye can heare.


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And when David was a little past the <n>Which was the hill of olives, (2Sa_15:30).</n> top [of the hill], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred [loaves] of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.


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And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The <n>Commonly there are no viler traitors than they, who under the pretence of friendship accuse others.</n> asses [be] for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.


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And the king sayde, But where is thy masters sonne? Then Ziba answered the King, Beholde, he remayneth in Ierusalem: for he sayde, This day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdome of my father.


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Then said the King to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that perteined vnto Mephibosheth; Ziba saide, I beseech thee, let me finde grace in thy sight, my lord, O King.


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And when king David came to <n>Which was a city in the tribe of Benjamin.</n> Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name [was] Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.


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And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men [were] on his <n>That is, round about him.</n> right hand and on his left.


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The LORD hath returned upon thee all the <n>Reproaching him, as though by his means Ishbosheth and Abner were slain.</n> blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou [art taken] in thy mischief, because thou [art] a bloody man.


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Then saide Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah vnto the King, Why doeth this dead dog curse my lord the King? let me goe, I pray thee, and take away his head.


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And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath <n>David felt that this was the judgment of God for his sin, and therefore humbles himself to his rod.</n> said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?


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And Dauid sayd to Abishai, and to all his seruants, Beholde, my sonne which came out of mine owne bowels, seeketh my life: then howe much more now may this sonne of Iemini? Suffer him to curse: for the Lord hath bidden him.


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It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will <n>Meaning, that the Lord will send comfort to his, when they are oppressed.</n> requite me good for his cursing this day.


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And as Dauid and his men went by the way, Shimei went by the side of the mountaine ouer against him, and cursed as he went, &amp; threw stones against him, and cast dust.


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And the king, and all the people that [were] with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves <n>That is, at Bahurim.</n> there.


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And when Hushai the Archite Dauids friend was come vnto Absalom, Hushai said vnto Absalom, God saue the King, God saue the King.


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And Absalom said to Hushai, [Is] this thy kindness to thy <n>Meaning, David.</n> friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?


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Hushai then answered vnto Absalom, Nay, but whome the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel chuse, his will I be, and with him will I dwell.


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And moreouer vnto whome shall I doe seruice? not to his sonne? as I serued before thy father, so will I before thee.


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And <n>Suspecting the change of the kingdom, and so his own overthrow, he gives such counsel as might most hinder his father's reconciliation: and also declare to the people that Absalom was in highest authority.</n> Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that [are] with thee be strong.


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So they spread Absalom a tent vpon the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel.


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And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, [was] as if a man had <n>It was so esteemed for the success of it.</n> enquired at the oracle of God: so [was] all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.


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Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, <n>The wicked are so greedy to execute their malice, that they leave no opportunity that may further the same.</n> Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:


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And I will come vpon him: for he is wearie, and weake handed: so I will feare him, and all the people that are with him, shall flee, and I will smite the King onely,


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And I will bring back all the people unto thee: <n>Meaning David.</n> the man whom thou seekest [is] as if all returned: [so] all the people shall be in peace.


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So when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spake vnto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken thus: shall we doe after his saying, or no? tell thou.


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And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given [is] not <n>Hushai shows himself faithful to David, in that he reproves this wicked counsel and purpose.</n> good at this time.


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For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father, and his men, that they be strong men, and are chafed in minde as a beare robbed of her whelps in the fielde: also thy father is a valiant warrier, and will not lodge with the people.


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Behold, he is hid now in some caue, or in some place: and though some of them be ouerthrowen at the first, yet the people shall heare, and say, The people that follow Absalom, be ouerthrowen.


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Then he also that is valiant whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall shrinke and faint: for all Israel knoweth, that thy father is valiant, and they which be with him, stout men.


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Therefore my counsell is, that all Israel be gathered vnto thee, from Dan euen to Beer-sheba as the sand of the sea in nomber, and that thou goe to battell in thine owne person.


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So shall we come vpon him in some place, where we shall finde him, and we will vpon him as the dewe falleth on the ground: and of all the men that are with him, wee will not leaue him one.


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Moreouer if he be gotten into a citie, then shall all the men of Israel bring ropes to that citie, and we will draw it into the riuer, vntill there be not one small stone founde there.


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And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite [is] better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the <n>That counsel which seemed good at first to Absalom, (2Sa_17:4).</n> good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might <n>For by the counsel of Hushai, he went to the battle, where he was destroyed.</n> bring evil upon Absalom.


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Then said Hushai vnto Zadok and to Abiathar the Priests, Of this and that maner did Ahithophel and the Elders of Israel counsell Absalom: and thus and thus haue I counseled.


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Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass <n>That is, over Jordan.</n> over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that [are] with him.


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Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told <n>Meaning, the message from their fathers.</n> them; and they went and told king David.


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Neuerthelesse a yong man sawe them, and tolde it to Absalom. therefore they both departed quickely, and came to a mans house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, into the which they went downe.


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And <n>Thus God sends help to his, in their greatest dangers.</n> the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.


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And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where [is] Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the <n>The Chaldee text reads: Now they have passed the Jordan.</n> brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find [them], they returned to Jerusalem.


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And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for <n>That is, to pursue you with all haste.</n> thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.


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Then David arose, and all the people that [were] with him, and they passed over Jordan: <n>They travelled all night, and by morning had all their company passed over.</n> by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.


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And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled [his] ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and <n>God's just vengeance even in this life is poured on them who are enemies, traitors, or persecutors of his Church.</n> hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.


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And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa [was] a man's son, whose name [was] Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of <n>Who was also called Jesse, David's father.</n> Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.


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And when Dauid was come to Mahanaim, Shobi the sonne of Nahash out of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the sonne of Ammiel out of Lo-debar, and Barzelai the Gileadite out of Rogel


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<n>God shows himself most liberal to his, when they seem to be utterly destitute.</n>Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched [corn], and beans, and lentiles, and parched [pulse],


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And they brought honie, and butter, and sheepe, and cheese of kine for Dauid and for the people that were with him, to eate: for they said, The people is hungry, and wearie, and thirstie in the wildernesse.


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And David <n>For certain of the Reubenites, Gadites, and of the half tribe could not bear the insolence of the son against the father, and therefore joined with David.</n> numbered the people that [were] with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.


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And Dauid sent foorth the third part of the people vnder the hand of Ioab, and the thirde part vnder the hand of Abishai Ioabs brother the sonne of Zeruiah: and the other third part vnder the hand of Ittai the Gittite; the King said vnto the people, I will go with you my selfe also.


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But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but <n>Signifying that a good governor is so dear to his people that they would rather lose their lives than have anything happen to him.</n> now [thou art] worth ten thousand of us: therefore now [it is] better that thou succour us out of the city.


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Then the King said vnto them, What seemeth you best, that I will doe. So the King stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreths and by thousands.


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And the King commanded Ioab and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Entreate the yong man Absalom gently for my sake; all the people heard whe the King gaue al the captaines charge concerning Absalom.


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So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the <n>So called, because the Ephraimites (as some say) fed their cattle beyond Jordan in this wood.</n> wood of Ephraim;


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Where the people of Israel were slaine before the seruants of Dauid: so there was a great slaughter that day, euen of twentie thousande.


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For the battel was skattered ouer all the countrey: and the wood deuoured much more people that day, then did the sworde.


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Nowe Absalom met the seruants of Dauid, and Absalom rode vpon a mule, and the mule came vnder a great thicke oke: and his head caught holde of the oke, and he was taken vp betweene the heauen and the earth: and the mule that was vnder him went away.


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Then Ioab saide vnto the man that tolde him, And hast thou in deede seene? why then diddest thou not there smite him to the grounde, and I woulde haue giuen thee ten shekels of siluer, and a girdle?


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Then the man saide vnto Ioab, Though I should receiue a thousande shekels of siluer in mine hande, yet woulde I not lay mine hande vpon the Kings sonne: for in our hearing the King charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Beware, least any touche the yong man Absalom.


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If I had done it, it had bene the danger of my life: for nothing can be hid from the King: yea, thou thy selfe wouldest haue bin against me.


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Then saide Ioab, I will not thus tary with thee; he tooke three dartes in his hande, and thrust them through Absalom, while he was yet aliue in the middes of the oke.


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And Joab <n>For he had pity on the people, who were seduced by Absalom's flattery.</n> blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.


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And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great <n>Thus God turned his vain glory to shame.</n> pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.


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Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which [is] in the king's dale: for he said, I have no <n>It seemed that God had punished him by taking away his children, (2Sa_14:27).</n> son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.


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Then said Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok, I pray thee, let me runne, and beare the King tidings that the Lorde hath deliuered him out of the hande of his enemies.


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And Joab said unto him, Thou <n>For Joab bore a good affection to Ahimaaz and doubted how David would take the report of Absalom's death.</n> shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.


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Then said Ioab to Cushi, Goe, tel the king, what thou hast seene; Cushi bowed himselfe vnto Ioab, and ran.


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Then saide Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok againe to Ioab, What, I pray thee, if I also runne after Cushi? And Ioab said, Wherefore now wilt thou runne, my sonne, seeing that thou hast no tidings to bring?


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Yet what if I runne? Then he saide vnto him, Runne. So Ahimaaz ranne by the way of the plaine, and ouerwent Cushi.


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And David sat between the two <n>He sat in the gate of the city of Mahanaim.</n> gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.


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And the watchman cryed, &amp; tolde ye king; the King said, If he be alone, he bringeth tidings; he came apace, and drew neere.


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And the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called vnto the porter, and said, Behold, another man runneth alone; the King said, He also bringeth tidings.


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And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He [is] a <n>He had experienced his fidelity, (2Sa_17:21).</n> good man, and cometh with good tidings.


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And Ahimaaz called, and sayde vnto the King, Peace be with thee: and he fell downe to the earth vpon his face before the King, and saide, Blessed be the Lorde thy God, who hath shut vp the men that lift vp their handes against my lorde the King.


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And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's <n>That is, Cushi, who was an Ethiopian.</n> servant, and [me] thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what [it was].


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And beholde, Cushi came, and Cushi saide, Tidings, my lorde the King: for the Lord hath deliuered thee this day out of the hande of all that rose against thee.


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Then the King saide vnto Cushi, Is the yong man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lorde the King, and all that rise against thee to doe thee hurt, be as that yong man is.


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And the king was much <n>Because he considers both the judgment of God against his sin, and could not otherwise hide his fatherly affection for his son.</n> moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!


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Therefore the victorie of that day was turned into mourning to all the people: for the people heard say that day, The King soroweth for his sonne.


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And the people went that day into the citie secretly, as people confounded hide them selues when they flee in battell.


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But the king <n>As they do that mourn.</n> covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!


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And Joab came into the <n>At Mahanaim.</n> house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;


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In that thou louest thine enemies, and hatest thy friendes: for thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither thy princes nor seruants: therefore this day I perceiue, that if Absalom had liued, and we all had dyed this day, that then it would haue pleased thee well.


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Nowe therefore vp, come out, and speake comfortably vnto thy seruants: for I sweare by the Lorde, except thou come out, there will not tarie one man with thee this night: and that wil be worse vnto thee, then all the euill that fell on thee from thy youth hitherto.


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Then the king arose, and sat in the <n>Where the most resort of the people haunted.</n> gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.


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And all the people were at <n>Everyone blamed another and strove who should first bring him home.</n> strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.


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And Absalom, whome we anoynted ouer vs, is dead in battel: therefore why are ye so slow to bring the King againe?


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And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the <n>That they should reprove the negligence of the elders, seeing the people were so forward.</n> priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, [even] to his house.


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Ye are my brethren: my bones and my flesh are ye: wherefore then are ye the last that bring the King againe?


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And say ye to Amasa, [Art] thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the <n>By this policy David thought that by winning the captain, he would have the hearts of all the people.</n> room of Joab.


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So he bowed the heartes of all the men of Iudah, as of one man: therefore they sent to the King, saying, Returne thou with all thy seruants.


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So the King returned, and came to Iorden; Iudah came to Gilgal, for to goe to meete the King, and to conduct him ouer Iorde.


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And <n>Who had before reviled him, (2Sa_16:13).</n> Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which [was] of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.


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And a thousande men of Beniamin with him, and Ziba the seruant of the house of Saul, and his fifteene sonnes and twentie seruants with him: and they went ouer Iorden before ye king.


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And there went ouer a boate to carie ouer the Kings houshold, and to do him pleasure. Then Shimei the sonne of Gera fell before the King, when he was come ouer Iorden,


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And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did <n>For in his adversity he was his most cruel enemy, and now in his prosperity, seeks by flattery to creep into favour.</n> perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.


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For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of <n>By Joseph he means Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin (of which he was) because those three were under one standard, (Num_2:18).</n> Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.


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But Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah answered, and said, Shal not Shimei die for this, because he cursed the Lordes anoynted?


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And Dauid saide, What haue I to do with you, ye sonnes of Zeruiah, that this day ye should be aduersaries vnto me? Shall there any man die this day in Israel? For doe not I know that I am this day King ouer Israel?


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Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not <n>By my hands, or during my life, see (1Ki_2:8,9).</n> die. And the king sware unto him.


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And Mephibosheth the sonne of Saul came downe to meete the king, and had neither washed his feete, nor dressed his beard, nor washed his clothes from the time the king departed, vntill he returned in peace.


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And it came to pass, when <n>When Mephibosheth being at Jerusalem had met the King.</n> he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?


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And he answered, My lorde the king, my seruant deceiued me: for thy seruant said, I would haue mine asse sadled to ride thereon, for to goe with the king, because thy seruant is lame.


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And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king [is] as an <n>Able for his wisdom to judge in all matters.</n> angel of God: do therefore [what is] good in thine eyes.


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For all [of] my father's house were <n>Worthy to die for Saul's cruelty to you.</n> but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?


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And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the <n>David did evil in taking his land from him before he knew the cause, but much worse, that knowing the truth, he did not restore them.</n> land.


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And Mephibosheth saide vnto the king, Yea, let him take all, seeing my lorde the king is come home in peace.


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Then Barzillai the Gileadite came downe from Rogelim, &amp; went ouer Iorden with the king, to conduct him ouer Iorden.


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Nowe Barzillai was a very aged man, euen fourescore yeere olde, and he had prouided the king of sustenance, while he lay at Mahanaim: for he was a man of very great substance.


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And Barzillai said vnto the king, Howe long haue I to liue, that I should goe vp with the king to Ierusalem?


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I [am] this day fourscore years old: [and] can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a <n>He thought it was not fitting to receive benefits from him to whom he was not able to do service again.</n> burden unto my lord the king?


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Thy seruant will goe a litle way ouer Iorden with the King, and why wil the king recompence it me with such a rewarde?


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Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, [and be buried] by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant <n>My son.</n> Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.


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And the king answered, Chimham shal go with me, and I will do to him that thou shalt be content with: and whatsoeuer thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.


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So all the people went ouer Iorden: and the King passed ouer: and the King kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and hee returned vnto his owne place.


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Then the king went on to <n>Where the tribe of Judah waited to receive him.</n> Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of <n>Who had taken the side of the king.</n> Israel.


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And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over <n>Toward Jerusalem.</n> Jordan?


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And all the men of Iudah answered the men of Israel, Because the King is neere of kin to vs: and wherefore now be ye angry for this matter? Haue we eaten of the Kings cost, or haue wee taken any bribes?


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And the men of Israel answered the men of Iudah, and saide, Wee haue ten partes in the King, and haue also more right to Dauid then ye: Why then did ye despise vs, that our aduise should not bee first had in restoring our King? And the wordes of the men of Iudah were fiercer then the wordes of the men of Israel.


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And there happened to be <n>Where the ten tribes contended against Judah.</n> there a man of Belial, whose name [was] Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in <n>As they of Judah say.</n> David, neither have we inheritance in the son <n>He thought by speaking contemptuously of the king, to stir the people farther to sedition, or else by causing Israel to depart, thought that they of Judah would have esteemed him less.</n> of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.


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So every man of Israel went up from after David, [and] followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from <n>From Gilgal which was near Jordan.</n> Jordan even to Jerusalem.


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When Dauid then came to his house to Ierusalem, the King tooke the ten women his concubines, that hee had left behinde him to keepe the house, and put them in warde, and fed them, but lay no more with them: but they were enclosed vnto the day of their death, liuing in widowhode.


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Then said the king to <n>Who was his chief captain in Joab's place, (2Sa_19:13).</n> Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.


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And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than [did] Absalom: take thou thy <n>Either those who had been under Joab or David's men.</n> lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.


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And there went out after him Ioabs men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mightie men: and they departed out of Ierusalem, to followe after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.


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When they [were] at the great stone which [is] in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's <n>Which was his coat, that he used to wear in the wars.</n> garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle [with] a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.


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And Ioab sayde to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? &amp; Ioab tooke Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kisse him.


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But Amasa tooke no heede to the sworde that was in Ioabs hande: for therewith he smote him in the fift rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and smote him not the second time: so he dyed. then Ioab and Abishai his brother followed after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.


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And one of Joab's men <n>He stood by Amasa at Joab's appointment.</n> stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that [is] for David, [let him go] after Joab.


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And Amasa wallowed in blood in the mids of the way: and when the man sawe that all the people stood still, he remooued Amasa out of the way into the fielde, and cast a cloth vpon him, because he saw that euery one that came by him, stoode still.


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When hee was remoued out of the way, euerie man went after Ioab, to followe after Sheba the sonne of Bichri.


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And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to <n>To the city Abel, which was near Bethmaachah.</n> Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.


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And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that [were] with Joab <n>That is, he went about to overthrow it.</n> battered the wall, to throw it down.


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Then cried a wise woman out of the citie, Heare, heare, I pray you, say vnto Ioab, Come thou hither, that I may speake with thee.


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And when hee came neere vnto her, the woma said, Art thou Ioab? And he answered, Yea; she said to him, Heare the wordes of thine handmaid; he answered, I do heare.


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Then she spake, saying, <n>She shows that the old custom was not to destroy a city before peace was offered, (Deu_20:10-11).</n> They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter].


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I [am <n>She speaks in the name of the city.</n> one of them that are] peaceable [and] faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?


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The <n>Hearing his fault, he gave in to reason, and required only he that was instigator of the treason.</n> matter [is] not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, [even] against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.


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Then the woman went vnto all the people with her wisedome, and they cut off the head of Sheba the sonne of Bichri, and cast it to Ioab: the he blewe the trumpet, and they retired from the citie, euery man to his tent: and Ioab returned to Ierusalem vnto the King.


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Then Ioab was ouer all the hoste of Israel, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada ouer the Cherethites and ouer the Pelethies,


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Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, [It is] for Saul, and for [his] bloody house, because he slew the <n>Thinking to gratify the people, because these were not of the seed of Abraham.</n> Gibeonites.


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Then ye King called the Gibeonites and said vnto them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but a remnant of the Amorites, vnto whom ye children of Israel had sworne: but Saul sought to slay them for his zeale toward the children of Israel and Iudah)


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Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, <n>With what may your wrath be appeased, that you may pray to God to remove this plague from his people.</n> What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?


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And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill <n>Save only of Saul's stock.</n> any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, [that] will I do for you.


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Then they answered the King, The man that consumed vs and that imagined euill against vs, so that we are destroyed from remaining in any coast of Israel,


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Let seven men of his <n>Of Saul's kinsmen.</n> sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up <n>To pacify the Lord.</n> unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, [whom] the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give [them].


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But the King had compassion on Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan the sonne of Saul, because of the Lordes othe, that was betweene them, euen betweene Dauid and Ionathan the sonne of Saul.


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But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of <n>Here Michal is named for Merab Adriel's wife, as it appears in (1Sa_18:19) for Michal was the wife of Paltiel, (1Sa_25:44) and never had a child (2Sa_6:23).</n> Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:


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And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell [all] seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the <n>Which was in the month Abib or Nisan which contained part of March and part of April.</n> first [days], in the beginning of barley harvest.


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And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took <n>To make her a tent in which she prayed to God to turn away his wrath.</n> sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until <n>Because drought was the cause of this famine, God by sending rain showed that he was pacified.</n> water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.


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And Dauid went and tooke the bones of Saul and the bones of Ionathan his sonne from the citizens of Iabesh Gilead, which had stollen them from the streete of Beth-shan, where the Philistims had hanged them, when the Philistims had slaine Saul in Gilboa.


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So hee brought thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Ionathan his sonne, and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.


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And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was <n>For where the government permits faults to go unpunished, there the plague of God lies on the land.</n> intreated for the land.


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Againe the Philistims had warre with Israel: and Dauid went downe, and his seruants with him, and they fought against the Philistims, and Dauid fainted.


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And Ishbibenob, which [was] of the sons of <n>Or, of Haraphah, the race of giants.</n> the giant, the weight of whose spear [weighed] three hundred <n>Which amounts to 9 3/4 pounds.</n> [shekels] of brass in weight, he being girded with a new [sword], thought to have slain David.


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But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the <n>For the glory and wealth of the country stands in the preservation of the godly magistrate.</n> light of Israel.


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And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at <n>Called Gezer, and Saph is called Sippai, (1Ch_20:4).</n> Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which [was] of the sons of the giant.


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And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew [the brother of] <n>That is, Lahmi the brother of Goliath, whom David slew, (1Ch_20:5).</n> Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear [was] like a weaver's beam.


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Afterward there was also a battel in Gath, where was a man of a great stature, and had on euerie hand sixe fingers, and on euerie foote sixe toes, foure and twentie in nomber: who was also the sonne of Haraphah.


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These foure were borne to Haraphah in Gath, and died by the hande of Dauid and by the hands of his seruants.


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And David spake unto the LORD the words of this <n>In token of the wonderful benefits that he received from God.</n> song in the day [that] the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:


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And he said, The LORD [is] my <n>By the diversity of these comfortable means, he shows how his faith was strengthened in all temptations.</n> rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;


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God is my strength, in him will I trust: my shielde, and the horne of my saluation, my hie tower and my refuge: my Sauiour, thou hast saued me from violence.


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When the <n>As David (who was the figure of Christ) was by God's power delivered from all dangers: so Christ and his Church will overcome most grievous dangers, tyranny and death.</n> waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;


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But in my tribulation did I call vpon the Lord, and crie to my God, and he did heare my voyce out of his temple, and my crie did enter into his eares.


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Then the earth trembled and quaked: the foundations of the heauens mooued and shooke, because he was angrie.


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There went up a <n>That is, clouds, and vapours.</n> smoke out of his nostrils, and <n>Lightening and thundering.</n> fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.


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He <n>So it seems when the air is dark.</n> bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness [was] under his feet.


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And he rode upon a <n>To fly in a moment through the world.</n> cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.


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And hee made darkenesse a Tabernacle round about him, euen the gatherings of waters, and the cloudes of the ayre.


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Through the brightness before him were <n>By this description of a tempest he declares the power of God against his enemies.</n> coals of fire kindled.


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And the <n>He alludes to the miracle of the Red Sea.</n> channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.


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He deliuered me from my strong enemie, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.


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They <n>I was so beset, that all means seemed to fail.</n> prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.


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The LORD rewarded me according to my <n>Toward Saul and my enemies.</n> righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.


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For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not <n>I attempted nothing without his commandment.</n> wickedly departed from my God.


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Therefore the Lord did reward me according to my righteousnesse, according to my purenesse before his eyes.


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With the godly thou wilt shewe thy selfe godly: with the vpright man thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright.


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With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the <n>Their wickedness is cause that you seem to forget your usual mercy.</n> froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.


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[As for] God, his way [is] <n>The manner that God uses to aid his own, never fails.</n> perfect; the word of the LORD [is] tried: he [is] a buckler to all them that trust in him.


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He maketh my feet like <n>He uses extraordinary means to make me win most strongholds.</n> hinds' [feet]: and setteth me upon my high places.


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Thou hast also giuen me the shield of thy saluation, and thy louing kindnesse hath caused me to increase.


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I haue pursued mine enemies and destroyed them, and haue not turned againe vntill I had consumed them.


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Yea, I haue consumed them and thrust them through, and they shall not arise, but shall fall vnder my feete.


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For thou hast <n>He acknowledges that God was the author of his victories, who gave him strength.</n> girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.


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They looked, but [there was] none to save; [even] unto the <n>The wicked in their time of need are forced to flee to God, but it is too late.</n> LORD, but he answered them not.


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Then did I beate them as small as the dust of the earth: I did treade them flat as the clay of the streete, and did spread them abroad.


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Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my <n>Meaning, of the Jews, who conspired against me.</n> people, thou hast kept me [to be] head of the heathen: a people [which] I knew not shall serve me.


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Strangers <n>Not willingly obeying me, but deceitfully.</n> shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me.


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The LORD liveth; <n>Let him show his power that he is the governor of all the world.</n> and blessed [be] my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.


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And rescueth me from mine enemies: (thou also hast lift me vp from them that rose against me, thou hast deliuered me from the cruell man.


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He is the tower of saluation for his King, and sheweth mercie to his anointed, euen to Dauid, and to his seede for euer.


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Now these [be] the <n>Which he spoke after he had written the psalms.</n> last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man [who was] raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,


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The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word [was] in my <n>Meaning, he spoke nothing but by the motion of God's Spirit.</n> tongue.


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The God of Israel spake to me, ye strength of Israel saide, Thou shalt beare rule ouer men, being iust, and ruling in the feare of God.


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And [he shall be] as the light of the morning, [when] the sun riseth, [even] a morning without clouds; [as] the tender <n>Which grows quickly, and fades soon.</n> grass [springing] out of the earth by clear shining after rain.


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Although my house [be] not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all [things], and sure: for [this is] all my salvation, and all [my] desire, although he make [it] not to <n>But that my kingdom may continue for ever according to his promise.</n> grow.


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But the man that shall touch them, must be defensed with yron, or with the shaft of a speare: and they shall be burnt with fire in the same place.


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These [be] the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the <n>As one of the king's counsel.</n> seat, chief among the captains; the same [was] Adino the Eznite: [he lift up his spear] against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.


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And after him [was] Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, [one] of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines [that] were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were <n>Meaning, fled from the battle.</n> gone away:


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He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his <n>By a cramp which came from weariness and fighting.</n> hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.


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After him was Shammah the sonne of Age the Hararite: for the Philistims assembled at a towne, where was a piece of a fielde full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistims.


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But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a <n>Which has no respect for many or few, when he will show his power.</n> great victory.


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Afterward three of the thirtie captaines went downe, and came to Dauid in the haruest time vnto the caue of Adullam, and the hoste of the Philistims pitched in the valley of Rephaim.


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And David <n>Being overcome with weariness and thirst.</n> longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which [is] by the gate!


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And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that [was] by the gate, and took [it], and brought [it] to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but <n>Bridling his affection, and also desiring God not to be offended for that rash enterprise.</n> poured it out unto the LORD.


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And said, O Lord, be it farre from me, that I should doe this. Is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues? Therefore he woulde not drinke it. These things did these three mightie men.


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And Abishai the brother of Ioab, the sonne of Zeruiah, was chiefe among the three, and he lifted vp his speare against three hundreth, and slewe them, and he had the name among the three.


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For he was most excellent of the three, &amp; was their captaine, but he attained not vnto the first three.


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And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada the sonne of a valiant man, which had done many actes, and was of Kabzeel, slewe two strong men of Moab: he went downe also, and slewe a lyon in the middes of a pit in the time of snowe.


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And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a <n>Which was as big as a weavers beam, (1Ch_11:23).</n> spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.


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He was more honourable than the <n>He was more valiant than the thirty that follow and not so valiant as the six before.</n> thirty, but he attained not to the [first] three. And David set him over his guard.


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Abiezer the Anethothite, <n>Some of these had two names, (1Ch_11:29) and also many more are mentioned there.</n> Mebunnai the Hushathite,


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Heleb the sonne of Baanah a Netophathite: Ittai the sonne of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Beniamin:


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Uriah the Hittite: <n>These came to David, and helped restore him to his kingdom.</n> thirty and seven in all.


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And <n>Before they were plagued with famine, (2Sa_21:1).</n> again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and <n>The Lord permitted Satan, as in (1Ch_21:2).</n> he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.


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For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which [was] with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the <n>Because he did this to determine his power and to trust in it, it offended God, for otherwise it was lawful to number the people, (Exo_30:12; Num_1:2).</n> number of the people.


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And Ioab saide vnto the King, The Lorde thy God increase the people an hundreth folde mo then they be, and that the eyes of my lorde the King may see it: but why doeth my lord the King desire this thing?


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Notwithstanding the Kings worde preuailed against Ioab and against the captaines of the hoste: therefore Ioab and the captaines of the hoste went out from the presence of the King to nomber the people of Israel.


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And they passed ouer Iorden, &amp; pitched in Aroer at the right side of the citie that is in the middes of the valley of Gad and toward Iazer.


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And came to the fortresse of Tyrus and to all the cities of the Hiuites and of the Canaanites, and went towarde the South of Iudah, euen to Beer-sheba.


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So when they had gone about all the lande, they returned to Ierusalem at the ende of nine moneths and twentie dayes.


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And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel <n>According to Joab's count: for in all there were eleven hundred thousand, (1Ch_21:5).</n> eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah [were] <n>Including the Benjamites with them, or else they had but four hundred and seventy thousand.</n> five hundred thousand men.


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Then Dauids heart smote him, after that he had numbred the people: and Dauid said vnto the Lorde, I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done: therefore nowe, Lorde, I beseech thee, take away the trespasse of thy seruant: for I haue done very foolishly.


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For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's <n>Whom God had appointed for David and his time.</n> seer, saying,


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Go, &amp; say vnto Dauid, Thus saith ye Lord, I offer thee three thinges, chuse thee which of them I shall doe vnto thee.


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So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall <n>Three years of famine were past for the Gibeonites and this was the fourth year to which should have been added another three more years, (1Ch_21:12).</n> seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.


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And Dauid said vnto Gad, I am in a wonderfull strait: let vs fall nowe into the hand of the Lord, (for his mercies are great) and let mee not fall into the hand of man.


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So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from <n>From the one side of the country to the other.</n> Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.


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And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: <n>The Lord spared this place, because he had chosen it to build his temple there.</n> stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.


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And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they <n>David did not see the just cause why God plagued the people, and therefore he offers himself for God's correction as the only cause of this evil.</n> done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.


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So Gad came the same day to Dauid, and said vnto him, Go vp, reare an altar vnto the Lord in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite.


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And Araunah looked, and sawe the King and his seruants comming towarde him, and Araunah went out, and bowed himselfe before the King on his face to the ground,


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And <n>Called also Ornan (1Ch_21:20).</n> Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.


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Then Araunah saide vnto Dauid, Let my lord the King take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes: beholde the oxen for the burnt offring, and charets, and the instruments of the oxen for wood.


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All these [things] did Araunah, <n>That is, abundantly, for as some write, he was king of Jerusalem before David won the tower.</n> [as] a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.


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And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy [it] of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for <n>Some write that every tribe gave 50 which makes 600, or that afterward he bought as much as came to 550 shekels.</n> fifty shekels of silver.


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And Dauid built there an altar vnto the Lorde, and offred burnt offrings and peace offrings, and the Lord was appeased toward ye lande, and the plague ceased from Israel.


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Now king David was <n>He was about 70 years old, (2Sa_5:4).</n> old [and] stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no <n>For his natural heat was worn away with travels.</n> heat. <n>The Argument - Because the children of God should expect no continual rest and quietness in this world, the Holy Spirit sets before our eyes in this book the variety and change of things, which came to the people of Israel from the death of David, Solomon, and the rest of the kings, to the death of Ahab. Declaring that flourishing kingdoms, unless they are preserved by God's protection, (who then favours them when his word is truly set forth, virtue esteemed, vice punished, and concord maintained) fall to decay and come to nothing as appears by the dividing of the kingdom under Rehoboam and Jeroboam, who were one people before and now by the just punishment of God were made two. Judah and Benjamin were under Rehoboam, and this was called the kingdom of Judah. The other ten tribes held with Jeroboam, and this was called the kingdom of Israel. The king of Judah had his throne in Jerusalem, and the king of Israel in Samaria, after it was built by Omri Ahab's father. Because our Saviour Christ according to the flesh, comes from the stock of David, the genealogy of the kings of Judah is here described, from Solomon to Joram the son of Jehoshaphat, who reigned over Judah in Jerusalem as Ahab did over Israel in Samaria.</n>


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Wherefore his seruants saide vnto him, Let there be sought for my lord ye King a yong virgin, and let her stand before the King, and cherish him: and let her lie in thy bosome, that my lord the King may get heate.


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So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag <n>A city in the tribe of Issachar, (Jos_19:18).</n> a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.


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And the maid was exceeding faire, and cherished the King, and ministred to him, but the King knew her not.


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Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and <n>Read (2Sa_15:1).</n> fifty men to run before him.


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And his father would not displease him from his childehood, to say, Why hast thou done so? And hee was a very goodly man, and his mother bare him next after Absalom.


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And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah <n>They took his part and followed him.</n> helped [him].


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But Zadok the Priest, &amp; Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and Nathan the Prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the men of might, which were with Dauid, were not with Adoniiah.


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Then Adoniiah sacrificed sheepe and oxen, and fat cattel by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the kings sonnes, &amp; al the men of Iudah ye Kings seruants,


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But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and <n>As the Cherethites and Pelethites.</n> the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.


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Wherefore Nathan spake vnto Bath-sheba the mother of Salomon, saying, Hast thou not heard, that Adoniiah ye sonne of Haggith doeth reigne, and Dauid our lord knoweth it not?


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Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own <n>For Adonijah will destroy you and your son, if he reigns.</n> life, and the life of thy son Solomon.


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Go, and get thee in vnto King Dauid, and say vnto him, Didest not thou, my lorde, O King, sweare vnto thine handmaide, saying, Assuredly Salomo thy sonne shall reigne after me, &amp; he shal sit vpon my throne? why is then Adoniiah King?


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Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and <n>By declaring such things, as may further the same.</n> confirm thy words.


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So Bath-sheba went in vnto the King into the chamber, and the King was verie olde, and Abishag the Shunammite ministred vnto ye King.


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And shee answered him, My lorde, thou swarest by the Lorde thy God vnto thine handmaide, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and he shall sit vpon my throne.


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And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest <n>The king being worn with age, could not attend to the affairs of the realm, and also Adonijah had many who kept it from the king.</n> [it] not:


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And he hath offred many oxen, and fatte cattel, and sheepe, and hath called all the sonnes of the King, and Abiathar the Priest, and Ioab the captaine of the hoste: but Salomon thy seruant hath he not bidden.


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And thou, my lorde, O King, knowest that the eyes of all Israel are on thee, that thou shouldest tell them, who shoulde sit on the throne of my lord the King after him.


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Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be <n>And so put to death as wicked transgressors.</n> counted offenders.


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And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face <n>Acknowledging him to be the true and worthy king appointed by God, as the figure of his Christ.</n> to the ground.


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And Nathan saide, My lorde, O King, hast thou said, Adoniiah shall reigne after mee, and he shall sit vpon my throne?


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For hee is gone downe this day, and hath slaine many oxen, and fat cattel, and sheepe, and hath called al the Kings sonnes, and the captaines of the hoste, and Abiathar the Priest: and behold, they eate and drinke before him, and say, God saue King Adoniiah.


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But me thy seruant, and Zadok the Priest, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and thy seruant Salomon hath he not called.


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Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed [it] unto thy <n>Meaning, that in such affairs he should undertake nothing unless he had consulted with the Lord.</n> servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?


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Then King Dauid answered, and saide, Call me Bath-sheba; shee came into ye Kings presence, and stoode before the King.


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Even as I <n>Moved by the Spirit of God to do so, because he foresaw that Solomon would be the figure of Christ.</n> sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.


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Then Bath-sheba bowed her face to the earth, and did reuerence vnto the King, and said, God saue my lord King Dauid for euer.


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And King Dauid saide, Call mee Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada; they came before the King.


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The king also said unto them, Take with you the <n>Meaning, the king's servants and such as were of his guard.</n> servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:


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And let Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet anoint him there King ouer Israel, and blowe ye the trumpet, and say, God saue king Salomon.


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Then come vp after him, that hee may come and sit vpon my throne: and hee shall bee King in my steade: for I haue appointed him to be prince ouer Israel and ouer Iudah.


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Then Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada answered the King, and said, So be it, and the Lord God of my lord the King ratifie it.


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As the Lord hath bene with my lorde the King, so be he with Salomon, and exalt his throne aboue the throne of my lorde king Dauid.


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So Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went downe and caused Salomon to ride vpon king Dauids mule, and brought him to Gihon.


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And Zadok the priest took an horn of <n>With which they were accustomed to anoint the priests and the holy instruments, (Exo_30:23).</n> oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.


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And all the people came vp after him, and the people piped with pipes, and reioyced with great ioye, so that the earth rang with the sound of them.


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And Adoniiah and all the ghestes that were with him, heard it: (and they had made an ende of eating) and when Ioab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, What meaneth this noise and vprore in the citie?


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And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou [art] a valiant man, and bringest <n>He praised Jonathan, thinking to have heard good news but God wrought things contrary to his expectation, and so beat down his pride.</n> good tidings.


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And the King hath sent with him Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they haue caused him to ride vpon the Kings mule.


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And Zadok the Priest, and Nathan ye Prophet haue anointed him King in Gihon: and they are gone vp from thence with ioy, and the citie is moued: this is the noise that ye haue heard.


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And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the <n>He gave God thanks for the good success.</n> bed.


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And thus sayd the King also, Blessed bee the Lorde God of Israel, who hath made one to sit on my throne this day, euen in my sight.


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Then all the ghestes that were with Adonijah, were afraide, and rose vp, and went euery man his way.


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And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the <n>Which David his father had built in the floor of Araunah, (2Sa_24:25).</n> altar.


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And one tolde Salomon, saying, Beholde, Adonijah doeth feare King Salomon: for lo, he hath caught holde on the hornes of the altar, saying, Let King Salomon sweare vnto me this day, that he will not slay his seruant with the sword.


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Then Salomon sayd, If he will shewe him selfe a worthy man, there shall not an heare of him fall to the earth, but if wickednes be found in him, he shall dye.


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Then King Salomon sent, &amp; they brought him from the altar, and he came and did obeisance vnto King Salomon; Salomon sayde vnto him, Go to thine house.


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I go the <n>I am ready to die as all men must.</n> way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;


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And keep the <n>He shows how hard it is to govern and that no one can do it well except he obey God.</n> charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:


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That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in <n>Without hypocrisy.</n> truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.


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Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, [and] what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and <n>He shed his blood in time of peace, as if there had been war.</n> shed the blood of war in peace, and <n>He put the bloody sword into his sheath.</n> put the blood of war upon his girdle that [was] about his loins, and in his shoes that [were] on his feet.


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Doe therefore according to thy wisdome, and let thou not his hoare head go downe to the graue in peace.


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But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: <n>That is, they dealt mercifully with me.</n> for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.


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And beholde, with thee is Shimei the sonne of Gera, the sonne of Iemini, of Bahurim, which cursed mee with an horrible curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but hee came downe to meete me at Iorden, &amp; I sware to him by the Lorde, saying, I will not slay thee with the sword.


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Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou [art] a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with <n>Let him be punished with death, see (1Ki_2:46).</n> blood.


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And the dayes which Dauid reigned vpon Israel, were fourtie yeeres: seuen yeeres reigned he in Hebron, and thirtie &amp; three yeeres reigned he in Ierusalem.


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And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, <n>For she was afraid lest he would work treason against the king.</n> Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.


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And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and [that] all Israel <n>In sign of their favour and consent.</n> set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the LORD.


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And he sayd, Speake, I pray thee, vnto Salomon ye King, (for he will not say thee nay) that he giue me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.


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Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and <n>In token of reverence, and that others by his example might have her in greater honour.</n> bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.


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Then she sayd, I desire a small request of thee, say me not nay. Then the King sayde vnto her, Aske on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.


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And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the <n>Meaning, that if he would have granted Abishag, who was so dear to his father, he would later have aspired for the kingdom.</n> kingdom also; for he [is] mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.


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Then King Salomon sware by the Lorde, saying, God doe so to me and more also, if Adoniiah hath not spoken this worde against his owne life.


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Now therefore as ye Lord liueth, who hath established me, &amp; set me on the throne of Dauid my father, who also hath made me an house, as he promised, Adoniiah shall surely die this day.


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And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou [art] worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou <n>When he fled before Absalom, (2Sa_15:24).</n> barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.


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So Salomon cast out Abiathar from being Priest vnto the Lord, that he might fulfill the wordes of the Lord, which he spake against the house of Eli in Shiloh.


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Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had <n>He took Adonijah's part when he would have usurped the kingdom (1Ki_1:7).</n> turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.


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And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, [he is] by the <n>Thinking to be saved by the holiness of the place.</n> altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.


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And Benaiah came to the Tabernacle of the Lord, &amp; sayd vnto him, Thus sayth the King, Come out; he sayde, Nay, but I will die here. Then Benaiah brought the King worde againe, saying, Thus sayd Ioab, &amp; thus he answered me.


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And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and <n>For it was lawful to take the wilful murderer from the altar, (Exo_21:14).</n> fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.


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And the Lorde shall bring his blood vpon his owne head: for he smote two men more righteous and better then he, and slew them with the sword, &amp; my father Dauid knew not: to wit, Abner the sonne of Ner, captaine of the hoste of Israel, and Amasa the sonne of Iether captaine of the hoste of Iudah.


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Their blood shall therefore return upon the <n>Joab will be justly punished for the blood that he has cruelly shed.</n> head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.


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So Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada went vp, &amp; smote him, and slewe him, &amp; he was buryed in his owne house in the wildernesse.


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And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the <n>And so took the office of high priest from the house of Eli, and restored it to the house of Phinehas.</n> priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.


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Afterwarde the King sent, &amp; called Shimei, and sayde vnto him, Buylde thee an house in Ierusalem, and dwell there, and depart not thence any whither.


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For that day that thou goest out, and passest ouer the riuer of Kidron, knowe assuredly, that thou shalt dye the death: thy blood shall be vpon thine owne head.


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And Shimei sayd vnto the King, The thing is good: as my lord the King hath sayd, so wil thy seruant doe. So Shimei dwelt in Ierusalem many dayes.


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And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the <n>Thus God appoints the ways and means to bring his just judgments on the wicked.</n> servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants [be] in Gath.


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And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and <n>His covetous mind moved him to risk his life, rather than to lose the worldly profit he had by his servants.</n> Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.


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And the King sent and called Shimei, and sayde vnto him, Did I not make thee to sweare by the Lorde, and protested vnto thee, saying, That day that thou goest out, and walkest any whither, knowe assuredly that thou shalt dye the death? And thou saydest vnto mee, The thing is good, that I haue heard.


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The king said moreover to Shimei, <n>For though you would deny it, your own conscience accuses you for reviling and doing wrong to my father, (2Sa_16:5).</n> Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;


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So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was <n>Because all his enemies were destroyed.</n> established in the hand of Solomon.


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And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the <n>Which was Bethlehem.</n> city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.


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Only the people sacrificed in <n>Where altars were appointed before the temple was built, to offer to the Lord.</n> high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.


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And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his <n>For his father had commanded him to obey the Lord and walk in his ways, (1Ki_2:3).</n> father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.


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And the king went to <n>For there the tabernacle was (2Ch_1:3).</n> Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that [was] the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.


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In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Salomon in a dreame by night: and God sayd, Aske what I shal giue thee.


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And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast <n>You have performed your promise.</n> kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as [it is] this day.


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And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I [am but] a little child: I know not [how] to <n>That is, to behave himself in executing this charge of ruling.</n> go out or come in.


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And thy seruant is in the mids of thy people, which thou hast chosen, euen a great people which cannot be told nor nobred for multitude.


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Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so <n>Which are so many in number.</n> great a people?


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And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine <n>That is, that their enemy would die.</n> enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;


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Beholde, I haue done according to thy wordes: lo, I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart, so that there hath bene none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall arise the like vnto thee.


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And I haue also giuen thee that, which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour, so that among the Kings there shall be none like vnto thee all thy dayes.


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And if thou wilt walke in my wayes, to keepe mine ordinances &amp; my commandements, as thy father Dauid did walke, I will prolong thy dayes.


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And Solomon awoke; and, behold, [it was] <n>He knew that God had appeared to him in a dream.</n> a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.


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Then came there two women, [that were] harlots, unto the king, and <n>By this example it appears that God kept his promise to Solomon in granting him wisdom.</n> stood before him.


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And the one woman sayd, Oh my lorde, I and this woman dwell in one house, and I was deliuered of a childe with her in the house.


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And the third day after that I was deliuered, this woman was deliuered also: and we were in the house together: no stranger was with vs in the house, saue we twaine.


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And she arose at midnight, and <n>She stole the living child to avoid both the shame and punishment.</n> took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.


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And when I rose in the morning to giue my sonne sucke, beholde, he was dead: and when I had wel considered him in the morning, beholde, it was not my sonne, whom I had borne.


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Then the other woman sayd, Nay, but my sonne liueth, and thy sonne is dead. Againe she sayde, No, but thy sonne is dead, and mine aliue: thus they spake before the King.


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Then sayde the King, She sayth, This that liueth is my sonne, and the dead is thy sonne: and the other sayth, Nay, but the dead is thy sonne, and the liuing is my sonne.


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And the king said, <n>Unless God gives judges understanding, the impudency of the trespasser will overthrow the just cause of the innocent.</n> Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.


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And the King sayde, Deuide ye the liuing child in twaine, &amp; giue the one halfe to the one, and the other halfe to the other.


text:
Then spake the woman whose the living child [was] unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and <n>Her motherly affection appears in that she would rather endure the rigor of the law than see her child cruelly slain.</n> in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, [but] divide [it].


text:
Then the King answered, and sayde, Giue her the liuing childe, and slay him not: this is his mother.


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And all Israel heard the iudgement, which the King had iudged, and they feared the King: for they sawe that the wisedome of God was in him to doe iustice.


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And these [were] the <n>That is, his chief officers.</n> princes which he had; <n>He was the son of Achimais and Zadok's nephew.</n> Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,


text:
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the host: and Zadok and <n>Not Abiathar whom Solomon had put from his office, (1Ki_2:27) but another of that name.</n> Abiathar [were] the priests:


text:
And Azariah the sonne of Nathan was ouer the officers, and Zabud the sonne of Nathan Priest was the Kings friend,


text:
And Salomon had twelue officers ouer all Israel, which prouided vitailes for the King and his housholde: eche man had a moneth in the yeere to prouide vitailes.


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Baana the sonne of Ahilud in Taanach, &amp; Megiddo, &amp; in all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Izreel, from Beth-shean to Abelmeholah, eue til beyond ouer against Iokmeam:


text:
The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him [pertained] the towns of <n>Which bore Jair's name, because he took them from the Canaanites, (Num_32:41).</n> Jair the son of Manasseh, which [are] in Gilead; to him [also pertained] the region of Argob, which [is] in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:


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Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in <n>Solomon did not observe the division that Joshua made, but divided it as might best serve his purposes.</n> Issachar:


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Geber the sonne of Vri in the countrey of Gilead, the land of Sihon King of the Amorites, and of Og King of Bashan, and was officer alone in the land.


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Judah and Israel [were] many, as the sand which [is] by the sea in multitude, <n>They lived in all peace and security.</n> eating and drinking, and making merry.


text:
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the <n>Which is the Euphrates.</n> river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.


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And Salomons vitailes for one day were thirtie measures of fine floure, and threescore measures of meale:


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Ten fat oxen, and twentie oxen of the pastures, and an hundreth sheepe, beside hartes, and buckes, and bugles, and fat foule.


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For he had dominion over all [the region] on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the <n>For they were all tributaries to him.</n> kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.


text:
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from <n>Throughout all Israel.</n> Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.


text:
And these officers prouided vitaile for king Salomon, and for all that came to King Salomons table, euery man his moneth, and they suffred to lacke nothing.


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Barley also and strawe for the horses and mules brought they vnto the place where the officers were, euery man according to his charge.


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And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and <n>Meaning, great understanding and able to comprehend all things.</n> largeness of heart, even as the sand that [is] on the sea shore.


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And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the <n>That is, the philosophers and astronomers who were judged most wise.</n> east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.


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For he was wiser then any man: yea, then were Ethan the Ezrahite, the Heman, then Chalcol, then Darda the sonnes of Mahol: and he was famous throughout all nations round about.


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And he spake three thousand <n>Which for the most part are thought to have perished in the captivity of Babylon.</n> proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.


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And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that [is] in Lebanon even unto the <n>From the highest to the lowest.</n> hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.


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And there came of all people to heare the wisedome of Salomon, from all Kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisedome.


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And Hiram King of Tyrus sent his seruants vnto Salomon, (for he had heard, that they had anoynted him King in the roume of his father) because Hiram had euer loued Dauid.


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Thou knowest that Dauid my father could not build an house vnto the Name of the Lorde his God, for the warres which were about him on euery side, vntill the Lord had put them vnder the soles of his feete.


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But now the LORD my God hath given me <n>He declares that he was bound to set forth God's glory for as much as the Lord had sent him rest and peace.</n> rest on every side, [so that there is] neither adversary nor evil occurrent.


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And beholde, I purpose to build an house vnto ye Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake vnto Dauid my father, saying, Thy sonne, whom I wil set vpon thy throne for thee, he shal build an house vnto my Name.


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Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give <n>This was his equity, that he would not receive a benefit without some recompence.</n> hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that [there is] not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.


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And it came to pass, when <n>In Hiram is prefigured the calling of the Gentiles who would help build the spiritual temple.</n> Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed [be] the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.


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And Hiram sent to Salomon, saying, I haue considered the things, for the which thou sentest vnto me, and will accomplish all thy desire, concerning the cedar trees and firre trees.


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My servants shall bring [them] down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive [them]: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for <n>While my servants are occupied with your business.</n> my household.


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And Salomon gaue Hiram twentie thousand measures of wheate for foode to his householde, &amp; twentie measures of beaten oyle. Thus much gaue Salomon to Hiram yere by yere.


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And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they <n>Concerning the furniture of wood.</n> two made a league together.


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Whome he sent to Lebanon, ten thousand a moneth by course: they were a moneth in Lebanon, and two moneths at home; Adoniram was ouer the summe.


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And Salomon had seuentie thousand that bare burdens, and fourescore thousand masons in the mountaine,


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Besides the princes, whome Salomon appoynted ouer the worke, euen three thousande and three hundreth, which ruled the people that wrought in the worke.


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And the King commanded them, and they brought great stones and costly stones to make the foundation of the house, euen hewed stones.


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And Solomon's builders and Hiram's <n>The Hebrew word is Giblim, which some say were excellent masons.</n> builders did hew [them], and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.


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And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month <n>Which contains part of April and part of May.</n> Zif, which [is] the second month, that he began to build the <n>By which is meant the temple and the oracle.</n> house of the LORD.


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And the house which King Salomon built for the Lorde, was three score cubites long, and twentie broade, and thirtie cubites hie.


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And the <n>Or the court where the people prayed which was before the place where the altar of burnt offerings stood.</n> porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits [was] the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; [and] ten cubits [was] the breadth thereof before the house.


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And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, [against] the walls of the house round about, [both] of the temple and of <n>When God spoke between the Cherubim, called also the most holy place.</n> the oracle: and he made chambers round about:


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The nethermost chamber [was] five cubits broad, and the middle [was] six cubits broad, and the third [was] seven cubits broad: for without [in the wall] of the house he made narrowed <n>Which were certain stones coming out of the wall, as stays for the beams to rest upon.</n> rests round about, that [the beams] should not be fastened in the walls of the house.


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And when the house was built, it was built of stone perfite, before it was brought, so that there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any toole of yron heard in the house, while it was in building.


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The doore of the middle chamber was in the right side of the house, &amp; men went vp with winding stayres into the middlemost, and out of the middlemost into the third.


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So he built the <n>In Exodus it is called the tabernacle, and the temple is here called the sanctuary and the oracle the most holy place.</n> house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.


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And he built the galleries vpon al the wall of the house of fiue cubites height, and they were ioyned to the house with beames of cedar.


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Cocerning this house which thou buildest, if thou wilt walke in mine ordinances, &amp; execute my iudgements, &amp; keepe al my commadements, to walke in them, then will I performe vnto thee my promes, which I promised to Dauid thy father.


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And I will <n>According as he promised to Moses, (Exo_25:22).</n> dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.


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And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and <n>Meaning, to the roof which was also sealed.</n> the walls of the cieling: [and] he covered [them] on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.


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And he built twentie cubites in the sides of the house with boards of cedar, from the floore to the walles, and he prepared a place within it for the oracle, euen the most holy place.


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And the <n>For when he spoke of the house in the first verse, he meant both the oracle and the temple.</n> house, that [is], the temple before it, was forty cubits [long].


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And the cedar of the house within was carued with knops, and grauen with floures: all was cedar, so that no stone was seene.


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And the oracle he prepared in the <n>That is, in the most inward place of the house.</n> house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.


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And the place of the oracle within was twentie cubites long, and twentie cubites broad, and twentie cubites hie, and hee couered it with pure golde, and couered the altar with cedar.


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So Salomon couered the house within with pure golde: and he shut the place of the oracle with chaines of gold, and couered it with golde.


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And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the <n>Meaning, the altar of incense, (Exo_30:1).</n> whole altar that [was] by the oracle he overlaid with gold.


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The wing also of the one Cherub was fiue cubites, and the wing of the other Cherub was fiue cubites: from the vttermost part of one of his wings vnto the vttermost part of the other of his wings, were ten cubites.


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And he put the Cherubims within the inner house, and the Cherubims stretched out their wings, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other Cherub touched the other wall: and their other wings touched one another in the middes of the house.


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And he <n>For the others which Moses made of beaten gold were taken away with the other jewels by their enemies, whom God permitted at various times to overcome them for their great sins.</n> overlaid the cherubims with gold.


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And he carued all the walles of the house round about with grauen figures of Cherubims and of Palmetrees, and grauen flowres within and without.


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And in the entring of the oracle he made two doores of oliue tree: and the vpper post and side postes were fiue square.


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The two doors also [were of] olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid [them] with gold, and <n>So that the fashion of the carved work might still appear.</n> spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.


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But the two doores were of firre tree, the two sides of the one doore were round, and the two sides of the other doore were round.


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And he graued Cherubims, &amp; palme trees, and carued floures and couered the carued worke with golde, finely wrought.


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And he built the inner <n>Where the priests were, and was thus called in respect to the great court, which is called the porch of Solomon in (Act_3:11) where the people used to pray.</n> court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.


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And in the eleventh year, in the month <n>Which contains part of October and part of November.</n> Bul, which [is] the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.


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But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he <n>After he had built the temple.</n> finished all his house.


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He built also the house <n>Because of the beauty of the place, and great abundance of cedar trees that went into the building of it, it was compared to mount Lebanon.</n> of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof [was] an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.


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And it was couered aboue with cedar vpon the beames, that lay on the fourtie and fiue pillars, fifteene in a rowe.


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And [there were] windows [in] three rows, and light [was] <n>There were as many and like proportion on the one side as the other, and at every end even three in a row one above another.</n> against light [in] three ranks.


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And all the doores, and the side postes with the windowes were foure square, and windowe was ouer against windowe in three rankes.


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And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof [was] fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch [was] before <n>Before the pillars of the house.</n> them: and the [other] pillars and the thick beam [were] before them.


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Then he made a porch <n>For his house which was at Jerusalem.</n> for the throne where he might judge, [even] the porch of judgment: and [it was] covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other.


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And in his house, where he dwelt, was an other hall more inwarde then the porche which was of the same worke. Also Salomon made an house for Pharaohs daughter ( whom he had taken to wife) like vnto this porche.


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All these [were of] costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto <n>Which were rests and stays for the beams to lie on.</n> the coping, and [so] on the outside toward the great court.


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And the foundation was of costly stones, and great stones, euen of stones of ten cubites, and stones of eight cubites.


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And <n>From the foundation upward.</n> above [were] costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones, and cedars.


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And the great court round about [was] with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams, <n>As the Lord's house was built so was this, only the great court of Solomon's house was uncovered.</n> both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.


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He [was] a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father [was] a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and <n>Thus when God will have his glory set forth, he raises up men, and gives them excellent gifts for the accomplishment of the same, (Exo_31:2-3).</n> he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.


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For he cast two pillars of brasse: ye height of a pillar was eighteene cubites, and a threede of twelue cubites did compasse either of ye pillars.


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And he made two chapiters of molten brasse to set on the tops of the pillars: the height of one of the chapiters was fiue cubites, and the height of the other chapiter was fiue cubites.


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He made grates like networke, and wrethen worke like chaynes for the chapiters that were on the top of the pillars, euen seuen for the one chapiter, and seuen for the other chapiter.


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So he made the pillars and two rowes of pomegranates round about in the one grate to couer the chapiters that were vpon the top; thus did he for the other chapiter.


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And the chapiters that [were] upon the top of the pillars [were] of <n>As was seen commonly wrought in costly porches.</n> lily work in the porch, four cubits.


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And the chapiters vpon the two pillars had also aboue, ouer against the belly within the networke pomegranates: for two hudreth pomegranates were in the two rankes about vpon either of the chapiters.


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And he set up the pillars in the <n>Which was in the inner court between the temple and the oracle.</n> porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof <n>That is, he will stablish, that is, his promise toward this house.</n> Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof <n>That is, in strength: meaning the power of it will continue.</n> Boaz.


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And vpon the top of the pillars was worke of lilyes: so was the workemanship of the pillars finished.


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And he made a molten <n>So called for the size of the vessel.</n> sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: [it was] round all about, and his height [was] five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.


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And vnder the brimme of it were knoppes like wilde cucumers compassing it round about, ten in one cubite, compassing the sea round about: and the two rowes of knoppes were cast, when it was molten.


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It stoode on twelue bulles, three looking towarde the North, and three toward the West, and three toward the South, and three towarde the East: and the sea stoode aboue vpon them, and all their hinder partes were inward.


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And it [was] an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand <n>Bath and ephah seem to be one measure, (Eze_45:11) a bath contains about 5 gallons.</n> baths.


text:
And he made tenne bases of brasse, one base was foure cubites long, and foure cubites broad, and three cubites hie.


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And the worke of the bases was on this maner, They had borders, and the borders were betweene the ledges:


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And on the borders that were betweene the ledges, were lyons, bulles and Cherubims: and vpon the ledges there was a base aboue: and beneath the lyons and bulles, were addicions made of thinne worke.


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And euery base had foure brasen wheeles, and plates of brasse: and the foure corners had vndersetters: vnder the caldron were vndersetters molten at the side of euery addicion.


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And the <n>The mouth of the great base or frame entered into the chapiter, or pillar that bore up the cauldron.</n> mouth of it within the chapiter and above [was] a cubit: but the mouth thereof [was] round [after] the work of the base, a cubit and an half: and also upon the mouth of it [were] gravings with their borders, foursquare, not round.


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And vnder the borders were foure wheeles, and the axeltrees of the wheeles ioyned to the base: and the height of a wheele was a cubite and halfe a cubite.


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And the facion of the wheeles was like the facion of a charet wheele, their axeltrees, and their naues and their felloes, and their spokes were all molten.


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And foure vndersetters were vpon the foure corners of one base: and the vndersetters thereof were of the base it selfe.


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And in the top of the base [was there] a round <n>Which was called the pillar, chapiter or small base, in which the cauldron stood.</n> compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders thereof [were] of the same.


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And vpon the tables of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof he did graue Cherubims, lions and palmetrees, on the side of euery one, and addicions round about.


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Then made he <n>To keep waters for the use of the sacrifices.</n> ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: [and] every laver was four cubits: [and] upon every one of the ten bases one laver.


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And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the <n>That is, of the temple or sanctuary.</n> house eastward over against the south.


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And Hiram made caldrons, and besomes, &amp; basens, &amp; Hiram finished all the worke that he made to King Salomon for the house of ye Lord:


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To wit, two pillars and two bowles of the chapiters that were on the toppe of the two pillars, and two grates to couer the two bowles of the chapiters which were vpon the toppe of the pillars,


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And foure hundreth pomegranates for the two grates, euen two rowes of pomegranates for euery grate to couer the two bowles of the chapiters, that were vpon the pillars,


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And the pots, and the shovels, and the basons: and all these vessels, which <n>By this name also Hiram the king of Tyrus was called.</n> Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, [were of] bright brass.


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And Salomon left to weigh all the vessels because of the exceeding aboundance, neyther could the weight of the brasse be counted.


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And Solomon made all the vessels that [pertained] unto the house of the LORD: the <n>This was done according to the form that the Lord prescribed to Moses in Exodus.</n> altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread [was],


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And the candlestickes, fiue at the right side, and fiue at the left, before the oracle of pure gold, and the flowres, and the lampes, and the snuffers of golde,


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And the bowls, <n>Some take this for some musical instrument.</n> and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers [of] pure gold; and the hinges [of] gold, [both] for the doors of the inner house, the most holy [place, and] for the doors of the house, [to wit], of the temple.


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So was finished all the worke that King Salomon made for the house of the Lorde, and Salomon brought in the things which Dauid his father had dedicated: the siluer and the golde and the vessels, and layed them among the treasures of the house of the Lord.


text:
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might <n>For David brought it from Obed-edom, and placed it in the tabernacle which he made for it in (2Sa_6:17).</n> bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which [is] Zion.


text:
And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month <n>Containing part of September and part of October, in which they held three solemn feasts, (Num_29:1).</n> Ethanim, which [is] the seventh month.


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They bare the Arke of the Lorde, and they bare the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tabernacle: those did the Priestes and Leuites bring vp.


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And King Salomon and all the Congregation of Israel, that were assembled vnto him, were with him before the Arke, offering sheepe and beeues, which could not be tolde, nor nombred for multitude.


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And the <n>That is, the Kohathites, (Num_4:5).</n> priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy [place, even] under the wings of the cherubims.


text:
For ye Cherubims stretched out their wings ouer the place of the Arke, and the Cherubims couered the Arke, and the barres thereof aboue.


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And they <n>They drew them out only far enough to be seen, for they could not pull them out completely, (Exo_25:15).</n> drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy [place] before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.


text:
[There was] nothing in the ark <n>For it is likely that the enemy when they had the ark in their hands took away the rod of Aaron and the pot of manna.</n> save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made [a covenant] with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.


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So that the Priestes could not stande to minister, because of the cloude: for the glorie of the Lorde had filled the house of the Lorde.


text:
I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for <n>He spoke according to the tenor of God's promise which was on the condition that they served him correctly.</n> ever.


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And the King turned his face, and blessed all the Congregation of Israel: for all the Congregation of Israel stoode there.


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And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spake with his mouth vnto Dauid my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,


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Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no citie of all the tribes of Israel, to builde an house that my name might be there: but I haue chosen Dauid to be ouer my people Israel.


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And it was in ye heart of Dauid my father to builde an house to the Name of the Lorde God of Israel.


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And the Lord said vnto Dauid my father, Where as it was in thine heart to build an house vnto my Name, thou diddest well, that thou wast so minded:


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Neuerthelesse thou shalt not builde the house, but thy sonne that shall come out of thy loynes, he shall builde the house vnto my Name.


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And the Lorde hath made good his worde that he spake: and I am risen vp in the roume of Dauid my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and haue built the house for the Name of the Lord God of Israel.


text:
And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein [is] the <n>The two tables in which the articles of the covenant were written.</n> covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.


text:
Then Salomon stoode before the altar of the Lorde in the sight of all the Congregation of Israel, and stretched out his handes towarde heauen,


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And he said, LORD God of Israel, [there is] no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with <n>Truthfully and without hypocrisy.</n> all their heart:


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Thou that hast kept with thy seruant Dauid my father, that thou hast promised him: for thou spakest with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thine hande, as appeareth this day.


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Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keepe with thy seruant Dauid my father that thou hast promised him, saying, Thou shalt not want a man in my sight to sit vpon ye throne of Israel: so that thy childre take heed to their way, that they walke before me; as thou hast walked in my sight


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And nowe, O God of Israel, I pray thee, let thy worde be verified, which thou spakest vnto thy seruant Dauid my father.


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<n>He is ravished with the admiration of God's mercies, who being incomprehensible and Lord over all will become familiar with men.</n>But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?


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But haue thou respect vnto the prayer of thy seruant, and to his supplication, O Lorde, my God, to heare the cry and prayer which thy seruant prayeth before thee this day:


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That thine eyes may be open toward this house, night and day, euen towarde the place whereof thou hast said, My Name shalbe there: that thou mayest hearken vnto the prayer which thy seruant prayeth in this place.


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Heare thou therefore the supplication of thy seruant, and of thy people Israel, which pray in this place, &amp; heare thou in the place of thine habitation, euen in heauen, and when thou hearest, haue mercie.


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If any man trespass against his neighbour, <n>That is, the judge or neighbours.</n> and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:


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Then hear thou in heaven, and <n>That is, make it known.</n> do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.


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When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and <n>Acknowledge your just judgment and praise you.</n> confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:


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Then heare thou in heauen, and be mercifull vnto the sinne of thy people Israel, and bring them againe vnto the lande, which thou gauest vnto their fathers.


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When heaven is <n>So that there is a drought to destroy the fruit of the land.</n> shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:


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Then heare thou in heauen, and pardon the sinne of thy seruants and of thy people Israel (when thou hast taught the the good way wherein they may walke) and giue raine vpon the land that thou hast giuen to thy people to inherite.


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When there shalbe famine in the land, when there shalbe pestilence, when there shall be blasting, mildewe, grashopper or caterpiller, when their enemie shall besiege them in the cities of their lande, or any plague, or any sickenesse,


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What prayer and supplication soever be [made] by any man, [or] by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own <n>For such are most suitable to receive God's mercies.</n> heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:


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Heare thou then in heauen, in thy dwelling place, and be mercifull, and doe, and giue euery man according to all his wayes, as thou knowest his heart, (for thou only knowest the heartes of all the children of men)


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Moreover concerning a <n>He means such as should be turned from their idolatry to serve the true God.</n> stranger, that [is] not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake;


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(When they shal heare of thy great name, and of thy mightie hande, and of thy stretched out arme) and shall come and pray in this house,


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Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as [do] thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy <n>That this is the true religion with which you will be worshipped.</n> name.


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When thy people shall go out to battell against their enemie by the way that thou shalt sende them, and shall pray vnto the Lorde towarde the way of the citie which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I haue built for thy Name,


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If they sinne against thee, ( for there is no man that sinneth not) and thou be angry with them, and deliuer them vnto the enemies, so that they cary them away prisoners vnto the land of the enemies, either farre or neere,


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[Yet] if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee <n>Though the temple was the chief place of prayer, yet he does not exclude them who being forced by necessity to call upon him in other places.</n> in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;


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And [so] return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward <n>As Daniel did in (Dan_6:10).</n> their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:


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Then heare thou their prayer and their supplication in heauen thy dwelling place, and iudge their cause,


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And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may <n>He understood by faith, that God of enemies would make friends with them who converted to him.</n> have compassion on them:


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For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out of Egypt from the middes of the yron fornace.


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Let thine eyes be open vnto the prayer of thy seruant, and vnto the prayer of thy people Israel, to hearken vnto them, in all that they call for vnto thee.


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For thou diddest separate them to thee from among all people of the earth for an inheritance, as thou saidest by the hand of Moses thy seruant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.


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And it was [so], that when Solomon had made an <n>Solomon is a figure of Christ, who continually is the mediator between God and his Church.</n> end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.


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Blessed be the Lorde that hath giuen rest vnto his people Israel, according to all that hee promised: there hath not fayled one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his seruant.


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That he may <n>He concludes that man of himself is enemy to God, and that all obedience to his law proceeds from his mercy.</n> incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.


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And these my wordes, which I haue prayed before the Lorde, be neere vnto the Lorde our God day and night, that he defende the cause of his seruant, and the cause of his people Israel alway as the matter requireth,


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Let your heart therefore be perfit with the Lorde our God to walke in his statutes, and to keepe his commandements, as this day.


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And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the <n>Before the oracle where the ark was.</n> house of the LORD.


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The same day did the King halowe the middle of the court, that was before the house of the Lorde: for there he made burnt offerings, and the meate offrings, and the fat of the peace offeringes, because the brasen altar that was before the Lorde, was too litle to receiue the burnt offerings, and the meate offerings, and the fat of the peace offrings.


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And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of <n>That is, from North to South: meaning all the country.</n> Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, <n>Seven days for the dedication, and seven for the feast.</n> seven days and seven days, [even] fourteen days.


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And the eight day he sent the people away: and they thanked the King and went vnto their tentes ioyous and with glad heart, because of al the goodnesse that the Lord had done for Dauid his seruant, and for Israel his people.


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When Salomon had finished the building of the house of ye Lorde, &amp; the kings palace, &amp; all that Salomon desired and minded to do,


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And the Lord sayd vnto him, I haue heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I haue halowed this house (which thou hast built) to put my Name there for euer, and mine eyes, and mine heart shall be there perpetually.


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And <n>If you walk in my fear, and withdraw yourself from the common manner of men, who follow their sensualities.</n> if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, [and] wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:


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Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdome vpon Israel for euer, as I promised to Dauid thy father, saying, Thou shalt not wat a man vpon the throne of Israel.


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[But] if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will <n>God declares that disobedience against him, is the cause of his displeasure, and so of all misery.</n> not keep my commandments [and] my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:


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Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a <n>The world will make a mockery of you for the vile contempt and abusing of God's most liberal benefit.</n> proverb and a byword among all people:


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Euen this hie house shall bee so: euery one that passeth by it, shalbe astonied, and shall hisse, and they shal say, Why hath the Lord done thus vnto this land and to this house?


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And they shall answere, Because they forsooke the Lorde their God, which brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and haue taken holde vpon other gods, &amp; haue worshipped them, and serued them, therfore hath the Lord brought vpon them all this euill.


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And at the ende of twentie yeeres, when Salomon had buylded the two houses, the house of the Lord, and the Kings palace,


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(For the which Hiram the King of Tyrus had brought to Salomon timber of cedar, and firre trees, and golde, and whatsoeuer he desired) then King Salomon gaue to Hiram twentie cities in the land of Galil.


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And Hiram came out from Tyrus to see the cities which Salomon had giuen him, &amp; they pleased him not.


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Therefore hee sayde, What cities are these which thou hast giuen me, my brother? And hee called them the land of Cabul vnto this day.


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And Hiram sent to the king <n>For his tribute toward the building.</n> sixscore <n>The common talent was about 60 pound weight.</n> talents of gold.


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And this [is] the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and <n>Millo was as the town house or place of assembly which was open above.</n> Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.


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Pharaoh King of Egypt had come vp, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slew the Canaanites, that dwelt in the citie, and gaue it for a present vnto his daughter Salomons wife.


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And all the cities <n>Cities for his ammunition.</n> of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.


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[And] all the people [that were] <n>These were as bondmen and paid what was required, either labour or money.</n> left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which [were] not of the children of Israel,


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To wit, their children that were left after them in the lande, whome the children of Israel were not able to destroy, those did Salomo make tributaries vnto this day.


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But of the children of Israel did Salomon make no bondmen: but they were men of warre and his seruants, and his princes, &amp; his captaines, and rulers of his charets and his horsemen.


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These [were] the chief of the officers that [were] over Solomon's work, <n>The overseers of Solomon's works were divided into three parts: the first contained 3300, the second 300, and the third 250 who were Israelites. Here are the two last parts, which make 550. See (2Ch_8:10).</n> five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.


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And Pharaohs daughter came vp from the citie of Dauid vnto the house which Salomon had built for her: then did he buylde Millo.


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And thrise a yere did Salomon offer burnt offringes and peace offrings vpon the altar which he built vnto the Lord: and hee burnt incense vpon the altar that was before the Lorde, when hee had finished the house.


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Also King Salomon made a nauie of ships in Ezeon-geber, which is beside Eloth, and the brinke of the red Sea, in the land of Edom.


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And Hiram sent with the nauie his seruats, that were mariners, and had knowledge of the sea, with the seruants of Salomon.


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And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, <n>In (2Ch_8:18), 30 more are mentioned who seem to have been employed for their wages.</n> four hundred and twenty talents, and brought [it] to king Solomon.


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And when the queen of <n>Josephus says that she was Queen of Ethiopia, and that Sheba was the name of the chief city of Meroe, which is an island of the Nile.</n> Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.


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And she came to Ierusalem with a verie great traine, and camels that bare sweete odours, and golde exceeding much, and precious stones: and shee came to Salomon, &amp; communed with him of all that was in her heart.


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And Salomon declared vnto her all her questions: nothing was hid from the King, which he expounded not vnto her.


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And the <n>That is, the whole order, and trade of his house.</n> meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.


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And shee sayde vnto the King, It was a true worde that I heard in mine owne lande of thy sayings, and of thy wisedome.


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Howebeit I beleeued not this report till I came, &amp; had seene it with mine eyes: but lo, ye one halfe was not tolde mee: for thou hast more wisedome &amp; prosperitie, then I haue heard by report.


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Happy [are] thy men, happy [are] these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, [and] that hear thy <n>But much more happy are they, who hear the wisdom of God revealed in his word.</n> wisdom.


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Blessed be the LORD thy God, which <n>It is a chief sign of God's favour, when godly and wise rulers fit in the throne of justice.</n> delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do <n>This is the reason kings are appointed.</n> judgment and justice.


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And she gaue the King sixe score talents of golde, and of sweete odours exceeding much, and precious stones. There came no more such aboudance of sweete odours, as the Queene of Sheba gaue to King Salomon.


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The nauie also of Hiram (that caried gold from Ophir) brought likewise great plentie of Almuggim trees from Ophir &amp; precious stones.


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And the King made of ye Almuggim trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for ye Kings palace, and made harpes and psalteries for singers. There came no more such Almuggim trees, nor were any more seene vnto this day.


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And King Salomo gaue vnto the Queene of Sheba, whatsoeuer she would aske, besides that, which Salomon gaue her of his kingly liberalitie: so she returned and went to her owne countrey, both shee, and her seruantes.


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Also the weight of golde, that came to Salomon in one yeere, was sixe hundreth three score and six talents of gold,


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Beside [that he had] of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the <n>That is, Arabia, which for the great abundance of all things was called Happy.</n> country.


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And King Salomon made two hundreth targets of beaten golde, sixe hundreth shekels of gold went to a target:


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And three hundreth shieldes of beaten golde, three pound of gold went to one shielde: and the King put them in the house of the wood of Lebanon.


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The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne [was] round behind: and [there were] <n>As the chair bows, or places to lean upon.</n> stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.


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And there stoode twelue lions on the sixe steps on either side: there was not the like made in any kingdome.


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And all King Salomons drinking vessels were of golde, and all the vessels of the house of the woode of Lebanon were of pure golde, none were of siluer: for it was nothing esteemed in the dayes of Salomon.


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For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of <n>By Tharshish is meant Cilicia, which was abundant in the variety of precious things.</n> Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.


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And they brought euery man his present, vessels of siluer, and vessels of golde, and raiment, and armour, and sweete odours, horses &amp; mules, from yeere to yeere.


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Then Salomon gathered together charrets and horsemen: and he had a thousand and foure hundreth charets, and twelue thousande horsemen, whome hee placed in the charet cities, and with the King at Ierusalem.


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And the King gaue siluer in Ierusalem as stones, and gaue cedars as the wilde figtrees that growe abundantly in the plaine.


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Also Salomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and fine linen: the Kings marchants receiued the linen for a price.


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There came vp &amp; went out of Egypt some charet, worth sixe hundreth shekels of siluer: that is, one horse, an hundreth and fiftie and thus they brought horses to all the Kings of the Hittites and to the Kings of Aram by their meanes.


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But king Solomon loved many <n>Who were idolaters.</n> strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, [and] Hittites;


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Of the nations, whereof the Lord had sayd vnto the children of Israel, Goe not ye in to them, nor let them come in to you: for surely they will turne your hearts after their gods, to them, I say, did Salomon ioyne in loue.


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And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred <n>To whom belonged no dowry.</n> concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.


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For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [that] his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not <n>He did not serve God with a pure heart.</n> perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father.


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For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after <n>Who was also called Molech in (1Ki_11:7). See also (2Ki_23:10).</n> Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.


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So Salomon wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord, but continued not to followe the Lord, as did Dauid his father.


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Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the <n>Thus the scripture calls whatever man reveres and serves as God.</n> abomination of Moab, in the hill that [is] before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.


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Therefore the Lord was angry with Salomon, because hee had turned his heart from the Lorde God of Israel, which had appeared vnto him twise,


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And had giuen him a charge concerning this thing, that he should not follow other gods: but he kept not that, which the Lorde had commaunded him.


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Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as <n>That you have forsaken me and worshipped idols.</n> this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.


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Notwithstanding in thy dayes I will not doe it, because of Dauid thy father, but I will rent it out of the hand of thy sonne:


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Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; [but] will give one <n>Because the tribes of Judah and Benjamin had their possessions mixed, they are here taken as one tribe.</n> tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.


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And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he [was] of the king's <n>Of the king of Edom's stock.</n> seed in Edom.


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For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the <n>Of the Edomites.</n> slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;


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(For six moneths did Ioab remaine there, and all Israel, till he had destroyed all the males in Edom)


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That Hadad <n>Thus God reserved this idolater as scourge to punish his people's sins.</n> fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad [being] yet a little child.


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And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran, and tooke men with them out of Paran, and came to Egypt vnto Pharaoh King of Egypt, which gaue him an house, and appointed him vitailes, and gaue him lande.


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And Hadad <n>God brought him honour, that his power might be more able to compass his enterprises against Solomon's house.</n> found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.


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And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his sonne, whome Tahpenes wayned in Pharaohs house: and Genubath was in Pharaohs house among the sonnes of Pharaoh.


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And when Hadad heard in Egypt, that Dauid slept with his fathers, and that Ioab the captaine of the hoste was dead, Hadad sayde to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may goe to mine owne countrey.


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But Pharaoh saide vnto him, What hast thou lacked with me, that thou wouldest thus go to thine owne countrey? And he answered, Nothing, but in any wise let me goe.


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And God stirred him up [another] adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which <n>When David had defeated Hadadezer and his army.</n> fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:


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And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them [of Zobah]: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, <n>That is, the men whom he had gathered to him.</n> and reigned in Damascus.


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Therefore was he an aduersarie to Israel all the daies of Salomon: besides the euil that Hadad did, he also abhorred Israel, &amp; reigned ouer Aram


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And Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat an Ephrathite of Zereda Salomons seruant (whose mother was called Zeruah a widowe) lift vp his hand against the King.


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And this was the cause that he lift vp his hande against the King, When Salomon built Millo, he repared the broken places of the citie of Dauid his father.


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And the man Jeroboam [was] a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him <n>He was overseer of Solomon's works for the tribe of Ephraim and Manasseh.</n> ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.


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And at that time, when Ieroboam went out of Ierusalem, the Prophet Ahiiah the Shilonite founde him in the way, hauing a newe garment on him, and they two were alone in ye field.


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And Ahijah caught the new garment that [was] on him, and <n>By these visible signs the prophets would more deeply print their message into the hearts of those to whom they were sent.</n> rent it [in] twelve pieces:


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And said to Ieroboam, Take vnto thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lorde God of Israel, Beholde, I wil rent the kingdome out of ye hands of Salomon, and will giue ten tribes to thee.


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But he shall haue one tribe for my seruant Dauids sake, and for Ierusalem the citie, which I haue chosen out of all the tribes of Israel,


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Because they haue forsaken me, and haue worshipped Ashtaroth the god of the Zidonians, and Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and haue not walked in my wayes (to do right in mine eyes, &amp; my statutes, &amp; my lawes) as did Dauid his father.


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But I will not take the whole kingdome out of his hande: for I will make him prince all his life long for Dauid my seruants sake, whome I haue chosen, and who kept my commandements and my statutes.


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But I will take the kingdome out of his sonnes hand, and will giue it vnto thee, euen the ten tribes.


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And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a <n>He refers to the Messiah, who would be the bright star that would shine through all the world.</n> light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.


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And I wil take thee, and thou shalt reigne, euen as thine heart desireth, and shalt be King ouer Israel.


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And if thou hearken vnto all that I commande thee, and wilt walke in my wayes, and doe right in my sight, to keepe my statutes and my commandements, as Dauid my seruant did, then will I be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built vnto Dauid, and wil giue Israel vnto thee.


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And I will <n>For this idolatry that Solomon has committed.</n> for this afflict the seed of David, <n>For the whole spiritual kingdom was restored in the Messiah.</n> but not for ever.


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Salomon sought therefore to kill Ieroboam, and Ieroboam arose, and fled into Egypt vnto Shishak King of Egypt, and was in Egypt vntil the death of Salomon.


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And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, [are] they not written in the <n>Which it is thought was lost in their captivity.</n> book of the acts of Solomon?


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And Salomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the citie of Dauid his father: and Rehoboam his sonne reigned in his steade.


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And whe Ieroboam ye sonne of Nebat heard of it (who was yet in Egypt, whither Ieroboam had fled from king Salomon, &amp; dwelt in Egypt)


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Then they sent and called him: and Ieroboam and all the Congregation of Israel came, and spake vnto Rehoboam, saying,


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Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, <n>Do not oppress us with such high taxes, which we are not able to pay.</n> lighter, and we will serve thee.


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And King Rehoboam tooke counsell with the olde men that had stande before Salomon his father, while he yet liued, and sayde, What counsell giue ye, that I may make an answere to this people?


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And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a <n>They showed him that there was no way to win the people's hearts but to grant them their just petition.</n> servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.


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But he forsooke the counsell that the olde men had giuen him, and asked counsell of the yong men that had bene brought vp with him, and waited on him.


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And he said unto them, <n>There is nothing harder for them that are in authority than to control their desires and follow good counsel.</n> What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?


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And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou [it] lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little [finger] shall be <n>I am much more able to keep you in subjection than my father was.</n> thicker than my father's loins.


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Now where as my father did burden you with a grieuous yoke, I will yet make your yoke heauier: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.


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So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had <n>The people declare their obedience in this that they attempted nothing before the king gave them just opportunity.</n> appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.


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And spake to them after the counsell of the yong men, saying, My father made your yoke grieuous, and I will make your yoke more grieuous: my father hath chastised you with rods, but I will correct you with scourges.


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And the King hearkened not vnto the people: for it was the ordinance of the Lorde, that he might perfourme his saying, which the Lorde had spoken by Ahiiah the Shilonite vnto Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat.


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So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in <n>Though their cause was good, yet it was hard for the people to control their desires, as these vile words declare.</n> David? neither [have we] inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.


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Nowe the King Rehoboam sent Adoram the receiuer of the tribute, and all Israel stoned him to death: then King Rehoboam made speede to get him vp to his charet, to flee to Ierusalem.


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So Israel rebelled against the house <n>By the just judgment of God for Solomon's sins.</n> of David unto this day.


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And when all Israel had heard that Ieroboam was come againe, they sent and called him vnto the assemblie, and made him King ouer all Israel: none followed the house of Dauid, but the tribe of Iudah onely.


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And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he <n>For as yet he did not realize that the Lord had so appointed it.</n> assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.


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Speake vnto Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon King of Iudah, and vnto all the house of Iudah and Beniamin, and the remnant of the people, saying,


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Thus saith the <n>Who of his just judgment will punish the trespasser, and of his mercy spare the innocent people.</n> LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.


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Then Ieroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein, and went fro thence, and built Penuel.


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If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD <n>He feared least his people should have by this means been enticed to rebel against him.</n> at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, [even] unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.


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Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves [of] gold, and said unto them, <n>So crafty are carnal persuasions of princes, when they will make a religion serve their appetite.</n> It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.


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And he made an <n>That is, a temple, where altars were built for idolatry.</n> house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.


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And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the <n>Because he would bind the people's devotion to his idolatry even more, he made a new holy day, besides those that the Lord had appointed in the law.</n> fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that [is] in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.


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And he offered vpon the altar, which he had made in Beth-el, the fifteenth day of the eight moneth, (euen in the moneth which he had forged of his owne heart) and made a solemne feast vnto the children of Israel: and he went vp to the altar, to burne incense.


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And, behold, there came <n>That is, a prophet.</n> a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto <n>Not that that was called Luz in Benjamin, but another of that name.</n> Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.


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And he cryed against the altar by the comandement of the Lorde, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord, Beholde, a child shalbe borne vnto the house of Dauid, Iosiah by name, and vpon thee shall he sacrifice the Priestes of the hie places that burne incense vpon thee, and they shall burne mens bones vpon thee.


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And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This [is] the <n>By this sign you will know that the Lord has sent me.</n> sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that [are] upon it shall be poured out.


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And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, <n>The wicked rage against the prophets of God, when they declare God's judgment to them.</n> Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.


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The altar also claue asunder, and the ashes fell out from the altar, according to the signe, which the man of God had giuen by the commandement of the Lord.


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And the king answered and said unto the man of God, <n>Though the wicked humble themselves for a time when they feel God's judgment, they return to their old malice and declare that they are but vile hypocrites.</n> Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as [it was] before.


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Then the King sayde vnto the man of God, Come home with mee, that thou mayest dyne, and I will giue thee a reward.


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But the man of God saide vnto the King, If thou wouldest giue me halfe thine house, I would not goe in with thee, neither woulde I eate bread nor drinke water in this place.


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For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, <n>Seeing he had the express word of God, he should not have declined from it, neither for the persuasion of man nor angel.</n> Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.


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And an olde Prophet dwelt in Beth-el, and his sonnes came and tolde him all ye woorkes, that the man of God had done that day in Beth-el, and the wordes which he had spoken vnto the King, tolde they their father.


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And their father sayde vnto them, What way went he? and his sonnes shewed him what waye the man of God went, which came from Iudah.


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And went after the man of God, &amp; found him sitting vnder an oke: and he saide vnto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Iudah? And he sayd, Yea.


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Then he said unto him, <n>This he did of a simple mind, thinking it his duty to declare friendship to a prophet.</n> Come home with me, and eat bread.


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But he answered, I may not returne with thee, nor go in with thee, neither wil I eate bread nor drinke water with thee in this place.


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For it was charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Thou shalt eate no bread, nor drinke water there, nor turne againe to goe by the way that thou wentest.


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He said unto him, I [am] a prophet also as thou [art]; and an <n>His fault is here double, first in that he did not permit the prophet to obey God's express commandment, and next that he pretended to have a revelation to the contrary.</n> angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. [But] he lied unto him.


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And as they sate at the table, the worde of the Lorde came vnto the Prophet, that brought him againe.


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And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, <n>God would reprove his folly by him who caused him to err.</n> Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,


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But camest backe againe, and hast eaten bread and drunke water in the place (whereof he did say vnto thee, Thou shalt eate no bread nor drinke any water) thy carkeis shall not come vnto the sepulchre of thy fathers.


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And when he had eaten bread &amp; drunke, he sadled him the asse, to wit, to the Prophet whome he had brought againe.


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And when he was gone, <n>By this fearful example, God sets forth how dangerous it is for men to behave coldly, or deceitfully in the charge to which God has called them.</n> a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.


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And beholde, men that passed by, sawe the carkeis cast in the way, and the lion standing by the corps: and they came and tolde it in ye towne where the olde Prophet dwelt.


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And when the Prophet that brought him backe againe from the waye, hearde thereof, hee sayde, It is the man of God, who hath bene disobedient vnto the commandement of the Lorde: therefore the Lorde hath deliuered him vnto the lion, which hath rent him and slayne him, according to the worde of the Lorde, which hee spake vnto him.


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And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had <n>To declare that this was only the judgment of God: for if the lion had done it for hunger, he would also have devoured the body.</n> not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass.


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And the Prophet tooke vp the body of the man of God, &amp; layed it vpon the asse, &amp; brought it againe, and the olde Prophet came to the citie, to lament and burie him.


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And he laid his carcase in his <n>Which he had prepared for himself.</n> own grave; and they mourned over him, [saying], Alas, my brother!


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And when he had buried him, hee spake to his sonnes, saying, When I am dead, burie ye mee also in the sepulchre, wherein the man of God is buried: lay my bones beside his bones.


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For that thing which he cried by the word of the Lorde against the altar that is in Beth-el, and against all the houses of the hie places, which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to passe.


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After this thing Jeroboam <n>So the wicked do not profit by God's threatenings, but go backward and become worse and worse, (2Ti_3:13).</n> returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became [one] of the priests of the high places.


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And this thing turned to sinne vnto the house of Ieroboam, euen to roote it out, and destroy it from the face of the earth.


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And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, <n>His own conscience bore witness to him that the prophet of God would not satisfy his desires, who was a wicked man.</n> and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there [is] Ahijah the prophet, which told me that [I should be] king over this people.


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And take with <n>According to the custom when they went to ask counsel of prophets, (1Sa_9:7).</n> thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.


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And Ieroboams wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahiiah: but Ahiiah could not see, for his sight was decayed for his age.


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And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he [is] sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself [to be] <n>Than the wife of Jeroboam.</n> another [woman].


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And it was [so], when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou <n>For God often discloses to his own the craft and subtilty of the wicked.</n> wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself [to be] another? for I [am] sent to thee [with] heavy [tidings].


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Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted <n>Who was but a servant.</n> thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,


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And haue rent the kingdome away from the house of Dauid, and haue giuen it thee, and thou hast not bene as my seruant Dauid, which kept my commaundements, and followed mee with all his heart, and did onely that which was right in mine eyes,


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But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and <n>That is, two calves.</n> molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:


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Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that <n>Every male even to the dogs, (1Sa_25:22).</n> pisseth against the wall, [and] him that <n>As well him that is in the stronghold, as him that is abroad.</n> is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.


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Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: <n>They will lack the honour of burial in token of God's curse.</n> for the LORD hath spoken [it].


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Vp therefore and get thee to thine house: for when thy feete enter into the citie, the childe shall die.


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And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found <n>In the midst of the wicked, God has some on whom he bestows his mercies.</n> [some] good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.


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Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: <n>The Lord will begin to destroy it out of hand.</n> but what? even now.


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For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the <n>Meaning the Euphrates.</n> river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.


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And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who <n>The people will not be excused when they do evil at the commandment of their governors.</n> made Israel to sin.


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And Ieroboams wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah, and when shee came to the threshold of the house, the yong man dyed,


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And they buried him, and all Israel lamented him; according to the word of the Lord, which hee spake by the hand of his seruant Ahiiah the Prophet.


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And the rest of Ieroboams actes, how hee warred, and howe hee reigned, beholde, they are written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.


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And the days which Jeroboam reigned [were] two and twenty years: and he <n>The Lord smote him and he died, (2Ch_13:20).</n> slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.


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And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam [was] forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen <n>And died about four years before Jeroboam.</n> years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name [was] Naamah an Ammonitess.


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And Iudah wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde: and they prouoked him more with their sinnes, which they had committed, then all that which their fathers had done.


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For they also made them hie places, and images, and groues on euery hie hill, and vnder euery greene tree.


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And there were also sodomites in the <n>Where idolatry reigns, all horrible vices are committed, till at length God's just judgment destroys them completely.</n> land: [and] they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.


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And tooke the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the Kings house, and tooke away all: also he caried away all the shields of golde which Salomon had made.


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And King Rehoboam made for them brasen shieldes, and committed them vnto ye hands of the chiefe of the garde, which wayted at the doore of the Kings house.


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And when the King went into the house of the Lorde, the garde bare them, and brought them againe into the gard chamber.


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Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, [are] they not written in <n>Which were called the books of Shemaiah and Iddo the prophets, (2Ch_12:15).</n> the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?


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And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam <n>That is, all the days of Rehoboam's life.</n> all [their] days.


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And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name [was] Naamah an <n>Whose idolatry Rehoboam her son followed.</n> Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.


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Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Maachah, the daughter of <n>Some think that this was Absalom Solomon's son.</n> Abishalom.


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And hee walked in all the sinnes of his father, which hee had done before him: and his heart was not perfit with the Lord his God as the heart of Dauid his father.


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Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a <n>Meaning, a son to reign over Judah.</n> lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:


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Because Dauid did that which was right in the sight of the Lorde, and turned from nothing that he commanded him, all the dayes of his life, saue onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite.


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The rest also of the actes of Abiiam, and all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah? There was also warre betweene Abiiam, and Ieroboam.


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And Abiiam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the citie of Dauid: and Asa his sonne reigned in his steade.


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And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his <n>That is, his grandmother, as David is often called the father of those who are his grandchildren.</n> mother's name [was] Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.


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And he tooke away the Sodomites out of the lande, and put away all the idoles that his fathers had made.


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And also Maachah his mother, even her he <n>Neither kindred nor authority should be regarded when they blaspheme God and become idolaters, but must be punished.</n> removed from [being] queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt [it] by the brook Kidron.


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But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was <n>Though he permitted them to worship God in other places than he had appointed it came from ignorance, and not from malice.</n> perfect with the LORD all his days.


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Also he brought in the holy vessels of his father, &amp; the things that he had dedicated vnto ye house of the Lord, siluer, and golde, and vessels.


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And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built <n>For the same reason that Jeroboam did, because the people should not go up to Jerusalem, least they follow Asa.</n> Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.


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Then Asa tooke all the siluer and the gold that was left in the treasures of the house of the Lord, &amp; the treasures of the kings house, and deliuered them into the handes of his seruantes, and King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the sonne of Tabrimon, the sonne of Hezion king of Aram that dwelt at Damascus, saying,


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[There is] a league between me and thee, [and] between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may <n>And vex me no longer.</n> depart from me.


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So Ben-hadad hearkened vnto King Asa, and sent the captaines of the hosts, which he had, against the cities of Israel, and smote lion, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maachah, &amp; all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.


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Then king Asa assembled al Iudah, none excepted; they tooke the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had buylt, &amp; King Asa built with them Geba of Beniamin and Mizpah.


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The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his <n>He had gout and put his trust physicians rather than in the Lord, (2Ch_16:12).</n> feet.


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And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his <n>His great-grandfather.</n> father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.


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And Nadab the sonne of Ieroboam began to reigne ouer Israel the second yere of Asa King of Iudah, and reigned ouer Israel two yeere.


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And he did euill in the sight of the Lorde, walking in the way of his father, and in his sinne wherewith he made Israel to sinne.


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And Baasha the sonne of Ahijah of ye house of Issachar conspired against him, and Baasha slue him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistims: for Nadab and all Israel layde siege to Gibbethon.


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And it came to pass, when he reigned, [that] he <n>So God stirred up one tyrant to punish the wickedness of another.</n> smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:


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Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his <n>By causing the people to commit idolatry with his calves, and so provoking God to anger.</n> provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.


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And the residue of the actes of Nadab, &amp; all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?


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In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in <n>Which was the place where the kings of Israel remained.</n> Tirzah, twenty and four years.


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And he did euill in the sight of the Lorde, walking in the way of Ieroboam, &amp; in his sinne, wherewith he made Israel to sinne.


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<n>Thus spoke Jehu to Baasha in the Name of the Lord.</n>Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;


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Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make <n>Meaning, the house of Baasha.</n> thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


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He that dyeth of Baashas stocke in the citie, him shal the dogs eate: and that man of him which dyeth in the fieldes, shall the foules of the ayre eate.


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And the rest of the actes of Baasha &amp; what he did, &amp; his power, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?


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So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buryed in Tirzah, and Elah his sonne reigned in his steade.


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And also <n>That is, the prophet did his message.</n> by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed <n>Meaning, Nadab Jeroboam's son.</n> him.


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In the sixe and twentie yeere of Asa king of Iudah began Elah ye sonne of Baasha to reigne ouer Israel in Tirzah, and reigned two yeere.


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And his servant Zimri, captain of half [his] chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, <n>The Chaldee text has this, «Drinking till he was drunk in the temple of Arza the idol by his house in Tirzah».</n> drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of [his] house in Tirzah.


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And Zimri came and smote him &amp; killed him, in the seuen and twentie yeere of Asa king of Iudah, and reigned in his stead.


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And when he was King, and sate on his throne, he slew al the house of Baasha, not leauing thereof one to pisse against a wall, neither of his kinsfolkes nor of his friendes.


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Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the <n>Both Hanani his father and he were prophets.</n> prophet,


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For all the sinnes of Baasha, and sinnes of Elah his sonne, which they sinned &amp; made Israel to sinne, and prouoked the Lorde God of Israel with their vanities.


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And the rest of the actes of Elah, &amp; all that he did, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?


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In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people [were] encamped <n>The siege had continued from the time of Nadab Jeroboam's son.</n> against Gibbethon, which [belonged] to the Philistines.


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And the people of the hoste heard saye, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slayne the King. Wherefore all Israel made Omri the captaine of the hoste, king ouer Israel that same day, euen in the hoste.


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And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged <n>Where Zimri holed up.</n> Tirzah.


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And when Zimri saw, that the citie was taken, he went into the palace of the Kings house, and burnt himselfe, and the Kings house with fire, and so dyed,


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For his sinnes which hee sinned, in doing that which is euil in the sight of the Lord, in walking in the way of Ieroboam, and in his sinnes which he did, causing Israel to sinne.


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And the rest of the actes of Zimri, and his treason that hee wrought, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kinges of Israel?


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Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: <n>That is, the people who were not at the siege of Gibbethon: for there they had chosen Omri.</n> half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.


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But the people that folowed Omri, preuayled against the people that followed Tibni the sonne of Ginath: so Tibni dyed, &amp; Omri reigned.


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In the one and thirtie yeere of Asa King of Iudah bega Omri to reigne ouer Israel, &amp; reigned twelue yeere. Sixe yeere reigned he in Tirzah.


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And he bought the mountaine Samaria of one Shemer for two talents of siluer, &amp; buylt in the mountaine, &amp; called the name of the citie, which he buylt, after the name of Shemer lord of the mountaine, Samaria.


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But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did <n>For such is the nature of idolatry, that the superstition of it daily increases, and the older it is, the more abominable it is before God and his Church.</n> worse than all that [were] before him.


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For he walked in all the way of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, &amp; in his sinnes wherewith he made Israel to sinne in prouoking the Lord God of Israel with their vanities.


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And the rest of the actes of Omri, that hee did, and his strength that he shewed, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?


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So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in <n>He was the first king that was buried in Samaria, after that the kings house was burnt in Tirzah.</n> Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.


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Nowe Ahab the sonne of Omri began to reigne ouer Israel, in the eyght &amp; thirtie yeere of Asa king of Iudah: and Ahab the sonne of Omri reigned ouer Israel in Samaria two &amp; twety yere.


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And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took <n>By whose influence he fell into wicked and strange idolatry and cruel persecution.</n> to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.


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And Ahab made a groue, &amp; Ahab proceeded, &amp; did prouoke the Lord God of Israel more then all the kings of Israel that were before him.


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In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build <n>See (Jos_6:26).</n> Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest [son] Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.


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And Elijah the Tishbite, [who was] of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, [As] the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I <n>That is, whom I serve.</n> stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but <n>But as I will declare it by God's revelation.</n> according to my word.


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Go hence, and turne thee Eastwarde, and hide thy selfe in the riuer Cherith, that is ouer against Iorden,


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And it shall be, [that] thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the <n>To strengthen his faith against persecution, God promises to feed him miraculously.</n> ravens to feed thee there.


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So he went &amp; did according vnto the word of the Lord: for he went, and remained by the riuer Cherith that is ouer against Iorden.


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And the rauens brought him bread &amp; flesh in the morning, and bread &amp; flesh in the euening, and he dranke of the riuer.


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And the <n>As the troubles of the saints of God are many, so his mercy is always at hand to deliver them.</n> word of the LORD came unto him, saying,


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Vp, &amp; get thee to Zarephath, which is in Zidon, and remaine there: beholde, I haue commanded a widow there to sustaine thee.


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So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman [was] there <n>All this was to strengthen the faith of Elijah, to the intent that he would look for nothing worldly, but only trust God's providence.</n> gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.


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And as she was going to fet it, he called to her, and sayde, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsell of bread in thine hand.


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And she said, [As] the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I [am] gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and <n>For there is no hope of any more sustenance.</n> die.


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And Eliiah said vnto her, Feare not, come, do as thou hast sayd, but make me thereof a litle cake first of all, and bring it vnto mee, and afterward make for thee, and thy sonne.


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For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, <n>God receives no benefit for the use of his own, but he promises an ample recompence for them.</n> The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day [that] the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.


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And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat <n>That is, till he had rain and food on the earth.</n> [many] days.


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The barrell of the meale wasted not, nor the oyle was spent out of the cruse, according to the worde of the Lorde, which he spake by the hand of Eliiah.


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And it came to pass after these things, [that] the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no <n>God would test whether she had learned by his merciful providence to make him her only stay and comfort.</n> breath left in him.


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And she said vnto Eliiah, What haue I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come vnto me to call my sinne to remembrance, and to slay my sonne?


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And he said vnto her, Giue me thy sonne; he tooke him out of her bosome, and caryed him vp into a chamber, where he abode, and laid him vpon his owne bed.


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And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also <n>He was afraid lest God's name be blasphemed and his ministry contemned, unless he continued his mercies as he had begun them, especially while he remained there.</n> brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?


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And he stretched himselfe vpon the childe three times, and called vnto the Lord, and saide, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this childes soule come into him againe.


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Then the Lord heard the voyce of Eliiah, and the soule of the child came into him againe, and he reuiued.


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And Eliiah tooke the childe, and brought him downe out of the chamber into the house, and deliuered him vnto his mother, and Eliiah sayd, Behold, thy sonne liueth.


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And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this <n>It is hard to depend on God, unless we are confirmed by miracles.</n> I know that thou [art] a man of God, [and] that the word of the LORD in thy mouth [is] truth.


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And it came to pass [after] many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the <n>After that he departed from the river Cherith.</n> third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.


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And Ahab called Obadiah, which [was] the governor of [his] house. (Now Obadiah <n>God had begun to work his fear in his heart, but had not yet brought him to the knowledge which is also required of the godly: that is, to profess his Name openly.</n> feared the LORD greatly:


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For when Iezebel destroyed the Prophets of the Lorde, Obadiah tooke an hundreth Prophets, and hid them, by fiftie in a caue, and he fed them with bread and water.)


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And Ahab saide vnto Obadiah, Goe into the land, vnto all the fountaines of water, and vnto all the riuers, if so be that we may finde grasse to saue the horses and the mules aliue, lest we depriue the lande of the beastes.


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And so they deuided the lande betweene them to walke thorowe it. Ahab went one way by him selfe, and Obadiah went another way by him selfe.


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And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah <n>God often pities the wicked for the sake of the godly, and causes Elijah to meet with Obadiah, that the blessing might be known to be granted for the sake of God's children.</n> met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, [Art] thou that my lord Elijah?


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And he said, What haue I sinned, that thou wouldest deliuer thy seruant into the hande of Ahab, to slay me?


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As the Lorde thy God liueth, there is no nation or kingdome, whither my lorde hath not sent to seeke thee: and when they sayd, He is not here, he tooke an othe of the kingdome and nation, if they had not found thee.


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And it shall come to pass, [as soon as] I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and [so] when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant <n>I am not of the wicked persecutors that you should procure to me such displeasure, but serve God and favour his children.</n> fear the LORD from my youth.


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Was it not tolde my lord, what I did when Iezebel slew the Prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundreth men of the Lordes Prophets by fifties in a caue, and fed them with bread &amp; water?


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And Elijah said, [As] the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew <n>By my presence I will declare that you have told him the truth.</n> myself unto him to day.


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And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but <n>The true ministers of God should not only not permit falsehoods, but should boldly reprove the wicked slanderers without respect of persons.</n> thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.


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Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel vnto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal foure hundreth and fiftie, and the prophets of the groues foure hundreth, which eate at Iezebels table.


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And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long <n>Be consistent in religion and do not be indifferent, whether you follow God or Baal, or whether you serve God wholly or in part, (Zep_1:5).</n> halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word.


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Then said Eliiah vnto the people, I onely remayne a Prophet of the Lorde: but Baals prophets are foure hundreth and fiftie men.


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Let them therefore giue vs two bullockes, and let them chuse the one, &amp; cut him in pieces, and lay him on the wood, but put no fire vnder, and I will prepare the other bullocke, and lay him on the wood, and will put no fire vnder.


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And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth <n>By sending down fire from heaven to burn the sacrifice.</n> by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.


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And Eliiah said vnto the prophets of Baal, Chuse you a bullocke, and prepare him first, (for ye are many) and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire vnder.


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And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed [it], and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered. And they <n>As men possessed by some strange spirit.</n> leaped upon the altar which was made.


