# verses

text:
Asher did not dispossess the inhabitants of Acco or the inhabitants of Sidon and Ahlab and Achzib and Helbah and Aphik and Rehob;


text:
But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites who inhabited the land, for they did not dispossess them.


text:
Naphtali did not dispossess the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh or the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but they dwelt among the Canaanites who inhabited the land. Yet the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.


text:
And the Amorites pushed the children of Dan into the hill country, for they would not allow them to come down into the valley.


text:
And the Amorites persisted in dwelling in Har-heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim; but the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed so that they became forced labor.


text:
Then the Angel of Jehovah went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And He said, I caused you to go up out from Egypt, and I brought you into the land that I swore to your fathers. And I said, I will never break My covenant with you,


text:
And you shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you did not listen to My voice. What is this that you have done?


text:
Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they will be like thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.


text:
And when the Angel of Jehovah had spoken these words to all the children of Israel, the people lifted up their voice and wept.


text:
Now when Joshua sent the people away, each of the children of Israel went to his own inheritance to possess the land.


text:
And the people served Jehovah throughout all the days of Joshua and throughout all the days of the elders whose days extended after Joshua's and who saw all the great work of Jehovah that He had done for Israel.


text:
And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance, in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.


text:
And all that generation as well were gathered to their fathers; and another generation, who did not know Jehovah or the work that He had done for Israel, rose up after them.


text:
And they forsook Jehovah, the God of their fathers, who brought them out from the land of Egypt; and they followed after other gods from among the gods of the peoples who surrounded them; and they worshipped them and provoked Jehovah to anger.


text:
Then the anger of Jehovah burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of plunderers; and they plundered them. And He sold them into the hand of their enemies around them, and they were no longer able to stand before their enemies.


text:
Whenever they went out, the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, as Jehovah had spoken and as Jehovah had sworn to them; and they were greatly distressed.


text:
Yet they did not listen to their judges either, but they went about as harlots after other gods and worshipped them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, the way of obeying the commandments of Jehovah; this they did not do


text:
And when Jehovah raised up judges for them, Jehovah was with the judge, and He saved them from the hand of their enemies throughout all the days of the judge; for Jehovah would be moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and cru


text:
But when the judge died, they turned and acted more corruptly than their fathers by following after other gods in order to serve them and worship them; they did not cease from any of their practices or from their stubborn way.


text:
And the anger of Jehovah burned against Israel; and He said, Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and they do not listen to My voice,


text:
I for My part will no longer dispossess from before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died,


text:
In order to test Israel through them as to whether or not they will keep the way of Jehovah by walking in it, as their fathers kept it.


text:
So Jehovah left these nations, not dispossessing them quickly, and did not deliver them into the hand of Joshua.


text:
And these are the nations that Jehovah left in order that through them He might test Israel (that is, all who had not known all the battles of Canaan),


text:
But only so that the generations of the children of Israel might learn to know war, at least those who had not previously known the battles:


text:
The five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who dwelt on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath.


text:
And they were for the testing of Israel, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Jehovah, which He commanded their fathers through Moses.


text:
And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.


text:
And they took their daughters as their wives and gave their own daughters to their sons, and they served their gods.


text:
And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and they forgot Jehovah their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.


text:
Therefore the anger of Jehovah burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim the king of Mesopotamia. And the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.


text:
Then the children of Israel cried out to Jehovah, and Jehovah raised up a savior for the children of Israel, who saved them, that is, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.


text:
And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to battle, and Jehovah delivered Cushan-rishathaim the king of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.


text:
Then the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah. And Jehovah strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel because they did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.


text:
And he gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself and went and struck Israel, and they took possession of the city of palms.


text:
Then the children of Israel cried out to Jehovah, and Jehovah raised up a savior for them, that is, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. Now the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon the king of Moab by him.


text:
And Ehud made himself a dagger that had two edges, a cubit long. And he strapped it to his right thigh under his clothes.


text:
But he himself returned from the sculptured idols at Gilgal and said, I have a secret message for you, O king. And he said, Hush. And all those who attended to him went out from him.


text:
And when Ehud came to him, he was sitting alone in his cool upper room. And Ehud said, I have a message from God for you. And he rose up from his seat.


text:
And Ehud put his left hand into his garment and took the dagger from his right thigh, and he drove it into his belly.


text:
And the hilt also went in, after the blade; and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger from his belly. And he went out into the courtyard.


text:
Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and he closed the doors of the upper room on Eglon and locked them.


text:
And when he had gone out, Eglon's servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, He must be relieving himself in the cool chamber.


text:
And they waited until they were ashamed, but still he was not opening the doors of the upper room. Then they took the key and opened them. And there was their lord, fallen to the ground dead.


text:
And when he arrived, he blew the horn in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came down with him from the hill country, and he was before them.


text:
And he said to them, Follow closely after me, for Jehovah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites; and they let no man cross over.


text:
And they struck about ten thousand Moabites at that time, all stout and all valiant men; and no man escaped.


text:
And after him there was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred Philistines with an ox goad; and he also saved Israel.


text:
And Jehovah sold them into the hand of Jabin the king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. And the captain of his army was Sisera, who dwelt at Harosheth- hagoyim.


text:
And the children of Israel cried out to Jehovah, for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the children of Israel severely twenty years.


text:
And she would sit under the palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim. And the children of Israel went up to her for judgment.


text:
And she sent word and called to Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh- naphtali and said to him, Jehovah the God of Israel, has indeed commanded:Go and deploy your forces on Mount Tabor; and take with you ten thousand men from the children of Naphtali and


text:
And I will draw out Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his throng, toward you at the river Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand.


text:
And Barak said to her, If you will go with me, I will go; but if you do not go with me, I will not go.


text:
And she said, I will surely go with you. However there will be no glory for you on the journey you are taking, for Jehovah will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah rose up and went with Barak to Kedesh.


text:
And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him.


text:
Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses. And he pitched his tent at the terebinth in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.


text:
And Sisera called all his chariots - nine hundred iron chariots - and all the people who were with him from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon.


text:
And Deborah said to Barak, Rise up, for this is the day when Jehovah will deliver Sisera into your hand. Jehovah has indeed gone out before you. So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men after him.


text:
And Jehovah threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into confusion with the edge of the sword before Barak, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.


text:
But Barak pursued after the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim. And all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left.


text:
Meanwhile, Sisera had fled on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there had been peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.


text:
And Jael went out to meet Sisera; and she said to him, Turn here, my lord; turn here to me; do not be afraid. So he turned to her into her tent, and she covered him with a rug.


text:
And he said to her, Give me please a little water to drink, for I am thirsty. And she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink; then she covered him.


text:
And he said to her, Stand at the entrance of the tent; and if anyone comes and asks you, saying, Is there a man here? you shall say, No.


text:
Then Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg and put a hammer in her hand and went quietly to him. And she drove the peg into his temple, and it pierced through to the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. And he died.


text:
And Barak was at that moment pursuing Sisera when Jael came out to meet him. And she said to him, Come, and I will show you the man you are seeking. And he went with her; and there was Sisera, fallen dead with the peg in his temple.


text:
And the hand of the children of Israel became heavier and heavier upon Jabin the king of Canaan until they destroyed Jabin the king of Canaan.


text:
That the leaders took the lead in Israel, That the people have willingly offered themselves, Bless Jehovah.


text:
Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes! I will sing; I, to Jehovah. I will sing praise to Jehovah The God of Israel.


text:
O Jehovah, when You went forth from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth trembled, the heavens also dripped, Indeed the clouds dripped water.


text:
The mountains quaked at the presence of Jehovah, Sinai there, at the presence of Jehovah the God of Israel.


text:
In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, In the days of Jael, the highways were not used; And travelers went On the roundabout paths.


text:
The villages ceased to act; They ceased in Israel; Until I, Deborah, rose up; Until I rose up as a mother in Israel.


text:
They chose new gods; Then there was war in their gates. Was a shield or a spear seen Among forty thousand in Israel?


text:
My heart is with the commanders of Israel, Those who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah!


text:
Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, You who sit on rich carpets, And you who go upon the way.


text:
Louder than the voice of those who distribute water among the watering places, There they recount the righteous deeds of Jehovah, His righteous acts toward His villages in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.


text:
Awake! Awake, Deborah! Awake! Awake, speak forth a song! Arise, Barak; And lead captive your captives, son of Abinoam.


text:
From Ephraim, those who took root in Amalek; Following you, Benjamin, with your peoples; From Machir commanders came down, And from Zebulun those who wielded the staff of him who marshals.


text:
And the princes in Issachar were with Deborah; And Issachar was true to Barak; Into the valley they were sent behind him. Among the divisions of Reuben There were great resolutions in heart.


text:
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds Listening to the pipings for the flocks? In the divisions of Reuben There were great searchings of heart.


text:
Gilead stayed across the Jordan. And as for Dan, why did he remain with the ships? Asher sat at the shore of the sea And stayed at his landings.


text:
Zebulun was a people that despised their own lives even unto death; And Naphtali, on the heights of the field.


text:
The kings came; they fought. At that time the kings of Canaan fought In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; They took no gain of silver.


text:
The river Kishon swept them away, The ancient river, the river Kishon. March on, O my soul, with strength!


text:
Curse Meroz, says the Angel of Jehovah; Bitterly curse its inhabitants. For they did not come to the aid of Jehovah, To the aid of Jehovah against the mighty.


text:
Blessed among women shall Jael be, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Blessed among the women in the tent shall she be.


text:
She put her hand to the tent peg, And her right hand to the workman's hammer; Then she struck Sisera; she smashed his head; Indeed she shattered and pierced his temples.


text:
At her feet he bowed; he fell; he lay down. At her feet he bowed; he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell, destroyed.


text:
Through the window one looks forth and cries shrilly; The mother of Sisera, through the lattice:Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the tracks of his chariots delay?


text:
Have they not found and divided the spoil? A girl, two girls, to each mighty man. The spoil of dyed garments to Sisera, The spoil of embroidered, dyed garments; A dyed embroidery, two embroideries, For the neck of the spoiler.


text:
May all Your enemies so perish, O Jehovah. But may those who love Him be like the sun When it rises in its might. And the land had rest forty years.


text:
Then the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years.


text:
And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the children of Israel made for themselves the dens which are in the mountains as well as the caves and the strongholds.


text:
And whenever Israel sowed its seed, Midian rose up with Amalek and the children of the east, and went up against them.


text:
And they encamped against them and destroyed the produce of the land until you come to Gaza, and they left no sustenance in Israel, or sheep or ox or donkey.


text:
For they went up with their cattle and their tents and came in like a locust swarm in number; both they and their camels were without number. And they came into the land to destroy it.


text:
And Israel was greatly impoverished because of Midian. And the children of Israel cried out to Jehovah.


text:
Jehovah sent a man who was a prophet to the children of Israel. And he said to them, Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, It was I who brought you up out of Egypt and brought you out from the slave house;


text:
And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you. And I drove them out before you and gave you their land.


text:
And I said to you, I am Jehovah your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you did not listen to My voice.


text:
And the Angel of Jehovah came and sat under the terebinth that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while Gideon his son was beating out the wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites.


text:
And Gideon said to Him, Please, my lord, if Jehovah is with us, then why has all this happened to us? And where are all His wondrous deeds that our fathers recount to us, saying, Did not Jehovah bring us up out of Egypt? But now Jehovah has abandoned us a


text:
Then Jehovah turned to him and said, Go in this strength of yours, and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Indeed I have sent you.


text:
And he said to Him, Please, Lord, by what way can I save Israel? My clan here is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.


text:
And he said to him, If now I have found favor in Your sight, perform a sign for me that it is You who are speaking with me.


text:
Do not depart from here until I come to you and bring my present and set it before you. And He said, I will remain until you return.


text:
So Gideon went and prepared a kid and an ephah of flour in unleavened cakes. He put the flesh in a basket and put the broth in a pot, and he brought it out to Him under the terebinth. And he presented it.


text:
And the Angel of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock; and pour out the broth. And he did so.


text:
And the Angel of Jehovah put forth the end of the staff that was in His hand and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And fire came up from the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the Angel of Jehovah went from his sight.


text:
And Gideon saw that He was the Angel of Jehovah. And Gideon said, Alas, O Lord Jehovah! For I have seen the Angel of Jehovah face to face.


text:
Then Gideon built an altar there to Jehovah, and he called it Jehovah-shalom. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


text:
And that night Jehovah said to him, Take your father's bull, that is, the second bull, seven years old; and tear down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it.


text:
And build an altar to Jehovah your God upon the top of this stronghold in the ordered manner. Then take that second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you will cut down.


text:
So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as Jehovah had told him. But because he was too afraid of his father's house and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it at night.


text:
And when the men of the city rose up early in the morning, there was the altar of Baal, broken down; and the Asherah beside it was cut down. And the second bull had been offered upon the altar that had been built.


text:
And they said to one another, Who has done this thing? And after they inquired and sought about, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.


text:
Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.


text:
And Joash said to all who stood against him, Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him will be put to death while it is still morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself; for his altar has been broken down.


text:
Therefore on that day he named Gideon Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, for he has broken down his altar.


text:
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east gathered together, and they crossed over and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.


text:
And the Spirit of Jehovah clothed Gideon; and he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called up behind him.


text:
And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they were also called up behind him. And he sent messengers throughout Asher and Zebulun and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.


text:
I am laying here a fleece of wool on the threshing floor:If there is dew on the fleece alone and it is dry on all the ground, I will know that You will save Israel through my hand, as You have said.


text:
And so it happened. When he rose up early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung dew from the fleece, a bowlful of water.


text:
Then Gideon said to God, May Your anger not burn against me, but allow me to speak only this one time. Allow me to make this test with the fleece only this one time. Let it be dry on the fleece only, and let there be dew on all the ground.


text:
And God did so that night, so that it was dry on the fleece only and there was dew on all the ground.


text:
Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was to their north, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.


text:
And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people with you are too many for Me to deliver Midian into their hand; Israel might vaunt himself against Me, saying, My own hand has saved me.


text:
Now then proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, Whoever is afraid and trembling should return and depart from here. And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.


text:
Then Jehovah said to Gideon, The people are still too many. Bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. And he of whom I say to you, This one shall go with you, he shall go with you. And every one of whom I say to you, This one shall


text:
So he brought the people down to the water. And Jehovah said to Gideon, Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart; likewise everyone who bows down on his knees to drink.


text:
And the number of those who lapped the water into their mouth with their hand was three hundred men, but the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water.


text:
And Jehovah said to Gideon, Through the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and I will deliver Midian into your hand. But let all the other people go, each to his own place.


text:
Then the people took provisions in their hand and their trumpets; and he sent all the men of Israel away, each to his own tent, but retained the three hundred men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.


text:
And that night Jehovah said to him, Arise; go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.


text:
And you will hear what they are saying. Then afterward your hands will be strengthened so that you can go down against the camp. So he went down with Purah his young man to the edge of the battle array that was in the camp.


text:
Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay in the valley like a locust swarm in multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand on the seashore is in multitude.


text:
And when Gideon came, at that moment a man was recounting a dream to his companion; and he said, I have just had a dream. There was this round loaf of barley bread tumbling through the camp of Midian. And it came to the tent and struck it, so that it fell


text:
And his companion answered and said, This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. God has delivered Midian and all the camp into his hand.


text:
And when Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he worshipped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, Arise, for Jehovah has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.


text:
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies; and he put trumpets into the hands of them all, as well as empty pitchers, with torches inside the pitchers.


text:
And he said to them, Look at me, and do as I do. Right when I come to the edge of the camp, you shall do just as I do.


text:
When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, you also blow the trumpets around all the camp and say, For Jehovah and for Gideon!


text:
So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch. They had just then posted the watch. And they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.


text:
And the three companies blew the trumpets and shattered the pitchers; and they held the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets were in their right hands to blow. And they cried out, A sword for Jehovah and for Gideon!


text:
And each man stood in his place around the camp. Then the whole camp ran off, and they shouted and fled.


text:
And they blew the three hundred trumpets, and Jehovah set each man's sword against his companion and against the whole camp. And the camp fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.


text:
And the men of Israel were called up from Naphtali and from Asher and from all of Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian.


text:
Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, Come down against Midian, and seize the waters against them as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. And every man of Ephraim was called up, and they seized the waters as far as B


text:
And they captured two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And they slew Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the wine press of Zeeb; and they pursued Midian. And they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.


text:
Then the men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you done this thing to us, that you did not call us when you went to battle against Midian? And they contended with him sharply.


text:
And he said to them, What have I done now to compare with you? Are not the gleanings of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?


text:
It was into your hand that God gave the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their hostile spirit toward him subsided when he said this word.


text:
Then Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the three hundred men with him, weary yet pursuing.


text:
And he said to the men of Succoth, Please give us loaves of bread for the people behind me, for they are weary and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.


text:
But the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your hand now, that we should give bread to your army?


text:
And Gideon said, Because of this, when Jehovah does deliver Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will trample your flesh on the thorns of the wilderness and the briers.


text:
Then he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.


text:
And he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I return in peace, I will break down this tower.


text:
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their camps were with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of the entire camp of the children of the east; for there had fallen one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword.


text:
And Gideon went up by way of the tent dwellers, east of Nobah and Jogbehah; and he struck the camp when the camp was off guard.


text:
And Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued after them. And he captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and threw all the camp into confusion.


text:
He captured a young man from among the men of Succoth and questioned him. And he wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy- seven men.


text:
Then he came to the men of Succoth and said, Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your hand now, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?


text:
And he took the elders of the city and the thorns of the wilderness and the briers, and with them he trampled the men of Succoth.


text:
Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What were the men whom you slew in Tabor like? And they said, As you are, so were they. Each one was like the children of a king in form.


text:
And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Jehovah lives, if you had kept them alive, I would not slay you.


text:
And he said to Jether his firstborn, Rise up; slay them. But the youth would not draw his sword, because he was fearful; for he was still a youth.


text:
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, You rise up, and fall on us; for there is as much strength as there is man. And Gideon rose up and slew Zebah and Zalmunna. And he took the crescents that were on their camels' necks.


text:
And the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson as well; for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.


text:
But Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. Jehovah will rule over you.


text:
And Gideon said to them, Let me make a request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil. ( The Midianites had golden earrings, for they were Ishmaelites.)


text:
And they said, We will willingly give it. And they spread out a garment, and each of them threw an earring from his spoil there.


text:
And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold. This was besides the crescents and the pendants and the purple garments that were upon the kings of Midian and besides the chains that were on their ca


text:
And Gideon made an ephod with it and placed it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel went as harlots to it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his house.


text:
So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.


text:
And Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and he was buried in the tomb of Joash his father in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


text:
And as soon as Gideon died, the children of Israel turned again and went as harlots after the Baals. And they made Baal-berith their god.


text:
And the children of Israel did not remember Jehovah their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies all around;


text:
Nor did they show mercy to the house of Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, for all the good he had done to Israel.


text:
Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers; and he spoke to them and to all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,


text:
Speak now in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, What is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, rule over you, or that one man rule over you? Now remember that I am your bone and your flesh.


text:
And his mother's brothers spoke of him in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem with all these words; and their heart inclined toward Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.


text:
And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith. And with it Abimelech hired worthless and wanton men, and they followed after him.


text:
And he went to his father's house in Ophrah and slew his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone; but Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left, for he hid himself.


text:
Then all the lords of Shechem and all the house of Millo gathered, and they went and made Abimelech king at the terebinth of the pillar that was in Shechem.


text:
And when Jotham was told, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice and called out and said to them, Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you.


text:
The trees once went forth to anoint a king over themselves. And they said to the olive tree, Reign over us.


text:
But the olive tree said to them, Shall I leave my fatness, because of which God and men are honored by me, and go to wave over the trees?


text:
But the fig tree said to them, Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?


text:
But the vine said to them, Shall I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave over the trees?


text:
And the bramble said to the trees, If you are truly anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge under my shade; but if not, may fire come forth from the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon!


text:
Now therefore if you have dealt truly and with integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt in a good way toward Jerubbaal and toward his house, and if you have dealt with him as his hands have deserved -


text:
But you have risen up today against the house of my father and have slain his sons, seventy men, on one stone; and you have made Abimelech the son of his female servant king over the lords of Shechem, for he is your brother.)


text:
Now if you have dealt truly and with integrity toward Jerubbaal and toward his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you.


text:
But if not, may fire come forth from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo, and may fire come forth from the lords of Shechem and the house of Millo and devour Abimelech!


text:
And Jotham ran off and fled, and he came to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother.


text:
And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem, and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,


text:
So that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be avenged and so that their blood might be put upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brothers.


text:
And the lords of Shechem set men in ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed everyone who passed by them on the way; and Abimelech was told.


text:
And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem, and the lords of Shechem put their trust in him.


text:
And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them, and had a festival. And they went to the house of their god and ate and drank, and they cursed Abimelech.


text:
And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem; but why should we serve this man?


text:
But oh that this people were put in my hand, then I would remove Abimelech. And he said of Abimelech, Increase your army and come out!


text:
And he sent messengers to Abimelech in Tormah, saying, Gaal the son Ebed and his brothers have now come to Shechem, and now they are stirring up the city against you.


text:
And in the morning, as soon as the sun rises, you shall rise up early and rush on the city. And right when he and the people with him come out against you, you shall do with him as you find occasion.


text:
And Abimelech and all the people with him rose up at night and waited in ambush against Shechem in four companies.


text:
And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. And Abimelech and the people with him rose up from the ambush.


text:
And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. But Zebul said to him, You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as though they were men.


text:
And Gaal spoke again and said, Look, people are coming down from the height of the land, and one company is coming by the way of the terebinth of Meonenim.


text:
Then Zebul said to him, Where is your boast now, that you said, Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people that you despised? Go out now, and fight them.


text:
And Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled from before him. And many wounded fell, up to the entrance of the gate.


text:
And Abimelech dwelt in Arumah. And Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they could not dwell in Shechem.


text:
And he took his people and divided them into three companies, and he waited in ambush in the field. And he looked, and there were the people coming out of the city. And he rose up against them and struck them.


text:
And Abimelech and the companies that were with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, and two companies rushed upon all those who were in the field and struck them.


text:
And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. And he took the city, and the people who were in it he slew; and he tore down the city and sowed it with salt.


text:
And when the lords of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they went to the stronghold of the house of El-berith.


text:
And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a tree limb. And he lifted it up and put it on his shoulder, and he said to the people who were with him, What you see me doi


text:
So all the people also cut down each a limb. And they followed after Abimelech and set the limbs against the stronghold. And they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.


text:
But there was a strong tower in the middle of the city; and all the men and women and all the lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up to the roof of the tower.


text:
And Abimelech came up to the tower and fought against it. And he came near the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.


text:
Then he called immediately to the young man who bore his armor and said to him, Draw your sword and kill me; otherwise they will say concerning me, A woman slew him. And his young man pierced him through, and he died.


text:
And God repaid the evil of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by slaying his seventy brothers.


text:
And God brought all the evil of the men of Shechem back upon their own heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came upon them.


text:
And after Abimelech Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, rose up to save Israel; and he dwelt in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.


text:
And he had thirty sons, who rode on thirty donkeys; and they had thirty cities (they are called Havvoth-jair to this day), which were in the land of Gilead.


text:
Then the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah. And they served the Baals and the Ashtaroth and the gods of Aram and the gods of Sidon and the gods of Moab and the gods of the children of Ammon and the gods of the Philis


text:
And the anger of Jehovah burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the children of Ammon.


text:
And they oppressed and crushed the children of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the children of Israel who were across the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.


text:
And the children of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight also against Judah and Benjamin and the house of Ephraim; and Israel was greatly distressed.


text:
Then the children of Israel cried out to Jehovah, saying, We have sinned against You, for we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.


text:
And Jehovah said to the children of Israel, Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from the children of Ammon and from the Philistines?


text:
And the Sidonians and Amalek and Maon oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I saved you from their hand.


text:
But the children of Israel said to Jehovah, We have sinned. You do with us according to all that is good in Your sight. Only deliver us this day, we pray.


text:
And they removed the foreign gods from their midst and served Jehovah. And His soul could no longer bear Israel's misery.


text:
Then the children of Ammon gathered together and encamped in Gilead, and the children of Israel assembled together and encamped in Mizpah.


text:
And the people, that is, the princes of Gilead, said each to his companion, Who is the man who will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.


text:
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor. And he was the son of a harlot, and Gilead had begotten Jephthah.


text:
And Gilead's wife bore him sons. And when the woman's sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, You shall not have an inheritance in the house of our father, for you are the son of some other woman.


text:
So Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of Tob. And worthless men collected around Jephthah, and they went out with him.


text:
And when the children of Ammon fought with Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob.


text:
And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Are you not the ones who hated me and drove me out from the house of my father? Why then do you come to me now that you are in distress?


text:
And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, This is the reason we have turned now to you, that you would come with us and fight against the children of Ammon and be for us the head of all the inhabitants of Gilead.


text:
And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, If you are bringing me back to fight against the children of Ammon and Jehovah delivers them up before me, will I be your head?


text:
And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Let Jehovah be a Witness between us:As you have spoken, so shall we surely do.


text:
So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words before Jehovah in Mizpah.


text:
And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What is there between me and you, that you have come to me to fight against my land?


text:
And the king of the children of Ammon said to Jephthah's messengers, Because Israel took my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as Jabbok and the Jordan. Now therefore restore it peacefully.


text:
And he said to him, Thus says Jephthah, Israel did not take the land of Moab nor the land of the children of Ammon.


text:
But when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh,


text:
Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, May we please pass through your land? But the king of Edom would not hear of it. And they also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he would not allow it. So Israel remained in Kadesh.


text:
And they went through the wilderness and went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab; and they went to the east of the land of Moab and encamped beyond the Arnon. Thus they did not go through the territory of Moab, for the Arnon is the border of Moa


text:
Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon the king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, May we please pass through your land to our place?


text:
But Sihon did not trust Israel to cross through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together and encamped in Jahaz; and he fought with Israel.


text:
And Jehovah the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them. And Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that land.


text:
And they took possession of all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon as far as Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.


text:
So now Jehovah the God of Israel has dispossessed the Amorites for the sake of His people Israel. Should you then dispossess them?


text:
Will you not take possession of that which Chemosh your god has dispossessed for you? Thus we will take possession of all that Jehovah our God dispossesses for our sake.


text:
And now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, the king of Moab? Did he ever strive with Israel, or did he ever fight against them?


text:
While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time?


text:
So I have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong in fighting against me. Jehovah the Judge will judge today between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.


text:
And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah. And he passed through Gilead and through Manasseh; and he passed on to Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed on to the children of Ammon.


text:
And Jephthah made a vow to Jehovah, and he said, If You will really deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,


text:
Whoever comes out through the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon will be Jehovah's, and I will offer him up as a burnt offering.


text:
And Jephthah passed on to the children of Ammon to fight against them, and Jehovah delivered them into his hand.


text:
And he struck them from Aroer until you come to Minnith, twenty cities, and to Abel-keramim, with a very great stroke. So the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.


text:
Then Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, and there came his daughter out to meet him, with timbrels and with dances. Now she was an only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.


text:
And when he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, Ah, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me. For I have opened my mouth to Jehovah, and I cannot retract it.


text:
And she said to him, My father, you have opened your mouth to Jehovah; do with me according to what has gone forth from your mouth, seeing that Jehovah has executed vengeance for you on your enemies, on the children of Ammon.


text:
And she said to her father, Let this thing be done for me:Let me be alone for two months that I may depart and descend upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions.


text:
And he said, Go; and he sent her away for two months. And she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.


text:
And at the end of two months she returned to her father, and he did with her according to the vow that he had vowed; and she had never known a man. And it became a custom in Israel


text:
That each year the daughters of Israel would go to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days in the year.


text:
Then the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and they crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, Why did you cross over to fight against the children of Ammon and not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you.


text:
And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were in great strife with the children of Ammon; but when I called out to you, you did not save me from their hand.


text:
So when I saw that there would be no help from you, I put my life in my own hand and crossed over to the children of Ammon; and Jehovah delivered them into my hand. So why have you come up against me this day to fight against me?


text:
And Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead together and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim because they said, You are fugitives from Ephraim, O Gilead, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh.


text:
And the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when a fugitive of Ephraim said, Let me cross over, the men of Gilead would say to him, Are you an Ephraimite? And if he said, No,


text:
They would say to him, Then say, Shibboleth. And he would say, Sibboleth; for he could not say it correctly. Then they would seize him and slay him at the fords of the Jordan. And at that time forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell.


text:
And Jephthah judged Israel six years. And Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.


text:
And he had thirty sons; and he sent out thirty daughters abroad and brought in thirty foreign daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.


text:
And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode upon seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.


text:
And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.


text:
Then the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.


text:
And there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had borne no children.


text:
And the Angel of Jehovah appeared to the woman and said to her, Now you are barren and have borne no children; but you will conceive and bear a son.


text:
For you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy will be a Nazarite to God from the womb; and he will begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.


text:
Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came to me; and His appearance was like the appearance of an angel of God, very awesome. And I did not ask Him where He was from, nor did He tell me His name;


text:
But He said to me, You shall conceive and bear a son. And now do not drink wine or strong drink, nor eat anything unclean; for the boy will be a Nazarite to God from the womb until the day of his death.


text:
Then Manoah entreated Jehovah and said, Oh, Lord! Let the man of God, whom You sent, come again to us, I pray; and let Him teach us what we should do with the boy that is to be born.


text:
And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the Angel of God came again to the woman while she was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her.


text:
And the woman hurried and ran off; and she told her husband and said to him, The man who came to me that day has just appeared to me.


text:
And Manoah rose up and followed his wife and came to the man. And he said to Him, Are You the man who spoke to this woman? And He said, I am.


text:
And Manoah said, Now when Your words come to pass, what rule shall the boy follow, and what shall he do?


text:
She is not to eat of anything that comes forth from the grapevine, nor is she to drink wine or strong drink, nor is she to eat anything unclean; she shall observe all that I commanded her.


text:
And Manoah said to the Angel of Jehovah, Let us detain You, we pray, that we may prepare a kid for You.


text:
And the Angel of Jehovah said to Manoah, If you detain Me, I will not eat your food; but if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it up to Jehovah. For Manoah did not know that He was the Angel of Jehovah.


text:
Then Manoah said to the Angel of Jehovah, What is Your name, so that when Your words come to pass, we may honor You?


text:
And Manoah took the kid with the meal offering and offered it up upon the rock to Jehovah; and He acted wondrously, while Manoah and his wife looked on.


text:
And when the flame went up from the altar to heaven, the Angel of Jehovah went up in the flame of the altar, while Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground.


text:
And the Angel of Jehovah did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. Then Manoah knew that He was the Angel of Jehovah.


text:
But his wife said to him, If Jehovah had been pleased to kill us, He would not have taken a burnt offering and a meal offering from our hand, nor would He have shown us all these things or let us hear a thing like this at this time.


text:
And the woman bore a son, and she called his name Samson. And the boy grew up, and Jehovah blessed him.


text:
And he went up and told his father and mother and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as a wife.


text:
But his father and mother said to him, Is there no woman among the daughters of your brothers or among all my people, that you must go and get a woman of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she pleases me.


text:
But his father and mother did not know this was of Jehovah, for He was looking for an opportunity against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.


text:
So Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah. And as they came to the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion roared against him.


text:
And the Spirit of Jehovah rushed upon him, and he tore it apart as one might tear a kid apart with his bare hands. And he did not tell his father and mother what he had done.


text:
Then after some time, while he was returning to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And there it was, with a swarm of bees in the lion's body, and honey.


text:
And he scraped it out into his hands and went away, eating it as he went. And he came to his father and mother and gave them some, and they ate it; but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the body of the lion.


text:
And his father went down to the woman; and Samson held a feast there, for so the young men used to do.


text:
And Samson said to them, Let me now put forth a riddle to you. If you fully explain it to me within the seven days of the feast and find it out, I will give you thirty fine linen garments and thirty changes of clothing;


text:
But if you cannot explain it to me, you shall give me thirty fine linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. And they said to him, Put forth your riddle, let us hear it.


text:
And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, And out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not explain the riddle after three days.


text:
Then on the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us; otherwise we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us here in order to impoverish us? Is it not so?


text:
So Samson's wife wept before him and said, You only hate me, and you do not love me:You have put forth a riddle to the children of my people, but you have not explained it to me. And he said to her, Look, I have not explained it to my own father and moth


text:
And she wept before him the rest of the seven days that they had the feast. But on the seventh day he explained it to her, for she pressed him. Then she explained the riddle to the children of her people.


text:
And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before sunset, What is sweeter than honey, And what is stronger than a lion? And he said to them, If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have found out my riddle.


text:
Then the Spirit of Jehovah rushed upon him; and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men among them; and he took their clothing and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his fathe


text:
Then after some time, during the days of the wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a kid. And he said, Let me go into the chamber to my wife; but her father would not allow him to go in.


text:
And her father said, I surely thought that you utterly hated her, so I gave her to your best man. Is not her younger sister better than she? Let her be yours instead of her.


text:
Then Samson said to them, This time I will be blameless with regard to the Philistines when I do them harm.


text:
And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes; and he took torches and turned the foxes tail to tail and put one torch in between every two tails.


text:
Then he set the torches on fire and sent the foxes into the Philistines' standing grain and burned up the shocks and the standing grain as well as the vineyards and the olive groves.


text:
And the Philistines said, Who has done this? And they said, Samson, the son- in-law of the Timnite, because he took his wife and gave her to his best man. And the Philistines went up and burned her and her father with fire.


text:
And Samson said to them, If this is how you act, I will surely take revenge on you, and then I will stop.


text:
And he struck them hip and thigh, a great slaughter. And he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam.


text:
And the men of Judah said, Why have you come up against us? And they said, We have come up to bind Samson, so that we can do to him as he has done to us.


text:
Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam; and they said to Samson, Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? Then what is this that you have done to us? And he said to them, As they have done to me, so I have do


text:
And they said to him, We have come down to bind you up so that we can deliver you into hand of the Philistines. And Samson said to them, Swear to me that you will not fall upon me yourselves.


text:
And they spoke to him, saying, No, we will only bind you and deliver you into their hand, but we certainly will not put you to death. And they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.


text:
When he came into Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. And the Spirit of Jehovah rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax when it burns in fire; and his bonds melted from off his hands.


text:
And he found a fresh jawbone of an ass; and he stretched out his hand and took it, and struck a thousand men with it.


text:
And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, A heap upon a double heap; With the jawbone of an ass, I have struck a thousand men dead.


text:
And when he finished speaking, he cast the jawbone from his hand; and he called that place Ramath-lehi.


text:
And he was very thirsty, and he called on Jehovah, saying, You have granted this great victory by the hand of Your servant. And will I now die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?


text:
But God broke open the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came forth from it. And when he drank, his spirit returned and he was revived; therefore he called the name of that place En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.


text:
And this was told to the Gazites, saying, Samson has come here. So they surrounded him and set an ambush for him all night long in the gate of the city. And they were quiet all night long, saying among themselves, We will stay here until the light of morn


text:
But Samson lay only until midnight; then he rose at midnight and grasped the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and he plucked them up along with the bar; and he put them on his shoulders and brought them up to the top of the mountain that i


text:
And the lords of the Philistines came to her; and they said to her, Entice him, and find out how it is that his strength is so great, and how we can prevail against him and bind him so that we may afflict him; and we each will give you eleven hundred piec


text:
So Delilah said to Samson, Tell me please, How is it that your strength is so great, and how could you be bound so that you could be afflicted?


text:
And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven new cords that are not dried out, I will become weak and be like any other man.


text:
So the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven new cords that were not dried out, and she bound him with them.


text:
And there was an ambush staying with her in the inner chamber; and she said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And he snapped the cords, as when a strand of tow is snapped when it touches fire. So his strength was not known.


text:
Then Delilah said to Samson, You have just mocked me and told me lies; now tell me please, How can you be bound?


text:
And he said to her, If they bind me up with new ropes with which no work has been done, I will become weak and be like any other man.


text:
So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them; and she said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And there was an ambush staying in the inner chamber. But he broke them off his arms like a thread.


text:
Then Delilah said to Samson, Until now you have mocked me and told me lies; tell me how you can be bound. And he said to her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and fasten them with the pin onto the wall, I will become weak and be like


text:
So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them into the web; and she fastened them with the pin. Then she said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And he awoke from his sleep and plucked up the pin of the loom and the


text:
Then she said to him, How can you say, I love you, when your heart is not with me? These three times you have mocked me and have not told me how it is that your strength is so great.


text:
And he told her all his heart and said to her, No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazarite to God from my mother's womb. If I were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become weak and be like all men.


text:
And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent word and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and they brought the silver i


text:
And she put him to sleep in her lap and called for a man; and she shaved off the seven locks of his head. And she began to afflict him, and his strength left him.


text:
Then she said, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And he awoke from his sleep and said, I will go out as at other times and shake myself free. But he did not know that Jehovah had left him.


text:
And the Philistines grabbed him and gouged out his eyes. And they took him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze fetters; and he ground at the mill in the prison house.


text:
And the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice. And they said, Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.


text:
And when the people saw him they praised their god, for they said, Our god has delivered our enemy into our hand, even him who desolated our land, who slew many of us.


text:
And when their hearts were merry, they said, Call for Samson, that he may entertain us. So they called for Samson from the prison house, and he performed before them. Then they made him stand between the pillars.


text:
And Samson said to the youth who held him by his hand, Let me feel the pillars upon which the house rests, that I may rest against them.


text:
Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and on the roof there were about three thousand men and women, who were looking on while Samson performed.


text:
And Samson called on Jehovah and said, O Lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray; and strengthen me, I pray, this one time only, O God, that I may be avenged of the Philistines at once for my two eyes.


text:
And Samson grasped the two middle pillars upon which the house rested and leaned against them, one with his right hand and the other with his left.


text:
And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed in his death were more than those that he killed in his life.


text:
Then his brothers and all his father's house went down and bore him away, and they brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the tomb of Manoah his father. Now he had judged Israel twenty years.


text:
And he said to his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse and spoke it in my hearing - look, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed of Jehovah be my son!


text:
And he returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I do consecrate the silver to Jehovah from my hand to my son to make an idol and a molten image. Now therefore I will return it to you.


text:
And when he returned the silver to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to the founder, who made them into a sculptured idol and a molten image. And it was in the house of Micah.


text:
And the man Micah had a house of gods; and he made an ephod and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons to become his priest.


text:
And there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was a sojourner there.


text:
And the man left the city Bethlehem in Judah to dwell wherever he could find a place. And he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he made his way.


text:
And Micah said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am traveling in order to dwell wherever I can find a place.


text:
And Micah said to him, Stay with me, and be a father and a priest to me; and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year and an array of clothing and your food. So the Levite went with him.


text:
And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest and was in the house of Micah.


text:
In those days there was no king in Israel; and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for themselves an inheritance to dwell in, for unto that day the lot had not fallen for them on an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.


text:
So the children of Dan sent from their family five men from among all of them, men of valor, from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it out. And they said to them, Go and search out the land. And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to


text:
When they were near the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite man, so they turned aside there and said to him, Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what do you have here?


text:
And they said to him, Inquire now of God that we may know if our way on which we are going will be prosperous.


text:
Then the five men left and came to Laish. And they saw the people who were in it, dwelling securely after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no one in the land who possessed authority and might humble them in anything; and they w


text:
And they came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brothers said to them, What can you say?


text:
And they said, Arise; and let us go up against them. For we have seen the land, and it is very good. So do you sit still? Do not be slow about going and entering the land to possess it.


text:
When you go, you will come to a secure people; and the land is very spacious. God has indeed delivered it into your hand, a place where nothing on earth is lacking there.


text:
So six hundred men girded with weapons of war set out from there, from the family of Dan, from Zorah and Eshtaol.


text:
And they went up and encamped in Kiriath-jearim in Judah. Because of this, that place is called Mahaneh-dan to this day; it is there behind Kiriath-jearim.


text:
Then the five men who had gone to spy the land of Laish answered and said to their brothers, Do you know that in these houses there are an ephod and teraphim and a sculptured idol and a molten image? Now therefore consider what you should do.


text:
And they turned aside there and came to the house of the young Levite man, the house of Micah; and they asked him concerning his welfare.


text:
And the six hundred men of the children of Dan, girded with their weapons of war, stood at the entrance of the gate.


text:
And the five men who had gone to spy the land went up and entered there to seize the sculptured idol and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image. And the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girded with weapons of war.


text:
And when these men entered the house of Micah and seized the sculptured idol and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image, the priest said to them, What are you doing?


text:
And they said to him, Quiet down; put your hand over your mouth, and go with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one man or for you to be a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?


text:
And the priest's heart was glad; and he took the ephod and teraphim and the sculptured idol, and went into the midst of the people.


text:
And they turned and departed; and they put the little ones and the livestock and the goods before them.


text:
When they were some distance from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses that were near the house of Micah were gathered together; and they overtook the children of Dan.


text:
And they called out to the children of Dan. And they turned and faced them and said to Micah, What is bothering you, that you have been gathered together?


text:
And he said, You have taken away my gods that I have made, along with the priest, and have gone off. And what do I still have? How then can you say to me, What is bothering you?


text:
And the children of Dan said, Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest men of fierce temper fall on you and you lose your life and the lives of your household.


text:
And the children of Dan went their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.


text:
So they took that which Micah had made and the priest that had been his, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure; and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.


text:
And there was no one to deliver it; for it was far from Sidon, and they had nothing to do with anyone. Now it was in the valley that is by Beth-rehob. And they rebuilt the city and dwelt in it.


text:
And they called the name of the city Dan, according to the name of Dan their father who had been born to Israel. However the name of the city was Laish formerly.


text:
And the children of Dan erected the sculptured idol; and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons, became priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.


text:
Thus they set up the sculptured idol that Micah had made the whole time that the house of God was in Shiloh.


text:
Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a certain Levite dwelling in the far end of the hill country of Ephraim. And he took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.


text:
But his concubine went about as a harlot, and she departed from him to her father's house, to Bethlehem in Judah; and she was there for a period of four months.


text:
Then her husband rose up and came after her to speak to her affectionately and to bring her back, bringing with him his young man and a pair of donkeys. And she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the young woman saw him, he rejoi


text:
And his father-in-law, the father of the young woman, detained him; and he stayed with him three days. So they ate and drank, and they spent the night there.


text:
And on the fourth day, they rose up early in the morning and got up to go. But the father of the young woman said to his son-in-law, Sustain yourself with a morsel of bread, and afterward you can go.


text:
So they sat down, and the two of them ate and drank together. And the father of the young woman said to the man, Will you not, I beg you, stay overnight and let your heart be merry?


text:
Then on the fifth day he rose up early in the morning to go; but the father of the young woman said, Sustain yourself, I beg you, and linger until the day has declined. So the two of them ate.


text:
And when the man got up to go, with his concubine and his young man, his father-in-law, the father of the young woman, said to him, Look now, the day is waning toward evening; spend the night, I beg you. Look, the day is drawing to a close. Spend the nigh


text:
But the man did not want to spend the night, so he rose up and left. And he arrived at Jebus (that is, Jerusalem); and with him were a couple of saddled donkeys, and his concubine was with him.


text:
And when they were at Jebus, the day was far spent; and the young man said to his master, Come now, and let us turn aside toward this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.


text:
And his master said to him, We will not turn aside toward a city of foreigners, who are not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.


text:
And he said to his young man, Come and let us approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.


text:
And they passed on and went further; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.


text:
And they turned aside there to go in and spend the night in Gibeah. And he went into the city and sat in the square of the city, but no one took them into his house to lodge them.


text:
Then in the evening there came an old man out of the field from his work. Now the man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was a sojourner in Gibeah. And the men of that place were Benjaminites.


text:
And he lifted up his eyes and saw the wayfarer in the square of the city. And the old man said, Where are you traveling to, and where have you come from?


text:
And he said to him, We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the far end of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah; and I am going to my house, and no one takes me into his house.


text:
There are both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and bread and wine also for myself and your female servant and the young man who is with your servants; there is no need of anything.


text:
And the old man said, Peace be with you. Just let all your needs come upon me; just do not spend the night in the square.


text:
And he brought him to his house and gave his donkeys fodder; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.


text:
And while they were making their hearts merry, the men of the city, worthless men, surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring out the man who went into your house that we may know him.


text:
And the master of the house came out to them and said to them, No, my brothers; do not do this evil thing, I beg you. Since this man has come into my house, do not commit this folly.


text:
Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Let me bring them out, I beg you; and humble them and do to them what seems good in your sight. But to this man do not do such folly.


text:
But the men did not want to listen to him; so the man took hold of his concubine and brought her out to them; and they knew her. And they abused her all night long until morning; and they let her go when the dawn broke.


text:
And in the early morning the woman came and fell at the entrance of the man's house, where her lord had been until it was light.


text:
And her lord rose up in the morning and opened the doors of the house, and he went out to go on his way. And there was his concubine, fallen at the entrance of the house with her hands upon the threshold.


text:
And he said to her, Get up, and let us go. But there was no answer. And he put her upon the donkey; and the man rose up and went to his place.


text:
And when he came to his house, he took a knife and laid hold of his concubine and cut her up limb by limb into twelve pieces; and he sent her throughout all the territory of Israel.


text:
And when everyone saw this, they said, No such thing has ever happened or been seen since the day the children of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt until this day. Consider it, and take counsel and speak.


text:
Then all the children of Israel went out; and the assembly gathered as one man unto Jehovah at Mizpah, from Dan as far as Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead.


text:
And the leaders of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the congregation of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen who drew the sword.


text:
(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the children of Israel said, Tell us, How did this evil thing happen?


text:
And the Levite, the husband of the woman who had been murdered, answered and said, I and my concubine came to Gibeah, which is in Benjamin, to spend the night.


text:
And the men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night to get me. It was me that they intended to slay, but they humbled my concubine until she died.


text:
Therefore I took hold of my concubine and cut her up and sent her throughout all the land of Israel's inheritance, for they have committed wickedness and folly in Israel.


text:
And all the people rose up as one man, saying, None of us will go to our tents, nor will any of us return to our houses.


text:
And we will take ten men per hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred per thousand, and a thousand per ten thousand, to get provisions for the people, so that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, they may deal with them according to all


text:
And the tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What is this evil thing that has happened among you?


text:
Now therefore deliver up the worthless men who are in Gibeah, and we will kill them and put away evil from Israel. But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the children of Israel.


text:
And the children of Benjamin gathered together at Gibeah from their cities to go to battle with the children of Israel.


text:
And the children of Benjamin were numbered on that day from the cities:twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, apart from the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, seven hundred choice men.


text:
Of all these people seven hundred choice men were left-handed; all these could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.


text:
And the men of Israel were numbered apart from Benjamin:four hundred thousand men who drew the sword; all these were men of war.


text:
And the children of Israel rose up and went up to Bethel, and they inquired of God and said, Which of us shall go up first into battle with the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah first.


text:
And the men of Israel went up into battle with Benjamin. And the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.


text:
Then the children of Benjamin came forth from Gibeah and struck down to the ground on that day twenty-two thousand men in Israel.


text:
And the people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves and set the battle in array again in the place where they had set it in array the first day.


text:
Now the children of Israel had gone up and wept before Jehovah into the evening; and they had inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I again approach the battle with the children of Benjamin my brother? And Jehovah had said, Go up against him.


text:
And Benjamin went forth from Gibeah to meet them on the second day, and they struck down to the ground another eighteen thousand men among the children of Israel; all of these were ones who drew the sword.


text:
Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up and came to Bethel. And they wept and sat there before Jehovah, and they fasted on that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.


text:
And the children of Israel inquired of Jehovah (for the Ark of the Covenant of God was there in those days;


text:
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I again go out into battle with the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your han


text:
And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day and set themselves in array against Gibeah as at other times.


text:
And the children of Benjamin went out to meet the people; they were drawn away from the city. And they began to strike some of the people, about thirty men of Israel, slaying them as at other times, on the highways which lead into the open field, one of w


text:
And the children of Benjamin said, They are stricken down before us as they were at first. And the children of Israel said, Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.


text:
Then all the men of Israel rose up from their places and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar; and Israel's ambush left their place at Maareh-geba.


text:
And ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel came against Gibeah. And the battle was fierce, but the children of Benjamin did not know that disaster was very near to them.


text:
And Jehovah struck down Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed twenty-five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin that day; all these were ones who drew the sword.


text:
And the children of Benjamin saw that they were stricken down. Now the men of Israel had given ground to Benjamin, for they trusted in the ambush that they had set against Gibeah.


text:
And the ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah; and the ambush proceeded and struck the whole city with the edge of the sword.


text:
And the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambush was that they would make a great cloud of smoke rise up from the city.


text:
And the men of Israel turned into the battle, and Benjamin began to strike, killing about thirty men among the men of Israel; for they said, They are certainly stricken down before us as in the first battle.


text:
But when the cloud began to go up from the city like a pillar of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them, and there was the whole city, going up in smoke to heaven.


text:
And the men of Israel turned; and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was very near to them.


text:
Then they turned before the men of Israel into the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them, and those from the cities struck them down in between.


text:
They surrounded the Benjaminites, chased them, and trampled them at the resting place, as far as over against Gibeah toward the setting of the sun.


text:
And they turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, but the men of Israel gleaned five thousand of them in the highways; and they pursued after them as far as Gidom and struck two thousand of them.


text:
So all who fell of Benjamin on that day were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword; all of these were men of valor.


text:
But six hundred men turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and they dwelt at the rock of Rimmon four months.


text:
And the men of Israel returned to the children of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city with the cattle and all that was found there; moreover all the cities that were found they set on fire.


text:
Now the men of Israel swore in Mizpah, saying, None of us shall give his daughter to a Benjaminite as a wife.


text:
And the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, and they lifted up their voice and wept greatly.


text:
And they said, Why, O Jehovah God of Israel, has this happened in Israel, that there is one tribe missing in Israel today?


text:
And in the morning the people rose early and built an altar there, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.


text:
And the children of Israel said, Who did not come up into the congregation to Jehovah from all the tribes of Israel? For they had made a great oath concerning anyone who did not come up to Jehovah at Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.


text:
And the children of Israel were grieved concerning Benjamin their brother, and they said, Today a tribe has been cut down from Israel.


text:
What shall we do about wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by Jehovah not to give them any of our daughters as wives?


text:
And they said, Is there anyone from the tribes of Israel who did not come to Jehovah at Mizpah? Now there was no one from Jabesh-gilead who had come to the congregation at the camp.


text:
For when the people were numbered, there was no one from among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.


text:
So the assembly sent twelve thousand of the valiant there and commanded them, saying, Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, including women and children.


text:
And this is the thing that you shall do:Every male and every woman who has lain with a male you shall utterly destroy.


text:
And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins, who had not known men by lying with a male; and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which was in the land of Canaan.


text:
And the whole assembly sent men and spoke to the children of Benjamin, who were at the rock of Rimmon; and they proclaimed peace to them.


text:
And the Benjaminites returned at that time. And they gave them the women who had been kept alive from among the women of Jabesh-gilead; but there were not enough for them.


text:
And the people were grieved concerning Benjamin, for Jehovah had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.


text:
So the elders of the assembly said, What shall we do about wives for those who remain, since the women are destroyed from Benjamin?


text:
And they said, There should be some possession for those of Benjamin who have escaped, that no tribe would be blotted out of Israel.


text:
But we cannot give them any of our daughters as wives. For the children of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.


text:
And they said, Behold, there is a feast of Jehovah each year in Shiloh (which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah).


text:
And right when you see the daughters of Shiloh coming out to dance in the dances, come out of the vineyards, and each of you shall catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh; then go into the land of Benjamin.


text:
And when their fathers or brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, Give them to us as a gift, for we did not take a wife in battle for each man, nor did you give them to them and thereby incur guilt for yourselves now.


text:
And the children of Benjamin did so and took wives, whom they carried off, according to their number from those who danced. And they went and returned to their inheritance, and they rebuilt the cities and dwelt in them.


text:
And the children of Israel departed from there at that time, each man to his tribe and to his family; and they went forth from there, each man to his inheritance.


text:
Now in the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a man from Bethlehem in Judah went down to dwell as a sojourner in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.


text:
And the man's name was Elimelech, and his wife's name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.


text:
And they took wives for themselves from among the Moabite women. One's name was Orpah, and the second's name was Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years.


text:
Then she rose up with her daughters-in-law in order to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that Jehovah had visited His people by giving them food.


text:
So she went forth from the place where she had been, along with her two daughters-in-law; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.


text:
And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go and return, each of you, to your mother's house. May Jehovah deal kindly with you, just as you have dealt with the dead and with me.


text:
May Jehovah grant you to find rest, each of you in the house of your husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice and wept.


text:
And Naomi said, Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?


text:
Return, my daughters, go; for I am too old to have a husband. If I said, I have hope; even if I had a husband tonight and even bore sons;


text:
Would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having a husband? No, my daughters; it has been far more bitter for me than it should be for you, for the hand of Jehovah has gone forth against me.


text:
And they lifted up their voice and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother- in-law, but Ruth clung to her.


text:
And she said, Your sister-in-law has now returned to her people and to her gods; return with your sister-in-law.


text:
But Ruth said, Do not entreat me to leave you and turn away from following after you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you dwell, I will dwell; and your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.


text:
Where you die, I will die; and there will I be buried. Jehovah do so to me, and more as well, if anything but death parts me from you.


text:
So the two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them; and the women said, Is this Naomi?


text:
And she said to them, Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara; for the All-sufficient One has dealt very bitterly with me.


text:
I went out full, but Jehovah has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, when Jehovah has afflicted me and the All-sufficient One has dealt harshly with me?


text:
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.


text:
Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a man of great wealth, from Elimelech's family; and his name was Boaz.


text:
And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I find favor. And she said to her, Go, my daughter.


text:
So she went. And she came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to glean in a portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech's family.


text:
And just then Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, Jehovah be with you. And they said to him, Jehovah bless you.


text:
And the young man who was set over the reapers answered and said, She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the country of Moab;


text:
And she said, Let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves. So she has come and continued since morning until now, and she has sat in the house for only a little while.


text:
And Boaz said to Ruth, Listen, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field, and also do not pass from here but stay close to my young women.


text:
Keep your eyes on the field that they reap; follow after them. I have charged my young men not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, you shall go to the vessels and drink of what the young men have drawn.


text:
And she fell upon her face and bowed herself to the ground, and she said to him, Why have I found favor in your sight that you regard me, though I am a foreigner?


text:
And Boaz answered and said to her, All that you have done for your mother- in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, as well as how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people whom you did not know


text:
May Jehovah recompense your work, and may you have a full reward from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.


text:
And she said, Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me and have spoken kindly to your servant girl, though I am not like even one of your servant girls.


text:
And Boaz said to her at mealtime, Come here and eat some food; and dip your morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers, and he extended some parched grain to her. And she ate and was satisfied, and she had some left.


text:
And when she rose up to glean, Boaz charged his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the standing grain, and do not reproach her.


text:
And also pull out some from the bundles for her, and leave it for her to glean; and do not rebuke her.


text:
So she gleaned in the field until evening. And she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.


text:
And she took it up and went into the city. And her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. Ruth also brought out and gave to her what she had left after she had been earlier satisfied.


text:
And her mother-in-law said to her, Where did you glean today, and where did you work? Blessed be he who paid such attention to you. And she told her mother- in-law whom she had worked with and said, The name of the man whom I worked with today is Boaz.


text:
And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, whose lovingkindness has not failed for the living and for the dead. And Naomi said to her, The man is close to us; he is one of our kinsmen.


text:
And Ruth the Moabitess said, He also said to me, You shall stay close by my young men who are with me until they have completed the whole harvest that I have.


text:
And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, so that others do not meet you in any other field.


text:
So she stayed close to Boaz's young women and gleaned until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest, and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.


text:
And Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, My daughter, I must seek some resting place for you, that it may go well with you.


text:
And now is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you have been? Behold, he is winnowing the barley tonight at the threshing floor.


text:
Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes; and go down to the threshing floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.


text:
And when he lies down, notice the place where he lies, and go and uncover his feet, and lie down. And he will tell you what you should do.


text:
And she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had charged her.


text:
And Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was merry. And he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. And she came in secretly and uncovered his feet and lay down.


text:
Then at midnight the man was startled; and he turned over, and a woman was there, lying at his feet.


text:
And he said, Who are you? And she said, I am Ruth, your female servant. Spread your cloak over your female servant, for you are a kinsman.


text:
And he said, Blessed be you of Jehovah, my daughter. You have shown your latter kindness to be better than your first by not going after the choice young men, whether poor or rich.


text:
And now, my daughter, do not fear. All that you say, I will do for you; for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman.


text:
Stay for the night; and in the morning if he will do the kinsman's duty, fine; let him do it. But if he is not willing to do the kinsman's duty for you, I will do it for you, as Jehovah lives. Lie down until morning.


text:
And she lay at his feet until morning, then rose up before one could recognize another; for he said, Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.


text:
And he said, Bring the cloak that is on you, and hold it open. And she held it open, and he measured out six measures of barley and laid it on her. And he went into the city.


text:
And when she came to her mother- in-law, she said, How are you, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done for her.


text:
And she said, These six measures of barley he gave me, for he said, Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.


text:
And she said, Stay here, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter today.


text:
Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat there. And just then the kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken came by. And Boaz said, Turn aside and sit here, friend. And he turned aside and sat down.


text:
And he said to the kinsman, Naomi, who has returned from the country of Moab, has put up for sale the portion of the field that belonged to our brother Elimelech.


text:
So I thought that I should disclose this to you and say, Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you can redeem it, redeem it; but if you cannot redeem it, tell me so that I will know; for there is n


text:
Then Boaz said, On the day you buy the field from Naomi's hand, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead man, in order to raise up the dead man's name upon his inheritance.


text:
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, or else I will mar my own inheritance. You redeem for yourself what I should redeem, for I cannot redeem it.


text:
Now such was the custom formerly in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging that to establish any matter a man would draw off his sandal and give it to his neighbor; this was the way of attesting it in Israel.


text:
And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, You are witnesses today, that I buy from Naomi's hand all that was Elimelech's and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's.


text:
Furthermore Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I acquire as my own wife so that I may raise up the dead man's name upon his inheritance and the dead man's name may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his place. You are witness


text:
And all the people who were in the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. May Jehovah make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, the two who built the house of Israel. And prosper in Ephrathah, and gain a name in Bethlehem


text:
And may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the seed that Jehovah gives you by this young woman.


text:
So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and Jehovah made her conceive; and she bore a son.


text:
And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah, who has not left you today without a kinsman; and may his name be famous in Israel.


text:
And he will be to you as a restorer of life and a sustainer in your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.


text:
And the women neighbors gave him a name, saying, A son has been born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.


text:
Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim, from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.


text:
And he had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other was Peninnah. Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.


text:
And this man went up from his city year by year to worship and to sacrifice to Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests of Jehovah, were there.


text:
And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters.


text:
But he would give a double portion to Hannah, for it was Hannah whom he loved; but Jehovah had shut up her womb.


text:
And so it happened year after year; when she went up to the house of Jehovah, the other provoked her this way; and she wept and would not eat.


text:
And Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why are you weeping, and why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?


text:
Then after the eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah rose up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat at the doorpost of the temple of Jehovah.


text:
And she made a vow and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if You will indeed look upon the affliction of Your female servant and remember me and not forget Your female servant, but give to Your female servant a male child, then I will give him to Jehovah for all t


text:
And Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought that she was drunk.


text:
And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord. I am a woman oppressed in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before Jehovah.


text:
Do not take your female servant for a worthless woman; for out of the greatness of my anxiety and provocation I have been speaking all this time.


text:
Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your request that you have requested from Him.


text:
And she said, Let your servant find favor in your sight. And the woman went her way; and she ate, and her countenance was sad no more.


text:
And they rose up early in the morning and worshipped before Jehovah; and they returned and came to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Jehovah remembered her.


text:
And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son; and she called his name Samuel, For, she said, I asked for him of Jehovah.


text:
And the man Elkanah went up with all his house to offer the yearly sacrifice to Jehovah and his vow.


text:
But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, When the child is weaned, then I will bring him up, so that he may appear before Jehovah and stay there forever.


text:
And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what is good in your sight; stay until you have weaned him. Only, may Jehovah establish His word. So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.


text:
And as soon as she weaned him, she brought him up with her, along with three bulls and one ephah of flour and a skin of wine; and she brought him to the house of Jehovah in Shiloh, although the child was young.


text:
And she said, Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here by you, praying to Jehovah.


text:
It was for this child that I prayed, and Jehovah has granted me my request that I requested from Him.


text:
Therefore I, for my part, have lent him to Jehovah; all the days that he lives, he is lent to Jehovah. And he worshipped Jehovah there.


text:
And Hannah prayed and said:My heart exults in Jehovah; My horn is exalted in Jehovah; My mouth is enlarged against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.


text:
Talk no more so very proudly; Do not let arrogance go forth from your mouth; For Jehovah is a God of knowledge, And actions are weighed by Him.


text:
Those who were full have hired themselves out for food, And those who were hungry are not so any longer. She who was barren has borne seven, And she who had many children languishes.


text:
He raises the poor from the dust, From the ash heap He lifts the needy, That He may seat them with princes And cause them to inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah's, And He has set the world upon them.


text:
He will keep the feet of His faithful ones, But the wicked will be silenced in darkness; For not by strength shall any man prevail.


text:
Those who strive with Jehovah will be shattered; Against them He will thunder in heaven. Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king And exalt the horn of His anointed.


text:
Nor did they regard the priests' rightful due with the people. When any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's attendant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the flesh was boiling,


text:
And he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot; all that the fork brought up, the priest took with it. Thus they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.


text:
Indeed before they burned the fat, the priest's attendant would come and say to the man sacrificing, Give some flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not accept boiled flesh from you, but only raw.


text:
And if the man said to him, Let them burn up the fat first, then take as much as your soul desires; he would say, No, but you shall give it now; otherwise, I will take it by force.


text:
And the sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah, for the men despised the offering of Jehovah.


text:
And his mother would make him a little robe and bring it up to him yearly when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.


text:
And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, May Jehovah give you seed by this woman in place of the one she requested of Jehovah; and they would go back to their place.


text:
And Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before Jehovah.


text:
Now Eli was very old, and he heard of all that his sons did to all Israel and how they lay with the women who were engaged in service at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.


text:
And he said to them, Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.


text:
If one man sins against another man, God will arbitrate for him; but if a man sins against Jehovah, who will arbitrate for him? But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for Jehovah was pleased to kill them.


text:
And a man of God came to Eli and said to him, Thus says Jehovah, I revealed Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt as slaves to Pharaoh's house.


text:
And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, and to wear the ephod before Me. And I gave the house of your father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel.


text:
Why then do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering, which I have commanded in My habitation, and honor your sons more than Me by making yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?


text:
Therefore Jehovah the God of Israel declares, I surely said that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever; but now Jehovah declares, Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who spurn Me will be lightly


text:
The days are now coming when I will cut off your arm and the arm of the house of your father, so that there will not be an old man in your house.


text:
And you shall see the distress of My habitation in the midst of all the good that I will do to Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever.


text:
And that man of yours whom I do not cut off from My altar shall be left to consume your eyes and to grieve your soul, and all the increase of your house shall die by the swords of men.


text:
And this will be the sign to you, which will come upon your two sons, upon Hophni and Phinehas:In one day both of them shall die.


text:
And I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in My heart and in My mind; and I will build him a sure house; and he will go before My anointed continually.


text:
And everyone who is left of your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and for a loaf of bread, and will say, Please put me in one of the priests' offices that I may eat a morsel of bread.


text:
And the boy Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. Now the word of Jehovah was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.


text:
And at that time Eli lay in his place, and his eyesight had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see.


text:
And the lamp of God had not yet gone out. And Samuel lay in the temple of Jehovah, where the Ark of God was.


text:
And he ran to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. And he said, I did not call. Go back and lie down. And he went and lay down.


text:
And Jehovah called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel rose up and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. And he said, I did not call, my son. Go back and lie down.


text:
Then Jehovah called Samuel again, the third time. And he rose up and went to Eli and said, Here I am, for you called me. Then Eli perceived that it was Jehovah calling the boy.


text:
And Eli said to Samuel, Go and lie down, and if He calls you, you shall say, Speak, O Jehovah; for Your servant is listening. And Samuel went and lay down in his place.


text:
Then Jehovah came and stood by and called as at the other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for Your servant is listening.


text:
And Jehovah said to Samuel, I am about to do something in Israel which will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.


text:
On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.


text:
For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever because of the iniquity which he knew; for his sons brought the curse upon themselves, and he did not restrain them.


text:
And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli shall not be expiated by sacrifice or by offering forever.


text:
And Samuel lay down until the morning, when he opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.


text:
And he said, What was the word that He spoke to you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and even more, if you hide from me any of the word which He spoke to you.


text:
So Samuel told him everything and did not hide anything from him. And he said, He is Jehovah; let Him do what is good in His sight.


text:
And all Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of Jehovah.


text:
And Jehovah continued to appear in Shiloh, for Jehovah revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Jehovah.


text:
And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. And Israel went forth against the Philistines in battle; and they encamped near Eben-ezer, and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.


text:
And the Philistines arrayed themselves against Israel; and when the battle spread, Israel was struck down before the Philistines. And they slew about four thousand men of the array in the field.


text:
And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has Jehovah struck us down today before the Philistines? Let us take for ourselves the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah from Shiloh that it may come into our midst, and thus save us from


text:
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they took up from there the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah of hosts who is enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.


text:
And when the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, and the earth resounded.


text:
And the Philistines heard the sound of the shout and said, What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean? Then they found out that the Ark of Jehovah had come into their camp.


text:
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come into their camp. And they said, Woe to us! For there has never been such a thing as this before.


text:
Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with every kind of plague in the wilderness.


text:
Be strong and be men, O Philistines, lest you become servants to the Hebrews as they have been servants to you. Be men then and fight.


text:
And the Philistines fought, and they struck Israel; and every man fled to his tent. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.


text:
And a man of Benjamin ran from the array and came to Shiloh on the same day, with his clothes torn and earth upon his head.


text:
And when he came, there was Eli, sitting on his seat by the roadside watching; for his heart trembled for the Ark of God. And when the man came to tell the news to the city, the whole city cried out.


text:
And when Eli heard the sound of the cry, he said, What does this sound of commotion mean? And the man hurried and came and told Eli.


text:
And the man said to Eli, I am he who has come from the array, and I fled from the array today. And he said, How did the matter go, my son?


text:
And he who brought the news answered and said, Israel fled before the Philistines, and there was a great slaughter among the people; and even your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the Ark of God has been taken.


text:
And when he mentioned the Ark of God, Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate. And he broke his neck and died, for he was an old man and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.


text:
And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to deliver; and when she heard the report that the Ark of God had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she bowed down and gave birth, for her pains came upon her


text:
And around the time that she died, the women who stood around her said, Do not fear, for you have borne a son. But she did not answer or pay attention.


text:
And she named the child Ichabod, meaning, The glory has departed from Israel, because the Ark of God had been taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.


text:
And the Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon, and they set it next to Dagon.


text:
And when the Ashdodites arose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face to the ground, before the Ark of Jehovah. And they took Dagon and put him back in his place.


text:
And when they arose early in the morning of the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face to the ground, before the Ark of Jehovah. And Dagon's head and the palms of his hands were cut off, lying on the threshold; only Dagon's trunk was left to him.


text:
Because of this, neither the priests of Dagon nor any who enter the house of Dagon tread upon Dagon's threshold in Ashdod to this day.


text:
But the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon the Ashdodites, and He devastated them and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders.


text:
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The Ark of the God of Israel cannot stay with us, for His hand is hard on us and on Dagon our god.


text:
Therefore they sent for and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to themselves, and they said, What shall we do with the Ark of the God of Israel? And they said, Let the Ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath. And they brought the Ark of


text:
Then after they brought it there, the hand of Jehovah was against the city, causing a very great panic. And He struck the men of the city, from small to great; and they broke out with tumors.


text:
Then they sent the Ark of God to Ekron. But when the Ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought the Ark of the God of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.


text:
And they sent for and gathered all the princes of the Philistines, and they said, Send away the Ark of the God of Israel; and let it return to its place, so that it does not kill us and our people. For the panic of death was throughout the whole city. The


text:
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, What shall we do with the Ark of Jehovah? Make known to us how we should send it forth to its place.


text:
And they said, If you send away the Ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away empty, but be sure to return Him a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be made known to you why His hand has not turned away from you.


text:
And they said, What is the trespass offering that we should return to Him? And they said, Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was upon you all and upon your lords.


text:
Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your mice that devastate the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand on you and your gods and your land.


text:
Why then should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had dealt severely with them, did they not let the people go, and they went?


text:
So now take and prepare a new cart and two milch cows on which the yoke has never come, and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home, away from them.


text:
And take the Ark of Jehovah and put it on the cart; and in a box by the side of it, place the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering; and send it away that it may go.


text:
Then watch:If it goes up toward its own border at Beth-shemesh, it is He who has done us this great harm. But if it does not, we will know that it was not His hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.


text:
And the men did so and took two milch cows and tied them to the cart and shut up their calves at home.


text:
And they put the Ark of Jehovah on the cart with the box and the gold mice and the images of their tumors.


text:
And the cows went straight in the way toward Beth-shemesh; they went on one road, lowing as they went; and they did not turn to the right or to the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.


text:
Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the Ark, they rejoiced to see it.


text:
And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite and stood still there. And there was a great stone there. And they split up the wood of the cart and offered up the cows as a burnt offering to Jehovah.


text:
Then the Levites took down the Ark of Jehovah and the box that was with it, in which were the articles of gold; and they placed them on the great stone. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered up burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to Jehovah.


text:
And these are the gold tumors that the Philistines returned to Jehovah as a trespass offering:for Ashdod, one; for Gaza, one; for Ashkelon, one; for Gath, one; for Ekron, one;


text:
And the gold mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines that belonged to the five lords, both of fortified cities and country villages, as far as the great stone on which they rested the Ark of Jehovah, which is there to this day


text:
And He struck the men of Beth- shemesh because they looked into the Ark of Jehovah; and He struck seventy men among the people. And the people mourned because Jehovah struck the people with a great slaughter.


text:
And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who can stand before Jehovah, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up from us?


text:
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have returned the Ark of Jehovah; come down and take it up to you.


text:
And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the Ark of Jehovah and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill, and they consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the Ark of Jehovah.


text:
And it was a long time from the day that the Ark began to abide in Kiriath- jearim, for it was twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.


text:
Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you are returning with all your heart to Jehovah, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from your midst, and direct your heart to Jehovah and serve only Him; and He will deliver you from the han


text:
And they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before Jehovah, and they fasted that day. And they said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.


text:
Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel gathered themselves at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.


text:
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Do not stop crying to Jehovah our God for us, so that He will save us from the hand of the Philistines.


text:
And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to Jehovah. And Samuel cried out to Jehovah for Israel, and Jehovah answered him.


text:
And while Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines approached for battle against Israel. And Jehovah thundered with a great voice that day against the Philistines and threw them into a panic; and they were struck down before Israel.


text:
And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and they struck them as far as below Beth-car.


text:
Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen; and he called its name Eben-ezer and said, Thus far Jehovah has helped us.


text:
So the Philistines were subdued, and they no longer came into the territory of Israel. And the hand of Jehovah was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.


text:
And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel rescued their territory from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.


text:
And he went year by year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places.


text:
Then he would return to Ramah, for his house was there. And he judged Israel there and built an altar to Jehovah there.


text:
And the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba.


text:
But his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after unjust gain and took bribes and perverted justice.


text:
And they said to him, You are now old, and your sons do not follow in your ways. Appoint now for us a king to judge us like all the nations.


text:
But the matter displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us. Then Samuel prayed to Jehovah.


text:
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people according to all that they have said to you; for it is not you whom they have rejected, but they have rejected Me from being King over them.


text:
Like all the deeds that they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt to this very day by forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they do also to you.


text:
Now therefore listen to their voice, but you shall solemnly warn them and declare to them the practice of the king who will reign over them.


text:
And he said, This will be the practice of the king who will reign over you:He will take your sons and appoint them for himself to his chariots and as his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots;


text:
And he will appoint them for himself as captains of thousands and as captains of fifties, and to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war and the equipment for his chariots.


text:
And he will exact a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his eunuchs and servants.


text:
And he will take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work.


text:
And you will cry out in that day on account of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but Jehovah will not answer you in that day.


text:
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, No; but there will be a king over us,


text:
That we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.


text:
Then Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and appoint a king to them. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go, each one to his city.


text:
Now there was a man from Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth.


text:
And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man; and there was not a man among the children of Israel more handsome than he; from his shoulders and up he was taller than all the people.


text:
Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost; and Kish said to Saul his son, Take with you one of the servants, and rise up and go to search for the donkeys.


text:
And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and he passed through the land of Shalishah; but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did


text:
When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come, and let us return; otherwise, my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and will worry about us.


text:
But he said to him, There is a man of God here in this city, and he is a man held in honor; all that he says happens without fail. Let us now go there; perhaps he will tell us about our journey that we have set out on.


text:
And Saul said to his servant, But if we go, what will we bring the man? For the food is gone from our bags, and there is no present to bring the man of God. What do we have?


text:
And the servant answered Saul again and said, Here in my hand is a quarter shekel of silver, and I can give it to the man of God; then he will tell us our way.


text:
(Formerly in Israel a man spoke this way when he went to inquire of God, Come, and let us go to the seer; for today's prophet was formerly called a seer.)


text:
Then Saul said to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was.


text:
As they went up the ascent into the city, they found some girls coming out to draw water; and they said to them, Is the seer here?


text:
And they answered them and said, He is; there he is ahead of you. Hurry now; for he has just come to the city today, because the people have a sacrifice at the high place today.


text:
Right when you enter the city, you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he is the one who blesses the sacrifice. Right after that, those who have been invited will eat. Go up now th


text:
So they went up into the city. As they came into the midst of the city, there came Samuel out toward them, going up to the high place.


text:
At about this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him ruler over My people Israel; and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon My people because their cry has come


text:
And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah declared to him, Here is the man of whom I spoke to you. This man shall rule over My people.


text:
And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will send you away, and I will tell you all that is in your heart.


text:
And as for your donkeys that have now been lost three days, do not even consider them; for they have been found. And for whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?


text:
And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjaminite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?


text:
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them to the hall, and put them in the chief place among those who had been invited; and there were about thirty men.


text:
And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion that I gave, concerning which I said to you, Set it by you.


text:
And the cook took up the thigh and what was attached to it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Here is what has been reserved. Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you for the appointed time, when I said I was inviting the peo


text:
And they rose early; and around the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, Rise up, and I will send you away. So Saul rose up, and they both went outside, he and Samuel.


text:
As they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Tell the servant to go on ahead of us - and the servant went on - but you stand here now, and I will let you hear the word of God.


text:
Then Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it upon his head, and he kissed him and said, Jehovah anoints you ruler over His inheritance.


text:
When you depart from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, The donkeys that you went to look for have been found; and now your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and i


text:
Then you will go on further from there and come to the terebinth of Tabor; and three men will meet you there, going up to God at Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.


text:
After that you will come to the hill of God, where the Philistines' garrison is. And as you come to the city there, you will encounter a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harp and tambourine and pipe and lyre; and they will be


text:
And the Spirit of Jehovah will rush upon you; and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.


text:
And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer up burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. You shall wait seven days, until I come to you; then I will make known to you what you shall do.


text:
And so when he turned his back to depart from Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs happened that day.


text:
And when they came there to the hill, there was the group of prophets, coming to meet him. And the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them.


text:
And when all who had known him previously saw that now he was prophesying with the prophets, the people said one to another, What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?


text:
And someone from there answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?


text:
And Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, Where did you go? And he said, To look for the donkeys; and when we saw that they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.


text:
And Saul said to his uncle, He told us clearly that the donkeys had been found. But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom that Samuel had spoken of.


text:
And he said to the children of Israel, Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.


text:
But today you have rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your calamities and distresses, and have said, No; but set a king over us. And now present yourselves before Jehovah according to your tribes and according to your thousands.


text:
And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near according to its families, and the family of Matri was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken. But when they sought him, he could not be found.


text:
Therefore they asked of Jehovah again, Is there yet another man coming here? And Jehovah said, There he is; he has hidden himself among the baggage.


text:
And they ran and took him from there. And when he stood up among the people, he was taller than all the people from his shoulders and up.


text:
And Samuel said to all the people, See him whom Jehovah has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people. And all the people shouted and said, Long live the king!


text:
Then Samuel told the people the practice of the kingdom, and he wrote it in a book and laid it before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.


text:
And Saul also went to his house at Gibeah, and the men of valor, whose hearts God had touched, went with him;


text:
But some worthless men said, How can this man save us? And they despised him and brought him no present. But he kept silent.


text:
Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and encamped against Jabesh-gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.


text:
And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that all your right eyes be gouged out; and I will make it a reproach upon all Israel.


text:
And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days' respite that we may send messengers throughout all the territory of Israel. And if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.


text:
Then the messengers went to Gibeah of Saul, and they spoke these words in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voice and wept.


text:
And Saul was just coming from the field after the oxen, and Saul said, What is wrong with the people that they weep so? And they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.


text:
And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them into pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by means of the messengers, saying, Whoever does not come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the dread of Jehova


text:
And he mustered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah were thirty thousand.


text:
And they said to the messengers who had come, Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow you will have deliverance by the time the sun is hot. So the messengers went and told this to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.


text:
And the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us all that seems good in your sight.


text:
And on the next day Saul put the people into three companies, and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch. And they struck Ammon until the day was hot; and those who remained were so scattered that not two of them remained together.


text:
And the people said to Samuel, Who said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men that we may put them to death.


text:
But Saul said, No man shall be put to death on this day, for today Jehovah has accomplished deliverance in Israel.


text:
And all the people went to Gilgal. And there they made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal, and there they sacrificed peace offerings before Jehovah, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.


text:
And Samuel said to all Israel, I have now listened to your voice according to all that you have said to me, and I have placed a king over you.


text:
And now, here is the king who goes before you. But I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you, and I have gone before you from my youth until this day.


text:
Here I am; testify against me before Jehovah and before His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe in order to blind my eyes with it? Then I w


text:
And he said to them, Jehovah is Witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they said, He is witness.


text:
And Samuel said to the people, It is Jehovah who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.


text:
Now therefore stand here, that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which He did to you and to your fathers.


text:
When Jacob went to Egypt, and your fathers cried out to Jehovah, Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron; and they brought your fathers out from Egypt and caused them to dwell in this place.


text:
But they forgot Jehovah their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera, the captain of Hazor's army, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.


text:
Then they cried out to Jehovah and said, We have sinned, for we have forsaken Jehovah and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but deliver us now from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.


text:
And Jehovah sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hand of your enemies all around; and you dwelt securely.


text:
And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No; but a king will reign over us, though Jehovah your God was your King.


text:
Now therefore here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. See then, Jehovah has set a king over you.


text:
If you fear Jehovah and serve Him and listen to His voice and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow Jehovah your God, fine.


text:
But if you do not listen to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah will be against you, as it was against your fathers.


text:
Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah, that He send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness which you have done in the sight of Jehovah by asking for a king for yourselves is great.


text:
And Samuel called to Jehovah, and Jehovah sent thunder and rain on that day. And all the people feared Jehovah and Samuel greatly.


text:
Then all the people said to Samuel, Pray to Jehovah your God for your servants that we would not die, for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king for ourselves.


text:
And Samuel said to the people, Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil, yet do not turn away from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart.


text:
And do not turn away, for your turning away would be after vain idols, which cannot profit or deliver you, for they are vanity.


text:
For because of His great name Jehovah will not forsake His people, for Jehovah has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.


text:
Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I would sin against Jehovah by ceasing to pray for you, but I will instruct you in the good and right way.


text:
Only, fear Jehovah and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things He has done for you.


text:
And Saul chose three thousand men from Israel for himself; and two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent away, every man to his


text:
And Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear!


text:
And when all Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines and also that Israel had become odious to the Philistines, the people gathered themselves behind Saul at Gilgal.


text:
And the Philistines assembled themselves for battle with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and people like the sand that is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, east of Beth- aven.


text:
When the men of Israel saw that they were in distress (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in thickets and among rocks and in cellars and in pits.


text:
And some Hebrews crossed over the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead; but Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people trembled behind him.


text:
And he waited for seven days, until the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal. And the people scattered from him.


text:
Then Saul said, Bring the burnt offering and the peace offerings to me. And he offered up the burnt offering.


text:
And just as he finished offering up the burnt offering, there came Samuel; and Saul went out to meet him and greet him.


text:
And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, When I saw that the people were scattered from me and that you had not come at the appointed time and that the Philistines assembled themselves at Michmash,


text:
I said, Now the Philistines will come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah. Therefore I forced myself to offer up the burnt offering.


text:
Then Samuel said to Saul, You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of Jehovah your God, which He commanded you. For now Jehovah would have established your kingdom over Israel forever;


text:
But now your kingdom will not continue. Jehovah has sought a man according to His heart for Himself, and Jehovah has appointed him ruler over His people; for you have not kept that which Jehovah commanded you.


text:
Then Samuel rose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul mustered the people who were with him, about six hundred men.


text:
And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were with them dwelt in Geba of Benjamin, and the Philistines encamped in Michmash.


text:
And the raiders came out from the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual;


text:
And another company turned toward Beth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that overlooks the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.


text:
Now there was no smith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears;


text:
Therefore all Israel would go down to the Philistines so that each might sharpen his plowshare or his mattock or his ax or his hoe.


text:
And the price was two-thirds of a shekel for plowshares and for mattocks and for three-pronged forks and for axes and for setting the goads.


text:
So on the day of the battle there was not a sword or spear to be found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and with Jonathan, but such were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.


text:
Now one day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armor, Come and let us cross over to the garrison of the Philistines that is on the other side; but he did not tell his father.


text:
And Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron; and the people with him were about six hundred men,


text:
Including Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, wearing an ephod; and the people did not know that Jonathan went.


text:
And in the pass by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the garrison of the Philistines, there was a rocky crag on one side, and another rocky crag on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other was Seneh.


text:
And Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. Perhaps Jehovah will act on our behalf, for there is no constraint on Jehovah to save by many or by few.


text:
And his armor bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart. Go to it; I am here with you according to your heart.


text:
If they say this to us, Wait until we come to you; then we will stand in our place and not go up to them.


text:
But if they say this, Come up to us; then we will go up, for Jehovah will have delivered them into our hand, and this will be the sign of it to us.


text:
And both of them disclosed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, The Hebrews are now coming out of the holes that they hid themselves in.


text:
And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, Come up to us, and we will show you something. Then Jonathan said to his armor bearer, Come up after me, for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel.


text:
And Jonathan went up on his hands and feet with his armor bearer behind him; and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer went behind him killing them.


text:
And that first slaughter that Jonathan and his armor bearer made was of about twenty men in half a furrow of an acre of land.


text:
And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; even the garrison and the raiders were in a panic; and the earth quaked. And there came to be a very great panic.


text:
And Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and the multitude was just then melting away, and they were going here and there.


text:
Then Saul said to the people who were with him, Call a muster, and see who has gone from us. And they called a muster, and Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.


text:
And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring the Ark of God here; for the Ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.


text:
And while Saul spoke to the priest, the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase. Then Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand.


text:
And Saul and all the people who were with him gathered together and went into the battle. And each man's sword was against his companion; the tumult was very great.


text:
And the Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and who had gone up with them into the camp all around, they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.


text:
Likewise, when all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they followed them closely in the battle.


text:
And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food before the evening, when I am avenged of my enemies. So none of the people even tasted food.


text:
And all those from the land came upon a honeycomb, and there was honey on the surface of the ground.


text:
And when the people came to the honeycomb, there was honey flowing; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people were afraid of the oath.


text:
But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; and he put forth the end of his staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and he put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.


text:
Then someone from among the people responded and said, Your father sternly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food today; and so the people are faint.


text:
Then Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. Look how my eyes lit up because I tasted a bit of this honey.


text:
How much more if today the people had eaten up the spoil from their enemies, which they found, for now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great.


text:
Now they had struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint.


text:
And the people flew upon the spoil; and they took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.


text:
And it was reported to Saul, saying, The people are now sinning against Jehovah by eating the spoil with the blood. And he said, You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today.


text:
And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, Let each man bring his ox here to me, and each his sheep; and slay them here and eat; and do not sin against Jehovah by eating these things with the blood. And all the people brought


text:
And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man among them. And they said, Do all that is good in your sight. But the priest said, Let us draw near to God here.


text:
And Saul inquired of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel? But He did not answer him that day.


text:
Then Saul said, Come here, all you chiefs of the people; and find out how this sin has happened today.


text:
For as Jehovah lives, who saves Israel, even if it is with Jonathan my son, he shall surely be put to death. But there was no one among all the people who answered him.


text:
And he said to all Israel, You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son shall be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what is good in your sight.


text:
Then Saul said to Jehovah the God of Israel, Show perfectly. And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, but the people escaped.


text:
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him and said, I did indeed taste a bit of honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I must die.


text:
Then the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has executed this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Jehovah lives, not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan so that


text:
Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies all around, against Moab and against the children of Ammon and against Edom and against the kings of Zobah and against the Philistines. And wherever he turned, he did them


text:
And he performed valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel from the hand of those who had plundered them.


text:
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these:The name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger was Michal.


text:
And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.


text:
And there was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he took him for himself.


text:
And Samuel said to Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of the words of Jehovah.


text:
Thus says Jehovah of hosts, I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they set themselves against them in the way as they came up out of Egypt.


text:
Go now and strike the Amalekites; and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, oxen and sheep, camel and donkey.


text:
And Saul summoned the people and mustered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.


text:
And Saul said to the Kenites, Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites; otherwise, I will destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. And the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.


text:
And he captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.


text:
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings, and the lambs and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but everything that was despised and worthless, this they utterly destroyed.


text:
I repent that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not fulfilled My words. And Samuel was angry, and he cried to Jehovah all night long.


text:
Then Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, saying, Saul went to Carmel and has now set up a monument for himself, and he has returned and passed on down to Gilgal.


text:
And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, Blessed are you of Jehovah! I have fulfilled the word of Jehovah.


text:
And Saul said, They have been brought from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to Jehovah your God, and the rest we have utterly destroyed.


text:
Then Samuel said to Saul, Stop, and I will tell you what Jehovah spoke to me last night. And he said to him, Speak.


text:
And Samuel said, Though you are small in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah has anointed you king over Israel.


text:
And Jehovah sent you on a journey and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.


text:
Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah, but flew upon the spoil and did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah?


text:
And Saul said to Samuel, I surely did obey the voice of Jehovah, and I went on the journey that Jehovah sent me on. And I have brought Agag the king of the Amalekites and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.


text:
But of the spoil the people took sheep and oxen, the chief of those things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal.


text:
And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As much as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed, than the fat of rams.


text:
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, And insubordination is like idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king.


text:
And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.


text:
But Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel.


text:
And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today and has given it to an associate of yours, who is better than you.


text:
Then Saul said, I have sinned. Honor me now, I beg you, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me so that I may worship Jehovah your God.


text:
Then Samuel said, Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites near to me. And Agag came to him cheerfully, for Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death has turned.


text:
And Samuel said, Just as your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.


text:
And Samuel never again saw Saul unto the day of his death, though Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.


text:
And Jehovah said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, though I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have selected for Myself a king among his sons.


text:
And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah.


text:
Then call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will make known to you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for Me the one whom I name to you.


text:
So Samuel did what Jehovah said and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and they said, Do you come peaceably?


text:
And he said, Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice.


text:
But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not regard his appearance and the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For it is not how man sees that matters; for man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart.


text:
Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass before Samuel; and Samuel said, Jehovah has not chosen this one either.


text:
And Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel; and Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen these.


text:
Then Samuel said to Jesse, Are these all the young men you have? And he said, There is still the youngest, but he is now tending the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send for him, and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.


text:
So he sent for him and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And Jehovah said, Arise; anoint him, for this is he.


text:
And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and the Spirit of Jehovah rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.


text:
Let our lord speak. Your servants are before you; they will seek out a man who is skilled in playing the lyre. And when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it by hand, and you will be well.


text:
And one of the attendants answered and said, I have just seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skilled in playing and a mighty man of valor and a man of war and prudent in speech and of good presence, and Jehovah is with him.


text:
And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.


text:
And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer.


text:
And Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, Let David enter my service, for he has found favor in my sight.


text:
So whenever the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took his lyre and played it by hand, and Saul was refreshed and was well; and the evil spirit departed from him.


text:
And the Philistines assembled their armies for battle, and they assembled in Socoh, which belongs to Judah. And they encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.


text:
And Saul and the men of Israel were assembled, and they encamped in the valley of Elah. And they set the battle in array against the Philistines.


text:
And the Philistines stood on one mountain on one side, and Israel stood on another mountain on the other side; and the valley was between them.


text:
And a champion came forth from the camps of the Philistines. His name was Goliath, from Gath, and he was six cubits and a span tall.


text:
And there was a bronze helmet upon his head; and he was clothed with scaled armor, and the weight of the armor was five thousand bronze shekels.


text:
And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred iron shekels; and his shield bearer went before him.


text:
And he stood and called out to the ranks of Israel and said to them, Why do you come out to set the battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you, Saul's servants? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.


text:
If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will be our servants and serve us.


text:
And the Philistine said, I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, and let us fight together.


text:
Now when Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.


text:
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite from Bethlehem-judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. And the man was an old man in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men.


text:
And the three oldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who had gone into the battle were Eliab the firstborn and the second to him Abinadab and the third Shammah;


text:
And Jesse said to David his son, Take an ephah of this parched grain for your brothers and these ten loaves, and take them quickly to your brothers' camp.


text:
Also bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand; and see how your brothers are doing, and take some token from them.


text:
Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.


text:
And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper. And he took up the goods and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the entrenchment as the army was going forth to the battle line and shouting for the battle.


text:
And David left the things he had in the hand of the keeper of the equipment, and he ran to the array and went and greeted his brothers.


text:
And just as he was speaking with them, the champion, whose name was Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he spoke according to the same words; and David heard.


text:
And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he comes up to defy Israel. But as for the man who strikes him down, the king will make him rich with great riches; and he will give him his daughter and make the house of his fath


text:
Then David spoke to the men who were standing with him, saying, What shall be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and turns away reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the ranks of the living God?


text:
And the people spoke to him according to these words, saying, Thus shall it be done to the man who strikes him down.


text:
And Eliab his oldest brother heard him speaking to the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the evil of your heart, that


text:
And he turned around from him to another and spoke according to the same words, and the people responded to him according to the first words.


text:
And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.


text:
But Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth and he has been a man of war since his youth.


text:
And David said to Saul, Your servant has been tending his father's sheep; and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock,


text:
I would go out after it and strike it and deliver the lamb from its mouth. And when it rose up against me, I would seize it by its beard and strike it and kill it.


text:
Both the lion and the bear did your servant strike; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the ranks of the living God.


text:
And David said, Jehovah, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and may Jehovah be with you.


text:
And Saul put his own garment on David, and he placed a bronze helmet on his head and put his armor on him.


text:
And David girded his sword over his garment and tried to go, for he had not tried the armor. Then David said to Saul, I cannot go in these because I have not tried them. And David took them off.


text:
Then he took his staff in his hand, and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them into the shepherd's bag that he had, that is, in his pouch; and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.


text:
And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he scorned him; for he was but a youth and ruddy and handsome in appearance.


text:
And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you come to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.


text:
And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of heaven and to the beasts of the field.


text:
Then David said to the Philistine, You come to me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied.


text:
On this day Jehovah will deliver you up into my hand, and I will strike you and remove your head from you. And I will give the corpses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of heaven and to the animals of the earth on this day. And all the earth wil


text:
And all this congregation will know that it is not by sword or spear that Jehovah saves, for the battle is Jehovah's and He will deliver you into our hand.


text:
And when the Philistine rose up and came and drew near to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.


text:
And David put forth his hand into his bag and took a stone from there. And he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.


text:
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David's hand.


text:
Then David ran and stood beside the Philistine, and he took the Philistine's sword and drew it out of its sheath and made certain he was dead by striking off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their mighty man was dead, they fled.


text:
And the men of Israel and Judah rose up and shouted and pursued the Philistines until you come to Gai and to the gates of Ekron. And the Philistines lay slain along the way to Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.


text:
And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.


text:
Now when Saul saw David going forth to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner the captain of the army, Whose son is this youth, Abner? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.


text:
So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul; and the Philistine's head was in his hand.


text:
And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? And David said, The son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.


text:
Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became knit with the soul of David; and Jonathan loved him like his own soul.


text:
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and he gave it to David, as well as his armor and even his sword and his bow and his belt.


text:
And David went forth; on every mission that Saul sent him he acted prudently. Therefore Saul set him over the men of battle, and it was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.


text:
But when the men came home, as David returned from striking the Philistines, the women came out of all the towns of Israel singing and dancing to meet Saul the king, with tambourines and joyful songs and stringed instruments.


text:
And the women sang to one another as they played, and they said, Saul has struck down his thousands; But David, his ten thousands.


text:
And Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. And he said, They ascribe ten thousands to David, but to me they ascribe only thousands. And what more can he have except the kingdom?


text:
Then on the next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul; and he prophesied in the midst of the house while David played the lyre by hand, as he had day by day. And the spear was in Saul's hand.


text:
Then Saul threw the spear; for he said, I will strike David even to the wall. But David fled from him twice.


text:
So Saul removed him from being with him and made him the captain of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people.


text:
And Saul said to David, See, my oldest daughter Merab I will give to you as wife; only be valiant for me and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.


text:
And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be a son-in-law to the king?


text:
But at the time when Merab the daughter of Saul was to be given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.


text:
And Saul said, I will give her to him that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be upon him. Therefore Saul said to David, For the second time, you may be my son-in-law today.


text:
Then Saul commanded his servants, Speak to David privately, saying, See, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. So now become the king's son-in-law.


text:
And Saul's servants spoke these words in David's ears. And David said, Is it such a light thing in your sight for me to become a son-in-law to the king, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?


text:
Then Saul said, Thus shall you say to David, The king has no desire for a dowry but for a hundred Philistine foreskins, that he may be avenged of the king's enemies. For Saul planned to have David fall by the hand of the Philistines.


text:
So when his servants told David these things, David was pleased to become the king's son-in-law. And when the time had not yet expired,


text:
David rose up and went, he and his men; and he struck down two hundred Philistine men. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter as w


text:
Then the princes of the Philistines went forth; and as often as they went forth, David succeeded more than all the servants of Saul. So his name was very highly esteemed.


text:
And Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, took great delight in David.


text:
And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father is seeking to kill you. Now therefore be on guard in the morning, and stay in some secret place, and hide yourself.


text:
And I will go out and stand by my father's side in the field where you are. And I will speak about you to my father; and if I learn anything, I will tell you.


text:
So Jonathan spoke well about David to Saul his father and said to him, May the king not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been very good for you.


text:
For he risked his life when he struck down the Philistine, and Jehovah accomplished a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by having David killed without cause?


text:
And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, As Jehovah lives, he shall not be put to death.


text:
Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.


text:
And there was war again. And David went out and fought against the Philistines. And he struck them with a great slaughter, and they fled from before him.


text:
Then there came an evil spirit from Jehovah upon Saul, and he sat in his house with his spear in his hand while David played the lyre by hand.


text:
And Saul sought to strike David even to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul's presence. And Saul struck the wall with his spear, but David fled and escaped that night.


text:
Then Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him and kill him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If you do not save your life tonight, in the morning you will be killed.


text:
Then Michal took the teraphim and laid it in the bed. And she put a net of goats' hair on its head and covered it with clothing.


text:
And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me on his bed that I may kill him.


text:
And when the messengers went in, there was the teraphim in the bed with a net of goats' hair on its head.


text:
Then Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go so that he has slipped away? And Michal said to Saul, He said to me, Let me go; why should I kill you?


text:
So David fled and slipped away and came to Samuel at Ramah, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt at Naioth.


text:
So Saul sent messengers to seize David; and when they saw the company of prophets prophesying and Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon Saul's messengers, and they also prophesied.


text:
And it was told Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul again sent messengers the third time, and they also prophesied.


text:
Then he himself went to Ramah. And he came to the great well that is in Secu; and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And someone said, They are now at Naioth in Ramah.


text:
So he went there, toward Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him as well, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.


text:
And he also stripped off his clothes and also prophesied before Samuel, and he lay naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?


text:
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said to Jonathan, What have I done? What is my iniquity, or what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?


text:
And he said to him, Far from it! You shall not die. My father does nothing great or small that he does not disclose to me. So why should my father hide this matter from me? Such would not happen.


text:
Then David swore again and said, Your father fully knows that I have found favor in your sight; so he says, Do not let Jonathan know about this; otherwise, he will be grieved. But truly as Jehovah lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between


text:
And David said to Jonathan, It is the new moon tomorrow, and I am to sit with the king at the meal. But let me go, and I will hide myself in the field until the following evening.


text:
If your father misses me at all, you shall say, David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all his family.


text:
If he says in this way, Fine; then your servant will have peace. But if he becomes angry at all, know that evil has been determined by him.


text:
Deal kindly then with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Jehovah with you. But if there is any iniquity in me, you kill me. Why then should you bring me to your father?


text:
And Jonathan said, Far be it from you! For if I knew at all that evil has been determined by my father to come upon you, would I not tell it to you?


text:
Then David said to Jonathan, Who will tell me whether or not your father has responded to you harshly?


text:
And Jonathan said to David, Come and let us go out into the field. And they both went out into the field.


text:
And Jonathan said to David, By Jehovah, the God of Israel:When I search out my father about this time tomorrow, or on the following day, and if he is good toward David, I will surely send word to you and disclose it to you.


text:
May Jehovah do so to Jonathan, and even more, if it pleases my father to do you evil, and I do not disclose it to you and send you away to go in peace. And may Jehovah be with you as He was with my father.


text:
And never cut off your lovingkindness from my house, not even when Jehovah has cut off David's enemies to the man from the face of the earth.


text:
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David's enemies.


text:
Then Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon; and you will be missed, for your seat will be empty.


text:
And when you have waited three days, you shall go far down and come to the place where you hid yourself while all this was happening; and you shall remain at the stone Ezel.


text:
And just then I will send a boy, saying, Go; find the arrows. If I say to the boy, The arrows are there to this side of you; gather them; then come, for you have peace and there is no problem, as Jehovah lives.


text:
But if I speak in this way to the young man, The arrows are there beyond you; then go, for Jehovah has sent you away.


text:
And concerning this matter that I and you have spoken of, it is Jehovah who is between me and you forever.


text:
And the king sat on his seat as at other times, on his seat near the wall; and Jonathan rose up, and Abner sat down beside Saul, but David's place was empty.


text:
But Saul said nothing that day about it, for he thought, Something has happened to him; he is not clean; surely he is not clean.


text:
And on the day after the new moon, the second day, David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has the son of Jesse come neither yesterday nor today to the meal?


text:
And he said, Let me go, I beg you; for our family has a sacrifice in that city, and my brother commanded me to be there. So now if I have found favor in your sight, let me slip away to see my brothers. Therefore he has not come to the king's table.


text:
And Saul's anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?


text:
For as long as the son of Jesse is alive on the earth, you and your kingdom will not be established. Now therefore send someone and bring him to me, for he is as good as dead.


text:
And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, Why must he be put to death? What has he done?


text:
But Saul threw his spear at him in order to strike him down. So Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to put David to death.


text:
And Jonathan rose up from the table in burning anger and did not eat any food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved about David because his father had shamed him.


text:
Then in the morning Jonathan went forth to the field for the appointment with David, and a small boy was with him.


text:
And he said to his boy, Run and find the arrows that I am shooting. While the boy was running, he shot the arrow beyond him.


text:
And when the boy came to the place of the arrow that Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called out after the boy and said, The arrow is there beyond you.


text:
And Jonathan called out to the boy, Hurry up quickly; do not stay there. And Jonathan's boy gathered the arrows and came to his master.


text:
And when the boy went, David rose up from his hiding place toward the south and fell on his face to the ground; and he bowed himself three times. And they kissed each other; and they wept for each other, but David more greatly.


text:
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, because both of us have sworn in the name of Jehovah, saying, May Jehovah be between me and you and between my seed and your seed forever. Then David rose up and left, and Jonathan went into the city.


text:
And David went to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came trembling to meet David and said to him, Why are you alone, and no one with you?


text:
And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has charged me with some matter, and he said to me, Let no man know anything about the matter that I have sent you on and charged you with. So I have made an appointment with my young men at such and such a


text:
Now then what do you have on hand? Give five loaves of bread into my hand, or whatever there is to be found.


text:
And the priest answered David and said, There is no common bread on hand; yet there is holy bread, but only if the young men have kept themselves from women.


text:
And David answered the priest and said to him, Women have indeed been kept from us, as previously when I went forth; and the vessels of the young men were holy, even if it was a common journey. How much more then today will their vessels be holy!


text:
So the priest gave him what was holy, for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence, which was taken from before Jehovah, to be replaced by hot bread at the time it was taken.


text:
Now one of Saul's servants was there that day, detained before Jehovah. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of the shepherds that belonged to Saul.


text:
And David said to Ahimelech, And is there not a spear or a sword here on hand? For I have brought neither my sword nor my equipment with me, for the king's matter was urgent.


text:
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the valley of Elah, is here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take it, take it; for there is no other here but that one. And David said, There is none like


text:
But the servants of Achish said to him, Is this not David the king of the land? Is this not him of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying, Saul has struck down his thousands; But David, his ten thousands?


text:
So he disguised his sanity in their sight and acted like a madman before them, and he made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard.


text:
Do I lack madmen that you have brought this one to me to be a madman before me? Shall this one come into my house?


text:
Then David went from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard of it, they went down to him there.


text:
And everyone who was in distress and everyone who was in debt and everyone who was discontented gathered to him, and he became captain over them. And with him were about four hundred men.


text:
And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, Let my father and mother go forth and be with you until I know what God will do for me.


text:
And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they remained with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.


text:
And Gad the prophet said to David, Do not stay in the stronghold; depart and go into the land of Judah. So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.


text:
Then Saul heard that David and the men with him had been discovered. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height; and his spear was in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.


text:
And Saul said to his servants standing around him, Hear now, you Benjaminites:Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make every one of you captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,


text:
That every one of you has conspired against me, so that no one discloses it to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and none of you is sorry for me or discloses it to me when my son stirs up my servant against me to ambush me as on this


text:
Then Doeg the Edomite, who was set over Saul's servants, answered and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub at Nob.


text:
And he inquired of Jehovah for him and gave him provisions, and he gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.


text:
Then the king sent men to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob. And all of them came to the king.


text:
And Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him food and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, so that he rises up against me to ambush me as on this day?


text:
And Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law and has access to your council and is honored in your house?


text:
Was it just today that I began to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! May the king not impute anything to his servant nor to all my father's house, for your servant knows nothing of this matter, small or great.


text:
Then the king said to the runners who were standing around him, Turn, and kill the priests of Jehovah, because their hand is also with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing and they did not disclose it to me. But the king's servants would not p


text:
And the king said to Doeg, You turn, and attack the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he attacked the priests. And on that day he killed eighty- five men who wore the linen ephod.


text:
And he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, infants and sucklings, and oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword.


text:
But one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub escaped, whose name was Abiathar, and he fled after David.


text:
And David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for all the lives of your father's house.


text:
Remain with me, and do not be afraid; for he who seeks my life seeks your life, for you will be kept safe with me.


text:
And some told David, saying, The Philistines are now fighting against Keilah and robbing the threshing floors.


text:
And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go and strike these Philistines? And Jehovah said to David, Go and strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.


text:
And David's men said to him, Here we are, afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines!


text:
So David inquired yet again of Jehovah. And Jehovah answered him and said, Rise up; go down to Keilah, for I have delivered the Philistines into your hand.


text:
Then David and his men went to Keilah and fought against the Philistines and carried off their cattle and struck them down with a great slaughter. And David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.


text:
Now it so happened that when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand.


text:
Then it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, because he has entered a city with gates and bars.


text:
But when David learned that Saul was planning evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod here.


text:
And David said, O Jehovah the God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah in order to destroy the city on my account.


text:
Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Jehovah the God of Israel, do tell Your servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.


text:
And David said, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will deliver you.


text:
So David and his men, about six hundred men, rose up and went forth from Keilah; and they went about wherever they could. And when it was told Saul that David had slipped away from Keilah, he ceased his going forth.


text:
And David remained in the wilderness in strongholds, and he remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.


text:
And David saw that Saul went forth to seek his life, and David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.


text:
Then Jonathan the son of Saul rose up and went to David at Horesh, and he strengthened his hand in God.


text:
And he said to him, Do not be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father will not find you; and you will become king over Israel, and I will be second to you; and even Saul my father knows that.


text:
And the two of them made a covenant before Jehovah. And David remained in Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.


text:
Then some Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, David is indeed hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of the desert!


text:
Now then, O king, come down, according to all your soul's desire to come down; and we will deliver him into the hand of the king.


text:
Go now, and make sure once more; and find out and look into his place, where he sets foot, who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning.


text:
And look about and learn of all his hiding places where he lurks, and come back to me with sure information; then I will go with you, and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.


text:
And they rose up and went to Ziph before Saul. And David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of the desert.


text:
And Saul and his men went to seek him. And when some told David this, he went down to the rock and remained in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of it, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.


text:
And Saul went on one side of the mountain, while David and his men went on the other side of the mountain. And David hurried to get away from Saul, while Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men in order to capture them.


text:
So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and he went to meet the Philistines; therefore they call that place the Rock of Escape.


text:
And when Saul returned from following the Philistines, some told him, saying, David is now in the wilderness of En-gedi.


text:
And Saul took three thousand choice men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the Rocks of the Wild Goats.


text:
And he came to the sheepfolds along the way, and a cave was there. And Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost part of the cave.


text:
And David's men said to him, The day is here of which Jehovah said to you, I am about to give your enemy into your hand. Do then to him according to what seems good in your sight. So David rose up and cut off a corner of Saul's cloak without being noticed


text:
And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, Jehovah's anointed, as stretch out my hand against him; for he is Jehovah's anointed.


text:
So David checked his men with these words and would not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way.


text:
Then David rose up afterward and came out of the cave. And he called after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and paid him homage.


text:
Just this day your eyes have seen that Jehovah gave you into my hand today in the cave. And though some told me to kill you, I spared you and said, I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is Jehovah's anointed.


text:
Now my father, look, indeed, look at the corner of your cloak in my hand; for in that I cut off the corner of your cloak and did not kill you, know and see that there is no harm or transgression in my hand. And though I have not sinned against you, you hu


text:
May Jehovah judge between me and you, and may Jehovah avenge me of you; but my hand will not be against you.


text:
As the proverb of the ancients says, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness; but my hand will not be against you.


text:
May Jehovah then be Judge and decide between me and you. And may He see and plead my cause and release me through His judgment out of your hand.


text:
And when David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.


text:
And he said to David, You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me with good, while I have repaid you with evil.


text:
And you have declared today how you did good to me, because Jehovah delivered me up into your hand, but you would not kill me.


text:
For if a man finds his enemy, will he send him away safely? May Jehovah therefore reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.


text:
And now I indeed know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.


text:
Now therefore swear to me by Jehovah that you will not cut off my seed after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father's house.


text:
So David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up to the stronghold.


text:
Then Samuel died, and all Israel gathered together and mourned for him; and they buried him at his house in Ramah. And David rose up and went down into the wilderness of Paran.


text:
Now there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel. And the man was very wealthy:He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And at that time he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.


text:
And the man's name was Nabal, and his wife's name was Abigail. And the woman had good discernment and was beautiful in appearance. But the man was hard, and he was evil in his doings; and he was a Calebite.


text:
So David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name.


text:
And thus shall you say, Live long; and peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have.


text:
Now therefore I hear that you have shearers; your shepherds have now been with us, and we have not harmed them, nor has there been anything missing from them, all the time they were in Carmel.


text:
Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let these young men find favor in your sight, for we come in a good time. Give whatever you may have on hand to your servants and to your son David.


text:
So David's young men went and spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David; then they waited.


text:
But Nabal answered David's servants and said, Who is David, or who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who break away from their masters.


text:
Shall I then take my food and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men who come from I do not know where?


text:
Then David's young men turned back on their way. And they returned and came and told him all these things.


text:
And David said to his men, Each man gird on his sword. And each man girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And they went up after David, about four hundred men. And two hundred remained with the baggage.


text:
But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, David has just sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he shouted insultingly at them.


text:
But the men were very good to us; and we were not harmed, nor did we miss anything all the time we went with them when we were in the fields.


text:
Now therefore know and consider what you will do, because evil has been determined against our master and against all his house; for he is so worthless a man that no one can speak to him.


text:
Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread and two skins of wine and five sheep ready dressed and five measures of parched grain and one hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and she put them on her donkeys.


text:
And she said to her young men, Go on before me; I am coming right behind you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal.


text:
And as she rode on her donkey and came down under the cover of the mountain, David and his men at that moment came down toward her; and she met them.


text:
Now David had said, It was certainly in vain that I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that he has; for he has repaid me evil for good.


text:
May God do so to David's enemies, and even more, if I leave so much as a male child of all that he has until morning.


text:
And when Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from her donkey and fell on her face before David; and she bowed herself to the ground.


text:
And she fell at his feet and said, Upon me alone, my lord, be this iniquity; and let your female servant speak in your hearing, and hear the words of your female servant.


text:
May my lord not take this worthless man Nabal to heart. For as his name is, so he is:Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your female servant did not see my lord's young men, whom you sent.


text:
And now, my lord, as Jehovah lives and as your soul lives, since Jehovah has withheld you from entering into bloodshed and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now therefore let your enemies and those who seek harm against my lord be like Nabal.


text:
And now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.


text:
Please forgive the transgression of your female servant, for Jehovah will no doubt make a sure house for my lord, because my lord fights the battles of Jehoah; and no evil will be found in you throughout your days.


text:
And though men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, my lord's life will be bound up in the bundle of the living with Jehovah your God; and the lives of your enemies He will sling out, as from the hollow of the sling.


text:
And when Jehovah has done to my lord according to all the good He has spoken concerning you and has appointed you ruler over Israel,


text:
This will not be a qualm of conscience to you or a stumbling block in heart to my lord, that you shed blood without cause or that my lord has avenged himself. And when Jehovah has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your female servant.


text:
And blessed be your discretion; and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from entering into bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.


text:
For surely as Jehovah the God of Israel lives, who has withheld me from harming you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, indeed there would not have been left to Nabal even a male child until morning's light.


text:
So David took from her hand what she brought to him. And he said to her, Go up in peace to your house. See, I have listened to your voice and have accepted your person.


text:
And Abigail went to Nabal. And just then he was having a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, and he was extremely drunk; therefore she told him nothing, small or great, until the light of morning.


text:
And in the morning, when the wine had left Nabal, his wife told him these things. And his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.


text:
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach at the hand of Nabal and who has withheld His servant from evildoing; and Jehovah has returned the evildoing of Nabal upon his own head. And Da


text:
And when David's servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to you, to take you to himself as wife.


text:
And she rose up and fell on her face to the ground. And she said, Here is your female servant, as a slave to wash the feet of my lord's servants.


text:
And Abigail hurried and rose up; and she rode on a donkey, with her five young women following her. And she went after the messengers of David, and she became his wife.


text:
Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.


text:
And the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, David is hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite the desert!


text:
And Saul rose up and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, with him three thousand choice men of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.


text:
And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite the desert, by the road. And David remained in the wilderness, but he saw that Saul had come into the wilderness after him.


text:
So David rose up and went to the place where Saul encamped. And David looked on the place where Saul and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army, lay. Now Saul was lying within the entrenchment, and the people were encamped around him.


text:
And David responded and spoke to Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul at the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.


text:
So David and Abishai went to the people by night; and there lay Saul, sleeping within the entrenchment, and his spear was stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people lay around him.


text:
And Abishai said to David. God has delivered your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore let me strike him with the spear even to the ground with one stroke, and I will not do it twice.


text:
But David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against Jehovah's anointed and be guiltless?


text:
And David said, As Jehovah lives, Jehovah will strike him down, or his day will come to die, or he will go down in battle and perish.


text:
Jehovah forbid that I should stretch out my hand against Jehovah's anointed. Now therefore take the spear that is by his head and the water jug, and let us go.


text:
So David took the spear and the water jug by Saul's head, and they went away. And no one saw it or knew about it, nor did anyone awake, for all of them were sleeping; for a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen upon them.


text:
And David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of the hill far off; a great distance was between them.


text:
And David called out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Will you not answer, Abner? And Abner answered and said, Who are you that calls out to the king?


text:
And David said to Abner, Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not guarded your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord.


text:
This thing is not good that you have done. As Jehovah lives, you are as good as dead because you did not guard your lord, Jehovah's anointed. Now therefore, see where the king's spear and the water jug that were by his head are.


text:
And Saul recognized David's voice; and he said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.


text:
And he said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?


text:
Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is Jehovah who has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it is the sons of men, let them be cursed before Jehovah; for they have driven me out today, so that I


text:
Now therefore do not let my blood fall to the ground apart from the presence of Jehovah; for the king of Israel has come forth to seek a single flea, as one might hunt a partridge in the mountains.


text:
And Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will not harm you anymore, because my life was precious in your sight this day. I have indeed acted foolishly and have made a very great mistake.


text:
And David answered and said, Here is the spear, O king. Let one of the young men cross over and get it.


text:
And Jehovah will repay to each man his righteousness and faithfulness:Because Jehovah has delivered you into my hand today, and I would not stretch out my hand against Jehovah's anointed;


text:
Then just as great as your life was in my eyes this day, so great may my life be in Jehovah's eyes that He would deliver me from all distress.


text:
And Saul said to David, Blessed are you, my son David. You shall most certainly both do and prevail. And David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.


text:
And David said in his heart, I will now one day perish at the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines; then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within all the territory of Israel. Thus I will esc


text:
So David rose up and crossed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, the king of Gath.


text:
And David and his men remained with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each man with his household:David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the wife of Nabal, the Carmelite.


text:
And David said to Achish, If now I have found favor in your sight, let me be given a place in one of the country towns; and I will dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?


text:
And the length of time that David remained in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.


text:
Now David and his men went up and attacked the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites, for they were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as you go to Shur and unto the land of Egypt.


text:
And David struck the land; and he left neither man nor woman alive but took the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the clothing. Then he returned and came to Achish.


text:
Then Achish said, Against whom have you conducted an attack today? And David said, Against the south of Judah and against the south of the Jerahmeelites and against the south of the Kenites.


text:
Now David left neither man nor woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he said, Perhaps they will tell of us, saying, Thus did David do. And such was his custom as long as he dwelt in the country of the Philistines.


text:
And Achish trusted David, saying, He has made himself utterly odious to his people Israel; therefore he shall be my servant forever.


text:
Then in those days the Philistines gathered their camps together for war to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, Know assuredly that you shall go out with me into the camp, you and your men.


text:
And David said to Achish, This being so, you will know what your servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore I will make you my bodyguard for life.


text:
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him; and they had buried him in Ramah, that is, in his own city. And Saul had the mediums and the soothsayers put out of the land.


text:
And the Philistines gathered together, and they came and encamped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa.


text:
And Saul inquired of Jehovah; but Jehovah did not answer him, not by dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets.


text:
Then said Saul to his servants, Seek for me a woman who is a medium that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, There is now a woman who is a medium at En-dor.


text:
Then Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes. And he and two men with him went, and they came to the woman by night. And he said, Consult a departed spirit for me, and bring up to me the one whom I tell you.


text:
But the woman said to him, Look, you know what Saul has done, that he has cut off the mediums and the soothsayers from the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life to make me die?


text:
Then Saul swore to her by Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah lives, no punishment shall happen to you for this thing.


text:
Now when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.


text:
And the king said to her, Do not be afraid. But what do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I see some divine being coming up out of the earth.


text:
And he said to her, What is his appearance? And she said, An old man is coming up; and he is wrapped in a cloak. Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid him homage.


text:
And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? And Saul said, I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines wage war against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, neither through the prophets nor by dreams. Ther


text:
And Samuel said, Why then have you inquired of me? For Jehovah has turned away from you and become your adversary.


text:
And Jehovah has done for Himself just as He spoke through me, for Jehovah has torn the kingdom out from your hand and given it to an associate of yours, to David.


text:
Because you did not listen to the voice of Jehovah and did not execute His burning anger upon the Amalekites, therefore Jehovah has done this thing to you this day.


text:
And Jehovah will also give Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me; Jehovah will also give the camp of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.


text:
Then immediately Saul fell his full length to the ground, and he was very afraid because of Samuel's words. And there was no strength in him, for he had not eaten food all day and all night.


text:
And the woman came to Saul and saw that he was very troubled. And she said to him, Indeed, your servant has listened to your voice; and I have put my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.


text:
Now therefore, you listen also to the voice of your servant, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.


text:
But he refused and said, I will not eat. Then his servants, as well as the woman, compelled him, and he listened to their voice; and he rose up from the ground and sat on the bed.


text:
And the woman had a fattened calf in the house; and she hurried and killed it, and took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread with it.


text:
And she brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. And they rose up and went away that night.


text:
And the Philistines gathered all their camps together at Aphek; and Israel encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.


text:
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on at the rear with Achish.


text:
And the princes of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or even these years? And I have fo


text:
But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him. And the princes of the Philistines said to him, Make the man go back, that he may return to his place that you have assigned him, so that he does not go down with us into the battle and does not beco


text:
Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying, Saul has struck down his thousands; But David, his ten thousands?


text:
And Achish called David and said to him, As Jehovah lives, you are upright, and it is acceptable in my sight that you go forth and come in with me in the camp; for I have not found evil in you since the day you came to me to this day. But you are not acc


text:
Now therefore return and go in peace, so that you do not do anything displeasing to the lords of the Philistines.


text:
And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what wrong have you found in your servant since the day I began to be with you to this day, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?


text:
And Achish answered and said to David, I know that you are as acceptable to me as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us into the battle.


text:
Now therefore rise up early in the morning with your master's servants who came with you; indeed rise up early in the morning, and when you have daylight, go.


text:
So David rose up early, he and his men, to go in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.


text:
And when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid upon the south and upon Ziklag; and they had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire.


text:
And they had taken the women who were in it captive, both small and great; they had killed none, but had carried them off, and had gone on their way.


text:
And David and his men came to the city; and there it was, burned with fire. And their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.


text:
And David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no strength to weep.


text:
And David's two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


text:
And David was very distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for the soul of all the people was bitter, every man because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.


text:
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Bring the ephod to me. So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.


text:
And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I pursue after this band? Will I overtake them? And He said to him, Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will certainly deliver them.


text:
So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him; and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left stayed behind.


text:
And David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross over the brook Besor.


text:
And they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. And they gave him food, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink.


text:
And they gave him a piece of fig cake and two raisin cakes; and he ate, and his spirit returned to him; for he had eaten no food and had drunk no water for three days and three nights.


text:
And David said to him, To whom do you belong and where are you from? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amalekite man; and my master abandoned me because I fell sick three days ago.


text:
We attacked the south of the Cherethites and what belongs to Judah and the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.


text:
And David said to him, Can you lead me down to this band? And he said, Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hand of my master, and I will lead you down to this troop.


text:
And he led him down; and there they were, spread over the whole land, eating and drinking and celebrating because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.


text:
And David struck them from twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped except for four hundred young men, who rode upon camels, and fled.


text:
And nothing was missed by them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil nor anything that they had taken; David brought everything back.


text:
And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before the other cattle and of which they said, This is David's spoil.


text:
Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David and who had been left behind at the brook Besor. And they went forth to meet David and to meet the people who were with him; and David came near to the people and greeted th


text:
And all the wicked and worthless men among the men that had gone with David responded; and they said, Because they did not go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have delivered, except every man his wife and his children that they


text:
Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Jehovah has given us, who has kept us and given this band that came against us into our hand.


text:
And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.


text:
And David came to Ziklag, and he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his companions, saying, Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah:


text:
And for those in Racal, and for those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and for those in the cities of the Kenites,


text:
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.


text:
And the Philistines chased Saul and his sons; and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, Saul's sons.


text:
And the battle bore heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers.


text:
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not, for he was very afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.


text:
And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and who were on the other side of the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt


text:
And the next day the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.


text:
And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor; and they sent them all around, throughout the land of the Philistines in order to announce the good news in the houses of their idols and to the people.


text:
And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.


text:
All the valiant men rose up and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth- shan; and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.


text:
Now after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, David remained in Ziklag two days.


text:
And on the third day there came a man from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid him homage.


text:
And David said to him, Where did you come from? And he said to him, From the camp of Israel I have escaped.


text:
And David said to him, What has happened? Tell me. And he said that the people had fled from the battle and that also many of the people had fallen and died and that also Saul and Jonathan his son were dead.


text:
And David said to the young man that told him these things, How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?


text:
And the young man that told him these things said, By chance I happened to be upon Mount Gilboa; and just then Saul leaned on his spear, and just then the chariots and horsemen pursued closely after him.


text:
Then he said to me, Stand over me, and kill me; for anguish has seized me because my life is yet wholly within me.


text:
So I stood over him and put him to death, for I knew that he would not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them to my lord here.


text:
And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of Jehovah and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.


text:
And David said to the young man who told him these things, Where are you from? And he said, I am the son of an Amalekite stranger.


text:
And David said to him, How is it that you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?


text:
Then David called one of the young men and said, Come near; fall on him. And he struck him, and he died.


text:
And David said to him, Your blood be upon your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have killed Jehovah's anointed.


text:
And he commanded them to teach the children of Judah The Song of the Bow. It is now written in the book of Jashar:


text:
Tell it not in Gath; Bear not the news of it in the streets of Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.


text:
O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, Nor fields of heave offerings. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, The shield of Saul, no more anointed with oil.


text:
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan has not turned back, And the sword of Saul has not returned empty.


text:
Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles; They were stronger than lions.


text:
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with splendor, Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.


text:
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; so very pleasant were you to me. Your love to me was wonderful, beyond the love of women.


text:
And after this David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Where shall I go up? And He said, To Hebron.


text:
So David went up there, as well as his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


text:
And David brought up his men who were with him, each man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.


text:
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, It is the men of Jabesh-gilead who have buried Saul.


text:
And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, Blessed are you of Jehovah, because you have shown this kindness to your master, to Saul, and buried him.


text:
And now may Jehovah show kindness and faithfulness to you; and I also will repay you for this good, because you have done this thing.


text:
And now may your hands be strong, and you be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.


text:
But Abner the son of Ner, the captain of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.


text:
And he made him king over Gilead and over the Ashurites and over Jezreel and over Ephraim and over Benjamin and over all Israel.


text:
Ish-bosheth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. However the house of Judah followed David.


text:
And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul went forth from Mahanaim to Gibeon.


text:
And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went forth and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, these on the one side of the pool and those on the other side of the pool.


text:
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men arise and compete before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.


text:
And they arose and went over by number, twelve for Benjamin and for Ish- bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.


text:
And each seized his opponent by the head, and his sword went into his opponent's side; and they fell down together. And that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is at Gibeon.


text:
And the battle was very severe that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were routed before the servants of David.


text:
And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was swift of foot, like one of the gazelles which are in the field.


text:
And Asahel pursued after Abner; and as he went, he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from behind Abner.


text:
And Abner said to him, Turn away to your right or to your left, and seize one of the young men, and take his armor for yourself. But Asahel would not turn away from following him.


text:
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to Joab your brother?


text:
But he refused to turn away, so Abner struck him in the stomach with the end of his spear; and the spear came out behind him. And he fell down there and died in that place. And everyone who came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.


text:
But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner. And as the sun went down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.


text:
And the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one troop, and they stood on the top of a hill.


text:
And Abner called out to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? Then how long shall it be before you command the people to return from following their brothers?


text:
And Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, then surely the people would have gone up each one from following his brother in the morning only.


text:
And Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still; and they pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight any more.


text:
And Abner and his men walked all that night through the Arabah. And they crossed over the Jordan and went through all the Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.


text:
And Joab returned from following Abner. And he gathered all the people together, and among David's servants there were nineteen men missing plus Asahel.


text:
And the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin and among Abner's men three hundred and sixty men, who died.


text:
And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men walked all night, and the day dawned on them at Hebron.


text:
Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David became continually stronger, and the house of Saul became continually weaker.


text:
And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maachah, the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur;


text:
And while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.


text:
Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why did you go in to my father's concubine?


text:
Then Abner became very angry about the words of Ish-bosheth; and he said, Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of Dav


text:
To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba!


text:
And Abner sent messengers to David where he was, saying, To whom shall the land belong? and saying, Make your covenant with me; and then my hand will be with you, to turn all Israel to you.


text:
And David said, Fine, I will make a covenant with you; but I require one thing of you, namely, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face.


text:
Then David sent messengers to Ish- bosheth Saul's son, saying, Deliver my wife Michal to me, whom I espoused for a hundred Philistine foreskins.


text:
And her husband went along with her to Bahurim, walking and weeping after her. But Abner said to him, Go; return. And he returned.


text:
Now Abner had conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, For some time now you have been seeking for David to be king over you.


text:
So do it now, for Jehovah has spoken of David, saying, By My servant David I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their enemies.


text:
And Abner also spoke 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 house of Benjamin.


text:
So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David held a feast for Abner and for the men who were with him.


text:
And Abner said to David, I will rise up and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you and that you may reign over all that your soul desires. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.


text:
And there came the servants of David and Joab from an attack, and they brought great spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.


text:
And when Joab and all the army that was with him came, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner has come to the king; and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.


text:
Then Joab went to the king and said, What have you done? Abner has just come to you. Why is it that you have sent him away and he has gone?


text:
You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, to discover your going out and your coming in, and to know everything that you do.


text:
And when Joab went out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah, though David did not know about it.


text:
And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately. And there he struck him in the stomach, so that he died for the bloodshed of Asahel his brother.


text:
Then afterward, when David heard of it, he said, I and my kingdom are innocent of the bloodshed of Abner the son of Ner before Jehovah forever.


text:
May it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and may there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue or who is a leper or who leans on a staff or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!


text:
So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.


text:
And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn over Abner. And King David followed the bier.


text:
And they buried Abner in Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.


text:
Your hands were not bound, Nor were your feet put into fetters. As a man falls before wicked men, you fell. And all the people wept over him again.


text:
And all the people came to make David eat food while it was still day; but David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down!


text:
And all the people took note of it, and it pleased them; as everything that the king did pleased all the people.


text:
And all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death.


text:
And the king said to his servants, Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?


text:
And today I am weak, even though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too difficult for me. May Jehovah reward the evildoer according to his evil!


text:
Now when Saul's son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was dismayed.


text:
And Saul's son had two men, the captains of bands. The name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the second Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin; for Beeroth is also considered to belong to Benjamin.


text:
Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who had crippled feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel. And his nurse took him up and fled. And as she hurried to flee, he fell and was made lame. And his name was Mephiboshe


text:
And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and around the time of the heat of the day they came into the house of Ish-bosheth, while he was taking his noonday rest.


text:
And they came into the midst of the house, as though they were taking wheat. And they stabbed him in the stomach. And Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.


text:
Now they had come into the house as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they struck him and killed him and beheaded him. And they took his head and traveled by the way of the Arabah all night.


text:
And they brought the head of Ish- bosheth to David in Hebron; and they said to the king, Here is the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. And Jehovah has granted my lord the king to be avenged this day of Saul and of his s


text:
Then David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Jehovah lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress,


text:
When one told me, saying, Saul is now dead! thinking he was a bearer of good news, I took hold of him and slew him in Ziklag - that was the reward I gave him for the news.


text:
How much more when wicked men slay a righteous person in his own house upon his bed! And now should I not demand his blood of your hand and take you away from the earth?


text:
Then David commanded his young men, and they slew them and cut off their hands and their feet and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the sepulcher of Abner in Hebron.


text:
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron; and they spoke, saying, Here we are; we are your bone and your flesh.


text:
Even previously, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And Jehovah said to you, You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be ruler over Israel.


text:
And all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. And King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah, and they anointed David king over Israel.


text:
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.


text:
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. And they spoke to David, saying, You shall not come in here:Even the blind and the lame will drive you back! (thinking, David cannot come in here.)


text:
And David said on that day, Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him go up to the watercourse and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul. Therefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.


text:
So David dwelt in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward.


text:
And Hiram the king of Tyre sent messengers to David, as well as cedar timbers and carpenters and masons; and they built David a house.


text:
And David perceived that Jehovah had established him as king over Israel and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.


text:
And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.


text:
And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem:Shammua and Shobab and Nathan and Solomon


text:
Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; and David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.


text:
Then David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up, for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.


text:
So David came to Baal-perazim, and David struck them there. And he said, Jehovah has broken forth upon my enemies before me like the breaking forth of a flood. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.


text:
And David inquired of Jehovah, and He said, You shall not go up; go around behind them and come upon them opposite the balsam trees.


text:
And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall act decisively; for then Jehovah will have gone forth before you to strike the army of the Philistines.


text:
And David did as Jehovah had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon until you come to Gezer.


text:
And David rose up and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the Ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of Jehovah of hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim.


text:
And they set the Ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.


text:
And they brought it with the Ark of God out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Ahio went before the ark.


text:
And David and all the house of Israel played before Jehovah on all manner of instruments of cypress wood, with lyres and with harps and with tambourines and with sistrums and with cymbals.


text:
And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah reached out for the Ark of God and took hold of it; for the oxen had stumbled.


text:
And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the Ark of God.


text:
And David was angry because Jehovah had broken forth with an outburst upon Uzzah; and that place has been called Perez-uzzah to this day.


text:
So David did not want to remove the Ark of Jehovah to himself in the city of David. But David carried it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.


text:
And the Ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months; and Jehovah blessed Obed- edom and all his household.


text:
And it was told King David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed- edom and all that he has because of the Ark of God. So David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with rejoicing.


text:
So David and all the house of Israel brought up the Ark of Jehovah with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.


text:
And when the Ark of Jehovah came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Jehovah; and she despised him in her heart.


text:
And they brought in the Ark of Jehovah and set it in its place in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.


text:
And when David finished offering up the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of hosts.


text:
And he apportioned to all the people, to the whole multitude of Israel, to both men and women, to each one, a cake of bread and a portion of meat and a cake of raisins. And all the people went away, each to his own house.


text:
Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul went forth to meet David; and she said, How the king of Israel has made himself honorable today, uncovering himself today in the sight of the maids of his servants as some worthle


text:
And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah, over Israel; so I played before Jehovah.


text:
And I will yet be more lightly esteemed than this, and I will be base in my own sight; but by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them will I be honored.


text:
The king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the Ark of God dwells within curtains.


text:
Go and say to My servant David, Thus says Jehovah, Is it you who will build Me a house for Me to dwell in?


text:
For I have not dwelt in a house, since the day I brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt to this day; but I went about in a tent and in a tabernacle.


text:
In all My going about among all the children of Israel, did I ever speak a word to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?


text:
And now thus shall you say to My servant David, Thus says Jehovah of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you might be ruler over My people, over Israel;


text:
And I have been with you in every place that you have gone and have cut off all your enemies before you; and I will make a great name for you, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth.


text:
And I will appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them there, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more; and the sons of wickedness will ill-treat them no more as before,


text:
Even since the time when I commanded that there be judges over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover Jehovah declares to you that Jehovah will make you a house.


text:
When your days are fulfilled and you sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, which will come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.


text:
It is he who will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.


text:
I will be his Father, and he will be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will strike him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the sons of men;


text:
But My lovingkindness will not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I put away before you.


text:
And your house and your kingdom will be made sure forever before you; your throne will be established forever.


text:
Then King David went and sat before Jehovah; and he said, Who am I, O Lord Jehovah, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?


text:
And this was yet a small thing in Your sight, O Lord Jehovah; but You have spoken also of the house of Your servant for a great while to come; and is this the custom for man, O Lord Jehovah?


text:
For Your word's sake and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to make Your servant know it.


text:
Therefore You are great, O Lord Jehovah; for there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.


text:
And who is like Your people Israel, a nation unique on the earth, which God went to redeem to Himself as a people in order to make a name for Himself and to do for You what is great and awesome for Your land and before Your people, whom You have redeemed


text:
And You have established Your people Israel to be a people to You forever, and You, O Jehovah, became their God.


text:
And now, O Jehovah God, confirm forever the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, and do as You have spoken.


text:
And may Your name be magnified forever when men say, Jehovah of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of Your servant David will be established before You.


text:
For You, O Jehovah of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to Your servant, saying, I will build you a house; therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.


text:
And now, O Lord Jehovah, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have spoken this good matter to Your servant;


text:
Now therefore may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may be before You forever; for You, O Lord Jehovah, have spoken it. And with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.


text:
And after this David struck the Philistines and subdued them. And David took control of the chief city out of the hand of the Philistines.


text:
And he struck Moab. And making them lie down on the ground, he measured them with a measuring line; and he measured out two lengths of them to be put to death and one full length to be kept alive. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tri


text:
Then David struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, the king of Zobah, when he went to recover his power at the River.


text:
And David took from him a thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough of them for a hundred chariots.


text:
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer the king of Zobah, David struck twenty-two thousand men among the Syrians.


text:
And David put garrisons among the Syrians of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And Jehovah preserved David wherever he went.


text:
And David took the shields of gold that were with the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.


text:
Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him and congratulate him for fighting against Hadadezer and striking him down, for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi. And in Joram's hand were articles of silver and of gold and of bronze.


text:
King David consecrated these also to Jehovah along with the silver and gold that he consecrated from all the nations that he had subdued:


text:
From the Syrians and from the Moabites and from the children of Ammon and from the Philistines and from the Amalekites and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, the king of Zobah.


text:
And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, that is, eighteen thousand men.


text:
And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons; and all the Edomites became servants to David. And Jehovah preserved David wherever he went.


text:
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were his chief ministers.


text:
And David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show kindness to him for Jonathan's sake?


text:
Now there was a servant of the house of Saul, whose name was Ziba; and they called him to David. And the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, I am your servant.


text:
And the king said, Is there yet anyone at all of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him? And Ziba said to the king, There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.


text:
Then the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, He is just now in the house of Machir the son of Amiel in Lo-debar.


text:
And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he said, Your servant is here.


text:
And David said to him, Do not be afraid, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father; and I will restore to you all the land of your father Saul, and you will eat food at my table continually.


text:
And the king called Ziba, Saul's attendant, and said to him, All that belongs to Saul and to all his house I give to your master's son.


text:
And you shall work the land for him, you and your sons and your servants; and you shall bring in the produce that your master's son may have food to eat; and Mephibosheth, your master's son, will eat food continually at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen son


text:
Then Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do. And Mephibosheth, said David, shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons.


text:
And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.


text:
And Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem because he ate at the king's table continually. And he was crippled in both his feet.


text:
And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me. And David sent word through his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.


text:
But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Do you really think that David is honoring your father just because he sent some men to you to comfort you? Has not David sent his servants to you in order to search out the city and to s


text:
So Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half their beards and cut away half their garments at the buttocks, and he sent them away.


text:
Now when they told this to David, he sent some to meet them, for the men were very ashamed. And the king said, Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, then return.


text:
And when the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of


text:
And the children of Ammon went forth and set the battle in array at the entrance of the gate; but the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and of Maacah were alone in the field.


text:
Now when Joab saw that there were battle lines against him before and behind, he chose some of the choice men in Israel and set them in array against the Syrians.


text:
And the rest of the people he put under the charge of Abishai his brother and set them in array against the children of Ammon.


text:
And he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; and if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you.


text:
Be strong and let us be bold for the sake of our people and for the sake of the cities of our God, and may Jehovah do what seems good in His sight.


text:
So Joab and the people who were with him approached the battle against the Syrians, and the Syrians fled before him.


text:
And the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, and they fled from before Abishai and entered the city. And Joab returned from the children of Ammon and entered Jerusalem.


text:
Now when the Syrians saw that they had been routed before Israel, they gathered themselves together.


text:
And Hadadezer sent word and brought forth the Syrians who were beyond the River. And they came to Helem, and Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer was before them.


text:
And it was told David, and he gathered all Israel together and passed over the Jordan and came to Helem. And the Syrians set themselves in array to meet David, and they fought with him.


text:
And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David slew seven hundred charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen; and he struck Shobach the captain of their army, and he died there.


text:
And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.


text:
And at the turn of the year, at the time when kings go forth to battle, David sent out Joab and his servants with him and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.


text:
And late one afternoon David rose from his bed and went for a walk on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.


text:
And David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, This is none other than Bath-sheba the daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite.


text:
And David sent messengers and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) And she returned to her house.


text:
And Uriah came to him, and David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the battle was going.


text:
And David said to Uriah, Go down to your house, and wash your feet. And Uriah went forth from the king's house, and there followed him a present from the king.


text:
But Uriah lay down at the entrance to the king's house with all the servants of his lord and did not go down to his house.


text:
And they told David, saying, Uriah did not go down to his house. Then David said to Uriah, Have you not just come from a journey? Why have you not gone down to your house?


text:
And Uriah said to David, The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in huts, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live and your soul lives, I sha


text:
And David said to Uriah, Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back. So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the following.


text:
Then David invited him to eat and drink in his presence, and he made him drunk. Then in the evening he went forth to lie down on his bed with the servants of his lord, and he did not go down to his house.


text:
And he wrote in the letter, saying, Put Uriah in the forefront of the hardest battle, and withdraw from him that he may be struck down and die.


text:
And the men of the city went forth and fought with Joab; and some of the people, some of the servants of David, fell. And Uriah the Hittite died also.


text:
And he commanded the messenger, saying, When you have finished telling the king all the things concerning the battle,


text:
If the king's anger rises up and he says to you, Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?


text:
Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman throw an upper millstone upon him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall? Then you shall say, Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.


text:
And the messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate.


text:
Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall, and some of the king's servants died. And your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.


text:
Then David said to the messenger, Thus shall you say to Joab, Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your fighting against the city and overthrow it. And encourage him.


text:
And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.


text:
And when the mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to his house; and she became his wife and bore a son to him. But the thing that David did displeased Jehovah.


text:
Then Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he went to him and said to him, Two men lived in a city, one rich and the other poor.


text:
But the poor man had nothing but one small ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he nourished it, and it grew up together with him and his children; it ate of the morsels of his food and drank out of his own cup and lay on his bosom; indeed it was like a dau


text:
And there came a traveler to the rich man. But the rich man refused to take something from his own flock and herd to dress for the wayfarer who had come to him; but he took the poor man's ewe lamb and dressed it for the man who had come to him.


text:
And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. And he said to Nathan, As Jehovah lives, the man who has done this is worthy of death;


text:
And he shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he has done this thing and because he had no pity.


text:
Then Nathan said to David, You are the man. Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul;


text:
And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your bosom, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if this were too little, I would have added to you such and such things.


text:
Why have you despised the word of Jehovah by doing what is evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife as your wife and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.


text:
Now therefore the sword will not depart from your house forever because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.


text:
Thus says Jehovah, I will now raise up trouble against you from within your house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and will give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.


text:
And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said to David, Jehovah has also put away your sin; you will not die.


text:
Nevertheless, because you have given the enemies of Jehovah much occasion to blaspheme Him because of this thing, the son who is born to you shall also surely die.


text:
Then Nathan went to his house. And Jehovah struck the child whom Uriah's wife bore to David, and he was very sick.


text:
And David besought God for the child; and David fasted and went in and spent all night lying on the ground.


text:
And the elders of his house stood over him to raise him from the ground; but he did not want to, nor would he eat food with them.


text:
And on the seventh day the child died. And David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, While the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to our voice; how then can we tell him that the child is dead? He


text:
And David saw that his servants were whispering, and David perceived that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.


text:
Then David rose up from the ground and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went to the house of Jehovah and worshipped. Then he went to his house; and when he requested it, they set food before him, and he ate.


text:
And his servants said to him, What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but as soon as the child died, you rose up and ate bread.


text:
And he said, While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I thought, Who knows? Jehovah may be gracious to me, and the child may live.


text:
But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not come back to me.


text:
And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife and went in unto her and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him;


text:
And Joab sent messengers to David and said, I have fought against Rabbah; indeed I have taken the city of water.


text:
Now therefore gather the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and take it; otherwise I myself will take the city, and it will be called by my name.


text:
And he took the crown of their king from off his head. And the weight of it was a talent of gold, and it had precious stones; and it was put upon David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount.


text:
And he brought out the people who were in it and set them under saws and iron cutting tools and iron axes and made them pass through the brick kilns; and thus did he do to all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to J


text:
And some time after this, it so happened that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.


text:
And Amnon was so distraught that he made himself sick because of Tamar his sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.


text:
Now Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very crafty man.


text:
And he said to him, Why are you, O son of the king, so downcast morning after morning? Will you not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.


text:
And Jonadab said to him, Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be sick; and when your father comes to see you, tell him, Please let Tamar my sister come and give me bread to eat, and let her make me food in my sight that I may see it and eat from her hand


text:
So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat them from her hand.


text:
Then David sent word home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and make him food.


text:
So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes.


text:
And she took the pan and emptied it before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, Have all the men go out from me. And all the men went out from him.


text:
And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into my room so that I may eat from your hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made and brought them to Amnon her brother in his room.


text:
And when she brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, Come lie with me, my sister.


text:
And she said to him, No, my brother. Do not force me, for such a thing should not be done in Israel. Do not commit this folly.


text:
And where will I carry my shame? And you, you will be like one of the foolish men in Israel. Now therefore, speak to the king, I beg you; for he will not withhold me from you.


text:
Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Rise up and go.


text:
But she said to him, Do not cause this greater wrong by sending me away, greater than the other that you have done to me. But he would not listen to her.


text:
And he called his young man who served him and said, Send this woman away from me outside, and bolt the door behind her.


text:
Now she had a long garment with sleeves, for the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in such robes. So his servant brought her outside and bolted the door behind her.


text:
And Tamar put ashes upon her head and rent the long garment with sleeves that was upon her, and she put her hand on her head and went off, crying aloud as she went.


text:
Then Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? But be quiet now, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart. And Tamar remained in her brother Absalom's house, desolate.


text:
But Absalom did not speak anything good or evil to Amnon, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had forced Tamar his sister.


text:
Then after two full years, while Absalom had sheep shearers in Baal-hazor, which is by Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king's sons.


text:
And Absalom came to the king and said, Your servant now has sheep shearers. May the king and his servants go now with your servant.


text:
But the king said to Absalom, No, my son; let us not all go, or we will be a burden to you. And he pressed him, but he would not go; yet he gave him his blessing.


text:
Then Absalom said, If not, then let Amnon my brother go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with you?


text:
And Absalom commanded his attendants, saying, Watch now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I say to you, Strike Amnon, then kill him. Do not be afraid; is it not I who have commanded you? Be strong and valiant.


text:
And Absalom's attendants did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. And all the king's sons rose up, and each mounted his mule and fled.


text:
And while they were on the way, the report came to David, namely, Absalom has struck down all the king's sons, and not one of them is left.


text:
And the king rose up and rent his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their garments rent.


text:
Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord think that all the young men, the sons of the king, have been killed, for Amnon alone is dead. For this has been determined by Absalom since the day Amnon forced Tamar hi


text:
Now therefore let my lord the king not take the matter to heart, thinking that all the king's sons are dead; for only Amnon is dead.


text:
But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and there they were, a multitude of people coming from the road behind him at the side of the mountain.


text:
And when he had finished speaking, there came the king's sons, and they lifted up their voice and wept. And the king and all his servants also wept exceedingly.


text:
But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.


text:
And David the king longed to go out to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.


text:
So Joab sent word to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. And he said to her, Pretend to be in mourning, and put on mourning garments, and do not anoint yourself with oil; but be like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.


text:
And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and paid him homage and said, Help, O king!


text:
And the king said to her, What troubles you? And she said, Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.


text:
And your servant had two sons. And the two struggled with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them. So the one struck down the other and killed him.


text:
And now the whole family has risen up against your servant, and they say, Give over that one who struck down his brother that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he has slain, even if we destroy the heir also. Thus they will quench my


text:
And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, O my lord the king, the iniquity be upon me and upon the house of my father, and the king and his throne be guiltless.


text:
And the king said, If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you any more.


text:
And she said, May the king remember Jehovah your God, so that the avenger of blood may kill no more and they destroy not my son. And he said, As Jehovah lives, not a hair from your son shall fall to the ground.


text:
And the woman said, Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word, the king is like one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back his banished one.


text:
For we must die and are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered again. Yet God does not take away life, but devises ways that the banished one would not be cast out from Him.


text:
Now therefore that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people made me afraid; and your servant said, I will now speak to the king; perhaps the king will perform his servant's request.


text:
For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.


text:
Then your servant said, Let the word of my lord the king be a comfort to me, for as an angel of God is, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil; and may Jehovah your God be with you.


text:
And the king answered and said to the woman, Do not hide the matter from me which I will ask of you. And the woman said, Let my lord the king speak.


text:
And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman answered and said, As your soul lives, O my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or left of anything that my lord the king has said; for your servant Joab commanded me, and


text:
In order to change the appearance of the matter, your servant Joab did this thing; and my lord is wise, as wise as an angel of God, knowing all that there is in the land.


text:
Then the king said to Joab, I will now do this thing; go therefore, and bring the young man Absalom back.


text:
And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage and blessed the king; and Joab said, Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, O my lord the king, in that the king has granted his servant's request.


text:
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king's face.


text:
Now there was none in Israel to be praised more greatly for his beauty than Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.


text:
And when he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of each year that he cut it, for it became heavy on him and he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, according to the king's weight.


text:
And to Absalom were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.


text:
Then Absalom sent for Joab so that he might send him to the king, but he would not come to him. And he sent for him yet a second time, but he would not come.


text:
Then he said to his servants, See, Joab's portion of land is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire. So Absalom's servants set the portion of land on fire.


text:
And Joab rose up and came to Absalom at his house; and he said to him, Why did your servants set my portion of land on fire?


text:
And Absalom said to Joab, I sent for you, saying, Come now that I may send you to the king to say, Why have I come from Geshur? It would have been better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there is any iniquity in m


text:
So Joab went to the king and spoke to him, and he called for Absalom. And he came to the king and bowed himself with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.


text:
And Absalom would rise up early and stand beside the way into the gate; and when any man who had a cause that should have come to the king for judgment came, Absalom would call to him and say, What city are you from? And he would say, Your servant is fro


text:
Then Absalom would say to him, See, your matters are good and right, but there is no one appointed by the king to hear you.


text:
And Absalom would say, Oh that I were made a judge in the land, that every man who had a cause or a matter to be judged would come to me, and I would do him justice!


text:
And so when any man came near to pay him homage, he would put forth his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.


text:
And Absalom acted in this way to all the Israelites who came to the king for judgment. And Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.


text:
And at the end of forty years Absalom said to the king, Let me go now and repay my vow, which I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron.


text:
For your servant vowed a vow while I was dwelling in Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, I will worship Jehovah.


text:
But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear the sound of the trumpet, you shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.


text:
And with Absalom there went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who had been called and went innocently; they did not know anything.


text:
And while he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy gained strength, and the people with Absalom increased continually.


text:
And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise up, and let us flee; for none of us will escape from Absalom otherwise. Hurry and go, lest he quickly overtake us and bring harm down upon us and strike the city with the edge of the


text:
And the king's servants said to the king, In all that my lord the king chooses, here we are, your servants.


text:
So the king went forth, and all his house after him. But the king left ten concubines to keep the house.


text:
And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.


text:
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why are you also going with us? Return and abide with the king, for you are a foreigner as well as an exile from your place.


text:
You came just recently, so should I today make you wander with us, while I go about wherever I can? Return and take your brothers back; lovingkindness and truth be with you.


text:
But Ittai answered the king and said, As Jehovah lives and as my lord the king lives, in whatever place my lord the king will be, whether for death or for life, there shall your servant most certainly be.


text:
And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones with him passed over.


text:
And all the land wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. And the king passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.


text:
And there came Zadok also and all the Levites with him, bearing the Ark of the Covenant of God; and they set the Ark of God down, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished passing over from the city.


text:
Then the king said to Zadok, Bring the Ark of God back into the city. If I should find favor in the sight of Jehovah, He will bring me back and show me it and His habitation.


text:
But if He should say thus, I am not pleased with you, let Him then do with me as it seems good in His sight.


text:
And the king said to Zadok the priest, You are a seer; return to the city in peace with Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you.


text:
And David went up the ascent to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up, and he had his head covered and he went barefoot. And all the people who were with him each covered his own head; and they went up, weeping as they went up.


text:
Then someone told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, Turn, I pray, the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness, O Jehovah.


text:
Then when David came to the summit, where God was worshipped, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and with earth on his head.


text:
But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I am your servant, O king; as I was your father's servant in the past, so will I be your servant now; then you will defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.


text:
And will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be with you there? Therefore whatever you hear from the king's house you shall tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests.


text:
And there with them will be their two sons, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok and Jonathan the son of Abiathar; and through them you shall send to me whatever you hear.


text:
And when David was a little past the summit, Ziba, Mephibosheth's attendant, came to meet him with a pair of saddled asses and upon them two hundred loaves of bread and a hundred clusters of raisins and a hundred summer fruit and a skin of wine.


text:
And the king said to Ziba, Why do you have these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on, and the bread and the summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.


text:
And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said to the king, He is now dwelling in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.


text:
And the king said to Ziba, Now all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours. And Ziba said, I bow myself to you. May I find favor in your sight, O my lord the king.


text:
And when King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul came forth from there, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came forth, cursing as he came forth.


text:
And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right and on his left.


text:
Jehovah has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and Jehovah has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son; and now you have been taken in your own mischief, for you are a man of bloodshed.


text:
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.


text:
But the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if Jehovah has told him to curse David, who then can say, Why have you done so?


text:
And David said to Abishai and all his servants, Now my son, who came forth from my body, seeks my life; how much more then this Benjaminite will do so. Leave him alone and let him curse, for Jehovah has told him to do so.


text:
It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done to me and that Jehovah will repay me with good for his cursing on this day.


text:
And David and his men went on their way. And Shimei went along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went; and he threw stones at him and cast dust upon him.


text:
Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him.


text:
And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king! Long live the king!


text:
And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?


text:
And Hushai said to Absalom, No; but the one whom Jehovah and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I dwell.


text:
Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should it not be in the presence of his son? As I served in the presence of your father, so will I be in your presence.


text:
And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in unto your father's concubines whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself abhorrent to your father; then the hands of all those who are with you will be strong.


text:
So they spread a tent for Absalom upon the roof, and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.


text:
Now the counsel of Ahithophel that he gave in those days was as if one inquired of the oracle of God; all the counsel of Ahithophel was thus, both with David and with Absalom.


text:
Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.


text:
And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed. And I will terrorize him, and all the people who are with him will flee; then I will strike down the king only.


text:
And I will bring all the people back to you; the return of the whole depends on what happens to the man whom you are seeking. All the people will be at peace.


text:
So Hushai came to Absalom; and Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken in this way. Shall we do what he says? If not, you speak.


text:
Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and bitter in soul, like a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and your father is a man of war and will not lodge with the people.


text:
He is now hidden in some pit or some other place; and when some of them fall at the beginning, whoever hears of it will say, There is a slaughter among the people who are with Absalom.


text:
And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt in fear; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and that those who are with him are valiant men.


text:
But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto you, from Dan to Beer-sheba, like the sand that is by the sea in multitude, and that you go into battle in person.


text:
Then we will come upon him in some place where he will be found, and we will light upon him as dew falls upon the ground; and we will not leave among him and among the men who are with him even one.


text:
And if he should withdraw into a city, all Israel will carry ropes to that city, and we will pull it into the river, until not even a stone is found there.


text:
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel; for Jehovah had ordained the defeat of the good counsel of Ahithophel to the intent that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom.


text:
Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus did I counsel.


text:
Now therefore send word quickly and tell David, saying, Do not lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but pass over by all means; otherwise, the king will be swallowed up, as well as all the people who are with him.


text:
Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En-rogel, and a female servant would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David; for they could not risk being seen coming into the city.


text:
But a young man saw them, and he told Absalom. And both of them went off quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard; and they went down into it.


text:
And his wife took the covering and spread it over the mouth of the well, and she strew grain over it; and the matter was unknown.


text:
Then Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house and said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have crossed over the brook of water. And when they searched for them and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.


text:
And after they departed, they came up out of the well and went and told King David. And they said to David, Rise up and cross quickly over the water, for thus has Ahithophel given counsel against you.


text:
So David rose up with all the people who were with him, and they crossed over the Jordan; by morning's light there was not one left who had not crossed over the Jordan.


text:
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and rose up and went to his house in his city; and he set his house in order and hanged himself. And he died and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.


text:
Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.


text:
And Absalom set Amasa over the army, instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in unto Abigail the daughter of Nahash, Zeruiah's sister, Joab's mother.


text:
And when David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Amiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,


text:
Brought beds and basins and earthen vessels and wheat and barley and meal and parched grain and beans and lentils and other parched grain


text:
And honey and butter and sheep and cheese from the herd to David and the people who were with him for them to eat; for they said, The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.


text:
Then David mustered the people who were with him, and he set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.


text:
And David sent the people out, a third under the hand of Joab and a third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I myself will surely go forth with yo


text:
But the people said, You shall not go forth; for if we flee off, they will not care about us; and if half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore it is better for you to be available to help us from the cit


text:
And the king said to them, What seems best in your sight I will do. So the king stood at the side of the gate, and all the people went forth by hundreds and by thousands.


text:
And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave the command to all the captains concerning Absalom.


text:
And the people went forth into the field against Israel, and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.


text:
And the people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter of twenty thousand there on that day.


text:
And the battle was spread there over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.


text:
And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David, and Absalom was riding upon his mule. And the mule went under the tangled branches of a great tree; and his head was caught in the tree, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth while the mule th


text:
And a certain man saw this; and he told Joab and said, I have just seen Absalom hanging from a tree.


text:
And Joab said to the man who told him this, And you have just seen this. Why did you not strike him down to the ground there? For I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.


text:
And the man said to Joab, Though I would receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put forth my hand against the son of the king; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care of the young man Absalom


text:
On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously with his life (there is nothing hidden from the king), you would have set yourself against me.


text:
Then Joab said, I will not linger here with you. And he took three staves in his hand and thrust them through Absalom's heart while he was still alive in the midst of the tree.


text:
And Joab blew the trumpet; and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab restrained the people.


text:
And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and they cast up over him a very great mound of stones. And all Israel fled, every man to his tent.


text:
Now Absalom, while he was alive, had taken a pillar which was in the king's valley and raised it up for himself, for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. And he called the pillar by his own name, and it is called Absalom's Monument to t


text:
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me now run and announce the news to the king, that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies.


text:
And Joab said to him, You shall not be the bearer of the news this day, but you shall announce the news on another day; yet on this day you shall not announce the news, for the king's son is dead.


text:
And Joab said to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what you have seen. And the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.


text:
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?


text:
But come what may, he said, I will run. And he said to him, Run. And Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed the Cushite.


text:
Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up on the roof of the gate to the wall; and lifted up his eyes and looked, and there came a man running alone.


text:
And the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. And he continued coming and drew near.


text:
Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called out to the gatekeeper and said, Here comes a man running alone. And the king said, This one also brings news.


text:
And the watchman said, I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man and comes with good news.


text:
And Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, All is well; and he bowed down to the king on his face to the ground. And he said, Blessed be Jehovah your God, who has delivered up the men who have lifted up their hand against my lord the king.


text:
And the king said, Is all well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, When Joab sent the king's servant and me your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.


text:
Just then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Good news for my lord the king, for today Jehovah has avenged you of all who have risen up against you.


text:
And the king said to the Cushite, Is all well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite said, May the enemies of my lord the king and all those who rise up against you to harm you be like that young man!


text:
And the king was badly shaken, and he went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he spoke thus, O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son!


text:
And the victory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day that the king was grieved concerning his son.


text:
And the king covered his face and cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!


text:
Then Joab came to the king at his house and said, Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who saved your life today and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines,


text:
In that you love those who hate you and hate those who love you; for you have made it clear today that princes and servants are nothing to you. But I realize today that if Absalom had lived and we all had died today, then it would have been fine in your s


text:
Now therefore rise up; go forth and comfort the hearts of your servants. For I swear by Jehovah that if you do not go forth, not a man will remain with you tonight; and that will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth un


text:
So the king rose up and sat in the gate. And all the people were told, saying, The king is now sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled, every man to his tent.


text:
And all the people quarreled throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land because of Absalom.


text:
But Absalom, whom we anointed as king over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?


text:
And King David sent word to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, seeing that the word of all Israel has come to the king at his house?


text:
You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring the king back?


text:
And you shall say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and even more, if you do not become captain of the army before me continually in the place of Joab.


text:
And he turned the heart of all the men of Judah as one man , and they sent word to the king, saying, Return, you and all your servants.


text:
So the king returned and came to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.


text:
And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite who was from Bahurim, hurried and went down with the men of Judah to meet King David.


text:
And there were a thousand men with him from Benjamin; and Ziba, the attendant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him were there. And they rushed down to the Jordan before the king.


text:
And the crossing was being made in order to bring the king's household over and to do whatever was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan.


text:
And he said to the king, Let not my lord consider me guilty; and do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king went forth from Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.


text:
For your servant knows that I have sinned; and now I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down, to meet my lord the king.


text:
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, for he has cursed Jehovah's anointed?


text:
And David said, What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should be an adversary to me today? Should any man in Israel be put to death today? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?


text:
Then Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. Now he had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he came back in peace.


text:
And when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, Why did you not come with me, Mephibosheth?


text:
And he said, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said, I will saddle myself a donkey that I may ride on it and go with the king. For your servant is lame.


text:
And Ziba slandered your servant before my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God; therefore do what is good in your sight.


text:
For all my father's house were but men worthy of death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right then do I have to cry out more to the king?


text:
And the king said to him, Why speak any more of your affairs? I say that you and Ziba shall divide the land.


text:
And Mephibosheth said to the king, Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has arrived at his house in peace.


text:
Then Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and he crossed over the Jordan with the king, to escort him through the Jordan.


text:
And Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age; and he had provided the king with food while he remained in Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.


text:
And the king said to Barzillai, Cross over with me, and I will provide you with food in Jerusalem at my side.


text:
But Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?


text:
I am eighty years old today. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat and what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king?


text:
Your servant would just cross a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why then should the king reward me with such a reward?


text:
Let your servant return that I may die in my city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham, let him cross over with my lord the king; and do with him what is good in your sight.


text:
And the king said, Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do with him what is good in your sight; and whatever you wish for me to do, I will do for you.


text:
And all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.


text:
So the king crossed over to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over with him. And all the people of Judah, and half the people of Israel as well, brought the king over.


text:
Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan along with the men of David with him?


text:
And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's expense? Or has he given us any gift?


text:
And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, We have ten parts in the king, and in David too we have more than you. Why then have you despised us? And were we not the first to speak of bringing our king back? But the speaking of the men of Ju


text:
Now there was a worthless fellow there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said, We have no portion in David, Nor do we have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel!


text:
And all the men of Israel went up from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri, but the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan to Jerusalem.


text:
And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them under guard; and he provided for them but did not go in unto them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living l


text:
Then David said to Abishai, Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. You take servants of your lord and pursue after him; otherwise he will find himself some fortified cities and escape out of our sight.


text:
So the men of Joab went out after him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went forth from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.


text:
When they were at the large stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was in military dress, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath, fastened on his loins; and when he went forward, it fell out.


text:
And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? And he took hold of Amasa's beard with his right hand to kiss him.


text:
But Amasa did not notice the sword which was in Joab's hand. And Joab struck him in the stomach with it and poured out his bowels onto the ground, and he did not strike him a second time; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba


text:
And one of Joab's young men stood by him and said, Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.


text:
And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the people stood still. And when he saw that all who came by him were stopping, he carried Amasa off the road into the field and put a garment over him.


text:
As soon as he was removed from the road, all the men went on after Joab to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.


text:
And Sheba went on throughout all the tribes of Israel to Abel and to Beth- maacah and unto all the Berites; and they gathered together and also went after him.


text:
And they came and besieged him at Abel of Beth-maacah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.


text:
And a wise woman from the city cried out, Listen! Listen! Say to Joab, Come near here that I may speak to you.


text:
And he came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Joab? And Joab said, I am. And she said to him, Listen to the words of your female servant. And he said, I am listening.


text:
Then she spoke, saying, They used to speak in former times, saying, They shall surely ask for counsel in Abel; and thus they would end matters.


text:
I am of the peaceable and faithful of Israel; you are seeking to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah?


text:
The matter is not so, but a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, His head will immedia


text:
So the woman went to all the people in her wisdom; and they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.


text:
Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,


text:
And there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is because of Saul and because of his house of bloodshed, for he put those Gibeonites to death.


text:
So the king called for the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel but were of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworn to them. But Saul had sought to slay them in his zeal for the chil


text:
And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And how shall I make expiation that you may bless the inheritance of Jehovah?


text:
And the Gibeonites said to him, It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul and his house, and it is not for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, Whatever you say I will do for you.


text:
Then they said to the king, The man who consumed us and who made plans against us to destroy us so that we would not remain within any of the territory of Israel,


text:
Let seven men from among his sons be given to us, and we will hang them unto Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king said, I will give them.


text:
But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath of Jehovah that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.


text:
So the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.


text:
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them on the mountain before Jehovah, and the seven perished together. And they were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of the barley harvest.


text:
And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it on a rock for herself, from the beginning of harvest until rain from heaven fell on their bodies; and she did not allow the birds of heaven to come upon them by day or the beasts of the field by


text:
And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the open square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them on the day when the Philistines slew Saul in Gilboa.


text:
So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there, and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged.


text:
And they buried the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the grave of Kish his father; and they did all that the king had commanded. And God responded to the entreaty for the land after that.


text:
And again the Philistines were at war with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought with the Philistines. And David became faint.


text:
And Ishbi-benob, who was one of the children of the giant and whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass, was girded with new weapons; and he intended to slay David.


text:
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him and struck down the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, saying, You shall not go forth with us again into battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.


text:
Then after this there was war again with the Philistines at Gob; and Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was one of the children of the giant.


text:
And there was war with the Philistines, again at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, slew Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.


text:
And again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also had been born to the giant.


text:
These four had been born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hands of his servants.


text:
And David spoke the words of this song to Jehovah on the day when Jehovah delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.


text:
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my high retreat and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.


text:
In my distress I called upon Jehovah And called to my God. And He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came to His ears.


text:
Then the earth shook and quaked, And the foundations of the heavens trembled and shook about, For He was furious.


text:
The channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the habitable land were laid bare, By the rebuke of Jehovah, At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.


text:
Jehovah has recompensed me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has repaid me.


text:
Therefore Jehovah recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in His sight.


text:
As for God, His way is perfect; The word of Jehovah is tried. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.


text:
And You have given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your condescending gentleness has made me great.


text:
And I devoured them and shattered them, so that they did not rise up; Indeed, they have fallen under my feet.


text:
Then I beat them like the dust of the earth; I pounded them, I stamped them, like the mud of the streets.


text:
And You rescued me from the strivings of my people; You have kept me as the head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serves me.


text:
And who brings me forth from my enemies. Yes, You exalted me above those who rise up against me; From the violent man You delivered me.


text:
It is He who magnifies salvation to His king And executes lovingkindness to His anointed, To David and to his seed forever.


text:
Now these are the last words of David:The declaration of David the son of Jesse, And the declaration of the man who has been raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, The one lovely in the psalms of Israel.


text:
The God of Israel spoke, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, He who rules among men righteously, He who rules with the fear of God.


text:
And He is like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds; As when the tender grass sprouts up from the earth At the sun's shining after a rain.


text:
For is not my house so with God? For He has made an eternal covenant with me, Ordered in all things and secure. For all my salvation and all my desire, Will He not indeed make them grow?


text:
But the wicked, all of them, will be Like thorns to be thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with the hand.


text:
But the man who touches them Must arm himself with an iron rod or with the shaft of a spear; And they will be burned with fire in their place.


text:
These are the names of the mighty men whom David had:Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was the chief of the captains; the same is Adino the Eznite, who fought against eight hundred who were slain at one time.


text:
After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the son of an Ahohite, one among the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel went away.


text:
He rose up and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary; and his hand clung to the sword, and Jehovah accomplished a great salvation that day; and the people returned after him, but only to strip the slain.


text:
And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. Now the Philistines were gathered into a troop where there was a plot of land full of lentils, and the people fled before the Philistines.


text:
But he stationed himself in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck the Philistines, and Jehovah accomplished a great salvation.


text:
Now three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David at harvest time in the cave of Adullam; and the Philistine troop was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.


text:
Now at that time David was in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was at that time in Bethlehem.


text:
And David said longingly, If only someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!


text:
And the three mighty men burst through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate. And they carried it and brought it to David, but he would not drink it; rather he poured it out to Jehovah.


text:
And he said, Far be it from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.


text:
And Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he brandished his spear against three hundred, who were slain; and he had a name among the three.


text:
He was indeed the most honored among the thirty, and he became their leader; but he did not attain to the three.


text:
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, was great in mighty deeds. He struck the two sons of Ariel the Moabite; he also went down and struck a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.


text:
And he struck an Egyptian, an imposing man. And the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian and slew him with his own spear.


text:
He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.


text:
Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite; Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin;


text:
And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel; and He moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.


text:
And the king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, Go now throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people.


text:
And Joab said to the king, Now may Jehovah your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king may see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?


text:
Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. And Joab and the captains of the army went forth before the king to count the people of Israel.


text:
And they crossed the Jordan and encamped at Aroer to the right of the city, which was in the midst of the river valley, toward Gad and unto Jazer.


text:
Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi, and they came to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon.


text:
And they came to the stronghold of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and of the Canaanites, and they went on to the south of Judah at Beer-sheba.


text:
And when they had gone about throughout all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.


text:
And Joab gave the number of the count of the people to the king. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.


text:
And David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people. And David said to Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, O Jehovah, put away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.


text:
And when David rose up in the morning, the word of Jehovah came to Gad the prophet, David's seer, saying,


text:
Go and speak to David, Thus says Jehovah, I am offering you three things; choose one of them for Me to do for you.


text:
So Gad went to David and told him these things. And he said to him, Shall seven years of famine come upon you in your land? Or shall you flee before your adversaries for three months while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days of pestilence in yo


text:
And David said to Gad, I am in a great strait; let us fall into the hand of Jehovah, for His compassions are great; and do not let me fall into the hand of man.


text:
So Jehovah sent a pestilence in Israel from the morning until the appointed time; and seventy thousand people died among the people from Dan to Beer-sheba.


text:
And when the angel stretched forth his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Jehovah repented of the harm. And He said to the angel who destroyed the people, It is enough; now hold back your hand. And the angel of Jehovah was by the threshing floor of Arau


text:
And David spoke to Jehovah when he saw the angel striking the people and said, It is I who have sinned, and it is I who have acted wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against the house of my father.


text:
And Gad came to David on that day; and he said to him, Go up and raise up an altar to Jehovah on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


text:
And Araunah looked out and saw the king and his servants coming over toward him. And Araunah went forth and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.


text:
And Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing floor from you to build an altar to Jehovah, that the plague may be stayed among the people.


text:
And Araunah said to David, May my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing instruments and the yokes for the oxen for the wood -


text:
All this, O king, does Araunah give to the king. Then Araunah said to the king, May Jehovah your God accept you.


text:
But the king said to Araunah, No; but I will surely buy it from you for a price, and I will not offer to Jehovah my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.


text:
And there David built an altar to Jehovah, and he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And Jehovah responded to the entreaty for the land, and the plague was stayed in Israel.


text:
Now when King David was old and advanced in years, they covered him with clothing, but he could not get warm.


text:
So his servants said to him, Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and serve him; and let her lie in your bosom so that my lord the king may get warm.


text:
Thus they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.


text:
And the young woman was very beautiful, and she served the king and ministered to him; but the king did not know her.


text:
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king. And he prepared a chariot and horsemen for himself and fifty men to run before him.


text:
And his father had never displeased him by saying, Why have you done thus and thus? And he also was very handsome, and his mother bore him after Absalom.


text:
And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and following Adonijah, they helped him.


text:
But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.


text:
And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he called all his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king.


text:
Then Nathan spoke to Bath-sheba, Solomon's mother, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns and our lord David does not know it?


text:
Go in at once to King David and say to him, Did you not, my lord O king, swear to your female servant, saying, Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Then why does Adonijah reign?


text:
Just when you are there and still speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.


text:
So Bath-sheba went in to the king in the chamber. And the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.


text:
And she said to him, My lord, you swore by Jehovah your God to your female servant, saying, Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.


text:
And he has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep abundantly and has called for all the king's sons and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab the captain of the army, but he has not called for Solomon your servant.


text:
And you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you would declare to them who will sit upon the throne of my lord the king after him.


text:
Otherwise when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.


text:
And they told the king, saying, Nathan the prophet is here. And he came in before the king and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground.


text:
And Nathan said, My lord the king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?


text:
For he has gone down today and sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep abundantly and has called for all the king's sons and for the captains of the army and for Abiathar the priest; and now they are eating and drinking before him, and they say, May King A


text:
But he has not called for me, me your servant, and for Zadok the priest and for Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and for Solomon your servant.


text:
Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not made known to your servants who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king after him?


text:
Then King David answered and said, Call Bath-sheba to me. And she came in before the king and stood before the king.


text:
Indeed as I have sworn to you by Jehovah the God of Israel, saying, Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my place; so indeed will I do this day.


text:
Then Bath-sheba bowed her face to the ground and paid homage to the king, and she said, May my lord King David live forever.


text:
And King David said, Call Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada to me. And they came in before the king.


text:
And the king said to them, Take the servants of your lord with you, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.


text:
And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel; and blow the trumpet and say, May King Solomon live!


text:
Then come up after him; and he shall come and sit upon my throne, and he shall reign in my place; for I have appointed him as ruler over Israel and over Judah.


text:
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen! May Jehovah, the God of my lord the king, so ordain!


text:
As Jehovah has been with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon; and may He make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.


text:
So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and caused Solomon to ride upon King David's mule, and they brought him to Gihon.


text:
And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the Tent of Meeting and anointed Solomon; and they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, May King Solomon live!


text:
And all the people went up after him; and the people were playing on pipes and rejoicing with great joy, and the land shook with the sound of them.


text:
And Adonijah and all the invited guests with him heard it as they finished eating. And Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and said, Why is there the sound of the city in an uproar?


text:
Just as he was still speaking, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, Come in; for you are a worthy man and bring good news.


text:
And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule.


text:
And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him as king in Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the sound that you heard.


text:
Moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne; and the king bowed himself upon his bed.


text:
And thus also did the king say, Blessed be Jehovah the God of Israel, who has given me today one to sit on my throne while my eyes may see it.


text:
And all the invited guests who were with Adonijah became frightened and rose up; and they went away, each on his own way.


text:
And Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon; and he rose up and went away, and he took hold of the horns of the altar.


text:
And it was told Solomon, saying, Now Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for he has just now taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.


text:
And Solomon said, If he is a worthy man, not a hair of his will fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.


text:
So King Solomon sent men and had him brought down from the altar. And he came and paid homage to King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, Go to your house.


text:
And keep the commandment of Jehovah your God by walking in His ways, by keeping His statutes, His commandments, and His ordinances and His testimonies as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn;


text:
That Jehovah may establish His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, If your children take heed to their way by walking before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail - He said - to be a man upon the throne of I


text:
Furthermore you know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, by that which he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew; and he shed the blood of war in peace and put the blood o


text:
Do therefore according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray-haired head go down into Sheol in peace.


text:
And show mercy to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for so they drew near to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.


text:
And now there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a terrible curse on the day I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Jehovah, saying, I shall not kill you with th


text:
Now therefore do not hold him guiltless; for you are a wise man, and you will know what to do to him. And you shall bring his gray-haired head down into Sheol with blood.


text:
And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years:in Hebron he reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.


text:
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Do you come peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.


text:
And he said, You know that the kingdom was mine and that all Israel looked to me to reign; but the kingdom has turned and has become my brother's, for it was of Jehovah to be his.


text:
And he said, Please tell Solomon the king - for he will not refuse you - to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.


text:
So Bath-sheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed himself before her; and he sat on his throne and had a throne set for the king's mother, and she sat at his right hand.


text:
And she said, Let me ask one small thing of you; do not refuse me. And the king said to her, Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you.


text:
And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, since he is my older brother, indeed for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.


text:
Then King Solomon swore by Jehovah saying, God do so to me, and even more, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.


text:
Now therefore as Jehovah lives, who has established me and seated me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house as He has promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death today.


text:
And to Abiathar the priest, the king said, Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are worthy of death; but I will not kill you at this time, for you bore the Ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father and you suffered affliction in all that my f


text:
So Solomon thrust Abiathar out from being a priest to Jehovah, fulfilling the word of Jehovah which He had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.


text:
And the report came to Joab, for Joab had followed after Adonijah, though he had not followed after Absalom. And Joab fled into the Tent of Jehovah, and he took old of the horns of the altar.


text:
And when it was told King Solomon that Joab had fled into the Tent of Jehovah and that he was just then beside the altar, Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go and strike him down.


text:
And Benaiah came to the Tent of Jehovah and said to him, Thus says the king, Come out. And he said, No; rather I will die here. Then Benaiah brought word to the king again, saying, Thus has Joab said, and thus has he answered me.


text:
And the king said to him, Do as he has spoken, and strike him down and bury him, that you may remove the blood which Joab has shed without cause from me and from my father's house.


text:
And Jehovah will return his blood upon his head because he struck down two men more righteous and better than himself and slew them with the sword, though my father David did not know Abner the son of Ner, the captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the


text:
So their blood shall return upon Joab's head and upon his seed's head forever, but to David and to his seed and to his house and to his throne there shall be peace forever from Jehovah.


text:
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and killed him, and he was buried at his own house in the wilderness.


text:
And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and the king put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.


text:
Then the king sent word and called for Shimei. And he said to him, Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there; and you shall not go forth from there to any place whatever.


text:
For on the day that you go forth and cross over the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall surely die; your blood will be upon your own head.


text:
And Shimei said to the king, This word is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do. So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.


text:
Then at the end of three years two of Shimei's servants ran off to Achish the son of Maacah, the king of Gath; and they told Shimei, saying, Your servants are now in Gath.


text:
So Shimei rose up and saddled his donkey and went to Gath, unto Achish, to seek his servants. And Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath.


text:
So the king sent and called for Shimei; and he said to him, Did I not make you swear by Jehovah and solemnly warn you, saying, On the day that you go forth and travel to any place whatever, know for certain that you shall surely die? And you said to me,


text:
And the king said to Shimei, You yourself know all the evil, which your heart is conscious of, that you did to David my father; and Jehovah will return your evil upon your own head.


text:
But King Solomon will be blessed, and the throne of David will be established before Jehovah forever.


text:
So the king gave commands to Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down so that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.


text:
And Solomon allied himself by marriage with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and he took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her to the city of David until he completed the building of his house and the house of Jehovah and the wall of Jerusalem all around.


text:
The people however were sacrificing in the high places, for there had still not been built a house for the name of Jehovah up to those days.


text:
And Solomon loved Jehovah, walking in the statutes of David his father; however he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.


text:
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer on that altar.


text:
In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, Ask what I should give you.


text:
And Solomon said, You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth and righteousness and in uprightness of heart with You; and You have kept for him this great lovingkindness and have given him a s


text:
And now, O Jehovah my God, You have made Your servant king in the place of David my father, though I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.


text:
And Your servant is in the midst of Your people, whom You have chosen, a vast people that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude.


text:
Give therefore to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?


text:
And God said to him, Because you have asked for this matter and have not asked for long life for yourself and have not asked for riches for yourself and have not asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for discernment for yourself to understa


text:
I now do according to your words. I now give you a heart of wisdom and understanding, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor will one rise up after you like you.


text:
And I also give you that for which you did not ask, both riches and glory, so that there will be no one among kings like you all your days.


text:
And if you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and My commandments, as David your father walked, I will extend your days.


text:
Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he went to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, and he offered up burnt offerings and offered peace offerings and made a feast for all his servants.


text:
And the one woman said, Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house, and I gave birth while she was in the house.


text:
And on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house; only we two were in the house.


text:
So she rose up in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your female servant was sleeping and laid him in her bosom, and her dead son she laid in my bosom.


text:
Then when I rose up in the morning to nurse my son, there he was, dead. But when I examined him in the morning, that was not my son whom I had given birth to.


text:
And the other woman said, No! The live one is my son, and the dead one is your son. And the first said, No! The dead one is your son, and the live one is my son. And they went on arguing like this before the king.


text:
Then the king said, This one says, This is my son, the live one, and the dead one is your son; and that one says, No! The dead one is your son, and the live one is my son.


text:
And the king said, Divide the live child between the two, and give half to one and half to the other.


text:
And the woman whose son was the live one said to the king (for her compassions for her son burned within), Oh, my lord, give the live child to her, and do not by any means kill him! But the other said, He shall neither be mine nor yours; divide him.


text:
And the king answered and said, Give her the live child, and do not by any means kill him; she is his mother.


text:
And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had exercised, and they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was within him to execute justice.


text:
And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the superintendents; and Zabud the son of Nathan was the principal officer, the king's friend;


text:
And Solomon had twelve superintendents over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his house; each month of the year one had to provide food.


text:
Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo and all Beth-shean, which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;


text:
Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (to him pertained the villages of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; and to him pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);


text:
Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon the king of the Amorites and Og the king of Bashan (and there was only one superintendent in that land).


text:
Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.


text:
And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and unto the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.


text:
Ten fattened oxen and twenty pastured oxen and a hundred sheep, besides deer and gazelles and roebucks and fattened fowl.


text:
For he had dominion over all the area west of the River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the River; and he had peace on all sides around him.


text:
And Judah and Israel dwelt securely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan to Beer-sheba, throughout all Solomon's days.


text:
And those superintendents provided food for King Solomon and for all who came to King Solomon's table, each in his month; they left nothing lacking.


text:
And they also brought to the place where it should be, barley and straw for the horses and steeds, each according to his charge.


text:
And God gave Solomon wisdom and very much understanding and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore.


text:
And Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the children of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.


text:
For he became wiser than all men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame was among all the surrounding nations.


text:
And he discoursed about trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that shoots forth out of the wall; he also discoursed about animals and about birds and about creeping things and about fish.


text:
And they came from all the peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.


text:
Now Hiram the king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always loved David.


text:
You know about David my father that he was not able to build a house for the name of Jehovah his God because of the warfare that his enemies surrounded him with, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet.


text:
And now I intend to build a house for the name of Jehovah my God according to what Jehovah spoke to David my father, saying, Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.


text:
Now therefore command that they cut for me cedars from Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, and I will give you payment for your servants, according to whatever you say; for you know that among us there is no one who knows how to cut timbe


text:
And when Hiram heard Solomon's words, he rejoiced greatly and said, Blessed be Jehovah this day, who has given David a wise son over this great people.


text:
And Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, I have heard the message which you have sent me. I will do all your desire concerning cedar timber and cypress timber.


text:
My servants will bring down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will make them into rafts by sea to the place that you direct me; and I will break them apart there, and you can carry off. And you can fulfill my desire by giving food to my household.


text:
And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household and twenty cors of the finest oil; this did Solomon give to Hiram year by year.


text:
And Jehovah gave Solomon wisdom, as He had promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.


text:
And King Solomon levied forced labor out of all Israel, and the forced labor amounted to thirty thousand men.


text:
And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses:one month they were in Lebanon, and two months they were at home. And Adoniram was over the forced labor.


text:
Besides Solomon's three thousand three hundred chief officers over the work, who directed the people who did the work.


text:
And the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, in order to lay the foundation of the house with hewn stone.


text:
And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites fashioned the stone and prepared the timber and the stones in order to build the house.


text:
Then in the four hundred eightieth year after the children of Israel had come forth out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of his reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv (this is the second month), Solomon began to build the house of Jehovah.


text:
And the house which King Solomon built to Jehovah was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.


text:
And the portico that was before the temple of the house was twenty cubits long, across the width of the house, and ten cubits deep, in front of the house.


text:
And against the wall of the house he built a structure with stories all around, next to the walls of the house all around the temple and the innermost sanctuary; and he made side chambers all around.


text:
The lowest story was five cubits wide; and the middle, six cubits wide; and the third, seven cubits wide; for he provided for outsets to the house all around the outside, so that the beams would not be inserted into the walls of the house.


text:
And the house, when it was being built, was built of finished stone, cut at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor ax nor any iron tool was heard in the house when it was being built.


text:
The door of the middle side chamber was on the right side of the house; and they went up by winding stairs into the middle story, and from the middle into the third.


text:
And he built the stories against all the house, five cubits high; and the structure was held to the house by cedar timbers.


text:
As for this house that you are building, if you walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will establish My word with you, which I spoke to David your father;


text:
And he built the walls of the house within with cedar boards; from the floor of the house to the wall of the ceiling he covered them on the inside with wood. And he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of cypress.


text:
And he built twenty cubits of the rear part of the house with cedar boards from the floor to the walls of the ceiling; and he built it within as an innermost sanctuary, as the Holy of Holies.


text:
And there was cedar on the house within, carved with gourds and open flowers. It was all cedar; there was no stone showing.


text:
And he prepared an innermost sanctuary in the midst of the house within, in order to put the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah there.


text:
And the interior of the innermost sanctuary was twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide and twenty cubits high; and he overlaid it with pure gold, and he overlaid the altar with cedar.


text:
And Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold; and he drew gold chains before the innermost sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold.


text:
So he overlaid all the house with gold, until all the house was complete; and the whole altar, which belonged to the innermost sanctuary, he overlaid with gold.


text:
And the one wing of the cherub was five cubits, and the second wing of the cherub was five cubits; ten cubits from the end of its one wing to the end of its other wing.


text:
And he put the cherubim in the midst of the inner house. And the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that the wing of the one cherub was touching the wall and the wing of the second cherub was touching the second wall; and their wings were touching


text:
And he carved all the walls of the house all around with engraved carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in both the inner chamber and the outer one.


text:
And for the entrance of the innermost sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintel and doorposts were a fifth of the breadth of the wall.


text:
And there were two doors of olive wood. And he carved carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers upon them, and he overlaid them with gold and spread the gold upon the cherubim and the palm trees.


text:
So also he made for the entrance of the temple doorposts of olive wood, out of a fourth of the breadth of the wall,


text:
And two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door folded, and the two leaves of the second door folded.


text:
And he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers on them, and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied over the carved work.


text:
And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul (which is the eighth month) the house was completed in all its parts and according to all its specifications. Thus he was seven years building it.


text:
And he built the Lebanon Forest House, a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.


text:
And it was roofed with cedar above the forty-five beams that were upon the pillars, fifteen in a row.


text:
And he made the portico of pillars, fifty cubits long and thirty cubits wide, with a portico before them and with pillars and a threshold before them.


text:
And he made the throne portico, where he would execute judgment, the judgment portico; and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor.


text:
And his house that he was to dwell in, in the court to the rear of the throne portico, was of the same workmanship. He also made a house for Pharaoh's daughter, whom Solomon had taken as his wife, like this portico.


text:
All these were of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, within and without, from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court.


text:
And the foundation was of costly stones, large stones, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits.


text:
And the great court surrounding had three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams, as did the inner court of the house of Jehovah and the portico of the house.


text:
He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali whose father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; and he was full of wisdom and understanding and skill to do all kinds of work in bronze. And he came to King Solomon and did all his work.


text:
And he formed the two bronze pillars; eighteen cubits was the height of each pillar, and a line of twelve cubits encompassed each pillar.


text:
And he made two capitals of molten bronze to set upon the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the second capital was five cubits.


text:
There were nets of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals that were at the top of the pillars, seven for the one capital, and seven for the second capital.


text:
So he made the pillars; and there were two rows around the one network, to cover the capitals that were at the top of the pomegranates. And he did the same for the second capital.


text:
And the capitals that were at the top of the pillars in the portico were of lily work, four cubits high.


text:
So then the capitals that were on the two pillars were above and close to the bulge that was beside the network. And there were two hundred pomegranates, in rows around both capitals.


text:
And he erected the pillars at the portico of the temple. When he erected the right pillar, he called its name Jachin; and when he erected the left pillar, he called its name Boaz.


text:
And he made the molten sea, ten cubits from brim to brim, fully round; and it was five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits encompassed it.


text:
And under its brim there were knops all around, encircling it, ten to a cubit, surrounding the sea all around; the knops were cast in two rows when they were cast.


text:
It stood upon twelve oxen, three facing north and three facing west and three facing south and three facing east; and the sea was upon them, and all their hindquarters were within.


text:
And it was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was like the work of a cup's brim, like the flower of a lily; it held two thousand baths.


text:
And he made the ten bases of bronze; one base was four cubits long and four cubits wide, and it was three cubits high.


text:
And on the panels that were between the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. And above the frames was a pedestal, and below the lions and oxen there were wreaths of hanging work.


text:
And each base had four bronze wheels with bronze axles. And its four feet had supports; underneath the laver the supports had been cast, with wreaths at the side of each.


text:
And the mouth of the laver was within this crown, and it rose above by one cubit; and its mouth was round like the work of a pedestal; it was a cubit and a half and upon its mouth were engravings as well, and its panels were square, not round.


text:
And the four wheels were underneath the panels, and the wheel axles were in the base; each wheel was a cubit and a half high.


text:
And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel:their axles and their rims and their spokes and their hubs were all molten.


text:
And at the top of the base there was a round band half a cubit high; and at the top of the base, its stays and its panels were of one piece.


text:
And on the surfaces of the stays and on its panels he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, as there was space on each, with wreaths all around.


text:
And he made ten bronze lavers; each laver held forty baths; each laver was four cubits across; there was one laver upon every one of the ten bases.


text:
And he set the bases, five on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house; and the sea he set on the right side of the house, on the east side at the south.


text:
And Hiram made the basins and the shovels and the bowls. Thus Hiram finished doing all the work that he was doing for King Solomon in the house of Jehovah:


text:
The two pillars, and the two bowls of the capitals that were at the top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were at the top of the pillars;


text:
And the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars;


text:
And the pots and the shovels and the bowls; all these vessels that Hiram made for King Solomon in the house of Jehovah were of burnished bronze.


text:
And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed because of the very great number; the weight of bronze could not be ascertained.


text:
And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Jehovah:the golden altar; and the golden table upon which the bread of the Presence was put;


text:
And the lampstands of pure gold, five on the right and five on the left, before the innermost sanctuary; and the flowers and the lamps and the tongs, of gold;


text:
And the cups and the snuffers and the bowls and the spoons and the firepans, of pure gold; and the hinges, for the doors of the inner house, the Holy of Holies, and for the doors of the house of the temple, of gold.


text:
Thus all the work that King Solomon did in the house of Jehovah was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had sanctified, the silver and the gold and the vessels, and he put them in the treasuries of the house of Jehovah.


text:
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' of the children of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem in order to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah from the city of David, which is Zio


text:
And all the men of Israel assembled themselves before King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethnaim, which is the seventh month.


text:
And they brought up the Ark of Jehovah and the Tent of Meeting and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; and the priests and Levites brought them up.


text:
And King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel, who had assembled before him and were with him before the Ark, were sacrificing sheep and oxen which could not be counted or numbered for multitude.


text:
And the priests brought the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah to its place, into the innermost sanctuary of the house, into the Holy of Holies under the wings of the cherubim.


text:
For the cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the Ark, and the cherubim covered the Ark and its poles overhead.


text:
And the poles extended out so that the ends of the poles could be seen from the Holy Place before the innermost sanctuary, but they were not seen outside; and they are there to this day.


text:
There was nothing in the Ark except the two stone tablets, which Moses placed there at Horeb when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.


text:
And the priests were not able to stand and minister because of the cloud, for the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah.


text:
And the king turned about and blessed all the congregation of Israel while all the congregation of Israel stood.


text:
And he said, Blessed be Jehovah the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to David my father and fulfilled it with His hand, saying,


text:
Since the day when I brought My people Israel out from Egypt, I have not chosen a city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house for My name that it might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.


text:
But Jehovah said to David my father, Because it was on your heart to build a house for My name, you have done well that it was on your heart;


text:
However you will not build the house, but your son, who will come forth from your loins, he will build the house for My name.


text:
And Jehovah has established His word which He spoke; for I have risen up in the place of David my father, and I sit upon the throne of Israel, as Jehovah promised, and I have built the house for the name of Jehovah the God of Israel.


text:
And there I have set a place for the Ark, in which is the covenant of Jehovah, which He made with our fathers when He brought them out from the land of Egypt.


text:
Then Solomon stood before the altar of Jehovah in front of all the congregation of Israel and spread his hands toward heaven.


text:
And he said, O Jehovah, God of Israel, there is no god like You, in heaven above or on the earth below, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness with Your servants who walk before You with all their heart;


text:
You who have kept with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him; indeed You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled with Your hand this day.


text:
And now, O Jehovah, God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man in My sight to sit upon the throne of Israel, if only your children keep their way by walking before Me as you ha


text:
Now therefore, O God of Israel, may Your word that You spoke to Your servant David my father be confirmed.


text:
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens are not able to contain You, how much less this house which I have built.


text:
Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O Jehovah my God, and listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today;


text:
That Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, My name will be there, to listen to the prayer which Your servant will pray toward this place.


text:
And listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear then in Your dwelling place in the heavens; and when You hear, forgive.


text:
If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house;


text:
Then hear in the heavens and act and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing his way on his head and justifying the righteous by giving to him according to his righteousness.


text:
When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they turn to You and confess Your name and pray and make supplication to You in this house;


text:
Then hear in the heavens, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers.


text:
When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them;


text:
Then hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of Your servants and of Your people Israel; indeed teach them the good way in which they should walk, and bring rain upon Your land, which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.


text:
If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, swarming locust or consuming locust, if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is;


text:
Whatever prayer, whatever supplication, which will be made by any man of all Your people Israel, each knowing the plague of his own heart, when he spreads out his hands toward this house;


text:
Then hear in the heavens Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each man according to all his ways, whose heart You know; for You, You alone know the hearts of all the children of men;


text:
And also concerning the foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel but comes from a distant country for the sake of Your name


text:
(For they will hear about Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house;


text:
hear in the heavens Your dwelling place, and act according to all that the foreigner calls upon You for, that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name that they may fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I


text:
If Your people go out to battle against their enemy by the way which You have sent them, and they pray to Jehovah toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name;


text:
If they have sinned against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them up to the enemy, so that they are carried away captive unto the land of the enemy, far away or nearby;


text:
But if they take it to heart in the land where they were carried captive, and they repent and make supplication to You in the land of those who carried them away captive, saying, We have sinned and committed iniquity and acted wickedly;


text:
And they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who have carried them captive, and they pray to You toward their land that You have given to their fathers, the city that You have chosen, and the house tha


text:
Then hear their prayer and their supplication in the heavens Your dwelling place and maintain their cause,


text:
And forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who lead them captive, that they might have compassion on them


text:
(For they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out from Egypt, from the midst of an iron furnace);


text:
That Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and to the supplication of Your people Israel to listen to them whenever they call upon You.


text:
For You have separated them from all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke through Moses Your servant, when You brought our fathers out from Egypt, O Lord Jehovah.


text:
And when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to Jehovah, he rose up from before the altar of Jehovah, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread toward the heavens.


text:
Blessed be Jehovah, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. Not one word of all His good promises which He spoke through Moses His servant has failed.


text:
That He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers.


text:
And let these words of mine, with which I made supplication to Jehovah, be near to Jehovah our God day and night to maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel as each day requires;


text:
Let your heart therefore be perfect with Jehovah our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments as on this day.


text:
And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to Jehovah:twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. Thus the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of Jehovah.


text:
On that day the king sanctified the middle of the court that was before the house of Jehovah, for there he offered the burnt offering and the meal offering and the fat of peace offerings because the bronze altar which was before Jehovah was too small to r


text:
And Solomon held a feast at that time and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before Jehovah our God, seven days and seven more days, fourteen days in all.


text:
On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their tents joyful and happy in heart for all the goodness which Jehovah had done to David His servant and to Israel His people.


text:
And when Solomon had finished building the house of Jehovah and the king's house and everything that Solomon desired to make,


text:
And Jehovah said to him, I have heard your prayer and your supplication which you have made before Me; I have sanctified this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there continually.


text:
And as for you, if you walk before Me, as David your father walked, with a perfect and upright heart by observing all that I have commanded you and keep My statutes and My ordinances,


text:
Then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised to David your father, saying, You will not lack a man on the throne of Israel.


text:
But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me and do not keep My commandments and My statutes, which I have put before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,


text:
Then I will cut Israel off from the face of the land which I have given them, and the house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all the peoples.


text:
And this house will become heaps, and everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss and say, Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house?


text:
And they will say, Because they forsook Jehovah their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold of other gods and worshipped them and served them; therefore Jehovah brought all this evil upon them.


text:
And at the end of the twenty years in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of Jehovah and the king's house,


text:
Since Hiram the king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar wood and with cypress wood and with gold, according to all that he desired, King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.


text:
And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, and they did not please him.


text:
And he said, What are these cities which you have given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul, as it is unto this day.


text:
Now this is the account of the forced labor which King Solomon levied to build the house of Jehovah and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer.


text:
(Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it with fire and had slain the Canaanites who lived in the city and given it as a dowry to his daughter, the wife of Solomon.)


text:
And all the storage cities that Solomon had, even the cities for chariots, and the cities for horsemen and what Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon and in all the land of his dominion.


text:
All of the people that were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel,


text:
Their children who were left after them in the land whom the children of Israel were not able to destroy utterly, Solomon levied as forced labor, as they are unto this day.


text:
But Solomon did not make slaves of the children of Israel; for they were the men of war and his servants and his officers and his captains and the officers over his chariots and his horsemen.


text:
These were the chief of the officers over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, who ruled over the people doing the work.


text:
As soon as Pharaoh's daughter came up from the city of David into her house which Solomon had built for her, he built the Millo.


text:
And three times a year Solomon offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he had built to Jehovah, and he burned incense with them on the altar which was before Jehovah. Thus he finished the house.


text:
King Solomon also built ships in Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.


text:
And they went to Ophir and took four hundred and twenty talents of gold from there and brought it to King Solomon.


text:
And the queen of Sheba had heard of Solomon's fame in connection with the name of Jehovah, and she came to test him with hard questions.


text:
And she came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels bearing spices and with very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she spoke all that was on her heart to him.


text:
And Solomon answered every matter of hers; there was nothing hidden from the king that he did not answer her.


text:
And the food of his table and the seating of his servants and the service and apparel of his ministers and his cupbearers and his burnt offerings that he offered up at the house of Jehovah, there was no more spirit in her.


text:
And she said to the king, The word that I heard in my land concerning your deeds and your wisdom is true,


text:
But I did not believe the words until I came and my own eyes saw. And indeed the half was not told to me; your wisdom and prosperity far exceed the report that I heard.


text:
Blessed be Jehovah your God, who has delighted in you and set you upon the throne of Israel. Because Jehovah loves Israel forever, he has made you king to execute justice and righteousness.


text:
And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold and a very great store of spices and some precious stones; never again did so great an abundance of spices come as that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.


text:
Moreover Hiram's fleet, which carried gold from Ophir, brought a great many almug trees and precious stones.


text:
And the king made of the almug trees a banister for the house of Jehovah and for the king's house, and lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come nor have been seen again to this day.


text:
And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked for, besides that which King Solomon gave her from his bounty. And she returned and went to her own land, she and her servants.


text:
Besides that which came through the traders and through the traffic of the merchants and through all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land.


text:
And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; he put six hundred shekels of gold upon each large shield.


text:
And he made three hundred smaller shields of beaten gold; he put three minas of gold upon each smaller shield. And the king put them in the Lebanon Forest House.


text:
The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was rounded at its back; and there were armrests on either side next to the place of the seat, and two lions stood next to the armrests.


text:
And twelve lions stood there upon the six steps on either side. Nothing like it had ever been made in any kingdom.


text:
And all King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the Lebanon Forest House were of pure gold; none were of silver, which was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon.


text:
For the king had at sea a fleet from Tarshish as well as Hiram's fleet. Once every three years the fleet from Tarshish came bearing gold and silver and ivory and apes and peacocks.


text:
And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.


text:
And they each brought their tribute, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and robes and weapons and spices, horses and mules, so much year by year.


text:
And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen together; and he had a thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.


text:
And the king caused silver to be as plentiful as stones in Jerusalem; and cedars, like the sycamores that are in the lowlands.


text:
And the horses that Solomon had came from Egypt and from Kue; the king's traders bought them from Kue at a fixed price.


text:
A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver and a horse for a hundred and fifty shekels, and thus they brought them out to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria by their own means.


text:
But King Solomon loved many foreign women in addition to Pharaoh's daughter - Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,


text:
From among the nations concerning which Jehovah had said to the children of Israel, You shall not go among them, nor shall they come among you, for they will surely turn your heart after their gods. Solomon clung to these in love.


text:
And he had seven hundred princess wives and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away.


text:
And when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect toward Jehovah his God like the heart of David his father.


text:
And Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable thing of the Ammonites.


text:
And Solomon did what was evil in the sight of Jehovah and did not fully follow Jehovah as David his father had done.


text:
Then Solomon built a high place to Chemosh the detestable thing of Moab in the mountain that is before Jerusalem and to Molech the detestable thing of the children of Ammon.


text:
So Jehovah became angry with Solomon because his heart turned away from Jehovah the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,


text:
And who had commanded him concerning this very matter, not to go after other gods; but he did not keep that which Jehovah had commanded.


text:
And Jehovah said to Solomon, Because you have done this and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.


text:
However I will not do it in your days, because of David your father; I will tear it out of your son's hand.


text:
But I will not tear the whole kingdom away from you; I will give one tribe to your son because of David My servant and because of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.


text:
And Jehovah raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the king's seed in Edom.


text:
Now when David was in Edom and Joab the captain of the army went up to bury the slain, he struck down all the males in Edom;


text:
But Hadad fled, he and some Edomite men from among his father's servants with him, and went into Egypt; and Hadad was a young boy then.


text:
Thus they arose from Midian and went to Paran, and they took men from Paran with them and went to Egypt, to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who gave him a house and appointed him a portion of food and gave him land.


text:
And Hadad found so much favor in the sight of Pharaoh that Pharaoh gave him the sister of his wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen, as his wife.


text:
And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, and Tahpenes weaned him in Pharaoh's house, and Genubath was in Pharaoh's house among Pharaoh's sons.


text:
And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers and that Joab the captain of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart that I may go to my own land.


text:
But Pharaoh said to him, But what have you lacked while with me that now you are seeking to go to your own land? And he said, Nothing; only let me depart.


text:
And God raised up another adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord, Hadadezer the king of Zobah.


text:
And he gathered men to himself and became the captain of the band when David slew those of Zobah; and they went to Damascus and dwelt there; and they reigned in Damascus.


text:
And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon in addition to the evil that Hadad did; and he abhorred Israel and reigned over Syria.


text:
And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, also a widow, lifted up his hand against the king.


text:
And this was the reason he lifted up his hand against the king:Solomon was building the Millo, closing up the breach of the city of David his father.


text:
And the man Jeroboam was an able man; and Solomon saw that the young man was industrious, so he set him over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph.


text:
And at that time Jeroboam went forth from Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the way. And Ahijah was wearing a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the field.


text:
And he said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces for yourself; for thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, I am now tearing the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and giving the ten tribes to you


text:
(But the one tribe will be his because of My servant David and because of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),


text:
Because they have forsaken Me and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Chemosh the god of Moab and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon and have not walked in My ways by doing what is upright in My sight and My statutes and My or


text:
But I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him leader all the days of his life because of David My servant, whom I chose and who kept My commandments and My statutes.


text:
And to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put My name.


text:
And I will take you, and you will reign according to all that your soul desires; and you will be king over Israel.


text:
And if you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways and do what is upright in My sight by keeping My statutes and My commandments, as David My servant did, I will be with you and will build you a lasting house, as I built for David; and I will


text:
Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam rose up and fled into Egypt to Shishak the king of Egypt; and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.


text:
And the rest of the acts of Solomon and all that he did as well as his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?


text:
And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.


text:
And when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon; and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;


text:
And they sent word to him and called him), Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,


text:
Your father made our yoke hard. Now therefore make the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us lighter, and we will serve you.


text:
Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the elders who attended Solomon his father while he was alive, saying, What counsel do you give me to return as an answer to this people?


text:
And they spoke to him, saying, If today you will be a servant to this people and serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants always.


text:
But he forsook the counsel of the elders with which they counseled him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who attended him.


text:
And he said to them, What counsel do you give me that we may return an answer to this people who have spoken to me, saying, Lighten the yoke that your father put upon us?


text:
And the young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you say to this people who have spoken to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must make lighter on us; thus shall you speak to them, My little finger is thicker tha


text:
And now, whereas my father laid a heavy yoke upon you, I will increase your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.


text:
And Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king had spoken, saying, Return to me on the third day.


text:
And the king answered the people harshly; and he forsook the counsel of the elders that they had given him


text:
And spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will increase your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.


text:
So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was of Jehovah that He might establish His word which Jehovah had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


text:
And when all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people returned an answer to the king, saying, What portion do we have in David? Neither do we have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel. Now see to your own house,


text:
Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam made haste to get up into his chariot and flee to Jerusalem.


text:
And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent word to him and called him to the assembly; and they made him king over all Israel. There was none who followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah alone.


text:
And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand choice warriors, to wage war with the house of Israel in order to return the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.


text:
Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, the king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people, saying,


text:
Thus says Jehovah, You shall not go up and wage war with your brothers the children of Israel. Every man return to his house; for this matter is of Me. So they listened to the word of Jehovah and returned and went according to the word of Jehovah.


text:
Then Jeroboam built up Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and he dwelt in it; and he went forth from there and built up Penuel.


text:
If this people go up to make sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will return to their lord, to Rehoboam the king of Judah; and they will slay me and return to Rehoboam the king of Judah.


text:
And the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!


text:
And he made a house of high places and appointed priests from among the people who were not from the sons of Levi.


text:
And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; he did likewise at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests


text:
And he went up to the altar that he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day, in the eighth month, that is, the month he had devised in his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel and went up to the altar to burn incense.


text:
And at that moment there came a man of God from Judah by the word of Jehovah to Bethel while Jeroboam was standing at the altar to burn incense.


text:
And he cried out against the altar by the word of Jehovah and said, Altar, O altar, thus says Jehovah:Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and he will sacrifice upon you the priests of the high places who burn incense upon y


text:
And he gave a sign that day, saying, This is the sign that Jehovah has spoken:The altar here will be torn apart, and the ashes that are upon it will be poured out.


text:
And when the king heard the word of the man of God that he cried out against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from over the altar, saying, Lay hold of him! And his hand, which he had stretched out against him, withered, and he could no


text:
And the altar was torn apart, and the ashes were poured forth from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of Jehovah.


text:
And the king responded and said to the man of God, Entreat Jehovah your God, I beg you, and intercede for me that my hand may be restored to me. And the man of God entreated Jehovah, and the king's hand was restored to him as it had been formerly.


text:
Then the king said to the man of God, Come home with me, and have something to eat; and I will give you a gift.


text:
But the man of God said to the king, If you gave me half your household, I would not go with you; and I will not eat food nor drink water in this place;


text:
For thus was I commanded by the word of Jehovah, saying, You shall not eat food nor drink water, nor shall you return by the way that you came.


text:
Now there was a certain old prophet dwelling in Bethel. And his sons came and related to him all the things that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words that he had spoken to the king, they also related to their father.


text:
And their father said to them, Which way did he go? Now his sons had seen which way the man of God, who came from Judah, had gone.


text:
And he said to his sons, Saddle the donkey for me. So they saddled the donkey for him, and he rode on it.


text:
And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under a terebinth. And he said to him, Are you the man of God who came from Judah? And he said, I am.


text:
But he said, I cannot return with you and go with you; neither will I eat food nor drink water with you in this place.


text:
For I was told by the word of Jehovah, You shall not eat food nor drink water there, nor shall you return by going on the way that you came there.


text:
And the old man said, I also am a prophet like you, and an angel has spoken to me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with you to your house that he may eat food and drink water. He lied to him.


text:
And while they were sitting at the table, the word of Jehovah came to the prophet who brought him back;


text:
And he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, Thus says Jehovah, Because you have rebelled against the word of Jehovah and did not keep the command that Jehovah your God commanded you,


text:
But returned and ate food and drank water in the place concerning which He said to you, Do not eat food and do not drink water; your corpse shall not come to the grave of your fathers.


text:
And after he had eaten food and had drunk water, the old man saddled the donkey for him, that is, for the prophet whom he had brought back.


text:
And as he went, a lion met him on the way and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion stood beside the corpse also.


text:
And some men soon passed by and saw the corpse thrown on the road and the lion standing beside the corpse, and they went and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.


text:
And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard he said, It is the man of God, who rebelled against the word of Jehovah; and Jehovah has given him to the lion, which tore him apart and killed him, according to the word of Jehovah which H


text:
And he went and found his corpse thrown on the road and the donkey and the lion standing beside the corpse; the lion had not eaten the corpse, nor had it torn the donkey apart.


text:
And the prophet took up the corpse of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back; and it was brought to the city of the old prophet for mourning and for burial.


text:
And after he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; beside his bones lay my bones.


text:
For the word that he cried out by the word of Jehovah against the altar that is in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria shall surely come to pass.


text:
After this matter Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but he again made priests for the high places from among the people; whoever desired it, he consecrated to be priests of the high places.


text:
And this matter became a sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as even to cut it off and destroy it from the face of the earth.


text:
And Jeroboam said to his wife, Rise up now, and disguise yourself so that no one will recognize that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there; it is he who spoke concerning me, that I should be king over this people.


text:
And take in your hand ten loaves and some cakes and a cruse of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.


text:
And Jeroboam's wife did so; that is, she rose up and went to Shiloh, and she came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were fixed because of his age.


text:
But Jehovah said to Ahijah, The wife of Jeroboam has now come to seek a word from you concerning her son, for he is ill. Thus and thus shall you speak to her. And it will be that when she comes in, she will pretend to be another woman.


text:
So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she entered through the door, he said, Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another woman? For I have a hard message for you.


text:
Go and tell Jeroboam, Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, Because I exalted you from among the people and made you ruler over My people Israel,


text:
And I tore away the kingdom from the house of David and gave it to you; and yet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, doing only what was upright in My sight,


text:
But you have done more evil than all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and idols, so as to provoke Me to anger; and you have cast Me behind your back -


text:
Because of this then, I am now bringing evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, bond and free, in Israel; and I will sweep up after the house of Jeroboam as a man might sweep up dung until it is all gone.


text:
Him of Jeroboam's who dies in the city, the dogs will eat; and him who dies in the field, the birds of heaven will eat; for Jehovah has spoken it.


text:
And all Israel will mourn for him and bury him, for he alone of Jeroboam's will go into the grave, because in him some good thing toward Jehovah the God of Israel was found among the house of Jeroboam.


text:
And Jehovah will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day and even now.


text:
And Jehovah will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will uproot Israel out of this good land, which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they made their Asherahs, provoking Jehovah to anger.


text:
And He will give Israel up on account of the sins of Jeroboam, by which he sinned and by which he caused Israel to sin.


text:
And Jeroboam's wife rose up and departed, and she came to Tirzah. As she came to the threshold of the house, the boy died.


text:
And all Israel buried him and mourned for him according to the word of Jehovah, which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the prophet.


text:
And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he waged war and how he reigned, they are there written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.


text:
And the time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years; and he slept with his fathers. And Nadab his son reigned in his place.


text:
And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty- one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city where Jehovah had chosen, out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name. And his mother's


text:
And Judah did what was evil in the sight of Jehovah and provoked Him to jealousy because of the sins which they committed, above all the sins which their fathers had committed.


text:
And they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherahs on every high hill and under every flourishing tree,


text:
And there were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They acted according to all the abominations of the nations that Jehovah had dispossessed before the children of Israel.


text:
And he took away the treasures of the house of Jehovah and the treasures of the king's house; indeed he took away all. And he took away all the shields of gold that Solomon had made.


text:
And King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place and committed them into the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house.


text:
And whenever the king went into the house of Jehovah, the guards carried them and returned them to the guardroom.


text:
And the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?


text:
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his place.


text:
And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God like the heart of David his father.


text:
Yet for David's sake Jehovah his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, raising up his son after him and establishing Jerusalem;


text:
Because David did what was upright in the sight of Jehovah and did not turn aside from anything that He had commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.


text:
And the rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.


text:
And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place.


text:
And he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom.


text:
And he put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.


text:
And he also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her abominable image and burned it at the brook Kidron.


text:
But the high places were not removed; otherwise the heart of Asa was perfect with Jehovah all his days.


text:
And he brought into the house of Jehovah the things his father had sanctified and the things he sanctified, silver and gold and vessels.


text:
And Baasha the king of Israel went up against Judah; and he built Ramah to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa the king of Judah.


text:
And Asa took all the silver and gold that was left among the treasures of the house of Jehovah as well as the treasures of the king's house, and gave them into the hands of his servants. And King Asa sent them forth to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the


text:
There is an alliance between me and you, between my father and your father. I am now sending you a present of silver and gold; go and break your alliance with Baasha the king of Israel, so that he goes away from me.


text:
And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the captains of forces that he had against the cities of Israel, and he struck Ijon and Dan and Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth with all the land of Naphtali.


text:
Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah; no one was exempt. And they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had built it; and King Asa built with these Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.


text:
And the rest of all the acts of Asa and all his might and all that he did and the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Yet in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.


text:
And Asa slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father. And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.


text:
And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa the king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.


text:
And he did what was evil in the sight of Jehovah and walked in the way of his father and in his sin by which he caused Israel to sin.


text:
And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him down in Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.


text:
And as soon as he became king, he struck down all the house of Jeroboam; he left to Jeroboam not one who had breath, until he had destroyed them, according to the word of Jehovah, which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the Shilonite,


text:
Because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and by which he caused Israel to sin, because of his provocation by which he provoked Jehovah the God of Israel to anger.


text:
And the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


text:
In the third year of Asa the king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty- four years.


text:
And he did what was evil in the sight of Jehovah and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin by which he caused Israel to sin.


text:
Because I exalted you out of the dust and made you a leader over My people Israel, yet you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have caused My people Israel to sin, thereby provoking Me to anger by their sins;


text:
I am now sweeping up after Baasha and after his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


text:
Him of Baasha who dies in the city, the dogs will eat; and him who dies in the field, the birds of heaven will eat.


text:
And the rest of the acts of Baasha and what he did and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


text:
Moreover through the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani the word of Jehovah came against Baasha and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of Jehovah, provoking Him to anger with the work of his hands by being like the house


text:
In the twenty-sixth year of Asa the king of Judah Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah for two years.


text:
And his servant Zimri, the captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. While he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah,


text:
Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa the king of Judah; and he reigned in his place.


text:
And as soon as he began to reign, just as he sat on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha; there was not a male left to him, neither kinsman nor friend.


text:
Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha according to the word of Jehovah, which He spoke against Baasha through Jehu the prophet,


text:
Because of all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they committed and by which they caused Israel to sin, thereby provoking Jehovah the God of Israel to anger with their idols.


text:
And the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


text:
In the twenty-seventh year of Asa the king of Judah Zimri began to reign for seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.


text:
And when the people who were encamped there heard it said, Zimri has conspired and even struck down the king, all Israel made Omri, the captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.


text:
And when Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went up to the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died,


text:
Because of his sins that he committed by doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah, walking in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he did, causing Israel to sin.


text:
And the rest of the acts of Zimri and his conspiracy that he conspired, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


text:
At that time the people of Israel were divided into two:Half of the people went after Tibni the son of Ginath, making him king, and half after Omri.


text:
But the people who followed Omri prevailed over the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath; and Tibni died, and Omri began to reign.


text:
In the thirty-first year of Asa the king of Judah Omri began to reign over Israel for twelve years; he reigned six years in Tirzah.


text:
And he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built upon the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.


text:
And he went in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and in his sin by which he caused Israel to sin, thereby provoking Jehovah the God of Israel to anger with their idols.


text:
And the rest of the acts of Omri that he did and his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


text:
And Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa the king of Judah. And Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.


text:
And Ahab the son of Omri did what was evil in the sight of Jehovah, more than all who were before him.


text:
And as if it were a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took as his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal the king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshipped him.


text:
And Ahab made the Asherah. And Ahab did more to provoke Jehovah the God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who had been before him.


text:
In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and he set up its gates at the cost of Segub his youngest son, according to the word of Jehovah, which He spoke through Joshua the son of Nun.


text:
And Elijah the Tishbite, from among the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, As Jehovah the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain during these years, except by my word.


text:
And he went and did according to the word of Jehovah; that is, he went and stayed by the brook Cherith, which is before the Jordan.


text:
And the ravens would bring him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.


text:
Rise up and go to Zarephath, which belongs to Zidon, and stay there. I have just commanded a widow there to keep you fed.


text:
And he rose up and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the entrance of the city, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, I beg you, bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.


text:
And she went to get it. Then he called to her and said, I beg you, bring me a piece of bread in your hand.


text:
And she said, As Jehovah your God lives, I have nothing baked, but only a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oil in a jar; and I am now gathering a few sticks that I may go and prepare it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.


