# verses

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And they gave them Shechem with its suburbs in the hill-country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Gezer with its suburbs,


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And out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with its suburbs; two cities.


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And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe of Manasseh [they gave] Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Be-eshterah with its suburbs; two cities.


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And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Hammoth-dor with its suburbs, and Kartan with its suburbs; three cities.


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All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.


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And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its suburbs, and Kartah with its suburbs,


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And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Mahanaim with its suburbs,


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All [these were] the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levites; and their lot was twelve cities.


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All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities with their suburbs.


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So Yahweh gave unto Israel all the land which he swore to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.


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And Yahweh gave them rest round about, according to all that he swore unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; Yahweh delivered all their enemies into their hand.


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There failed not aught of any good thing which Yahweh had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.


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and said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, and have hearkened unto my voice in all that I commanded you:


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ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of Yahweh your God.


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And now Yahweh your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he spake unto them: therefore now turn ye, and get you unto your tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan.


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Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.


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Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given [inheritance] in Bashan; but unto the other half gave Joshua among their brethren beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away unto their tents, he blessed them,


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and spake unto them, saying, Return with much wealth unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.


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And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.


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And when they came unto the region about the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look upon.


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And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertaineth to the children of Israel.


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And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.


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And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,


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and with him ten princes, one prince of a fathers' house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were every one of them head of their fathers' houses among the thousands of Israel.


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And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying,


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Thus saith the whole congregation of Yahweh, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Yahweh, in that ye have built you an altar, to rebel this day against Yahweh?


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Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves unto this day, although there came a plague upon the congregation of Yahweh,


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that ye must turn away this day from following Yahweh? and it will be, seeing ye rebel today against Yahweh, that tomorrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.


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Howbeit, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of Yahweh, wherein Yahweh's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against Yahweh, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar besides the altar of Yahweh our God.


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Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.


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Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spake unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,


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The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, the Mighty One, God, Yahweh, he knoweth; and Israel he shall know: if it be in rebellion, or if in trespass against Yahweh (save thou us not this day,)


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that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Yahweh; or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meal-offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace-offerings thereon, let Yahweh himself require it;


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and if we have not [rather] out of carefullness done this, [and] of purpose, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with Yahweh, the God of Israel?


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for Yahweh hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no portion in Yahweh: so might your children make our children cease from fearing Yahweh.


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Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice:


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but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of Yahweh before him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no portion in Yahweh.


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Therefore said we, It shall be, when they so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we shall say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Yahweh, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.


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Far be it from us that we should rebel against Yahweh, and turn away this day from following Yahweh, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Yahweh our God that is before his tabernacle.


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And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them well.


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And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we know that Yahweh is in the midst of us, because ye have not committed this trespass against Yahweh: now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Yahweh.


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And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.


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And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spake no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt.


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And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar [Ed]: For, [said they], it is a witness between us that Yahweh is God.


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And it came to pass after many days, when Yahweh had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years;


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that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and well stricken in years:


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and ye have seen all that Yahweh your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for Yahweh your God, he it is that hath fought for you.


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Behold, I have allotted unto you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun.


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And Yahweh your God, he will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as Yahweh your God spake unto you.


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Therefore be ye very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;


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that ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves unto them;


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For Yahweh hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath stood before you unto this day.


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One man of you shall chase a thousand; for Yahweh your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he spake unto you.


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Else if ye do at all go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you;


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know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no more drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap unto you, and a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which Yahweh your God hath given you.


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And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which Yahweh your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, not one thing hath failed thereof.


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And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things are come upon you of which Yahweh your God spake unto you, so will Yahweh bring upon you all the evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which Yahweh your God hath given you.


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When ye transgress the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them; then will the anger of Yahweh be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.


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And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.


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And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith Yahweh, the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.


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And I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.


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And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mountain Seir, to possess it: and Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.


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And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did in the midst thereof: and afterward I brought you out.


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And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and with horsemen unto the Red Sea.


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And when they cried out unto Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness many days.


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And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that dwelt beyond the Jordan: and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, and ye possessed their land; and I destroyed them from before you.


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Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel: and he sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you;


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but I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.


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And ye went over the Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand.


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And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.


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And I gave you a land whereon thou hadst not labored, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell therein; of vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.


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Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt; and serve ye Yahweh.


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And if it seem evil unto you to serve Yahweh, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.


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And the people answered and said, Far be it from us that we should forsake Yahweh, to serve other gods;


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for Yahweh our God, he it is that brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and that did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the peoples through the midst of whom we passed;


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and Yahweh drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites that dwelt in the land: therefore we also will serve Yahweh; for he is our God.


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And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve Yahweh; for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgression nor your sins.


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If ye forsake Yahweh, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.


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And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you Yahweh, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.


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Now therefore put away, [said he], the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto Yahweh, the God of Israel.


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So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.


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And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Yahweh.


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And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it hath heard all the words of Yahweh which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness against you, lest ye deny your God.


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And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being a hundred and ten years old.


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And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill-country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.


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And Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of Yahweh, that he had wrought for Israel.


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And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money: and they became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.


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And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in the hill of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill-country of Ephraim.


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And it came to pass after the death of Joshua, that the children of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, Who shall go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them?


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And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.


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And Judah went up; and Yahweh delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they smote of them in Bezek ten thousand men.


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And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek; and they fought against him, and they smote the Canaanites and the Perizzites.


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But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.


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And Adoni-bezek said, Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered [their food] under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.


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And the children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.


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And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites that dwelt in the hill-country, and in the South, and in the lowland.


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And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron (now the name of Hebron beforetime was Kiriath-arba); and they smote Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.


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And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir. (Now the name of Debir beforetime was Kiriath-sepher.)


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And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.


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And it came to pass, when she came [unto him], that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she alighted from off her donkey; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?


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And she said unto him, Give me a blessing; for that thou hast set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.


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And the children of the Kenite, Moses' brother-in-law, went up out of the city of palm-trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt with the people.


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And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they smote the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.


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Also Judah took Gaza with the border thereof, and Ashkelon with the border thereof, and Ekron with the border thereof.


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And Yahweh was with Judah; and drove out [the inhabitants of] the hill-country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.


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And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses had spoken: and he drove out thence the three sons of Anak.


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And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.


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And the watchers saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Show us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with thee.


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And he showed them the entrance into the city; and they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man go and all his family.


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And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz, which is the name thereof unto this day.


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And Manasseh did not drive out [the inhabitants of] Beth-shean and its towns, nor [of] Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.


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And it came to pass, when Israel was waxed strong, that they put the Canaanites to taskwork, and did not utterly drive them out.


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And Ephraim drove not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.


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Zebulun drove not out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became subject to taskwork.


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Asher drove not out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;


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but the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.


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Naphtali drove not out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to taskwork.


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And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill-country; for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley;


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but the Amorites would dwell in mountain Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became subject to taskwork.


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And the angel of Yahweh came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I swore unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you:


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and ye shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall break down their altars. But ye have not hearkened unto my voice: why have ye done this?


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Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be [as thorns] in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.


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And it came to pass, when the angel of Yahweh spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.


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Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.


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And the people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Yahweh that he had wrought for Israel.


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And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill-country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.


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And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, that knew not Yahweh, nor yet the work which he had wrought for Israel.


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and they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples that were round about them, and bowed themselves down unto them: and they provoked Yahweh to anger.


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And the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that despoiled them; and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.


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Whithersoever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them for evil, as Yahweh had spoken, and as Yahweh had sworn unto them: and they were sore distressed.


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And yet they hearkened not unto their judges; for they played the harlot after other gods, and bowed themselves down unto them: they turned aside quickly out of the way wherein their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of Yahweh; [but] they did not so.


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And when Yahweh raised them up judges, then Yahweh was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented Yahweh because of their groaning by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.


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But it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their doings, nor from their stubborn way.


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And the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel; and he said, Because this nation have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice,


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I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left when he died;


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that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Yahweh to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.


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So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.


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Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to prove Israel by them, even as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;


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only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:


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[namely], the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mountain Lebanon, from mountain Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.


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And they were [left], to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Yahweh, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.


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


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and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.


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And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and forgat Yahweh their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.


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Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.


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And when the children of Israel cried unto Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.


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And the Spirit of Yahweh came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Yahweh delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.


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And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.


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And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.


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But when the children of Israel cried unto Yahweh, Yahweh raised them up a savior, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed. And the children of Israel sent tribute by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.


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And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.


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But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king. And he said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.


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And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.


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And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body:


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and the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his body; and it came out behind.


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Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room upon him, and locked them.


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Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper room were locked; and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper chamber.


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And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper room: therefore they took the key, and opened [them], and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.


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And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the hill-country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them.


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And he said unto them, Follow after me; for Yahweh hath 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 suffered not a man to pass over.


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And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valor; and there escaped not a man.


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And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad: and he also saved Israel.


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And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, when Ehud was dead.


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And Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.


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And the children of Israel cried unto Yahweh: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.


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And she dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in the hill-country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.


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And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, [saying], Go and draw unto mountain Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?


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And I will draw unto thee, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thy hand.


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And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.


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And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding, the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.


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And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.


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Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh.


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And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles, unto the river Kishon.


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And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which Yahweh hath delivered Sisera into thy hand; is not Yahweh gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mountain Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.


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And Yahweh discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled away on his feet.


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But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; there was not a man left.


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Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.


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And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And he turned in unto her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.


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And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.


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And he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.


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Then Jael Heber's wife took a tent-pin, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground; for he was in a deep sleep; so he swooned and died.


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And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will show thee the man whom thou seekest. And he came unto her; and, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent-pin was in his temples.


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And the hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.


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For that the leaders took the lead in Israel,<t> For that the people offered themselves willingly,<t> Bless ye Yahweh.


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Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes;</t> I, [even] I, will sing unto Yahweh;</t> I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel.


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Yahweh, when thou wentest forth out of Seir,<t> When thou marchedst out of the field of Edom,<t> The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped,<t> Yea, the clouds dropped water.


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The mountains quaked at the presence of Yahweh,<t> Even yon Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.


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In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,<t> In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied,<t> And the travelers walked through byways.


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The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased,<t> Until that I Deborah arose,<t> That I arose a mother in Israel.


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They chose new gods;</t> Then was war in the gates: <t>Was there a shield or spear seen<t> Among forty thousand in Israel?


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My heart is toward the governors of Israel,<t> That offered themselves willingly among the people: <t>Bless ye Yahweh.


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Tell [of it], ye that ride on white donkeys,<t> Ye that sit on rich carpets,<t> And ye that walk by the way.


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Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water,<t> There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of Yahweh,<t> [Even] the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.<t> Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.


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Awake, awake, Deborah;</t> Awake, awake, utter a song: <t>Arise, Barak, and lead away thy captives, thou son of Abinoam.


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Then came down a remnant of the nobles [and] the people;</t> Yahweh came down for me against the mighty.


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Out of Ephraim [came down] they whose root is in Amalek;</t> After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples;</t> Out of Machir came down governors,<t> And out of Zebulun they that handle the marshal's staff.


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And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah;</t> As was Issachar, so was Barak;</t> Into the valley they rushed forth at his feet.<t> By the watercourses of Reuben<t> There were great resolves of heart.


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Why sattest thou among the sheepfolds,<t> To hear the pipings for the flocks?<t> At the watercourses of Reuben<t> There were great searchings of heart.


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Gilead abode beyond the Jordan: <t>And Dan, why did he remain in ships?<t> Asher sat still at the haven of the sea,<t> And abode by his creeks.


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Zebulun was a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death,<t> And Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.


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The kings came and fought;</t> Then fought the kings of Canaan.<t> In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo: <t>They took no gain of money.


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The river Kishon swept them away,<t> That ancient river, the river Kishon.<t> O my soul, march on with strength.


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Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of Yahweh.<t> Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof,<t> Because they came not to the help of Yahweh,<t> To the help of Yahweh against the mighty.


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Blessed above women shall Jael be,<t> The wife of Heber the Kenite;</t> Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.


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She put her hand to the tent-pin,<t> And her right hand to the workmen's hammer;</t> And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote through his head;</t> Yea, she pierced and struck through his temples.


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At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay;</t> At her feet he bowed, he fell;</t> Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.


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Through the window she looked forth, and cried,<t> The mother of Sisera [cried] through the lattice,<t> Why is his chariot so long in coming?<t> Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?


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Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil?<t> A damsel, two damsels to every man;</t> To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments,<t> A spoil of dyed garments embroidered,<t> Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?


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So let all thine enemies perish, O Yahweh: <t>But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.<t> And the land had rest forty years.


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And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh: and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.


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And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.


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And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east; they came up against them;


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and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor donkey.


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For they came up with their cattle and their tents; they came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number: and they came into the land to destroy it.


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that Yahweh sent a prophet unto the children of Israel: and he said unto them, Thus saith Yahweh, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;


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and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land;


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and I said unto you, I am Yahweh your God; ye shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell. But ye have not hearkened unto my voice.


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And the angel of Yahweh came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.


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And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto him, and said unto him, Yahweh is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.


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And Gideon said unto him, Oh, my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt? but now Yahweh hath cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian.


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And Yahweh looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian: have not I sent thee?


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And he said unto him, Oh, Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.


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And Yahweh said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.


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And he said unto him, If now I have found favor in thy sight, then show me a sign that it is thou that talkest with me.


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Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and lay it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.


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And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.


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And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.


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Then the angel of Yahweh put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of Yahweh departed out of his sight.


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And Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh; and Gideon said, Alas, O Lord Yahweh! forasmuch as I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face.


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Then Gideon built an altar there unto Yahweh, and called it Yahweh-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


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And it came to pass the same night, that Yahweh said unto him, Take thy father's bullock, even the second bullock seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the Asherah that is by it;


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and build an altar unto Yahweh thy God upon the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt-offering with the wood of the Asherah which thou shalt cut down.


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Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as Yahweh had spoken unto him: and it came to pass, because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.


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And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.


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And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.


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Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die, because he hath broken down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the Asherah that was by it.


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And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye contend for Baal? or will ye save him? he that will contend for him, let him be put to death whilst [it is yet] morning: if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one hath broken down his altar.


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Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he hath broken down his altar.


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Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east assembled themselves together; and they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.


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But the Spirit of Yahweh came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him.


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And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.


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behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast spoken.


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And it was so; for he rose up early on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.


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And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once: let me make trial, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.


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


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Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and encamped beside the spring of Harod: and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.


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And Yahweh said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.


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Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from mountain Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty-two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.


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And Yahweh said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.


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So he brought down the people unto the water: and Yahweh said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.


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And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.


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And Yahweh said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand; and let all the people go every man unto his place.


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So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets; and he sent all the men of Israel every man unto his tent, but retained the three hundred men: and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley.


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And it came to pass the same night, that Yahweh said unto him, Arise, get thee down into the camp; for I have delivered it into thy hand.


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and thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thy hands be strengthened to go down into the camp. Then went he down with Purah his servant unto the outermost part of the armed men that were in the camp.


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And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the sea-shore for multitude.


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And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man telling a dream unto his fellow; and he said, Behold, I dreamed a dream; and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came unto the tent, and smote it so that it fell, and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.


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And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: into his hand God hath delivered Midian, and all the host.


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And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshiped; and he returned into the camp of Israel, and said, Arise; for Yahweh hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.


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And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.


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And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.


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When I blow the trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, For Yahweh and for Gideon.


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So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands.


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And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands wherewith to blow; and they cried, The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon.


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And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran; and they shouted, and put [them] to flight.


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And they blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every man's sword against his fellow, and against all the host; and the host fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.


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And the men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after Midian.


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And Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill-country of Ephraim, saying, Come down against Midian, and take before them the waters, as far as Beth-barah, even the Jordan. So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and took the waters as far as Beth-barah, even the Jordan.


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And they took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian: and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.


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And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with Midian? And they did chide with him sharply.


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And he said unto them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?


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God hath delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.


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And Gideon came to the Jordan, [and] passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing.


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And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.


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And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?


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And Gideon said, Therefore when Yahweh hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.


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And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them in like manner; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.


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And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.


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Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east; for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.


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And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the host was secure.


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And Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued after them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.


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And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy-seven men.


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And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom ye did taunt me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?


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


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Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.


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And he said, They were my brethren, the sons of my mother: as Yahweh liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.


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And he said unto Jether his first-born, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.


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Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us; for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels' necks.


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Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also; for thou hast saved us out of the hand of Midian.


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And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: Yahweh shall rule over you.


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And Gideon said unto them, I would make a request of you, that ye would give me every man the ear-rings of his spoil. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.)


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And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his spoil.


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And the weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was a thousand seven hundred [shekels] of gold, besides the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.


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And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel played the harlot after it there; and it became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.


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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.


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And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulcher of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


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And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and played the harlot after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.


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And the children of Israel remembered not Yahweh their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;


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neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, [who is] Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.


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And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and spake with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,


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Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.


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And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.


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And they gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him.


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And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, upon one stone: but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.


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And all the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.


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And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of mountain Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.


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The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.


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But the olive-tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?


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But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?


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And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?


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And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.


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Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and uprightly, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands


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(for my father fought for you, and adventured his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:


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and ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);


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if ye then have dealt truly and uprightly with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:


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but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.


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And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.


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And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:


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that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brethren.


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And the men of Shechem set liers-in-wait for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech.


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And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.


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And they went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the grapes], and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.


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


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And would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.


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And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.


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And he sent messengers unto Abimelech craftily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren are come to Shechem; and, behold, they constrain the city [to take part] against thee.


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and it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and rush upon the city; and, behold, when he and the people that are with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find occasion.


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And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.


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And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from the ambushment.


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And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.


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And Gaal spake again and said, See, there come people down by the middle of the land, and one company cometh by the way of the oak of Meonenim.


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Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, that thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out now, I pray, and fight with them.


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And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, even unto the entrance of the gate.


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And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.


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And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.


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And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field; and he looked, and, behold, the people came forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.


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


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


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And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard thereof, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.


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And Abimelech gat him up to mountain Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder: and he said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.


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And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.


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But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and gat them up to the roof of the tower.


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And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and drew near unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.


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Then he called hastily unto the young man his armorbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and kill me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.


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Thus God requited the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren;


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and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God requite upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.


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And after Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in the hill-country of Ephraim.


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And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty donkey colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth-jair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.


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And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and served the Baalim, and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook Yahweh, and served him not.


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And the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the children of Ammon.


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And they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel that year: eighteen years [oppressed they] all the children of Israel that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.


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And the children of Ammon passed over the Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.


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And the children of Israel cried unto Yahweh, saying, We have sinned against thee, even because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baalim.


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And Yahweh said unto the children of Israel, [Did] not [I save you] from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?


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The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried unto me, and I saved you out of their hand.


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And the children of Israel said unto Yahweh, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; only deliver us, we pray thee, this day.


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And they put away the foreign gods from among them, and served Yahweh; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.


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Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah.


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And the people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.


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Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.


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And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and when his wife's sons grew up, they drove out Jepthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of another woman.


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Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain fellows to Jephthah, and they went out with him.


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And it was so, that, when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob;


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And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and drive me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?


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And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore are we turned again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight with the children of Ammon; and thou shalt be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.


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And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight with the children of Ammon, and Yahweh deliver them before me, shall I be your head?


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And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Yahweh shall be witness between us; surely according to thy word so will we do.


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Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them: and Jephthah spake all his words before Yahweh in Mizpah.


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And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come unto me to fight against my land?


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And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even unto the Jabbok, and unto the Jordan: now therefore restore those [lands] again peaceably.


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and he said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah: Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon,


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but when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness unto the Red Sea, and came to Kadesh;


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then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land; but the king of Edom hearkened not. And in like manner he sent unto the king of Moab; but he would not: and Israel abode in Kadesh.


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Then they went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and they encamped on the other side of the Arnon; but they came not within the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.


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And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land unto my place.


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But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his border; but Sihon gathered all his people together, and encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.


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And Yahweh, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.


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And they possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the Arnon even unto the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto the Jordan.


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So now Yahweh, the God of Israel, hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess them?


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Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever Yahweh our God hath dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.


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And now art thou anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?


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While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along by the side of the Arnon, three hundred years; wherefore did ye not recover them within that time?


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I therefore have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: Yahweh, the Judge, be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.


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Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.


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Then the Spirit of Yahweh came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.


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And Jephthah vowed a vow unto Yahweh, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,


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then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Yahweh's, and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering.


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So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and Yahweh delivered them into his hand.


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And he smote them from Aroer until thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto Abelcheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.


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And Jephthah came to Mizpah unto his house; and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter.


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And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me; for I have opened my mouth unto Yahweh, and I cannot go back.


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And she said unto him, My father, thou hast opened thy mouth unto Yahweh; do unto me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth, forasmuch as Yahweh hath taken vengeance for thee on thine enemies, even on the children of Ammon.


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


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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.


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And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew not man. And it was a custom in Israel,


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that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.


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And the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thy house upon thee with fire.


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And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye saved me not out of their hand.


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And when I saw that ye saved me not, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?


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Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye are fugitives of Ephraim, ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, [and] in the midst of Manasseh.


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And the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And it was so, that, when [any of] the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me go over, the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;


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then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth; for he could not frame to pronounce it right: then they laid hold on him, and slew him at the fords of the Jordan. And there fell at that time of Ephraim forty-two thousand.


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And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in [one of] the cities of Gilead.


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


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And he had forty sons and thirty sons' sons, that rode on seventy donkey colts: and he judged Israel eight years.


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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.


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And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh; and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.


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And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.


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And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not; but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.


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Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:


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for, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come upon his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.


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Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of the angel of God, very terrible; and I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:


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but he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb to the day of his death.


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Then Manoah entreated Yahweh, and said, Oh, Lord, I pray thee, let the man of God whom thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.


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And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.


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And the woman made haste, and ran, and told her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the [other] day.


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And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.


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And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass: what shall be the ordering of the child, and [how] shall we do unto him?


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She may not eat of anything that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her observe.


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And Manoah said unto the angel of Yahweh, I pray thee, let us detain thee, that we may make ready a kid for thee.


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And the angel of Yahweh said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt make ready a burnt-offering, thou must offer it unto Yahweh. For Manoah knew not that he was the angel of Yahweh.


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And Manoah said unto the angel of Yahweh, What is thy name, that, when thy words come to pass, we may do thee honor?


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So Manoah took the kid with the meal-offering, and offered it upon the rock unto Yahweh: and [the angel] did wondrously, and Manoah and his wife looked on.


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For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of Yahweh ascended in the flame of the altar: and Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground.


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But the angel of Yahweh did no more appear to Manoah or to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of Yahweh.


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But his wife said unto him, If Yahweh were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meal-offering at our hand, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would at this time have told such things as these.


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And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.


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Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.


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But his father and his mother knew not that it was of Yahweh; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.


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Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.


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And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid; and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.


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And after a while he returned to take her; and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey.


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And he took it into his hands, and went on, eating as he went; and he came to his father and mother, and gave unto them, and they did eat: but he told them not that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.


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


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And Samson said unto them, Let me now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can declare it unto me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment;


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but if ye cannot declare it unto me, then shall ye give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.


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And he said unto them,<t> Out of the eater came forth food,<t> And out of the strong came forth sweetness.<t> And they could not in three days declare the riddle.


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And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to impoverish us? is it not [so]?


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And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell thee?


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And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she pressed him sore; and she told the riddle to the children of her people.


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And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them,<t> If ye had not plowed with my heifer,<t> Ye had not found out my riddle.


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And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and smote thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave the changes [of raiment] unto them that declared the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.


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But it came to pass after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.


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And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.


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And Samson said unto them, This time shall I be blameless in regard of the Philistines, when I do them a mischief.


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And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between every two tails.


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And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks and the standing grain, and also the oliveyards.


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Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they said, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he hath taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.


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And Samson said unto them, If ye do after this manner, surely I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.


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


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And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they said, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.


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Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what then is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.


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And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.


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And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.


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When he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him: and the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands dropped from off his hands.


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And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put forth his hand, and took it, and smote a thousand men therewith.


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And Samson said,<t> With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps,<t> With the jawbone of a donkey have I smitten a thousand men.


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And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand; and that place was called Ramath-lehi.


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And he was sore athirst, and called on Yahweh, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance by the hand of thy servant; and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised.


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But God clave the hollow place that is in Lehi, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore the name thereof was called En-hakkore, which is in Lehi, unto this day.


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[And it was told] the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, [Let be] till morning light, then we will kill him.


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And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.


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And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.


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And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred [pieces] of silver.


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And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.


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And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withes that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.


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Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withes which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.


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Now she had liers-in-wait abiding in the inner chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withes, as a string of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.


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And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.


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And he said unto her, If they only bind me with new ropes wherewith no work hath been done, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.


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So Delilah took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And the liers-in-wait were abiding in the inner chamber. And he brake them off his arms like a thread.


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And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.


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And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam, and the web.


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And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.


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And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, that his soul was vexed unto death.


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And he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon my head; for I have been a Nazirite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.


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And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath told me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought the money in their hand.


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And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.


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And she said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free. But he knew not that Yahweh was departed from him.


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And the Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison-house.


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And the lords of the Philistines gathered them together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.


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And when the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hand our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, who hath slain many of us.


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And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison-house; and he made sport before them. And they set him between the pillars:


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and Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house resteth, that I may lean upon them.


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Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.


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And Samson called unto Yahweh, and said, O Lord Yahweh, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.


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And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house rested, and leaned upon them, the one with his right hand, and the other with his left.


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And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead that he slew at his death were more than they that he slew in his life.


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Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.


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And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred [pieces] of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou didst utter a curse, and didst also speak it in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son of Yahweh.


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And he restored the eleven hundred [pieces] of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I verily dedicate the silver unto Yahweh from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.


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And when he restored the money unto his mother, his mother took two hundred [pieces] of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and it was in the house of Micah.


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And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.


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And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.


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And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find [a place], and he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.


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And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a place].


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And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten [pieces] of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.


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And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.


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


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


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And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their whole number, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, and lodged there.


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When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; and they turned aside thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what doest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?


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And he said unto them, Thus and thus hath Micah dealt with me, and he hath hired me, and I am become his priest.


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And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.


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Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was none in the land, possessing authority, that might put [them] to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with any man.


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And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What [say] ye?


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And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land.


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When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and the land is large; for God hath given it into your hand, a place where there is no want of anything that is in the earth.


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And there set forth from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girt with weapons of war.


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And they went up, and encamped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan, unto this day; behold, it is behind Kiriath-jearim.


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Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.


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And they turned aside thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare.


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And the six hundred men girt with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.


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And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girt with weapons of war.


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And when these went into Micah's house, and fetched the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them, What do ye?


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And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be priest unto the house of one man, or to be priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?


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And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.


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When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.


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And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?


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And he said, ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and are gone away, and what have I more? and how then say ye unto me, What aileth thee?


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And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.


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


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And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword; and they burnt the city with fire.


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And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob. And they built the city, and dwelt therein.


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And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.


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And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.


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So they set them up Micah's graven image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.


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And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.


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And his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there the space of four months.


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And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly unto her, to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys: and she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.


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And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there.


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And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son-in-law, Strengthen thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward ye shall go your way.


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So they sat down, and did eat and drink, both of them together: and the damsel's father said unto the man, Be pleased, I pray thee, to tarry all night, and let thy heart be merry.


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And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the damsel's father said, Strengthen thy heart, I pray thee, and tarry ye until the day declineth; and they did eat, both of them.


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And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said unto him, Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thy heart may be merry; and tomorrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home.


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But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus (the same is Jerusalem): and there were with him a couple of donkeys saddled; his concubine also was with him.


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When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.


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And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside into the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.


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And he said unto his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.


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So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them near to Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.


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And they turned aside thither, to go in to lodge in Gibeah: and he went in, and sat him down in the street of the city; for there was no man that took them into his house to lodge.


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And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even: now the man was of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites.


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And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?


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And he said unto him, We are passing from Beth-lehem-judah unto the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim; from thence am I, and I went to Beth-lehem-judah: and I am [now] going to the house of Yahweh; and there is no man that taketh me into his house.


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Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man that is with thy servants: there is no want of anything.


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And the old man said, Peace be unto thee; howsoever let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.


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So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder; and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.


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As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, beset the house round about, beating at the door; and they spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may know him.


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And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, do not this folly.


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Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not any such folly.


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But the men would not hearken to him: so the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.


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Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.


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And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way; and, behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands upon the threshold.


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And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going; but none answered: then he took her up upon the donkey; and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place.


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And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.


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And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider it, take counsel, and speak.


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Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto Yahweh at Mizpah.


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And the chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.


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(Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpah.) And the children of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?


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And the Levite, the husband of the woman that was murdered, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.


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And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about me by night; me they thought to have slain, and my concubine they forced, and she is dead.


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And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.


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And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn unto his house.


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and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.


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And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is come to pass among you?


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Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, that are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.


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And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.


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And the children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.


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Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at a hairbreadth, and not miss.


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And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.


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And the children of Israel arose, and went up to Beth-el, and asked counsel of God; and they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? And Yahweh said, Judah [shall go up] first.


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And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.


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And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day twenty-two thousand men.


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


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And the children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until even; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, Shall I again draw nigh to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And Yahweh said, Go up against him.


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And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.


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Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto Beth-el, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Yahweh.


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And the children of Israel asked of Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,


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and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Yahweh said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into thy hand.


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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.


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And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite and kill of the people, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to Beth-el, and the other to Gibeah, in the field, about thirty men of Israel.


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And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them away from the city unto the highways.


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And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers-in-wait of Israel brake forth out of their place, even out of Maareh-geba.


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And there came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore; but they knew not that evil was close upon them.


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And Yahweh smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all these drew the sword.


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So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten; for the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted unto the liers-in-wait whom they had set against Gibeah.


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And the liers-in-wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers-in-wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.


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Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers-in-wait was, that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.


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And the men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.


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But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and, behold, the whole of the city went up [in smoke] to heaven.


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And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that evil was come upon them.


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Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle followed hard after them; and they that came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst thereof.


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They inclosed the Benjamites round about, [and] chased them, [and] trod them down at [their] resting-place, as far as over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.


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And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them unto Gidom, and smote of them two thousand men.


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


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But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.


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And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city, and the cattle, and all that they found: moreover all the cities which they found they set on fire.


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Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.


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And the people came to Beth-el, and sat there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore.


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And they said, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?


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And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.


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And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up in the assembly unto Yahweh? For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up unto Yahweh to Mizpah, saying, He shall surely be put to death.


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And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.


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How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?


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And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up unto Yahweh to Mizpah? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.


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For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.


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And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.


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And this is the thing that ye shall do: ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.


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And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins, that had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.


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And the whole congregation sent and spake to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace unto them.


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And Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead: and yet so they sufficed them not.


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And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that Yahweh had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.


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Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?


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And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that are escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.


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Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.


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And they said, Behold, there is a feast of Yahweh from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.


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and see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.


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And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come to complain unto us, that we will say unto them, Grant them graciously unto us, because we took not for each man [of them] his wife in battle, neither did ye give them unto them, else would ye now be guilty.


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And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they carried off: and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt in them.


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And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.


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And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.


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And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.


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And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelt there about ten years.


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And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband.


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Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.


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And she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.


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


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Yahweh grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.


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And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?


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Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons;


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would ye therefore tarry till they were grown? would ye therefore stay from having husbands? nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh is gone forth against me.


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And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her.


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And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god: return thou after thy sister-inlaw.


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And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God;


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where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.


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So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and [the women] said, Is this Naomi?


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And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.


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I went out full, and Yahweh hath brought me home again empty; why call ye me Naomi, seeing Yahweh hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?


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So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of Moab; and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.


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And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.


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


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And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on the portion of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.


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And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, Yahweh be with you. And they answered him, Yahweh bless thee.


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And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:


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and she said, Let me glean, I pray you, and gather after the reapers among the sheaves. So she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, save that she tarried a little in the house.


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Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither pass from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens.


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Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.


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Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found favor in thy sight, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a foreigner?


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And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people that thou knewest not heretofore.


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Yahweh recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge.


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Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken kindly unto thy handmaid, though I be not as one of thy handmaidens.


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And at meal-time Boaz said unto her, Come hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers, and they reached her parched grain, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left thereof.


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And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not.


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And also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and rebuke her not.


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So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.


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And she took it up, and went into the city; and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned; and she brought forth and gave to her that which she had left after she was sufficed.


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And her mother-in-law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned today? and where hast thou wrought? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought today is Boaz.


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And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Yahweh, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is nigh of kin unto us, one of our near kinsmen.


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And Ruth the Moabitess said, Yea, he said unto me, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.


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And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, and that they meet thee not in any other field.


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So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.


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And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?


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And now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley tonight in the threshing-floor.


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Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the threshing-floor, but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.


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And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.


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And she went down unto the threshing-floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her.


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And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.


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And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.


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And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thy handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.


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And he said, Blessed be thou of Yahweh, my daughter: thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.


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And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou sayest; for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a worthy woman.


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Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as Yahweh liveth: lie down until the morning.


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And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could discern another. For he said, Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.


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And he said, Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and hold it; and she held it; and he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid it on her; and he went into the city.


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And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.


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And she said, These six [measures] of barley gave he me; for he said, Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law.


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Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he have finished the thing this day.


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Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.


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And he said unto the near kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:


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and I thought to disclose it unto thee, saying, Buy it before them that sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.


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Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.


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And the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for I cannot redeem it.


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Now this was [the custom] in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the [manner of] attestation in Israel.


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And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.


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Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.


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And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Yahweh make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Beth-lehem:


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and let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which Yahweh shall give thee of this young woman.


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So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and Yahweh gave her conception, and she bare a son.


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And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be Yahweh, who hath not left thee this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel.


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And he shall be unto thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him.


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And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.


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Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of 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 Ephraimite:


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


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And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice unto Yahweh-tzvaot in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Yahweh, were there.


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


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And [as] he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of Yahweh, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.


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And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?


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So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of Yahweh.


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And she vowed a vow, and said, O Yahweh-tzvaot, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto Yahweh all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.


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Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.


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And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh.


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Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto.


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


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And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat; and her countenance was no more [sad].


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


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and it came to pass, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of Yahweh.


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And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto Yahweh the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.


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But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, [I will not go up] until the child be weaned; and then I will bring him, that he may appear before Yahweh, and there abide forever.


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And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only Yahweh establish his word. So the woman tarried and nursed her son, until she weaned him.


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And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of Yahweh in Shiloh: and the child was young.


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And she said, Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto Yahweh.


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therefore also I have granted him to Yahweh; as long as he liveth he is granted to Yahweh. And he worshiped Yahweh there.


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And Hannah prayed, and said: <t>My heart exulteth in Yahweh;</t> My horn is exalted in Yahweh;</t> My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;</t> Because I rejoice in thy salvation.


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There is none holy as Yahweh;</t> For there is none besides thee,<t> Neither is there any rock like our God.


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Talk no more so exceeding proudly;</t> Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth;</t> For Yahweh is a God of knowledge,<t> And by him actions are weighed.


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They that were full have hired out themselves for bread;</t> And they that were hungry have ceased [to hunger]: <t>Yea, the barren hath borne seven;</t> And she that hath many children languisheth.


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He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,<t> He lifteth up the needy from the dunghill,<t> To make them sit with princes,<t> And inherit the throne of glory: <t>For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh's,<t> And he hath set the world upon them.


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He will keep the feet of his holy ones;</t> But the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness;</t> For by strength shall no man prevail.


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They that strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces;</t> Against them will he thunder in heaven: <t>Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth;</t> And he will give strength unto his king,<t> And exalt the horn of his anointed.


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And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto Yahweh before Eli the priest.


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And the custom of the priests with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand;


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and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.


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Yea, before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have boiled flesh of thee, but raw.


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And if the man said unto him, They will surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would say, Nay, but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.


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And the sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh; for the men despised the offering of Yahweh.


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Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.


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And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Yahweh give thee seed of this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh. And they went unto their own home.


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And Yahweh visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before Yahweh.


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Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.


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And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.


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If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against Yahweh, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because Yahweh was minded to slay them.


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And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith Yahweh, Did I reveal myself unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt [in bondage] to Pharaoh's house?


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and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up unto mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?


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Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in [my] habitation, and honorest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?


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Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me forever: but now Yahweh saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.


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


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And thou shalt behold the affliction of [my] habitation, in all the wealth which [God] shall give Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house forever.


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And the man of thine, [whom] I shall not cut off from mine altar, [shall be] to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart; and all the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age.


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And this shall be the sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them.


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And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed forever.


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And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thy house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.


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And the child Samuel ministered unto Yahweh before Eli. And the word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.


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And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),


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and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down [to sleep], in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark of God was;


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And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.


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And Yahweh called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.


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And Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child.


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Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Yahweh; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.


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And Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak; for thy servant heareth.


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And Yahweh said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.


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In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even unto the end.


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For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he restrained them not.


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And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.


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And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.


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And he said, What is the thing that [Yahweh] hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he spake unto thee.


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And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is Yahweh: let him do what seemeth him good.


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And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.


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And Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.


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And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.


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And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines; and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.


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And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath Yahweh smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Shiloh unto us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.


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So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of Yahweh-tzvaot, who sitteth [above] the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.


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And when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.


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And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of Yahweh was come into the camp.


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And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.


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Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness.


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Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.


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


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And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.


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And when he came, lo, Eli was sitting upon his seat by the wayside watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.


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And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man hasted, and came and told Eli.


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And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. And he said, How went the matter, my son?


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And he that brought the tidings answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.


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And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that [Eli] fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.


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And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth; for her pains came upon her.


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And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast brought forth a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.


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And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.


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And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.


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And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.


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And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands [lay] cut off upon the threshold; only [the stump of] Dagon was left to him.


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Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, unto this day.


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But the hand of Yahweh was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders thereof.


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And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.


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They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel [thither].


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And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of Yahweh was against the city with a very great discomfiture: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors brake out upon them.


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So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.


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They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it slay us not, and our people. For there was a deadly discomfiture throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.


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And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? show us wherewith we shall send it to its place.


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And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but by all means return him a trespass-offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.


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Then said they, What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall 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 on you all, and on your lords.


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Wherefore ye shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.


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Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?


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Now therefore take and prepare you a new cart, and two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke; and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;


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and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.


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And see; if it goeth up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.


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And the men did so, and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;


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and they put the ark of Yahweh upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.


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And the kine took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh.


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And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.


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And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine for a burnt-offering unto Yahweh.


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And the Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto Yahweh.


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And these are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass-offering unto Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;


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and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Yahweh, [which stone remaineth] unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.


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And he smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh, he smote of the people fifty thousand [and] seventy men; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had smitten the people with a great slaughter.


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And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?


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And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.


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And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Yahweh.


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And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.


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And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts unto Yahweh, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.


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And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Yahweh. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.


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And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.


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And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.


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And Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering unto Yahweh: and Samuel cried unto Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him.


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And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but Yahweh thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten down before Israel.


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And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.


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Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath Yahweh helped us.


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So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel: and the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.


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And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the border thereof did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.


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And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.


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And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel: and he built there an altar unto Yahweh.


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Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.


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And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.


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and they said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.


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But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Yahweh.


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And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.


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According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.


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Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.


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And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots;


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and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.


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And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.


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And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.


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And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.


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And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Yahweh will not answer you in that day.


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But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us,


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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.


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And Yahweh said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.


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Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.


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And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.


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And the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the donkeys.


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And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.


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When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the donkeys, and be anxious for us.


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And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honor; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go.


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Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?


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And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.


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(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)


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


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As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?


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And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is] before thee: make haste now, for he is come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.


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As soon as ye are come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he goeth up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that are bidden. Now therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall find him.


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And they went up to the city; [and] as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.


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Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.


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And when Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said unto him, Behold, the man of whom I spake to thee! this same shall have authority over my people.


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Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.


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And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto the high place, for ye shall eat with me today: and in the morning I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.


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And as for thy donkeys that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house?


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And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner?


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And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, who were about thirty persons.


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And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.


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And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And [Samuel] said, Behold, that which hath been reserved! set it before thee and eat; because unto the appointed time hath it been kept for thee, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.


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And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop.


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And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.


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As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still first, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.


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Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that Yahweh hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance?


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When thou art departed from me today, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulcher, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The donkeys which thou wentest to seek are found; and, lo, thy father hath left off caring for the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?


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Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet thee there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:


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and they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread, which thou shalt receive of their hand.


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After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying:


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and the Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.


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And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion shall serve thee; for God is with thee.


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And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt-offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come unto thee, and show thee what thou shalt do.


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And it was so, that, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.


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And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them.


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And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?


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And one of the same place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?


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And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the donkeys; and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.


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And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the donkeys were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.


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and he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith Yahweh, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you:


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but ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto him, [Nay], but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, and by your thousands.


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And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found.


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Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, Is there yet a man to come hither? And Yahweh answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage.


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And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.


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And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Yahweh hath chosen, that there is none like him along all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, [Long] live the king.


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Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.


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And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts God had touched.


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But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.


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Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.


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And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.


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And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to save us, we will come out to thee.


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Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and spake these words in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.


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And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.


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And the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.


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And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.


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


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And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.


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Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.


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And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they that remained were scattered, so that not two of them were left together.


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And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.


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And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for today Yahweh hath wrought deliverance in Israel.


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And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal; and there they offered sacrifices of peace-offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.


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


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And now, behold, the king walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth unto this day.


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Here I am: witness against me before Yahweh, 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 of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.


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And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.


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And he said unto them, Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they said, He is witness.


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And Samuel said unto the people, It is Yahweh that appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.


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Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers.


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When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.


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But they forgat Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.


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And they cried unto Yahweh, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh, and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.


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And Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and ye dwelt in safety.


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And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when Yahweh your God was your king.


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Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for: and, behold, Yahweh hath set a king over you.


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If ye will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of Yahweh your God, [well]:


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but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then will the hand of Yahweh be against you, as it was against your fathers.


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Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking you a king.


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So Samuel called unto Yahweh; and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.


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And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto Yahweh thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins [this] evil, to ask us a king.


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And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart:


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and turn ye not aside; for [then would ye go] after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.


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For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it hath pleased Yahweh to make you a people unto himself.


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


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Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.


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Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel, whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.


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And Jonathan smote 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.


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And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.


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And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven.


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When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits.


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Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.


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And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.


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And Saul said, Bring hither the burnt-offering to me, and the peace-offerings. And he offered the burnt-offering.


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And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.


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And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash;


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therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Yahweh: I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt-offering.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of Yahweh thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would Yahweh have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever.


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But now thy kingdom shall not continue: Yahweh hath sought him a man after his own heart, and Yahweh hath appointed him to be prince over his people, because thou hast not kept that which Yahweh commanded thee.


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And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin.<pb/><t> And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.


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And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.


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And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual;


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and another company turned the way to Beth-horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looketh down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.


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Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:


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but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock;


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yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.


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So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.


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Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side. But he told not his father.


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And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate-tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;


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and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.


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And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.


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The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.


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And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few.


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And his armorbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thy heart: turn thee, behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.


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Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto the men, and we will disclose ourselves unto them.


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If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.


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But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up; for Yahweh hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the sign unto us.


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And both of them disclosed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.


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And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armorbearer, Come up after me; for Yahweh hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.


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And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armorbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armorbearer slew them after him.


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And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.


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And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.


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And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went [hither] and thither.


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Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.


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And Saul said unto Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was [there] at that time with the children of Israel.


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And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thy hand.


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And Saul and all the people that were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, [and there was] a very great discomfiture.


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Now the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as beforetime, and that went up with them into the camp, [from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.


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Likewise all the men of Israel that had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.


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And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food.


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And when the people were come unto the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.


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But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.


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Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint.


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Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.


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How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now hath there been no great slaughter among the Philistines.


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And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint;


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and the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people did eat them with the blood.


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Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Yahweh, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone unto me this day.


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And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against Yahweh in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.


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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 of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.


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And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.


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And Saul said, Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of the people; and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.


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For, as Yahweh liveth, who saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.


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Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.


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Therefore Saul said unto Yahweh, the God of Israel, Show the right. And Jonathan and Saul were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.


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Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, lo, I must die.


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And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far from it: as Yahweh liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.


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Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he put [them] to the worse.


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And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that despoiled them.


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Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the first-born Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:


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and the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his host was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.


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And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.


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And Samuel said unto Saul, Yahweh sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of Yahweh.


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Thus saith Yahweh-tzvaot, I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt.


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Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.


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And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.


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And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.


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And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.


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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 vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.


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It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And Samuel was wroth; and he cried unto Yahweh all night.


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And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal.


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And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of Yahweh: I have performed the commandment of Yahweh.


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And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?


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And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto Yahweh thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.


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Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what Yahweh hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.


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And Samuel said, Though thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Yahweh anointed thee king over Israel;


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and Yahweh sent thee on a journey, and said, Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.


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Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of Yahweh, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh?


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And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh, and have gone the way which Yahweh sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.


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But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice unto Yahweh thy God in Gilgal.


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And Samuel said, Hath Yahweh as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.


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For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, he hath also rejected thee from being king.


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And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.


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And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.


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And Samuel said unto him, Yahweh hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou.


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And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.


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Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh thy God.


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Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.


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And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal.


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And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Yahweh repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.


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And Yahweh said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go: I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons.


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And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Yahweh said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Yahweh.


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And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.


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And Samuel did that which Yahweh spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Comest thou peaceably?


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And he said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto Yahweh: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.


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And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Yahweh's anointed is before him.


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But Yahweh said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for [Yahweh seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Yahweh looketh on the heart.


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Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath Yahweh chosen this.


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And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Yahweh hath not chosen these.


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And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither.


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And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon. And Yahweh said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.


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Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.


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Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.


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Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and Yahweh is with him.


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And Jesse took a donkey [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.


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And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer.


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And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.


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And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.


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Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.


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And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the vale of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.


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And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.


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And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.


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And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.


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And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head [weighed] six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield-bearer went before him.


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And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.


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If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.


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And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.


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And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.


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Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken [in years] among men.


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And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the first-born, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.


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And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry [them] quickly to the camp to thy brethren;


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and bring these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.


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Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the vale of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.


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And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the place of the wagons, as the host which was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle.


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And David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and saluted his brethren.


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And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.


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And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.


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And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?


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


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And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why art thou come down? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.


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And he turned away from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.


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And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him.


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And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.


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And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.


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And David said unto Saul, Thy servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock,


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I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.


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Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.


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And David said, Yahweh that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and Yahweh shall be with thee.


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And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.


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And David girded his sword upon his apparel, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.


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And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.


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And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.


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And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair countenance.


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And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.


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And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field.


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Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name of Yahweh-tzvaot, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.


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This day will Yahweh deliver thee into my hand; and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day unto the birds of the heavens, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,


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and that all this assembly may know that Yahweh saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is Yahweh's, and he will give you into our hand.


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And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.


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And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth.


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So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.


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Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.


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And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou comest to Gai, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.


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And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.


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And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.


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And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.


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And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.


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And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.


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And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.


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And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.


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And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, [and] behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.


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And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music.


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And the women sang one to another as they played, and said,<t> Saul hath slain his thousands,<t> And David his ten thousands.


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And Saul was very wroth, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?


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And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul had his spear in his hand;


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and Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David avoided out of his presence twice.


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Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.


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And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight Yahweh's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.


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And David said unto Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?


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But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite to wife.


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And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law a second time.


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And Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Commune with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son-in-law.


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And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?


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And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.


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And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired;


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and David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.


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Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.


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And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should slay David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.


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And Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to slay thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself in the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:


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and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and if I see aught, I will tell thee.


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And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been toward thee very good:


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for he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Yahweh wrought a great victory for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?


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And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul swore, As Yahweh liveth, he shall not be put to death.


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And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as beforetime.


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And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him.


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And an evil spirit from Yahweh was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.


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And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.


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And Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life tonight, tomorrow thou wilt be slain.


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And Michal took the teraphim, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' [hair] at the head thereof, and covered it with the clothes.


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And Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.


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And when the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' [hair] at the head thereof.


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And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me thus, and let mine enemy go, so that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?


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Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.


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And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.


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And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.


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Then went he also to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.


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And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.


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And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?


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And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?


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And he said unto him, Far from it; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.


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And David swore moreover, and said, Thy father knoweth well that I have found favor in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as Yahweh liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.


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And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.


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If thy father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.


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If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.


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Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Yahweh with thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?


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And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?


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And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.


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And Jonathan said unto David, Yahweh, the God of Israel, [be witness]: when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, [or] the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee?


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Yahweh do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and Yahweh be with thee, as he hath been with my father.


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but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house forever; no, not when Yahweh hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.


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So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying], And Yahweh will require it at the hand of David's enemies.


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And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.


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Then Jonathan said unto him, Tomorrow is the new moon: and thou wilt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.


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And when thou hast stayed three days, thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.


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And, behold, I will send the lad, [saying], Go, find the arrows. If I say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them, and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as Yahweh liveth.


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But if I say thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way; for Yahweh hath sent thee away.


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And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Yahweh is between thee and me forever.


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So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat food.


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And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side: but David's place was empty.


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Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.


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And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, [which was] the second [day], that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor today?


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and he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me [to be there]: and now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king's table.


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Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy mother's nakedness?


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For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.


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And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done?


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And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to put David to death.


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So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.


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And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.


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And he said unto his lad, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.


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And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?


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And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.


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And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of [a place] toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.


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And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of Yahweh, saying, Yahweh shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, forever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.


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Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?


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And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know anything of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place.


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Now therefore what is under thy hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatsoever there is present.


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And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.


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And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more then today shall their vessels be holy?


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So the priest gave him holy [bread]; for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before Yahweh, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.


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Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul.


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And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thy hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.


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And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the vale of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.


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And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying,<t> Saul hath slain his thousands,<t> And David his ten thousands?


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And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.


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Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad; wherefore then have ye brought him to me?


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Do I lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?


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David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave of Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.


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And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.


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And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, [and be] with you, till I know what God will do for me.


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And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the stronghold.


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And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the stronghold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hereth.


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And Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him: now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk-tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.


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And Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,


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that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that discloseth to me when my son maketh a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or discloseth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?


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Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.


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And he inquired of Yahweh for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.


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Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.


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And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?


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Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house?


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Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for thy servant knoweth nothing of all this, less or more.


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And the king said unto the guard that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of Yahweh; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Yahweh.


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And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he slew on that day eighty-five persons that did wear a linen ephod.


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And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword.


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And David said unto Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned [the death] of all the persons of thy father's house.


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Abide thou with me, fear not; for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: for with me thou shalt be in safeguard.


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And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors.


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Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And Yahweh said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.


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And David's men said unto him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?


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Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again. And Yahweh answered him, and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.


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And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.


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And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.


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And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.


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And David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.


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Then said David, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, thy servant hath surely heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.


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Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And Yahweh said, He will come down.


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Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Yahweh said, They will deliver thee up.


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Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.


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And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.


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And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.


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And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.


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And they two made a covenant before Yahweh: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.


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Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?


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Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand.


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Go, I pray you, make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly.


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See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.


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And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert.


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And Saul and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.


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And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.


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But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have made a raid upon the land.


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So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.


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And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.


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Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.


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And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were abiding in the innermost parts of the cave.


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And the men of David said unto him, Behold, the day of which Yahweh said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.


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And he said unto his men, Yahweh forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, Yahweh's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Yahweh's anointed.


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So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.


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David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.


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And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearkenest thou to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?


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Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that Yahweh had delivered thee today into my hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee; but [mine eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is Yahweh's anointed.


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Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou huntest after my life to take it.


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As saith the proverb of the ancients, Out of the wicked cometh forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be upon thee.


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After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.


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Yahweh therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.


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And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.


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And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee evil.


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And thou hast declared this day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as when Yahweh had delivered me up into thy hand, thou killedst me not.


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For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore Yahweh reward thee good for that which thou hast done unto me this day.


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And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.


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Swear now therefore unto me by Yahweh, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.


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And David swore unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the stronghold.


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And Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.


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And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.


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Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.


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And David sent ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:


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and thus shall ye say to him that liveth [in prosperity], Peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.


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And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: thy shepherds have now been with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there aught missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.


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Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee: wherefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes; for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thy hand, unto thy servants, and to thy son David.


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And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.


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And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master.


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Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men of whom I know not whence they are?


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So David's young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him according to all these words.


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And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage.


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But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed at them.


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But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields:


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they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.


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Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow, that one cannot speak to him.


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Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.


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And she said unto her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.


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And it was so, as she rode on her donkey, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that, behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she met them.


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Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath returned me evil for good.


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God do so unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light so much as one man-child.


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And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and alighted from her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.


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And she fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me be the iniquity; and let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy handmaid.


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Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this worthless fellow, even Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thy handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.


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Now therefore, my lord, as Yahweh liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing Yahweh hath withholden thee from bloodguiltiness, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now therefore let thine enemies, and them that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.


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And now this present which thy servant hath brought unto my lord, let it be given unto the young men that follow my lord.


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Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid: for Yahweh will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of Yahweh; and evil shall not be found in thee all thy days.


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And though men be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.


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And it shall come to pass, when Yahweh shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee prince over Israel,


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that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offense of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord hath avenged himself. And when Yahweh shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.


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and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou, that hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.


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For in very deed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, liveth, who hath withholden me from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light so much as one man-child.


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So David received of her hand that which she had brought him: and he said unto her, Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.


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And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.


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And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.


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And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Yahweh, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Nabal hath Yahweh returned upon his own head. And David sent and spake concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife.


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And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David hath sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.


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And she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Behold, thy handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.


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And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon a donkey, with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.


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And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?


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Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.


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And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.


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And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped round about him.


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Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.


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So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him.


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Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.


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And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who can put forth his hand against Yahweh's anointed, and be guiltless?


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And David said, As Yahweh liveth, Yahweh will smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle and perish.


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Yahweh forbid that I should put forth my hand against Yahweh's anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go.


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So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head; and they gat them away: and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh was fallen upon them.


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Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them;


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and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?


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And David said to Abner, Art not thou a [valiant] man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.


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This thing is not good that thou hast done. As Yahweh liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, Yahweh's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.


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And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.


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And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?


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Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be Yahweh that hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before Yahweh: for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of Yahweh, saying, Go, serve other gods.


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Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of Yahweh: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.


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


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And David answered and said, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over and fetch it.


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And Yahweh will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfullness; forasmuch as Yahweh delivered thee into my hand today, and I would not put forth my hand against Yahweh's anointed.


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And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of Yahweh, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.


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Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.


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And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.


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And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.


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And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.


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And David said unto Achish, If now I have found favor in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?


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Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.


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And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.


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And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those [nations] were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.


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And David smote the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the apparel; and he returned, and came to Achish.


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And Achish said, Against whom have ye made a raid today? And David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.


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And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.


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And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever.


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And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their hosts together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me in the host, thou and thy men.


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And David said to Achish, Therefore thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of my head for ever.


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Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.


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And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa.


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And when Saul inquired of Yahweh, Yahweh answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.


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Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at En-dor.


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And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Divine unto me, I pray thee, by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whomsoever I shall name unto thee.


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And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?


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And Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, As Yahweh liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.


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And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.


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And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what seest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth.


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And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.


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And Samuel said, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing Yahweh is departed from thee, and is become thine adversary?


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And Yahweh hath done unto thee, as he spake by me: and Yahweh hath rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David.


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Because thou obeyedst not the voice of Yahweh, and didst not execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath Yahweh done this thing unto thee this day.


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Moreover Yahweh will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: Yahweh will deliver the host of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.


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Then Saul fell straightway his full length upon the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.


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


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Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.


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But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.


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And the woman had a fatted calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:


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and she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.


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Now the Philistines gathered together all their hosts to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the fountain which is in Jezreel.


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And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.


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Then said the princes of the Philistines, What [do] these Hebrews [here]? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me these days, or [rather] these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away [unto me] unto this day?


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But the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: for wherewith should this [fellow] reconcile himself unto his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men?


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Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying,<t> Saul hath slain his thousands,<t> And David his ten thousands?


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Then Achish called David, and said unto him, As Yahweh liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favor thee not.


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And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been before thee unto this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?


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And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.


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Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of thy lord that are come with thee; and as soon as ye are up early in the morning, and have light, depart.


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So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.


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And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire,


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and had taken captive the women [and all] that were therein, both small and great: they slew not any, but carried them off, and went their way.


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And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.


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Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.


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And David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


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And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.


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And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.


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And David inquired of Yahweh, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake [them], and shalt without fail recover [all].


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So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.


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But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.


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And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water to drink;


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and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.


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And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.


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We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.


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And David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.


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And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.


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And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels and fled.


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And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David brought back all.


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And David took all the flocks and the herds, [which] they drove before those [other] cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.


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And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.


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Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart.


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Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which Yahweh hath given unto us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.


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And who will hearken unto you in this matter? for as his share is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his share be that tarrieth by the baggage: they shall share alike.


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And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.


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And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Yahweh:


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to them that were in Beth-el, and to them that were in Ramoth of the South, and to them that were in Jattir,


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and to them that were in Aroer, and to them that were in Siphmoth, and to them that were in Eshtemoa,


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and to them that were in Racal, and to them that were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them that were in the cities of the Kenites,


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and to them that were in Hormah, and to them that were in Bor-ashan, and to them that were in Athach,


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and to them that were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.


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Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mountain Gilboa.


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And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.


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And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.


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Then said Saul to his armorbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.


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And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.


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And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.


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And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mountain Gilboa.


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And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people.


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And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.


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And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,


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all the valiant men arose, 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 burnt them there.


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And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.


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And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;


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it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.


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And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.


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And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.


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And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?


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And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mountain Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.


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And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me; for anguish hath taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.


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So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.


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and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.


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And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.


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And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy Yahweh's anointed?


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And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him, so that he died.


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And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain Yahweh's anointed.


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(and he bade them teach the children of Judah [the song of] the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):


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Tell it not in Gath,<t> Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;</t> Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,<t> Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.


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Ye mountains of Gilboa,<t> Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings: <t>For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away,<t> The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.


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From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,<t> The bow of Jonathan turned not back,<t> And the sword of Saul returned not empty.


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Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives,<t> And in their death they were not divided: <t>They were swifter than eagles,<t> They were stronger than lions.


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Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,<t> Who clothed you in scarlet delicately,<t> Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.


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I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: <t>Very pleasant hast thou been unto me: <t>Thy love to me was wonderful,<t> Passing the love of women.


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And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And Yahweh said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.


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So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


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And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.


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And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.<pb/><t> And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.


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And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of Yahweh, that ye have showed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.


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And now Yahweh show lovingkindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.


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Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.


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Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;


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and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.


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Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.


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And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.


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And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.


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And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.


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Then 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.


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And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.


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And the battle was very sore that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.


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And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.


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And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.


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And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.


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And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?


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Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.


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But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.


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And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.


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Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour forever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?


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And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou hadst not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed every one his brother.


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So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.


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And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.


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And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.


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But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, [so that] three hundred and sixty men died.


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And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and the day brake upon them at Hebron.


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Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David waxed stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.


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and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;


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And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong in the house of Saul.


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Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and [Ish-bosheth] said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?


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Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head that belongeth to Judah? This day do I show kindness unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David; and yet thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman.


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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.


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And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying [also], Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.


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And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee; but one thing I require of thee: that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.


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And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.


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And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return: and he returned.


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And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, In times past ye sought for David to be king over you:


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now then do it; for Yahweh hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of 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.


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And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.


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So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.


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And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.


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And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a foray, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.


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When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.


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Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?


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Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.


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And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.


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And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.


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And afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:


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let it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread.


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So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.


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And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David followed the bier.


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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.


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Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: <t>As a man falleth before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall.<t> And all the people wept again over him.


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And all the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else, till the sun be down.


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And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.


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So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.


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And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?


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And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me: Yahweh reward the evil-doer according to his wickedness.


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And when [Ish-bosheth], Saul's son, heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.


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And [Ish-bosheth], Saul's son, [had] two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin:


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Now Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.


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And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, as he took his rest at noon.


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And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.


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Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.


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And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, thine enemy, who sought thy life; and Yahweh hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.


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And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As Yahweh liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,


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when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his tidings.


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How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?


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And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.


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Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.


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In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and Yahweh said to thee, Thou shalt be shepherd of my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel.


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So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh: and they anointed David king over Israel.


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In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.


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And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither; thinking, David cannot come in hither.


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And David said on that day, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and [smite] the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul. Wherefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he cannot come into the house.


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And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.


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And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar-trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house.


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And David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.


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And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.


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And these are the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,


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And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold.


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And David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Yahweh said unto David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand.


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And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and he said, Yahweh hath broken mine enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.


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And when David inquired of Yahweh, he said, Thou shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees.


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And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is Yahweh gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.


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And David did so, as Yahweh commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gezer.


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And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him, from Baale-judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, which is called by the Name, even the name of Yahweh-tzvaot that sitteth [above] the cherubim.


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And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.


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And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.


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And David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all manner of [instruments made of] fir-wood, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with castanets, and with cymbals.


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And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth [his hand] to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled.


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And the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.


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And David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken forth upon Uzzah; and he called that place Perez-uzzah, unto this day.


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So David would not remove the ark of Yahweh unto him into the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.


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And the ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and Yahweh blessed Obed-edom, and all his house.


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And it was told king David, saying, Yahweh hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy.


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And it was so, that, when they that bare the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.


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So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.


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And it was so, as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart.


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And they brought in the ark of Yahweh, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Yahweh.


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And when David had made an end of offering the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh-tzvaot.


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And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a portion [of flesh], and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed every one to his house.


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Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!


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And David said unto Michal, [It was] before Yahweh, who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Yahweh, over Israel: therefore will I play before Yahweh.


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And I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in mine own sight: but of the handmaids of whom thou hast spoken, of them shall I be had in honor.


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And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies round about,


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that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.


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for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.


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In all places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel, spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built me a house of cedar?


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Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Yahweh-tzvaot, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be prince over my people, over Israel;


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and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a great name, like unto the name of the great ones that are in the earth.


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And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,


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and [as] from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies. Moreover Yahweh telleth thee that Yahweh will make thee a house.


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When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that shall proceed out of thy body, and I will establish his kingdom.


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I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men;


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but my lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.


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And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure forever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever.


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Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahweh; and he said, Who am I, O Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?


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And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes, O Lord Yahweh; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come; and this [too] after the manner of men, O Lord Yahweh!


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For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant know it.


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Wherefore thou art great, O Yahweh God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.


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And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem unto himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and terrible things for thy land, before thy people, whom thou redeemedst to thee out of Egypt, [from] the nations and their gods?


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And thou didst establish to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee forever; and thou, Yahweh, becamest their God.


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And now, O Yahweh God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, confirm thou it forever, and do as thou hast spoken.


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And let thy name be magnified forever, saying, Yahweh-tzvaot is God over Israel; and the house of thy servant David shall be established before thee.


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For thou, O Yahweh-tzvaot, the God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.


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And now, O Lord Yahweh, thou art God, and thy words are truth, and thou hast promised this good thing unto thy servant:


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now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee; for thou, O Lord Yahweh, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed forever.


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And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.


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And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.


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David smote also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.


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And David took from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hocked all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for a hundred chariots.


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And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians twenty-two thousand men.


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Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. And Yahweh gave victory to David whithersoever he went.


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And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.


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then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And [Joram] brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:


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these also did king David dedicate unto Yahweh, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued;


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of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.


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And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men.


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And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And Yahweh gave victory to David whithersoever he went.


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And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness unto all his people.


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and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; and Seraiah was scribe;


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and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was over] the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief ministers.


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And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?


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And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him unto David; and the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.


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And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, who is lame of his feet.


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And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.


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And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came unto David, and fell on his face, and did obeisance. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold, thy servant!


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And David said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.


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And he did obeisance, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?


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Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given unto thy master's son.


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And thou shalt till the land for him, thou, and thy sons, and thy servants; and thou shalt bring in [the fruits], that thy master's son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.


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Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king commandeth his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, [said the king], he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.


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And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.


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So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem; for he did eat continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet.


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And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.


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And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.


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But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David sent his servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?


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So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.


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When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.


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And when the children of Ammon saw that they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.


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And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.


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Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:


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and the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.


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And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.


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Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Yahweh do that which seemeth him good.


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So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.


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And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.


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And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.


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And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head.


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And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.


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And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there.


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And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.


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And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out [to battle], that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem.


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And it came to pass at eventide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.


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And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?


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And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned unto her house.


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And when Uriah was come unto him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.


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And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess [of food] from the king.


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But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.


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And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Art thou not come from a journey? wherefore didst thou not go down unto thy house?


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And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field; shall I then go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.


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And David said to Uriah, Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.


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And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.


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And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.


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And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.


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And it came to pass, when Joab kept watch upon the city, that he assigned Uriah unto the place where he knew that valiant men were.


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And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.


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and he charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling all the things concerning the war unto the king,


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it shall be that, if the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore went ye so nigh unto the city to fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?


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who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? why went ye so nigh the wall? then shalt thou say, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.


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And the messenger said unto David, The men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entrance of the gate.


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And the shooters shot at thy servants from off the wall; and some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.


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Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another; make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.


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And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.


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And when the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Yahweh.


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And Yahweh sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.


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but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.


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And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.


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And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As Yahweh liveth, the man that hath done this is worthy to die:


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And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith Yahweh, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;


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and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added unto thee such and such things.


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Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Yahweh, to do that which is evil in his sight? thou hast smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.


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Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.


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Thus saith Yahweh, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house; and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.


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And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against Yahweh. And Nathan said unto David, Yahweh also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.


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Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Yahweh to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.


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And Nathan departed unto his house.<pb/><t> And Yahweh struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.


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David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.


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And the elders of his house arose, [and stood] beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.


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And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he hearkened not unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead!


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But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.


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Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel; and he came into the house of Yahweh, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.


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Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.


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And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knoweth whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?


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But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.


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And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Yahweh loved him;


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And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah; yea, I have taken the city of waters.


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Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.


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And he took the crown of their king from off his head; and the weight thereof was a talent of gold, and [in it were] precious stones; and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much.


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And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.


text:
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.


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And Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything unto her.


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But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.


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And he said unto him, Why, O son of the king, art thou thus lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.


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And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.


text:
So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.


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So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.


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And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.


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And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.


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And when she had brought them near unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come, lie with me, my sister.


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And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.


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And I, whither shall I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou wilt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.


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Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.


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Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.


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And she said unto him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is [worse] than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.


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Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.


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And she had a garment of divers colors upon her; for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.


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And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.


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And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but now hold thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.


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And Absalom spake unto Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.


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And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.


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And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheep-shearers; let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant.


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And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.


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Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?


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And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill him; fear not; have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.


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And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.


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And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.


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Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.


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And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.


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Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead.


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But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill-side behind him.


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And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.


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But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son every day.


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And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.


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And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath a long time mourned for the dead:


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And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.


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And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.


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And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and killed him.


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And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.


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And the woman of Tekoa said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house; and the king and his throne be guiltless.


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And the king said, Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.


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Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember Yahweh thy God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As Yahweh liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.


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Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.


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And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou devised such a thing against the people of God? for in speaking this word the king is as one that is guilty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished one.


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For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God take away life, but deviseth means, that he that is banished be not an outcast from him.


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Now therefore seeing that I am come to speak this word unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.


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For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.


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Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and Yahweh thy God be with thee.


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Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, aught that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.


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And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy handmaid;


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to change the face of the matter hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.


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And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.


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And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king: and Joab said, Today thy servant knoweth that I have found favor in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath performed the request of his servant.


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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 saw not the king's face.


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Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.


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And when he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year's end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.


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And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.


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Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.


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Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.


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Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?


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And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it were better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me.


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So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.


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And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.


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And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.


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And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.


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Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!


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And it was so, that, when any man came nigh to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.


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And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.


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And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto Yahweh, in Hebron.


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For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.


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But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.


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And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they knew not anything.


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And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.


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And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.


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And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall choose.


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And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.


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And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.


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Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king: for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile; [return] to thine own place.


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Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I may? return thou, and take back thy brethren; mercy and truth be with thee.


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And Ittai answered the king, and said, As Yahweh liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will thy servant be.


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And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.


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And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.


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And, lo, Zadok also [came], and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.


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And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:


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but if he say thus, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.


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The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art thou [not] a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.


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And David went up by the ascent of the [mount of] Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.


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And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Yahweh, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.


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And it came to pass, that, when David was come to the top [of the ascent], where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.


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but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.


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And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.


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Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye shall hear.


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And when David was a little past the top [of the ascent], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.


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And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink.


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And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said, Today will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.


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Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, O king.


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And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed still as he came.


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And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.


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Yahweh hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and Yahweh hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art [taken] in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.


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Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.


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And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because Yahweh hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so?


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And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my body, seeketh my life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh hath bidden him.


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It may be that Yahweh will look on the wrong done unto me, and that Yahweh will requite me good for [his] cursing of me this day.


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So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hill-side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.


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And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, [Long] live the king, [Long] live the king.


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And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?


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And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom Yahweh, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide.


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And again, whom should I serve? [should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.


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And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong.


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So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.


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And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.


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Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:


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and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only;


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and I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: [so] all the people shall be in peace.


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And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do [after] his saying? if not, speak thou.


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Hushai said moreover, Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.


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Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some [other] place: and it will come to pass, when some of them are fallen at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.


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And even he that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they that are with him are valiant men.


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But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.


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So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground; and of him and of all the men that are with him we will not leave so much as one.


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Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.


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And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil upon Absalom.


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Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counseled.


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Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.


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Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En-rogel; and a maid-servant used to go and tell them; and they went and told king David: for they might not be seen to come into the city.


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But a lad saw them, and told Absalom: and they went both of them away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down thither.


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And the woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and strewed bruised grain thereon; and nothing was known.


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And Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They are gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.


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And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said unto David, Arise ye, and pass quickly over the water; for thus hath Ahithophel counseled against you.


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Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over the Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over the Jordan.


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And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and gat him home, unto his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.


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Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.


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And Absalom set Amasa over the host instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithra the Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.


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And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,


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brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched [grain], and beans, and lentils, and parched [pulse],


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and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.


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And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.


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And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.


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But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city.


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And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.


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And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.


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And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.


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For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.


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And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between heaven and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.


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And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten [pieces of] silver, and a girdle.


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And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.


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Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against [me].


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Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.


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And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.


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And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.


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Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom's monument, unto this day.


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Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that Yahweh hath avenged him of his enemies.


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And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.


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Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.


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Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?


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But come what may, [said he], I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.


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Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.


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And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.


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And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold, [another] man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.


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And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.


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And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Yahweh thy God, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.


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And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.


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And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Tidings for my lord the king; for Yahweh hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.


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And the king said unto the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.


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And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!


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And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people; for the people heard say that day, The king grieveth for his son.


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And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people that are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.


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And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!


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And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, who this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;


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in that thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee. For thou hast declared this day, that princes and servants are nought unto thee: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.


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Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry a man with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath befallen thee from thy youth until now.


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Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king.<pb/><t> Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.


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And all the people were at strife 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 is fled out of the land from Absalom.


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And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?


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And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, [to bring him] to his house.


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Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?


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And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.


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And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as [the heart of] one man; so that they sent unto the king, [saying], Return thou, and all thy servants.


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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.


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And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.


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And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.


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And there went over a ferry-boat to bring over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he was come over the Jordan.


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And he said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.


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For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.


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But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh's anointed?


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And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?


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And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.


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And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?


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And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me a donkey, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because thy servant is lame.


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And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.


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For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more unto the king?


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And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I say, Thou and Ziba divide the land.


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And Mephibosheth said unto the king, yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come in peace unto his own house.


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And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.


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Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.


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And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee with me in Jerusalem.


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And Barzillai said unto the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?


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I am this day eighty years old: can I discern between good and bad? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?


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Thy servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?


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Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.


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And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.


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And all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over: and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.


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So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him: and all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.


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And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?


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And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all at the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?


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And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more [right] in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.


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And there happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.


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So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.


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And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and provided them with sustenance, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.


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Then said the king to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be thou here present.


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So Amasa went to call [the men of] Judah together; but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.


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And David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.


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And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.


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When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.


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And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with thee, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.


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But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him therewith in the body, and shed out his inward parts to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died.<pb/><t> And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.


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And there stood by him one of Joab's young men, and said, He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab.


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And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.


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When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.


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And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.


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And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.


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Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.


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And he came near unto her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thy handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.


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Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask [counsel] at Abel: and so they ended [the matter].


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I am of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?


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The matter is not so: but a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.


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Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. And he blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.


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Now Joab was over all the host of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;


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and Adoram was over the men subject to taskwork; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;


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And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. And Yahweh said, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.


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And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);


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and David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?


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And the Gibeonites said unto him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.


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And they said unto the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us, [that] we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,


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let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh. And the king said, I will give them.


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But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.


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But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bare to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:


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and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountain before Yahweh, and they fell [all] seven together. And they were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.


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And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured upon them from heaven; and she suffered neither the birds of the heavens to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.


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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 street of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, in the day that the Philistines slew Saul in Gilboa;


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and he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son: and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.


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And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the sepulcher of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.


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And the Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. And David waxed faint;


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and Ishbi-benob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred [shekels] of brass in weight, he being girded with a new [sword], thought to have slain David.


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But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the lamp of Israel.


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And it came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.


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And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Beth-lehemite slew Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.


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And there was again war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant.


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These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.


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And David spake unto Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:


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God, my rock, in him will I take refuge;</t> My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge;</t> My savior, thou savest me from violence.


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In my distress I called upon Yahweh;</t> Yea, I called unto my God: <t>And he heard my voice out of his temple,<t> And my cry [came] into his ears.


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Then the earth shook and trembled,<t> The foundations of heaven quaked<t> And were shaken, because he was wroth.


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There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,<t> And fire out of his mouth devoured: <t>Coals were kindled by it.


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Then the channels of the sea appeared,<t> The foundations of the world were laid bare,<t> By the rebuke of Yahweh,<t> At the blast of the breath of his nostrils.


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Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness;</t> According to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.


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Therefore hath Yahweh recompensed me according to my righteousness,<t> According to my cleanness in his eyesight.


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With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful;</t> With the perfect man thou wilt show thyself perfect;


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With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure;</t> And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward.


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And the afflicted people thou wilt save;</t> But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.


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As for God, his way is perfect: <t>The word of Yahweh is tried;</t> He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in him.


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I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them;</t> Neither did I turn again till they were consumed.


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And I have consumed them, and smitten them through, so that they cannot arise: <t>Yea, they are fallen under my feet.


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For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle;</t> Thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.


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Thou hast also made mine enemies turn their backs unto me,<t> That I might cut off them that hate me.


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Then did I beat them small as the dust of the earth,<t> I did crush them as the mire of the streets, and did spread them abroad.


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Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people;</t> Thou hast kept me to be the head of the nations: <t>A people whom I have not known shall serve me.


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And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: <t>Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me;</t> Thou deliverest me from the violent man.


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Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Yahweh, among the nations,<t> And will sing praises unto thy name.


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Great deliverance giveth he to his king,<t> And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed,<t> To David and to his seed, for evermore.


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Now these are the last words of David.<t> David the son of Jesse saith,<t> And the man who was raised on high saith,<t> The anointed of the God of Jacob,<t> And the sweet psalmist of Israel:


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The God of Israel said,<t> The Rock of Israel spake to me: <t>One that ruleth over men righteously,<t> That ruleth in the fear of God,


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[He shall be] as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth,<t> A morning without clouds,<t> [When] the tender grass [springeth] out of the earth,<t> Through clear shining after rain.


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Verily my house is not so with God;</t> Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant,<t> Ordered in all things, and sure: <t>For it is all my salvation, and all [my] desire,<t> Although he maketh it not to grow.


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But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away,<t> Because they cannot be taken with the hand;


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But the man that toucheth them<t> Must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear: <t>And they shall be utterly burned with fire in [their] place.


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These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.


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And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away.


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He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword; and Yahweh wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.


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And after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.


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But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and Yahweh wrought a great victory.


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And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.


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And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!


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And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Yahweh.


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And he said, Be it far from me, O Yahweh, that I should do this: [shall I drink] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.


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And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.


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Was he not most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the [first] three.


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And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two [sons of] Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.


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And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.


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He was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the [first] three. And David set him over his guard.


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Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,


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And again the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.


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And the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who was with him, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of the people.


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And Joab said unto the king, Now Yahweh thy God add unto the people, how many soever they may be, a hundredfold; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?


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Notwithstanding, the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.


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And they passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and unto Jazer:


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then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and round about to Sidon,


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and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beer-sheba.


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So when they had gone to and fro through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.


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And Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.


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And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto Yahweh, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done: but now, O Yahweh, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.


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And when David rose up in the morning, the word of Yahweh came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,


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Go and speak unto David, Thus saith Yahweh, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.


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So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thy foes while they pursue thee? or shall there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise thee, and consider what answer I shall return to him that sent me.


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And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of Yahweh; for his mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man.


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So Yahweh sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.


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And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough; now stay thy hand. And the angel of Yahweh was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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And David spake unto Yahweh when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.


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And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto Yahweh in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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And Araunah looked forth, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.


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And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor of thee, to build an altar unto Yahweh, that the plague may be stayed from the people.


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And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, the oxen for the burnt-offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood:


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all this, O king, doth Araunah give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, Yahweh thy God accept thee.


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And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will verily buy it of thee at a price; neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto Yahweh my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.


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And David built there an altar unto Yahweh, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. So Yahweh was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.


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Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.


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Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.


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So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.


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And the damsel was very fair; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.


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Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.


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And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he was also a very goodly man; and he was born after Absalom.


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And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.


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But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men that belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.


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And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he called all his brethren, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants:


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Then Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?


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Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.


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Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?


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Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.


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And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering unto the king.


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And she said unto him, My lord, thou sworest by Yahweh thy God unto thy handmaid, [saying], Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.


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and he hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.


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And thou, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.


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Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.


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And they told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.


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And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?


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For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and say, [Long] live king Adonijah.


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But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.


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Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed unto thy servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?


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Then king David answered and said, Call to me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.


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verily as I swore unto thee by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; verily so will I do this day.


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Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live forever.


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And king David said, Call to me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.


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And the king said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:


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and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye the trumpet, and say, [Long] live king Solomon.


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Then ye shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead; and I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah.


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And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, say so [too].


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As Yahweh hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.


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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 brought him to Gihon.


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And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, [Long] live king Solomon.


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And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.


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And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?


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While he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said, Come in; for thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tidings.


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and the king hath 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;


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and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.


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And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne: and the king bowed himself upon the bed.


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And also thus said the king, Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.


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And Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.


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And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon; for, lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.


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And Solomon said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.


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So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance to king Solomon; and Solomon said unto him, Go to thy house.


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and keep the charge of Yahweh thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, [and] his commandments, and his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;


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that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.


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Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did unto me, even what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.


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But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table; for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.


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And, behold, there is with thee Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.


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Now therefore hold him not guiltless, for thou art a wise man; and thou wilt know what thou oughtest to do unto him, and thou shalt bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.


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And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty-three years reigned he in Jerusalem.


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Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.


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And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's; for it was his from Yahweh.


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And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king (for he will not say thee nay), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.


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Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.


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Then she said, I ask one small petition of thee; deny me not. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny thee.


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And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.


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Then king Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah hath not spoken this word against his own life.


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Now therefore as Yahweh liveth, who hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me a house, as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death this day.


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And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord Yahweh before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.


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So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto Yahweh, that he might fulfill the word of Yahweh, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.


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And the tidings came to Joab; for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the Tent of Yahweh, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.


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And it was told king Solomon, Joab is fled unto the Tent of Yahweh, and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.


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And Benaiah came to the Tent of Yahweh, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.


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And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house.


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And Yahweh will return his blood upon his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, and my father David knew it not, [to wit], Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.


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So shall their blood return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed forever: but unto David, and unto his seed, and unto his house, and unto his throne, shall there be peace forever from Yahweh.


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Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.


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And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host; and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.


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And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.


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For on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, know thou for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.


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And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.


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And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants are in Gath.


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And Shimei arose, and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.


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And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not adjure thee by Yahweh, and protest unto thee, saying, Know for certain, that on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The saying that I have heard is good.


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The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore Yahweh shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head.


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But king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Yahweh forever.


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So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell upon him, so that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.


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And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of Yahweh, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.


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Only the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was no house built for the name of Yahweh until those days.


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And Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.


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And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.


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And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great lovingkindness, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great lovingkindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.


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And now, O Yahweh my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in.


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And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.


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Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people?


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And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern justice;


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behold, I have done according to thy word: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.


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And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee, all thy days.


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And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.


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And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream: and he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and offered up burnt-offerings, and offered peace-offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.


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And the one woman said, Oh, my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.


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And it came to pass the third day after I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also; and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.


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And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.


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And when I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I did bear.


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And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.


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Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.


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Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor thine; divide it.


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Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.


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And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.


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and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was chief minister, [and] the king's friend;


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and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to taskwork.


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And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.


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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;


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Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (to him [pertained] the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; [even] to him [pertained] the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and brazen bars);


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Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and [he was] the only officer that was in the land.


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Judah and Israel were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.


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And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life.


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ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fatted fowl.


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For he had dominion over all [the region] on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides round about him.


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And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.


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And those officers provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking.


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Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they unto the place where [the officers] were, every man according to his charge.


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And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.


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And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.


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For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations round about.


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And he spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; he spake also of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes.


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And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.


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And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.


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Thou knowest how that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Yahweh put them under the soles of his feet.


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But now Yahweh my God hath given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor evil occurrence.


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And, behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build the house for my name.


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Now therefore command thou that they cut me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt say: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that knoweth how to cut timber like unto the Sidonians.


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And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be Yahweh this day, who hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.


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And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard [the message] which thou hast sent unto me: I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.


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My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and thou shalt receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.


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And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.


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And Yahweh gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.


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And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to taskwork.


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And Solomon had seventy thousand that bare burdens, and eighty thousand that were hewers in the mountains;


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besides Solomon's chief officers that were over the work, three thousand three hundred, who bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.


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And the king commanded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with wrought stone.


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And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites did fashion them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.


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And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of Yahweh.


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And the house which king Solomon built for Yahweh, the length thereof was sixty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty [cubits], and the height thereof thirty cubits.


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And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; [and] ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.


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And against the wall of the house he built stories round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle; and he made side-chambers round about.


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The nethermost story was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad; for on the outside he made offsets [in the wall] of the house round about, that [the beams] should not have hold in the walls of the house.


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And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.


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The door for the middle side-chambers was in the right side of the house: and they went up by winding stairs into the middle [story], and out of the middle into the third.


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And he built the stories against all the house, each five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.


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Concerning this house which thou art building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute mine ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I establish my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father.


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And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar: from the floor of the house unto the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood; and he covered the floor of the house with boards of fir.


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And he built twenty cubits on the hinder part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor unto the walls [of the ceiling]: he built [them] for it within, for an oracle, even for the most holy place.


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And there was cedar on the house within, carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.


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And he prepared an oracle in the midst of the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.


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And within the oracle was [a space of] twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof; and he overlaid it with pure gold: and he covered the altar with cedar.


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So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he drew chains of gold across before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold.


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And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until all the house was finished: also the whole altar that belonged to the oracle he overlaid with gold.


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And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.


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And he set the cherubim within the inner house; and the wings of the cherubim were stretched forth, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.


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And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim and palm-trees and open flowers, within and without.


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And for the entrance of the oracle he made doors of olive-wood: the lintel [and] door-posts were a fifth part [of the wall].


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So [he made] two doors of olive-wood; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubim and palm-trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold upon the cherubim, and upon the palm-trees.


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So also made he for the entrance of the temple door-posts of olive-wood, out of a fourth part [of the wall];


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and two doors of fir-wood: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.


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And he carved [thereon] cherubim and palm-trees and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold fitted upon the graven work.


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And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.


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For he built the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was a hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.


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And it was covered with cedar above over the forty and five beams, that were upon the pillars; fifteen in a row.


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And all the doors and posts were made square with beams: and window was over against window in three ranks.


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And he made the porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits; and a porch before them; and pillars and a threshold before them.


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And he made the porch of the throne where he was to judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor.


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And his house where he was to dwell, the other court within the porch, was of the like work. He made also a house for Pharaoh's daughter (whom Solomon had taken to wife), like unto this porch.


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All these were of costly stones, even of hewn stone, according to measure, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside unto the great court.


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And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.


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And the great court round about had three courses of hewn stone, and a course of cedar beams; like as the inner court of the house of Yahweh, and the porch of the house.


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He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.


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For he fashioned the two pillars of brass, eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits compassed either of them about.


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And he made two capitals of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits.


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There were nets of checker-work, and wreaths of chain-work, for the capitals which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital.


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So he made the pillars; and there were two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the capitals that were upon the top of the pillars: and so did he for the other capital.


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And there were capitals above also upon the two pillars, close by the belly which was beside the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round about upon the other capital.


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And he set up the pillars at the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.


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And he made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and the height thereof was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits compassed it round about.


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And under the brim of it round about there were knops which did compass it, for ten cubits, compassing the sea round about: the knops were in two rows, cast when it was cast.


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It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set upon them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.


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And it was a handbreadth thick: and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it held two thousand baths.


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And he made the ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.


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And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had panels; and there were panels between the ledges;


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and on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and upon the ledges there was a pedestal above; and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work.


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And every base had four brazen wheels, and axles of brass; and the four feet thereof had undersetters: beneath the laver were the undersetters molten, with wreaths at the side of each.


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And the mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit: and the mouth thereof was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also upon the mouth of it were gravings, and their panels were foursquare, not round.


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And the four wheels were underneath the panels; and the axletrees of the wheels were in the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half.


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And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axletrees, and their felloes, and their spokes, and their naves, were all molten.


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And there were four undersetters at the four corners of each base: the undersetters thereof were of the base itself.


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And in the top of the base was there a round compass half a cubit high; and on the top of the base the stays thereof and the panels thereof were of the same.


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And on the plates of the stays thereof, and on the panels thereof, he graved cherubim, lions, and palm-trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths round about.


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And he made ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths; and every laver was four cubits; and upon very one of the ten bases one laver.


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And he set the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.


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And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he wrought for king Solomon in the house of Yahweh:


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the two pillars, and the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars;


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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 upon the pillars;


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and the pots, and the shovels, and the basins: even all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon, in the house of Yahweh, were of burnished brass.


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And Solomon left all the vessels [unweighed], because they were exceeding many: the weight of the brass could not be found out.


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And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Yahweh: the golden altar, and the table whereupon the showbread was, of gold;


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and the lampstands, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold;


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and the cups, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the firepans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, [to wit], of the temple, of gold.


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Thus all the work that king Solomon wrought in the house of Yahweh was finished. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, [even] the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of Yahweh.


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Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers' [houses] of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of the city of David, which is Zion.


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And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.


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And they brought up the ark of Yahweh, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; even these did the priests and the Levites bring up.


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And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.


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And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh unto its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.


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For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above.


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And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the holy place before the oracle; but they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.


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There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.


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And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of Yahweh,


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so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh.


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And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.


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And he said, Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spake with his mouth unto David thy father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,


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Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.


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Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.


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But Yahweh said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart:


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nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.


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And Yahweh hath established his word that he spake; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.


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And there have I set a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of Yahweh, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.


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And Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;


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and he said, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keepest covenant and lovingkindness with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart;


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who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst promise him: yea, thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day.


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Now therefore, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me as thou hast walked before me.


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Now therefore, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.


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But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have built!


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Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Yahweh my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee this day;


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that thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place whereof thou hast said, My name shall be there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall pray toward this place.


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And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: yea, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place; and when thou hearest, forgive.


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If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and he come [and] swear before thine altar in this house;


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then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.


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When thy people Israel are smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; if they turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication unto thee in this house:


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then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.


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When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them:


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then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou teachest them the good way wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.


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If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting [or] mildew, locust [or] caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;


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what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, [or] by all thy people Israel, who shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:


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then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)


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Moreover concerning the foreigner, that is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for thy name's sake


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(for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy mighty hand, and of thine outstretched arm); when he shall come and pray toward this house;


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hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calleth to thee for; that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.


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If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatsoever way thou shalt send them, and they pray unto Yahweh toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name;


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If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive unto the land of the enemy, far off or near;


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yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captive, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have dealt wickedly;


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if they return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:


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then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place, and maintain their cause;


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and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them


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(for they are thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron);


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that thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them whensoever they cry unto thee.


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For thou didst separate them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord Yahweh.


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And it was so, that, when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto Yahweh, he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.


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Blessed be Yahweh, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by Moses his servant.


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that he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers.


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And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before Yahweh, be nigh unto Yahweh our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as every day shall require;


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Let your heart therefore be perfect with Yahweh our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.


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And Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he offered unto Yahweh, twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of Yahweh.


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The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of Yahweh; for there he offered the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering, and the fat of the peace-offerings, because the brazen altar that was before Yahweh was too little to receive the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering, and the fat of the peace-offerings.


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So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath unto the brook of Egypt, before Yahweh our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.


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On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that Yahweh had showed unto David his servant, and to Israel his people.


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And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of Yahweh, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,


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And Yahweh said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there forever; and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.


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And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and mine ordinances;


