# verses

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And the anger of Jehovah glowed against Israel. And He gave them over into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. And the sons of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.


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And when the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a deliverer to the sons of Israel, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, who saved them.


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And the Spirit of Jehovah was put on him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to war, and Jehovah gave Chushan-rishathaim the king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand had power over Chushan-rishathaim.


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And the sons of Israel did evil again in the sight of Jehovah. And Jehovah made Eglon the king of Moab strong against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of Jehovah.


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And he gathered to him the sons of Ammon and Amalek, and went and struck Israel. And they possessed the city of palm trees.


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And the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, even Jehovah raised up a deliverer to them, Ehud the son of Gera, a son of the Benjamite, a man with his right hand impeded. And the sons of Israel sent a present by his hand to Eglon the king of Moab.


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And Ehud made a sword for himself, and it had two edges, a cubit in length. And he girded it under his long robe, on his right thigh.


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And it happened, when he had finished offering the present, he sent away the people, the bearers of the present.


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And he himself turned back from the carved images at Gilgal, and said, I have a secret word for you, O king. And he said, Be silent! And all those standing beside him went out from him.


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And Ehud came to him. And he was sitting by himself in the cool roof room which was his. And Ehud said, I have a word from God to you. And he rose out of his seat.


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And Ehud put out his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglon's belly.


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And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade; for he did not draw the sword out of his belly. And it came out behind.


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And when he had gone out, his servants came. And they looked, and, behold, the doors of the roof room were locked. And they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the cool roof room.


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And they waited until they were ashamed. And, behold! He did not open the doors of the room. So they took the key and opened them. And, behold, their master had fallen down to the earth dead.


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And Ehud escaped while they waited. And he had passed by the images, and had slipped away to Seirath.


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And it happened, when he had come, he blew a horn in the hills of Ephraim. And the sons of Israel came down with him from the hills, and he before them.


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And he said to them, Follow me, for Jehovah has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites. And they did not allow a man to pass over.


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And they struck about ten thousand men of Moab at that time, every lusty man, all mighty men. And not a man escaped.


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And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. And he also delivered Israel.


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And Jehovah sold them into the hand of Jabin the king of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. And his army commander was Sisera; and he lived in Harosheth of the nations.


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And the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron. And he mightily oppressed the sons of Israel twenty years.


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And she lived under the palm tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel, in the hills of Ephraim. And the sons of Israel went up to her for judgment.


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And she sent and called for Barak, the son of Abinoam, out of Kadesh in Naphtali, and said to him, Has not Jehovah the God of Israel commanded? Go and draw toward Mount Tabor, and take ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali, and of the sons of Zebulun with you.


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And I will draw to you at the Kishon River, Sisera, the army commander of Jabin, and his chariots, and his multitude, and shall give him into your hands.


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And Barak said to her, If you go with me, then I will go. And if you will not go with me, I will not go.


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And she said, I will certainly go with you; only, your glory shall surely not be on the way which you are going, for Jehovah shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah rose up and went with Barak to Kedesh.


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


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And Heber the Kenite had broken away from the Kenites, he being of the children of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses. And he pitched his tent by the oak in Zaanaim, near Kedesh.


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And Sisera mustered all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people with him, from Harosheth of the nations, to the Kishon River.


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And Deborah said to Barak, Rise up, for this is the day in which Jehovah has given Sisera into your hand. Has not Jehovah gone out before you? And Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.


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And Jehovah routed Sisera, and all the chariots, and all the army, by the mouth of the sword, before Barak. And Sisera came down from the chariot and fled on his feet.


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And Barak pursued the chariots and went after the army, to Harosheth of the nations. And all the army of Sisera fell by the mouth of the sword; there was not even one left.


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And Sisera fled 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 to him, Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not fear. And he turned in to her into the tent; and she covered him with a rug.


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And he said to her, Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty. And she opened a skin of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.


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And he said to her, Stand at the door of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes in and asks you, and says, Is there a man here? Then you shall say, There is not.


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And Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went to him quietly. And she drove the peg into his temple, and she beat it into the ground. And he had been fast asleep, and faint; and he died.


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And, behold, as Barak followed Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking. And he came in to her, and, behold! Sisera had fallen dead with the peg in his temple.


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And the hand of the sons of Israel went on, going on and pressing hard on Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had cut off Jabin the king of Canaan.


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Listen, O kings; give ear, O princes. I, even I, will sing to Jehovah; I will sing praise to Jehovah the God of Israel.


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O Jehovah, when You went forth out of Seir, when You marched out of the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped. Yea, the clouds dropped water.


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The mountains quaked before the face of Jehovah, this Sinai quaked from before Jehovah the God of Israel.


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In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways ceased, and those going in the paths traveled in byways.


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They chose new gods; then war was at the gates! Neither a shield nor a spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.


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My heart was toward the lawgivers of Israel, who freely offered themselves among the people; bless Jehovah!


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Louder than the voice of the dividers between the watering places there, they shall tell of the righteous acts of Jehovah, the righteous acts of His leaders in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates.


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Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Rise, Barak, and lead your captives captive, son of Abinoam.


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Then He caused me to tread on the remnant of the noble ones of the people; Jehovah trod for me among the warriors.


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Out of Ephraim they came, those whose root was against Amalek. After you, Benjamin, among your peoples; and out of Machir came down commanders; and out of Zebulun the ones that hold the staff of the scribe.


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And my commanders in Issachar were with Deborah; as was Issachar, so was Barak. They were sent into the valley at his feet. Among the divisions of Reuben resolves of heart were great!


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Why did you sit between the sheepfolds to hear the bleatings of flocks? At the divisions of Reuben searchings of heart were great!


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Gilead remained beyond the Jordan; and why did Dan stay in ships? Asher sat at the shore by the water, and remained by his havens.


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Zebulun, a people who despised his life, even to death; also Naphtali on the high places of the field.


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Kings came; they fought; then the kings of Canaan fought in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of silver.


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The Kishon torrent swept them away, the ancient river, the Kishon torrent. You trod, my soul, in strength.


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Curse Meroz, said the Angel of Jehovah; curse the ones living in it bitterly, because they did not come to the help of Jehovah, to the help of Jehovah against the warriors.


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Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. She is blessed among women in the tent.


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She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and she hammered Sisera; she smashed his head; she struck through and pierced his temple.


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Between her feet he bowed; he fell; he lay down. Between her feet he bowed; he fell! Where he bowed, there he fell down ruined.


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Through the window she looked out; yea, she cried out, the mother of Sisera, through the lattice; Why does his chariot delay to come? Why have the steps of his chariot tarried?


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Do they not find and divide the plunder? A womb, two wombs to each man's head; a plunder of dyed garments to Sisera, a plunder of embroidered dyed garments, two embroidered dyed garments for the necks of the plunderers?


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So all Your enemies shall perish, O Jehovah, and those who love Him shall be as the sun when it goes forth in its might. And the land had rest forty years.


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And the sons of Israel did evil again in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah gave them into the hand of Midian seven years.


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And the hand of Midian was strong against Israel. And the sons of Israel made dens for themselves before the faces of Midian, in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.


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And it happened after Israel had sown crops, Midian, and Amalek, and the sons of the east came; and they came against them,


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and camped against them, and destroyed the produce of the land until you enter Gaza. And they left no food in Israel, either sheep, or ox, or ass.


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For they came up with their livestock, and with their tents. They came in like locusts for number, and there was no number to them, to their camels. And they came into the land to destroy it.


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Jehovah sent a man, a prophet, to the sons of Israel. And he said to them, So says Jehovah the God of Israel, I have brought you up out of Egypt; and I have brought you out from a house of slaves.


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And I have delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all your oppressors; and I have driven them out before you; and I have given you their land.


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And I said to you, I am Jehovah your God. You shall not fear the gods of the Amorite among whom you are dwelling in their land. But you have not listened to My voice.


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And the Angel of Jehovah came and sat under the oak which is in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. And his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the eyes of Midian.


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And Gideon said to Him, Oh my Lord, if Jehovah is with us, then why has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonders which our fathers recounted to us, saying, Did not Jehovah bring us up out of Egypt? And now Jehovah has left us, and has given us into the hands of Midian.


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And Jehovah turned to him and said, Go in this strength of yours, and you shall deliver Israel out of the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?


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And he said to Him, Oh my Lord, with what shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I the least in my father's house.


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And he said to Him, Please, if I have found grace in Your eyes, then You shall do for me a sign that You are speaking with me.


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Please do not move from here until I come to You and bring my food offering and lay it before You. And He said, I will stay until you come back.


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And Gideon went in and prepared a kid of the goats, and unleavened bread of an ephah of flour. He put the flesh in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot. And he brought it out to Him, under the oak, and offered it.


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And the Angel of Jehovah said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened bread and place them on this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.


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And the Angel of Jehovah put forth the end of the staff in His hand and touched the flesh and the unleavened bread. And the fire rose up out of the rock and burned up the flesh and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of Jehovah went out of his sight.


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


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And Gideon built an altar to Jehovah there, and called it Peace of Jehovah. It is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites until today.


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And it happened on that night, Jehovah said to him, Take your father's bull, and the second bull of seven years; and you shall throw down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and you shall cut down the pillar beside it.


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And you shall build an altar to Jehovah your God on the top of this stronghold, in an orderly way, and shall take the second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the pillar which you have cut down.


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And Gideon took ten men from his servants and did as Jehovah had spoken to him. And it happened, since he feared his father's house and the men of the city, to do it by day, that he did it by night.


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And the men of the city rose early in the morning. And, behold, the altar of Baal had been smashed, and the pillar beside it had been cut down. And the second bull had been offered on the altar which was built.


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And they each said to his neighbor, Who has done this thing? And they asked and sought. And they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.


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And the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son, and he shall die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the pillar beside it.


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And Joash said to all that stood against him, You, will you contend for Baal? Or you, will you save him? He who contends for him shall be killed by the morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because one has smashed his altar.


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And on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal contend against him, because he has smashed his altar.


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And all Midian and Amalek, and the sons of the east, were gathered together, and crossed over, and camped in the valley of Jezreel.


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And the Spirit of Jehovah clothed Gideon with Himself, and he blew with a ram's horn. And the Abiezrites were called after him.


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And he sent messengers to all Manasseh, and it also was called after him. And he sent messengers to Asher and Zebulun, and to Naphtali. And they came up to meet them.


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behold, I am placing the fleece of wool on the grain floor; if the dew is on the fleece only, and dryness on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel by my hand, as You have spoken.


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And it was so. And he rose early on the next day and wrung the fleece, and drained dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.


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And Gideon said to God, Let not Your anger glow against me, and I shall speak only this time. Please let me try only this time with the fleece; please let there be dryness on the fleece alone; and let there be dew on all the ground.


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And God did so on that night, and there was dryness only on the fleece, and there was dew on all the ground.


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And Jerubbaal (he is Gideon) rose early, and all the people with him. And they camped by the spring of Harod, and the army of Midian was north of him on Mount Moreh, in the valley.


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And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, that Israel not glorify itself against Me, saying, My hand has delivered me.


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And now then, cry in the ears of the people, saying, Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and leave Mount Gilead. And twenty two thousand of the people returned. And ten thousand were left.


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And Jehovah said to Gideon, The people are still too many. Bring them down to the water, and I will refine them for you there. And it shall be, he of whom I say to you, this one shall go with you, he shall go with you. And any of whom I shall say to you, This one shall not go with you, he shall not go.


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And he brought the people down to the water. And Jehovah said to Gideon, Everyone who laps of the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set him apart. And everyone who bows on his knees to drink, set apart.


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And the number of those lapping with their hand to their mouth was three hundred men. And all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink water.


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And Jehovah said to Gideon, I will deliver you by the three hundred men who lapped, and shall give Midian into your hand. And all the people shall go, each to his place.


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And the people took the food in their hand, and their rams' horns; and he sent away every man of Israel, each to his tent. But he kept hold on the three hundred men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.


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And it happened on that night, Jehovah said to him, Rise up, go down to the camp, for I have given it into your hand.


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And you shall hear what they say. And afterward your hand shall be made stronger, and you shall go down against the army. And he went down, he and his young man Phurah, to the edge of the battle alignment in the camp.


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And Midian and Amalek, and all the sons of the east, were lying in the valley, as the locusts for multitude. And there was no number of their camels being as the sand on the lip of the sea for multitude.


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And Gideon came; and, behold, a man was telling a dream to his companion. And he said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream. And, behold, a cake of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian. And it came to the tent and struck it, and it fell, and turned it upside down; and the tent fell down.


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And his companion answered and said, This is nothing but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. God has given Midian and all the army into his hand.


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And it happened when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the army of Israel and said, Rise up, for Jehovah has given the army of Midian into your hand.


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And he divided the three hundred men into three companies. And he put a ram's horn in the hand of all of them, and empty jars, and torches inside the jars.


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And he said to them, Look at me, and do this; even behold, I am coming to the edge of the camp. And it shall be, as I do, so you shall do.


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And I shall blow with a ram's horn, I and all who are with me. And you shall blow with the ram's horns, you also all around the camp, and shall shout, For Jehovah and for Gideon!


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And Gideon came, and the hundred men with him, to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch. Only newly rising up they had made rise the watching ones. And they blew with the ram's horns, and shattered the jars in their hand.


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And the three companies blew with their ram's horns, and broke the jars, and held the torches in their left hand; and in their right hand the ram's horns, and they cried out, A sword for Jehovah and for Gideon!


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And they each one stood in his place, all around the army. And all the army ran, and they shouted, and they fled.


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And the three hundred blew the ram's horns, and Jehovah set a man's sword against his companion even in all the army. And the army fled to Beth-shittah, at Zererath, to the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.


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And the men of Israel were called from Naphtali, and from Asher, and from all Manasseh, and chased Midian.


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And Gideon had sent messengers to all the hills of Ephraim, saying, Come down to meet Midian, and capture the waters before them as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. And every man of Ephraim was called up, and they captured the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.


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And they captured the two rulers of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And Oreb was slain at the rock of Oreb; and they killed Zeeb at the winevat of Zeeb. And they pursued to 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 to him, What is this thing you have done to us, not to call us when you went out to fight against Midian? And they contended with him sharply.


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And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison to you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?


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God has given the rulers of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into your hand. And what was I able to do like you? Then their spirit was abated toward him when he said this word.


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And Gideon came to the Jordan, he crossing over, and three hundred who were with him, being weary, yet pursuing.


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And he said to the men of Succoth, Please give loaves of bread to the people at my feet, for they are weary; and I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.


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And the rulers of Succoth said, Is the hand of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?


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And Gideon said, Because of this, when Jehovah has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I shall thresh your flesh with thorns of the wilderness and with briers.


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And he went up from there to Penuel, and spoke to them in this same way. And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.


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


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And Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand, all who were left of all the army of the sons of the east. And those who fell were a hundred and twenty thousand men drawing sword.


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And Gideon went up the way of those who live in tents, on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the army; for the army was at ease.


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And Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he chased them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna. And he caused all the army to tremble.


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And he captured a young man of the men of Succoth, and questioned him; and he wrote out to him the rulers of Succoth, and its elders, seventy seven men.


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And he came in to the men of Succoth, and said, Behold, Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, Is the hand of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand that we should give bread to your weary men?


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


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And he said to Zebah and to Zalmunna, How were the men whom you killed in Tabor? And they said, As you are, so they; each one as a king's son in appearance.


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


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And he said to his first-born, Jether, Rise up, kill them. But the young man did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, for he was still a youth.


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And Zebah and Zalmunna said, You rise up and fall on us, for as the man, so is his might. And Gideon rose up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the moon crescents which were on the necks of their camels.


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And the men of Israel said to Gideon, rule over us, both you and your son, and your son's son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.


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And Gideon said to them, I shall not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; Jehovah shall rule over you.


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And Gideon said to them, Let me ask of you a request, that each man give to me a ring from his plunder; for they had gold rings, because they were Ishmaelites.


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And they said, We will certainly give. And they spread out a garment and each threw a ring from their plunder there.


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And the weight of the rings of gold which he asked was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, apart from the ornaments, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian; also apart from the necklaces on the necks of their camels.


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And Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah. And all Israel went whoring after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his house.


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And Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads any 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 burial place of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


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And it happened, when Gideon was dead, the sons of Israel rebelled and went whoring after the Baals, and appointed Baal-berith for a god for themselves.


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And the sons of Israel did not remember Jehovah their God who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies all around;


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nor did they act with kindness on the house of Jerubbaal, Gideon, according to all the good which he did with Israel.


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


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Please speak in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, Which is best for you, seventy men ruling over you, all the sons of Jerubbaal, or one man ruling over you? And you should remember that I am your bone and your flesh.


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And his mother's brothers spoke all these words about him in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their heart inclined after Abimelech. For they said, He is our brother.


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And they gave to him seventy silverlings out of the house of Baal-berith. And Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men with them; and they went after him.


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And he went into his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left; for he had hidden.


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And all the leaders of Shechem were gathered together, and all the house of Millo. And they came and caused Abimelech to reign as king at the oak of the outpost which is in Shechem.


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And they told Jotham, and he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. And he lifted up his voice and cried, and said to them, Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, and God shall listen to you.


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And the olive said to them, Should I cease from my fatness, by which they honor God and man, and go to hold sway over the trees?


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And the fig said to them, Should I cease from my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to hold sway over the trees?


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And the vine said to them, Should I cease from my new wine, which rejoices God and men, and go to hold sway over the trees?


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And the bramble bush said to the trees, If you truly anoint me king over you, come seek refuge in my shade. And if not, let fire come out of the bramble bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.


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And now if you have acted in truth and integrity when you made Abimelech king; and if you have done well with Jerubbaal and his house; and you have done to him as his hands did,


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in which my father fought for you, and cast aside his life, and delivered you from the hand of Midian;


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and you have today risen against my father's house and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his slave-girl king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your brother,


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yea, if in truth and in integrity you have acted toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech; and he shall rejoice, he and you.


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If not, fire shall come out from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and the house of Millo. And fire shall come out from the leaders of Shechem and from the house of Millo and consume Abimelech.


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And Jotham hurried and fled, and went to Beer and lived there, away from the face of his brother Abimelech.


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


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that the violence against Jerubbaal's seventy sons, even their blood, might be put on their brother Abimelech who killed them, and on the leaders of Shechem, who made his hands strong to kill his brothers.


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And the leaders of Shechem set men in ambush at the tops of the mountains; and they robbed all who passed by them on the highway. And it was told to Abimelech.


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And Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers came. And they passed on into Shechem. And the leaders of Shechem trusted in him.


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And they went out into the fields and gathered their vineyards, and trod out, and made a festival, and went into the house of their god and ate and drank, 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 he not the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul his commander? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem! And why should we serve him?


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And who will give this people in my hand? Then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Multiply your army and come out.


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And craftily he sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, Behold, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers have come to Shechem. And, behold, they are fortifying the city against you.


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And it shall be, in the morning, about the sunrise, you shall rise early and charge against the city. And, behold, he and the people with him will come out to you; and you shall do to him as you find your hand able to do.


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


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And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out and stood at the opening of the gate of the city. And Abimelech and the people with him rose up from the ambush.


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And Gaal saw the people, and he said to Zebul, Behold, people are coming down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You are seeing the shadow of the mountains like men.


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And Gaal spoke again and said, Behold, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and one company is coming by the way of the Sorcerers' Oak.


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And Zebul said to him, Now where is your mouth with which you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is this not the people you despised? Now go out now and fight against it.


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And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. And many fell down wounded, to the opening of the gate.


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And he took the people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in a field and watched. And, behold, the people were coming out from the city. And he rose up against them and struck them.


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And Abimelech and the companies with him rushed forward and stood in the opening of the gate of the city. And the two companies charged against all who were in the field, and struck them.


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And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and captured the city. And he killed the people in it; and he broke down the city and sowed it with salt.


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And all the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard, and went into the high place of the house of the god Berith.


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And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people with him. And Abimelech took the axes in his hand and cut off a bough of the trees, and lifted it up, and set it on his shoulder. And he said to the people with him, You have seen what I have done; you hasten and do the same.


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And all the people also, each man, cut down his bough, and went after Abimelech, and set them at the stronghold, and kindled the stronghold with fire over them. And all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.


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And a strong tower was in the middle of the city. And all the leaders of the city, and all the men and women fled there. And they shut it behind them, and went up on the roof of the tower.


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And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it. And he drew near to the door of the tower in order to burn it with fire.


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And he quickly called to the young man bearing his weapons, and said to him, Draw your sword and cause me to die, that they not say of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.


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And all the evil of the men of Shechem God turned back on their heads. And the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came on them.


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And after Abimelech, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, rose up to save Israel. And he lived in Shamir, in the hills of Ephraim.


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And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty ass colts. And they had thirty cities, which are called The Towns of Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.


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And the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah again, and served the Baals, and the Ashtoroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook Jehovah and did not serve Him.


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And the anger of Jehovah glowed against Israel. And He sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hand of the sons of Ammon.


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And they crushed and oppressed the sons of Israel in that year, for eighteen years, all the sons of Israel that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.


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And the sons of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah also, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim. And Israel was greatly distressed.


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And the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, saying, We have sinned against You, even because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baals.


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


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And the Sidonians, and Amalek, and Maon have oppressed you, and you cried to Me, and I saved you out of their hand.


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And the sons of Israel said to Jehovah, We have sinned. Do to us whatever may be good in Your eyes; only please deliver us this day.


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And they removed the gods of the alien from among them, and served Jehovah. And His soul was grieved with the misery of Israel.


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And the sons of Ammon were called together, and camped in Gilead. And the sons of Israel were gathered, and camped in Mizpeh.


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And the people said, The chief men of Gilead, each man to his neighbor, Who will be the man who will begin to fight against the sons of Ammon? He shall be head over all the people of Gilead.


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And Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. And he was the son of a harlot woman; and Gilead fathered Jephthah.


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And the wife of Gilead bore sons to him. And the sons of the wife grew up, and they threw Jephthah out, and said to him, You shall not inherit in the house of your father, for you are the son of another woman.


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And Jephthah fled from the face of his brothers, and lived in the land of Tob. And worthless men were gathered to Jephthah, and went out with him.


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And it happened when the sons of Ammon fought with Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob.


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And they said to Jephthah, Come, and you shall be our commander, that we may fight against the sons of Ammon.


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And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Have you not hated me? Yea, you threw me out from my father's house. Why have you come to me when you are in distress?


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And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, For this reason we have come back to you now; and you shall go with us and fight against the sons of Ammon. And you shall be our head, to all the people of Gilead.


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And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, If you take me back to fight against the sons of Ammon, and Jehovah gives them up before me, shall I be your head?


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And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Jehovah shall be witness between us; surely we will do according to your word.


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And Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people appointed him head over them, and as commander. And Jephthah spoke all his words before Jehovah in Mizpeh.


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And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, What have you to do with me, that you have come in to me to fight in my land?


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And the king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took my land when he came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. And now, restore them in peace.


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and said to him, So says Jephthah, Israel did not take the land of Moab, and the land of the sons of Ammon.


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For when they came up out of Egypt, Israel went in the wilderness to the Sea of Reeds, and came in at Kadesh.


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And Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, Please let me pass on through your land, and the king of Edom did not listen. And Israel sent also to the king of Moab, and he was not willing. And Israel remained in Kadesh.


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And he went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came in at the rising of the sun to the land of Moab. And they camped beyond Arnon, and did not come into the border of Moab, for Arnon was the border of Moab.


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And Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, Please let us pass on through your land, to my place.


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And Sihon did not trust Israel to pass on through his border. And Sihon gathered all his people and they camped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.


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


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And they took possession of all the border of the Amorites from Arnon and to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness, and to the Jordan.


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And now, Jehovah our God has dispossessed the Amorite from before His people Israel. And would you possess it?


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Whatever Chemosh your god causes you to possess, do you not possess it? And all that which Jehovah our God has dispossessed from before us, we will possess!


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


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When Israel lived in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and in its towns, in all the cities by the sides of Arnon three hundred years, then why have you not delivered them in that time?


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So I have not sinned against you, and you are doing me wrong to fight against me. Jehovah the Judge shall judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.


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And the Spirit of Jehovah was on Jephthah. And he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed on to the sons of Ammon.


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And Jephthah vowed a vow to Jehovah, and said, If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand,


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then it shall be that anything which comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall belong to Jehovah; and I will offer it instead of a burnt offering.


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And Jephthah passed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them. And Jehovah delivered them into his hand.


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And he struck them from Aroer until you come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and to the Meadow of the Vineyard, a very great destruction. And the sons of Ammon were humbled before the sons of Israel.


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And Jephthah came to Mizpeh to his house. And, behold his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels, and with choruses. And she only, she alone; there was no other son or daughter to him.


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And it happened when he saw her, he tore his garments, and said, Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those making me low. And surely I have opened my mouth to Jehovah, and I am not able to take it back.


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And she said to him, My father, you have opened your mouth to Jehovah. Do to me whatever has gone out of your mouth, since Jehovah has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, on the sons of Ammon.


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And she said to her father, Let this thing be done to me. Leave me alone two months, and let me go and descend on the mountains. And I will weep for my virginity, my friends and I.


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And he said, Go. And he sent her away two months. And she went, she and her friends. And she wept for her virginity on the mountains.


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And it happened at the end of two months, she returned to her father. And he did to her his vow which he had vowed. And she never knew a man. And it is a fixed custom in Israel,


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from days to days, the daughters of Israel go to tell again of the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days in a year.


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And the men of Ephraim were called together, and went northward, and said to Jephthah, Why have you passed over to fight against the sons of Ammon, and you have not called on us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.


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And Jephthah said to them, I have been a man of war, my people and I, having great strife with the sons of Ammon. And I called you, and you did not save me out of their hands.


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And seeing that you did not save us, I put my life in my hand and passed over against the Ammonites, and Jehovah delivered them into my hand. And why have you come up to me today to fight with me?


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


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And Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan before Ephraim. And it happened when the fugitives from Ephraim said, Let me pass over, then the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? And he said, No.


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And they said to him, Please say Shibboleth. And he said, Sibboleth, and they could not frame to speak so. And they would seize him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. And at that time forty two thousand of Ephraim fell.


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


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


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And he had forty sons, and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy he-asses; and he judged Israel eight years.


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And Abdon the son of Hillel of Pirathon died, and was buried in Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, in the hills of the Amalekites.


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And the sons of Israel did evil again in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah gave them into the hands of the Philistines forty years.


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


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And the Angel of Jehovah appeared to the woman, and said to her, Behold now, you are barren and have not borne. But you shall conceive and bear a son.


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And now take heed, and please do not drink wine or fermented drink; and do not eat any unclean thing.


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For, behold, you are pregnant and bearing a son. And a razor shall not go on his head, for the boy shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb. And he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.


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And the woman came and spoke to her husband, saying, A Man of God has come to me, and He was seen as the appearance of the Angel of God, very terrifying. And I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name.


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And He said to me, Behold, you are pregnant and will bear a son. And now do not drink wine or fermented drink, and do not eat any unclean thing, for the boy shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb, until the day of his death.


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Then Manoah prayed to Jehovah, and said, O my Lord, the Man of God whom You sent, please let Him come again to us and direct us what we shall do to the boy being born.


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And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the Angel of God came again to the woman. And she was sitting in a field; and her husband Manoah was not with her.


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And the woman hurried and ran, and told her husband, and said to him, Behold, He has appeared to me, the Man who came to me that day.


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And Manoah rose up and went after his wife, and came to the Man. And he said to Him, Are You the Man who spoke to the woman? And He said, I am.


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And Manoah said, Then let Your words come about. What shall be the way of the boy, and his undertaking?


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she shall not eat of anything that came forth from the grapevine; and she shall not drink wine or fermented drink; and she shall not eat any unclean thing. She shall be careful of all that I commanded her.


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And Manoah said to the Angel of Jehovah, Please let us keep You, and prepare before You a kid of the goats.


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And the Angel of Jehovah said to Manoah, If you keep Me, I will not eat of your bread. And if you prepare a burnt offering, you shall offer it to Jehovah. For Manoah did not know that He was the Angel of Jehovah.


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And Manoah said to the Angel of Jehovah, What is Your name? When Your words come about, then we shall honor You.


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And Manoah took the kid of the goats, and the food offering, and offered on the rock to Jehovah. And He did wonderfully, and Manoah and his wife were watching.


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And it happened as the flame from off the altar was going up to the heavens, that the Angel of Jehovah went up in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife were watching. And they fell on their faces to the ground.


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And the Angel of Jehovah did not appear any more to Manoah, or to his wife. Then Manoah knew that He was the Angel of Jehovah.


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And his wife said to him, If Jehovah desired to put us to death, He would not have received a burnt offering and a food offering from our hands, nor made us see all these things; nor would He now have caused us to hear things like these.


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


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And his father and his mother said to him, Is there not a woman among the daughters of your brothers, and among all my people, that you must go to take a woman from the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she pleases me very much.


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And his father and his mother did not know that it was from Jehovah, that He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.


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And Samson and his father and his mother went down to Timnath. And they came to the vineyards of Timnath. And, behold, a young lion roaring to meet him.


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And the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily on him. And he tore it as the cleaving of a kid. And there was nothing in his hand; and he did not tell his father and his mother what he had done.


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And some days later he returned to take her, and turned aside to see the remains of the lion. And, behold, a bee-swarm in the carcass of the lion, and honey.


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And he took it out on his hands, and went on, eating and walking. And he went to his father and to his mother, and gave some to them. And they ate, but he did not tell them that he took the honey out of the body of the lion.


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And his father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there, for so the young men usually did.


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And Samson said to them, Please let me riddle a riddle to you. If declaring you declare it to me in the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I shall give you thirty linen blouses and thirty changes of garments.


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And if you are not able to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen blouses and thirty changes of garments. And they said to him, Riddle your riddle, and we shall hear it.


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And he said to them, Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they were not able to declare the riddle in three days.


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And it happened on the seventh day, they said to Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare to us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you called for us to make us poor? Is it not so?


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And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, You only hate me, and do not love me. You have riddled the riddle to the sons of my people, and you have not declared it to me. And he said to her, Behold, I have not declared it to my father and to my mother, and shall I declare it to you?


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And she wept before him the seven days on which they feasted. And it was on the seventh day, he told her, for she distressed him. And she told the riddle to the sons of her people.


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


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And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him. And he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them, and took their plunder. And he gave the changes to those who told the riddle; and his anger glowed. And he went up to his father's house.


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And it happened afterward, in the days of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid of the goats. And he said, I will go in to my wife, to the inner room. And her father would not allow him to go in.


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And her father said, I certainly said that hating you would hate her, and I gave her to your companion. Is not her sister, the young one, better than she? Please let her belong to you, instead of her.


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And Samson said to them, This time I will be blameless regarding the Philistines, though I am doing evil with them.


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And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned tail to tail, and put a torch between the two tails, in the middle.


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And he kindled fire on the torches, and sent them out into the grain-stalks of the Philistines, and burned from the stacks and the grain-stalks, and to the vineyard and the oliveyard.


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


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And Samson said to them, Though you do this, yet I shall be avenged on you; and afterwards I will stop.


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


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


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


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And they said to him, We have come down to bind you, to give you into the hands of the Philistines. And Samson said to them, Swear to me that you will not fall on me yourselves.


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And they spoke to him, saying, No, but we will certainly bind you, and will give you into their hand. But we certainly will not cause you to die. And they bound him with two thick cords, new ones, and brought him up from the rock.


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He came to Lehi, and the Philistines shouted to meet him, And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and the thick cords which were on his arms were as flax which they burn with fire. And his bonds melted from his hands.


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


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And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, a heap, two heaps, with the jawbone of an ass I have killed a thousand men.


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And it happened when he finished speaking, he threw the jawbone out of his hand. And he called that place Jawbone Height.


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And he was exceedingly thirsty, and called to Jehovah and said, Surely You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant. And now I am dying with thirst, and will fall into the hand of the uncircumcised.


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And God broke open the hollow place which is in Lehi, and water came out of it. And he drank, and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore its name is called the Fountain of the Praying One, which is in Lehi to this day.


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The Gazites were told, saying, Samson has come here. And they encircled and set a trap for him all the night at the gate of the city, and kept quiet all night, saying, Until the light of the morning, then we will kill him.


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And Samson lay down until the middle of the night, and rose up in the middle of the night. And he took hold on the leaves of the gate of the city, and on the two side posts, and plucked them up with the bar, and put them on his shoulders and took them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.


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And the Philistine rulers came to her and said to her, Entice him, and see in what lies his great strength, and by what we may prevail against him, so that we may bind him, to afflict him. And we will surely each give to you eleven hundred pieces of silver.


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And Delilah said to Samson, Now tell me in what your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound in order to afflict you.


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And Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green bowstrings which have not been dried, then I shall be weak and shall be as any man.


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And Philistine rulers brought to her seven fresh bowstrings which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.


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And the ambush was sitting for her in an inner room. And she said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! And he broke the bowstrings like a thread of tow when it smells fire. And his strength was not known.


text:
And Delilah said to Samson, Behold, you have trifled with me, and have told me lies. Now, please tell me with what you may be bound.


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And he said to her, If binding they bind me with new ropes, by which no work has been done, then I shall be weak and shall be as any man.


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And Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, and said to him, Samson, the Philistines are upon you! And the ambush was sitting in the inner room. And he tore them off his arms like thread.


text:
And Delilah said to Samson, Until now you have trifled with me, and have told me lies. Tell me with what you may be bound. And he said to her, If you weave the seven braids of my head with a web.


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And she fastened it with a pin, and said to him, Samson, the Philistines are upon you! And he awoke out of his sleep and pulled out the pin, the hand-loom, and the web.


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And she said to him, How can you say, I love you, and your heart is not with me. These three times you have trifled with me, and have not told me where your great strength lies.


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And it happened, because she distressed him with her words all the days, and urged him; and his soul was grieved to death,


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that he told her all his heart, and said to her, No razor has come on my head, for I am a Nazarite to God from my mother's womb. If I were shaved, my strength would go away from me, and I would be weak, and be like any one of men.


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And Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart. And she sent and called for the Philistine rulers, saying, Come, for this time he has told me all his heart. And the Philistine rulers came up to her, and brought the silver in their hand.


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And she made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man, and had him shave seven braids of his head, and began to afflict him. And his strength departed from him.


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And she said, Samson, the Philistines are upon you! And He awakened from his sleep, and said, I will go out and shake myself free as time after time. But he did not know that Jehovah had departed from him.


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And the Philistines seized him, and bored out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. And they bound him with bands of bronze. And he was grinding in the house of prisoners.


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And the Philistine rulers gathered to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to exult. And they said, Our god has given our enemy Samson into our hand.


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And the people saw him, and praised their god. For they said, Our god has delivered our enemy into our hand, even the devastator of our land, who multiplied our wounded.


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And it happened when their heart felt good, they said, Call for Samson, and he shall entertain us. And they called for Samson from the prison house. And he entertained them. And they made him stand between the pillars.


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And Samson said to the young man grasping his hand, Let me alone, and let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean on them.


text:
And the house was full of men and women, and all the Philistine rulers were there. And about three thousand men and women were on the roof watching Samson entertaining.


text:
And Samson called to Jehovah, and said, O Lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray, and please make me strong only this time, O God. And I shall be avenged with one vengeance on the Philistines, because of my two eyes.


text:
And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and on which it was supported; one with his right hand, and one with his left.


text:
And Samson said, Let my soul die with the Philistines! And he bowed mightily, and the house fell on the rulers, and on all the people who were in it. And the dead that he killed in his death were more than those he killed in his life.


text:
And his brothers and all his father's house came down and lifted him up and brought him up. And they buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, in the burying place of his father Manoah. And he judged Israel twenty years.


text:
And he said to his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver which were taken from you, and you uttered a curse, even also speaking in my ear; behold, the silver is with me. I have taken it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son by Jehovah.


text:
And he gave back the eleven hundred silver pieces to his mother. And his mother said, I have wholly consecrated the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image. And now, I am returning it to you.


text:
And he returned the silver to his mother. And his mother took two hundred silver pieces and gave them to a refiner. And he made it a graven image, and a molten image. And it was in Micah's house.


text:
And the man Micah had a house of gods. And he made an ephod, and household idols, and consecrated one of his sons. And he was a priest for him.


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


text:
And the man went out of the city, out of Bethlehem-judah, to live where he might find a place. And he came to the hills of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, to work his way.


text:
And Micah said to him, From where do you come? And he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-judah, and I am going to live where I may find a place.


text:
And Micah said to him, Live with me, and be a father and a priest to me. I will give you ten silver pieces for the days, and an order of garments, and your upkeep. And the Levite went in.


text:
And Micah consecrated the hand of the Levite and the young man was a priest to him; and he was in Micah's house.


text:
In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for itself to inhabit. For to that day it had not fallen to them by inheritance among the tribes of Israel.


text:
And the sons of Dan sent out of their family five men from their whole number, men, sons of valor, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it. And they said to them, Go, search the land. And they came to the hills of Ephraim, to Micah's house, and lodged there.


text:
They were near the household of Micah, and they recognized the young man's voice, the Levite. And they turned in there, and said to him, Who has brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what have you here?


text:
And they said to him, Please ask of God and we will know whether our way in which we are going will be prosperous.


text:
And the five men departed, and came to Laish. And they saw the people living securely in its midst, according to the custom of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. And there were none to put them to shame in a thing, nor possessing authority. And they were far away from the Sidonians, and they had no word with any men.


text:
And they came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol. And their brothers said to them, What did you do?


text:
And they said, Rise up, and we shall go against them, for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good. And would you be silent? Do not hesitate to go to enter in to possess the land.


text:
When you go you shall come to a secure people, and the land is large on both hands; for God has given it into your hand, a place in which there is no lack of anything which is in the land.


text:
And six hundred men of the family of the Danites from Zorah and from Eshtaol girded themselves with weapons of war, pulling up stakes from there.


text:
And they went up and camped in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah. Therefore they called that place a camp of Dan until this day. Behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim.


text:
And the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish answered and said to their brothers, Do you not know that there are in these houses an ephod and household idols, and a graven image, and a molten image? And now, you know what you are to do.


text:
And they turned in there, and came into the house of the young man, the Levite in Micah's house. And they asked him for the peace.


text:
And the six hundred men of the sons of Dan girded with their weapons of war were standing at the opening of the gate.


text:
And the five men, those who went to spy out the land came in there, and they took the graven image, and the ephod, and the household idols, and the casted image. And the priest was standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who were girded with weapons of war.


text:
And when these went into the house of Micah and took the graven image, the ephod, and the household idols, and the casted image, even the priest said to them, What are you doing?


text:
And they said to him, Be quiet! Lay your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for one man's house, or for you to be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?


text:
And the heart of the priest was glad. And he took the ephod, and the household idols, and the graven image, and went among the people.


text:
And they turned and departed, and put the little ones, and the livestock, and the valuables before them.


text:
They had gone far away from Micah's house, and the men who were in the houses near Micah's house had been called together, and had overtaken the sons of Dan.


text:
And they called to the sons of Dan, and they turned their faces and said to Micah, What ails you, that you have been called together?


text:
And he said, You have taken my gods which I made, and the priest, and you are leaving, and what more do I have? What is this you say to me, What ails you?


text:
And the sons of Dan said to him, Do not let your voice be heard among us, that men bitter in soul not fall on you, and you lose your life, and the lives of your household.


text:
And the sons of Dan went on their way. And Micah saw that they were stronger than he, and turned and went back to his house.


text:
And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest he had, and came against Laish, against a people quiet and secure. And they struck them with the mouth of the sword, and burned the city with fire.


text:
And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no word with any men. And it was in the valley which is beside Beth-rehob. And they built the city and lived in it.


text:
And they called the name of the city, Dan, by the name of their father Dan, who was born to Israel. And yet Laish was the name of the city at first.


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


text:
And they set up for themselves Micah's graven image, which he had made, all the days that the house of God was in Shiloh.


text:
And it happened in those days when there was no king in Israel, there was a man, a Levite, living on the further side of the hills of Ephraim. And he took a wife to himself, a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah.


text:
And his concubine committed adultery against him. And she went away from him to her father's house, to Bethlehem-judah, and was there many days, four months.


text:
And her husband rose up and went after her, to speak to her heart, to bring her back. And his young man was with him, and a team of asses. And she brought him into her father's house. And the young woman's father saw him and rejoiced to meet him.


text:
And his father-in-law, the young woman's father, detained him. And he stayed with him three days. And they ate and drank, and stayed there.


text:
And it happened on the fourth day, they rose up early in the morning, and he rose up to go. And the young woman's father said to his son-in-law, Sustain your heart with a bit of food, and afterward you shall go on.


text:
And they sat and ate both of them together, and drank. And the young woman's father said to the man, Please be content and stay all night, and let your heart be good.


text:
And he rose up early in the morning to go on the fifth day. And the young woman's father said, Please refresh your heart. And they stayed until the turning of the day. And they ate, both of them.


text:
And the man rose to go, he and his concubine, and his young man. And his father-in-law, the young woman's father, said to him, Please notice that the day has faded toward evening. Please stay the night. Behold, the day is declining. Stay here, and let your heart be good, and you shall rise early tomorrow for your journey. And you shall go to your tent.


text:
But the man was not willing to stay the night. And he rose up and departed, and went until he was opposite Jebus (it is Jerusalem) and with him a team of saddle asses. And his concubine was with him.


text:
They were near Jebus, and the day was spent. And the young man said to his master, Please come and we shall turn to this city of the Jebusites, and stay in it.


text:
And his master said to him, Let us not turn to the city of an alien that is not of the sons of Israel, but we shall pass over to Gibeah.


text:
And he said to his young man, Come and we shall draw near to one of these places, and shall stay in Gibeah, or in Ramah.


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


text:
And they turned aside there, to go in to lodge in Gibeah. And he went in and sat in a broad place of the city. Yet there was no man that took them into his house to lodge them.


text:
And, behold, a man, an aged one, came from his work from the field in the evening. And the man was from the hills of Ephraim; and he was tenanting in Gibeah. But the men of the place were sons of Benjamin.


text:
And he lifted up his eyes and saw the man, the traveler, in a broad place of the city. And the aged man said, Where are you going, and where do you come from?


text:
And he said to him, We are passing from Bethlehem-judah to the other side of the hills of Ephraim. I am from there, and I am going to Bethlehem-judah. And I am going to the house of Jehovah. Yet there is no man to take me into the house.


text:
But there is straw and food for our asses, and also there is bread and wine for me, and for your slave girl, and for the young man with your servants; there is no lack of anything.


text:
And the old man said, Peace to you. Only, all that you lack shall be on me. Only, do not spend the night in the open.


text:
And he brought him to his house, and mixed fodder for the asses. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.


text:
They were making their hearts merry. And, behold, men of the city, sons of worthless men, went around the house, beating on the door. And they spoke to the old man, the house-master, saying, Bring out the man who has come into your house, and we shall know him.


text:
And the man, the house-master, went out to them and said to them, No, my brothers, please do not do evil, since this man has come into my house; do not do this grave sin.


text:
Behold, my daughter, a virgin, and his concubine. Please let me bring them out, and you humble them. And do to them that which is good in your eyes but do not do this wicked thing to this man.


text:
And the men were not willing to listen to him, and the man took hold on his concubine and brought her out to them outside. And they knew her, and rolled themselves on her all night, until the morning. And they sent her away at the dawning of the day.


text:
And the woman came in at the dawning of the morning, and fell at the door of the man's house where her master was, till it was light.


text:
And her master rose up in the morning, and opened the door of the house, and went out to go his way. And behold, the woman, his concubine, had fallen at the door of the house, and her hands were on the threshold.


text:
And he said to her, Rise up, and we will go. But there was no answer. And he took her on the ass, and the man rose up and went to his place.


text:
And he came to his house, and took the knife and lay hold on his concubine. And he cut her in pieces to her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the borders of Israel.


text:
And it was so: all who saw it said, There has never been, and never was seen, a thing like this from the day the sons of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day. Set yourselves on it, take counsel. Then speak.


text:
And all the sons of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, to Jehovah at Mizpeh.


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


text:
And the sons of Benjamin heard that the sons of Israel had gone up to Mizpeh. And the sons of Israel said, Speak up. How did this evil happen?


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


text:
And the men of Gibeah rose up against me. And they went around the house against me at night; they had in mind to kill me, and they raped my concubine, and she died.


text:
And I took hold on my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her into all the land of the inheritance of Israel. For they have done evil and folly in Israel.


text:
And all the people rose up as one man, saying, Not one of us shall go to his tent, and not one of us shall return to his house.


text:
And we shall take ten men of a hundred of all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to take food for the people, that they may act when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly which it has done in Israel.


text:
And the tribes of Israel sent men to all the tribes of Benjamin, saying, What is this evil which has happened among you?


text:
And now, give up the men, sons of worthlessness, which are in Gibeah, and let us execute them. And we shall consume evil from Israel. But Benjamin was not willing to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel.


text:
And the sons of Benjamin were gathered out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle with the sons of Israel.


text:
And the sons of Benjamin counted themselves on that day. Out of the cities were twenty six thousand men drawing sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who counted themselves seven hundred chosen men.


text:
Among all this people were seven hundred chosen men who were impeded in the right hand, each of these able to sling a stone at a hair. And he did not miss!


text:
And the men of Israel numbered themselves, besides Benjamin, four hundred thousand men drawing sword, each of these a man of war.


text:
And they rose up and went up to Bethel and asked of God. And the sons of Israel said, Who shall go up for us at the beginning of the battle with the sons of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah, at the beginning.


text:
And the men of Israel went to battle with Benjamin; and the men of Israel set themselves in order against them, to battle against Gibeah.


text:
And the sons of Benjamin came out from Gibeah. And on that day they destroyed twenty two thousand to the earth in Israel.


text:
And the people, the men of Israel, made themselves strong, and again set the battle in order in the place where they set themselves on the first day.


text:
And the sons of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until the evening, and asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle with the sons of my brother Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Go up against him.


text:
And Benjamin came out to meet them from Gibeah on the second day, and again destroyed to the earth eighteen thousand men of the sons of Israel; all these were drawers of sword.


text:
And all the sons of Israel went up, even all the people, and came to Bethel, and wept. And they sat there before Jehovah, and fasted on that day until the evening, and caused burnt offerings and peace offerings to ascend before Jehovah.


text:
And the sons of Israel asked of Jehovah (and the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,


text:
and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron was standing before it in those days) saying, Shall I again go out to battle with the sons of my brother Benjamin, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up, for tomorrow I will give him into your hand.


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


text:
And the sons of Benjamin came out to meet the people. They were drawn away out of the city, and began to strike the people down wounded as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel, and one to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.


text:
And the sons of Benjamin said, They are destroyed before us as at the beginning. But the sons of Israel said, Let us flee and draw them away out of the city, into the highways.


text:
And all the men of Israel rose from their place and set themselves in order at Baal-tamar. And Israel's ambush came out of its place, out of the meadow of Gibeah.


text:
And they came in across from Gibeah, ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel. And the battle was heavy. And they did not know that evil was striking against them.


text:
And Jehovah struck Benjamin before Israel. And the sons of Israel destroyed twenty five thousand, one hundred men on that day in Benjamin; all these were drawers of sword.


text:
And the sons of Benjamin saw that they were stricken. And the men of Israel had given place to Benjamin, for they trusted to the ambush which they had set against Gibeah.


text:
And the ambush hurried and came against Gibeah, and the ambush drew itself out and struck all of the city by the mouth of the sword.


text:
And there was a sign set to the men of Israel with the ambush, to make it great, their causing a rising of smoke to go up from the city.


text:
And the men of Israel turned in battle, and Benjamin had begun to strike, causing some to be slain of the men of Israel, about thirty men. For they said, Surely they are stricken down before us, as at the first battle.


text:
And the rising of smoke began to go up from the city, a pillar. And Benjamin turned around, and, behold, the whole city had gone up toward the heavens.


text:
And the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were troubled. For they had seen that evil had struck them.


text:
And they turned before the men of Israel toward the way of the wilderness. And the battle followed them. And those who were from the city were destroying them in their midst.


text:
They surrounded Benjamin, and they pursued them without rest. And they trod them down until they were opposite Gibeah, at the rising of the sun.


text:
And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. And they gleaned five thousand men of them in the highways, and caught them, to Gidom. And they struck two thousand men of them.


text:
And all the ones of Benjamin who fell were twenty five thousand men drawing the sword on that day; all of these mighty men.


text:
And six hundred men turned and fled into the wilderness, to the rock of Rimmon. And they lived in the rock of Rimmon four months.


text:
And the men of Israel turned back to the sons of Benjamin, and struck them by the mouth of the sword, from the entire city to livestock, to all that was found. Also they set fire to all the cities which were found.


text:
And the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, Not one of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin for a wife.


text:
And the people came to Bethel, and sat there before God until the evening. And they lifted up their voices and wept a great weeping.


text:
And they said, O Jehovah, God of Israel, Why has this happened in Israel, to be lacking one tribe today from Israel?


text:
And it happened on the next day, the people rose early and built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.


text:
And the sons of Israel said, Who is he that did not come up in the assembly out of all the tribes of Israel to Jehovah? For a great oath had been undertaken concerning him that did not come up to Jehovah to Mizpeh saying, Dying he shall die.


text:
And the sons of Israel repented concerning their brother Benjamin. And they said, One tribe from Israel has been cut off today.


text:
What shall we do for them, for those who are left, for wives? For we surely have sworn by Jehovah not to give them of our daughters for wives.


text:
And they said, What one out of the tribes of Israel did not come up to Jehovah to Mizpeh? And, behold, no one had come into the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.


text:
And the people numbered themselves. And, behold, there was not a man of those living in Jabesh-gilead.


text:
And the assembly sent twelve thousand men there of the mighty sons, and commanded them, saying, Go, and you shall strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the mouth of the sword, even the women and the little ones.


text:
And this is the thing which you shall do. You shall destroy every male and every woman who has been known by lying with a male.


text:
And out of all the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead they found four hundred young women, virgins, who had not known a man by lying with a male. And they brought them into the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.


text:
And all the assembly sent and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were in the rock of Rimmon, and called out peace to them.


text:
And Benjamin came again at that time. And they gave the women whom they had kept alive, of the women of Jabesh-gilead. But they did not find enough for them.


text:
And the elders of the assembly said, What shall we do to the remnant for wives for the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin?


text:
And they said, The one who escaped shall be a legacy of Benjamin, that a tribe may not be blotted out from Israel.


text:
And we surely are not able to give wives to them from our daughters, for the sons of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.


text:
And they said, Behold, there is a feast of Jehovah from year to year in Shiloh, on the north side of Bethel, toward the rising of the sun, by the highway which goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.


text:
And you shall watch. And, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then you shall go out from the vineyards and each of you catch his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.


text:
And it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to strive with us, we shall say to them, Favor us with them, for we did not take for each man of them a wife in battle, for if you did not give to them as at this time, you would be guilty.


text:
And the sons of Benjamin did so, and took women according to their number from the dancers whom they had seized. And they went and returned to their inheritance, and built the cities, and lived in them.


text:
And the sons of Israel went up and down from there at that time, each to his tribe, and to his family. And they departed from there, every man to his inheritance.


text:
And it happened in the days of the judging of those judging, there was a famine in the land. And a man from Bethlehem-judah went to live in the fields of Moab, he and his wife, and his two sons.


text:
And the name of the man was Elimelech; and the name of his wife Naomi. And the name of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites from Bethlehem-judah. And they came into the fields of Moab, and remained there.


text:
And they took wives to themselves, women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the second, Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.


text:
And they also died, both of them, Mahlon and Chilion. And the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.


text:
And she rose up, she and her daughters-in-law, and turned back from the fields of Moab. For she had heard in the fields of Moab that Jehovah had visited His people, to give food to them.


text:
And she went out from the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law with her. And they went in the way to return to the land of Judah.


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


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


text:
And Naomi said, Turn back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Are there yet sons to me in my belly that they should be husbands for you?


text:
Turn back, my daughters, go. For I am too old to belong to a husband. Though I should say, There is hope for me, and I should be tonight with a husband, and also I should bear sons;


text:
will you wait for them, that they might grow up? Will you shut yourselves up for them, not to belong to a husband? No, my daughters, for it is much more bitter for me than for you, for the hand of Jehovah has gone out against me.


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


text:
And she said, See, your sister-in-law has turned back to her people, and to her gods. You turn back after your sister-in-law.


text:
And Ruth said, Do not entreat me to leave you, to turn back from following you. For where you go, I will go. And where you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.


text:
Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Jehovah do to me, and more so, if anything but death part you and me.


text:
And they went, both of them, until they came into Bethlehem. And it happened as they came into Bethlehem, all the city was moved at them. And they said, Is this Naomi?


text:
And she said to them, Do not call me Naomi. Call me Bitterness, for the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me.


text:
I went out full, and Jehovah has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Jehovah has set His eye against me, and the Almighty has done evil to me?


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


text:
And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a mighty man of the family of Elimelech. And his name was Boaz.


text:
And Ruth of Moab said to 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 to her, Go, my daughter.


text:
And she went. And she came and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened by circumstance on the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of Elimelech's family.


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


text:
And the young man who had been set over the reapers replied and said, She is a young woman of Moab who came with Naomi from the fields of Moab.


text:
And she said, Please let me glean, and I shall gather among the sheaves after the reapers. And she came and has remained since morning, even until now. She sat in the house a little while.


text:
And Boaz said to Ruth, Do you not hear, my daughter? Do not go to glean another field, and also do not pass through this. And you shall stay close to my young women.


text:
Your eyes shall be on the field which they shall reap, and you shall go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, then you shall go to the vessels and shall drink from that which the young men draw.


text:
And she fell on her face and bowed to the earth, and said to him, Why have I found grace in your eyes, that you should notice me, and I a foreigner?


text:
And Boaz answered and said to her, It has been fully revealed to me all that you have done with your mother-in-law after the death of your husband. And you left your father and your mother, and the land of your birth, and came to a people which you had not known before.


text:
Jehovah shall repay your work, and your reward shall be complete from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.


text:
And she said, Let me find grace in your eyes, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken to the heart of your handmaid. And I surely am not as one of your handmaids.


text:
And Boaz said to her, At mealtime come here, and you shall eat of the bread and dip your morsel in the vinegar. And she sat at the side of the reapers, and he reached out roasted grain to her. And she ate and was satisfied, and had some left over.


text:
And she rose up to glean. And Boaz commanded his young men, saying, She shall glean even between the sheaves, and you shall not cause her to be ashamed.


text:
And pulling you shall also pull out for her of the bundles, and shall leave; and she shall glean, and you shall not restrain her.


text:
And she gleaned in the field until the evening, and 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 to the city. And her mother-in-law saw that which she had gleaned. And she brought out and gave to her that which she had reserved after she was satisfied.


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And her mother-in-law said to her, Where have you gleaned today? And where have you worked? May he who noticed you be blessed. And she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, The name of the man with whom I have worked today is Boaz.


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And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed is he of Jehovah who has not forsaken his kindness with the living and with the dead. And Naomi said to her, The man is near of kin to us; he is of our redeemers.


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And Ruth of Moab said, And he surely said to me, You shall stay close, near to the young men whom I have, until they have completed the whole harvest which I have.


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And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, Good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that men may not attack you in another field.


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And she stayed close to the young women of Boaz to glean, until the end of the barley harvest, and of the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.


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And her mother-in-law Naomi said to her, My daughter, do I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?


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


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And you shall bathe, and anoint yourself, and put your garments on you, and go down to the threshing floor. Do not let yourself be known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.


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And it shall be, when he lies down, you shall know the place where he lies down. And you shall go in and uncover his feet, and lie down. And he will tell you that which you are to do.


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


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And Boaz ate and drank, and his heart felt good. And he went to lie down at the end of the heap. And she came secretly and uncovered his feet, and lay down.


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And it happened in the middle of the night, that the man trembled and turned himself. And, behold, a woman was lying at his feet!


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And he said, Who are you? And she said, I am your handmaid Ruth, and you shall spread your skirt over your handmaid, for you are a kinsman redeemer.


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And he said, Blessed be you of Jehovah, my daughter. You have dealt more kindly at the latter end than at the beginning, not to go after the young men, either poor or rich.


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And now, my daughter, do not fear. All that you say I will do to you, for all the gate of my people know that you are a woman of virtue.


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And now, surely it is true that I am a kinsman redeemer. But there also is a redeemer nearer than I.


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Stay tonight, and it shall be in the morning, if he will redeem you, well; he will redeem. And if he does not delight to redeem you, as Jehovah lives, then I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.


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And she lay at his feet until the morning, and rose up before one could discern another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman has come to the grain floor.


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And he said, Give me the covering which is on you, and hold on to it. And she kept hold on it, and he measured six measures of barley, and lay it on her. And she went in to the city.


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


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And she said, He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, You shall not go empty to your mother-in-law.


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And she said, Sit, my daughter, until you shall know how the matter falls, for the man shall not rest until he has finished the matter today.


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And Boaz went up to the gate and sat there. And, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz had spoken was passing by. And he said, Such a one, turn aside, sit down. And he turned aside and sat down.


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And he said to the near kinsman, Naomi, who has returned from the fields of Moab, will sell a portion of the field which belonged to our brother, to Elimelech.


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And I said I would uncover your ear, saying, Buy it before those sitting, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem, redeem. But if you will not redeem, tell me so that I may know. For there is no one besides you to redeem, and I after you. And he said, I will redeem it.


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And Boaz said, In the day you buy the field from Naomi's hand, even you have bought from Ruth of Moab, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of him who died over his inheritance.


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And the near kinsman said, I am not able to redeem for myself, that I not mar my own inheritance. You redeem for yourself my right of redemption, for I am not able to redeem.


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And this formerly was done in Israel for redemption, and for changing, to lift up every matter. A man would draw off his sandal and gave to his neighbor. And this was the attestation in Israel.


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And Boaz said to the elders, and all the people, You are witnesses today that I have bought all that belonged to Elimelech, and all that was to Chilion and Mahlon, from the hand of Naomi.


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And also Ruth of Moab, the wife of Mahlon, I have bought for myself for a wife, to raise up the name of him who died over his inheritance. And the name of him who died shall not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses today.


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And all the people who were in the gate and the elders, said, We are witnesses. May Jehovah make the woman who is coming into your house to be as Rachel and as Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel. And may you do worthily in Ephratah, and proclaim the Name in Bethlehem.


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And let your house be as the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the Seed which Jehovah shall give to you of this young woman.


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And Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bore a son.


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And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah, who has not left you this day without a redeemer; and may his name be called in Israel.


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And may he be to you a restorer of life, and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you has borne him, who is better to you than seven sons.


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And the neighboring women gave him a name, saying, This 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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And there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim from the hills of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.


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And he had two wives, the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.


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And that man went up from his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice before Jehovah of Hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to Jehovah there.


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


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And her rival provoked her even to vexation, so as to make her tremble, because Jehovah had shut up her womb.


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And so he did year by year, as often as she went up to the house of Jehovah, so she provoked her. And she wept, and did not eat.


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And her husband Elkanah said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart afflicted? Am I not better to you than ten sons?


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And Hannah rose up after eating in Shiloh, and after drinking. And Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the side post of the temple of Jehovah.


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And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of Hosts, if looking You will look upon the affliction of Your handmaid, and shall remember me, and not forget Your handmaid, and shall give to Your handmaid a seed of men, then I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life; and a razor shall not go up on his head.


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


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And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord; I am a woman pained in spirit. And I have not drunk wine or fermented drink, but I am pouring out my soul before Jehovah.


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Do not put your handmaid down for a daughter of wickedness; for from the abundance of my complaint and frustration until now I have been speaking.


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And Eli answered and said, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you your petition which you have asked of Him.


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And she said, Let your handmaid find grace in your eyes. And the woman went her way, and ate, and her face was no longer sad.


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And they rose up early in the morning and worshiped before Jehovah. And they went back and came to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and Jehovah remembered her.


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And it happened when the time had come around, Hannah conceived and bore a son. And she called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Jehovah.


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And the man Elkanah and all his house went up to sacrifice to Jehovah a sacrifice of the days, and to vow his vow.


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And Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, Until the child is weaned, then I will bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah and remain there forever.


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And her husband Elkanah said to her, Do that which is good in your eyes. Remain until you wean him. Only, may Jehovah lift up His Word. And the woman remained, and suckled her son until she had weaned him.


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And when she had weaned him, she brought him up with her, along with three bulls, and one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. And she brought him to the house of Jehovah at Shiloh. And the child was a young one.


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And she said, O my lord, may your soul live! My lord, I am the woman who stood with you here to pray to Jehovah.


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And I have asked him to be given to Jehovah all the days which he shall be, he is granted for Jehovah. And he worshiped there before Jehovah.


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And Hannah prayed and said: My heart has exulted in Jehovah; my horn has been high in Jehovah. My mouth has been large over my enemies; for I have rejoiced in Your salvation.


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Do not multiply your haughty words; let not arrogance go out from your mouth; for Jehovah is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.


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They that were full have hired themselves out for bread; and the hungry have ceased, while the barren has borne seven; yea, she who had many sons has languished.


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He raises the poor from the dust; He lifts up the needy from the dunghill, to cause them to sit with nobles; yea, He causes them to inherit a throne of honor; for to Jehovah are the pillars of the earth; and He sets the habitable world on them.


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He keeps the feet of His saints, and the wicked are silenced in darkness; for man does not become mighty by power.


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They who strive with Jehovah will be smashed; He thunders in the heavens against him. Jehovah judges the ends of the earth and gives strength to His king; and He exalts the horn of His anointed.


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And the custom of the priests with the people was: any man offering a sacrifice and the priest's young man came when the flesh was boiling with the three-toothed hook in his hand,


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even he stuck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the hook brought up, the priest took for himself. So they did to all Israel who came in there to Shiloh.


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Yea, before they made the fat to smoke, then the priest's young man came in. And he said to the man who was sacrificing, Give meat to roast for the priest; and he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw.


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And if the man said to him, Let the fat be made to smoke as the day, and then take as much as your soul desires; then he would say, No, but you shall give 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 Jehovah, for the men had despised the offering of Jehovah.


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And his mother made a small coat for him, and she brought it up to him from year to year, as she came up with her husband to offer the sacrifice of the days.


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And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah shall give you seed of this woman, because of the petition she prayed to Jehovah. And they went away to their place.


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So Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up with Jehovah.


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And Eli was very old and had heard all that his sons did to Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.


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And he said to them, Why do you do things like these? For I am hearing of your evil doings from all these people.


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No my sons, for the report which I am hearing is not good, causing the people of Jehovah to transgress.


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If a man sins against a man, then God shall judge him. But if a man sins against Jehovah, who shall pray for him? But they did not listen to the voice of their father because Jehovah desired to put them to death.


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And the boy Samuel went on, growing both in stature and in goodness, both with Jehovah and also with men.


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And a man of God came to Eli, and said to him, So says Jehovah: Did I reveal Myself plainly to the house of your father when they were in Egypt, at the house of Pharaoh,


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even to choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be priest to Me, to go up on My altar, to cause incense to smoke, to bear an ephod before Me? And did I give to your father's house all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel?


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Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I commanded in My habitation? And why do you honor your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of My people?


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So says Jehovah the God of Israel, I said indeed that your house and your father's house should walk before Me until forever. But now Jehovah says, Be it far from Me! For those who honor Me I will honor; and those despising Me will be despicable.


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Behold, days come when I shall cut off your arm, and the arm of your father's house, that no old man shall be in your house.


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And you shall see an adversary in My habitation, in all the good that he does with Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house all the days.


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And the man of yours that I shall not cut off from My altar shall be to cause your eyes to fail, and to grieve your soul. And all the increase of your house shall die young men.


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And this shall be the sign to you, that which shall come on your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day the both of them shall die.


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And I shall raise up for Myself a faithful priest. He shall do all that is in My heart and in My soul. And I shall build for him a sure house; and he shall walk before My anointed all the days.


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And it shall be, everyone who is left in your house shall come in to bow to him for a wage of silver and a loaf of bread. And they shall say, please admit me into one of the priest's offices to eat a bit of bread.


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And the boy Samuel was serving Jehovah before Eli. And the Word of Jehovah was rare in those days. There was no breaking-through vision.


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And it happened at that time, Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes had begun to be dim; he was not able to see.


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And the lamp of God had not yet gone out. And Samuel was lying down in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God rested.


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And he ran to Eli and said, Behold, I am here. For you have called to me. And he said, I did not call. Go back and lie down. And he went and lay down.


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And Jehovah again called Samuel. And Samuel rose up and went to Eli and said, Behold me, for you have called me. And he said, I have not called, my son. Go back and lie down.


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And Jehovah again called Samuel the third time. And he rose up and went to Eli and said, Behold me, for you have called me. And Eli understood that Jehovah was calling the boy.


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And Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if One calls you, even you shall say, Speak, O Jehovah, for Your servant hears. And Samuel lay down in his place.


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And Jehovah came and stood, and called as the other times, Samuel, Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for Your servant hears.


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And Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold! I am doing a thing in Israel at which the two ears of every one hearing it shall tingle.


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And I declare to him that I am judging his house forever, for the iniquity which he has known; for his sons have been making themselves vile, and he has not restrained them.


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And so I have sworn to the house of Eli, the iniquity of the house of Eli shall not be atoned for, by sacrifice or by offering, until forever.


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And Samuel lay until the morning. And he opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel was afraid to declare the vision to Eli.


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And he said, What is the word which He has spoken to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you keep back anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.


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And Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide from him. And he said, It is Jehovah; He does that which is good in His eyes.


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And all Israel knew, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, that Samuel was confirmed to be a prophet to Jehovah.


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And Jehovah again appeared in Shiloh. For Jehovah revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh, by the Word of Jehovah.


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And the word of Samuel was revealed to all Israel. And Israel went out to meet the Philistines for battle. And they pitched beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.


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And the Philistines set themselves in order to meet Israel, and the battle was spread. And Israel was stricken before the Philistines. And they struck about four thousand men from the battle line in the field.


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And the people came into the camp, and the elders of Israel said, Why has Jehovah stricken us today before the Philistines? Let us take the ark of the covenant of Jehovah to us, and let it come into our midst; and it will save us from the hand of our enemies.


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And the people sent to Shiloh, and they took from there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubs. And the two sons of Eli were there with the ark of the covenant of God, Hophni and Phinehas.


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And it happened, when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, all Israel shouted a great shout, and the earth shook.


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And the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, and said, What is the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they saw that the ark of Jehovah had come into the camp.


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And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come to the camp. And they said, Woe to us! For never has it been like this before.


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Woe to us! Who will deliver us out of the hand of these great gods? These are the gods who struck Egypt with every plague in the wilderness.


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Make yourselves strong and become men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were slaves to you. Then you must be men and fight.


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And the Philistines fought, and Israel was beaten. And they each one fled to his tent. And the blow was very great, and thirty thousand footmen of Israel fell.


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And a man of Benjamin ran out of the battle line and came to Shiloh on that day. And his clothes were torn, and earth on his head.


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And he came in. And, behold, Eli was sitting on the seat by the side of the highway, watching. For his heart trembled for the ark of God. And the man came in to report in the city. And all the city cried out.


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And Eli heard the noise of the cry, and said, What is the noise of this tumult? And the man hurried and came and reported to Eli.


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And the man said to Eli, I am he who has come from the ranks, and I fled today out of the battle line. And he said, How did the matter go, my son?


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And he bearing the news answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines; and also there has been a great slaughter among the people. And also your two sons have died, Hophni and Phinehas. And the ark of God has been taken.


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And it happened when he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward, by the side of the gate. And his neck was broken, and he died. For the man was old and heavy. And he judged Israel forty years.


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And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child, about to bear. And she heard the report of the taking of the ark of God, and that her father-in-law and her husband had died. And she bowed and bore, for her pains had turned in on her.


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And at the time of her death, when the women who stood by her said, Fear not, for you have borne a son; she did not even answer, nor set her heart.


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And she called the child Ichabod, saying, The glory has departed from Israel, because of the taking of the ark of God, 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 to the house of Dagon, and set it near Dagon.


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And the men of Ashdod rose early on the next day. And, behold! Dagon had fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of Jehovah! And they took Dagon and put it back in its place.


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And they rose early in the morning on the next day; and, behold! Dagon had fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of Jehovah, and the head of Dagon, and the two palms of its hands, were cut off at the threshold. Only the flat part had been left to him.


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On account of this the priests of Dagon, and all those coming into the house of Dagon, do not step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod until this day.


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And the hand of Jehovah was heavy on the men of Ashdod. And He wasted them, and struck them with hemorrhoids, Ashdod and its borders.


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And the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, and said, The ark of God of Israel shall not remain with us, for His hand has been hard on us, and on our god Dagon.


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And they sent and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines to them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they said, Let the ark of the God of Israel go around to Gath. And they brought around the ark of the God of Israel.


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And it happened after they had brought it around, the hand of Jehovah was against the city with a very great destruction. And He struck the men of the city, from the least to the greatest; and hemorrhoids broke forth in them.


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And they sent the ark of God around to Ekron. And it happened as the ark of God came into Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought around the ark of the God of Israel to me to cause me and my people to die.


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And they sent and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its place, and it may not cause me and my people to die. For there had been a great destruction throughout all the city. The hand of God had been very heavy there.


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And the men who had not died were stricken with hemorrhoids. And the cry of the city went up to the heavens.


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And the Philistines called for priests and for those divining, saying, What shall we do to the ark of Jehovah? Let us know with what we shall send it to its place.


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And they said, If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, you shall not send it away empty. For turning back you shall return a guilt offering back to Him. Then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His hand has not turned away from you.


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And they said, What shall be the guilt offering which we shall send back to Him? And they said, The number of the rulers of the Philistines, five golden hemorrhoids, and five golden mice. For one plague has been on all of you, and on your rulers.


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And you shall make images of your hemorrhoids, and images of your mice that are corrupting the land, and shall give honor to the God of Israel. It may be that He will lighten His hand from off you and from off your gods, and from off your land.


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And why do you harden your heart as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? When He dealt ruthlessly with them, did they not send them away? And they went.


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And now, take and make one new cart, and two suckling cows, on which a yoke has never gone up. And you shall tie the cows to the cart, and cause their young ones to return home from them.


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And you shall take the ark of Jehovah and put it on the cart, and the vessels of gold which you shall return to Him for a guilt offering. Put them in a coffer in its side and send it away; and let it go.


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And watch; if it goes up by way of its own border, to Beth-shemesh, He has done this great evil to us. And if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that touched us; it was an accident to us.


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And the men did so. And they took two suckling cows and tied them to the cart. And they shut their young ones in the house.


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And they placed the ark of Jehovah on the cart, and the coffer with the golden mice and the images of their hemorrhoids.


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And the cows went straight in the way, on the way to Beth-shemesh. They went on one highway, going and lowing. And they did not turn to the right or to the left. And the rulers of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth-shemesh.


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And those 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 had come to the field of Joshua the Bethshemite, and stood there. And there was a great stone. And they cut the wood of the cart, and they offered the cows as a burnt offering to Jehovah.


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And the Levites took the ark of Jehovah down, and the coffer which was with it, in which were the vessels of gold. And they placed them on the great stone. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices in that day to Jehovah.


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And these were the golden hemorrhoids which the Philistines sent back as a guilt offering to Jehovah: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron:


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and the golden mice, the number of all the cities of the Philistines, for the five rulers, from the fortified city even to the hamlet of the villagers, even to the great meadow on which they placed the ark of Jehovah remain until this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.


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And he struck among the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked into the ark of Jehovah. Yea, He struck seventy among the people, fifty out of a thousand men. And the people mourned because Jehovah destroyed among the people with a great destruction.


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


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And they sent messengers to the ones living in Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have sent back the ark of Jehovah. Come down: take it up to you.


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And the men of Kirjath-jearim came and brought up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it to the house of Abinadab, in the hill. And they sanctified his son Eleazar to keep the ark of Jehovah.


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And it happened from the day the ark began to dwell in Kirjath-jearim, the days became many; yea, they were twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah.


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And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, saying, If you are returning to Jehovah with all your heart, put aside the foreign gods from among you, and the Ashtoroth. And prepare your heart to Jehovah, and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.


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And they were gathered to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured out before Jehovah. And they fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpah.


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And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah. And the rulers of the Philistines went up against Israel, and the sons of Israel heard, and were afraid before the Philistines.


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And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, Do not cease to cry to Jehovah our God for us, that He save us out of the hand of the Philistines.


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And Samuel took a milk lamb and offered a whole burnt offering to Jehovah. And Samuel cried to Jehovah for Israel. And Jehovah answered him.


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And it happened as Samuel made a whole burnt offering to go up, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. And Jehovah thundered with a great noise on that day, on the Philistines, and troubled them. And they were stricken before Israel.


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


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And Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Stone of Help, saying, Jehovah has helped us until now.


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And the Philistines were subdued and did not yet again come into the border of Israel. And the hand of Jehovah was on 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 to Gath. And Israel delivered their border 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 even in a circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all these places.


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And he returned to Ramah, for his house was there. And there he judged Israel; and he built an altar to Jehovah there.


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And his sons did not walk in his ways, and turned aside after dishonest gain, and took a bribe, and perverted judgment.


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And they said to him, Behold, you have become old, and your sons have not walked in your ways. Now appoint a king to us, to judge us, like all the nations.


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And the thing was evil in Samuel's eyes when they said, Give to us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.


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And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people, to all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from reigning over them.


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According to all the works that they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day, when they forsook Me and served other gods, so they are also doing to you.


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And now listen to their voice. Only, protesting you shall protest to them, and shall declare to them the privilege of the king who shall reign over them.


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And he said, This is the privilege of the king who shall reign over you. He shall take your sons and shall appoint them for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen. And they shall run before his chariots.


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And he will appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; and to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make weapons for war for him, and weapons for his charioteer.


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And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards, the best, and give them to his servants.


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And he will tithe your seed and your vineyards, and will give them to his eunuchs and to his servants.


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And he will take your male slaves and your slave-girls, and the best of your young men, and your asses, and will use them for his own work.


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And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves. And Jehovah will not answer you in that day.


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And we shall be, even we, like all the nations. And our king shall judge us and shall go out before us and fight our battles.


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And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and you shall cause a king to reign over them. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Each of you go to his city.


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And there was a man of Benjamin, and his name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath the son of Aphiah, a man of Benjamin, a mighty warrior.


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And he had a young and handsome son, and his name was Saul. And there was not a man among the sons of Israel more handsome than he, being taller than any of the people from his shoulder and upward.


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And the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, Please take with you one of the young men, and rise up, go seek the asses.


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And he passed through the hills of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha. And they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. And he passed through the land of the Benjamites, and they did not find them.


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And they came to the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his young man with him, Come and we shall turn back, lest my father give up the asses and become anxious for us.


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And he said to him, Behold now, a man of God is in this city, and the man is held in honor. All that he speaks certainly comes to pass. Now let us go there. It may be he will declare our way to us on which we should go.


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And Saul said to his young man, Yea, behold, we will go. But what will we bring in to the man? For the bread from our vessels is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What is with us?


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And the young man answered Saul again and said, Behold, I have found a fourth of a shekel of silver; and I shall give it to the man of God, and he shall declare our way to us.


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Before in Israel, a man who was going to seek God said this, Come and we shall go to the seer; for the prophet of today, before, was called the seer.


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And Saul said to his young man, Your word is good; come and we shall go. And they went into the city where the man of God was.


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They were going up the ascent to the city, and found young women going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer in this place?


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And they replied to them and said, He is. See, he is before you. Hurry now, for today he will come into the city, for the people have a sacrifice in the high place.


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As you go into the city, so you shall find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, for he shall bless the sacrifice. Afterward they who are called will eat. And now, go up, for this day you will find him.


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And they went up to the city. They were coming into the middle of the city, and, behold, Samuel was coming out to meet them, to go up to the high place.


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At this time tomorrow I will send to you a man out of the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him for the leader over My people Israel. And he shall save My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for his cry has come to Me.


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When Samuel saw Saul, then Jehovah answered him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall exercise restraint over My people.


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


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And as to the asses which were lost to you three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not to you and to all the house of your father?


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And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family is the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin. And why have you spoken to me according to this word?


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And Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the room, and gave to them a place at the head of the invited ones. And they were about thirty men.


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And Samuel said to the cook, Give the portion which I gave to you, of which I said to you, Set it beside you.


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And the cook lifted up the leg, and that on it, and set it before Saul. And he said, Behold that which is reserved. Set it before you, eat. For it has been kept for you for this appointed time, saying, I have invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.


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And they rose up early, and about the going up of the dawn it happened that Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, Rise up, and I will send you away. And Saul rose up, and they went out, both of them, he and Samuel, to the outside.


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They were going down to the edge of the city, and Samuel said to Saul, Say to the young man that he should pass on before us and cross over. And you stand still at this time, and I will cause you to hear the Word of God.


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And Samuel took the flask of oil and poured on his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because Jehovah has anointed you for a leader over His inheritance?


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As you go from me today even you will find two men by Rachel's tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. And they will say to you, The she asses that you went to seek have been found. And, behold, your father has left off the matters of the she asses and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?


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And you will go on from there even further, and you will come to the great tree of Tabor. And you will find three men going up to God at Bethel, one carrying three kids, and one carrying three loaves of bread, and one carrying a skin of wine.


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And they will ask you of your welfare and give to you two loaves of bread, and you will take them from their hand.


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Afterward you will come to the hill of God where there is a fort of the Philistines. And it will happen as you come there to the city even you will meet a band of prophets going down from the high place; and before them will be a harp, and a tambourine, and a flute, and a lyre. And they will be prophesying.


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And the Spirit of Jehovah will be powerful on you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be turned into another man.


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And it will be, when these signs come to you, do for yourself what your hand finds, for God is with you.


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And you will go before me to Gilgal. And, behold! I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings, to sacrifice peace offerings. You will wait seven days until I come to you and make known to you what you shall do.


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And it happened when he turned his back to go from Samuel, God changed him with another heart. And all these signs came on that day.


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And they came there to the hill. And behold! A band of prophets were there to meet him. And the Spirit of God pushed on him, and he prophesied in their midst.


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And it happened, all who knew him from yesterday and the third day, and saw him, even behold, he prophesied with prophets. And the people said, each one to his neighbor, What is this happening to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?


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And a man from there answered and said, And who is their father? On account of this it is for a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?


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And the uncle of Saul said to him and to his young man, Where did you go? And he said, To seek the she asses. And we saw that they were not, and we went to Samuel.


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And Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the she asses were found. But he did not tell what Samuel said about the matter of the kingdom.


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And he said to the sons of Israel, So says Jehovah the God of Israel, I caused Israel to go up from Egypt and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all the kingdoms who oppressed you.


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But today you have rejected your God who Himself is your deliverer from all your evils and your distresses; yet you say to Him, But set a king over us! And now present yourselves before the face of Jehovah, by your tribes and by your families.


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And he brought near the tribe of Benjamin by its families, and the family of Matri was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken. And they sought him, but not did find him.


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And they inquired again of Jehovah, Has the man yet come here? And Jehovah said, Behold he is hiding himself by the baggage.


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And they ran and took him from there. And he stood in the midst of the people, and he was taller than all the people, from his shoulders and upward.


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And Samuel said to all the people, Do you see him whom Jehovah has chosen, for none is like him among all the people? And all the people shouted and said, May the king live!


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And Samuel spoke to the people the duties of the kingdom, and wrote in the book, and placed it before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, each to his house.


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And Saul also went to his house, to Gibeah, and with him went the force whose hearts God had touched.


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But the sons of worthlessness said, How can this one deliver us? And they despised him and did not bring a gift to him. But he was as one keeping silent.


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And Nahash the Ammonite went up and camped against Jabesh-gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Cut a covenant for us, and we will serve you.


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And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, With this I will cut a covenant for you, when every right eye is dug out for you; and I will make it a reproach on all Israel.


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And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Slack off from us seven days, and we will send messengers in all the boundary of Israel. And if there is no deliverer for us, then we will come out to you.


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And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul. And they spoke the 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 behind the oxen from the field. And Saul said, What is it to the people, that they weep? And they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh.


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And the Spirit of God came powerfully on Saul when he heard these words, and his anger glowed greatly.


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And he took the team of oxen and cut them in pieces, and he sent them into all the boundary of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so it shall be done to his oxen. And the fear of Jehovah fell on the people. And they came out as one man.


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And he mustered them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah, thirty thousand.


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And they said to the messengers who came, So you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead. Tomorrow there shall be deliverance for you, in the heat of the sun. And the messengers came and related this to the men of Jabesh; and they rejoiced.


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And the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you do to us according to all that is good in your eyes.


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And it happened, on the next day Saul put the people in three heads, and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and they struck Ammon until the heat of the day. And it was, the ones left were scattered; in them were not two left together.


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And the people said to Samuel, Who is he saying, Shall Saul reign over us? Give the men and we will execute them.


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And Saul said, Not a man shall be executed on this day, for today Jehovah worked deliverance in Israel.


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And all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul to reign there in Gilgal, before the face of Jehovah. And they offered Sacrifices of peace offerings there before Jehovah. And Saul and all the men of Israel greatly rejoiced there.


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And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have heard your voice, to all that you said to me, and I made a king to reign over you.


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And now, behold, the king is walking before you, but I am old and gray. And, behold, my sons, they are with you. And I have walked before your face from my youth until this day.


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Behold, I am here! Testify against me before Jehovah and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, and whose ass have I taken, and whom have I offended? Whom have I crushed, and from whose hand have I taken a bribe that I might hide my eyes with it; and I will give back to you.


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And they said, You have not oppressed us, and you have not crushed us, and you have not taken from the hand of any man.


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


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And Samuel said to the people, It is Jehovah who made Moses and Aaron, and who caused your fathers to go up from the land of Egypt.


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And now stand, and I will contend with you before the face of Jehovah regarding all the righteous acts of Jehovah which He did with you and with your fathers.


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When Jacob came into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron; and they brought your fathers out from Egypt and made them dwell in this place.


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And they forgot Jehovah their God. And He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army 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 to Jehovah and said, We have sinned, for we forsook Jehovah and served the Baals and the Ashtoroth, but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies and we will serve You.


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


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And you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, and you said to me, No, for a king shall reign over us even though Jehovah your God was king over you.


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And now, behold the king whom you chose, whom you requested. And behold Jehovah gave a king over you.


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If you will fear Jehovah and serve Him, and listen to His voice, and do not rebel against the mouth of Jehovah, then you, both you and also the king who reigns over you, shall follow Jehovah your God.


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But if you will not listen to the voice of Jehovah, and you rebel against the mouth of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah shall be against you and against your fathers.


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Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah and He will give sounds and rain. And know and see that your evil is great, that which you have done in the eyes of Jehovah, to ask a king for yourselves.


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And Samuel called to Jehovah. And Jehovah gave sounds and rain in that day. And all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.


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And all the people said to Samuel, Pray to Jehovah your God for your servants, that we may not die, for we have added this evil to all our sins to ask a king for ourselves.


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And Samuel said to the people, Do not fear. You have done all this evil, only do not turn aside from following Jehovah, and serve Jehovah with all your heart.


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And do not turn aside to go after worthless things which do not profit and do not deliver, for they are worthless.


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For Jehovah will not abandon His people, for the sake of His great name. For Jehovah undertakes to make you a people for Himself.


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Also I, far be it from me from sinning against Jehovah, from ceasing to pray for you. But I will instruct you in the good and the right way.


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Only fear Jehovah and serve Him in truth with all your heart, for see that He has done great things for you.


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And Saul chose for himself three thousand out of Israel. And two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and in the hills of Bethel. And a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And he sent the rest of the people each to his tent.


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And Jonathan struck the fort of the Philistines in Geba. And the Philistines heard. And Saul blew with the ram's horn throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.


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And all Israel heard, saying, Saul has struck a fort of the Philistines; and also Israel has made himself stink to the Philistines. And all the people were called after Saul, to Gilgal.


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And the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel, with thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the lip of the sea for multitude. And they came up and pitched in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.


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And the men of Israel saw that they were distressing to them, for the people were distressed. And the people hid themselves in caves, and in crevices, and in crags, and in tombs, and in cisterns.


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And the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. And Saul was still in Gilgal. And all the people followed him, trembling.


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And he waited seven days, according to the set time with Samuel. But Samuel had not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.


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


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And it happened, as soon as he finished the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him, and to bless him.


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And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and you did not come in the days set out, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash,


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then I said, Now the Philistines will come down to me to Gilgal, and I have not sweetened the face of Jehovah; and I forced myself, and offered a burnt offering.


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And Samuel said to Saul, You have acted foolishly that you have not kept the command of Jehovah your God which He commanded you. For now Jehovah would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.


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But now your kingdom shall not stand. Jehovah has sought out for Himself a man according to His own heart, and Jehovah has appointed him as leader over His people. For you have not kept that which Jehovah commanded you.


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And Samuel rose up and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.


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And Saul and his son Jonathan, and the people who were found with them, were staying in Gibeah of Benjamin; and the Philistines pitched in Michmash.


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And the ones ravaging came out of the Philistine camp in three heads; one head turned to the way to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;


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And another head turned the way to Beth-horon. And another head turned to the way of the border looking down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.


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And there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.


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And all Israel went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his plowshare, and his mattock, and his axe, and his plowshare.


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And the sharpening charge was a pim for the plowshares, and for the mattocks, and for the three pronged forks, and for the axes, and for setting the plowshares.


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And it happened in the day of battle that there was neither sword nor spear in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan. But one was found with Saul and with his son Jonathan.


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And the day came that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, Come, and we will go over to the fort of the Philistines on the other side. But he did not tell his father.


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And Saul was waiting at the edge of Gibeah, under the pomegranate in Migron; also the people with him, about six hundred men.


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And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, was wearing the ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had left.


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And between the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine fort, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and the rocky crag opposite this; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other, Seneh.


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The one crag was a pillar on the north in front of Michmash, and the one on the south in front of Gibeah.


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And Jonathan said to the young man bearing his weapons, Come, we shall cross over to the fort of these uncircumcised ones. It may be Jehovah will work for us, for there is no hindrance to Jehovah, to save by many or by few.


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And his armorbearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself. Behold, I am with you according to your heart.


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If they say this to us, Stand still until we reach you, then we will stand in our place and not go up to them.


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But if they say this, Come up to us, then we will go up, for Jehovah has given them into our hand; and this will be the sign for us.


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And both of them were revealed to the fort of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, See, Hebrews coming out from the holes there where they hid themselves!


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And the men of the fort answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will teach you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armorbearer, Come up after me, for Jehovah has given them into the hand of Israel.


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And Jonathan went up on his hands and on his feet, and the armorbearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and the armorbearer made them die behind him.


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And this was the first blow, when Jonathan and his armorbearer struck about twenty men in about half of a furrow of an acre of a field.


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And there was trembling in the camp in the field, and among all the people; the fort and those ravaging trembled, even them. And the ground quaked, and it was for a trembling of God.


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And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude had melted away; and they went, even here and there.


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And Saul said to the people with him, Make a count now and see who has gone from us. And they counted, and, behold, Jonathan and the armorbearer were not there.


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And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring the ark of God here, for the ark of God was with the sons of Israel on that day.


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And it happened while Saul spoke to the priest, that the turmoil which was in the camp, even the Philistines went on, going and increasing. And Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand.


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And Saul and all the people with him gathered together and went to the battle. And, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great panic!


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Then the Hebrews who were for the Philistines before, who had gone with them to the camp all around, even they turned to be with Israel, with Saul and Jonathan.


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And all the men of Israel who had been hiding themselves in the hills of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled. And they also pursued them in battle.


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And the men of Israel were distressed on that day, for Saul took an oath of the people, saying, Cursed shall be the man who eats food until the evening, when I have been avenged on my foes. And none of the people tasted food.


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And the people came into the forest; and behold, a flow of honey! But no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.


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And Jonathan did not hear when his father made the people swear. And he put out the tip of the staff in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. And he put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.


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And one of the people answered and said, Swearing your father made the people swear, saying, Cursed shall be the man who eats food today. And the people were weak.


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And Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. See, now, that my eyes became bright, for I tasted this little honey.


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How much more if the people had eaten freely today of this spoil of its enemies which it has found. For now would not the blow among the Philistines have been great?


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And they struck the Philistines on that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very weak.


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And the people fell on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and sons of the herd, and slaughtered them to the ground. And the people ate with the blood.


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And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people are sinning against Jehovah, to eat with the blood. And he said, You have acted treacherously. Now roll me a great stone today.


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And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, Each one bring his ox near to me, and each his sheep, and you slaughter here, and eat; and you shall not sin against Jehovah, to eat with the blood. And each of all the people brought near his ox in his hand that night, and they slaughtered there.


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And Saul said Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light, and not a man remains among them. And they said, Do all that is good in your eyes. And the priest said, Let us draw near here to God.


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And Saul asked of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel? But He did not answer him on that day.


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And Saul said, All leaders of the people draw near here, and know and see how this sin has happened today.


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For as Jehovah lives, who delivers Israel, surely if it is my son Jonathan, dying he shall die. And no one answered him from all the people.


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And he said to all Israel, You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on another side. And the people said to Saul, Do that which is good in your eyes.


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And Saul said to Jehovah, the God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people went out.


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And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me, what did you do? And Jonathan told him, and said, I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff in my hand. Behold, I! I will die.


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And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, he who did this great deliverance in Israel? Far be it! As Jehovah lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day. And the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.


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And Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies all around, with Moab, and with the sons of Ammon, and with Edom, and with the kings of Zobah, and with the Philistines, and wherever he turned, he put them to the worse.


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And the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and his two daughters' names: the first-born's name was 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 his army commander was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.


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And the war was strong against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any mighty man, or any brave man, then he gathered him to himself.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. And now listen to the voice of the words of Jehovah.


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So says Jehovah of Hosts, I will visit Amalek with what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.


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Now go, and you shall strike Amalek and destroy all that he has. And you shall have no pity on him, and you shall put to death all from man to woman, from little one to suckling, from ox to sheep, from camel to ass.


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And Saul heard and mustered the people in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand were men of Judah.


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And Saul said to the Kenite, Go! Depart! Go out from the midst of Amalek, lest I destroy you with him. For you acted with kindness toward all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. And the Kenite departed from the midst of Amalek.


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And he captured Agag the king of Amalek alive. But he exterminated all the people with the mouth of the sword.


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And Saul and the people had pity on Agag, and on the best of the flock, and of the herd, and the seconds, and the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to exterminate them. But they exterminated every despised and worthless thing.


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I repent that I made Saul reign as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and he has not risen to do My Words. And Samuel was angry, and he cried to Jehovah all night.


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And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told to Samuel, saying, Saul has come to Carmel. And behold, he has set up a monument to himself, and has gone around, and has passed over and gone down to Gilgal.


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And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, Blessed are you of Jehovah. I have risen to do the Word of Jehovah.


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And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the flock in my ears, and the sound of the herd that I hear?


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And Saul said, They have brought them from Amalek, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have exterminated.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Stop, and I will declare to you that which Jehovah spoke to me tonight. And he said to him, Speak.


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And Samuel said, Were you not, even you, little in your own eyes before becoming leader of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you as king over Israel.


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And Jehovah sent you on the way, and said, Go, and exterminate the sinners, Amalek; and fight against them until they finish them.


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Then why did you not listen to the voice of Jehovah? Yea, you flew on the spoil, and did you not do evil in the eyes of Jehovah.


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And Saul said to Samuel, I did obey the voice of Jehovah, and I went in the way which Jehovah sent me, and brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I exterminated Amalek.


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And the people took from the spoil of the flock, and the first of the herd, that devoted, to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal.


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And Samuel said, Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold! Obeying is better than sacrifice; to give attention is better than the fat of rams.


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For the sin of divination is rebellion; insolence is both iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, so He has rejected you from being king.


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And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the mouth of Jehovah and your word, because I feared the people, and I listened to their voice.


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And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the Word of Jehovah and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel.


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And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.


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And he said, I have sinned. Honor me now, please, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and return with me. And I shall worship Jehovah your God.


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And Samuel said, Bring near to me Agag the king of Amalek. And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death has passed.


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And Samuel said, As your sword has bereaved women of children, so shall your mother be bereft among women. And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Jehovah in Gilgal.


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And Samuel never again saw Saul until the day of his death, for Samuel mourned for Saul. And Jehovah repented that He had caused Saul to reign over Israel.


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And Jehovah said to Samuel, Until when will you mourn for Saul, for I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have seen a king for Me among his sons.


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And Samuel said, How can I go? When Saul hears, then he will kill me. And Jehovah said, You shall take a heifer from the herd in your hand, and shall say, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah.


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And you invite Jesse to the sacrifice. And I will make you know what you shall do. And you shall anoint for Me whomever I say to you.


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And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city trembled to meet him, and said, Do you come in peace?


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And he said, Peace! I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves and you shall come to me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.


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And it happened as they came in, that he saw Eliab, and said, Surely His anointed is before Jehovah.


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And Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance, nor to the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For man does not see what He sees. For man looks for the eyes, but Jehovah looks for the heart.


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And Jesse called to Abinadab, and he passed him before Samuel but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one.


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And Jesse passed seven of his sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen among these.


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And Samuel said to Jesse, Are these all the young men? And he said, There yet remains the youngest; and behold, he is feeding the flock. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him, for we will not sit until he comes here.


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And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and good form. And Jehovah said, Rise up, anoint him, for this is he.


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And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon David from that day and onward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.


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Please let our lord say to your servants before you, let them seek out a man who knows how to play on the harp. And it shall be, when the evil spirit from God is upon you, then he shall play with his hand, and it shall be well with you.


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And Saul said to his servants, Now look for a man who is good at playing for me, and bring him to me.


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One of the servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, and a mighty warrior, and a man of battle, and skillful in speech, and a man of form. And Jehovah is with him.


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And Jesse took an ass, with bread, and a skin of wine, and one kid of the goats; and he sent by the hand of his son David to Saul.


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And David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly; and he became one who bore his articles for him.


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And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Please let David stand before me, for he has found grace in my eyes.


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And it happened, when the evil spirit from God was on Saul, then David would take the harp and play with his hand. And there was relief for Saul, and it was well with him. And the evil spirit would depart from him.


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And the Philistines had gathered their armies for battle, and were gathered at Socoh of Judah. And they camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.


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And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and camped in the valley of Elah. And they set the battle in order to meet the Philistines.


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And the Philistines stood on the mountain on this side, and Israel stood on the mountain on that side, and the valley between them.


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And a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines, Goliath was his name, from Gath; his height was six cubits and a span.


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And a bronze helmet was on his head, and he was clothed with scaled body armor; and the weight of the armor was five thousand shekels of bronze.


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And the wood of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and the blade of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And the shield bearer went before him.


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And he stood and called to the ranks of Israel, and said to them, Why do you come out to set in order the battle? Am I not the Philistine, and you Saul's servants? Choose one of yourselves, and let him come to me.


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If he is able to fight with me and strike me, then we shall become slaves to you. But if I prevail over him, and strike him, then you shall become slaves to us and shall serve us.


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And the Philistine said, I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man, and we will fight together.


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And Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine. And they were dismayed and greatly afraid.


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And David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem-Judah named Jesse. And to him were eight sons. And the man was old among men in the days of Saul.


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And the three eldest sons of Jesse went out; they went after Saul to the battle. And the name of his three sons who went into the battle: Eliab, the first-born; and his second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah.


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And Jesse said to his son David, Please take to your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves, and run to the camp, to your brothers.


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And you shall take these ten cuttings of cheese to the commander of the thousand, and you shall visit your brothers, as to how they fare. And you shall bring their token.


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And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley 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 got up and went, as Jesse commanded him. And he came to the barricade, and to the army which was going out to the battle array. And they were shouting for battle.


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And David left the goods on him into the hands of the keeper of the goods, and he ran to the army. And he he came and asked his brothers of their welfare.


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And as he was speaking to them, even, behold! The man between the two, Goliath the Philistine was his name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines. And he spoke according to these words. And David heard.


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And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who comes up? For he has come to reproach Israel. And it shall be, the man who strikes him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and he will give his daughter to him. And he will make his father's house free in Israel.


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And David spoke to the men who were standing with him, saying, What shall be done to the man who strikes this Philistine, and turns aside reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should reproach the armies of the living God?


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And the people spoke to him according to this word, saying, So shall it be done to the man who strikes him.


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And his eldest brother Eliab heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger glowed against David. And he said, Why is it you have come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.


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And he turned around from him to another and said according to this word. And the people answered him a word like the first word.


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And the words which David had spoken were heard. And they were told before Saul, and he received him.


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And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and will fight with this Philistine.


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And Saul said to David, You are not able to go to this Philistine, to fight with him, for you are a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth.


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And David said to Saul, Your servant has been a shepherd among sheep for his father. And the lion came, and the bear, and took away a sheep out of the flock.


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And I went out after him and struck him, and delivered out of his mouth. And he rose against me, and I took hold of his beard and struck him, and killed him.


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Your servant has struck both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, for he has reproached the armies of the living God.


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And David said, Jehovah, who has delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He shall deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and Jehovah be with you.


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And Saul clothed David with his apparel, and put a bronze helmet on his head, and clothed him with body armor.


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And David girded his sword on his apparel, and started to go. But he had not tested these. And David said to Saul, I am not able to go with these, for I have not tested them. And David took them off him.


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And he took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones from the valley. And he put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch. And his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.


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And the Philistine looked, and he saw David, and disdained him, for he was a youth, even ruddy, with a handsome form.


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And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you have come to me with sticks? 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 your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the field.


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And David said to the Philistine, You are coming to me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin. But I am coming to you in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which you have reproached.


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Today Jehovah shall shut you up into my hand, and I shall strike you, and take off your head from you and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the earth today. And all the earth shall know that there is a God for Israel.


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And all this company shall know that Jehovah does not save by sword and by spear, but that the battle belongs to Jehovah, and He has given you into our hand.


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And it happened, when the Philistine arose and went, and drew near to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the ranks to meet the Philistine.


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And David put his hand into the pouch and took a stone from there. And he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.


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And David was stronger than the Philistine with the sling and with the stone. And he struck the Philistine and killed him. And there was no sword in David's hand.


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And David ran and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword; and he drew it out of its sheath and killed him. And he cut off his head with it. And the Philistines saw that their warrior was dead, and they fled.


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And the men of Israel and Judah rose up and shouted, and pursued the Philistines until you enter the valley, even to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell in the way of Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron.


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And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; and he put his weapons in his own tent.


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And when Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, the army commander, Whose son is this youth, Abner? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.


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And when David returned from striking the Philistine, then Abner took him and brought him before Saul; and the head of the Philistine was in his hand.


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And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, boy? And David said, The son of your servant Jesse, the Bethlehemite.


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And it happened, when he finished speaking to Saul, 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 off the robe on him and gave it to David; also his apparel, even to his sword and to his bow and to his belt.


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And David went out wherever Saul sent him. And he acted wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war. And it was good in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul.


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And it happened as they came in, as David returned from striking the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to sing with the dancers, to meet Saul the king with tambourines and with joy and three-stringed instruments.


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And the women who were playing answered and said, Saul has slain his thousands, but David his myriads.


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And it very much burned Saul, and this thing was evil in his eyes. And he said, They have given myriads to David, and to me they have given thousands. And is there more to him, except the kingdom?


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And on the next day it happened that the evil spirit from God came on Saul. And he prophesied in the midst of the house; and David was playing with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul's spear was in his hand.


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And Saul threw the spear, and said, I will strike David, even to the wall. And David twice drew back from his face.


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And Saul separated him from himself and set him as his commander 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! I will give her to you for a wife; only, you be a brave son for me and fight the battles of Jehovah. And Saul said, Let not my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.


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And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, and the family of my father in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?


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And it happened at the time Saul was to give his daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.


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And Saul said, I will give her to him, and she shall be a snare to him. And the hand of the Philistines shall be on him. And Saul said to David a second time, You shall be my son-in-law today.


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And Saul commanded his servants, Speak to David secretly, saying, Behold the king delights in you, and all his servants love you. And now, be son-in-law to the king.


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And Saul's servants spoke these words in David's ears. And David said, Is it a light thing in your eyes to be son-in-law to the king? And I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed.


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And Saul said, So you shall say to David, There is no delight to the king in dowry, but in a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged on the king's enemies. And Saul thought to cause David to fall by the hand of the Philistines.


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And his servants told David these words. And the thing was right in David's eyes, to be son-in-law to the king. And the days had not been fulfilled.


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And David rose up and went out, he and his men. And they struck two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and he gave them in full to the king, in order to be son-in-law to the king. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife.


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And the rulers of the Philistines came out. And it happened from the time they came out, David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul. And His name was greatly esteemed.


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And Saul's son Jonathan delighted exceedingly in David. And Jonathan told David, saying, My father Saul is seeking to kill you. And, now, please be on guard in the morning, and you shall stay in the secret place, and shall hide.


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And I, I will go out and will stand by my father's side in the field where you are. And I will speak of you to my father, and shall see what it is, and will tell you.


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And Jonathan spoke good of David to his father Saul, and said to him, Do not let the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you; also because his works for you are very good.


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Yea, he has put his life in his hand and killed the Philistine. And Jehovah worked a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. And why do you sin against innocent blood, to put David to death for no reason?


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And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these words. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was before him as yesterday and the day before.


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And there was war again. And David went out and fought against the Philistines, and struck among them with a great slaughter. And they fled from his face.


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And the evil spirit from Jehovah was on Saul. And he was sitting in his house, and his spear in his hand. And David was playing with the hand.


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And Saul tried to strike with the spear through David and through the wall. But he burst forth from Saul's presence. And he struck the spear through the wall. And David fled, and escaped during that night.


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And Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, and to kill him in the morning. And his wife Michal told David, saying, If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.


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And Michal took an image and laid it on the bed; and she put the quilt of goat's hair at his head-place, and covered with a spread.


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And the messengers came in. And, behold, the image was on the bed, and the quilt of goat's hair was at his head-place.


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And Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me this way, that you have sent away my enemy, and he has escaped? And Michal said to Saul, He said to me, Send me away; why should I kill you?


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And David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he went, he and Samuel, and they lived in Naioth.


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And Saul sent messengers to take David. And they saw the assembly of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them. And the Spirit of God came on Saul's messengers, and they also prophesied.


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And they told Saul, and he sent other messengers. And they also prophesied. And again Saul sent messengers, a third time. And they also prophesied.


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And he went, he also, to Ramah, and came to the great well in Sechu. And Saul asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, in Naioth in Ramah.


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And he went there, to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God was on him, him also. And going on, he went and prophesied until he came into Naioth in Ramah.


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And he stripped off his garments, he also, and he prophesied before Samuel, even he. And he fell down disrobed all that day and all that night. Because of this 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 my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?


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And he said to him, Far be it! You shall not die. Behold, my father shall not do anything great or small, and not reveal it to my ear. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.


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And David again swore and said, Your father has certainly known that I have found favor in your eyes; and he said, Do not let Jonathan know this, that he not be grieved. And yet, as Jehovah lives, and your soul lives, there is only a step between me and death.


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And David said to Jonathan, Behold, the new moon is tomorrow. And sitting I should certainly sit with the king to eat. And you shall send me away, and I shall be hidden in the field until the third evening.


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If looking your father looks for me, then you shall say, David asked earnestly of me to run to his city Bethlehem; for the yearly sacrifice is there for all the family.


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If he shall say so, Good! Peace shall be for your servant. But if it burns him greatly, know that evil has been determined by him.


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And you shall do kindness to your servant, for you have brought your servant with you into a covenant of Jehovah. And if there is iniquity in me, you kill me. For why is this, that you bring me to your father?


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And Jonathan said, Far be it from you! For if I knew with certainty that evil was determined by my father to come on you, would I not tell it to you?


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And Jonathan said to David, Come, and we shall go out to the field; and both of them went out to the field.


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And Jonathan said to David, Jehovah the God of Israel be witness when I search my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, and behold, there is good toward David and I do not send to you and do not reveal it in your ear,


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so may Jehovah do to Jonathan and do much more than this. If it should seem good to my father to do evil to you, then I will reveal it in your ear and send you away. And you shall go in peace; and may Jehovah be with you, as He was with my father.


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but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, not even when Jehovah cuts off the enemies of David, each one from off the face of the earth.


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And Jonathan covenanted with the house of David, that Jehovah should seek it from the hand of David's enemies.


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And Jonathan again made David swear, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.


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And Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon, and you shall be expected, for your seat will be empty.


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And on the third day you shall quickly come down, and shall come there to the place where you were hidden in the day of the deed. And you shall remain near the stone Ezel.


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And, behold, I shall send a boy, saying, Find the arrows! If I expressly say to the boy, Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, take them; then you come, for peace shall be to you, and there is nothing, as Jehovah lives.


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But if I say to the young man, Behold, the arrows are away from you and onwards; go, for Jehovah has sent you away.


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And David was hidden in the field. And it was the new moon. And the king sat down by the food to eat.


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And the king sat on his seat, as from time to time, on the seat by the wall. And Jonathan rose up, and Abner sat at Saul's side. And David's place was empty.


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But Saul did not say anything on that day, for he said, It is an accident; he is not clean; he is surely not clean.


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And it happened on the day after the new moon, David's place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?


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And he said, Please send me away, for we have a family sacrifice in the city, and my brother commanded me. And now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me be released, and to see my brothers. So he has not come to the table of the king.


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And the anger of Saul glowed against Jonathan. And he said to him, Son of a perverse rebelliousness! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your shame, and to the shame of the nakedness of your mother?


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For as long as the son of Jesse lives on earth you shall not be established, you and your kingdom. And now send and bring him to me, for he is a son of death.


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And Saul threw the spear at him, to strike him. And Jonathan knew that it had been determined by his father to kill David.


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And Jonathan rose up from the table in the heat of anger. And he did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved for David. For his father had put him to shame.


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And it happened in the morning that Jonathan went out in the field for the meeting with David. And a little boy was with him.


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And he said to the boy, Now run and find the arrow which I am shooting. The boy ran, and he shot the arrow, causing it to pass over him.


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And the boy came to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot. And Jonathan called after the boy and said, Is the arrow not away from you and onwards?


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And Jonathan called after the boy, Hurry, make haste, do not stand! And Jonathan's boy gathered the arrow and came to his master.


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The boy left, and David rose up from the south side. And he fell on his face to the ground. And he bowed three times. And they each one kissed his friend. And they each wept on his friend, until David was overcome.


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And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, because we have sworn, the two of us, in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah shall be between you and me, and between my seed and your seed forever. And he rose up and went. And Jonathan went into the city.


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And David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech trembled at meeting David, and said to him, Why are you by yourself, and no man with you?


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And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a matter; and he said to me, Do not let a man know anything of the matter about which I am sending you, and which I told you. And I have directed the young men to such and such a place.


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And the priest answered David and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but only holy bread, if the young men have only been kept from a woman.


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And David answered the priest and said to him, Surely, a woman has been kept from us as yesterday and the third day, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy. And in a way the holy bread is common; also surely today it is sanctified in the vessels.


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And the priest gave the holy bread to him, for there was no bread there except the Bread of the Presence which is taken from the presence of Jehovah in order to put hot bread in on the day it is taken away.


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And a man was there on that day, of the servants of Saul, detained before Jehovah. And his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds.


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And David said to Ahimelech, Is there not here under your hand a spear or sword? For I have taken neither my sword or my weapons, for the king's matter was urgent.


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And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck in the valley of Elah; behold, it is wrapped in the cloak behind the ephod. If you desire, take it for yourself; for there is no other here except it. And David said, There is none like it. Give it to me.


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And David rose up and fled from the face of Saul on that day, and he came to Achish the king of Gath.


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And the servants of Achish said to him, Is this not David the king of the land? Is it not of this one they sang in dances, saying, Saul killed his thousands, and David his myriads?


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And David put these words in his heart, and was very much afraid of the face of Achish the king of Gath.


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And he changed his behavior before their eyes, and pretended himself to be insane in their hand, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall onto his beard.


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And Achish said to his servants, Behold, you see the man is showing madness. Why do you bring him to me?


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Do I have need of maddened ones, that you have brought this one in to show madness beside me? Shall this one come into my house?


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And David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And his brothers heard, and all his father's house, and they went down to him there.


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And every man in distress, and every man who had a creditor, and every man bitter of soul, gathered themselves to him. And he became commander over them. And about four hundred men were with him.


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And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come and be with you, until I know what God will do to me.


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And he settled them before the king of Moab; and they lived with him all the days David was in the stronghold.


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And Gad the prophet said to David, You shall not remain in the stronghold. Go, and you come into the land of Judah. And David left and came into the forest of Hareth.


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And Saul heard that David had been discovered, and the men with him. And Saul was staying in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand. And all his servants were standing by him.


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And Saul said to his servants who were standing by him, Now hear, Benjamites. Will the son of Jesse also give to any of you fields and vineyards? Will he make each of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,


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that all of you have conspired against me, and no one was revealing in my ear when my son cut a covenant with the son of Jesse? And not one of you is sorry for me, even to reveal in my ear that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day.


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And Doeg the Edomite, even he was set over Saul's servants, answered and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.


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And he asked for him of Jehovah, and gave provisions to him, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.


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And the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests in Nob. And they came, all of them, to the king.


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And Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse by your giving bread and a sword to him, and to ask of God for him, to rise up against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?


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And Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who among all your servants is as David the faithful, and son-in-law of the king; who does your bidding, and is honorable in all your house?


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Have I today begun to ask of God for him? Far be it from me! Do not let the king lay anything against his servant, against any of my father's house, for your servant has known nothing of this, more or less.


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And the king said to the runners that stood by him, Turn and kill the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he was fleeing, and did not reveal it in my ear. But the king's servants were not willing to put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Jehovah.


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And the king said to Doeg, You turn and fall on the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned and fell on the priests and killed eighty five men bearing a linen ephod in that day.


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And he struck Nob, the city of the priests with the mouth of the sword, from man even to woman, from child even to suckling, and ox, and ass, and sheep, with the mouth of the sword.


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And one son escaped of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And his name was Abiathar, and he fled after David.


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And David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he certainly would tell Saul. I am turned to grief for every life of the house of your father.


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Stay with me. Do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life. For with me you will be under protection.


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And they spoke to David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the threshing floors.


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And David asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go? And shall I strike against these Philistines? And Jehovah said to David, Go, and you shall strike the Philistines and save Keilah.


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And David's men said to him, Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; and how shall we go to Keilah to the armies of the Philistines?


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And David once again inquired of Jehovah. And Jehovah answered him and said, Rise up, go down to Keilah, for I have given the Philistines into your hand.


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And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and led away their livestock, and killed among them with a great blow. And David saved those living in Keilah.


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And it happened, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David, near Keilah, an ephod came in his hand.


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And it was told to Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, God has estranged him into my hand. For he is shut in, to enter into a city of gates and a bar.


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And Saul heard and called all the people to battle, to go down to Keilah, to lay siege to David and to his men.


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But David knew that Saul was devising evil against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod near.


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And David said, O Jehovah the God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.


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Will the masters of Keilah shut me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? I pray You, Jehovah the God of Israel, tell your servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.


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And David said, Will the masters of Keilah shut me and my men up into Saul's hand? And Jehovah said, They will shut you up.


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And David and his men, about six hundred men, rose up and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. And he ceased to go out.


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And David stayed in the wilderness, in the strongholds. And he stayed in the hill, in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all his days. And God did not give him into his hand.


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And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life; and David was in the wilderness of Ziph, in the forest.


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And Jonathan the son of Saul rose up and went out to David, to the forest. And he made his hand strong in God,


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and said to him, Do not fear, for the hand of my father Saul shall not find you; and you shall reign over Israel; and I shall be second to you. And my father Saul knows it is so.


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And they cut a covenant, both of them, before Jehovah. And David stayed in the forest, and Jonathan went to his house.


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And the men of Ziph went to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Is not David hiding himself with us in strongholds, in the forest, in the hill of Hachilah, which is south of the wilderness?


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And now, come down according to all the desires of your soul, O king. Come down, and our duty is to deliver him up into the king's hand.


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Please go, make yet more sure, and know, and see his place where his foot is; who has seen him there, for one has said to me, He is being very crafty.


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And see and know of all the hiding places where he hides himself. And you shall return to me ready, and I shall go with you, and it shall be, if he is in the land, that I shall search him out through all the thousands of Judah.


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And they rose up 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 search. And they told David. And he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul heard, and pursued 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 was hurrying to go away from the face of Saul. And Saul and his men were encircling David and his men, to catch them.


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And a messenger came to Saul, saying, Hurry, and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.


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And Saul turned back from pursuing David, and went to meet the Philistines. On account of this they have called that place, The Rock of the Division.


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And it happened, when Saul had returned from after the Philistines, they told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.


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And Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the front of the rocks of the wild goats.


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And on the way he came in to the folds of the flock. And there was a cave. And Saul went in to cover his feet. And David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.


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And David's men said to him, Behold, the day of which Jehovah said to you, Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it is good in your eyes. But David rose up and quietly cut off the skirt of Saul's robe.


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And he said to his men, Far be it from me, by Jehovah. I shall not do this thing to my lord, to the anointed of Jehovah, to put out my hand against him. For he is the anointed of Jehovah.


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And David held back his men by words, and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul rose up from the cave and went in the way.


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And David rose up afterward and went out from the cave and called after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And Saul looked behind him. And David was bowing face to the earth and prostrated himself.


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And David said to Saul, Why do you listen to the words of man, saying, Behold, David seeks to do you evil?


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See, this day your eyes have seen how Jehovah has delivered you today into my hand in the cave. And one said to kill you, but I had pity on you. And I said, I shall not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of Jehovah.


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And my father, behold! Yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand. For in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you are hunting my soul, to take it.


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Jehovah shall judge between you and me, and Jehovah shall avenge me of you. But my hand shall not be on you.


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As the proverb of the ancients says, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked. But my hand shall not be on you.


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After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? After a flea?


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Yea, Jehovah shall be judge, and shall judge between you and me. Yea, He shall see and contend for my cause, and shall deliver me out of your hand.


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And it happened, when David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.


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And he said to David, You are more righteous than I. For you have done good to me, and I have rewarded you with evil.


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And you have today shown that you have dealt well with me, in that Jehovah shut me up into your hand, and you did not kill me.


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For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go on his way well? And Jehovah will repay you good for that which you have done to me today.


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And now, behold, I know that you shall certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.


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And now, swear to me by Jehovah that you shall not cut off my seed after me, nor shall you destroy my name from the house of my father.


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And David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his house, and David and his men went up into the stronghold.


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And Samuel died, and all Israel was gathered, and mourned for him. And they buried him in his house, in Ramah. And David rose up and went down to the wilderness of Paran.


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And a certain man was in Maon, and his work was in Carmel. And the man was very great, and there were three thousand sheep and a thousand goats to him. And he was shearing his flock in Carmel.


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And the man's name was Nabal, and his wife's name, Abigail. And the woman was of good understanding, and beautiful of form. And the man was cruel and evil in his dealings. And He was of Caleb.


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And David sent ten young men, and David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel, and you shall come to Nabal and ask him of his welfare in my name.


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And now, I have heard that you have shearers. And your shepherds have been with us; we have not shamed them, nor was anything missing to them all the days they were in Carmel.


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Ask your young men, and they will tell you. And may the young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come at a good day. Please give that which your hand finds to your servants, and to your son, to David.


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And the young men of David came and spoke to Nabal according to all these words, in the name of David, and rested.


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And Nabal answered David's servants and said, Who is David, and who the son of Jesse? The servants have multiplied today who have broken away from his master.


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And shall I take my bread, and my water, and my meat which I have killed for my shearers, and give to men whom I have not known, from where they are?


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And the young men of David turned to their way, and returned and came and told him according to all these words.


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And David said to his men, Each man gird on his sword. And David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David and two hundred stayed by the baggage.


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And one young man of the youths told Abigail the wife of Nabal, saying, Behold, David has sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our lord, and he screamed at them.


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And the men were good to us, and have not shamed us, and we have not missed anything all the days we have gone up and down with them when we were in the field.


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They have been a wall to us both by day and by night, all the days we have been with them, feeding the flock.


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And now, know and consider what you should do; for evil has been determined against our lord, and on all his house. And he is a son of worthlessness, no one can speak to him.


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And Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five prepared sheep, and five measures of roasted grain, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. And she set them on the asses.


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And she said to her young men, Pass on before me. Behold, I am coming after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal.


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And it happened she was riding on the ass and coming down by the cover of the mountain. And, behold, David and his men were coming down to meet her; and she met them.


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And David had said, Surely, in vain I have guarded all that belongs to this fellow in the wilderness, so that not anything was missed of all that was his. And he has returned to me evil for good.


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So may God do to the enemies of David, and may He do more so, if I leave any of all that is to him to the light of the morning, of one who urinates against a wall.


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And Abigail saw David, and she hurried, and she dismounted from the ass and fell on her face before David and bowed to the earth.


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And she fell at his feet and said, On me, even me, my lord, be the iniquity. And please, let your handmaid speak in your ears; and hear the words of your handmaid.


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Please, do not let my lord set his heart toward this man of worthlessness, on Nabal. For as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and foolishness is with him. And I, your handmaid, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.


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And now, my lord, as Jehovah lives, and as your soul lives, in that Jehovah has withheld you from coming in with blood, and delivering your hand for you; even now let your enemies be as Nabal, even those seeking evil to my lord.


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And now this blessing which your handmaid has brought to my lord, even let it be given to the young men who go after my lord.


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Please, bear with the transgression of your handmaid, for Jehovah shall certainly make a sure house for my lord. For my lord has fought the battles of Jehovah, and evil has not been found in you all your days.


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And if a man rises up to pursue you and to seek your soul, the soul of my lord will be bound up in the bundle of life with Jehovah your God; and the souls of your enemies, He shall sling them from the hollow of the sling.


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And it shall be, when Jehovah does to my lord according to all the good which He has spoken concerning you, and has commanded you to be ruler over Israel,


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that this shall not be for a cause of staggering, or of stumbling of heart to my lord, either to shed blood for nothing, or that my lord saved himself. And may Jehovah do good to my lord, and you remember your handmaid.


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And blessed is your discernment. And blessed are you in that you have kept me from coming in with blood this day, and from delivering myself with my own hand.


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And, indeed, as Jehovah the God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from doing evil to you, for unless you had hurried and had come to meet me, surely there would not have been left to Nabal one who urinates against the wall till the light of morning.


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And David received from her hand what she had brought to him. And he said to her, Go in peace to your house. See, I have heard your voice, and have accepted your face.


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And Abigail came to Nabal. And, behold, he was at a feast in his house, like the feast of the king. And Nabal's heart felt good within him, and he was drunk to excess. And she did not tell him a word, more or less, until the light of the morning.


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And it happened in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things. And his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.


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And David heard that Nabal had died, and said, Blessed be Jehovah who has contended for the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal; and His servant has been kept back from evil. And Jehovah has caused the evil doing of Nabal to return on his head. And David sent and spoke with Abigail, to take her to himself for a wife.


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And David's servants came to Abigail at Carmel, and spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to you to take you to him for a wife.


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And she rose up and bowed her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let your handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.


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And Abigail hurried and arose and rode on an ass, and five of her young women following her. And she went after David's messengers. And she became a wife to him.


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And the men of Ziph came to Saul, to Gibeah, saying, Is not David hiding himself in the hill of Hachilah, on the face of the desert?


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And Saul rose up and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and three thousand men were with him, chosen ones of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.


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And Saul camped in the hill of Hachilah which is on the face of the desert, by the highway. And David was staying in the wilderness. And he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness.


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And David rose up and came to the place where Saul camped. And David saw the place where Saul lay down. And Abner the son of Ner, his army commander, and Saul were lying within the barricade. And the people were camping all around him.


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And David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, saying, Who shall go down with me to Saul, to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with you.


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And David and Abishai came to the people by night. And, behold, Saul was lying down, sleeping within the barricade. And his spear was stuck into the earth at his head-place. And Abner and all the people were lying all around him.


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And Abishai said to David, God has shut up your enemy into your hand today. And now please let me strike him with a spear, even to the earth one time, and I will not repeat it to him.


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And David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him. For who shall put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah and be guiltless?


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And David said, As Jehovah lives, except Jehovah strike him, or his day shall come and he dies, or he goes down and is devoured in battle,


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far be it from me, by Jehovah, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah. And now, please take the spear at his head-place, and the jar of water, and we will go.


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And David took the spear and the jar of water at the head-place of Saul, and they went away. And no one was seeing; and no one knew; and no one was awake; for all of them were sleeping because a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen on them.


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And David crossed over to the other side and stood on the top of the hill far away, the distance between them being great.


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And David called to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Do you not answer, Abner? And Abner replied and said, Who are you, the one calling to the king?


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And David said to Abner, Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? But why have you not watched over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king.


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This thing which you have done is not good. As Jehovah lives, you also are sons of death, in that you have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of Jehovah. And now, see where the king's spear is, and the jar of water which was at his head-place?


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And Saul recognized the voice of David, and said, Is this your voice, my son David? And David said, My voice, my lord, O king!


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And he said, Why is this, that my lord is pursuing his servant? For what have I done, and what in my hand is evil?


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And now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Jehovah has moved you against me, let Him accept an offering. And if the sons of men, they are cursed before Jehovah; for they have driven me out today from joining myself with the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.


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And now, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of Jehovah, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as one hunts the partridge in the mountains.


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And Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I shall not do evil to you any more, because my life has been precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and I have erred exceedingly much.


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And David answered and said, Behold, the king's spear! And let one of the young men cross over and receive it.


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And Jehovah will return to each his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that Jehovah has delivered you into my hand, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of Jehovah.


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And behold, as your life has been highly esteemed in my eyes today, so let my soul be highly esteemed in the eyes of Jehovah. And may He deliver me out of all distress.


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And Saul said to David, Blessed be you, my son David. Both you shall surely do, also you shall surely be able. And David went on 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. Nothing is better for me than that escaping I escape to the land of the Philistines. And Saul will despair of me, to still seek me in all the border of Israel. And I shall escape out of his hand.


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And David rose up and crossed over, he and six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, the king of Gath.


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And David lived with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each one and his household: David and his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the former wife of Nabal of Carmel.


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And David said to Achish, Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, they shall give to me a place in one of the cities of the field, and I shall live there. Yea, why should your servant live in the royal city with you?


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And Achish gave Ziklag to him in that day. Therefore, Ziklag has been counted to the kings of Judah until this day.


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And the number of days which David lived in the field of the Philistines was a year and four months.


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And David and his men went up and attacked the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. For they were the ones living in the land from the past days, as you come into Shur and into the land of Egypt.


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And David struck the land, and did not keep alive man, or woman, and took sheep, and oxen, and asses, and camels, and clothing, and turned back and came to Achish.


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And Achish said, Did you not make raids today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and to the south of the Kenites.


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David did not keep alive man or woman to bring news to Gath, saying, Lest they speak against us, saying, So David has done; And so has been his custom all the days that he has lived in the fields of the Philistines.


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And Achish trusted David, saying, Surely he has made himself to be hated among his people in Israel, and has become my servant forever.


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And in those days it happened that the Philistines gathered their armies for warfare, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, Going you shall go out with me in the army, you and our men.


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And David said to Achish, By this you shall know that which your servant will do. And Achish said to David, Then I appoint you keeper of my head all the days.


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And Samuel was dead. And all Israel had mourned for him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his city. And Saul had taken away the mediums and spirit-knowers out of the land.


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And the Philistines had gathered and had come in and camped in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped in Gilboa.


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And Saul asked of Jehovah, but Jehovah did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.


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And Saul said to his servants, Seek out for me a woman, a medium, and I will go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, a woman, a medium, is in Endor.


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And Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes. And he and two of the men with him went; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, I beg you, divine for me by necromancy, and bring up to me him whom I say to you.


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And the woman said to him, Behold, you know that which Saul has done, that he has cut off mediums, and the spirit-knowers, out of the land. And why are you laying a snare for my life, to kill me?


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And Saul swore to her by Jehovah, saying, As Jehovah lives, no evil shall happen to you because of this thing.


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And the woman saw Samuel, and cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!


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And the king said to her, Do not be afraid. For what have you seen? And the woman said to Saul, I have seen a god coming up out of the earth.


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And he said to her, What is his appearance? And she said, An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a robe. And Saul knew that he was Samuel. And he bowed his face to the earth, and prostrated himself.


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And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up. And Saul said, I am grievously distressed. And the Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned from me and has not answered me any more, either by the hand of the prophets, or by dreams. And I called for you to make known to me what I should do.


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And Jehovah is doing for Himself as He spoke by my hand. And Jehovah is tearing the kingdom out of your hand, and is giving it to your neighbor, to David.


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Because you did not listen to the voice of Jehovah, or execute the anger of His wrath on Amalek, on this account Jehovah is doing this thing to you today.


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Yea, Jehovah is also giving Israel into the hand of the Philistines along with you. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And Jehovah will give the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.


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And Saul hurried and fell the full length of his stature to the earth, and greatly feared from the words of Samuel. And there was no power in him, for he had not eaten food all that day, and all the night.


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And the woman came to Saul. And she saw that he was much terrified, and said to him, Behold, your servant has listened to your voice, and I put my life in my hand, and I obeyed your words which you spoke to me.


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And now please, you listen to the voice of your servant, and I will set before you a bit of bread; and eat, and there will be strength in you when you go on your way.


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And he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants forced him, and the woman also. And he listened to their voices and rose from the earth and sat on the bed.


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And the woman had a fat calf in the house. And she hurried and slaughtered it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and baked unleavened cakes of it.


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And she brought it near before Saul, and before his servants. And they ate, and rose up, and went on during that night.


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And the Philistines gathered all their armies to Aphek. And Israel was camped at a fountain in Jezreel.


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And the Philistine rulers were passing on by hundreds and by thousands. And David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish.


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And the Philistine rulers said, What are these Hebrews? And Achish said to the Philistine rulers, Is this not David the servant of Saul the king of Israel who has been with me these days and years? And I have not found anything evil in him from the day he fell away until today.


text:
And the Philistine rulers were angry against him. And the Philistine rulers said to him, Send the man back, and he shall return to his place where you have appointed him. And he shall not go down with us into battle, and shall not become a foe to us in battle. And with what should this one give pleasure to his master, if not with the heads of these men?


text:
Is this not David, of whom they answer in dances, saying, Saul has killed his thousands, and David his myriads?


text:
And Achish called David and said to him, As Jehovah lives, Surely you are upright and good in my eyes in your going out and in your coming in with me in the camp. For I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming in to me until today. But you are not good in the eyes of the rulers.


text:
And David said to Achish, But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day that I have been in your presence until today, that I may not go in and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?


text:
And Achish replied and said to David, I have known that you are good in my eyes, like an angel of God. But the rulers of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us into battle.


text:
And now, you and the servants of your lord who have come with you rise early in the morning. When you have light, then go.


text:
And David rose up early, he and his men, to go in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.


text:
And it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided to the Negeb, even to Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire.


text:
And they captured the women in it, from the small even to the great; they did not kill anyone, but they led them away, and went on their way.


text:
And David and his men came into the city. And, behold! It was burned with fire! And their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.


text:
And David and the people with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no power in them to weep.


text:
And the two wives of David had been taken, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the former wife of Nabal of Carmel.


text:
And David was greatly distressed, for the people said to stone him. For the soul of the people was bitter, each for his sons and for his daughters. And David made himself strong in Jehovah his God.


text:
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Please bring the ephod near to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.


text:
And David asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake it? And He said to him, Pursue, for you shall certainly overtake, and shall certainly recover.


text:
So David went on, he and six hundred men who were with him. And they came to the torrent Besor. And those that were left stood.


text:
And David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred men stood, who were too exhausted to pass over the torrent Besor.


text:
And they found a man, an Egyptian, in the field, and took him to David, and gave him food, and he ate. And they made him drink water.


text:
And they gave to him a piece of fig-cake, and two bunches of raisins. And he ate, and his spirit returned to him, for he had not eaten food nor drunk water three days and three nights.


text:
And David said to him, Whose are you? And from where do you come? And he said, I am an Egyptian youth, slave to an Amalekite man. And my lord abandoned me, for I had been sick three days.


text:
We raided the south of the Cherethites, and went against that belonging to Judah, and against the south of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag with fire.


text:
And David said to him, Are you able to bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear to me by God that you will neither put me to death, nor deliver me up into my master's hand, and I will bring you down to this troop.


text:
And he brought him down. And, behold, they were spread out over the face of all the earth, eating and drinking and feasting, with all the great plunder which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.


text:
And David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. And not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.


text:
And nothing was missing to them, from the small even to the great, and to sons and daughters, and from the plunder, even to all that they had taken for themselves; David brought back the whole of it.


text:
And David took all the flock, and the herd. They drove on before those other cattle. And they said, This is David's prize.


text:
And David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to go after David, and whom they caused to remain at the torrent Besor. And they went out to meet David, and to meet the people with him. And David came up to the people, and asked them of their peace.


text:
And every evil and worthless man of the men who had gone with David answered, and they said, Because they did not go with me, we will not give to them from the plunder which we have delivered, except to each man his wife and his sons. And let them take them and go.


text:
And David said, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Jehovah has given to us. And He has protected us, and has given the troop which came against us into our hand.


text:
And who will listen to you in this thing? For as the portion of him who goes down to battle, so shall be his share who remains by the baggage. They shall share together.


text:
And it was so, from that day and forward he commanded it for a statute and for an ordinance for Israel to this day.


text:
And David came to Ziklag. And he sent of the plunder to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, Behold, a blessing for you of the plunder of the enemies of Jehovah;


text:
and to those in Rachal, and to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the Kenites,


text:
And the Philistines were fighting against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from the face of the Philistines, and they fell down wounded in Mount Gilboa.


text:
And the Philistines followed Saul and his sons. And the Philistines struck Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.


text:
And the battle went hard against Saul. And the archers, men with the bow, found him and he was sorely wounded by the archers.


text:
And Saul said to his armorbearer, Draw your sword and thrust it through me, lest these uncircumcised ones come and thrust it through me and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not, for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.


text:
And the men of Israel who were beyond the valley, and who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons had died. And they abandoned the cities and fled. And the Philistines came in and lived in them.


text:
And it happened on the next day, the Philistines came to strip the wounded. And they found Saul and his three sons fallen down on Mount Gilboa.


text:
And they cut off his head, and stripped off his weapons, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around to proclaim the news in the house of their idols, and among the people.


text:
And they put his weapons in the house of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body on the wall of Beth-shan.


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And when they heard about it, the ones living in Jabesh-gilead, that which the Philistines had done to Saul,


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then all the mighty men rose up, and they went all the night; and they took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-shan. And they came to Jabesh, and burned them there.


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And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.


text:
And it happened, after the death of Saul, David returned from striking the Amalekites. And David remained in Ziklag two days.


text:
And it happened on the third day, behold, a man came in out of the camp from Saul. And his garments were torn, and earth on his head. And it happened as he came to David, he fell to the earth and prostrated himself.


text:
And David said to him, From where do you come? And he said to him, I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.


text:
And David said to him, How did the matter go? Please tell me. And he answered, The people fled from the battle and also a multitude of the people have fallen, and they died, and also Saul and his son Jonathan have died.


text:
And David said to the youth who was telling him, How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?


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And the youth who was telling him said, By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. And behold, Saul was leaning on his spear. And, behold, the chariots and the masters of horses closely followed him!


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And he said to me, Please stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me; for all my life is still in me.


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And I stood over him and killed him, for I knew that he could not live after his falling. And I took the crown on his head, and the bracelet on his arm, and I brought them to my lord here.


text:
And they mourned and wept and fasted until the evening, for Saul, and for his son Jonathan, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.


text:
And David said to the youth who told him, From where are you? And he said, I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.


text:
And David said to him, Why were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the anointed of Jehovah?


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And David called to one of the young men, and said, Draw near and fall on him. And he struck him, and he died.


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And David said to him, Your blood be on your own head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I caused to die the anointed of Jehovah.


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and he said to teach the sons 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; do not make it known in the streets of Ashkelon, that the daughters of the Philistines not rejoice; that the daughters of the uncircumcised not exult.


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Mountains of Gilboa, let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, not being anointed with oil.


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From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn the back; and the sword of Saul did not return empty.


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Saul and Jonathan! They were beloved and delightful in their lives; and in their death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.


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Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet delights, who brought ornaments of gold on your clothing.


text:
I am distressed over you, my brother Jonathan. You were very delightful to me; your love was wonderful to me, more than the love of women.


text:
And it happened after this, David asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Where shall I go up? And He said, To Hebron.


text:
And David went up there, and also his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the former wife of Nabal of Carmel.


text:
And David brought up his men of those who were with him, each man and his household. And they lived in the cities of Hebron.


text:
And the men of Judah came and anointed David king over the house of Judah there. And they told David, saying, It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.


text:
And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, Blessed are you of Jehovah, in that you have done this kindness with your lord, with Saul, that you have buried him.


text:
And now, may Jehovah do with you in kindness and truth. And I also will do good to you because you have done this thing.


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And now, let your hands be made strong, and be valiant; for your lord Saul is dead. And also, the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them.


text:
And Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the Saul's army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and caused him to cross over to Mahanaim.


text:
And he caused him to reign over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.


text:
Ishbosheth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed after David.


text:
And it happened, the number of the days that David was king in Hebron, over the house of Judah, was seven years and six months.


text:
And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.


text:
And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and David's servants went out. And they met by the pool of Gibeon, and sat down, these by the pool on this side, and those by the pool on that side.


text:
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men rise up now and play before us. And Joab said, Let them rise.


text:
And they rose up and went over by number, twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.


text:
And each one lay hold on the head of his companion, and thrust his sword into the side of his companion. And they fell together. And one called that place The Field of Rocks, which is in Gibeon.


text:
And the battle was very hard on that day, and the men of Israel and Abner were stricken before David's servants.


text:
And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was swift with his feet, like one of the gazelles in the field.


text:
And Asahel ran after Abner, and did not turn to go to the right or to the left from following Abner.


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And Abner said to him, Turn aside to your right, or to your left, and seize one of the young men for yourself, and take his spoil for yourself. And Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.


text:
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the earth? And how shall I lift up my face to your brother Joab?


text:
And he refused to turn aside. And Abner struck him in the belly with the butt of the spear. And the spear came out from behind him; and he fell there, and died in his place. And it happened that all who came to the place, there where Asahel fell and died, they stood still.


text:
And Joab and Abishai ran after Abner, and the sun was going. And they came to the hill of Ammah which is before Giah, by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.


text:
And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of a certain hill.


text:
And Abner called to Joab, and said, Does the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? And until when will you say to the people to turn back from after their brothers?


text:
And Joab said, As God lives, for if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone up, each one from following his brother.


text:
And Joab blew the ram's horn. And all the people stood still, and did not pursue Israel any more; nor did they fight any more.


text:
And Abner and his men went through the Arabah all that night, and crossed the Jordan, and went all the forenoon, and came to Mahanaim.


text:
And Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And he gathered all the people. And there were lacking nineteen men of David's servants, and Asahel.


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And David's servants had struck three hundred and sixty men of Benjamin, even among the men of Abner these died.


text:
And they lifted up Asahel and buried him in the burying place of his father, which is in Bethlehem. And they went all night, Joab and his men; and it was light to them coming into Hebron.


text:
And there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David was going on and was strong, but the house of Saul was going on and was weak.


text:
And his second was Chileab, of Abigail the former wife of Nabal of Carmel. And the third was Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur.


text:
And it happened while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong for the house of Saul.


text:
And Saul had a concubine, and her name was Rizpah the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?


text:
And Abner was exceedingly angry over the words of Ishbosheth. And he said, Am I a dog's head, that I deal with kindness with the house of your father Saul in regards to Judah today, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not caused you to be found in the hand of David, and you charge a stroke against me with this woman today?


text:
to cause the kingdom to pass over from the house of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan even to Beer-sheba.


text:
And Abner sent messengers to David for himself, saying, Whose is the land? He said, Cut your covenant with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you.


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And he said, Good, I will cut a covenant with you, but one thing I ask of you, saying, You shall not see my face except you first bring Michal the daughter of Saul when you come to see my face.


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And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, saying, Give up my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.


text:
And her husband went with her, going on and weeping behind her to Bahurim. And Abner said to him, Go, return. And he returned.


text:
And the word of Abner was with the elders of Israel, saying, Before now you have been seeking David for king over you.


text:
And now do it. For Jehovah has spoken of David, saying, By the hand of My servant David He will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.


text:
And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin. And Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that was good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.


text:
And Abner came to David, to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made a feast for Abner and for the men with him.


text:
And Abner said to David, let me rise up and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king. And they shall cut a covenant with you. And you shall reign over all that your soul desires. And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.


text:
And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop. And they brought much plunder with them. And Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away; and he had gone in peace.


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And Joab and all the army with him had come. And they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner has come to the king. And he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace.


text:
And Joab came to the king, and said, What have you done? Behold, Abner has come to you; why is this, that you have sent him away, and going he is gone?


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You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.


text:
And Joab left David, and sent messengers after Abner. And they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it.


text:
And Abner returned to Hebron. And Joab turned him aside into the middle of the gate, to speak with him privately. And he struck him in the belly there, and he died, because of the blood of his brother Asahel.


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And afterward David heard, and said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Jehovah forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner.


text:
May it whirl about the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that has an issue, or that is a leper, or that leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or that lacks bread!


text:
And Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in Gibeon, in battle.


text:
And David said to Joab, and to all the people with him, Tear your garments and gird on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David was following after the bier.


text:
And they buried Abner in Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.


text:
Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters. As one falls before sons of evil, you have fallen! And all the people wept again over him.


text:
And all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, So may God do to me, and still more, if I taste bread or anything before the sun goes in.


text:
And all the people took notice, and it was good in their eyes. As to all the king did, it was good in the eyes of all the people.


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And all the people, even all Israel, knew in that day that it was not from the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.


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And the king said to his servants, Do you not know that a leader and a great one has fallen this day in Israel?


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And I am weak today, though anointed king. And these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me. May Jehovah reward the doer of evil according to his evil!


text:
And the son of Saul heard that Abner was dead in Hebron. And his hands were feeble; and all those in Israel were terrified.


text:
And Saul's son had two men, troop commanders, one's name being Baanah, and the other's name Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is counted to Benjamin.


text:
And Jonathan the son of Saul had a lame son, he was a son of five years when the news of Saul and Jonathan came out of Jezreel; and his nurse lifted him up and fled; and it happened as she hurried 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 at the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth. And he was lying on his bed at noon.


text:
And they came to the middle of the house, bringing wheat. And they struck him in the belly. And Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped.


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And they entered the house, and he was lying on his bed in his bedroom; and they struck him and killed him, and took off his head. And they took his head and went the way of the Arabah all the night.


text:
And they brought Ishbosheth's head to David in Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ishbosheth the son of your enemy Saul, who sought your life. And may Jehovah give to my lord the king vengeance this day, on Saul and on his seed.


text:
And David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Jehovah lives, who has redeemed my life out of all distress,


text:
when one spoke to me, saying, Behold Saul is dead, and he was as a bearer of good news in his own eyes; even I seized and killed him in Ziklag. I gave that to him as a reward.


text:
And when wicked men have slain a righteous man in his own house on his bed, should I not even now seek his blood from your hand, and glean you from the earth?


text:
And David commanded his young men. And they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hung them by the pool in Hebron. And they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the burying place of Abner in Hebron.


text:
And all the tribes of Israel came to David, to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are your bone and we are your flesh.


text:
Both yesterday and the day before, when Saul was king over us, you were he who led out and brought in Israel. And Jehovah said to you, You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be for a leader over Israel.


text:
And all the elders of Israel came to the king, to Hebron. And King David cut a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah. And they anointed David as king over Israel.


text:
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty three years over all Israel and Judah.


text:
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites, those dwelling in the land. And one spoke to David, saying, You shall not come in here except the blind and the lame will turn you away, saying, David cannot come in here.


text:
And David said on that day, Anyone who strikes the Jebusite, approaching at the water shaft, let him capture the lame and the blind, the hated of the soul of David. On this account they say, The blind and the lame shall not enter into the house.


text:
And David lived in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward.


text:
And Hiram the king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built a house for David.


text:
And David knew that Jehovah had established him for king over Israel, and that He had lifted up his kingdom because of His people Israel.


text:
And David again took concubines and wives out of Jerusalem after he came from Hebron. And again sons and daughters were born to David.


text:
These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,


text:
And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David for king over Israel. And all the Philistines came up to seek David. And David heard and went down to the stronghold.


text:
And David asked of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.


text:
And David came to the Breaches of Baal. And David struck them there, and said, Jehovah has broken forth on my enemies before me as the breaking forth of waters. On account of this he called the name of that place The Breaches of Baal.


text:
And David asked of Jehovah, and He said, You shall not go up. Turn around to their rear, and come to them in front of the weeping trees.


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And it shall be, when you hear the sound of the marching in the tops of the weeping trees, then you shall strike. For then Jehovah shall go out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.


text:
And David did so, as Jehovah commanded him. And he struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.


text:
And David rose up and went, and all the people with him, from Baal-judah, to bring up the ark of God from there which is called by the Name, the Name of Jehovah of Hosts, who dwells above the cherubs.


text:
And they caused the ark of God to ride on a new cart, and took it from the house of Abinadab, which is in the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio the sons of Abinadab were leading the new cart.


text:
And they took it from the house of Abinadab, which is in the hill, with the ark of God. And Ahio was going before the ark.


text:
And David and all the house of Israel were dancing before Jehovah with all instruments of fir wood, with lyres and with harps, and with tambourines, and with sistra, and with cymbals.


text:
And when they came to the threshing floor of Nachon, and Uzzah reached out to the ark of God, and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it.


text:
Then the anger of Jehovah glowed against Uzzah. And God struck him there for the fault. And he died there by the ark of God.


text:
And it angered David because Jehovah broke out a break against Uzzah. And one calls that place The Breaking of Uzzah to this day.


text:
And David was not willing to bring the ark of Jehovah to himself, to the city of David. And David turned it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.


text:
And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months. And Jehovah blessed Obed-edom and all his house.


text:
And it was told to King David, saying, Jehovah has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that is his, because of the ark of God. And David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with joy.


text:
And it happened, when those bearing the ark of Jehovah had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.


text:
And David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of Jehovah with shouting, and with the sound of a ram's horn.


text:
And it happened, when the ark of Jehovah had come to the city of David, and Michal the daughter of Saul looked through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Jehovah, she despised him in her heart.


text:
And they brought the ark of Jehovah in, and set it up in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. And David caused burnt offerings to be offered before Jehovah, and peace offerings.


text:
And David finished offering the burnt offerings, and the peace offerings, and blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of Hosts.


text:
And he shared out to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, from man even to woman, to each one cake of bread and one date cake and one raisin cake. And all the people left, each one to his house.


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And David returned to bless his house. And Michal the daughter of Saul went out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who was uncovered today before the eyes of the slave-girls of his servants, as one of the vain ones shamelessly uncovers himself.


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And David said to Michal, Before Jehovah, who chose me over your father and over all your father's house, to command me to be leader over the people of Jehovah, and over Israel, so I danced before Jehovah.


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And I will be yet lighter than this, and shall be lowly in my own eyes. But with the slave-girls of whom you spoke, with them I will be honored.


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And it happened, when the king lived in his house, and Jehovah had given him rest from all his enemies all around,


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The king said to Nathan the prophet, See, now, I am living in a house of cedar, and the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.


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Go, and you shall say to My servant, to David, So says Jehovah, Will you build a house for Me, for My dwelling?


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For I have not dwelt in a house even from the day of My bringing the sons of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle.


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In all places in which I have gone with all Israel's sons, have I spoken a word with one of the tribes of Israel, those I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, Why have you not built for me a house of cedars?


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And now, so you shall say to My servant, to David, So says Jehovah of Hosts, I have taken you from the resting place, from following the flock, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.


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And I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.


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And I will designate a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and not be made to tremble any more. Nor shall the sons of evil afflict them again, as at the first,


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even from the day I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. And I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. And Jehovah declares to you that Jehovah will make you a house.


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When your days are fulfilled, and you lie with your fathers, then I shall raise up your seed after you, who shall come out from your bowels, and I shall establish his kingdom.


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I shall be a father to him, and he shall be a son to Me. When he sins, then I will chasten him with a rod of men, and with strokes of the sons of men.


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And your house shall be established, and your kingdom before you forever. Your throne shall be established forever.


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And King David came in and sat before Jehovah, and said: Who am I, O Lord Jehovah, and what is my house, that you have brought me here?


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And this was yet but little in Your eyes, O Lord Jehovah. But You have spoken also of Your servant's house for a time afar off. And is this the law of men, O Lord Jehovah?


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Because of Your Word, and according to Your heart, You have done all this greatness to make Your servant know.


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For this reason, O Jehovah God, You are great; for there is none like You; and there is no God except You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.


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And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation in the earth that God went out to redeem to be a people for Himself, and to make Himself a name, and to do for You great and fearful things for Your land, before Your people which You redeemed to Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods?


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Yea, You have established Your people Israel to Yourself, to You for a people forever. And You, O Jehovah have become their God.


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And now, O Jehovah God, establish the Word which You have spoken concerning Your servant, and concerning his house, forever. And do as You have spoken.


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And Your name shall be great forever, saying, Jehovah of Hosts is God over Israel, and the house of Your servant David is established before You.


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For You, O Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, You have uncovered the ear of Your servant, saying, I will build a house for you. On account of this Your servant has found his heart to pray to You this prayer.


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And now, O Lord Jehovah, You are God, and Your Words are truth, and You speak this goodness to Your servant.


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And now, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, to be forever before You. For You, O Lord Jehovah, have spoken, and with Your blessing shall the house of Your servant be blessed forever.


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And it happened afterward, David struck the Philistines, and humbled them. And David took the Bridle of the Metropolis out of the hand of the Philistines.


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And he struck Moab, and measured them with a line; making them to lie down on the ground. And he measured two lines to cause them to died, and one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites were slaves to David, bearers of a gift.


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And David struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the River.


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And David captured from him seventeen hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. And David hamstrung all of the chariot horses; he only left a hundred chariots of them.


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And the Syrians of Damascus came to give help to Hadadezer the king of Zobah. And David struck twenty two thousand men of Syria.


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And David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus. And the Syrians became servants to David, bearers of tribute. And Jehovah saved David in all places in which he went.


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And Toi sent his son Joram to King David to ask of his peace, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him. For Hadadezer had been a man of wars against Toi. And in his hand were silver articles, and golden articles, and bronze articles.


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King David also dedicated them to Jehovah, with the silver and the gold which he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued:


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from Syria, and from Moab, and from the sons of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek, and from the plunder of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, the king of Zobah.


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And David made a name for himself when he returned, after he had struck the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, eighteen thousand men.


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And he put garrisons in all Edom; and all Edom became servants to David. And Jehovah saved David in all places in which he went.


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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 both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were priests.


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And David said, Is there yet any left to the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness because of Jonathan?


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And the house of Saul had a servant, and his name was Ziba. And they called him to David. And the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, Your servant!


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And the king said, Is there not yet a man to the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him? And Ziba said to the king, There is yet a son to Jonathan, lame in both feet.


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And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to 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 to David and fell on his face, and prostrated himself. And David said, Mephibosheth! And he said, Behold, your servant.


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And David said to him, Do not be afraid, for I will certainly show kindness to you because of your father Jonathan. And I will give back to you all the land of your father Saul. And you shall eat bread at my table continually.


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And the king called to Ziba the servant of Saul, and said to him, All that belonged to Saul and to all his house, I have given to the son of your lord.


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And you shall till the land for him, you and your sons and your servants. And you shall bring in the fruits, so that your master's son may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread continually at my table. And Ziba had fifteen sons, and twenty servants.


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And Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do. And Mephibosheth was eating at my table like one of the king's sons.


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And Mephibosheth had a young son, and his name was Micha. And everyone living in Ziba's house were servants to Mephibosheth.


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And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the table of the king. And he was lame in both his feet.


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And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. And David sent to comfort him concerning his father by the hand of his servants. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon.


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And the leaders of the sons of Ammon said to their lord Hanun. Is David honoring your father in your eyes, because he has sent comforters to you? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?


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And Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their long robes in the center, to their buttocks; and he sent them away.


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And they told David, and he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Remain in Jericho until your beard grows; then you shall return.


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And the sons of Ammon saw that they were odious to David. And the sons of Ammon sent and hired Syrians from Beth-rehob, and Syrians from Zobah, twenty thousand footmen; and the king of Maacah with a thousand men; and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men.


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And the sons of Ammon came out and set the battle in order at the opening of the gate. And the Syrians of Zobah, and Rehob, and the men of Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.


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And Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind. And he chose from all the chosen in Israel, and set them in order to meet the Syrians.


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And the rest of the people he gave into the hand of his brother Abishai, and he set in order to meet the sons of Ammon.


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And he said, If the Syrians are stronger than I, then you shall be for me; and if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you, then I will come to help you.


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Be strong, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God. And may Jehovah do that which seems good in His eyes.


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And the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, and they fled before Abishai, and went into the city. And Joab returned from the sons of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.


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And Hadarezer sent and brought out the Syrians which were beyond the River. And they came to Helam, and Shobach was the commander of the army of Hadarezer before them.


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And it was told to David. And he gathered all Israel, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in order to meet David. And they fought with him.


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And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed from Syria seven hundred in chariots, and forty thousand horsemen. And he struck Shobach the commander of the army, and he died there.


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And all the kings, the servants of Hadarezer, saw that they had been stricken before Israel. And they made peace with Israel, and served them. And Syria feared to help the sons of Ammon any more.


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And it happened at the turn of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they destroyed the sons of Ammon, and lay siege to Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.


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And it happened at evening time, David rose up from his bed and walked up and down on the roof of the king's house. And he saw from the roof a woman bathing. And the woman was very good of form.


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And David sent and asked about the woman. And one said, Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?


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And David sent messengers and took her. And she came to him, and he lay with her. And she purified herself from uncleanness, and she returned to her house.


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And Uriah came to him. And David asked the peace of Joab, and the peace of the people, and of the success of the war.


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And David said to Uriah, Go down to your house and wash your feet. And Uriah went out of the king's house, and a gift from the king went out after him.


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Uriah lay down at the entrance of the king's house, with all the servants of his lord. And he did not go down to his house.


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And they told David, saying, Uriah did not go down to his house. And David said to Uriah, Have you not come from a journey? Why have you not gone down to your house?


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And Uriah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah dwell in booths. And my lord Joab, and my lord's servants are camping on the face of the field. And I, shall I go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.


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And David said to Uriah, Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you away. And Uriah remained in Jerusalem on that day, and on the next day.


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And David called for him, and he ate and drank before him. And he made him drunk, and he went out in the evening to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord. And he did not go down to his house.


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And he wrote in the letter, saying, Place Uriah in the front of the strongest battle, and withdraw from him, that he may be struck, and die.


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And it happened, as Joab watched the city, that he sent Uriah to the place where he knew there would be mighty men.


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And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab, and some of the people fell of David's servants. And Uriah the Hittite also died.


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And he commanded the messenger, saying, As you finish all the matters of the war, speaking to the king,


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then it shall be, if the king's fury rises, and he says to you, Why did you draw near to the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from off the wall?


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Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerub-besheth? Did not a woman throw a piece of a riding millstone on him from the wall, and he died in Thebez? Why did you draw near to the wall? Then you shall say, Also your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.


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and the messenger said to David, Surely the men have been mighty against us, and came out to us into the field. And we were on them to the entrance of the gate.


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And those shooting shot at your servants from off the wall, and some of the servants of the king are dead. And also your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.


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And David said to the messenger, You shall say to Joab, Do not let this thing be evil in your eyes. For the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it. And make him strong.


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And the mourning time passed by. And David sent and gathered her to his house; and she became his wife, and bore a son to him. And the thing which David had done was evil in the eyes of Jehovah.


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And Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said to him, There were two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor.


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But the poor one had nothing except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished. And it grew up with him, and with his sons together, and it ate of his morsel, and it drank from his cup, and it lay in his bosom. And it was like a daughter to him.


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And a traveler came to the rich one, and he spared to take of his own flock, and of his own herd, to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. And he took the ewe lamb of the poor man, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.


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And David's anger glowed greatly against the man. And he said to Nathan, As Jehovah lives, surely the man who did this is a son of death.


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And he shall repay fourfold for the ewe lamb, because he has done this thing, and because he had no pity.


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And Nathan said to David, You are the man! So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed you as king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.


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And I gave you the house of your master, and your master's wives into your bosom. And I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if that were too little, then I would have added to you these and those things.


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Why have you despised the Word of Jehovah, to do the evil in His eyes? You have stricken Uriah the Hittite by the sword, and you have taken his wife to yourself for a wife. And you have killed him by the sword of the sons of Ammon.


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And now the sword shall not turn aside from your house continually, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be a wife to you.


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So says Jehovah, Behold, I shall raise up evil against you out of your house, and shall take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor. And he shall lie with your wives in the sight of the sun.


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And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said to David, Jehovah also has put away your sin; you shall not die.


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Only, because you have made the enemies of Jehovah to scorn derisively by this thing, also the son who shall be born to you dying shall die.


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And Nathan went to his house, and Jehovah struck the boy whom the former wife of Uriah had borne to David. And it became sick.


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And David sought God for the child. And David fasted a fast, and went in and stayed the night, and lay on the earth.


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And the elders of his house rose up toward him, to raise him up from the earth. But he was not willing; and he ate no bread with them.


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And it happened on the seventh day, the boy died. And David's servants feared to tell him that the boy was dead, for they said, Behold, while the boy was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice. And how shall we say to him, The boy is dead? Then he may do harm.


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And David saw that his servants were whispering among themselves. And David understood that the boy was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the boy dead? And they said, He is dead.


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And David rose up from the earth, and bathed, and anointed. And he changed his clothing, and came into the house of Jehovah, and worshiped. And he came to his house, and commanded, and they brought bread for him; and he ate.


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And his servants said to him, What is this thing you have done? You fasted and wept because of the living boy, yet when the boy is dead, you have risen up and have eaten food?


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And he said, While the boy was alive, I fasted and wept. For I said, Who knows? Jehovah may be gracious to me and the boy may stay alive.


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And now he has died. Why this, that I should fast? Am I able to bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.


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And David comforted his wife Bathsheba. And he went in to her, and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him,


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And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and I have captured the city of waters.


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And now gather the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and take it; that I not take the city, and my name be called over it.


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And he took the crown of the kingdom off his head. And its weight was a talent of gold, and a precious stone was in it. And it was set on David's head. And he brought out the plunder of the city in great abundance.


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And he brought out the people in it, and put them to the saw, and to sharp tools of iron, and to axes of iron. And he caused them to go over into the brick kiln. And so he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.


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And afterward it happened that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, and her name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her.


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And Amnon was distressed, even to becoming sick, because of his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and it was hard in the eyes of Amnon to do anything to her.


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And Amnon had a friend, and his name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very shrewd man.


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And he said to him, Why are you, the king's son, so lean morning by morning? Will you not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.


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And Jonadab said to him, Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And your father will come in to see you, and you shall say to him, Please let my sister Tamar come in and give me food to eat. And she shall make the food before my eyes, so that I may see and may eat from her hand.


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And Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And the king came to see him. And Amnon said to the king, Please let my sister Tamar come, and she shall make two cakes before my eyes, and I shall eat from her hand.


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And David sent home to Tamar, saying, Please go to the house of your brother Amnon and make food for him.


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And Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house. And he was lying down. And she took the dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes before his eyes, and baked the cakes.


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And she took the baking pan and poured out before him. But he refused to eat, and Amnon said, Cause every man to go out from me. And every one of them went out from him.


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And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the inner room, and I shall eat from your hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made and brought them in to her brother Amnon, into the inner room.


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And she brought near to him to eat. And he lay hold on her, and said to her, Come lie with me, my sister.


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And she said to him, No, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel. Do not do this foolishness.


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And I, where should I cause my disgrace to go? And you, you shall be as one of the fools in Israel. But now, please speak to the king; for he shall not withhold me from you.


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But he was not willing to listen to her voice. And he was stronger than she, and humbled her, and lay with her.


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And Amnon hated her with a very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Get up and go!


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And she said to him, No, for this evil is greater than the other that you have done to me, to send me away. But he was not willing to listen to her.


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And he called his young man who attended him, and said, Now put this one out from me, and bolt the door after her.


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And a long tunic was on her, for so the virgin daughters of the king usually dressed. And his attendant brought her robes outside, and bolted the door after her.


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And Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore the long tunic on her, and put her hand on her head, and left; going on and crying out.


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And her brother Absalom said to her, Has your brother Amnon been with you? But now, my sister, keep silent. He is your brother. Do not set your heart on this thing. And Tamar lived in the house of her brother Absalom, but she was desolate.


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But Absalom did not speak either good or evil with Amnon, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had humbled his sister Tamar.


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And after two years it happened that Absalom had shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim. And Absalom called to all the sons of the king.


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And Absalom came to the king and said, Behold, your servant now has shearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.


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And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go now, and we shall not be too burdensome on you. But he urged him, and he was not willing to go, but he blessed him.


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And Absalom said, If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with you?


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And Absalom commanded his young men, saying, Now watch when Amnon's heart is glad with wine, and when I say to you, Strike Amnon, you shall kill him. Do not fear. Did not I command you? Be strong, and be valiant.


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And the young men of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom commanded. And all the king's sons rose up, and they each rode on his mule, and fled.


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And it happened while they were in the highway, even the report had come to David, saying, Absalom has stricken all the sons of the king, and not one of them is left.


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And the king rose up and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants were standing by with torn garments.


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And Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Do not let my lord say, They have killed all of the young men, the king's sons; for only Amnon is dead. For it has been settled by Absalom's command from the day of his humbling of his sister Tamar.


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And now, do not let my lord the king lay the word to heart, saying, All the king's sons have died; for only Amnon has died.


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And Absalom fled. And the young man who was watching lifted up his eyes and looked. And, behold! Many people were coming by the highway behind him, by the side of the hill.


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And Jonadab said to the king, See, the sons of the king have come; as the word of your servant, so it has been.


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And it happened as he finished speaking, behold, the king's sons came. And they lifted up their voice and wept. And also the king and all his servants wept with a very great weeping.


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And Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son all the time.


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And King David determined to go out to Absalom, for he had been comforted for Amnon, for he had died.


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And Joab sent to Tekoah and took a wise woman from there, and said to her, Pretend yourself to be a mourner now, and please put on garments of mourning. And do not anoint yourself with oil, and you shall be a woman mourning for one who died these many days.


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And you shall go to the king and speak with him according to this word. And Joab put the words into her mouth.


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And the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, and fell on her face to the earth, and bowed and said, Save, O king!


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And the king said to her, What shall be to you? And she said, Truly I am a widow woman, and my husband died.


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And your servant had two sons. And the two of them fought in the field, and there was no deliverer between them. And the one struck the other, and killed him.


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And, behold, the whole family has risen against your servant, and said, Give up him who struck his brother, and we shall kill him for the life of his brother whom he has slain. And we shall also destroy the heir. And they shall quench my coal which is left, so as not to set to my husband a name and remnant on the face of the earth.


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And the woman of Tekoah said to the king, My lord, O king, let the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house; and the king and his throne shall be guiltless.


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And the king said, Whoever speaks to you, you also shall bring him to me, then he shall not touch you any more.


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And she said, Please let the king remember Jehovah your God, that the avenger of blood not destroy any more, and that they may not destroy my son. And he said, As Jehovah lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.


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And the woman said, And why have you thought in this way about the people of God? Yea, the king is speaking this thing as a guilty one, in that the king has not brought back his outcast.


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For dying we die and are as water which is spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. And God does not take a life, but has devised plans so that the outcast is not cast out from Him.


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And now that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, because the people made me afraid; and your servant said, Please let me speak to the king; it may be the king shall do the word of his servant.


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For the king has listened, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man seeking to destroy me and my son together, out of the inheritance of God.


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And your servant said, Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting. For as a messenger of God, so is my lord the king, to understand the good and the evil. And Jehovah your God shall be with you.


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And the king answered and said to the woman, Please do not hide from me the thing that I am asking you. And the woman said, Then let my lord the king speak.


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And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman answered and said, As your soul lives, my lord, O king, none shall turn to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has spoken. For your servant Joab commanded me, and he put all these words in your servant's mouth.


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Your servant Joab has done this thing to turn about the face of the matter, and my lord is wise according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all that is in the land.


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And the king said to Joab, Behold, now, I have done this thing. Then go, bring back the young man Absalom.


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And Joab fell on his face to the earth, and bowed, and blessed the king. And Joab said, Today your servant has known that I have found grace in your eyes, my lord, O king, in that the king has done the word of his servant.


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And the king said, Let him turn to his house, and he shall not see my face. And Absalom turned to his house, and he did not see the king's face.


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And no man was handsome like Absalom in all Israel, to be so greatly praised. From the sole of his foot to his crown, there was not a blemish in him.


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And when he sheared his head (for it was at the end of days of days that he sheared it, because the hair was heavy on him, and he sheared it ), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels by the king's weight.


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And three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter. And her name was Tamar; she was a woman of a beautiful form.


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And Absalom sent to Joab, to send him to the king. But he was not willing to come to him. And he sent again a second time, and he was not willing to come.


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And he said to his servants, Behold, Joab's allotment is beside mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the allotment on fire.


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And Joab rose up and came to Absalom, to the house, and said to him, Why have your servants set my allotment on fire?


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And Absalom said to Joab, Behold, I sent to you, saying, Come here, and I will send you to the king to say, Why have I come from Geshur? It was good for me to be there still. And now, let me see the king's face, and if there is guilt in me, then you shall cause me to die.


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And Joab came to the king and told him. And he called to Absalom; and he came to the king, and bowed to him on his face to the earth before the king. And the king gave a kiss to Absalom.


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And it happened afterward that Absalom prepared a chariot for himself, and horses, and fifty men running before him.


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And Absalom rose up and stood by the side of the way of the gate. And it happened that every man who had a cause to come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him and said, Of what city are you? And he said, Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.


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And Absalom said to him, Behold, your matters are good and right. And there is no listener to you from the king.


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And Absalom said, Who shall make me a judge in the land, that every man who has a dispute, I will then declare him right, even with justice?


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And it happened, when a man drew near to bow himself to him, he put out his hand and laid hold on him, and gave him a kiss.


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And Absalom acted this way to all Israel who came in to the king for judgment. And Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel.


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And at the end of forty years, it happened, Absalom said to the king, Please let me go and I shall pay my vow that I have vowed to Jehovah, in Hebron.


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For your servant has vowed a vow when I lived in Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah bringing shall bring me back to Jerusalem, then I shall serve Jehovah.


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And Absalom sent spies among all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, then you shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.


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And two hundred men went out of Jerusalem with Absalom, chosen ones. And they went out in their simplicity and did not know anything.


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And Absalom sent Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, out of his city, out of Giloh, as he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong. And the people were going on and increasing with Absalom.


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And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise up, and we will flee; for we have no escape from the face of Absalom. Hurry to leave, that he not overtake us and bring evil down on us, and strike the city with the mouth of the sword.


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And the king's servants said to the king, According to all that my lord the king desires, behold, your servants will do.


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And the king went out, and all his household at his feet. And the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.


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And the king went out, and all the people at his feet. And they stood still at the house farthest away.


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And all his servants were passing on by his side, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came at his feet from Gath. These were passing on before the king.


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And the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why do you go, even you with us? Turn back and remain with the king, for you are an alien, and also you are an exile. Go to your place.


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You came in yesterday and today. Should I make you go with us, to go while I go, where I go? Turn back, and turn your brothers to go with you in kindness and truth.


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And Ittai replied to the king and said, As Jehovah lives, and my lord the king lives, surely in the place where my lord the king is, there your servant shall be, whether for death or for life.


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And David said to Ittai, Go on and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones with him.


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And all the land was weeping with a loud voice. And all the people were passing over. And the king was passing over through the torrent Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.


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And, behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set the ark of God down. And Abiathar went up until all the people finished passing on out of the city.


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And the king said to Zadok, Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, then He will bring me back and make me see it and His dwelling place.


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And if He says this, I have not delighted in you, behold, I am here. He shall do to me as seems good in His eyes.


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And the king said to Zadok the priest, Are you a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.


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And David was going up in the ascent of the olives, going up and weeping. And his head was covered, and he was going barefooted. And all the people who were with him each had covered his head, and had gone up, going up and weeping.


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And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray You, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolish.


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And it happened as David had come to the top, there where he bowed to God. And, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him, his tunic torn, and earth on his head.


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But if you return to the city, and shall say to Absalom, I also will be your servant, O king; I was servant of your father before now; and now I am also your servant. Then you can break down the counsel of Ahithophel for me.


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And do you not have there with you Zadok and Abiathar, the priests? And it shall be, you shall declare everything that you hear from the house of the king; you shall report to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests.


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Behold, there are with them their two sons, Ahimaaz to Zadok, and Jonathan to Abiathar. And you shall send to me by their hand anything that you hear.


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And David had passed on a little from the top. And behold, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, came to meet him with a couple of saddled asses, and on them two hundred loaves and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruit, and a skin of wine.


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And the king said to Ziba, What are these to you? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on, and the bread and the summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine for the wearied to drink in the wilderness.


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And the king said, And where is the son of your lord? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will give back to me the kingdom of my father.


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And the king said to Ziba, Behold, all that Mephibosheth has is yours. And Ziba said, I bow myself; may I find favor in your eyes, my lord, O king.


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And King David came to Bahurim. And, behold, a man was coming out from there, of the family of the house of Saul; and his name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, and he came cursing.


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And he stoned David with stones and all the servants of King David, and all the people, and all the mighty men on his right and on his left.


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Jehovah has turned back on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. And Jehovah shall give the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And, behold, you are taken in your mischief, for you are a man of blood.


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And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why does this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me pass over, and I will take off his head.


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And the king said, What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? For let him curse, even because Jehovah has said to him, Curse David. And who shall say, Why have you done so?


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And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son who came out of my loins is seeking my life, and surely now also the Benjamite. Leave him alone, and let him curse, for Jehovah has spoken to him.


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It may be Jehovah will look on my affliction, and Jehovah will return good to me for his cursing this day.


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And David went with his men in the highway, and Shimei was going along at the side of the hill across from him. As he went, he cursed, and stoned with stones across from him, and dusted with dust.


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And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, had come into Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.


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And it happened, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, Let the king live! Let the king live!


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And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness with your friend? Why have you not gone with your friend?


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And Hushai said to Absalom, No, for he whom Jehovah and this people have chosen, even all the men of Israel, his I shall be, and I shall remain with him.


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And a second time, Whom should I serve? Should I not serve before the face of his son. As I served before the face of your father, so shall I be before your face.


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And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's concubines, those he left to keep the house. And all Israel shall hear that you have become odious with your father. And the hands of all who are with you will be strong.


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And they spread out a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines before the eyes of all Israel.


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And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counseled in those days was as one who had inquired at the Word of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both to David and to Absalom.


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And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Please let me choose twelve thousand men, and I shall rise up and pursue David tonight.


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And I shall come on him, and he shall be weary and feeble handed. And I will make him tremble, and the people with him shall flee. And I shall strike the king by himself.


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And I shall bring all the people back to you when all return, except the man whom you are seeking. All the people shall be in peace.


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And Absalom said, Please call for Hushai the Archite also. And we shall hear what is in his mouth, also he.


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And Hushai came in to Absalom. And Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken according to this word. Shall we do this word? If not, you speak.


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And Hushai said, You have known your father and his men, that they are mighty men. And they are bitter of soul, like a bear bereaved of cubs in the field. And your father is a man of war, and shall not stay the night with the people.


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Behold, now he is hidden in one of the pits, or in one of the places. And it shall be, at the falling among them at the beginning, that whoever hears even shall say, There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.


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And also he, the son of valor, whose heart is as the heart of the lion, shall utterly melt. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those with him sons of valor.


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So I counsel this: Gathering, let all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude. And you in person shall go into battle.


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And we shall come in to him, in one of the places, there where he shall be found. And we shall fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of all the men who are with him, not even one shall be left.


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And if he is taken into a city, then all Israel shall bear ropes to that city. And we shall draw it into the torrent bed, until there shall not be found even a pebble.


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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. And Jehovah had ordained to break down the good counsel of Ahithophel, for the sake of bringing the evil of Jehovah to Absalom.


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And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests, Ahithophel has counseled this and this to Absalom and the elders of Israel. And I have counseled this and this.


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And now send quickly and tell David, saying, Do not stay in the fords of the wilderness tonight. And, also, crossing pass over, that there not be a swallowing up of the king and of all the people with him.


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And Jonathan and Ahimaaz were standing at En-rogel, for they were not able to be seen going into the city. And a slave-girl went and told them. And they went and told it to King David.


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And a youth saw them, and told Absalom. And they went on, both of them in haste, and came into the house of a man in Bahurim. And he had a well in his court, and they went down there.


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And the woman took and spread the covering over the well, and spread ground grain on it. And the thing was not known.


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And the servants of Absalom came in to the woman, to the house, and said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They passed over the river of water. And they looked and did not find them. And they returned to Jerusalem.


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And it happened after they left, they came up out of the well and went and told King David. And they said to David, Rise up and quickly pass over the waters, for Ahithophel has counseled this against you.


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And David and all the people with him rose up, and they passed over the Jordan until the light of the morning, until there was not one lacking who had not crossed the Jordan.


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And Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not done. And he saddled the ass and rose up and went to his house, to his city. And he gave command to his household, then hanged himself, and died. And he was buried in the burying place of his father.


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And Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. And Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, the sister of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab.


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And it happened as David came into Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash, from Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite, from Rogelim,


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brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and roasted grain, and beans, and lentils, and roasted grain,


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and honey, and curds and sheep, and cheese from the herd, for David, and for the people who 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 sent one third of the people by the hand of Joab, and one third by the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third by Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people. Going out I will go with you, I also.


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And the people said, You shall not go out, for if we flee they will not set their heart on us even if half of us die; for now you are like ten thousand to us. And now it is good that you be a helper for us from the city.


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And the king said to them, I will do that which is good in your eyes. And the king stood at the side of the gate, 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, For my sake deal gently with the young man, with Absalom. And all the people heard as the king commanded the commanders concerning Absalom.


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And the people of Israel were stricken before David's servants. And there was a great destruction on that day of twenty thousand.


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And the battle was scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured among the people more than the sword had devoured in that day.


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And Absalom came before David's servants. And Absalom was riding on a mule, and the mule came in under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught hold in the oak, and he was lifted up between the heavens and the earth. And the mule under him passed on.


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and Joab said to the man who told him, And behold, you have seen. And why did you not strike him to the earth there and call on me to give you ten silverlings and a girdle?


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And the man said to Joab, Yes, though I weighed a thousand silverlings in my hand, I would not put forth my hand to the king's son. For in our ears the king commanded you, and Abishai, and Ittai saying, Take heed, whoever goes against the young man, against Absalom.


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Or I would have dealt falsely against my soul. For no matter is hidden from the king, and you, you yourself would have set against me.


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And Joab said, I will not wait this wait before you. And he took three darts in his hand and struck them into Absalom's heart while he was alive, in the midst of the oak.


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And Joab blew the ram's horn, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab had held the people back.


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And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and set up a very great heap of stones over him. And all Israel fled, each one to his tent.


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And during his lifetime Absalom had taken and set up for himself a standing-pillar, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, I have no son to cause my name to be remembered. And he called the standing pillar by his name and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.


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And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Please let me run, and I will bear news to the king. For Jehovah has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies.


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And Joab said to him, You are not a man of tidings today. But you shall bear tidings another day. And today you shall not bear tidings, because the king's son is dead.


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And Joab said to Cushi, Go, tell the king that which you have seen. And Cushi bowed to Joab, and ran.


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And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, Yet whatever may be, please let me run after the Cushite, I also. And Joab said, Why is this that you are running, my son? Also for you there are no tidings found.


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And he said, Yet whatever it may be, let me run. And he said to him, Run. And Ahimaaz ran the way of the circuit and passed by the Cushite.


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And David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went to the roof of the gate and lifted up his eyes, and looked. And, behold, a man running by himself!


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And the watchman called and told the king. And the king said, If he is by himself, tidings are in his mouth. And he came, coming on, and drawing near.


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And the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, Behold, a man running by himself! And the king said, Also this one is bearing tidings.


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And the watchman said, I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, This is a good man and he comes with good news.


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And Ahimaaz called and said to the king, Peace! And he bowed on his face to the earth to the king and said, Blessed be Jehovah your God who has shut up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.


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And the king said, Peace to the young man, to Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, I saw the great tumult, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even your servant sent by Joab, but I do not know what.


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And, behold, the Cushite had come. And the Cushite said, News is borne, my lord, O king! For Jehovah has vindicated you today out of the hand of those rising up against you.


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And the king said to the Cushite, Peace to the young man, to Absalom? And the Cushite said, Let them be as the young man, the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have risen up against you for evil.


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And the king trembled. And he went up to the upper room of the gate and wept. And he said this as he went, My son! My son Absalom! My son Absalom! Oh that I had died instead of you, my son Absalom, my son!


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And the deliverance on that day became mourning to all the people, for the people had heard on that day, saying, The king is grieving for his son.


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And the people stole away on that day to go into the city, as the people steal away who are ashamed as they flee in battle.


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And the king had covered his face. Yea, the king cried with a loud voice, My son Absalom! Absalom my son, my son!


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And Joab came in to the king to the house, and said, You have put to shame today the faces of all your servants, those delivering your life today, and the life of your sons, and of your daughters, and the life of your wives, and the life of your concubines,


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by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you, for you have declared today that there are no leaders nor servants to you. For I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us dead today, that it would be right in your eyes.


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And now rise up; go out and speak to the heart of your servants. For I have sworn by Jehovah that if you do not go out, not a man shall remain with you tonight. And this would be worse for you than all the evil that has come on you from your youth until now.


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And the king rose up and sat in the gate. And they announced it to all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came in before the king. And Israel had fled, each one to his tents.


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And it happened, all the people were quarreling through all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies. Yea, he himself delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines. And now he has fled out of the land because of Absalom.


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And Absalom whom we anointed over us is dead in battle. And now why are you silent as to bringing back the king?


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And King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring back the king to his house? For the word of all Israel had come to the king, to his house.


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And say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? So shall God do to me, and more so He shall do, if you are not commander of the army before me all the days, instead of Joab.


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And he inclined the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, and they sent to the king, Return, you and all your servants.


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And the king returned and came in to the Jordan. And Judah had come 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, from Bahurim, hastened and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.


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And a thousand men were with him from Benjamin; also Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, and his thirteen sons and his twenty servants with him. And they had rushed over the Jordan before the king.


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And they had crossed over the ford to carry over the king's household, and to do the good in his eyes. And Shimei the son of Gera had fallen before the face of the king as he crossed over the Jordan.


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And he said to the king, Do not let my lord charge iniquity to me, nor shall you remember that which your servant perversely did in the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, for the king to take it to his heart.


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For your servant knows that I have sinned; and behold, I come today, the first of the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.


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And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of Jehovah?


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And David said, What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you are as my foe today? Shall any man be executed today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?


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And Mephibosheth the son of Saul had come down to meet the king. And he had not dressed his feet, nor had shaved his upper lip. Yea, he had not washed his garment, even from the day that he went away till the day that he came in peace.


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And it happened when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?


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And he said, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle the ass for myself and ride on it and go with the king, for your servant is lame.


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And he spoke slander against your servant to my lord the king. And my lord the king is as a messenger of God; yet you do that which is good in your eyes.


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For all the house of my father would be nothing except men of death before my lord the king, and you have set your servant among those eating at your table. And what right is there to me any more, even to cry any more to the king?


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And the king said to him, Why do you speak any more of your matters? I have said, You and Ziba share the land.


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And Mephibosheth said to the king, Yes, let him take all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his house.


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And Barzillai the Gileadite had gone down from Rogelim and had crossed over the Jordan with the king, to send him away over the Jordan.


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And Barzillai was very old, a son of eighty years, and he had sustained the king as he abode in Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.


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And Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?


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I am a son of eighty years today. Can I distinguish between good and evil? Can your servant taste that which I am eating, and that which I drink? Can I any more listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? And why should your servant be any more as a burden to my lord the king?


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Just a little way your servant shall cross over the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with this reward?


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Please let your servant return, and I shall die in my own city, near the burying place of my father and my mother. And, behold your servant Chimham! Let him cross over with my lord the king, and you do to him the good in your eyes.


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And the king said, Chimham shall go over with me, and I shall do to him that which is good in your eyes. Yea, all that you shall choose of me I will do for you.


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And all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over. And the king gave a kiss to Barzillai and blessed him. And he returned to his place.


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And the king crossed over to Gilgal. And Chimham crossed over with him, and all the people of Judah. And they brought the king over, and also half of the people of Israel.


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And, behold, all the men of Israel were coming to the king. And they said to the king, Why have they, our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away? For they brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him.


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And, behold, all the men of Judah answered against the men of Israel, Because the king is near to us. And why is this that you are angry about this matter? Have we at all eaten from the king, or has he given a gift to us?


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And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, We have ten hands in the king, and we also have more in David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our word was not first to bring back our king? And the word of the men of Judah was more fierce than the word of the men of Israel.


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And a man of worthlessness happened to be there, and his name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he blew the ram's horn and said, We have no part in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each man to his tents, O Israel.


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And every man of Israel went up from following David, going after Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.


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And David came into his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left to guard the house, and fed them. But he did not go in to them, and they were shut up to the day of their death in widowhood.


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And David said to Abishai, Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do more evil to us than Absalom. You take the servants of your lord and pursue him, that he not find fortified cities for himself, and deliver himself from our eye.


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And the men of Joab went out after him, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. And they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.


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They were near the great stone in Gibeon, and Amasa had gone before them. And Joab was girded with his war coat as his clothing; and over it was a belt with a sword fastened on his loins in its sheath. And as he went out, it fell out.


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And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? And Joab's right hand took hold of Amasa's beard to give a kiss to him.


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And Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab's hand. And he struck him with it in the fifth rib, and poured out his bowels to the ground, and did not strike him again. And he died. And Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.


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And a man stood beside him, of the young men of Joab; and he said, Whoever delights in Joab, and whoever is for David follow after Joab!


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And Amasa was wallowing in blood in the middle of the highway. And the man saw that all the people stood still. And he turned Amasa away from the highway to the field, and threw a garment over him, when he saw that all who came beside him stood still.


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When he was taken from the highway, every man passed on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.


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And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and to all the Berites. And they were gathered, and went after him also.


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And they went in and lay siege against him in Abel-beth-maachah, and mounded up a siege-mound against the city. And it stood against the outermost wall, and all the people with Joab were undermining, to cause the wall to fall.


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And a wise woman called out of the city, Hear! Hear! Please say to Joab, Come near here and I will speak to you.


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And he came near to her. And the woman said, Are you Joab? And he said, I am. And she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. And he said, I am hearing.


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And she spoke, saying, They spoke often in days gone by, saying, Asking they will ask at Abel, and so they ended all dispute.


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I am of the peaceful, faithful ones of Israel. You are seeking to destroy a city, and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah?


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The case is not such. For a man of the hills of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri is his name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. If you will give him up by himself, then I will go away from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head will be thrown over the wall to you.


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And the woman came to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. And he blew the ram's horn, and they were dispersed from the city, each man to his tents. And Joab went back to Jerusalem to the king.


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And Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites.


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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 Jehovah. And Jehovah said, It is for Saul and for his bloody house, because he killed the Gibeonites.


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And the king called for the Gibeonites and said to them (as to the Gibeonites, they were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel had sworn to them) and Saul sought to strike them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah.


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And David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I atone, and you bless the inheritance of Jehovah?


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And the Gibeonites said to him, We will have neither silver nor gold by Saul and by his house. Also, we will have no man in Israel put to death. And he said, What you say, I will do for you.


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And they said to the king, The man who destroyed us and schemed against us that we be wasted from standing in all the border of Israel was Saul.


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Let be given to us seven men of his sons to us. And we will expose them to Jehovah in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Jehovah. And the king said, I will deliver them.


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But the king spared Jonathan's son Mephibosheth the son of Saul because of the oath of Jehovah that was between them, between David and Jonathan, the son of Saul.


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And the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth. And he took the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.


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And he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they exposed them in the mountain before Jehovah. And the seven fell together. And they were executed in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.


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And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and stretched it out for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water poured on them out of the heavens. And she did not allow a bird of the heavens to rest on them by day nor the beast of the field by night.


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And David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of his son Jonathan from the rulers of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the plaza of Beth-shan, there where the Philistines hanged them in the day the Philistines struck Saul in Gilboa.


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And he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from there, and they gathered up the bones of those hanged.


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And they buried the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin, in Zelah, in the burying place of his father Kish, and did all that the king had commanded. And afterward God heard prayer for the land.


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And again the Philistines warred with Israel. And David went down, and his servants with him. And they fought with the Philistines. And David was weary.


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And Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of Rapha the giant, the weight of his spear being three hundred bronze shekels in weight, and was girded with a new sword, even he said to strike David.


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And Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, You shall not again go out with us to battle, that you not cause the lamp of Israel to go out.


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And it happened after this that the battle was again in Gob of the Philistines. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite struck Saph, who was among the sons of Rapha.


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And again the battle was in Gob with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite struck one of Goliath the Gittite, and the wood of his spear was like a weaver's beam.


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And again the battle was in Gath, and there was a man of stature, and the fingers of his hands were six, and the fingers of his feet six, twenty four in number. And he also had been born to Rapha.


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These four here born to Rapha the giant in Gath. And they fell by the hand of David, by the hand of his servants.


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And David spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.


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My God is my rock; I shall take refuge in Him; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge! My Savior, You shall save me from violence.


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In my distress I called on Jehovah, and I called to my God. And He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry was in His ears.


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And the earth shook and trembled, the foundations of the heavens were troubled, and were shaken; for He was angry.


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and the channels of the sea were seen; the world's foundations were revealed by the rebuke of Jehovah, from the blast of the breath of His nostrils.


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Jehovah rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands, He has repaid me.


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As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of Jehovah is tested; He is a shield to all those who seek refuge in Him.


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And I beat them as the dust of the earth; I crushed them small as the mire of the streets; I spread them out.


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And You delivered me from the strivings of my people; You kept me as the head of the nations; a people I have not known served me.


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and brings me forth from my enemies; yea, You raise me up above those rising up against me; You deliver me from the violent man.


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A tower of salvation is He to His king; even doing mercy to His anointed, to David and to his seed, until forever!


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And these are the last words of David, the saying of David the son of Jesse, and the saying of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel:


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The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: One ruling over man righteously, who rules in the fear of God,


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is as the light of the morning, as the sun shines; a morning without clouds; through shining after rain the tender grass sprouts from the earth.


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For is not my house so with God? For He has made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered in all things, and sure; for all my salvation, and all my desire, will He not make it grow?


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As to the ungodly, all of them shall be as a thorn driven away; for they cannot be taken by the hand;


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but the man who shall touch them must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear; they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.


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These are the names of the mighty ones who were called to David: He who sits in the seat of the Tachmonite, chief of the captains; He was called Adino the Eznite, because of the eight hundred he killed at one time.


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And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the son of the Ahohite. He was of the three mighty men with David when they taunted the Philistines, when they were gathered there to battle; and the men of Israel went up;


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he rose up and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And Jehovah worked a great salvation on that day, and the people returned after him only to plunder.


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And next was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines had gathered into a company, and there was a plot of the field full of lentils, and the people had fled before the Philistines.


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And he set himself in the midst of the plot, and delivered it, and struck the Philistines. And Jehovah worked out a great salvation.


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And three of the thirty commanders went down and came to the harvest, to David, to the cave of Adullam. And the company of the Philistines was camping in the Valley of the Giants.


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And David longed, and said, Who shall give me drink from the water of the well of Bethlehem beside the gate?


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And the three mighty ones cut through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem beside the gate, and took it up, and brought it to David. But he was not willing to drink it, and poured it out to Jehovah;


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and said, Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it not the blood of the men who went with their lives? And he was not willing to drink it. The three mighty ones did these things.


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And Abishai the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was the commander of three. And he raised up his spear against three hundred, and killed them. And to him was a name among the three.


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With honor he was honored more than the three. And he was the commander to them, but he did not come to the first three.


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And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel, a son of a mighty man, great in deeds; he killed two lionlike men of Moab. And he went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit in a day of snow.


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And he killed an Egyptian, a man of form; and a spear was in the Egyptian's hand; and he went down to him with a staff and tore away the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.


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He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not come to the first three. And David set him over his guard.


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Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite; Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin;


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Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite; Eliam the son of Ahithophel, the Gilonite;


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And again the anger of Jehovah glowed against Israel, and moved David against them, to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.


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And the king said to Joab, the commander of the army with him, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.


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And Joab said to the king, Yea, may Jehovah your God add to the people, however many they may be, a hundredfold. And may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?


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But the word of the king prevailed against Joab, and against the army commanders. And Joab and the army commanders went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel.


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And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in Aroer, on the right of the city, in the middle of the Valley of Gad, and to Jazer.


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And they came into Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi. And they came to Dan-jaan, and around to Sidon.


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And they came into the fortress of Tyre, and all the cities of the Hivite, and of the Canaanite. And they went out to the south of Judah, to Beer-sheba.


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And they went to and fro through all the land, and came in to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.


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And Joab gave the count from the numbering of the people to the king. And Israel was eight hundred thousand mighty men drawing sword; and the men of Judah five hundred thousand men.


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And after he had numbered the people, the heart of David struck him. And David said to Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. And now, O Jehovah, I pray, take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.


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And David rose up in the morning; and the Word of Jehovah came to Gad the prophet, David's seer, saying,


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Go and you shall speak to David, So says Jehovah, I am setting up three things for you; you choose one of them and I will do it for you.


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And Gad came in to David and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee before your adversary three months, and they pursue you? Or shall three days' plague come into your land? Now consider, and see what I shall take back to Him who sent word to me.


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And David said, Because of this it is great distressing to me. Let us fall now into the hand of Jehovah, for many are His mercies; and do not let me fall into the hand of man.


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And Jehovah sent a plague on Israel from the morning even to the time appointed. And from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand of the people died.


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And the angel put forth his hand to Jerusalem, to destroy it. And Jehovah had pity as to the evil, and said to the angel who was destroying among the people, Enough! Now drop your hand. And the angel of Jehovah was near the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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And when he saw the angel who was striking among the people, David spoke to Jehovah and said, Behold, I have sinned. Yea, I have acted perversely. And these, the flock, what have they done? Now let your hand be on me, and on my father's house.


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And Gad came in to David on that day and said to him, Go up, raise up an altar to Jehovah in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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And Araunah looked and saw the king and his servants crossing over to him. And Araunah went out and bowed himself to the king, his nose to the earth.


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And Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor from you, in order to build an altar to Jehovah; and the plague will be stayed from the people.


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And Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up that which is good in his eyes. Behold, the oxen for a burnt offering, and the threshing instruments, and the yokes of the oxen for wood.


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O king, all these Araunah gives to the king. And Araunah said to the king, May Jehovah your God accept you.


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And the king said to Araunah, No, for buying I will buy from you for a price, and I will not offer to Jehovah my God burnt offerings for nothing. And David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.


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And David built an altar there to Jehovah, and offered burnt offering and peace offerings. And Jehovah was entreated for the land; and the plague was stayed from Israel.


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And his servants said to him, Let them seek out a young woman for my lord the king, a virgin, and she shall stand before the king, and be a nurse to him, and lie in your bosom, and my lord the king shall have heat.


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And they sought out a beautiful young woman in all the border of Israel. And they found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her in to the king.


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And the young woman was exceedingly beautiful, and she was a nurse to the king and served him. But the king did not know her.


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And Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will reign. And he prepared a chariot for himself, and horsemen, and fifty men running before his face.


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And his father had not troubled him all his days, saying, Why have you done so? And he also was very good of form, and one had borne him after Absalom.


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And his words were with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest. And they helped, going after Adonijah.


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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 who were to David, were not with Adonijah.


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And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings near the Stone of Serpents which is near En-rogel. And he called all his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king.


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And Nathan spoke to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and our lord David does not know?


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And now, come, please let me counsel you with counsel, and save your life, and the life of your son Solomon.


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Go up and go in to King David. And you shall say to him, My lord, O king, have you not sworn to your handmaid, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? And why does Adonijah reign?


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Behold, while you are speaking with the king, then I will come in after you and will confirm your words.


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And Bathsheba came in to the king, to the inner room. And the king was old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.


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And she said to him, My lord, you have sworn to your handmaid by Jehovah your God, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.


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And he sacrifices oxen, and fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not called to your servant Solomon.


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And you, my lord O king, the eyes of Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.


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And it will be, when my lord the king lies with his fathers, that I, my son Solomon and I, shall be offenders.


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And they told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet! And he came in before the king and bowed to the king, his nose to the earth.


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And Nathan said, My lord O king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?


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For he has gone down today and sacrificed oxen, and fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and they are saying, Let King Adonijah live!


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But as for me, I, your servant, and for Zadok the priest, and for Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and for your servant Solomon, he has not called.


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If this thing is to come about from my lord the king, then you have not caused your servant to know who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.


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And King David replied and said, Call Bathsheba for me. And she came in before the king, and stood before the king.


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surely as I swore to you by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place; surely so I will do this day.


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And Bathsheba bowed her face to the earth, even bowing to the king, and said, Let my lord King David live forever.


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And King David said, Call Zadok the priest for me and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came in before the king.


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And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and you shall cause my son Solomon to ride on my mule, and cause him to go down to Gihon.


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And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him there as king over Israel. And you shall blow with the ram's horn and shout, Let King Solomon live!


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And you shall come up after him, and let him come and sit on my throne, for he shall reign in my place. For I have appointed him ruler over Israel, and over Judah.


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And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen! So says Jehovah the God of my lord the king.


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As Jehovah has been with my lord the king, so shall He be with Solomon, and shall make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.


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And Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went out and caused Solomon to ride on King David's mule, and caused him to go to Gihon.


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And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew with the ram's horn, and all the people shouted, Let King Solomon live!


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And all the people came up after him. And the people were piping with pipes, and rejoicing with great joy. And the earth was torn with their sound.


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And Adonijah heard, and all those invited, who were with him. And they stopped eating. And Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn, and said, What is this noise roaring from the city?


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And he was still speaking, and, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came in. And Adonijah said, Come in, for you are a mighty man and bear good news.


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And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Truly our lord, King David, has caused Solomon to reign.


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And the king sent Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet with him, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And they caused him to ride on the king's mule.


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And they anointed him, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, as king in Gihon. And they have come up from there rejoicing. And the city was roaring. It is the noise that you heard.


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And also the king's servants have come in to bless our lord, King David, saying, Your God shall make the name of Solomon better than your name, and his throne greater than your throne. And the king bowed himself on the bed.


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And also the king has said, Blessed is Jehovah the God of Israel who has today given one sitting on my throne, and my eyes seeing it.


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And Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, and he rose up and went and lay hold on the horns of the altar.


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And it was told to Solomon, saying, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon. And, behold, he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me as of today that he will not put his servant to death by the sword.


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And Solomon said, If he becomes a son of virtue, not a hair of his head shall fall to the earth. But if evil is found in him, then he shall die.


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And King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came in and bowed to King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, Go to your house.


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and keep the charge of Jehovah your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commands, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may do wisely all that you do, and there wherever you may turn,


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so that Jehovah may establish His Word which He spoke to me, saying, If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, saying, There shall not be a man to you cut off from the throne of Israel.


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And also, you know that which Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, that which he did to the two army commanders of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, that he murdered them, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his girdle, on his loins and in his sandals on his feet;


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and you shall do according to your wisdom, and shall not let his gray hair go down to Sheol in peace.


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You shall be merciful to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and they shall be among those eating at your table, for so they drew near to me when I fled from the face of your brother Absalom.


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And, behold, with you is Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim. And he cursed me with a grievous cursing in the day I went to Mahanaim. And he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Jehovah, saying, I will not cause you to die by the sword.


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And now, do not acquit him, for you are a wise man, and you know that which you shall do to him and shall bring his old age down with blood to Sheol.


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And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty three years in Jerusalem.


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And Adonijah the son of Haggith came in to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon. And she said, Do you come in peace? And he said, Peace.


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And he said, You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their faces toward me to reign. Yet the kingdom has been turned around and is my brother's, because it was his from Jehovah.


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And he said, Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not turn away your face, that he give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.


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And Bathsheba came in to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed to her, and sat on his throne, and placed a throne for the king's mother. And she sat at his right hand.


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And she said, I ask one small petition of you. Do not turn away my face. And the king said to her, Ask, my mother, for I will not turn away your face.


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And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, And why are you asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Also ask the kingdom for him, for he is my older brother; yea, for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.


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And King Solomon swore by Jehovah, saying, So shall God do to me, and so shall He do more, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his life.


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And now, as Jehovah lives, who has established me and caused me to sit on the throne of my father David, and who has made a house for me, as He spoke, surely today Adonijah shall be made to die.


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And the king said to Abiathar the priest, Go to Anathoth, to your fields. For you are a man of death. But I will not at this time cause you to die, because you have borne the ark of the Lord Jehovah before my father David, and because you were afflicted in all the things with which my father was afflicted.


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And Solomon drove Abiathar from being priest to Jehovah, to fulfill the Word of Jehovah which He spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.


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And the report came to Joab, for Joab had turned aside after Adonijah though he did not turn aside after Absalom. And Joab fled to the tabernacle of Jehovah, and lay hold on the horns of the altar.


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And it was told to King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tabernacle of Jehovah, and, behold, he was by the altar. And Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall on him.


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And Benaiah came into the tabernacle of Jehovah and said to him, So says the king, Come out. And he said, No, but I will die here. And Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying, So says Joab. Yea, so he answered me.


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And the king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him, and turn aside the innocent blood which Joab shed, off of me and off of my father's house.


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And Jehovah shall turn back his blood on his own head, who has fallen on two men more righteous and better than he, and murdered them with the sword; and my father David not knowing: Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah.


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Yea, He shall turn back their blood on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed forever. And as for David and for his seed, and for his house, and for his throne, there shall be peace forever from Jehovah.


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And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell on him, and caused him to die. 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 place over the army. And the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.


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And the king sent and called Shimei and said to him, Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, and do not go out from there anywhere.


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And it shall be, in the day you go out and cross the torrent Kidron, knowing you shall know that dying you shall die; your blood shall be on your head.


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And Shimei said to the king, The word is good. As my lord the king has spoken, so your servant shall do. And Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.


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And it happened at the end of three years, two of Shimei's servants fled to Achish the son of Maachah, the king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, your servants are in Gath.


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And Shimei rose up and saddled his ass 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 to him, Did I not cause you to swear by Jehovah, and testify to you, saying, In the day you go out, and you have gone anywhere, knowing you shall know that dying you shall die. And you said to me, The word I have heard is good.


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And the king said to Shimei, You shall know all the evil that your heart has known, that which you did to my father David. Now Jehovah has turned back your evil on your head.


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And King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Jehovah forever.


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And the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell on him, and he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.


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And Solomon made an alliance by marriage with Pharaoh the king of Egypt. And he took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David, until he finished building his own house, and the house of Jehovah, and the wall of Jerusalem all around.


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Only, the people were sacrificing in high places, for a house for the name of Jehovah had not been built until those days.


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And Solomon loved Jehovah, to walk in the statutes of his father David. Only, he was sacrificing in high places and burning incense.


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And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.


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Jehovah appeared to Solomon in Gibeon in a dream of the night. And God said, Ask. What shall I give to you?


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And Solomon said, You have done great kindness to Your servant, my father David, as he walked before You in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with You. And You have kept for him this great kindness, and have given to him a son sitting on his throne, as today.


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And now, O Jehovah my God, You have caused Your servant to reign instead of my father David. And I am a little man-child; I do not know to go out and to come in.


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And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a numerous people that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude.


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Also give to Your servant an understanding heart, to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this, Your great people?


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And God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself many days, nor asked riches for yourself, nor asked the life of your enemies, and have asked for discernment for yourself, to understand judgment,


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behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given to you a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like you before you, and after you none shall rise up like you.


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And also, I have given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, that there shall not be a man like you among the kings all your days.


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And if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commands, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.


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And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream! And he came into Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and offered burnt offerings, and made peace offerings. And he made a banquet for all his servants.


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And the one woman said, O my lord, this woman and I were living in one house. And I gave birth, with her in the house.


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And it happened on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were together; no stranger was with us in the house, only we two in the house.


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And she rose up in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me and laid it in her bosom; and your handmaid was asleep. And she laid her dead son in my bosom.


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And I rose up in the morning to suckle my son; and behold! It was dead. And I looked at it in the morning; and, behold, it was not my son whom I had borne.


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And the other woman said, No, but my son is the living, and your son the dead. And this one said, No, but your son is dead, and my son the living. And they spoke before the king.


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And the king said, This one says, This is my son, the living one, and your son the dead. And that one says, No, but your son is the dead, and my son the living.


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And the king said, Divide the living child into two, and give the half to the one, and the half to the other.


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And the woman whose son was the living one said to the king (for her womb yearned over her son) yea, she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and do not at all put it to death. And this one said, Let it be neither yours or mine, divide it.


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And the king answered and said, Give to her the living child, and do not put it to death at all; she is its mother.


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And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had judged, and feared from the face of the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.


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Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, were the scribes, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud the recorder.


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And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers. And Zabud the son of Nathan was the minister and friend of the king.


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And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel. And they sustained the king and his household. Each man had one month in the year to provide.


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Baana the son of Ahilud to whom was Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean (which is by Zartanah below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, to the place that is beyond Jokneam);


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the son of Geber in Ramoth-gilead (to him were the towns of Jair, Manasseh's son, which are in Gilead; and to him was the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);


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Geber the son of Uri was in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan; and there was one officer who was in the land;


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And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. They brought presents 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 deer and gazelles, and roebucks, and fattened fowl.


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For he had the rule over all on this side of the River, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side of the River. And he had peace on all sides from around him.


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And Judah and Israel lived securely, 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 food for King Solomon, and for all who came to King Solomon's table, a man in his month: they did not lack anything.


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They also brought barley and straw for the horses and mules to the place where the officers were, each man according to his charge.


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And God gave Solomon exceeding great wisdom and understanding, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the lip of the sea.


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And Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and than all the wisdom of Egypt.


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For he was wiser than all men; wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his name was in all nations all around.


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And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree in Lebanon, even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fish.


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And there came some from all the people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.


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And Hiram the king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, for he heard that they had anointed him king instead of his father. For Hiram was a lover of David all his days.


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You knew my father David, that he was not able to build a house to the name of Jehovah his God because of the wars that were all around him, until Jehovah had put them under the soles of his feet.


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And, behold, I am commanding a house to be built to the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spoke to my father David, saying, Your son whom I will appoint in your place on your throne, he shall build the house for My name.


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And now, command and they shall cut down for me cedars out of Lebanon. And my servants shall be with your servants. And I will give you hire for your servants according to all that you say. For you know that there is not a man among us knowing to cut timber like the Sidonians.


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And it happened, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced exceedingly, and said, Blessed be Jehovah today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.


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And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have heard that for which you have sent to me. I will do all your will as to cedar wood and fir wood.


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My servants will bring it down from Lebanon to the sea. And I will make floats for them in the sea to go to the place that you tell me. And I will spread them out there; and you shall take them up. And you shall do what I desire, to give food for my house.


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And Solomon gave to Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat, food for his house; and twenty measures of beaten oil. This Solomon gave to Hiram year by year.


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And Jehovah gave wisdom to Solomon, as He had spoken to him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they cut a covenant, the two of them.


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And King Solomon caused a labor force to go out of all Israel; and the labor force was thirty thousand men.


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And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses. They were a month in Lebanon, two months in their own house. And Adoniram was over the labor force.


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besides the rulers of Solomon's overseers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, those ruling over the people who were working in the work.


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And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, quarried stones, to lay the foundation of the house.


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And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders, and the Giblites, cut and prepared the wood and the stones to build the house.


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And it happened in the four hundred and eightieth year from the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year, in the month of Zif, it is the second month, in the reigning of Solomon over Israel he built the house for Jehovah.


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As to the house that King Solomon built for Jehovah, its length was sixty cubits, its breadth twenty, and its height thirty cubits.


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As to the porch on the front of the temple of the house, its length was twenty cubits according to the breadth of the house; its breadth on the front of the house was ten cubits.


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And he built a side-structure on the wall of the house all around, against the walls of the house all around; to the temple and to the sanctuary. And he made side sections all around.


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The lowest side-structure was five cubits wide; and the middle was six cubits wide; and the third story side-structure was seven cubits wide. For outside of the house he made narrowed ledges for the house all around, so as not to lay hold of the walls of the house.


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And when it was being built, the house was built of finished stone made ready beforehand. And there was not heard in the house a hammer or an axe, or any iron tool, while it was being built.


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The door for the middle side section was in the right side of the house. And they went up with winding stairs into the middle one; and from the middle one into the third.


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And he built the side-stories on all the house, each five cubits in height; and they held to the house with cedar wood.


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As to this house that you are building, if you shall walk in My statutes, and shall do My judgments, and shall do all My commandments, to walk in them, then I shall lift up My word with you which I spoke to your father David.


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And he built the walls of the house inside with beams of cedar, from the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling. He overlaid the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with boards of fir.


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And he built the twenty cubits on the back part of the house with boards of cedar, from the floor to the walls. And he built for it inside, for the sanctuary, for the Holy of Holies.


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And the cedar for the house inside was with carvings of gourds and flowers spread out; the whole was cedar; not a stone was seen.


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And he prepared the Holy of Holies in the midst of the house, to place the ark of the covenant of Jehovah there.


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And the face of the Holy of Holies was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in height. And he overlaid it with refined gold, and overlaid the altar with cedar.


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And Solomon overlaid the house inside with refined gold, and caused it to pass over in chains of gold to the face of the Holy of Holies, and overlaid it with gold.


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And he overlaid all of the house with gold, until all of the house was complete. And he overlaid with gold all of the altar that belonged to the Holy of Holies.


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And one wing of the cherub was five cubits; and the second wing of the cherub five cubits; ten cubits from the ends of its wings even to the ends of its wings.


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And he set the cherubs in the middle of the inner house. And they spread out the wings of the cherubs. And the wing of the one touched the wall; and the wing of the second touched the second wall; and their wings were to the middle of the house, coming wing against wing.


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And all the walls of the house all around he carved with figures of cherubs and palm trees, and spread out flowers inside and out.


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As to the entrance of the Holy of Holies, he made doors of the olive tree; the lintel, the side posts, being a fifty part.


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And the two doors were of olive wood. And he carved on them carvings of cherubs, and palm trees, and spread out flowers; and he overlaid them with gold. And he caused the gold to go down on the cherubs and on the palm trees.


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And the two doors were of fir wood; the two sides of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.


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And he carved cherubs, and palm trees, and spread out flowers, and overlaid them with gold fitted on the carved work.


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And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, the eighth month, the house was finished as to all its parts, and according to all its plans. So he built it for seven years.


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And he built the house of the forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits, and its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits on four rows of cedar pillars, and cedar beams on the pillars.


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And all the doors and the side posts were square along with the windows; and the front of a window was against a window in three rows.


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And he made the porch of the pillars, its length fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. And the porch was before them; and the pillars and the roof were over them.


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And he made the porch of the throne where he judged, the porch of judgment. And it was covered with cedar from floor to floor.


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As to his house where he lived, the other court was within the porch, as this work was. Solomon also made a house for Pharaoh's daughter whom he had taken, like this porch.


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And these were of costly stones according to the measures of hewn stones, sawed with a saw, inside and out, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside, to the great court.


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And the foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits.


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And the great court all around was three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams, even for the inner court of the house of Jehovah, and for the porch of the house.


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He was the son of a widow woman of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father a man of Tyre, an engraver in bronze. And he was filled with the wisdom and understanding and knowledge to do all work in bronze. And he came to King Solomon and did all his work.


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And he formed the two pillars of bronze; eighteen cubits was the height of the one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits went around the second pillar.


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And he made two capitals to put on the tops of the pillars, cast in bronze; five cubits was the height of the one capital, and five cubits the height of the second capital.


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He made gratings of network with twisted threads of chain-work, for the capitals on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital.


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And he made the pillars. And two rows were all around on the one grating, to cover the capitals on the top with the pomegranates. And so he did for the other capital.


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And the capitals were on the two pillars, also above, over against the belly which was by the grating; and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows all around on the other capital.


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And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple. And he set up the right pillar and called its name Jachin. And he set up the left pillar, and called its name of Boaz.


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And he made a casted sea of ten cubits from brim to brim; it was round all about. And its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits went around it all about.


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And gourds were below its brim all around, going around it, ten by the cubit, circling the sea all around; the gourds were cast in two rows when it was cast.


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It stood on twelve oxen: three facing the north, and three facing the west, and three facing the south, and three facing the east. And the sea was above on them; and all their hinder parts were inward.


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And its thickness was one hand wide; and its brim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, with a bud of a lily. It contained two thousand baths.


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And he made ten bases of bronze; four cubits the length of the one base, and four cubits the breadth, and three cubits the height.


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And on the borders that were between the stays were lions, oxen, and cherubs. And a pedestal was on the stays above. And below the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work.


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And the one base had four wheels of bronze, and axles of bronze. And its four feet were supports to them; under the basin were casted supports with wreaths at each side.


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And its mouth within and above the capital was a cubit; and its mouth was round like the work of a pedestal, a cubit and half of the cubit. And also on its mouth were carvings; and their borders were square, not round.


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And the four wheels were under the borders. And the hands of the wheels were in the base; and the height of the one wheel was a cubit and a half.


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And the work of the wheels was as the work of a chariot wheel, their hands, and their rims, and their spokes, and their hubs were all casted.


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And in the top of the base was a round compass of half a cubit high. And on the top of the base its sides and its borders were from it.


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And he engraved cherubs, lions, and palm trees on the plates of its sides, and on its borders, as the place of each, with wreaths all around.


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And he made ten basins of bronze; the one basin contained forty baths. The one basin was four cubits, one basin on the one base, to the ten bases.


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And he put the five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. And he put the sea on the right side of the house, eastward, across from the south.


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And Hiram made the basins, and the shovels, and the bowls. And Hiram finished all the work that he made for King Solomon for the house of Jehovah:


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two pillars, and two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; and the two gratings 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 gratings, two rows of pomegranates for each grating, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars;


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and the pots, and the shovels, and the basins. And all these vessels which Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of Jehovah were of burnished bronze.


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The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the thick soil of the ground between Succoth and Zarethan.


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And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed because they were very, very many; the weight of the bronze was not searched out.


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And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Jehovah: the altar of gold; and the table of gold on which was the Bread of the Presence;


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and the lampstands, five on the right and five on the left before the Holy of Holies, of refined gold, and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs were of gold;


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and the basins, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and the firepans were of refined gold; and the hinges for the doors of the inner house, for the Holy of Holies, for the doors of the house of the temple were of gold.


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And it was complete, all the work that King Solomon had made for the house of Jehovah. And Solomon brought in the sanctified things of his father David: the silver, and the gold, and the vessels he had put into the treasuries of the house of Jehovah.


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Then Solomon gathered the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion.


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And all the men of Israel were gathered to King Solomon, in the month of Ethanim, at the feast, which is the seventh month.


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and brought up the ark of Jehovah, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those the priests and the Levites brought.


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And King Solomon and all the company of Israel who had assembled to him were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.


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And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah to its place, to the holy place of the house, into the Holy of Holies, to the place of the wings of the cherubs;


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for the cherubs were spreading forth their wings to the place of the ark, and the cherubs covered over the ark, and over its staves from above.


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And they lengthened the staves, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place on the front of the Holy of Holies, and were not seen outside; and they are there to this day.


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Nothing was in the ark, only the two tables of stone which Moses put there in Horeb, when Jehovah cut a covenant with the sons of Israel as they went out of the land of Egypt.


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And it happened as the priests went out from the Holy of Holies, that the cloud filled the house of Jehovah,


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and the priests were not able to stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of Jehovah had filled the house of Jehovah.


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And the king turned around his face and blessed the whole assembly of Israel; and all the assembly of Israel was standing.


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And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, God of Israel, who spoke by His mouth with my father David, and by his hand has fulfilled it, saying,


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From the day that I brought out My people, even Israel, from Egypt, I have not chosen a city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house for My name to be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel.


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and Jehovah said to my father David, Because it has been in your heart to build a house for My name, you have done well that it has been in your heart;


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only, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall come out from your loins, he shall build the house for My name.


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And Jehovah has lifted up His Word that He spoke; for I have risen up instead of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as Jehovah spoke, and have built the house for the name of Jehovah the God of Israel;


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and set there a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of Jehovah which He made with our fathers when He brought them out from the land of Egypt.


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And Solomon stood before the altar of Jehovah, across from the assembly of Israel, and spread his hands toward the heavens;


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and said, Jehovah, God of Israel, there is no God like You in the heavens above or on the earth beneath; who keeps covenant and mercy with Your servants that walk before You with all their heart;


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who have kept for Your servant David, my father, that which You spoke to him; yea, You spoke with Your mouth, and with Your hand have fulfilled it as it is this day.


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And now, Jehovah, God of Israel, keep for Your servant David, my father, that which You spoke to him, saying, There shall not be cut off from you a man from before Me, sitting on the throne of Israel; only, if your sons watch their way, to walk before Me as you have walked before Me.


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And now, O God of Israel, let it be established, I beseech You, Your Word which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David.


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But will God in truth dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens and Heaven of the heavens cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built!


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Yet You have turned toward the prayer of Your servant, and to his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today;


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for Your eyes are open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, My name shall be there; to listen to the prayer which Your servant prays toward this place.


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And You shall listen to the supplication of Your servant, and of Your people Israel when they shall pray toward this place; yea, You shall listen in Your dwelling-place, in Heaven; and You shall hear and shall forgive.


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If any man sins against his neighbor, and an oath be exacted of him to cause him to swear, and the oath has come before Your altar in this house,


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then You shall hear in Heaven, and shall act, and shall judge Your servants, to declare the wicked to be wicked, to put his way on his head, and to declare the righteous to be righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.


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When Your people Israel are stricken before the enemy, when they sin against You, if they turn again to You, and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this house;


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then You shall hear in Heaven, and shall forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and shall bring them back to the land that You gave to their fathers.


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When the heavens are restrained, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they have prayed toward this place, and confess Your name, and have turned from their sin because You have afflicted them,


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then You shall hear in Heaven, and shall forgive the sin of Your servants, and of Your people Israel, for You shall teach them the good way in which they shall go, and shall give rain on Your land which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.


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When there is famine in the land; when there is pestilence, blasting, mildew, locusts; when there is the stripping locust; when its enemy has distressed it in the land in its gates; any plague, any sickness,


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any prayer, any supplication that shall come from any man of all of Your people Israel, who shall each know the plague of his own heart, and shall spread his hands toward this house,


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then You shall hear in Heaven Your dwellingplace and shall forgive and shall act, and shall give to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You have known, You alone, the heart of all the sons of Adam),


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so that they shall fear You all the days that they are living on the face of the land that You have given to our fathers.


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And also, to the alien who is not of Your people Israel, and has come from a land afar off for Your name's sake,


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(for they shall hear of Your great name, and of Your strong hand, and of Your stretched out arm, and he shall have come in and prayed toward this house,)


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You shall hear in Heaven, Your dwellingplace, and shall do according to all that the stranger calls to You for, so that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You like Your people Israel, and to know that Your name has been called on this house which I have built.


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If Your people shall go out to battle against its enemy, in the way that You have sent them, and they have prayed to Jehovah the way of the city which You have chosen, and of the house which I have built for Your name,


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When they sin against You (for there is not a man who does not sin) and You have been angry with them, and have given them up before an enemy, and they have been led away into captivity to the land of the enemy, far off or near;


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and they have turned their heart back in the land where they have been taken captive, and have repented, and made supplication to You in the land of their captors, saying, We have sinned and done perversely; we have done wickedly;


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and, they have turned back to You with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and have prayed to You the way of their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name,


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then You shall hear their prayer and their supplication in Heaven Your dwellingplace, and shall perform their cause,


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and shall forgive Your people who have sinned against You, even all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and shall give them mercy before their captors, and they shall have mercy on them.


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For they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, out of the midst of the furnace of iron;


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for Your eyes shall be open to the supplication of Your servant, and to the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them in all that they call to You for;


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for You have separated them to Yourself for an inheritance out of all the peoples of the earth, as You spoke by the hand of Your servant Moses when You brought out our fathers from Egypt, O Lord Jehovah.


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And it happened as Solomon finished praying to Jehovah all this prayer and supplication, he arose from before the altar of Jehovah, from bending on his knees, and his hands spread out to Heaven;


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Blessed be Jehovah who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He has spoken; not one word of all His good Word has fallen, which He spoke by the hand of His servant Moses.


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to incline our heart to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commands, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers;


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and these words of mine which I have prayed before Jehovah be near to Jehovah our God by day and by night, to perform the cause of His servant, and the cause of His people Israel, the matter of each day in its day;


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let your heart therefore be perfect with Jehovah our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commandments, as at this day.


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and Solomon offered the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he had offered to Jehovah: twenty two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep; and the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of Jehovah.


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On that day the king sanctified the middle of the court that was before the house of Jehovah, for he had made the burnt offering there, and the food offering, and the fat of the peace offerings; because the bronze altar that was before Jehovah was too small to contain the burnt offering, and the food offering, and the fat of the peace offerings.


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And at that time Solomon made a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath to the river of Egypt, before Jehovah our God, seven days and seven days, fourteen days.


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On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king, and went to their tents rejoicing and joyous of heart for all the good that Jehovah had done to His servant David, and to His people Israel.


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And it happened, as Solomon finished building the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king, and all the desire of Solomon that he delighted to do,


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And Jehovah said to him, I have heard your prayer and your supplication with which you have made supplication before Me; I have sanctified this house that you have built to put My name there forever; and My eyes and My heart shall be there forever.


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And you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, in singleness of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you; you shall keep My statutes and My judgments;


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then I shall lift up the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I spoke to your father David, saying, there shall not fail you a man on the throne of Israel.


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If you at all turn back, you and your sons, from following me, and do not keep My commands, My statutes which I have set before you, and you shall go and serve other gods and bow yourselves to them,


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then I shall cut off Israel from the face of the land that I have given to them, and the house that I have hallowed for My name I shall send away from My face, and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.


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As to this house, which is high, everyone passing by it shall be astonished and shall hiss, and they shall say, Why has Jehovah done this to this land and to this house?


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And they shall say, Because they have forsaken Jehovah their God, who brought their fathers out from the land of Egypt, and they laid hold on other gods and bowed themselves to them and served them. On account of this Jehovah has brought in upon them all this evil.


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And it happened, at the end of twenty years Solomon had built the two houses, the house of Jehovah and the house of the king.


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Hiram the king of Tyre had lifted Solomon with cedar trees and with fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire; then King Solomon gave to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.


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And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given to him, and they were not right in his eyes.


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And he said, What are these cities that you have given to me, my brother? And one called them the land of Cabul to this day.


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And this is the reason of the labor force that King Solomon raised, to build the house of Jehovah, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.


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(Pharaoh the king of Egypt had gone up and had captured Gezer, and had burned it with fire. And he killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and gave it as a dowry to his daughter, the wife of Solomon.)


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and all the store cities which Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities of the horsemen, and the desire of Solomon that he desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.


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All the people that were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites who were not of the sons of Israel,


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their sons left behind them in the land, whom the sons of Israel had not been able to exterminate, Solomon even caused to go on them a burden of forced labor to this day.


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But Solomon did not give as a slave out of the sons of Israel, for they were the men of war, and his servants, and his rulers, and his commanders, and the commanders of his chariots, and his horsemen.


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These were the commanders of the officers who were over the work of Solomon: five hundred and fifty, those ruling among the people who were working in the work.


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But the daughter of Pharaoh went up out of the city of David to her house that he built for her; then he built Millo.


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And three times in a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he built to Jehovah, and he burned incense on the altar before Jehovah, and finished the house.


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And King Solomon built a navy in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the lip of the Sea of Reeds, in the land of Edom.


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and they came to Ophir and took gold from there, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it in to King Solomon.


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And the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon as to the name of Jehovah, and she came to test him with hard questions.


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And she came to Jerusalem with a very great company, camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke with him all that had been in her heart.


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And Solomon told her all her matters; there was not one thing hidden from the king that he did not declare to her.


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and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the standing of his ministers, and their clothing, and his cupbearers and his burnt offering that he offered in the house of Jehovah; and there was no more breath in her.


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And she said to the king, The word that I heard in my land was true as to your matters and your wisdom.


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And I did not believe the words until I had come and my eyes had seen; and behold, the half was not told to me. You have wisdom and prosperity exceeding the fame which I heard.


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Oh the happiness of your men! Oh the happiness of your servants, these who stand before you continually, who hear your wisdom!


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Blessed be Jehovah your God who delighted in you, putting your person on the throne of Israel, because Jehovah loved Israel forever, therefore He appointed you king, to do judgment and righteousness.


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And she gave to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and very many spices, and precious stones; no spice like that came any more for abundance, that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.


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And also, the navy of Hiram that bore gold from Ophir brought in from Ophir almug trees, a great many, and precious stones;


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and the king made the almug trees a support for the house of Jehovah, and for the king's house, and harps and lyres for singers; no such almug trees have come, nor have there been seen such to this day.


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And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire that she asked, apart from that which he gave to her as a memorial of King Solomon. And she turned and went to her land, she and her servants.


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And the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty six talents of gold,


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apart from the merchant men, and from the traffic of the traders, and from all the Arabian kings, and from the governors of the lands.


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And King Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target;


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and three hundred shields of beaten gold: three minas of gold went to one shield; and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.


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The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind; and stays were on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays;


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and twelve lions were standing on the six steps, on this side and on that; there was not the like made in any kingdom.


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And all the drinking vessels of King Solomon were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of refined gold; there was none of silver; it was not counted for anything in the days of Solomon;


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For the king had a navy of Tarshish at sea with a navy of Hiram; once in three years the navy of Tarshish would come bearing gold, and silver, and ivory, and apes, and peacocks.


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and all the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God had put into his heart;


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and they were each one bringing his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a year by year matter.


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And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen, and he had a thousand, four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; and he placed them in the cities of the chariots, and with the king in Jerusalem.


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And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as the sycamores that are in the low country, for abundance.


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And the horses that King Solomon had were brought from Egypt, and from Kue; the king's merchants received them from Kue at a price;


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and a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria they brought them out by their means.


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And King Solomon loved many foreign women, even the daughter of Pharaoh, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, Hittites;


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of the nations which Jehovah said to the sons of Israel, You shall not go in to them, and they shall not go in to you; they shall turn aside your heart after their gods; Solomon clung to these in love.


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And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.


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And it happened, at the time Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, like the heart of his father David.


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And Solomon went after Ashtoreth, goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites;


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and Solomon did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and did not go fully after Jehovah like his father David.


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Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the sons of Ammon;


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And Jehovah was angry with Solomon, for his heart had bent away from Jehovah, God of Israel who had appeared to him twice,


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and had given a charge to him concerning this thing, not to go after other gods; and he did not keep that which Jehovah commanded.


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And Jehovah said to Solomon, Because this has been done by you, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes that I charged on you, I shall surely tear the kingdom from you and shall give it to your servant.


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Only, I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I shall tear it out of your son's hand.


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Only I will not tear away all the kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for my servant David's sake, and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.


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And it happened, Jehovah raised an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the seed of the king in Edom.


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And it happened when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the ones who died, after he had stricken every male in Edom;


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And Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; and Hadad was a little child.


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And they rose up out of Midian and came to Paran, and they took men with them out of Paran and came into Egypt, to Pharaoh the king of Egypt. And he gave him a house and commanded bread for him, and gave land to him.


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And Hadad found much favor in the eyes of Pharaoh, and he gave him a wife, the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.


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And the sister of Tahpenes bore him a son, Genubath, and Tahpenes weaned him in Pharaoh's house among Pharaoh's sons.


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And Hadad had heard in Egypt that David had slept with his fathers, and that Joab the commander of the army was dead. And Hadad said to Pharaoh, Send me away and I will go to my land.


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And Pharaoh said to him, But what are you lacking with me, that, lo, you are seeking to go to your land? And he said, Nothing. However, you shall certainly send me away.


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And God raised up an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who fled from his lord Hadadezer the king of Zobah.


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And he gathered men to himself, and was head of a troop when David killed them. And they went to Damascus and lived in it, and reigned in Damascus.


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And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the evil that Hadad did; and he despised Israel and reigned over Syria.


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And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, a servant of Solomon (and his mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman) he also lifted up a hand against the king.


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And this was the thing for which he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, repairing the breaks of the city of his father David.


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And the man Jeroboam was a mighty warrior. And Solomon saw the young man, that he was doing work. And he appointed him to all the burden of the house of Joseph.


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And at that time it happened that Jeroboam had gone out from Jerusalem, and Ahijah the Shilonite, the prophet, found him in the way. And he covered himself with a new garment, and both of them were by themselves in a field.


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And he said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces for yourself. For so says Jehovah, God of Israel, Behold, I am tearing the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and giving to you the ten tribes.


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And he shall have the one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.


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Because they have forsaken Me, and bow themselves to Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh the god of Moab, to Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and have not walked in My ways, to do the right in My eyes, and My statutes and My judgments, as his father David did.


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But I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for My servant David's sake, whom I chose, because he kept My commands and My statutes.


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And I will give one tribe to his son, that there may be a lamp to My servant David before Me all the days in Jerusalem the city that I have chosen to Myself, to put My name there.


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And I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel.


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And it shall be, if you shall hear all that I command you, and shall walk in My ways, and do that which is right in My eyes, to keep My statutes and My commands, as My servant David did, then I shall be with you and shall build a sure house for you, as I built for David, and shall give Israel to you.


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And Solomon sought to put Jeroboam to death, and Jeroboam rose up and fled to Egypt, to Shishak the king of Egypt; and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.


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And the rest of the matters of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon?


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and Solomon lay with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.


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And it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard (and he was still in Egypt where he had fled from the face of Solomon the king, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt)


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that they sent and called for him; and they came, Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,


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Your father made our yoke hard; and now you should lighten some of the hard service of your father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve you.


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And King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had been standing before the face of his father Solomon while he was alive, saying, How do you advise in order to answer this people?


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And they spoke to him, saying, If you are servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them and speak to them good words, then they will be servants to you forever.


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But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they advised him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him, who were standing before him.


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And he said to them, What do you advise, and we shall answer the people who have spoken to me, saying, Lighten some of the yoke that your father put upon us?


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And they spoke to him, the young men who had grown up with him, saying, So you shall say to this people who have spoken to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, and you make it light on us; so you shall speak to them, My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father,


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and now my father laid a heavy yoke on you, and I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I will surely chastise you with scorpions.


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And they came, Jeroboam and all the people, to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, Come back to me on the third day.


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And the king replied to the people harshly, and forsook the counsel of the elders which they advised him,


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and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I shall add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I will surely chastise you with scorpions.


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And the king did not listen to the people, for the turn of events was from Jehovah, in order to lift up His Word that Jehovah spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


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And all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, and the people sent the king back word, saying, What portion do we have in David? Yea, there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel; now see to your house, O David! And Israel went to its tents.


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And King Rehoboam sent Adoram who was over the tribute, and all Israel threw stones at him, and he died. And King Rehoboam made haste to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem.


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And it happened when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the company, and caused him to reign over all Israel; none followed after the house of David except the tribe of Judah only.


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And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, and gathered all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen makers of war to fight with the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon,


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Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon the king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah, and Benjamin, and the rest of the people, saying,


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So says Jehovah, You shall not go up nor fight with your brothers the sons of Israel. Each turn back to his house, for this thing has been from Me. And they heard the Word of Jehovah, and turned to go back, according to the Word of Jehovah.


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And Jeroboam built Shechem in the hills of Ephraim and lived in it, and went out from there and built Penuel.


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if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people shall turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam the king of Judah, and they will kill me and go again to Rehoboam the king of Judah.


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And the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!


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And he made a house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of people, who were not of the sons of Levi.


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And Jeroboam made a feast in the eighth month, in the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah; and he offered on the altar, so he did in Bethel, to sacrifice to the calves which he made; and he made stand in Bethel the priests of the high places that he made.


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And he offered up on the altar that he made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month that he devised out of his own heart; and he made a feast for the sons of Israel, and offered on the altar, to burn incense.


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And, behold, a man of God had come from Judah to Bethel, by the Word of Jehovah, and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.


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And he cried against the altar, by the Word of Jehovah, and said, Altar! Altar! So says Jehovah, Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, his name Josiah, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who are burning incense on you, and they shall burn the bones of man on you.


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And on that day he gave a sign, saying, This is the sign that Jehovah has spoken, Behold, the altar is torn, and the ashes that are on it poured out.


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And it happened when the king heard the saying of the man of God which he had cried against the altar in Bethel, Jereboam put out his hand from the altar, saying, Seize him. And his hand which he put out against him withered, and he was not able to bring it back to him.


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And the altar was torn, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the Word of Jehovah.


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And the king answered and said to the man of God, Please entreat the face of Jehovah your God, and pray for me, and my hand shall come back to me. And the man of God entreated the face of Jehovah, and the hand of the king came back to him, and it was as at the beginning.


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And the king spoke to the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a gift.


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And the man of God said to the king, If you would give me the half of your house, I would not go in with you, nor will I eat bread, nor will I drink water in this place.


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For so He commanded me by the Word of Jehovah, saying, You shall not eat bread nor drink water, nor turn back in the way that you have come.


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And a certain aged prophet was living in Bethel, and his son came and told him all the deeds that the man of God had done that day in Bethel, the words that he had spoken to the king; yea, they told them to their father.


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And their father said to them, Where is this man, what way did he go? And his sons saw the way that the man of God from Judah had gone.


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And he said to his sons, Saddle the ass for me. And they saddled the ass for him, and he rode on it,


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and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak tree. And he said to him, are you the man of God who has come from Judah? And he said, I am.


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And he said, I am not able to go back with you, and to go in with you, nor may I eat bread or drink water with you in this place;


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for a word came to me by the Word of Jehovah, You shall not eat bread nor drink water there; you shall not turn back to go in the way in which you came.


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And he said to him, I also am a prophet like yourself, and an angel spoke to me by the Word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with you into your house, and he shall eat bread and water (he lied to him).


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And it happened as they were sitting at the table, and a Word of Jehovah came to the prophet who brought him back;


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and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, So says Jehovah, Because you have resisted the mouth of Jehovah, and have not kept the command that Jehovah your God charged you,


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and turned back and ate bread and drank water in the place of which He said to you, You shall not eat bread nor drink water; your carcass shall not come to the burying place of your fathers.


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And after he ate bread and after he drank, it happened that he saddled the ass for him, for the prophet whom he had brought back.


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And he left, and a lion found him in the way and killed him; and his carcass was thrown down in the way, and the ass was standing near it, and the lion was standing near the carcass.


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And behold, men were passing by and saw the carcass thrown in the way, and the lion standing near the carcass; and they came and spoke of it in the city in which the old prophet lived.


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And the prophet who brought him back out of the way heard and said, It is the man of God who provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and Jehovah gave him to the lion, and it tore him apart and killed him, according to the Word of Jehovah that He spoke to him.


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And he went and found the carcass thrown down in the way, and the ass and the lion were standing near the carcass; the lion had not eaten the carcass nor had he torn apart the ass.


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And the prophet took up the carcass of the man of God and placed it on the ass, and brought it back; and the old prophet came into the city to mourn and to bury him.


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And it happened, after he buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, At my death, you shall bury me in the burying place in which the man of God is buried; place my bones beside his bones;


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for the word that he cried by the Word of Jehovah concerning the altar in Bethel, and concerning all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely occur.


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After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but turned again and made from the lowest of the people priests of high places; he who desired, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.


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And in this thing is the sin of the house of Jeroboam, even to blot it from off the face of the earth.


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And Jeroboam said to his wife, Please rise up and disguise yourself, that you may not be known to be the wife of Jeroboam. And you shall go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there. He spoke to me of being king over this people.


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And you shall take ten loaves in your hand, and biscuits, and a flask of honey, and come to him. He will tell you what shall become of the boy.


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And Jeroboam's wife did so, and rose up and went to Shiloh and entered the house of Ahijah. And Ahijah was not able to see, for his eyes were set because of his age.


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And Jehovah said to Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to ask a thing of you for her son, for he is sick. You shall say this and this to her, and it shall be when she comes in, she will act as a foreigner.


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And it happened when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came in the door, he said, Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why are you acting as a foreigner? And I am sent to you with a hard thing.


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Go, say to Jeroboam, So says Jehovah, God of Israel, Because I have exalted you from among the people, and have appointed you leader over My people Israel;


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and have torn the kingdom from the house of David, and have given it to you, and you have not been as My servant David who kept My commandments, and who walked after Me with all his heart, to do only that which is right in My eyes;


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and you did evil above all who have been before you, and went and made for yourself other gods and casted images to provoke Me to anger; and you have cast Me behind your back


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therefore, behold, I am bringing evil to the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him who urinates against the wall, bound and free in Israel; and will sweep away the rest of the house of Jeroboam as a man sweeps away the dung, until it is all gone.


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The dogs shall eat those of Jeroboam who die in the city. And the birds of the heavens shall eat those who die in a field; for Jehovah has spoken.


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And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him, for only this one of Jeroboam shall come to the grave because there has been found in him a good thing toward Jehovah, God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.


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And Jehovah shall raise up a king over Israel for Himself, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam this day. And what? Even now!


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And Jehovah shall strike Israel as the reed waves in the water, and shall pluck up Israel from off this good land that He gave to their fathers. And He shall scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherahs, provoking Jehovah to anger.


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And He shall give up Israel because of the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned, and that he caused Israel to sin.


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And Jeroboam's wife rose up and left, and came to Tirzah. She came in to the threshold of the house, and the boy died.


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And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the Word of Jehovah that He spoke by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.


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And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel.


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And the days that Jeroboam reigned were twenty two years. And he lay with his fathers, and his son Nadab reigned in his place.


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And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty one years old when he began to reign. And he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Jehovah chose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess.


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And Judah did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and they provoked Him to jealousy above all their fathers did by their sins that they had sinned.


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And they built, they also, high places for themselves, and standing pillars, and Asherahs on every high hill, and under every green tree.


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And also the sodomite was in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed before the sons of Israel.


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And it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak the king of Egypt went up against Jerusalem.


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And he took the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house; yea, he took all. And he took all the golden shields that Solomon had made.


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And King Rehoboam made in their place bronze shields. And he gave them into the hand of the commander of the runners, who kept the door of the king's house.


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And it happened, when the king went to the house of Jehovah, the runners bore them, and brought them back to the room of the runners.


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And the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah?


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And Rehoboam lay with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And his son Abijam reigned in his place.


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And he walked in all the sins of his father, those that he did before him, and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as was the heart of his father David.


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But for David's sake Jehovah his God gave to him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem.


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For David did that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, and did not turn aside from all that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.


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And the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.


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And Abijam lay with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place.


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And he reigned forty one years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Maachah the daughter of Abishalom.


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And he also removed his mother Maachah from being queen, in that she made a horrid thing for Asherah. And Asa cut down her horrid thing and burned it by the torrent Kidron.


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But they did not remove the high places. Only the heart of Asa was perfect with Jehovah all the days.


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And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated and his holy things, into the house of Jehovah, silver and gold and vessels.


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And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, to keep anyone from going out and coming in to Asa the king of Judah.


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And Asa took all the silver and gold that remained in the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house, and gave them into his servants' hand; and King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, the king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,


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A treaty between you and me, between my father and your father! Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha the king of Israel, that he go up from me.


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And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and sent his army commanders against the cities of Israel. And he struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maachah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.


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And King Asa proclaimed to all Judah (no one was exempt) and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber with which Baasha had built. And King Asa built with it Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.


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And the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? Only, at the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.


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And Asa lay with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of his father David. And his son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place.


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And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa the king of Judah. And he reigned over Israel two years.


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And he did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.


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And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him And Baasha struck him at Gibbethon which belonged to the Philistines. For Nadab and all Israel had laid siege to Gibbethon.


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And it happened when he reigned, he struck all the house of Jeroboam; he did not leave Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him according to the saying of Jehovah which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the man of Shiloh;


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because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and that he caused Israel to sin by his provocation with which he provoked Jehovah the God of Israel to anger.


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And the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel?


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In the third year of Asa the king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah reigned over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty four years.


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And he did that which was evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin that he caused Israel to sin.


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Since I have raised you up out of the dust, and made you ruler over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and caused My people Israel to sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins;


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behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


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He who dies of Baasha in the city, the dogs shall eat; and whoever of his dies in the field, the birds of the heavens shall eat.


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And the rest of the acts of Baasha, and that which he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel?


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And also by the hand of Jehu the son of Hanani the prophet, the Word of Jehovah came against Baasha, and against his house, and against all the evil that he did in the eyes of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger with the work of his hands, to be like the house of Jeroboam, and because he killed him.


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In the twenty sixth year of Asa the king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.


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And his servant Zimri, the captain of half of the chariots, conspired against him. And he was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the house of Tirzah.


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And Zimri came in and struck him, and killed him in the twenty seventh year of Asa the king of Judah, and reigned in his place.


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And it happened, when he began to reign, as he sat on his throne, that he struck all the house of Baasha; he did not leave him one who urinated against the wall, nor of his kinsmen, nor of his friends.


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And Zimri destroyed the whole house of Baasha, according to the Word of Jehovah that He spoke as to Baasha, by the hand of Jehu the prophet;


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concerning all the sins of Baasha and the sins of his son Elah that they sinned, and that they caused Israel to sin, to provoke to anger Jehovah the God of Israel with their vanities.


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And the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel?


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In the twenty seventh year of Asa the king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. And the people were camped against Gibbethon, which was the Philistines'.


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And the people who were encamped heard, saying, Zimri has conspired and has struck the king. And all Israel made Omri the commander of the army to rule over Israel on that day in the camp.


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And it happened when Zimri saw that the city would be captured he came into a high place of the king and burned the house of the king with fire over him, and died,


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for his sins that he sinned, to do the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, to walk in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin that he did, to cause Israel to sin.


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And the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel?


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Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath to cause him to reign, and the other half after Omri.


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And the people that followed Omri were stronger than the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath; and Tibni died, and Omri reigned.


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In the thirty first year of Asa the king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah;


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then he bought the hill Samaria from Shemer with two talents of silver, and built the hill, and called the name of the city that he built by the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, that is Samaria.


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And Omri did that which was evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and did evil above all who were before him,


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and walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin that he caused Israel to sin, to provoke to anger Jehovah the God of Israel with their vanities.


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And the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and his might that he attained, are they not written in the of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel?


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And Omri lay down with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria. And his son Ahab reigned in his place.


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And in the thirty eighth year of Asa the king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel. And Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty two years;


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And it happened as if it were a light thing, that he walked in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took a wife, Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, the king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and bowed himself to it.


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And Ahab made an Asherah, and Ahab did still more to provoke to anger Jehovah the God of Israel than all the kings of Israel that were before him.


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In his days Hiel the man of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation in his first-born Abiram, and he set up its doors in Segub his youngest, according to the Word of Jehovah that He spoke by the hand of Joshua the son of Nun.


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And Elijah the Tishbite, of the sojourners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As Jehovah the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be no dew nor rain these years, except according to my word.


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Go away from here; and you shall turn eastward and shall hide by the torrent Cherith, that is before Jordan.


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And he went and did according to the Word of Jehovah; for he went and lived by the torrent Cherith, that is before Jordan.


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And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the torrent.


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Rise up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon; and you shall live there. Behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain you.


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And he rose up and went to Zarephath, and came in to the entrance of the city; and, behold, a widow woman was gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, Please bring to me a little water in a vessel, and I shall drink.


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And she went to bring it. And he called to her and said, Please bring me a bit of bread in your hand.


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And she said, As Jehovah your God lives, I do not have a cake, only a handful of meal in a pitcher, and a little oil in a jar; and behold, I am gathering two sticks and will go in and prepare for myself and for my son; and we shall eat it, and die.


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And Elijah said to her, Do not fear, go, do according to your word, only first make me a little cake of it, and bring to me and afterward prepare for you and for your son.


