# verses

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 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto Mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of Mount Jearim, which is Chesalon on the north side, and went down to Bethshemesh, and passed on to Timnah.


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 And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward; and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the limit of the border was at the sea.


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 And the west border was to the Great Sea and the coast thereof. This is the border of the children of Judah round about according to their families.


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 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), which city is Hebron.


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 And Caleb drove from thence the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.


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 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir (and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher).


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 And Caleb said, "He that smiteth Kirjathsepher and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife."


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 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.


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 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field; and she alighted from her ass, and Caleb said unto her, "What wouldest thou?"


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 She answered, "Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a south land. Give me also springs of water." And he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.


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 And the outermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,


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 and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages.


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 Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt and the Great Sea and the border thereof.


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 As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.


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 And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from the Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout Mount Bethel,


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 and goeth down westward to the border of the Japhletites, unto the border of Bethhoron the Nether and to Gezer; and the boundaries thereof are at the sea.


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 And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the Upper.


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 And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethath on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;


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 and it went down from Janohah to Ataroth and to Naarah, and came to Jericho and went out at the Jordan.


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 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the River Kanah; and the boundaries thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.


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 And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.


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 And they drove not out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day and serve under tribute.


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 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph, to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war. Therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.


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 There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families: for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida. These were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families.


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 But Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.


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 And they came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the princes, saying, "The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren." Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.


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 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side of the Jordan,


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 because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons; and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.


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 And the border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of Entappuah.


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 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim.


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 And the border descended unto the River Kanah, southward of the river. These cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the boundaries of it were at the sea.


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 Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north and in Issachar on the east.


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 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.


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 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.


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 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel waxed strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.


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 And the children of Joseph spoke unto Joshua, saying, "Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?"


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 And Joshua answered them, "If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if Mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee."


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 And the children of Joseph said, "The hill is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Bethshean and her towns, and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel."


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 And Joshua spoke unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, "Thou art a great people and hast great power. Thou shalt not have one lot only;


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 but the mountain shall be thine, for it is a wood and thou shalt cut it down. And the boundaries of it shall be thine; for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and though they be strong."


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 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.


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 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.


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 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, "How long are ye slack to go to possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?


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 Appoint from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; and they shall rise and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.


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 And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their borders on the north.


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 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.


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 But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them."


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 And the men arose and went away; and Joshua charged those who went to describe the land, saying, "Go, and walk through the land and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh."


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 And the men went and passed through the land and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.


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 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.


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 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families; and the borders of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.


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 And their border on the north side was from the Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the boundaries thereof were at the Wilderness of Bethaven.


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 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Bethel), southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the Nether Bethhoron.


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 And the border was drawn thence and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; and the boundaries thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.


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 And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and the border went out on the west and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah.


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 And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lieth before the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and which is in the Valley of the Giants on the north, and descended to the Valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusites on the south, and descended to Enrogel;


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 and was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the ascent of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,


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 And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward; and the boundaries of the border were at the north bay of the Salt Sea at the south end of the Jordan: this was the south border.


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 And the Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin by the borders thereof round about, according to their families.


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 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the Valley of Keziz,


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 and Zelah, Eleph, and Jebus (which is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kirjath: fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.


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 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families; and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.


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 and all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.


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 Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon, for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.


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 And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families, and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid.


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 And their border went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam,


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 and turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia,


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 and from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittahhepher, to Ittahkazin, and goeth out to Rimmon to Neah.


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 And the border compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon, and the boundaries thereof are in the Valley of Jiphthahel,


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 and Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.


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 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.


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 And the border reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh, and the boundaries of their border were at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.


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 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.


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 and turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the Valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,


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 And then the border turneth to Ramah, and to the stronghold city of Tyre; and the border turneth to Hosah, and the boundaries thereof are at the sea from the border to Achzib;


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 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.


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 The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.


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 And their border was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakkum; and the boundaries thereof were at the Jordan.


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 And then the border turneth westward to Aznothtabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to Judah upon the Jordan toward the sunrising.


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 and Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh: nineteen cities with their villages.


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 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.


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 And the border of the children of Dan went out too little for them. Therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.


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 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.


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 When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their borders, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them.


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 According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in Mount Ephraim; and he built the city and dwelt therein.


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 These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.


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 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, `Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spoke unto you by the hand of Moses,


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 that the slayer who killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.


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 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.


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 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand, because he smote his neighbor unwittingly and hated him not beforehand.


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 And he shall dwell in that city until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest who shall be in those days. Then shall the slayer return and come unto his own city and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.'"


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 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in Mount Naphtali, and Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba (which is Hebron) in the mountain of Judah.


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 And on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.


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 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation.


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 Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel.


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 And they spoke unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, "The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle."


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 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs:


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 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And the children of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, had by lot from the tribe of Judah, and from the tribe of Simeon, and from the tribe of Benjamin thirteen cities.


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 And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Dan, and from the halftribe of Manasseh ten cities.


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 And the children of Gershon had by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the halftribe of Manasseh in Bashan thirteen cities.


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 The children of Merari by their families had from the tribe of Reuben, and from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun twelve cities.


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 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.


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 And they gave from the tribe of the children of Judah, and from the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities which are here mentioned by name,


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 which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had, for theirs was the first lot.


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 And they gave them the city of Arba (the father of Anak), which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.


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 But the fields of the city and the villages thereof gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.


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 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron, the priest, Hebron with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer, and Libnah with her suburbs,


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 and Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs: nine cities from those two tribes.


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 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites who remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim.


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 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in Mount Ephraim to be a city of refuge for the slayer, and Gezer with her suburbs,


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 And from the halftribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs: two cities.


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 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath who remained.


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 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, from the other halftribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs: two cities.


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 And from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer, and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs: three cities.


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


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


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 And from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer, and Mahanaim with her suburbs,


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 So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, who were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.


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 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.


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 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which He swore to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it and dwelt therein.


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


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 There failed not aught of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel. All came to pass.


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 and said unto them, "Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.


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


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 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as He promised them. Therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan.


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 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you: to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."


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 Now to one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side of the Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them


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 and he spoke unto them, saying, "Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren."


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 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the halftribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead to the land of their possession, which they possessed according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.


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 And when they came unto the borders of the Jordan that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the halftribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to see to.


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 And the children of Israel heard say: "Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the halftribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan in the borders of the Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel."


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


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


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 and with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was a head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.


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 And they came unto the children of Reuben and to the children of Gad and to the halftribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,


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 "Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD: `What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have built yourselves an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD?


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 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,


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 but that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? And it will be, seeing ye rebel today against the LORD, that tomorrow He will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.


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 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD wherein the LORD'S tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us; but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us in building yourselves an altar besides the altar of the LORD our God.


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 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? And that man perished not alone in his iniquity.'"


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 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the halftribe of Manasseh answered and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,


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 "The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, He knoweth, and Israel he shall know! If it be in rebellion or if in transgression against the LORD (save us not this day)


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 that we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD Himself require it.


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 And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, `In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, "What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel?


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 For the LORD hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad. Ye have no part in the LORD." So shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.'


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


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 but that it may be a witness between us and you and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before Him with our burnt offerings and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings, that your children may not say to our children in time to come, "Ye have no part in the LORD."'


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 Therefore we said that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, `Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices, but it is a witness between us and you.'


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 God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD and turn this day from following the LORD to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the LORD our God that is before His tabernacle."


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


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 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben and to the children of Gad and to the children of Manasseh: "This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD. Now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD."


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


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 And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.


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 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed [that is, A witness], "For it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God."


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 And it came to pass, a long time after the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.


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 And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, "I am old and stricken in age.


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 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you, for the LORD your God is He that hath fought for you.


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 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the Great Sea westward.


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 And the LORD your God, He shall expel them from before you and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.


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 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;


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


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 For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong; but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.


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 One man of you shall chase a thousand; for the LORD your God, He it is that fighteth for you, as He hath promised you.


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 Or else, if ye do in any wise go back and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them and go in unto them and they to you,


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 know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you, but they shall be snares and traps unto you and scourges in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.


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


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 Therefore it shall come to pass that, as all good things have come upon you which the LORD your God promised you, so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things until He have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you:


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 when ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God which He commanded you, and have gone and served other gods and bowed yourselves to them, then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which He hath given unto you."


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


text:
 And Joshua said unto all the people, "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel: `Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor; and they served other gods.


text:
 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac.


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


text:
 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them; and afterward I brought you out.


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


text:
 And when they cried unto the LORD, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them and covered them. And your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt; and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.


text:
 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who dwelt on the other side of the Jordan. And they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land, and I destroyed them from before you.


text:
 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.


text:
 But I would not hearken unto Balaam. Therefore he blessed you still; so I delivered you out of his hand.


text:
 And ye went over the Jordan and came unto Jericho; and the men of Jericho fought against you -- the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I delivered them into your hand.


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


text:
 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labor and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them. Of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.'


text:
 "Now therefore, fear the LORD, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt, and serve ye the LORD.


text:
 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."


text:
 for the LORD our God, He it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went and among all the people through whom we passed.


text:
 And the LORD drove out from before us all the people, even the Amorites who dwelt in the land. Therefore will we also serve the LORD, for He is our God."


text:
 And Joshua said unto the people, "Ye cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins:


text:
 if ye forsake the LORD and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you after He hath done you good."


text:
 And Joshua said unto the people, "Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen for yourselves the LORD to serve Him." And they said, "We are witnesses."


text:
 "Now therefore put away," said he, "the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel."


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


text:
 And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God, and took a great stone and set it up there under an oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.


text:
 And Joshua said unto all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us, for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke unto us. It shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God."


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


text:
 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in Mount Ephraim, on the north side of the Hill of Gaash.


text:
 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and who had known all the works of the LORD, that He had done for Israel.


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


text:
 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in Mount Ephraim.


text:
 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, "Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?"


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


text:
 And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.


text:
 And they found Adonibezek in Bezek; and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.


text:
 But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.


text:
 And Adonibezek said, "Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table. As I have done, so God hath requited me." And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.


text:
 Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it and smitten it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.


text:
 And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who dwelt in the mountain and in the South and in the valley.


text:
 And Judah went against the Canaanites who dwelt in Hebron (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba), and they slew Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.


text:
 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir (and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher).


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 And Caleb said, "He that smiteth Kirjathsepher and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter for a wife."


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


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 And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field; and she alighted from her ass, and Caleb said unto her, "What wilt thou?"


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 And she said unto him, "Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a south land. Give me also springs of water." And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.


text:
 And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.


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


text:
 Also Judah took Gaza with the regions thereof, and Ashkelon with the regions thereof, and Ekron with the region thereof.


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 And the LORD was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron.


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 And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said; and he expelled from thence the three sons of Anak.


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


text:
 And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, "Show us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will show thee mercy."


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


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


text:
 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.


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


text:
 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.


text:
 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron nor the inhabitants of Nahalol, but the Canaanites dwelt among them and became tributaries.


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 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;


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


text:
 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh nor the inhabitants of Bethanath, but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.


text:
 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain, for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley.


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 But the Amorites would dwell in Mount Heres in Aijalon and in Shaalbim; yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.


text:
 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, "I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I swore unto your fathers; and I said, `I will never break My covenant with you.


text:
 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars.' But ye have not obeyed My voice. Why have ye done this?


text:
 Therefore I also said, `I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.'"


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


text:
 And they called the name of that place Bochim [that is, Weepers], and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.


text:
 And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.


text:
 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD that He did for Israel.


text:
 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.


text:
 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers, and there arose another generation after them who knew not the LORD nor yet the works which He had done for Israel.


text:
 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, the gods of the people who were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.


text:
 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and He delivered them into the hands of despoilers who despoiled them, and He sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.


text:
 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them; and they were greatly distressed.


text:
 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, who delivered them out of the hand of those who despoiled them.


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 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them. They turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.


text:
 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to repent because of their groanings by reason of those who oppressed them and vexed them.


text:
 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned and corrupted themselves more than their fathers in following other gods, to serve them and to bow down unto them. They ceased not from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.


text:
 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and He said, "Because this people hath transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto My voice,


text:
 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died,


text:
 that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not."


text:
 Therefore the LORD left those nations without driving them out hastily, neither delivered He them into the hand of Joshua.


text:
 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan


text:
 (only so that the generations of the children of Israel might know to teach them war, at least such as before knew nothing thereof),


text:
 namely: five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baalhermon unto the entrance of Hamath.


text:
 And they were to test Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.


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


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


text:
 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baalim and the Asherahs.


text:
 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.


text:
 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.


text:
 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel and went out to war; and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hand. And his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim;


text:
 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.


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


text:
 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded; and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.


text:
 But Ehud made himself a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.


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


text:
 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlor, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, "I have a message from God unto thee." And he arose out of his seat.


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


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 And the haft also went in after the blade, and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.


text:
 When he had gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, "Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber."


text:
 And they tarried till they were ashamed; and behold, he opened not the doors of the parlor. Therefore they took a key and opened them; and behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.


text:
 And it came to pass, when he had come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.


text:
 And he said unto them, "Follow after me, for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand." And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.


text:
 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty and all men of valor; and there escaped not a man.


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


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


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


text:
 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.


text:
 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, "Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, `Go and draw near Mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun;


text:
 and I will draw unto thee Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude to the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into thine hand'?"


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


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


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


text:
 (Now Heber the Kenite, who was of the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.)


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


text:
 And Deborah said unto Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand. Has not the LORD gone out before thee?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.


text:
 And the LORD discomfited Sisera and all his chariots and all his host with the edge of the sword before Barak, so that Sisera alighted down off his chariot and fled away on his feet.


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


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


text:
 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, "Turn in, my lord, turn in to me. Fear not." And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.


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


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


text:
 Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a nail of the tent and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground; for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.


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


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


text:
 "Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes. I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.


text:
 "LORD, when Thou wentest out of Seir, when Thou marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.


text:
 "In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways.


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 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, I arose a mother in Israel.


text:
 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?


text:
 My heart is toward the governors of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.


text:
 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of His villages in Israel. Then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.


text:
 "Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.


text:
 "Then He made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people; the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.


text:
 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.


text:
 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah, even Issachar, and also Barak; he was sent on foot into the valley. In the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.


text:
 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? In the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.


text:
 Gilead abode beyond the Jordan; and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the seashore and abode in his sheltered coves.


text:
 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeopardized their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.


text:
 "The kings came and fought; then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.


text:
 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength!


text:
 "`Curse ye Meroz,' said the angel of the LORD; `curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.'


text:
 "Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.


text:
 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer. And with the hammer she smote Sisera; she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.


text:
 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down; at her feet he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, there he fell down dead.


text:
 "The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice: `Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariots?'


text:
 `Have they not sped? Have they not divided the prey: to every man a damsel or two, to Sisera a prey of divers colors, a prey of divers colors of needlework, of divers colors of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?'


text:
 "So let all Thine enemies perish, O LORD! But let them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might." And the land had rest forty years.


text:
 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.


text:
 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made for themselves the dens which are in the mountains and caves and strongholds.


text:
 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the East, even they came up against them.


text:
 And they encamped against them and destroyed the increase of the earth till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor ass.


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


text:
 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.


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


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


text:
 And I said unto you: `I am the LORD your God. Fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell.' But ye have not obeyed My voice."


text:
 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite; and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the wine press to hide it from the Midianites.


text:
 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him and said unto him, "The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor."


text:
 And Gideon said unto him, "Oh my lord, if the LORD be with us, why then has all this befallen us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, `Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."


text:
 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, "Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have not I sent thee?"


text:
 And he said unto Him, "Oh my Lord, with what shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."


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


text:
 And he said unto Him, "If now I have found grace in Thy sight, then show me a sign that Thou talkest with me.


text:
 Depart not hence, I pray Thee, until I come unto Thee and bring forth my present and set it before Thee." And He said, "I will tarry until thou come again."


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


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


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


text:
 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face."


text:
 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD and called it Jehovahshalom [that is, The Lord send peace]. Unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


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


text:
 and build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock in the ordered place, and take the second bullock and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the Asherah pole which thou shalt cut down."


text:
 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had said unto him. And so it was, because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, so that he did it by night.


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


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


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


text:
 And Joash said unto all who stood against him, "Will ye plead for Baal? Will ye save him? He that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning. If he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar."


text:
 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, "Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar."


text:
 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the East were gathered together, and went over and pitched camp in the Valley of Jezreel.


text:
 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and the Abiezrites were gathered after him.


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


text:
 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that Thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as Thou hast said."


text:
 And it was so; for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.


text:
 And Gideon said unto God, "Let not Thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once. Let me prove, I pray Thee, but this once with the fleece: Let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew."


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


text:
 Then Jerubbaal (who is Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose up early and pitched camp beside the well of Harod, so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley.


text:
 And the LORD said unto Gideon, "The people who are with thee are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against Me, saying, `Mine own hand hath saved me.'


text:
 Now therefore go, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, `Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead.'" And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand, and there remained ten thousand.


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


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


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


text:
 And the LORD said unto Gideon, "By the three hundred men who lapped will I save you and deliver the Midianites into thine hand, and let all the other people go every man unto his place."


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


text:
 And it came to pass the same night that the LORD said unto him, "Arise, get thee down unto the host, for I have delivered it into thine hand.


text:
 and thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host." Then went he down with Purah his servant unto the outside of the armed men who were in the host.


text:
 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the East lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seaside for multitude.


text:
 And when Gideon had come, behold, there was a man who told a dream unto his fellow, and said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream; and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian and came unto a tent, and smote it so that it fell, and overturned it so that the tent lay flat."


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


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


text:
 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers and lamps within the pitchers.


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


text:
 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and say, `The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!'"


text:
 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, and they had but newly set the watch; and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.


text:
 And the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands to blow therewith, and they cried, "The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!"


text:
 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp, and all the host ran and cried and fled.


text:
 And the three hundred blew the trumpets; and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host; and the host fled to Bethshittah towards Zererah and to the border of Abelmeholah unto Tabbath.


text:
 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali and out of Asher and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.


text:
 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all Mount Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and the Jordan." Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and the Jordan.


text:
 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the wine press of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.


text:
 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, "Why hast thou served us thus, that thou called us not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?" And they chided him sharply.


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


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


text:
 And Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.


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


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


text:
 And Gideon said, "Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers."


text:
 And he went up thence to Penuel and spoke unto them likewise, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.


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


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


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


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


text:
 and caught a young man of the men of Succoth and inquired of him; and he wrote down for him the princes of Succoth and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.


text:
 And he came unto the men of Succoth and said, "Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, `Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men who are weary?'"


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


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


text:
 And he said, "They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother. As the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you."


text:
 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, "Up, and slay them." But the youth drew not his sword; for he feared, because he was yet a youth.


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


text:
 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, "Rule thou over us, both thou and thy son and thy son's son also; for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian."


text:
 And Gideon said unto them, "I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you."


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


text:
 And they answered, "We will willingly give them." And they spread a garment, and cast therein every man the earrings from his spoil.


text:
 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, besides ornaments and collars and purple raiment that were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.


text:
 And Gideon made an ephod thereof and put it in his city, even in Ophrah. And all Israel went thither a whoring after it, which thing became a snare unto Gideon and to his house.


text:
 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.


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


text:
 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again and went a whoring after the Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.


text:
 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side;


text:
 neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (namely, Gideon), according to all the goodness which he had shown unto Israel.


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


text:
 "Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem: `Which is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."


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


text:
 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light persons, who followed him.


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


text:
 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Bethmillo, and went and made Abimelech king by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.


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


text:
 The trees went forth once to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, `Reign thou over us.'


text:
 But the olive tree said unto them, `Should I leave my fatness, withwhich by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?'


text:
 But the fig tree said unto them, `Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?'


text:
 And the vine said unto them, `Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?'


text:
 And the bramble said unto the trees, `If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'


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


text:
 (for my father fought for you, and ventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;


text:
 and ye have risen up against my father's house this day and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother),


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


text:
 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Bethmillo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Bethmillo, and devour Abimelech."


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


text:
 that the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brethren.


text:
 And the men of Shechem set liersinwait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them; and it was told Abimelech.


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


text:
 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trod the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.


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


text:
 And would to God this people were under my hand! Then would I remove Abimelech." And he said to Abimelech, "Increase thine army, and come out!"


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


text:
 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren have come to Shechem; and behold, they fortify the city against thee.


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


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


text:
 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from lying in wait.


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


text:
 And Gaal spoke again and said, "See, there come people down by the middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of Meonenim."


text:
 Then said Zebul unto him, "Where now is thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, `Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?' Are not these the people whom thou hast despised? Go out, I pray now, and fight with them."


text:
 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him; and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entrance of the gate.


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


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


text:
 And he took the people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field, and looked, and behold, the people had come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them and smote them.


text:
 And Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and the two other companies ran upon all the people who were in the fields and slew them.


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


text:
 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into a stronghold of the house of the god Berith.


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


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


text:
 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women and all those of the city, and shut it to them and went up to the top of the tower.


text:
 And Abimelech came unto the tower and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.


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


text:
 Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father in slaying his seventy brethren.


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


text:
 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in Mount Ephraim.


text:
 And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty ass colts; and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair [the villages of Jair] unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.


text:
 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD and served not Him.


text:
 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the children of Ammon.


text:
 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel eighteen years -- all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.


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


text:
 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, "We have sinned against Thee, both because we have forsaken our God and also served the Baalim."


text:
 And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, "Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon and from the Philistines?


text:
 The Sidonians also and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you; and ye cried to Me, and I delivered you out of their hand.


text:
 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen. Let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation."


text:
 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, "We have sinned! Do Thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto Thee. Deliver us only, we pray Thee, this day."


text:
 And they put away the strange gods from among them and served the LORD; and His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.


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


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


text:
 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.


text:
 And Gilead's wife bore him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah and said unto him, "Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house, for thou art the son of a strange woman."


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


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


text:
 And they said unto Jephthah, "Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon."


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


text:
 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, "Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."


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


text:
 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, "The LORD be witness between us if we do not so, according to thy words."


text:
 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them; and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpah.


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


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


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


text:
 but when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red Sea and came to Kadesh,


text:
 then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, `Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land.' But the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab, but he would not consent; and Israel abode in Kadesh.


text:
 Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab and pitched camp on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab; for Arnon was the border of Moab.


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


text:
 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his borders; but Sihon gathered all his people together and pitched camp in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.


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


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


text:
 "So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before His people Israel. And shouldest thou possess it?


text:
 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.


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


text:
 while Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that are along by the borders of Arnon, three hundred years? Why therefore did ye not recover them within that time?


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


text:
 However the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he sent him.


text:
 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.


text:
 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, "If Thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,


text:
 then it shall be that whatsoever cometh forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."


text:
 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hands.


text:
 And he smote them from Aroer even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.


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


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


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


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


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


text:
 And it came to pass at the end of two months that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed; and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel


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


text:
 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, "Why passed thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? We will burn thine house upon thee with fire."


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


text:
 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have ye come up unto me this day to fight against me?"


text:
 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, "Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites."


text:
 And the Gileadites seized the passages of the Jordan before the Ephraimites; and it was so, that when those Ephraimites who had escaped said, "Let me go over," that the men of Gilead said unto him, "Art thou an Ephraimite?" If he said, "Nay,"


text:
 then said they unto him, "Say now Shibboleth." And he said "Sibboleth," for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him and slew him at the passages of the Jordan; and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.


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


text:
 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.


text:
 And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on threescore and ten ass colts; and he judged Israel eight years.


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


text:
 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.


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


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


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 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing.


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


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


text:
 But he said unto me, `Behold, thou shalt conceive and bear a son. And now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.'"


text:
 Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, "O my Lord, let the man of God which Thou didst send come again unto us and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born."


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


text:
 And the woman made haste and ran, and showed her husband and said unto him, "Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day."


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


text:
 And Manoah said, "Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?"


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


text:
 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, "I pray thee, let us detain thee until we shall have made ready a kid for thee."


text:
 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, "Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD." For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.


text:
 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, "What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor?"


text:
 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, "Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?"


text:
 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD; and the angel did wondrously, and Manoah and his wife looked on.


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


text:
 But the angel of the LORD appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.


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 But his wife said unto him, "If the LORD were pleased to kill us, He would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would He have shown us all these things nor would He, as at this time, have told us such things as these."


text:
 And the woman bore a son, and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.


text:
 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.


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


text:
 Then his father and his mother said unto him, "Is there not a woman among the daughters of thy brethren or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines?" And Samson said unto his father, "Get her for me, for she pleaseth me well."


text:
 But his father and his mother knew not that it was because of the LORD, and that He sought an occasion against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.


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


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


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


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 And he took thereof in his hands and went on eating, and came to his father and mother; and he gave to them, and they ate. But he told them not that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.


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


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 And Samson said unto them, "I will now put forth a riddle unto you. If ye can with certainty explain it to me within the seven days of the feast and find it out, then I will give you thirty shirts and thirty changes of garments;


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


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 And he said unto them, "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness." And they could not in three days expound the riddle.


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 And it came to pass on the seventh day that they said unto Samson's wife, "Entice thy husband, that he may explain unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire. Have ye called us to take what we have? Is it not so?"


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


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


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


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 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him; and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them and took their apparel, and gave changes of garments unto those who expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.


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


text:
 And her father said, "I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her. Therefore I gave her to thy companion. Is not her younger sister fairer than she? Take her, I pray thee, instead of her."


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 And Samson said concerning them, "Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure."


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


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 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burned up both the shocks and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.


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


text:
 And Samson said unto them, "Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease";


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


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


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


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


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


text:
 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him; and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burned with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.


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 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.


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 And Samson said, "With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men."


text:
 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi [that is, The lifting up of the jawbone].


text:
 And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD and said, "Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of Thy servant. And now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?"


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 But God cleaved a hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again and he revived. Therefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore [that is, The well of him that called or cried], which is in Lehi unto this day.


text:
 And it was told the Gazites, saying, "Samson has come hither." And they compassed him in, and lay in wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, "In the morning when it is day, we shall kill him."


text:
 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight and took the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of a hill that is before Hebron.


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


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


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


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


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


text:
 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson." And he broke the withes as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.


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


text:
 And he said unto her, "If they bind me fast with new ropes wherewith work hath not been done, then shall I be weak and be as another man."


text:
 Delilah therefore took new ropes and bound him therewith, and said unto him, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson." And there were liersinwait abiding in the chamber. And he broke them from off his arms like a thread.


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


text:
 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson." And he awakened out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam and with the web.


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


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


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


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


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


text:
 And she said, "The Philistines be upon thee, Samson." And he awoke out of his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself." And he knew not that the LORD had departed from him.


text:
 But the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grinding in the prison house.


text:
 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god and to rejoice, for they said, "Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand!"


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


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


text:
 And Samson said unto the lad who held him by the hand, "Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them."


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


text:
 And Samson called unto the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray Thee, and strengthen me, I pray Thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes."


text:
 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood and on which it was borne up, the one with his right hand and the other with his left.


text:
 And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines." And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people who were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those whom he slew in his life.


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


text:
 And he said unto his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursed and spokest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it." And his mother said, "Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son."


text:
 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, "I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son to make a graven image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it unto thee."


text:
 Yet he restored the money unto his mother. And his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image; and they were in the house of Micah.


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


text:
 (In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.)


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


text:
 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place; and he came to Mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.


text:
 And Micah said unto him, "From whence comest thou?" And he said unto him, "I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place."


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


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


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


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


text:
 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their borders, men of valor from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it. And they said unto them, "Go, search the land," who, when they came to Mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, they lodged there.


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


text:
 And he said unto them, "Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me and hath hired me, and I am his priest."


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


text:
 Then the five men departed and came to Laish, and saw the people who were therein, how they dwelt free from care, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. And there was no magistrate in the land who might put them to shame in any thing, and they were far from the Sidonians and had no business with any man.


text:
 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brethren said unto them, "What say ye?"


text:
 And they said, "Arise, that we may go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And are ye still? Be not slothful to go and to enter to possess the land.


text:
 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure and to a large land. For God hath given it into your hands, a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth."


text:
 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.


text:
 And they went up and pitched camp in Kirjathjearim in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day; behold, it is behind Kirjathjearim.


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


text:
 And they turned in that direction, and came to the house of the young man, the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.


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


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


text:
 And these went into Micah's house and fetched the carved image, the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, "What do ye?"


text:
 And they said unto him, "Hold thy peace. Lay thine hand upon thy mouth and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?"


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


text:
 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and their baggage in front of them.


text:
 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together and overtook the children of Dan.


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


text:
 And he said, "Ye have taken away my gods which I made and the priest, and ye have gone away. And what have I more? And what is this that ye say unto me, `What aileth thee?'"


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


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


text:
 And they took the things which Micah had made and the priest whom he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people who were at quiet and secure; and they smote them with the edge 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 business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city and dwelt therein;


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


text:
 And the children of Dan set up the graven image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.


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


text:
 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of Mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem in Judah.


text:
 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehem in Judah, and was there four whole months.


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


text:
 And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, entertained him, and he tarried with him three days; so they ate and drank and lodged there.


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


text:
 And they sat down and ate and drank both of them together; for the damsel's father had said unto the man, "Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry."


text:
 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the damsel's father said, "Comfort thine heart, I pray thee." And they tarried until afternoon, and they ate both of them.


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


text:
 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came opposite Jebus, which is Jerusalem. And there were with him two asses saddled. His concubine also was with him.


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


text:
 And his master said unto him, "We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger that is not of the children of Israel. We will pass over to Gibeah."


text:
 And he said unto his servant, "Come, and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah or in Ramah."


text:
 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.


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


text:
 And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening, who was also of Mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.


text:
 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, "Whither goest thou? And from whence comest thou?"


text:
 And he said unto him, "We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah toward the side of Mount Ephraim; from thence am I. And I went to Bethlehem in Judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and there is no man who receiveth me to his house.


text:
 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses, and there is bread and wine also for me and for thy handmaid and for the young man who is with thy servants. There is no want of any thing."


text:
 And the old man said, "Peace be with thee. Howsoever, let all thy wants lie upon me. Only lodge not in the street."


text:
 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.


text:
 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about and beat at the door, and spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring forth the man who came into thine house, that we may know him."


text:
 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them and said unto them, "Nay, my brethren! Nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly! Seeing that this man has come into mine house, do not this folly.


text:
 Behold, here is my daughter, a maiden, and his concubine. Them I will bring out now, and humble ye them and do with them what seemeth good unto you; but unto this man do not so vile a thing!"


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


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


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


text:
 And he said unto her, "Up, and let us be going." But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up and went unto his place.


text:
 And when he had come into his house, he took a knife and laid hold on his concubine and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the regions of Israel.


text:
 And it was so, that all who saw it said, "There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day. Consider it, take counsel, and speak your minds."


text:
 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba with the land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpah.


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


text:
 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) Then said the children of Israel, "Tell us, how was this wickedness?"


text:
 And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was slain, answered and said, "I came into Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.


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


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


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


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


text:
 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What wickedness is this that is done among you?


text:
 Now therefore, deliver us the men, the children of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel." But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren, the children of Israel;


text:
 but the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah to go out to battle against the children of Israel.


text:
 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.


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


text:
 And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew the sword. All these were men of war.


text:
 And the children of Israel arose and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God and said, "Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin?" And the LORD said, "Judah shall go up first."


text:
 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.


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


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


text:
 And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin, my brother?" And the LORD said, "Go up against him."


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


text:
 Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up, and came unto the house of God and wept, and sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.


text:
 And the children of Israel inquired of the LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,


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


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


text:
 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite some of the people and kill, as at other times, in the highways (of which one goeth up to the house of God and the other to Gibeah in the field), about thirty men of Israel.


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


text:
 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar; and the liersinwait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.


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


text:
 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and a hundred men; all these drew the sword.


text:
 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten; for the men of Israel gave way to the Benjamites, because they trusted in the liersinwait whom they had set against Gibeah.


text:
 And the liersinwait hastened and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liersinwait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.


text:
 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liersinwait that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.


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


text:
 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.


text:
 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed; for they saw that evil had come upon them.


text:
 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them; and those who came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.


text:
 Thus they enclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them and trod them down with ease opposite Gibeah toward the sunrising.


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


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


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


text:
 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city and the beast, and all that came to hand. Also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.


text:
 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, "There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin for a wife."


text:
 And the people came to the house of God, and remained there till evening before God, and lifted up their voices and wept sorely,


text:
 and said, "O LORD God of Israel, why has this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?"


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


text:
 And the children of Israel said, "Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who came not up with the congregation unto the LORD?" For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely be put to death."


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


text:
 What shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them from our daughters for wives?"


text:
 And they said, "What one is there of the tribes of Israel who came not up to Mizpah to the LORD?" And behold, there came none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.


text:
 For the people were numbered, and behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.


text:
 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the most valiant and commanded them, saying, "Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, along with the women and the children.


text:
 And this is the thing that ye shall do: Ye shall utterly destroy every male and every woman that hath lain with a man."


text:
 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins who had known no man by lying with any male; and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.


text:
 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and to proclaim peace unto them.


text:
 And Benjamin came again at that time, and they gave them wives whom they had saved alive from the women of Jabeshgilead; and yet so they sufficed them not.


text:
 Then the elders of the congregation said, "What shall we do for wives for those who remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?"


text:
 And they said, "There must be an inheritance for those who have escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.


text:
 However that be, we may not give them wives from our daughters; for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, `Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.'"


text:
 Then they said, "Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah."


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


text:
 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, `Be favorable unto them for our sakes, because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war; for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be guilty.'"


text:
 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took for themselves wives according to their number from those who danced whom they caught; and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them.


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


text:
 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country 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 Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.


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


text:
 And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them; and the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.


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


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


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


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


text:
 And Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters. Why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?


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


text:
 would ye tarry for them until they were grown? Would ye refrain for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me."


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


text:
 And she said, "Behold, thy sister-in-law has gone back unto her people and unto her gods. Return thou after thy sister-in-law."


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


text:
 Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried; the LORD do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."


text:
 So the two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved concerning them; and they said, "Is this Naomi?"


text:
 And she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi [that is, Pleasant]. Call me Mara [that is, Bitter], for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.


text:
 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty. Why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me?"


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


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


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


text:
 And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.


text:
 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, "The LORD be with you." And they answered him, "The LORD bless thee."


text:
 And the servant who was set over the reapers answered and said, "It is the Moabite damsel who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.


text:
 And she said, `I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' So she came and hath continued even from the morning until now, except she tarried a little in the house."


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


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


text:
 Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, "Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take notice of me, seeing I am a stranger?"


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


text:
 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee from the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou hast come to trust."


text:
 Then she said, "Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord; for thou hast comforted me, and thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I am not like unto one of thine handmaidens."


text:
 And Boaz said unto her, "At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread and dip thy morsel in the vinegar." And she sat beside the reapers; and he passed to her parched corn, and she ate and was sufficed, and left.


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


text:
 And let fall also some of the handfuls purposely for her; and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not."


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


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


text:
 And her mother-in-law said unto her, "Where hast thou gleaned today? And where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that took notice of thee." And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, "The man's name with whom I wrought today is Boaz."


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


text:
 And Ruth the Moabitess said, "He said unto me also, `Thou shalt keep fast by my young men until they have ended all my harvest.'"


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


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


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


text:
 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley tonight at the threshing floor.


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


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


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


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


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


text:
 And he said, "Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter; for thou hast shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followed not young men, whether poor or rich.


text:
 And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do for thee all that thou requirest, for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.


text:
 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well. Let him do the kinsman's part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman for thee, as the LORD liveth. Lie down until the morning."


text:
 And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, "Let it not be known that a woman came unto the floor."


text:
 Also he said, "Bring the veil that thou hast upon thee and hold it." And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; and she went into the city.


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


text:
 And she said, "These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, `Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law.'"


text:
 Then said she, "Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not be in rest until he hath finished the thing this day."


text:
 Then went Boaz up to the gate and sat himself down there; and behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by, unto whom he said, "Ho, such a one! Turn aside, sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down.


text:
 And he said unto the kinsman, "Naomi, who hath come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land which was our brother Elimelech's.


text:
 And I thought to advise thee, saying, `Buy it before the inhabitants and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it. But if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee, and I am after thee.'" And he said, "I will redeem it."


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


text:
 And the kinsman said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance. Redeem thou my right for thyself, for I cannot redeem it."


text:
 Now this was the manner in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was a testimony in Israel.


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


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


text:
 And all the people who were at the gate and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman who hath come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel; and do thou worthily in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.


text:
 And let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee by this young woman."


text:
 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife; and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception and she bore a son.


text:
 And the women said unto Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.


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


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


text:
 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of Mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.


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


text:
 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.


text:
 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters, portions.


text:
 And her adversary also provoked her sorely to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.


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


text:
 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, "Hannah, why weepest thou? And why eatest thou not? And why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons?"


text:
 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh and after they had drunk. (Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.)


text:
 And she vowed a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thine handmaid, and remember me and not forget Thine handmaid, but wilt give unto Thine handmaid a manchild, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head."


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


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


text:
 Count not thine handmaid as a daughter of Belial, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto."


text:
 Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him."


text:
 And she said, "Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her countenance was no more sad.


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


text:
 Therefore it came to pass, when the time had come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bore a son and called his name Samuel [that is, Asked of God], saying, "Because I have asked him of the LORD."


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


text:
 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, "I will not go up until the child is weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD and there abide for ever."


text:
 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, "Do what seemeth to thee good. Tarry until thou have weaned him, only the LORD establish His word." So the woman remained, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.


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


text:
 And she said, "Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman who stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.


text:
 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there.


text:
 And Hannah prayed and said, "My heart rejoiceth in the LORD; mine horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, because I rejoice in Thy salvation.


text:
 There is none holy as the LORD, for there is none besides Thee; neither is there any rock like our God.


text:
 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed.


text:
 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread, and they that were hungry ceased hungering, so that the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.


text:
 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and He hath set the world upon them.


text:
 "He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.


text:
 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall He thunder upon them. The LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto His king and exalt the horn of His anointed."


text:
 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child ministered unto the LORD before Eli the priest.


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


text:
 And he struck it into the pan or kettle, or caldron or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites who came thither.


text:
 Also before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came and said to the man who sacrificed, "Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have boiled flesh from thee, but raw."


text:
 And if any man said unto him, "Let them not fail to burn the fat presently and then take as much as thy soul desireth," then he would answer him, "Nay, but thou shalt give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force."


text:
 Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.


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


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 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, "The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD." And they went unto their own home.


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 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.


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 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.


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


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 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him. But if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him?" Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.


text:
 And there came a man of God unto Eli and said unto him, "Thus saith the LORD: `Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?


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 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon Mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? And did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire from the children of Israel?


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 Why kick ye at My sacrifice and at Mine offering which I have commanded in My habitation, and honorest thy sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel My people?'


text:
 Therefore the LORD God of Israel saith: `I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before Me for ever.' But now the LORD saith, `Be it far from Me; for them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.


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


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 And thou shalt see an enemy in My habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.


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


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


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 And I will raise Me up a faithful priest who shall do according to that which is in Mine heart and in My mind; and I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before Mine anointed for ever.


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


text:
 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.


text:
 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim so that he could not see,


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 and ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was, and Samuel was lying down to sleep,


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


text:
 And the LORD called yet again, "Samuel." And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here am I, for thou didst call me." And he answered, "I called not, my son; lie down again."


text:
 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here am I, for thou didst call me." And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.


text:
 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shalt say, `Speak, LORD, for Thy servant heareth.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.


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 And the LORD came and stood, and called as at other times, "Samuel, Samuel." Then Samuel answered, "Speak, for Thy servant heareth."


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


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 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house. When I begin, I will also make an end;


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 for I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth, because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.


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 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering, for ever."


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


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 And he said, "What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me. God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any word from me of all the things that He said unto thee."


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 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let Him do what seemeth to Him good."


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 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.


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 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh, for the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.


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 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched camp beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.


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


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 And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why hath the LORD smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies."


text:
 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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 And the man said unto Eli, "I am he that came from the army, and I fled today from the army." And he said, "What is done there, my son?"


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


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


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


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


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 And she named the child Ichabod [that is, Where is the glory?], saying, "The glory has departed from Israel"--because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.


text:
 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon.


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


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


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


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 But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon those of Ashdod, and He destroyed them and smote them with hemorrhoids, even Ashdod and the borders thereof.


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


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


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 And it was so that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had hemorrhoids in their secret parts.


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


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


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 And the men who died not were smitten with the hemorrhoids; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.


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 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we shall send it to his place."


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 And they said, "If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering. Then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you."


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 Then said they, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?" They answered, "Five golden hemorrhoids and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all and on your lords.


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 Therefore ye shall make images of your hemorrhoids and images of your mice that mar the land, and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from you and from your gods and from your land.


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


text:
 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milk cows on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the cows to the cart and bring their calves home from them.


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


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 And see: If it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us."


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


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 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their hemorrhoids.


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


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


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 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there where there was a great stone. And they cleaved the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering unto the LORD.


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


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


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


text:
 And He smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD; even He smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men. And the people lamented because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.


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 And the men of Bethshemesh said, "Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And to whom shall He go up from us?"


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 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of the LORD. Come ye down and fetch it up to you."


text:
 And the men of Kirjathjearim came and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.


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 And it came to pass, while the ark remained in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.


text:
 And Samuel spoke unto all the house of Israel, saying, "If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD and serve Him only; and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."


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


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


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 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, "Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines."


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 And Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD; and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel, and the LORD heard him.


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 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines and discomfited them, and they were smitten before Israel.


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 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines and smote them until they came under Bethcar.


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 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer [that is, The stone of help], saying, "Hitherto hath the LORD helped us."


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 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the border of Israel; and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.


text:
 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the borders thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.


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


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 And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar unto the LORD.


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 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.


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 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre and took bribes and perverted judgment.


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 and said unto him, "Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways. Now make us a king to judge us, like all the nations."


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 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.


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 And the LORD said unto Samuel, "Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.


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 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken Me and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.


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 Now therefore hearken unto their voice. However, yet protest solemnly unto them and show them the ways of the king that shall reign over them."


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 And he said, "This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for himself, for his chariots and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.


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 And he will appoint him captains over thousands and captains over fifties, and will set them to till his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war and instruments of his chariots.


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


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 And he will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give to his officers and to his servants.


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 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.


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 And ye shall cry out on that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day."


text:
 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel, and they said, "Nay; but we will have a king over us,


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


text:
 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king." And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, "Go ye every man unto his city."


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 Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.


text:
 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly; and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.


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 And the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, "Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses."


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 And he passed through Mount Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they were not; and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.


text:
 And when they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, and let us return, lest my father leave caring for the asses and take thought for us."


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 And he said unto him, "Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man. All that he saith cometh surely to pass. Now let us go thither. Perhaps he can show us our way that we should go."


text:
 Then said Saul to his servant, "But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What have we?"


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 And the servant answered Saul again and said, "Behold, I have here at hand a fourth part of a shekel of silver. That will I give to the man of God to tell us our way."


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 (Before this in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spoke: "Come, and let us go to the seer"; for he that is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.)


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


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 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, "Is the seer here?"


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 And they answered them and said, "He is; behold, he is before you. Make haste now, for he came today to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people today on the high place.


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 As soon as ye have come into the city, ye shall straightway find him before he go up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that are bidden. Now therefore get you up, for about this time ye shall find him."


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 And they went up into the city; and when they had come into the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them to go up to the high place.


text:
 "Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over My people Israel, that he may save My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come unto Me."


text:
 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, "Behold the man whom I spoke to thee of! This same shall reign over My people."


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 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, "Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is."


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 And Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let thee go and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.


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 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them, for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee and on all thy father's house?"


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 And Saul answered and said, "Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then speakest thou so to me?"


text:
 And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and made them sit in the chiefest place among those who were bidden, who were about thirty persons.


text:
 And Samuel said unto the cook, "Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, `Set it by thee.'"


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 And the cook took up the shoulder and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, "Behold that which is left! Set it before thee and eat; for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, `I have invited the people.'" So Saul ate with Samuel that day.


text:
 And when they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.


text:
 And they arose early. And it came to pass about the dawn of the day that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, "Up, that I may send thee away." And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.


text:
 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Bid the servant pass on before us." (And he passed on.) "But stand thou still a while, that I may show thee the word of God."


text:
 Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon his head, and kissed him and said, "Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over His inheritance?


text:
 When thou art departed from me today, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulcher in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, `The asses which thou wentest to seek are found. And lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses and sorroweth for you, saying, "What shall I do for my son?"'


text:
 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor; and there shall meet thee three men going up to God at Bethel, one carrying three kids and another carrying three loaves of bread and another carrying a bottle of wine.


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 And they will salute thee and give thee two loaves of bread, which thou shalt receive from their hands.


text:
 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines; and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery and a taboret and a pipe and a harp before them; and they shall prophesy.


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 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them and shalt be turned into another man.


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 And let it be, when these signs have come unto thee, that thou do as the occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.


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 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down unto thee to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee and show thee what thou shalt do."


text:
 And it was so that, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.


text:
 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.


text:
 And it came to pass when all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, "What is this that has come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"


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 And one of the same place answered and said, "But who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb: "Is Saul also among the prophets?"


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 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, "Whither went ye?" And he said, "To seek the asses; and when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Samuel."


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 And Saul said unto his uncle, "He told us plainly that the asses were found." But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spoke, he told him not.


text:
 and said unto the children of Israel, "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel: `I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all kingdoms and from them that oppressed you.'


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 And ye have this day rejected your God, who Himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations, and ye have said unto Him, `Nay, but set a king over us.' Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands."


text:
 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken; and when they sought him, he could not be found.


text:
 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, "Behold, he hath hid himself among the supplies."


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 And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.


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 And Samuel said to all the people, "See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?" And all the people shouted and said, "God save the king!"


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


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 And Saul also went home to Gibeah. And there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.


text:
 But the children of Belial said, "How shall this man save us?" And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.


text:
 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabeshgilead; and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee."


text:
 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, "On this condition will I make a covenant with you: that I may thrust out all your right eyes and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel."


text:
 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, "Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the regions of Israel. And then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee."


text:
 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul and told the tidings in the ears of the people, and all the people lifted up their voices and wept.


text:
 And behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, "What aileth the people that they weep?" And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.


text:
 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.


text:
 And he took a yoke of oxen and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the regions of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, "Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen." And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.


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


text:
 And they said unto the messengers who came, "Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, `Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have help.'" And the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.


text:
 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, "Tomorrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you."


text:
 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and it came to pass that those who remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.


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


text:
 And Saul said, "There shall not a man be put to death this day, for today the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel."


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


text:
 And Samuel said unto all Israel, "Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me and have made a king over you;


text:
 and now, behold, the king walketh before you. And I am old and grayheaded, and behold, my sons are with you; and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.


text:
 Behold, here I am! Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restore it to you."


text:
 And they said, "Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught from any man's hand."


text:
 And he said unto them, "The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand." And they answered, "He is witness."


text:
 And Samuel said unto the people, "It is the LORD who advanced Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.


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


text:
 When Jacob had come into Egypt and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place.


text:
 And when they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.


text:
 And they cried unto the LORD and said, `We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baalim and Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve Thee.'


text:
 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt safe.


text:
 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, `Nay, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king.


text:
 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen and whom ye have desired! And behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.


text:
 If ye will fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king who reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God.


text:
 But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.


text:
 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the LORD, and He shall send thunder and rain, that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king."


text:
 So Samuel called unto the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.


text:
 And all the people said unto Samuel, "Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not. For we have added unto all our sins this evil: to ask for us a king."


text:
 And Samuel said unto the people, "Fear not. Ye have done all this wickedness; yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.


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 And turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain.


text:
 For the LORD will not forsake His people for His great name's sake, because it hath pleased the LORD to make you His people.


text:
 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.


text:
 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He hath done for you.


text:
 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and on Mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.


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


text:
 And all Israel heard it said that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was held in abomination by the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.


text:
 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and pitched camp in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.


text:
 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves and in thickets and in rocks and in high places and in pits.


text:
 And some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.


text:
 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed; but Samuel came not to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him.


text:
 And Saul said, "Bring hither a burnt offering to me and peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering.


text:
 And it came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.


text:
 And Samuel said, "What hast thou done?" And Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash,


text:
 therefore said I, `The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD.' I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering."


text:
 And Samuel said to Saul, "Thou hast done foolishly. Thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God which He commanded thee, for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.


text:
 But now thy kingdom shall not continue. The LORD hath sought Him a man after His own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over His people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee."


text:
 And Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.


text:
 And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were present with them abode in Gibeah of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.


text:
 And the despoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual,


text:
 and another company turned the way to Bethhoron, and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.


text:
 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears."


text:
 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his plowshare and his coulter and his ax and his mattock.


text:
 Yet they had a file for the mattocks and for the coulters and for the forks and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.


text:
 So it came to pass on the day of battle that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but with Saul and with Jonathan his son were they found.


text:
 Now it came to pass upon a day that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said unto the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side." But he told not his father.


text:
 And Saul tarried in the outermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. And the people who were with him were about six hundred men,


text:
 and Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.


text:
 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.


text:
 The forefront of the one was situated northward over against Michmash and the other southward over against Gibeah.


text:
 And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few."


text:
 And his armorbearer said unto him, "Do all that is in thine heart. Turn thee; behold, I am with thee, according to thy heart."


text:
 Then said Jonathan, "Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will disclose ourselves unto them.


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 If they say thus unto us, `Tarry until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place and will not go up unto them.


text:
 But if they say thus, `Come up unto us,' then we will go up; for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand, and this shall be a sign unto us."


text:
 And both of them revealed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves."


text:
 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you a thing." And Jonathan said unto his armorbearer, "Come up after me, for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel."


text:
 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armorbearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armorbearer slew after him.


text:
 And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within, as it were, a half acre of land which a yoke of oxen might plow.


text:
 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the despoilers also trembled, and the earth quaked; so it was a very great trembling.


text:
 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.


text:
 Then said Saul unto the people who were with him, "Number now, and see who is gone from us." And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.


text:
 And Saul said unto Ahijah, "Bring hither the ark of God." For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.


text:
 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said unto the priest, "Withdraw thine hand."


text:
 And Saul and all the people who were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.


text:
 Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.


text:
 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves on Mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.


text:
 And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed be the man who eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies." So none of the people tasted any food.


text:
 And when the people had come into the woods, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.


text:
 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath. Therefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.


text:
 Then answered one of the people and said, "Thy father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, `Cursed be the man who eateth any food this day.'" And the people were faint.


text:
 Then said Jonathan, "My father hath troubled the land. See, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey.


text:
 How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For would there not have been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?"


text:
 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.


text:
 Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people sin against the LORD in that they eat with the blood." And he said, "Ye have transgressed! Roll a great stone unto me this day."


text:
 And Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people and say unto them, `Bring me hither every man his ox and every man his sheep, and slay them here and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood.'" And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.


text:
 And Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and despoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them." And they said, "Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee." Then said the priest, "Let us draw near hither unto God."


text:
 And Saul asked counsel of God: "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt Thou deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But He answered him not that day.


text:
 And Saul said, "Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people, and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.


text:
 For, as the LORD liveth who saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.


text:
 Then said he unto all Israel, "Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side." And the people said unto Saul, "Do what seemeth good unto thee."


text:
 Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, "Give a perfect lot." And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped.


text:
 Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what thou hast done." And Jonathan told him and said, "I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and lo, I must die."


text:
 And the people said unto Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid! As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he hath wrought with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.


text:
 So Saul took the kingship over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines; and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.


text:
 And he gathered a host and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them.


text:
 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishui and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn, Merab, and the name of the younger, Michal.


text:
 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.


text:
 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him unto him.


text:
 Samuel also said unto Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.


text:
 Thus saith the LORD of hosts: `I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he lay in wait for him on the way when he came up from Egypt.


text:
 Now go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.'"


text:
 And Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen and ten thousand men of Judah.


text:
 And Saul said unto the Kenites, "Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.


text:
 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.


text:
 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and of the oxen, and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.


text:
 "I repent that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following Me and hath not performed My commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried unto the LORD all night.


text:
 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set him up a place, and has gone about and passed on and gone down to Gilgal."


text:
 And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him, "Blessed be thou of the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD."


text:
 And Samuel said, "What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"


text:
 And Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God, and the rest we have utterly destroyed."


text:
 Then Samuel said unto Saul, "Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night." And he said unto him, "Say on."


text:
 And Samuel said, "When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?


text:
 And the LORD sent thee on a journey and said, `Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.'


text:
 Why then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst leap upon the spoil and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?"


text:
 And Saul said unto Samuel, "Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.


text:
 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal."


text:
 And Samuel said, "Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.


text:
 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king."


text:
 And Saul said unto Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and thy words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.


text:
 And Samuel said unto Saul, "I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel."


text:
 And Samuel said unto him, "The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, who is better than thou.


text:
 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for He is not a man, that He should repent."


text:
 Then he said, "I have sinned; yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God."


text:
 Then said Samuel, "Bring ye hither to me Agag, the king of the Amalekites." And Agag came unto him charily; and Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past."


text:
 And Samuel said, "As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women." And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.


text:
 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul; and the LORD repented that He had made Saul king over Israel.


text:
 And the LORD said unto Samuel, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go. I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided Me a king among his sons."


text:
 And Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with thee, and say, `I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'


text:
 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto Me him whom I name unto thee."


text:
 And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, "Comest thou peaceably?"


text:
 And he said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice unto the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.


text:
 And it came to pass, when they had come, that he looked on Eliab and said, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him."


text:
 But the LORD said unto Samuel, "Look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for the LORD seeth not as man seeth. For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."


text:
 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, "Neither hath the LORD chosen this."


text:
 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, "The LORD hath not chosen these."


text:
 And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Are here all thy children?" And he said, "There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep." And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he come hither."


text:
 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and altogether of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look upon. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he."


text:
 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.


text:
 Let our lord now command thy servants, who are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well."


text:
 Then answered one of the servants and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him."


text:
 Therefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse and said, "Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep."


text:
 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread and a bottle of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.


text:
 And David came to Saul and stood before him; and he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer.


text:
 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he hath found favor in my sight."


text:
 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.


text:
 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies for battle and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched camp between Shochoh and Azekah in Ephesdammim.


text:
 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and pitched camp by the Valley of Elah, and set up in battle array against the Philistines.


text:
 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on one side and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, and there was a valley between them.


text:
 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.


text:
 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.


text:
 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and one bearing a shield went before him.


text:
 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel and said unto them, "Why have ye come out to set up in battle array? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.


text:
 If he be able to fight with me and to kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall ye be our servants and serve us."


text:
 And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day! Give me a man, that we may fight together!"


text:
 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.


text:
 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah whose name was Jesse and who had eight sons; and Jesse went among men as an old man in the days of Saul.


text:
 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle; and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.


text:
 And Jesse said unto David his son, "Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;


text:
 and carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge."


text:
 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.


text:
 And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and took and went as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench as the host was going forth to the fight and was shouting for the battle.


text:
 And David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran unto the army, and came and saluted his brethren.


text:
 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words; and David heard them.


text:
 And the men of Israel said, "Have ye seen this man who has come up? Surely, to defy Israel has he come up; and it shall be that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel."


text:
 And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done to the man who killeth this Philistine and taketh away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"


text:
 And the people answered him in this manner, saying, "So shall it be done to the man who killeth him."


text:
 And Eliab, his eldest brother, heard when he spoke unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David and he said, "Why camest thou down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the willfulness of thine heart, for thou hast come down that thou mightest see the battle."


text:
 And he turned from him toward another and spoke in the same manner; and the people answered him again in the former manner.


text:
 And when the words were heard which David spoke, they recounted them before Saul; and he sent for him.


text:
 And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine."


text:
 And Saul said to David, "Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."


text:
 And David said unto Saul, "Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock;


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 and I went out after him and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and smote him, and slew him.


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 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God."


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 David said moreover, "The LORD who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said unto David, "Go, and the LORD be with thee."


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 And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.


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 And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he attempted to go, for he had not tested it. And David said unto Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David put them off him.


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 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he drew near to the Philistine.


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 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David, and the man who bore the shield went before him.


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 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.


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 And the Philistine said unto David, "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.


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 And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field."


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 Then said David to the Philistine, "Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.


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 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand. And I will smite thee and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.


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 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands."


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 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.


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 And David put his hand in his bag and took thence a stone, and slung it and smote the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sunk into his forehead. And he fell upon his face to the earth.


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 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.


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 Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.


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 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines until thou come to the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath and unto Ekron.


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 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they despoiled their tents.


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 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.


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 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell."


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 And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.


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 And Saul said to him, "Whose son art thou, thou young man?" And David answered, "I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."


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 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.


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 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle.


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 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of of the LORD departed from Saul, ight of Saul's servants.


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 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with taborets, with joy, and with instruments of music.


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 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, "Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands."


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 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands. And what can he have more but the kingdom?"


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 And it came to pass on the morrow that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played with his hand, as at other times. And there was a javelin in Saul's hand;


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 and Saul cast the javelin, for he said, "I will smite David even to the wall with it." And David escaped out of his presence twice.


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 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.


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 And Saul said to David, "Behold my elder daughter Merab; her will I give thee for a wife. Only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD'S battles." For Saul said, "Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him."


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 And David said unto Saul, "Who am I? And what is my life or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"


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 But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David that she was given unto Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.


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 And Saul said, "I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David, "Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law through one of the two."


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 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, "Commune with David secretly and say, `Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants love thee. Now therefore be the king's son-in-law.'"


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 And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, "Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?"


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 And Saul said, "Thus shall ye say to David: `The king desireth not any dowry but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies.'" But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.


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 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law; and the days were not expired.


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 Therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full measure to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife.


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 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth. And it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was much esteemed.


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 But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David; and Jonathan told David, saying, "Saul my father seeketh to kill thee. Now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place and hide thyself.


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 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father about thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee."


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 And Jonathan spoke well of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, "Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he hath not sinned against thee and because his works have been toward thee very good.


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 For he put his life in his hands and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel. Thou sawest it and didst rejoice. Why then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?"


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 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, "As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain."


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 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.


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 And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.


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 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand. And David played music with his hand.


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 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.


text:
 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to watch him and to slay him in the morning. And Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, "If thou save not thy life tonight, tomorrow thou shalt be slain."


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 And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for its head, and covered it with a cloth.


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 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him."


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 And when the messengers had come in, behold, there was an image in the bed with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.


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 And Saul said unto Michal, "Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said unto me, `Let me go: Why should I kill thee?'"


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 So David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.


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 And Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.


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 And when it was told to Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.


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 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu; and he asked and said, "Where are Samuel and David?" And one said, "Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah."


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 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.


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 And he stripped off his clothes also and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"


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 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is mine iniquity? And what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?"


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 And he said unto him, "God forbid! Thou shalt not die. Behold, my father will do nothing either great or small but that he will show it to me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so."


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 And David swore moreover and said, "Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes, and he saith, `Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly as the LORD liveth and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death."


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 And David said unto Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at evening.


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 If thy father at all miss me, then say, `David earnestly asked leave of me, that he might run to Bethlehem, his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.'


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 If he say thus, `It is well,' thy servant shall have peace; but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.


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 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant, for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee. Notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?"


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 And Jonathan said, "Far be it from thee; for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it to thee?"


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 And Jonathan said unto David, "Come, and let us go out into the field." And they went out both of them into the field.


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 And Jonathan said unto David, "By the LORD the God of Israel, when I have sounded out my father about tomorrow any time, or the third day, and behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee and show it to thee,


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 the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will show it to thee and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; and the LORD be with thee, as He hath been with my father.


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 but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever -- no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth."


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 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies."


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 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.


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 Then Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the new moon, and thou shalt be missed because thy seat will be empty.


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 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.


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 And behold, I will send a lad, saying, `Go, find the arrows.' If I expressly say unto the lad, `Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them,' then come thou, for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as the LORD liveth.


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 But if I say thus unto the young man, `Behold, the arrows are beyond thee,' go thy way; for the LORD hath sent thee away.


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 And concerning the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be witness between thee and me for ever."


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 And the king sat upon his seat as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall; and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.


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 Nevertheless Saul spoke not any thing that day, for he thought, "Something hath befallen him. He is not clean, surely he is not clean."


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 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty. And Saul said unto Jonathan his son, "Why cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday nor today?"


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 And he said, `Let me go, I pray thee, for our family hath a sacrifice in the city, and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there. And now, if I have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren.' Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table."


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 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, "Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?


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 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Therefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die."


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 And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said unto him, "Why shall he be slain? What hath he done?"


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 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him, whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to slay David.


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 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no meat the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.


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 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.


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 And he said unto his lad, "Run, find now the arrows which I shoot." And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.


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 And when the lad had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad and said, "Is not the arrow beyond thee?"


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 And Jonathan cried after the lad, "Make speed, haste, stay not." And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows and came to his master.


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 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times; and they kissed one another and wept one with another, but David more.


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 And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, `The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever.'" And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.


text:
 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, "Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?"


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 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, "The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, `Let no man know anything of the business about which I send thee and what I have commanded thee.' And I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.


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 Now therefore, what is under thine hand? Give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present."


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 And the priest answered David and said, "There is no common bread under mine hand; but there is hallowed bread, if at least the young men have kept themselves from women."


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 And David answered the priest and said unto him, "Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days since I came out; and the vessels of the young men are holy and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel."


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 So the priest gave him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.


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 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.


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 And David said unto Ahimelech, "And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste."


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 And the priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other save that here." And David said, "There is none like that; give it to me."


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 And the servants of Achish said unto him, "Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, `Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"


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 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.


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 Then said Achish unto his servants, "Lo, ye see the man is mad. Why then have ye brought him to me?


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 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"


text:
 David therefore departed thence and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.


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 And every one who was in distress, and every one who was in debt, and every one who was discontented, gathered themselves unto him. And he became a captain over them, and there were with him about four hundred men.


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 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab; and he said unto the king of Moab, "Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth and be with you, till I know what God will do for me."


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 And he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the stronghold.


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 And the prophet Gad said unto David, "Abide not in the stronghold. Depart, and get thee into the land of Judah." Then David departed and came into the forest of Hereth.


text:
 When Saul heard that David was discovered and the men who were with him (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him),


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 then Saul said unto his servants who stood about him, "Hear now, ye Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,


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 that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who showeth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse; and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or showeth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me to lie in wait, as at this day?"


text:
 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.


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 And he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine."


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 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob; and they came all of them to the king.


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 And Saul said unto him, "Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread and a sword and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me to lie in wait, as at this day?"


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 Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, "And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honorable in thine house?


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 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me. Let not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more."


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 And the king said unto the footmen who stood about him, "Turn and slay the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not show it to me." But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.


text:
 And the king said to Doeg, "Turn thou and fall upon the priests." And Doeg the Edomite turned and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons who wore a linen ephod.


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 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword.


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 And David said unto Abiathar, "I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.


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 Abide thou with me; fear not. For he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life, but with me thou shalt be in safekeeping."


text:
 Then they told David, saying, "Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing floors."


text:
 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and smite these Philistines?" And the LORD said unto David, "Go and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah."


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 And David's men said unto him, "Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"


text:
 Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand."


text:
 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.


text:
 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.


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 And it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, "God hath delivered him into mine hand, for he is shut in by entering into a town that hath gates and bars."


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 And David knew that Saul secretly practiced mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring hither the ephod."


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 Then said David, "O LORD God of Israel, Thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.


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 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech Thee, tell Thy servant." And the LORD said, "He will come down."


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 Then said David, "Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?" And the LORD said, "They will deliver thee up."


text:
 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; and he forbore to go forth.


text:
 And David abode in the wilderness in strongholds and remained on a mountain in the Wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.


text:
 And David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life; and David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in a wood.


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 And he said unto him, "Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee. And thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth."


text:
 And the two made a covenant before the LORD; and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.


text:
 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Doth not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the wood, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?


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 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand."


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 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there; for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly.


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 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah."


text:
 And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.


text:
 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David, whereupon he came down to a rock, and abode in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the Wilderness of Maon.


text:
 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul, for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.


text:
 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, "Hasten thee and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land."


text:
 Therefore Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth [that is, The rock of divisions].


text:
 And it came to pass, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Behold, David is in the Wilderness of Engedi."


text:
 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the Rocks of the Wild Goats.


text:
 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself, and David and his men remained in the recesses of the cave.


text:
 And the men of David said unto him, "Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, `Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.'" Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.


text:
 And he said unto his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD."


text:
 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his way.


text:
 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, "My lord the king." And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed himself.


text:
 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee today into mine hand in the cave, and some bade me kill thee. But mine eye spared thee, and I said, `I will not put forth mine hand against my lord, for he is the LORD'S anointed.'


text:
 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.


text:
 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee; but mine hand shall not be upon thee.


text:
 As saith the proverb of the ancients, `Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked.' But mine hand shall not be upon thee.


text:
 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea!


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 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee; and see and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand."


text:
 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, "Is this thy voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.


text:
 And he said to David, "Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.


text:
 And thou hast shown this day how thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killed me not.


text:
 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? Therefore the LORD reward thee good for what thou hast done unto me this day.


text:
 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.


text:
 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house."


text:
 And David swore unto Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men got themselves up unto the stronghold.


text:
 And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.


text:
 And there was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel. And the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.


text:
 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife, Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance; but the man was churlish and evil in his doings, and he was of the house of Caleb.


text:
 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, "Get you up to Carmel and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.


text:
 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity: `Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.


text:
 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers. Now thy shepherds who were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there aught missing from them all the while they were in Carmel.


text:
 Ask thy young men and they will show thee. Therefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes, for we come in a good day. Give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants and to thy son David.'"


text:
 And when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.


text:
 And Nabal answered David's servants and said, "Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away every man from his master.


text:
 Shall I then take my bread and my water and my slaughter that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men whom I know not from whence they are?"


text:
 And David said unto his men, "Gird ye on every man his sword." And they girded on every man his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And there went up after David about four hundred men, and two hundred stayed by the supplies.


text:
 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, "Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed at them.


text:
 But the men were very good unto us and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything as long as we were occupied with them when we were in the fields.


text:
 Now therefore, know and consider what thou wilt do, for evil is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him."


text:
 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.


text:
 And she said unto her servants, "Go on before me; behold, I come after you." But she told not her husband Nabal.


text:
 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill; and behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.


text:
 Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him; and he hath requited me evil for good.


text:
 So, and more also, do God unto the enemies of David if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that urinates against the wall."


text:
 And when Abigail saw David, she hastened and alighted from the ass, and fell before David on her face and bowed herself to the ground,


text:
 and fell at his feet and said, "Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be; and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.


text:
 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I, thine handmaid, saw not the young men of my lord whom thou didst send.


text:
 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withheld thee from coming to shed blood and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies and those who seek evil for my lord be as Nabal.


text:
 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men who follow my lord.


text:
 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.


text:
 Yet a man has risen to pursue thee and to seek thy soul. But the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall He sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.


text:
 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that He hath spoken concerning thee and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel,


text:
 that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offense of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causelessly or that my lord hath avenged himself. But when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid."


text:
 And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou, who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging myself with mine own hand.


text:
 For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, who hath kept me back from hurting thee, unless thou hadst hastened and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any who urinates against the wall."


text:
 So David received from her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, "Go up in peace to thine house. See, I have hearkened to thy voice and have accepted thy person."


text:
 And Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken; therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.


text:
 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him and he became as a stone.


text:
 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the LORD who hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept His servant from evil; for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head." And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him as wife.


text:
 And when the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke unto her, saying, "David sent us unto thee to take thee to him as wife."


text:
 And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, "Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."


text:
 And Abigail hastened and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers who went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.


text:
 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.


text:
 And the Ziphites came unto Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?"


text:
 Then Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph.


text:
 And Saul pitched camp on the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the road. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.


text:
 And David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched camp. And David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul lay in the entrenchment, and the people pitched round about him.


text:
 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, "Who will go down with me to Saul into the camp?" And Abishai said, "I will go down with thee."


text:
 So David and Abishai came to the people by night. And behold, Saul lay sleeping within the entrenchment, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster; but Abner and the people lay round about him.


text:
 Then said Abishai to David, "God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day. Now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time."


text:
 And David said to Abishai, "Destroy him not, for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be guiltless?"


text:
 David said furthermore, "As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and perish.


text:
 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed; but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go."


text:
 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster, and they got away. And no man saw it nor knew it, neither awakened; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.


text:
 Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a great space being between them.


text:
 And David cried to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, "Answerest thou not, Abner?" Then Abner answered and said, "Who art thou that criest to the king?"


text:
 And David said to Abner, "Art not thou a valiant man? And who is like to thee in Israel? Why then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? For there came in one of the people to destroy the king thy lord.


text:
 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD'S anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster."


text:
 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, "Is this thy voice, my son David?" And David said, "It is my voice, my lord, O king."


text:
 And he said, "Why doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in mine hand?


text:
 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD, for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, `Go, serve other gods.'


text:
 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains."


text:
 Then said Saul, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly."


text:
 And David answered and said, "Behold the king's spear! Let one of the young men come over and fetch it.


text:
 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.


text:
 And behold, as thy life was much esteemed this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much esteemed in the eyes of the LORD, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation."


text:
 Then Saul said to David, "Blessed be thou, my son David. Thou shalt both do great things and also shalt still prevail." So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.


text:
 And David said in his heart, "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any border of Israel. So shall I escape out of his hand."


text:
 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men who were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.


text:
 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.


text:
 And David said unto Achish, "If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there; for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?"


text:
 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day. Therefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.


text:
 And David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites and the Girzites and the Amalekites, for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.


text:
 And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the apparel, and returned and came to Achish.


text:
 And Achish said, "Whither have ye made a raid today?" And David said, "Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites."


text:
 And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath, saying, "Lest they should tell on us, saying, `So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.'"


text:
 And Achish believed David, saying, "He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he shall be my servant for ever."


text:
 And it came to pass in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, "Know thou assuredly that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men."


text:
 And David said to Achish, "Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do." And Achish said to David, "Therefore will I makethee keeper of mine head for ever."


text:
 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land.


text:
 And the Philistines gathered themselves together and came and pitched camp in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched camp in Gilboa.


text:
 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams nor by Urim nor by prophets.


text:
 Then said Saul unto his servants, "Seek me a woman who hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "Behold, there is a woman who hath a familiar spirit at Endor."


text:
 And Saul disguised himself and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, "I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name unto thee."


text:
 And the woman said unto him, "Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those who have familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land. Why then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?"


text:
 And Saul swore to her by the LORD, saying, "As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing."


text:
 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, "Why hast thou deceived me? For thou art Saul!"


text:
 And the king said unto her, "Be not afraid. For what sawest thou?" And the woman said unto Saul, "I saw gods ascending out of the earth."


text:
 And he said unto her, "What form is he of?" And she said, "An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle." And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself.


text:
 And Samuel said to Saul, "Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?" And Saul answered, "I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and answereth me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do."


text:
 Then said Samuel, "Why then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD has departed from thee and has become thine enemy?


text:
 And the LORD hath done to him, as He spoke by me. For the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand and given it to thy neighbor, even to David.


text:
 Because thou obeyed not the voice of the LORD nor executed His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.


text:
 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me. The LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines."


text:
 Then Saul fell straightway full length on the earth, and was sore afraid because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.


text:
 And the woman came unto Saul and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, "Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hands and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spoke unto me.


text:
 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength when thou goest on thy way."


text:
 But he refused and said, "I will not eat." But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth and sat upon the bed.


text:
 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hastened and killed it, and took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread thereof.


text:
 And she brought it before Saul and before his servants, and they ate. Then they rose up and went away that night.


text:
 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, and the Israelites pitched camp by a fountain which is in Jezreel.


text:
 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.


text:
 Then said the princes of the Philistines, "What do these Hebrews here?" And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, "Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me to this day?"


text:
 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, "Make this fellow return, that he may go back to his place which thou hast appointed for him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us. For wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? Should it not be with the heads of these men?


text:
 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, `Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"


text:
 Then Achish called David and said unto him, "Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me to this day; nevertheless the lords favor thee not.


text:
 And David said unto Achish, "But what have I done? And what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"


text:
 And Achish answered and said to David, "I know that thou art good in my sight as an angel of God. Notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, `He shall not go up with us to the battle.'


text:
 Therefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants who have come with thee; and as soon as ye be up early in the morning and have light, depart."


text:
 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.


text:
 And it came to pass, when David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag and burned it with fire,


text:
 and had taken the women captive, who were therein. They slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away and went on their way.


text:
 So David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives and their sons and their daughters were taken captive.


text:
 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.


text:
 And David's two wives were taken captive: Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


text:
 And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.


text:
 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, "I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod." And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.


text:
 And David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them?" And He answered him, "Pursue, for thou shalt surely overtake them and without fail recover all."


text:
 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the Brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.


text:
 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred remained behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the Brook Besor.


text:
 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David and gave him bread, and he ate; and they made him drink water.


text:
 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins; and when he had eaten his spirit came again to him, for he had eaten no bread nor drunk any water three days and three nights.


text:
 And David said unto him, "To whom belongest thou, and from whence art thou?" And he said, "I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.


text:
 We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the border which belongeth to Judah and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire."


text:
 And David said to him, "Canst thou bring me down to this company?" And he said, "Swear unto me by God that thou wilt neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company."


text:
 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines and out of the land of Judah.


text:
 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day; and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men who rode upon camels and fled.


text:
 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil nor any thing that they had taken from them; David recovered all.


text:
 And David took all the flocks and the herds which they drove before those other cattle, and said, "This is David's spoil."


text:
 And David came to the two hundred men who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to remain at the Brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people, he saluted them.


text:
 Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial of those who went with David, and said, "Because they went not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart."


text:
 Then said David, "Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.


text:
 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? But as his part is who goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be who tarrieth by the supplies: they shall divide alike."


text:
 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.


text:
 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent a portion of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, "Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD"--


text:
 to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in South Ramoth, and to those who were in Jattir;


text:
 and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa,


text:
 and to those who were in Rachal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites;


text:
 and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Chorashan, and to those who were in Athach;


text:
 and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.


text:
 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.


text:
 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, Saul's sons.


text:
 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded by the archers.


text:
 Then said Saul unto his armorbearer, "Draw thy sword and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse me." But his armorbearer would not, for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.


text:
 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword and died with him.


text:
 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were on the other side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.


text:
 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.


text:
 And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about to proclaim it in the house of their idols and among the people.


text:
 And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.


text:
 all the valiant men arose and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh and burned them there.


text:
 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag--


text:
 it came even to pass on the third day that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent and earth upon his head; and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth and did obeisance.


text:
 And David said unto him, "From whence comest thou?" And he said unto him, "Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped."


text:
 And David said unto him, "How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me." And he answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."


text:
 And David said unto the young man who told him, "How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"


text:
 And the young man who told him said, "As I happened by chance upon Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.


text:
 And he said unto me again, `Stand, I pray thee, upon me and slay me; for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.'


text:
 So I stood upon him and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord."


text:
 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.


text:
 And David said unto the young man who told him, "From whence art thou?" And he answered, "I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite."


text:
 And David said unto him, "How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?"


text:
 And David called one of the young men and said, "Go near, and fall upon him." And he smote him so that he died.


text:
 And David said unto him, "Thy blood be upon thy head, for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, `I have slain the LORD'S anointed.'"


text:
 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow; behold, it is written in the Book of Jasher):


text:
 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.


text:
 "Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you, nor fields of offerings. For there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.


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 "From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.


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 "Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.


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 "Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.


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 "How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou was slain in thine high places.


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 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me. Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.


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 And it came to pass after this that David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?" And the LORD said unto him, "Go up." And David said, "Whither shall I go up?" And He said, "Unto Hebron."


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 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal's wife the Carmelite.


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 And his men who were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.


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 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, "The men of Jabeshgilead were those who buried Saul."


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 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, "Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shown this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.


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 And now the LORD show kindness and truth unto you; and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.


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 Therefore now, let your hands be strengthened and be ye valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."


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 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim,


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 and made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.


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 Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.


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 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.


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 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met together by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.


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 And Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men now arise and play before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise."


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 Then there arose and went over by number, twelve of Benjamin, who pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.


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 And they caught every one his fellow by the head and thrust his sword in his fellow's side, so they fell down together; therefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim [that is, The field of strong men], which is in Gibeon.


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 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.


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 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.


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 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.


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 And Abner said to him, "Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men and take thee his armor." But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.


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 And Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn thee aside from following me. Why should I smite thee to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?"


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 However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner with the rear end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there and died in the same place. And it came to pass that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.


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 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner. And the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the Wilderness of Gibeon.


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 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one troop, and stood on the top of a hill.


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 Then Abner called to Joab and said, "Shall the sword devour for ever? Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people to return from following their brethren?"


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 And Joab said, "As God liveth, unless thou had spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone up every one from following his brother."


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


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 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over the Jordan and went through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.


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 And Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.


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 But the servants of David had smitten some of Benjamin and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.


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 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.


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 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.


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 and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;


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 And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.


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 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?"


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 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head, who against Judah do show kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me today with a fault concerning this woman?


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 to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba."


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 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose land is it?" saying also, "Make thy league with me, and behold, my hand shall be with thee to bring about all Israel unto thee."


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 And he said, "Well; I will make a league with thee, but one thing I require of thee, that is: thou shalt not see my face, unless thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face."


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 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."


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 And her husband went along with her, weeping behind her, to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, "Go, return." And he returned.


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 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, "Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you.


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 Now then do it; for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, `By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their enemies.'"


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 And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin; and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.


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 So Abner came to David at Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.


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 And Abner said unto David, "I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth." And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.


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 And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop and brought in a great spoil with them; but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.


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 When Joab and all the host that was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he has gone in peace."


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 Then Joab came to the king and said, "What hast thou done? Behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?


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 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest."


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 And when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David knew it not.


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 And when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.


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 And afterward when David heard it, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner.


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 Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and let there never fail from the house of Joab one who hath an issue, or who is a leper, or who leaneth on a staff, or who falleth on the sword, or who lacketh bread."


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 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.


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 And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Rend your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David himself followed the bier.


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 And they buried Abner in Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.


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 Thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put into fetters. As a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou." And all the people wept again over him.


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 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David swore, saying, "So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or aught else till the sun be down."


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 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.


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 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not because of the king that Abner the son of Ner was slain.


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 And the king said unto his servants, "Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?


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 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me. The LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness."


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 And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.


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 And Saul's son had two men who were captains of companies: the name of the one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin. (For Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin;


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 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.


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 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.


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 And they came thither into the midst of the house as though they would have fetched wheat, and they smote him under the fifth rib; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.


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 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber; and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and got themselves away through the plain all night.


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 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David at Hebron, and said to the king, "Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, who sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed."


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 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, "As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,


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 when one told me, saying, `Behold, Saul is dead,' thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him and slew him in Ziklag; he thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings.


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 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? Shall I not therefore now require his blood at your hand and take you away from the earth?"


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 And David commanded his young men, and they slew them and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the sepulcher of Abner in Hebron.


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 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron and spoke, saying, "Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.


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 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel; and the LORD said to thee, `Thou shalt feed My people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.'"


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 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.


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 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.


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 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke unto David, saying, "Unless thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither," thinking, "David cannot come in hither."


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 And David said on that day, "Whosoever getteth up through the gutter and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, who are hated in David's soul, he shall be chief and captain." Therefore they said, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house."


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 So David dwelt in the fortress, and called it the City of David. And David built round about from the Millo and inward.


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 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees and carpenters and masons; and they built David a house.


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 And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake.


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 And David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem after he had come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.


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 And these are the names of those who were born unto him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,


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 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.


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 And David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up to the Philistines? Wilt Thou deliver them into mine hand?" And the LORD said unto David, "Go up, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into thine hand."


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 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there and said, "The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters." Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim [that is, The plain of breaches].


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 And when David inquired of the LORD, He said, "Thou shalt not go up; but pass around behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.


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 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of moving in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then shall the LORD go out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines."


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 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.


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 And David arose, and went with all the people who were with him from Baale of Judah to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who dwelleth between the cherubims.


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 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, that was at Gibeah; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.


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 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which wasat Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark.


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 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps and on psalteries, and on timbrels and on cornets, and on cymbals.


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 And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen shook it.


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 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.


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 And David was displeased because the LORD had broken out upon Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah [that is, The breach of Uzzah] to this day.


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 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the City of David, but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.


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 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months; and the LORD blessed Obededom and all his household.


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 And it was told King David, saying, "The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the City of David with gladness.


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 And it was so that, when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.


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 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.


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 And as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.


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 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.


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 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.


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 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.


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 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!"


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 And David said unto Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me before thy father and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore will I play before the LORD.


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 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight; and of the maidservants whom thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be held in honor."


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 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies,


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 that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains."


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 "Go and tell My servant David, `Thus saith the LORD: Shalt thou build Me a house for Me to dwell in?


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 For I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.


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 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel, spoke I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed My people Israel, saying, "Why build ye not Me a house of cedar?"'


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 Now therefore, so shalt thou say unto My servant David, `Thus saith the LORD of hosts: I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.


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 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men who are on the earth.


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 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as before,


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 and as since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. "`Also the LORD telleth thee that He will make thee a house.


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 And when thy days be fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, who shall proceed out of thy loins, and I will establish his kingdom.


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 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men;


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 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee; thy throne shall be established for ever.'"


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 Then went King David in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?


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 And this was yet a small thing in Thy sight, O Lord GOD; but Thou hast spoken also of Thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?


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 For Thy word's sake and according to Thine own heart hast Thou done all these great things to make Thy servant know them.


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 Therefore Thou art great, O LORD God; for there is none like Thee, neither is there any God besides Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.


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 And what one nation on the earth is like Thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to Himself, and to make Him a name and to do for You great things and fearsome for Thy land, before Thy people whom Thou redeemed to Thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?


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 For Thou hast confirmed for Thyself Thy people Israel to be a people unto Thee for ever; and Thou, LORD, art become their God.


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 And now, O LORD God, the word that Thou hast spoken concerning Thy servant and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as Thou hast said.


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 And let Thy name be magnified for ever saying, `The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel'; and let the house of Thy servant David be established before Thee.


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 For Thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to Thy servant, saying, `I will build thee a house.' Therefore hath Thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto Thee.


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 And now, O Lord GOD, Thou art that God, and Thy words be true, and Thou hast promised this goodness unto Thy servant.


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 Therefore now let it please Thee to bless the house of Thy servant, that it may continue for ever before Thee; for Thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it, and with Thy blessing let the house of Thy servant be blessed for ever."


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 And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines and subdued them; and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines.


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 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground: even with two lines measured he those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants and brought gifts.


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 David smote also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the River Euphrates.


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 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for a hundred chariots.


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 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.


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 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.


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 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.


text:
 then Toi sent Joram his son unto King David to salute him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him; for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver and vessels of gold and vessels of brass,


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 which also King David dedicated unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued:


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 of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.


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 And David got him a name when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, being eighteen thousand men.


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 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all those of Edom became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.


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 and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;


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 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.


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 And David said, "Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"


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 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, "Art thou Ziba?" And he said, "Thy servant is he."


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 And the king said, "Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him?" And Ziba said unto the king, "Jonathan hath yet a son who is lame in his feet."


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 And the king said unto him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said unto the king, "Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar."


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 Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come unto David, he fell on his face and did reverence. And David said, "Mephibosheth." And he answered, "Behold thy servant!"


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 And David said unto him, "Fear not; for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually."


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 And he bowed himself and said, "What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?"


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 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, "I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.


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 Thou, therefore, and thy sons and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat; but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread always at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)


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 Then said Ziba unto the king, "According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do." "As for Mephibosheth," said the king, "he shall eat at my table as one of the king's sons."


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 And Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.


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 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table, and was lame in both his feet.


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 And it came to pass after this that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.


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 Then said David, "I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me." And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.


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 And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, "Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? Hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?"


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 Therefore Hanun took David's servants and shaved off one half of their beards and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.


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 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, "Tarry at Jericho until your beards are grown, and then return."


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 And when the children of Ammon saw that they were a stench before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of King Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.


text:
 And the children of Ammon came out and set up in battle array at the entrance to the gate; and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.


text:
 When Joab saw that the front of the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose from all the choice men of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians;


text:
 and the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.


text:
 And he said, "If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.


text:
 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people and for the cities of our God; and the LORD do that which seemeth to Him good."


text:
 And Joab drew nigh, and the people who were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians; and they fled before him.


text:
 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, then fled they also before Abishai and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.


text:
 And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the river, and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadadezer went before them.


text:
 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and passed over the Jordan and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.


text:
 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.


text:
 And when all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.


text:
 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.


text:
 And it came to pass in an eveningtide that David arose from his bed and walked upon the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman washing herself, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.


text:
 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"


text:
 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her, for she was purified from her uncleanness; and she returned unto her house.


text:
 And when Uriah had come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.


text:
 And David said to Uriah, "Go down to thy house and wash thy feet." And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a meal of meat from the king.


text:
 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.


text:
 And when they had told David, saying, "Uriah went not down unto his house," David said unto Uriah, "Camest thou not from thy journey? Why then did thou not go down unto thine house?"


text:
 And Uriah said unto David, "The ark and Israel and Judah abide in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields: shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As thou livest and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing."


text:
 And David said to Uriah, "Tarry here today also, and tomorrow I will let thee depart." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the morrow.


text:
 And when David had called him, he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk; and at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.


text:
 And it came to pass in the morning that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.


text:
 And he wrote in the letter, saying, "Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten and die."


text:
 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.


text:
 And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab; and there fell some of the people of the servants of David, and Uriah the Hittite died also.


text:
 and charged the messenger, saying, "When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,


text:
 and if so be that the king's wrath arise and he say unto thee, `Why approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye fought? Knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?


text:
 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? Why went ye nigh the wall?' -- then say thou, `Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"


text:
 And the messenger said unto David, "Surely the men prevailed against us and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entrance of the gate.


text:
 And the shooters shot from the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also."


text:
 Then David said unto the messenger, "Thus shalt thou say unto Joab: `Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another. Press thy battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it'; and encourage thou him."


text:
 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house; and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.


text:
 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, "There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.


text:
 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his children; it ate of his own meat and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.


text:
 And there came a traveler unto the rich man, and he was unwilling to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the wayfaring man who had come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man who had come to him."


text:
 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD liveth, the man who hath done this thing shall surely die.


text:
 And Nathan said to David, "Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel: `I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul,


text:
 and I gave thee thy master's house and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.


text:
 Why hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.


text:
 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house, because thou hast despised Me and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.'


text:
 "Thus saith the LORD: `Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house; and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.


text:
 And David said unto Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said unto David, "The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die."


text:
 However, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born unto thee shall surely die."


text:
 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore unto David, and it was very sick.


text:
 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth.


text:
 And the elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.


text:
 And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, "Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice. How will he then vex himself if we tell him that the child is dead?"


text:
 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said unto his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."


text:
 Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshiped. Then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him and he ate.


text:
 Then said his servants unto him, "What thing is this that thou hast done? Thou did fast and weep for the child while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou did rise and eat bread."


text:
 And he said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, `Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?'


text:
 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."


text:
 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her and lay with her. And she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon; and the LORD loved him.


text:
 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah [that is, Beloved of the Lord], because of the LORD.


text:
 And Joab sent messengers to David and said, "I have fought against Rabbah and have taken from the city its waters.


text:
 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called after my name."


text:
 And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight of which was a talent of gold with the precious stones; and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.


text:
 And he brought forth the people who were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln; and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.


text:
 And it came to pass after this that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.


text:
 And Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.


text:
 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.


text:
 And he said unto him, "Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? Wilt thou not tell me?" And Amnon said unto him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."


text:
 And Jonadab said unto him, "Lay thee down on thy bed and make thyself sick; and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, `I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it and eat it at her hand.'"


text:
 So Amnon lay down and made himself sick; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said unto the king, "I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand."


text:
 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was lying down. And she took flour and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.


text:
 And she took a pan and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, "Send out all men from me." And they went out every man from him.


text:
 And Amnon said unto Tamar, "Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat from thine hand." And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.


text:
 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her and said unto her, "Come lie with me, my sister."


text:
 And she answered him, "Nay, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly!


text:
 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? And as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king, for he will not withhold me from thee."


text:
 Nevertheless he would not hearken unto her voice; but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.


text:
 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, "Arise, be gone!"


text:
 And she said unto him, "There is no cause. This evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou did unto me." But he would not hearken unto her.


text:
 Then he called his servant who ministered unto him and said, "Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her."


text:
 And she had a garment of divers colors upon her, for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.


text:
 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went on crying.


text:
 And Absalom her brother said unto her, "Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? But hold now thy peace, my sister. He is thy brother; regard not this thing." So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.


text:
 And Absalom spoke unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.


text:
 And it came to pass after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king's sons.


text:
 And Absalom came to the king and said, "Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant."


text:
 And the king said to Absalom, "Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be a burden unto thee." And he pressed him; however he would not go, but blessed him.


text:
 Then said Absalom, "If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king said unto him, "Why should he go with thee?"


text:
 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, "Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you,`Smite Amnon,' then kill him. Fear not. Have not I commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant."


text:
 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got himself up upon his mule and fled.


text:
 And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that tidings came to David, saying, "Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left."


text:
 Then the king arose and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.


text:
 And Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, "Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men, the king's sons, for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.


text:
 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead."


text:
 But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there came many people by the way of the hillside behind him.


text:
 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept; and the king also and all his servants wept very sorely.


text:
 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.


text:
 And the soul of King David longed to go forth unto Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.


text:
 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence, a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead.


text:
 And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, "Help, O king!"


text:
 And the king said unto her, "What aileth thee?" And she answered, "I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.


text:
 And thy handmaid had two sons, and the two strove together in the field; and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other and slew him.


text:
 And behold, the whole family has risen against thine handmaid, and they said, `Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also.' And so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall leave to my husband neither name nor remnant upon the earth."


text:
 And the woman of Tekoa said unto the king, "My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me and on my father's house, and the king and his throne be guiltless."


text:
 And the king said, "Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more."


text:
 Then said she, "I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the avengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son." And he said, "As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth."


text:
 Then the woman said, "Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king." And he said, "Say on."


text:
 And the woman said, "Why then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? For the king doth speak this thing as one who is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.


text:
 For we must needs die, and are as water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person. Yet doth He devise means, that His banished be not expelled from Him.


text:
 Now therefore, why I have come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king: it is because the people have made me afraid. And thy handmaid said, `I will now speak unto the king. It may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.


text:
 For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.'


text:
 Then thine handmaid said, `The word of my lord the king shall now be comforting; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. Therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.'"


text:
 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, "Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee." And the woman said, "Let my lord the king now speak."


text:
 And the king said, "Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this?" And the woman answered and said, "As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid.


text:
 To bring about this manner of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing; and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth."


text:
 And the king said unto Joab, "Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again."


text:
 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king; and Joab said, "Today thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant."


text:
 And the king said, "Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.


text:
 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.


text:
 And when he cut his hair (for it was at every year's end that he cut it, because the hair was heavy on him; therefore he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king's weight.


text:
 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a woman of a fair countenance.


text:
 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but he would not come to him; and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.


text:
 Therefore he said unto his servants, "See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire." And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.


text:
 Then Joab arose and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, "Why have thy servants set my field on fire?"


text:
 And Absalom answered Joab, "Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, `Come hither, that I may send thee to the king to say, "Why have I come from Geshur? It had been good for me to have been there still!"' Now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me."


text:
 So Joab came to the king and told him. And when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.


text:
 And it came to pass after this that Absalom prepared himself chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him.


text:
 And Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate; and it was so that, when any man who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him and said, "Of what city art thou?" And he said, "Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel."


text:
 And Absalom said unto him, "See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed by the king to hear thee."


text:
 Absalom said moreover, "Oh, that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!"


text:
 And it was so that, when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him.


text:
 And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.


text:
 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, "I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed unto the LORD in Hebron.


text:
 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, `If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.'"


text:
 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, `Absalom reigneth in Hebron.'"


text:
 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem who were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.


text:
 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.


text:
 And David said unto all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee, for we shall not else escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword."


text:
 And the king's servants said unto the king, "Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint."


text:
 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.


text:
 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.


text:
 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, "Why goest thou also with us? Return to thy place and abide with the king, for thou art a stranger and also an exile.


text:
 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? Seeing I go whither I may, return thou and take back thy brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee."


text:
 And Ittai answered the king and said, "As the LORD liveth and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be."


text:
 And David said to Ittai, "Go, and pass over." And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men and all the little ones who were with him.


text:
 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.


text:
 And lo, Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all the people had passed out of the city.


text:
 And the king said unto Zadok, "Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back, and show me both it and His habitation.


text:
 But if He thus say, `I have no delight in thee,' behold, here am I. Let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him."


text:
 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, "Art not thou a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.


text:
 And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.


text:
 And one told David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "O LORD, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."


text:
 And it came to pass, when David had come to the top of the mount where he worshiped God, that, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head;


text:
 but if thou return to the city and say unto Absalom, `I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant,' then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.


text:
 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? Therefore it shall be that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.


text:
 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye can hear."


text:
 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.


text:
 And the king said unto Ziba, "What meanest thou by these?" And Ziba said, "The asses are for the king's household to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink."


text:
 And the king said, "And where is thy master's son?" And Ziba said unto the king, "Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said, `Today shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.'"


text:
 Then said the king to Ziba, "Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth." And Ziba said, "I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king."


text:
 And when King David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came forth, and cursed constantly as he came.


text:
 And he cast stones at David and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.


text:
 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son. And behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man."


text:
 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head."


text:
 And the king said, "What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, `Curse David.' Who shall then say, `Why hast thou done so?'"


text:
 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my son, who came forth from my loins, seeketh my life. How much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD hath bidden him.


text:
 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day."


text:
 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and cast dust.


text:
 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, had come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, "God save the king! God save the king!"


text:
 And Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Why wentest thou not with thy friend?"


text:
 And Hushai said unto Absalom, "Nay; but whom the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.


text:
 And again, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence."


text:
 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, "Go in unto thy father's concubines, whom he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred by thy father. Then shall the hands of all who are with thee be strong."


text:
 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house, and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.


text:
 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.


text:
 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, "Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night.


text:
 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weakhanded, and will make him afraid; and all the people who are with him shall flee, and I will smite the king only.


text:
 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned; so all the people shall be in peace."


text:
 And when Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom spoke unto him, saying, "Ahithophel hath spoken in this manner. Shall we do according to his word? If not, speak thou."


text:
 For," said Hushai, "thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.


text:
 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place; and it will come to pass, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, `There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.'


text:
 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt; for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.


text:
 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that thou go to battle in thine own person.


text:
 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him there shall not be left so much as one.


text:
 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city; and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there."


text:
 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, with the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.


text:
 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, "Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus have I counseled.


text:
 Now therefore send quickly and tell David, saying, `Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over, lest the king be swallowed up and all the people who are with him.'"


text:
 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel, for they dared not be seen to come into the city; and a maidservant went and told them, and they went and told King David.


text:
 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom; but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, whither they went down.


text:
 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.


text:
 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" And the woman said unto them, "They have gone over the brook of water." And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.


text:
 And it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said unto David, "Arise, and pass quickly over the water, for thus hath Ahithophel counseled against you."


text:
 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.


text:
 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose and got him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.


text:
 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.


text:
 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab. This Amasa was a man's son whose name was Ithra, an Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.


text:
 And it came to pass, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,


text:
 brought beds and basins and earthen vessels, and wheat and barley and flour and parched corn, and beans and lentils and parched pulse,


text:
 and honey and butter, and sheep, and cheese from cows, 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."


text:
 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.


text:
 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, "I will surely go forth with you myself also."


text:
 But the people answered, "Thou shalt not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die will they care for us. But now thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou succor us from the city."


text:
 And the king said unto them, "What seemeth to you best I will do." And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.


text:
 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.


text:
 where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David; and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.


text:
 For the battle there was scattered over the face of all the country; and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.


text:
 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth, and the mule that was under him went away.


text:
 And Joab said unto the man who told him, "And behold, thou sawest him, and why did thou not smite him there to the ground? And I would have given thee ten shekels of silver and a girdle."


text:
 And the man said unto Joab, "Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, `Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.'


text:
 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life; for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me."


text:
 Then said Joab, "I may not tarry thus with thee." And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.


text:
 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab held back the people.


text:
 And they took Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him; and all Israel fled every one to his tent.


text:
 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the King's Dale, for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." And he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called unto this day, Absalom's Place.


text:
 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, "Let me now run and bear the king tidings, how the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies."


text:
 And Joab said unto him, "Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead."


text:
 Then said Joab to a Cushite, "Go, tell the king what thou hast seen." And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab and ran.


text:
 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, "But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite." And Joab said, "Why wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?"


text:
 "But howsoever," said he, "let me run." And he said unto him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.


text:
 And David sat between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man running alone.


text:
 And the watchman cried and told the king. And the king said, "If he be alone, there are tidings in his mouth." And he came apace and drew near.


text:
 And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the gatekeeper and said, "Behold, another man running alone." And the king said, "He also bringeth tidings."


text:
 And the watchman said, "I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings."


text:
 And Ahimaaz called and said unto the king, "All is well." And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king and said, "Blessed be the LORD thy God, who hath delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king."


text:
 And the king said, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" And Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king's servant and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was."


text:
 And behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, "Tidings, my lord the king; for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all those who rose up against thee."


text:
 And the king said unto the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" And the Cushite answered, "The enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is."


text:
 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, thus he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"


text:
 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.


text:
 And the people got themselves by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.


text:
 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!"


text:
 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, "Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants who this day have saved thy life and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives and the lives of thy concubines,


text:
 in that thou lovest thine enemies and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day that thou regardest neither princes nor servants; for this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.


text:
 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortingly unto thy servants. For I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night; and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now."


text:
 Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, "Behold, the king doth sit in the gate." And all the people came before the king, for Israel had fled every man to his tent.


text:
 And all the people were in strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land because of Absalom.


text:
 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore, why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?"


text:
 And King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, `Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house, seeing the speech of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house?


text:
 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh. Why then are ye the last to bring back the king?'


text:
 And say ye to Amasa, `Art thou not of my bone and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in place of Joab.'"


text:
 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word unto the king: "Return thou, and all thy servants."


text:
 So the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over the Jordan.


text:
 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hastened and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.


text:
 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over the Jordan before the king.


text:
 And there went over a ferryboat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was coming over the Jordan,


text:
 and said unto the king, "Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart;


text:
 for thy servant doth know that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king."


text:
 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, "Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?"


text:
 And David said, "What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? For do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?"


text:
 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.


text:
 And it came to pass, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, "Why wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?"


text:
 And he answered, "My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said, `I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon and go to the king,' because thy servant is lame.


text:
 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in thine eyes.


text:
 For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet did thou set thy servant among those who ate at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?"


text:
 And the king said unto him, "Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, `Thou and Ziba divide the land.'"


text:
 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, "Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king has come again in peace unto his own house."


text:
 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over the Jordan with the king to conduct him over the Jordan.


text:
 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old; and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.


text:
 And the king said unto Barzillai, "Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem."


text:
 And Barzillai said unto the king, "How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?


text:
 I am this day fourscore years old, and can I discern between good and evil? Can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?


text:
 Thy servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. And why should the king recompense me with such a reward?


text:
 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do to him what shall seem good unto thee."


text:
 And the king answered, "Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee. And whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee."


text:
 And all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had come over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned unto his own place.


text:
 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.


text:
 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king and said unto the king, "Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen thee away, and have brought the king and his household and all David's men with him over the Jordan?"


text:
 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then be ye angry for this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's cost? Or hath he given us any gift?"


text:
 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, "We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye. Why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?" And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.


text:
 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet and said, "We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to his tents, O Israel!"


text:
 So every man of Israel went up from after David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah cleaved unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.


text:
 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.


text:
 Then said the king to Amasa, "Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou present here."


text:
 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah, but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.


text:
 And David said to Abishai, "Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom. Take thou thy lord's servants and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortifed cities and escape us."


text:
 And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.


text:
 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth, it fell out.


text:
 And Joab said to Amasa, "Art thou in health, my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him,


text:
 but Amasa took no heed of the sword that was in Joab's hand; so Joab smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.


text:
 And one of Joab's men stood by him and said, "He that favoreth Joab and he that is for David, let him follow after Joab."


text:
 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one who came by him stood still.


text:
 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.


text:
 And Sheba went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel and to Bethmaachah and all the Berites; and they were gathered together, and went also with him.


text:
 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah; and they cast up a siege bank against the city, and it stood in the trench; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.


text:
 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, "Hear, hear! Say, I pray you, unto Joab, `Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.'"


text:
 And when he had come near unto her, the woman said, "Art thou Joab?" And he answered, "I am he." Then she said unto him, "Hear the words of thine handmaid." And he answered, "I do hear."


text:
 Then she spoke, saying, "They were wont to speak in olden times, saying, `They shall surely ask counsel at Abel'; and so they ended the matter.


text:
 I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. Thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?"


text:
 The matter is not so; but a man of Mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." And the woman said unto Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall."


text:
 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.


text:
 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;


text:
 Then there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, "It is because of Saul and his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites."


text:
 And the king called the Gibeonites and said unto them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them, but Saul sought to slay them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah)"


text:
 therefore David said unto the Gibeonites: "What shall I do for you? And wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?"


text:
 And the Gibeonites said unto him, "We will have no silver nor gold of Saul nor of his house, neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel." And he said, "What ye shall say, that will I do for you."


text:
 And they answered the king, "The man who consumed us and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,


text:
 let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose." And the king said, "I will give them."


text:
 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD'S oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.


text:
 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.


text:
 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD; and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.


text:
 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest untilwater dropped upon them out of heaven; and she suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.


text:
 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, who had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa.


text:
 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged.


text:
 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulcher of Kish his father; and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.


text:
 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines; and David waxed faint.


text:
 And Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight -- he, being girded with a new sword, thought to slay David.


text:
 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, and smote the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore unto him, saying, "Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel."


text:
 And it came to pass after this that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.


text:
 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.


text:
 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had on every hand six fingers and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.


text:
 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.


text:
 And David spoke unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.


text:
 the God of my rock, in Him will I trust. He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; Thou savest me from violence.


text:
 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God; and He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry entered into His ears.


text:
 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because He was wroth.


text:
 There went up a smoke out of His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.


text:
 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were laid bare at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.


text:
 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me; for they were too strong for me.


text:
 "The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me.


text:
 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His eyesight.


text:
 "With the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful, and with the upright man Thou wilt show Thyself upright.


text:
 And the afflicted people Thou wilt save; but Thine eyes are upon the haughty, that Thou mayest bring them down.


text:
 "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried; He is a buckler to all them that trust in Him.


text:
 And I have consumed them and wounded them, that they could not arise; yea, they are fallen under my feet.


text:
 For Thou hast girded me with strength to battle; them that rose up against me hast Thou subdued under me.


text:
 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth; I stamped them as the mire of the street and spread them abroad.


text:
 "Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people; Thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen; a people whom I knew not shall serve me.


text:
 and that bringeth me forth from mine enemies. Thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me; Thou hast delivered me from the violent man.


text:
 Therefore I will give thanks unto Thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto Thy name.


text:
 He is the tower of salvation for His king, and showeth mercy to His anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore."


text:
 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse, the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said:


text:
 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: `He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.


text:
 And he shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds, as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.'


text:
 "Although my house be not so with God, yet He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation and all my desire, although He make it not to grow.


text:
 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands;


text:
 but the man that shall touch them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place."


text:
 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite who sat in the chief seat among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite. He lifted up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.


text:
 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together for battle, and the men of Israel had gone away.


text:
 He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand cleaved unto the sword; and the LORD wrought a great victory that day, and the people returned after him only to despoil.


text:
 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.


text:
 But he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD wrought a great victory.


text:
 And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines pitched camp in the Valley of Rephaim.


text:
 And David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!"


text:
 And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David; nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.


text:
 And he said, "Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Is not this the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.


text:
 And Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had the name among three.


text:
 Was he not most honorable of three? Therefore he was their captain; however he attained not unto the first three.


text:
 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab. He went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.


text:
 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man; and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.


text:
 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.


text:
 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,


text:
 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,


text:
 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he [Satan] moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah."


text:
 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host who was with him, "Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people."


text:
 And Joab said unto the king, "Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many so ever they be, a hundredfold, that the eyes of my lord the king may see it. But why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?"


text:
 Notwithstanding, the king's word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel.


text:
 And they passed over the Jordan and pitched camp in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the valley of Gad and toward Jazer.


text:
 Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan and about to Sidon,


text:
 and came to the stronghold of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba.


text:
 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.


text:
 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.


text:
 And David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. And now, I beseech Thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have done very foolishly."


text:
 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,


text:
 "Go, and say unto David, `Thus saith the LORD: I offer thee three things. Choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.'"


text:
 So Gad came to David and told him, and said unto him, "Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? Or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies while they pursue thee? Or shall there be three days' pestilence in thy land? Now advise, and see what answer I shall return to Him that sent me."


text:
 And David said unto Gad, "I am in a great strait. Let us fall now into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man."


text:
 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.


text:
 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented of the evil, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, "It is enough: stay now thine hand." And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite.


text:
 And David spoke unto the LORD when he saw the angel who smote the people, and said, "Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Let Thine hand, I pray Thee, be against me and against my father's house."


text:
 And Gad came that day to David and said unto him, "Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."


text:
 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him; and Araunah went out and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.


text:
 And Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" And David said, "To buy the threshing floor from thee to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people."


text:
 And Araunah said unto David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him. Behold, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood."


text:
 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, "The LORD thy God accept thee."


text:
 And the king said unto Araunah, "Nay; but I will surely buy it from thee at a price; neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.


text:
 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.


text:
 Now King David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he got no heat.


text:
 Therefore his servants said unto him, "Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin; and let her stand before the king, and let her comfort him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat."


text:
 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the region of Israel, and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.


text:
 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.


text:
 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared him chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him.


text:
 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, "Why hast thou done so?" And he also was a very goodly man, and his mother bore him after Absalom.


text:
 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and they, following Adonijah, helped him.


text:
 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.


text:
 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants;


text:
 Therefore Nathan spoke unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, "Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?


text:
 Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life and the life of thy son Solomon.


text:
 Go and get thee in unto King David and say unto him, `Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, "Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne"? Why then doth Adonijah reign?'


text:
 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee and confirm thy words."


text:
 And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber; and the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.


text:
 And she said unto him, "My lord, thou swore by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, `Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.'


text:
 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the captain of the host; but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.


text:
 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.


text:
 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders."


text:
 And they told the king, saying, "Behold Nathan the prophet." And when he had come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.


text:
 And Nathan said, "My lord, O king, hast thou said, `Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne'?


text:
 For he has gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons and the captains of the host and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they eat and drink before him and say, `God save King Adonijah!'


text:
 But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon hath he not called.


text:
 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shown unto thy servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"


text:
 Then King David answered and said, "Call to me Bathsheba." And she came into the king's presence and stood before the king.


text:
 even as I swore unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, `Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead,' even so will I certainly do this day."


text:
 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king and said, "Let my lord King David live for ever."


text:
 And King David said, "Call to me Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." And they came before the king.


text:
 The king also said unto them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.


text:
 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, `God save King Solomon!'


text:
 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne, for he shall be king in my stead; and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah."


text:
 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, "Amen! The LORD God of my lord the king say so too.


text:
 As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be He with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David."


text:
 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and caused Solomon to ride upon King David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.


text:
 And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, "God save King Solomon!"


text:
 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.


text:
 And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, "For what reason is this noise, and the city in an uproar?"


text:
 And while he yet spoke, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said unto him, "Come in, for thou art a valiant man and bringest good tidings."


text:
 And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule.


text:
 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; and they have come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.


text:
 And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, `God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne.' And the king bowed himself upon the bed.


text:
 And also thus said the king, `Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.'"


text:
 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose and went and caught hold on the horns of the altar.


text:
 And it was told Solomon, saying, "Behold, Adonijah feareth King Solomon; for lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, `Let King Solomon swear unto me today that he will not slay his servant with the sword.'"


text:
 And Solomon said, "If he will show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die."


text:
 So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to King Solomon; and Solomon said unto him, "Go to thine house."


text:
 and keep the charge of the LORD thy God to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thyself,


text:
 that the LORD may continue His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, `If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee,' said He, `a man on the throne of Israel.'


text:
 "Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins and in his shoes that were on his feet.


text:
 But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at thy table; for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.


text:
 And behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, `I will not put thee to death with the sword.'


text:
 Now therefore hold him not guiltless, for thou art a wise man and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoary head bring thou down to the grave with blood."


text:
 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.


text:
 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, "Comest thou peaceably?" And he said, "Peaceably."


text:
 And he said, "Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However the kingdom is turned about and has become my brother's, for it was his from the LORD.


text:
 And he said, "Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king (for he will not say `nay' to thee), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife."


text:
 Bathsheba therefore went unto King Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.


text:
 Then she said, "I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say not `nay' to me." And the king said unto her, "Ask on, my mother, for I will not say to thee `nay.'"


text:
 And King Solomon answered and said unto his mother, "And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is mine elder brother -- even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah."


text:
 Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.


text:
 Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, who hath established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me a house, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day."


text:
 And King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him so that he died.


text:
 And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, "Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields, for thou art worthy of death; but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted."


text:
 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD, that he might fulfill the word of the LORD which He spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.


text:
 Then tidings came to Joab; for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.


text:
 And it was told King Solomon that Joab had fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, "Go, fall upon him."


text:
 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, "Thus saith the king, `Come forth!'" And he said, "Nay, but I will die here." And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, "Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me."


text:
 And the king said unto him, "Do as he hath said, and fall upon him and bury him, that thou mayest take away the innocent blood which Joab shed from me and from the house of my father.


text:
 And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he and slew them with the sword -- to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah -- my father David not knowing thereof.


text:
 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his seed for ever; but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD."


text:
 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him and slew him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.


text:
 And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the host, and Zadok the priest did the king put in the place of Abiathar.


text:
 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, "Build thee a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and go not forth from thence anywhere.


text:
 For it shall be that on the day thou goest out and passest over the Brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die; thy blood shall be upon thine own head."


text:
 And Shimei said unto the king, "The saying is good. As my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do." And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.


text:
 And it came to pass, at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, "Behold, thy servants are in Gath."


text:
 And Shimei arose and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants; and Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath.


text:
 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, "Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, `Know for certain, on the day thou goest out and walkest abroad anywhere, that thou shalt surely die'? And thou said unto me, `The word that I have heard is good.'


text:
 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD and the commandment that I have charged thee with?"


text:
 The king said moreover to Shimei, "Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou did to David my father. Therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;


text:
 and King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever."


text:
 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, who went out and fell upon him so that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.


text:
 And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the City of David until he had made an end of building his own house and the house of the LORD and the wall of Jerusalem round about.


text:
 Only, the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD until those days.


text:
 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father; only, he sacrificed and burned incense in high places.


text:
 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. A thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.


text:
 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I shall give thee."


text:
 And Solomon said, "Thou hast shown unto Thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before Thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with Thee; and Thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that Thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.


text:
 And now, O LORD my God, Thou hast made Thy servant king instead of David my father. And I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in.


text:
 And Thy servant is in the midst of Thy people whom Thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.


text:
 Give therefore Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people?"


text:
 And God said unto him, "Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment,


text:
 behold, I have done according to thy words. Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.


text:
 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.


text:
 And if thou wilt walk in My ways to keep My statutes and My commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days."


text:
 And Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings and offered peace offerings,and made a feast for all his servants.


text:
 And the one woman said, "O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.


text:
 And it came to pass the third day after I was delivered that this woman was delivered also. And we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.


text:
 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom and laid her dead child in my bosom.


text:
 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead. But when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son whom I had borne."


text:
 And the other woman said, "Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son!" And this said, "No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son!" Thus they spoke before the king.


text:
 Then said the king, "The one saith, `This is my son who liveth, and thy son is the dead'; and the other saith, `Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.'"


text:
 And the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other."


text:
 Then spoke the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her heart yearned for her son and she said, "O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it!" But the other said, "Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it."


text:
 Then the king answered and said, "Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. She is the mother thereof."


text:
 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.


text:
 and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer and the king's friend;


text:
 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided victuals for the king and his household; each man his month in a year made provision.


text:
 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam;


text:
 the son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars;


text:
 Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan, and he was the only officer who was in the land.


text:
 Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.


text:
 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines and unto the border of Egypt. They brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.


text:
 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,


text:
 ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and roebucks, and fallow deer, and fatted fowl.


text:
 For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the river, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side of the river; and he had peace on all sides round about him.


text:
 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.


text:
 And those officers provided victuals for King Solomon and for all who came unto King Solomon's table, every man in his month. They lacked nothing.


text:
 Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.


text:
 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore.


text:
 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East country and all the wisdom of Egypt.


text:
 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. And his mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.


text:
 And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.


text:
 And there came from all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.


text:
 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon, for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father; for Hiram ever loved David.


text:
 "Thou knowest how David my father could not build a house unto the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.


text:
 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence.


text:
 And behold, I purpose to build a house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke unto David my father, saying, `Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy stead, he shall build a house unto My name.'


text:
 Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon, and my servants shall be with thy servants; and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint, for thou knowest that there is not among us any that has skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians."


text:
 And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly and said, "Blessed be the LORD this day, who hath given unto David a wise son over this great people."


text:
 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, "I have considered the things for which thou sentest to me, and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar and concerning timber of fir.


text:
 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea; and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them. And thou shalt accomplish my desire in giving food for my household."


text:
 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil; thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.


text:
 And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they two made a league together.


text:
 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the levy.


text:
 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand who bore burdens and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains,


text:
 besides the chief of Solomon's officers who were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, who ruled over the people who wrought in the work.


text:
 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones and hewn stones, to lay the foundation of the house.


text:
 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the stone squarers hewed them. So they prepared timber and stones to build the house.


text:
 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.


text:
 And the house which King Solomon built for the LORD, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.


text:
 And the porch in front of the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house, and ten cubits was the breadth thereof in front of the house.


text:
 And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle; and he made chambers round about.


text:
 The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad; for outside in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.


text:
 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither, so that there was neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building.


