1 Samuel 4-11
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 4
1So the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and they camped beside Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped in Aphek. 2Then the Philistines drew up in battle formation to meet Israel. When the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. 3When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, 'Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let’s take the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh, so that He may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.' 4So the people sent men to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord of armies who is enthroned above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5And as the ark of the covenant of the Lord was coming into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded.
6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, 'What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?' Then they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp.
7So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, 'God has come into the camp!' And they said, 'Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.
8Woe to us! Who will save us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
9Take courage and be men, Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you; so be men and fight!'
10So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent; and the defeat was very great, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.
11Moreover, the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn, and dust on his head.
13When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road keeping watch, because his heart was anxious about the ark of God. And the man came to give a report in the city, and all the city cried out.
14When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, 'What does the noise of this commotion mean?' Then the man came hurriedly and told Eli.
15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were fixed and he could not see.
16The man said to Eli, 'I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I escaped from the battle line today.' And he said, 'How are things, my son?'
17Then the one who brought the news replied, 'Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great defeat among the people, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas are also dead; and the ark of God has been taken.'
18When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. And so he judged Israel for forty years.
19Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was pregnant and about to give birth; and when she heard the news that the ark of God had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she kneeled down and gave birth, because her pains came upon her.
20And about the time of her death the women who were standing by her said to her, 'Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.' But she did not answer or pay attention.
21And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, 'The glory has departed from Israel,' because the ark of God had been taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22So she said, 'The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God has been taken.'
Chapter 5
1Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon, and placed it beside Dagon. 3When the Ashdodites got up early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him back in his place. 4But when they got up early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. And the head of Dagon and both palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the torso of Dagon was left. 5For that reason neither the priests of Dagon nor any who enter Dagon’s house step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6Now the hand of the Lord was heavy on the Ashdodites, and He made them feel devastated and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territories.
7When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, 'The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, because His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.'
8So they sent word and gathered all the governors of the Philistines to them, and said, 'What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?' And they said, 'Have the ark of the God of Israel brought to Gath.' So they took the ark of the God of Israel away.
9After they had taken it away, the hand of the Lord was against the city, creating a very great panic; and He struck the people of the city, from the young to the old, so that tumors broke out on them.
10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And as the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, 'They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!'
11Therefore they sent word and gathered all the governors of the Philistines, and said, 'Send away the ark of the God of Israel and let it return to its own place, so that it will not kill us and our people!' For there was a deadly panic throughout the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
12And the people who did not die were struck with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
Chapter 6
1Now the ark of the Lord had been in the territory of the Philistines for seven months. 2And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, 'What are we to do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we may send it to its place.' 3And they said, 'If you are going to send the ark of the God of Israel away, do not send it empty; but you shall certainly return to Him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be revealed to you why His hand does not leave you.' 4Then they said, 'What is to be the guilt offering that we shall return to Him?' And they said, 'Five gold tumors and five gold mice corresponding to the number of the governors of the Philistines, since one plague was on all of you and on your governors. 5So you shall make likenesses of your tumors and likenesses of your mice that are ruining the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, your gods, and your land. 6Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had severely dealt with them, did they not let the people go, and they left? 7Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there has never been a yoke; and hitch the cows to the cart and take their calves back home, away from them. 8Then take the ark of the Lord and place it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you return to Him as a guilt offering in a saddlebag by its side. Then send it away that it may go. 9But watch: if it goes up by the way of its own territory to Beth-shemesh, then He has done this great evil to us. But if not, then we will know that it was not His hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.'
10Then the men did so: they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut in their calves at home.
11And they put the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the saddlebag with the gold mice and the likenesses of their tumors.
12Now the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh; they went on the same road, bellowing as they went, and did not turn off to the right or to the left. And the governors of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
13Now the people of Beth-shemesh were gathering in their wheat harvest in the valley, and they raised their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced at seeing it.
14And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stopped there where there was a large stone; and they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.
15And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the saddlebag that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices that day to the Lord.
16When the five governors of the Philistines saw it, they returned to Ekron that day.
17Now these are the gold tumors which the Philistines returned as a guilt offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, and one for Ekron;
18and the gold mice, corresponding to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five governors, both of fortified cities and of country villages. The large stone on which they placed the ark of the Lord is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.
19Now He fatally struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck 50,070 men among the people, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.
20And the men of Beth-shemesh said, 'Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom will He go up from us?'
21So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, 'The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord; come down and take it up to yourselves.'
Chapter 7
1And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the Lord and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and they consecrated his son Eleazar to watch over the ark of the Lord. 2From the day that the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel mourned after the Lord.
3Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, 'If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to the Lord and serve Him alone; and He will save you from the hand of the Philistines.'
4So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the Lord alone.
5Then Samuel said, 'Gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the Lord for you.'
6So they gathered to 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 sons of Israel at Mizpah.
7Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the governors of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard about it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8So the sons of Israel said to Samuel, 'Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that He will save us from the hand of the Philistines!'
9Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord; and Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him.
10Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines advanced to battle Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were struck down before Israel.
11And the men of Israel came out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and killed them as far as below Beth-car.
12Then Samuel took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, 'So far the Lord has helped us.'
13So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel recovered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15Now Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16And he used to go annually on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.
17Then he would make his return to Ramah, because his house was there, and there he also judged Israel; and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Chapter 8
1Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. 3His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they took bribes and perverted justice.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;
5and they said to him, 'Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.'
6But the matter was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them.
8Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have abandoned Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you as well.
9Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of the practice of the king who will reign over them.'
10So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to the people who had asked him for a king.
11And he said, 'This will be the practice of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots.
12He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to gather in his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
13He will also take your daughters and use them as perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
14He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.
15And he will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his high officials and his servants.
16He will also take your male servants and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and use them for his work.
17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.
18Then you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you on that day.'
19Yet the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, 'No, but there shall be a king over us,
20so that we also may be like all the nations, and our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.'
21Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the Lord’S hearing.
22And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Listen to their voice and appoint a king for them.' So Samuel said to the men of Israel, 'Go, every man to his city.'
Chapter 9
1Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite, a valiant mighty man. 2He had a son whose name was Saul, a young and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome man than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.
3Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had wandered off. So Kish said to his son Saul, 'Now take with you one of the servants and arise, go search for the donkeys.'
4So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjaminites, but they did not find them.
5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, 'Come, and let’s return, or else my father will stop being concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious about us.'
6But he said to him, 'Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; everything that he says definitely comes true. Now let’s go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.'
7Then Saul said to his servant, 'But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sacks and there is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?'
8The servant answered Saul again and said, 'Look, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us our way.'
9(Previously in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, 'Come, and let’s go to the seer'; for he who is called a prophet now was previously called a seer.)
10Then Saul said to his servant, 'Good idea; come, let’s go.' So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11As they went up the slope to the city, they found young women going out to draw water, and they said to them, 'Is the seer here?'
12They answered them and said, 'He is; see, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today, because the people have a sacrifice on the high place today.
13As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now then, go up, for you will find him about this time.'
14So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place.
15Now a day before Saul’s coming, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel, saying,
16About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him as ruler over My people Israel; and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have considered My people, because their outcry has come to Me.'
17When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, 'Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over My people.'
18Then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and said, 'Please tell me where the seer’s house is.'
19And Samuel answered Saul and said, 'I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you everything that is on your mind.
20And as for your donkeys that wandered off three days ago, do not be concerned about them, for they have been found. And for whom is everything that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?'
21Saul replied, 'Am I not a Benjaminite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?'
22Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men.
23And Samuel said to the cook, 'Serve the portion that I gave you about which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’?'
24Then the cook took up the leg with what was on it and placed it before Saul. And Samuel said, 'Here is what has been reserved! Place it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, since I said I have invited the people.' So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.
26And they got up early; and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, 'Get up, so that I may send you on your way.' So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.
27As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, 'Speak to the servant and have him go on ahead of us and pass by; but you stand here now, so that I may proclaim the word of God to you.'
Chapter 10
1Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, 'Has the Lord not anointed you as ruler over His inheritance? 2When you leave me today, then you will find two men close to Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has stopped talking about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, 'What am I to do about my son?'?’ 3Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you: one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine. 4And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand. 5Afterward you will come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre in front of them, and they will be prophesying. 6Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be changed into a different man. 7And it shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, because God is with you. 8And you shall go down ahead of me to Gilgal; and behold, I will be coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and inform you of what you should do.'
9Then it happened, when he turned his back to leave Samuel, that God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day.
10When they came there to the hill, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, so that he prophesied among them.
11And it came about, when all who previously knew him saw that he was indeed prophesying with the prophets, that the people said to one another, 'What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?'
12And a man from there responded and said, 'And who is their father?' Therefore it became a saying: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'
13When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.
14Now Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, 'Where did you go?' And he said, 'To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel.'
15Saul’s uncle said, 'Please tell me what Samuel said to you.'
16So Saul said to his uncle, 'He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.' But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom which Samuel had mentioned.
17Now Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah;
18and he said to the sons of Israel, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’
19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your catastrophes and your distresses; yet you have said, ‘No, but put a king over us!’ Now then, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your groups of thousands.'
20So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel forward; and the tribe of Benjamin was selected by lot.
21Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin forward by its families, and the Matrite family was selected by lot. And Saul the son of Kish was selected by lot; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.
22Therefore they inquired further of the Lord: 'Has the man come here yet?' And the Lord said, 'Behold, he is hiding himself among the baggage.'
23So they ran and took him from there, and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.
24Samuel said to all the people, 'Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.' So all the people shouted and said, 'Long live the king!'
25Then Samuel told the people the ordinances of the kingdom, and wrote them in the book, and placed it before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house.
26Saul also went to his house in Gibeah; and the valiant men whose hearts God had touched went with him.
27But certain useless men said, 'How can this one save us?' And they despised him and did not bring him a gift. But he kept silent about it.
Chapter 11
1Now Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, 'Make a covenant with us and we will serve you.' 2But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, 'I will make it with you on this condition, that I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you, and thereby I will inflict a disgrace on all Israel.' 3So the elders of Jabesh said to him, 'Allow us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.' 4Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, and all the people raised their voices and wept.
5Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and Saul said, 'What is the matter with the people that they weep?' So they reported to him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6Then the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and he became very angry.
7He then took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, 'Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, the same shall be done to his oxen.' Then the dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out as one person.
8He counted them in Bezek; and the sons of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah, thirty thousand.
9They said to the messengers who had come, 'This is what you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be saved.’?' So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they rejoiced.
10Then the men of Jabesh said, 'Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.'
11The next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch, and struck and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12Then the people said to Samuel, 'Who is he that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, so that we may put them to death!'
13But Saul said, 'Not a single person shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has brought about victory in Israel.'
14Then Samuel said to the people, 'Come, and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.'
15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
King James Version
Chapter 4
1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. 2And 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. 3And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. 4So 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. 5And 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. 6And 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 was come into the camp. 7And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. 8Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
10And 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.
11And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
12And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
13And 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.
14And 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.
15Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
16And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?
17And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
18And 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 brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
20And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
Chapter 5
1And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. 2When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 3And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 4And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was 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. 5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
6But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
7And 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.
8They 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.
9And 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 emerods in their secret parts.
10Therefore 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.
11So 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.
12And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Chapter 6
1And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place. 3And 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. 4Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, 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. 5Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6Wherefore 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? 7Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them: 8And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go. 9And 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.
10And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
11And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.
12And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
13And 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.
14And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
15And 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.
16And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced 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.
19And 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.
20And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
21And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
Chapter 7
1And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. 2And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
3And Samuel spake 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.
4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
6And they gathered together to Mizpeh, 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 in Mizpeh.
7And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8And 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.
9And 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.
10And 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.
11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
13So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
17And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
Chapter 8
1And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. 3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5And 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.
6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
7And 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.
8According 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.
9Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
11And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
22And 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.
Chapter 9
1Now 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. 2And 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.
3And 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.
4And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
5And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.
6And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
7Then 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?
8And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
9(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
10Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
11And 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?
12And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
13As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
14And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
15Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
16To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
17And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
18Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.
19And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
20And 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?
21And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
22And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
23And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24And 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 did eat with Samuel that day.
25And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
26And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring 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.
27And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.
Chapter 10
1Then 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? 2When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The 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? 3Then 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 to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: 4And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. 5After 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 tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: 6And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. 7And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. 8And 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 shew thee what thou shalt do.
9And 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.
10And 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.
11And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
12And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
13And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
14And 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 no where, we came to Samuel.
15And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.
16And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
17And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
18And 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 of them that oppressed you:
19And 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.
20And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21When 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.
22Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
23And 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.
24And 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.
25Then 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.
26And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
27But 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.
Chapter 11
1Then 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. 2And 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. 3And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee. 4Then 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.
5And, 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.
6And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after 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.
8And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.
11And 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 they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12And 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.
13And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.
14Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.
15And 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.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 4
1And Samuel's words came to all Israel. Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer while the Philistines camped at Aphek. 2The Philistines lined up in battle formation against Israel, and as the battle intensified, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about four thousand men on the battlefield.
3When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, "Why did the Lord defeat us today before the Philistines? Let's bring the ark of the Lord's covenant from Shiloh. Then it will go with us and save us from our enemies."
4So the people sent men to Shiloh to bring back the ark of the covenant of the Lord of Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5When the ark of the covenant of the Lord entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a loud shout that the ground shook.
6The Philistines heard the sound of the war cry and asked, "What's this loud shout in the Hebrews' camp? " When the Philistines discovered that the ark of the Lord had entered the camp,
7they panicked. "A god has entered their camp! " they said. "Woe to us! Nothing like this has happened before.
8Woe to us! Who will rescue us from these magnificent gods? These are the gods that slaughtered the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
9Show some courage and be men, Philistines! Otherwise, you'll serve the Hebrews just as they served you. Now be men and fight! "
10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was severe--thirty thousand of the Israelite foot soldiers fell.
11The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12That same day, a Benjaminite man ran from the battle and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn, and there was dirt on his head.
13When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair beside the road waiting, because he was anxious about the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the entire city cried out.
14Eli heard the outcry and asked, "Why this commotion? " The man quickly came and reported to Eli.
15At that time Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes didn't move because he couldn't see.
17The messenger answered, "Israel has fled from the Philistines, and also there was a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured."
18When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off the chair by the city gate, and since he was old and heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had judged Israel forty years.
19Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news about the capture of God's ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth because her labor pains came on her.
20As she was dying, the women taking care of her said, "Don't be afraid. You've given birth to a son! " But she did not respond or pay attention.
21She named the boy Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel," referring to the capture of the ark of God and to the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.
22"The glory has departed from Israel," she said, "because the ark of God has been captured."
Chapter 5
1After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, 2brought it into the temple of Dagon and placed it next to his statue. 3When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. 4But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. This time, Dagon's head and both of his hands were broken off and lying on the threshold. Only Dagon's torso remained. 5That is why, still today, the priests of Dagon and everyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on Dagon's threshold.
6The Lord's hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod. He terrified the people of Ashdod and its territory and afflicted them with tumors.
7When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, "The ark of Israel's God must not stay here with us, because his hand is strongly against us and our god Dagon."
8So they called all the Philistine rulers together and asked, "What should we do with the ark of Israel's God? ""The ark of Israel's God should be moved to Gath," they replied. So they moved the ark of Israel's God.
9After they had moved it, the Lord's hand was against the city of Gath, causing a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, with an outbreak of tumors.
11The Ekronites called all the Philistine rulers together. They said, "Send the ark of Israel's God away. Let it return to its place so it won't kill us and our people! " For the fear of death pervaded the city; God's hand was oppressing them.
12Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
Chapter 6
1When the ark of the Lord had been in Philistine territory for seven months, 2the Philistines summoned the priests and the diviners and pleaded, "What should we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we can send it back to its place."
4They asked, "What guilt offering should we send back to him? "And they answered, "Five gold tumors and five gold mice corresponding to the number of Philistine rulers, since there was one plague for both you and your rulers.
5Make images of your tumors and of your mice that are destroying the land. Give glory to Israel's God, and perhaps he will stop oppressing you, your gods, and your land.
6Why harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs? When he afflicted them, didn't they send Israel away, and Israel left?
7"Now then, prepare one new cart and two milk cows that have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.
8Take the ark of the Lord, place it on the cart, and put the gold objects that you're sending him as a guilt offering in a box beside the ark. Send it off and let it go its way.
9Then watch: If it goes up the road to its homeland toward Beth-shemesh, it is the Lord who has made this terrible trouble for us. However, if it doesn't, we will know that it was not his hand that punished us--it was just something that happened to us by chance."
10The men did this: They took two milk cows, hitched them to the cart, and confined their calves in the pen.
11Then they put the ark of the Lord on the cart, along with the box containing the gold mice and the images of their tumors.
12The cows went straight up the road to Beth-shemesh. They stayed on that one highway, lowing as they went; they never strayed to the right or to the left. The Philistine rulers were walking behind them to the territory of Beth-shemesh.
13The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they were overjoyed to see it.
14The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there near a large rock. The people of the city chopped up the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.
15The Levites removed the ark of the Lord, along with the box containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. That day the people of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the Lord.
16When the five Philistine rulers observed this, they returned to Ekron that same day.
17As a guilt offering to the Lord, the Philistines had sent back one gold tumor for each city: Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.
18The number of gold mice also corresponded to the number of Philistine cities of the five rulers, the fortified cities and the outlying villages. The large rock on which the ark of the Lord was placed is still in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh today.
19God struck down the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the Lord. He struck down seventy persons. The people mourned because the Lord struck them with a great slaughter.
20The people of Beth-shemesh asked, "Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord this holy God? To whom should the ark go from here? "
2Time went by until twenty years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel longed for the Lord.
3Samuel told them, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, get rid of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths that are among you, set your hearts on the Lord, and worship only him. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines."
4So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtoreths and only worshiped the Lord.
5Samuel said, "Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf."
6When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord's presence. They fasted that day, and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the Lord." And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.
7When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
8The Israelites said to Samuel, "Don't stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, so that he will save us from the Philistines."
9Then Samuel took a young lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him.
10Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines approached to fight against Israel. The Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.
11Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines striking them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.
12Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, explaining, "The Lord has helped us to this point."
13So the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israel's territory again. The Lord's hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel's life.
14The cities from Ekron to Gath, which they had taken from Israel, were restored; Israel even rescued their surrounding territories from Philistine control. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15Samuel judged Israel throughout his life.
16Every year he would go on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah and would judge Israel at all these locations.
17Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, he judged Israel there, and he built an altar to the Lord there.
Chapter 8
1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2His firstborn son's name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba. 3However, his sons did not walk in his ways--they turned toward dishonest profit, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah.
5They said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have."
6When they said, "Give us a king to judge us," Samuel considered their demand wrong, so he prayed to the Lord.
7But the Lord told him, "Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king.
8They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning me and worshiping other gods.
9Listen to them, but solemnly warn them and tell them about the customary rights of the king who will reign over them."
10Samuel told all the Lord's words to the people who were asking him for a king.
11He said, "These are the rights of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots.
12He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties, to plow his ground and reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots.
13He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
14He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
15He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants.
16He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best cattle, and your donkeys and use them for his work.
17He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants.
18When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you've chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won't answer you on that day."
19The people refused to listen to Samuel. "No! " they said. "We must have a king over us.
20Then we'll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles."
Chapter 9
1There was a prominent man of Benjamin named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite. 2He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man. There was no one more impressive among the Israelites than he. He stood a head taller than anyone else.
3One day the donkeys of Saul's father Kish wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys."
4Saul and his servant went through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the region of Shalishah, but they didn't find them. They went through the region of Shaalim--nothing. Then they went through the Benjaminite region but still didn't find them.
10"Good," Saul replied to his servant. "Come on, let's go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11As they were climbing the hill to the city, they found some young women coming out to draw water and asked, "Is the seer here? "
12The women answered, "Yes, he is ahead of you. Hurry, he just now entered the city, because there's a sacrifice for the people at the high place today.
13As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes to the high place to eat. The people won't eat until he comes because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests can eat. Go up immediately--you can find him now."
14So they went up toward the city.Saul and his servant were entering the city when they saw Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place.
15Now the day before Saul's arrival, the Lord had informed Samuel,
16"At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel. He will save them from the Philistines because I have seen the affliction of my people, for their cry has come to me."
17When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, "Here is the man I told you about; he will govern my people."
19"I am the seer," Samuel answered. "Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. When I send you off in the morning, I'll tell you everything that's in your heart.
20As for the donkeys that wandered away from you three days ago, don't worry about them because they've been found. And who does all Israel desire but you and all your father's family? "
22Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them to the banquet hall, and gave them a place at the head of the thirty or so men who had been invited.
23Then Samuel said to the cook, "Get the portion of meat that I gave you and told you to set aside."
24The cook picked up the thigh and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, "Notice that the reserved piece is set before you. Eat it because it was saved for you for this solemn event at the time I said, 'I've invited the people.' " So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25Afterward, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.
26They got up early, and just before dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, "Get up, and I'll send you on your way! " Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside.
27As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I'll reveal the word of God to you." So the servant went on.
Chapter 10
1Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it out on Saul's head, kissed him, and said, "Hasn't the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? 2Today when you leave me, you'll find two men at Rachel's Grave at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They will say to you, 'The donkeys you went looking for have been found, and now your father has stopped being concerned about the donkeys and is worried about you, asking: What should I do about my son? '
3"You will proceed from there until you come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one bringing three goats, one bringing three loaves of bread, and one bringing a clay jar of wine.
4They will ask how you are and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them.
5"After that you will come to Gibeah of God where there are Philistine garrisons. When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place prophesying. They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres.
6The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully on you, you will prophesy with them, and you will be transformed.
7When these signs have happened to you, do whatever your circumstances require because God is with you.
8Afterward, go ahead of me to Gilgal. I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice fellowship offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what to do."
9When Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart, and all the signs came about that day.
10When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully on him, and he prophesied along with them.
12Then a man who was from there asked, "And who is their father? "As a result, "Is Saul also among the prophets? " became a popular saying.
13Then Saul finished prophesying and went to the high place.
17Samuel summoned the people to the Lord at Mizpah
18and said to the Israelites, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.'
19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions. You said to him, 'You must set a king over us.' Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans."
20Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.
21Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the Matrite clan was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they searched for him, they could not find him.
26Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, and brave men whose hearts God had touched went with him.
27But some wicked men said, "How can this guy save us? " They despised him and did not bring him a gift, but Saul said nothing.
4When the messengers came to Gibeah, Saul's hometown, and told the terms to the people, all wept aloud.
5Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. "What's the matter with the people? Why are they weeping? " Saul inquired, and they repeated to him the words of the men from Jabesh.
6When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly came powerfully on him, and his anger burned furiously.
7He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by messengers who said, "This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn't march behind Saul and Samuel." As a result, the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out united.
8Saul counted them at Bezek. There were three hundred thousand Israelites and thirty thousand men from Judah.
9He told the messengers who had come, "Tell this to the men of Jabesh-gilead: 'Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.' " So the messengers told the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced.
14Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let's go to Gilgal, so we can renew the kingship there."
15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there in the Lord's presence they made Saul king. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings in the Lord's presence, and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
New Living Translation
Chapter 4
1And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel. At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. 2The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men. 3After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, 'Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?' Then they said, 'Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.'
4So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.
5When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!
6What’s going on?' the Philistines asked. 'What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?' When they were told it was because the Ark of the Lord had arrived,
7they panicked. 'The gods have come into their camp!' they cried. 'This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before!
8Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness.
9Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!'
10So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents.
11The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.
12A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief.
13Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.
14What is all the noise about?' Eli asked. The messenger rushed over to Eli,
15who was ninety-eight years old and blind.
19Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth.
20She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. 'Don’t be afraid,' they said. 'You have a baby boy!' But she did not answer or pay attention to them.
21She named the child Ichabod (which means 'Where is the glory?'), for she said, 'Israel’s glory is gone.' She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead.
22Then she said, 'The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.'
Chapter 5
1After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the battleground at Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod. 2They carried the Ark of God into the temple of Dagon and placed it beside an idol of Dagon. 3But when the citizens of Ashdod went to see it the next morning, Dagon had fallen with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord! So they took Dagon and put him in his place again. 4But the next morning the same thing happened — Dagon had fallen face down before the Ark of the Lord again. This time his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only the trunk of his body was left intact. 5That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod will step on its threshold.
6Then the Lord’s heavy hand struck the people of Ashdod and the nearby villages with a plague of tumors.
7When the people realized what was happening, they cried out, 'We can’t keep the Ark of the God of Israel here any longer! He is against us! We will all be destroyed along with Dagon, our god.'
8So they called together the rulers of the Philistine towns and asked, 'What should we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?' The rulers discussed it and replied, 'Move it to the town of Gath.' So they moved the Ark of the God of Israel to Gath.
9But when the Ark arrived at Gath, the Lord’s heavy hand fell on its men, young and old; he struck them with a plague of tumors, and there was a great panic.
10So they sent the Ark of God to the town of Ekron, but when the people of Ekron saw it coming they cried out, 'They are bringing the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us, too!'
11The people summoned the Philistine rulers again and begged them, 'Please send the Ark of the God of Israel back to its own country, or it will kill us all.' For the deadly plague from God had already begun, and great fear was sweeping across the town.
12Those who didn’t die were afflicted with tumors; and the cry from the town rose to heaven.
Chapter 6
1The Ark of the Lord remained in Philistine territory seven months in all. 2Then the Philistines called in their priests and diviners and asked them, 'What should we do about the Ark of the Lord? Tell us how to return it to its own country.'
4What sort of guilt offering should we send?' they asked. And they were told, 'Since the plague has struck both you and your five rulers, make five gold tumors and five gold rats, just like those that have ravaged your land.
5Make these things to show honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps then he will stop afflicting you, your gods, and your land.
6Don’t be stubborn and rebellious as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were. By the time God was finished with them, they were eager to let Israel go.
7Now build a new cart, and find two cows that have just given birth to calves. Make sure the cows have never been yoked to a cart. Hitch the cows to the cart, but shut their calves away from them in a pen.
8Put the Ark of the Lord on the cart, and beside it place a chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors you are sending as a guilt offering. Then let the cows go wherever they want.
9If they cross the border of our land and go to Beth-shemesh, we will know it was the Lord who brought this great disaster upon us. If they don’t, we will know it was not his hand that caused the plague. It came simply by chance.'
10So these instructions were carried out. Two cows were hitched to the cart, and their newborn calves were shut up in a pen.
11Then the Ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors were placed on the cart.
12And sure enough, without veering off in other directions, the cows went straight along the road toward Beth-shemesh, lowing as they went. The Philistine rulers followed them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.
13The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they saw the Ark, they were overjoyed!
14The cart came into the field of a man named Joshua and stopped beside a large rock. So the people broke up the wood of the cart for a fire and killed the cows and sacrificed them to the Lord as a burnt offering.
15Several men of the tribe of Levi lifted the Ark of the Lord and the chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors from the cart and placed them on the large rock. Many sacrifices and burnt offerings were offered to the Lord that day by the people of Beth-shemesh.
16The five Philistine rulers watched all this and then returned to Ekron that same day.
17The five gold tumors sent by the Philistines as a guilt offering to the Lord were gifts from the rulers of Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.
18The five gold rats represented the five Philistine towns and their surrounding villages, which were controlled by the five rulers. The large rock at Beth-shemesh, where they set the Ark of the Lord, still stands in the field of Joshua as a witness to what happened there.
19But the Lord killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the Lord. And the people mourned greatly because of what the Lord had done.
20Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?' they cried out. 'Where can we send the Ark from here?'
Chapter 7
1So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the Lord. They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it. 2The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time — twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them.
3Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, 'If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.'
4So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.
5Then Samuel told them, 'Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.'
6So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)
7When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching.
8Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!' they begged Samuel.
9So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.
10Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them.
11The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.
13So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the Lord’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines.
14The Israelite villages near Ekron and Gath that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.
15Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life.
16Each year he traveled around, setting up his court first at Bethel, then at Gilgal, and then at Mizpah. He judged the people of Israel at each of these places.
17Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.
Chapter 8
1As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. 3But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel.
5Look,' they told him, 'you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.'
6Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance.
7Do everything they say to you,' the Lord replied, 'for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.
8Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment.
9Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.'
10So Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king.
11This is how a king will reign over you,' Samuel said. 'The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots.
12Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment.
13The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him.
14He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials.
15He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants.
16He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use.
17He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.
18When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you.'
19But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. 'Even so, we still want a king,' they said.
20We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.'
21So Samuel repeated to the Lord what the people had said,
22and the Lord replied, 'Do as they say, and give them a king.' Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home.
Chapter 9
1There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel — head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
3One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, 'Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.'
4So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.
8Well,' the servant said, 'I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!'
9(In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, 'Let’s go and ask the seer,' for prophets used to be called seers.)
10All right,' Saul agreed, 'let’s try it!' So they started into the town where the man of God lived.
12Yes,' they replied. 'Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship.
13Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.'
15Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day,
16About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.'
19I am the seer!' Samuel replied. 'Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way.
20And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.'
22Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests.
23Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor.
24So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. 'Go ahead and eat it,' Samuel said. 'I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!' So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there.
26At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, 'Get up! It’s time you were on your way.' So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together.
27When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, 'Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.'
Chapter 10
1Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, 'I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession. 2When you leave me today, you will see two men beside Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah, on the border of Benjamin. They will tell you that the donkeys have been found and that your father has stopped worrying about them and is now worried about you. He is asking, ‘Have you seen my son?’
3When you get to the oak of Tabor, you will see three men coming toward you who are on their way to worship God at Bethel. One will be bringing three young goats, another will have three loaves of bread, and the third will be carrying a wineskin full of wine.
4They will greet you and offer you two of the loaves, which you are to accept.
5When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying.
6At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.
7After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you.
8Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.'
9As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day.
10When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy.
11When those who knew Saul heard about it, they exclaimed, 'What? Is even Saul a prophet? How did the son of Kish become a prophet?'
17Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the Lord at Mizpah.
18And he said, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all of the nations that were oppressing you.
19But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and clans.'
20So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot.
21Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the Lord, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. But when they looked for him, he had disappeared!
22So they asked the Lord, 'Where is he?' And the Lord replied, 'He is hiding among the baggage.'
23So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else.
4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the people about their plight, everyone broke into tears.
5Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, 'What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?' So they told him about the message from Jabesh.
6Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry.
7He took two oxen and cut them into pieces and sent the messengers to carry them throughout Israel with this message: 'This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who refuses to follow Saul and Samuel into battle!' And the Lord made the people afraid of Saul’s anger, and all of them came out together as one.
8When Saul mobilized them at Bezek, he found that there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.
10The men of Jabesh then told their enemies, 'Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do to us whatever you wish.'
11But before dawn the next morning, Saul arrived, having divided his army into three detachments. He launched a surprise attack against the Ammonites and slaughtered them the whole morning. The remnant of their army was so badly scattered that no two of them were left together.
English Standard Version
2The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle.
3And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”
4So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded.
6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the LORD had come to the camp,
7the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.
8Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness.
9Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.”
10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.
11And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head.
13When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out.
14When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli.
15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see.
16And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?”
17He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
18As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
19Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her.
20And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention.
21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
Chapter 5
1When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon. 3And when the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4But when they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the LORD, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6The hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.
7And when the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand is hard against us and against Dagon our god.”
8So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath.” So they brought the ark of the God of Israel there.
9But after they had brought it around, the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic, and he afflicted the men of the city, both young and old, so that tumors broke out on them.
10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But as soon as the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought around to us the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our people.”
11They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there.
12The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Chapter 6
1The ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us with what we shall send it to its place.” 3They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand does not turn away from you.” 4And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we shall return to him?” They answered, “Five golden tumors and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague was on all of you and on your lords. 5So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you and your gods and your land. 6Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had dealt severely with them, did they not send the people away, and they departed? 7Now then, take and prepare a new cart and two milk cows on which there has never come a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them. 8And take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart and put in a box at its side the figures of gold, which you are returning to him as a guilt offering. Then send it off and let it go its way 9and watch. If it goes up on the way to its own land, to Beth-shemesh, then it is he who has done us this great harm, but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it happened to us by coincidence.”
10The men did so, and took two milk cows and yoked them to the cart and shut up their calves at home.
11And they put the ark of the LORD on the cart and the box with the golden mice and the images of their tumors.
12And the cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh along one highway, lowing as they went. They turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.
13Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. And when they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it.
14The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there. A great stone was there. And they split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
15And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was beside it, in which were the golden figures, and set them upon the great stone. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices on that day to the LORD.
16And when the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron.
17These are the golden tumors that the Philistines returned as a guilt offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron,
18and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and unwalled villages. The great stone beside which they set down the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.
19And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the LORD. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great blow.
20Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?”
21So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to you.”
Chapter 7
1And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the LORD. 2From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
3And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
4So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only.
5Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”
6So they gathered 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 people of Israel at Mizpah.
7Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
9So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.
10As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel.
11And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car.
12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the LORD has helped us.”
13So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.
15Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
16And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places.
17Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. And he built there an altar to the LORD.
Chapter 8
1When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah
5and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
8According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.
9Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”
10So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him.
11He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots.
12And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.
13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
15He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.
16He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.
18And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
19But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us,
20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
21And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD.
22And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”
Chapter 9
1There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
3Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.”
4And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.
5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.”
6But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”
7Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
8The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.”
9(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for today’s “prophet” was formerly called a seer.)
10And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11As they went up the hill to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?”
12They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Hurry. He has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place.
13As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.”
14So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.
15Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel:
16“Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”
17When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.”
18Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?”
19Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind.
20As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?”
21Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
22Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, who were about thirty persons.
23And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Put it aside.’”
24So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep.
26Then at the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Up, that I may send you on your way.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.
Chapter 10
1Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the LORD and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the LORD has anointed you to be prince over his heritage. 2When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ 3Then you shall go on from there farther and come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept from their hand. 5After that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. 6Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 8Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.”
9When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day.
10When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them.
11And when all who knew him previously saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, “What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
12And a man of the place answered, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
13When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.
14Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To seek the donkeys. And when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”
15And Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”
16And Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him anything.
17Now Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah.
18And he said to the people of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’
19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands.”
20Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.
21He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found.
22So they inquired again of the LORD, “Is there a man still to come?” and the LORD said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”
23Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.
24And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
25Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home.
26Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched.
27But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.
Chapter 11
1Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” 2But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you, that I gouge out all your right eyes, and thus bring disgrace on all Israel.” 3The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.” 4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the ears of the people, and all the people wept aloud.
5Now, behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. And Saul said, “What is wrong with the people, that they are weeping?” So they told him the news of the men of Jabesh.
6And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled.
7He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.
8When he mustered them at Bezek, the people of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9And they said to the messengers who had come, “Thus shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have salvation.’” When the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, they were glad.
10Therefore the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.”
11And the next day Saul put the people in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
12Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.”
13But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.”
14Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.”
15So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
New International Version
Chapter 4
1And Samuel's word came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. 2The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. 3When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, 'Why did the LORD bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the LORD's covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.'
6Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, 'What's all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?' When they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp,
7the Philistines were afraid. 'A god has come into the camp,' they said. 'Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before.
8We're doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
9Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!'
10So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.
11The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head.
13When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.
14Eli heard the outcry and asked, 'What is the meaning of this uproar?' The man hurried over to Eli,
15who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes had failed so that he could not see.
19His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains.
20As she was dying, the women attending her said, 'Don't despair; you have given birth to a son.' But she did not respond or pay any attention.
21She named the boy Ichabod, saying, 'The Glory has departed from Israel'--because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.
22She said, 'The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.'
Chapter 5
1After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2Then they carried the ark into Dagon's temple and set it beside Dagon. 3When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon's temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
6The LORD's hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.
7When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, 'The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.'
10So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, 'They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.'
11So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, 'Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it will kill us and our people.' For death had filled the city with panic; God's hand was very heavy on it.
12Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
Chapter 6
1When the ark of the LORD had been in Philistine territory seven months, 2the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, 'What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.'
4The Philistines asked, 'What guilt offering should we send to him?' They replied, 'Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.
5Make models of the tumors and of the rats that are destroying the country, and give glory to Israel's god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and your land.
6Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When Israel's god dealt harshly with them, did they not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?
7Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.
8Take the ark of the LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way,
9but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the LORD has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us but that it happened to us by chance.'
10So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves.
11They placed the ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors.
12Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
13Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight.
14The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.
15The Levites took down the ark of the LORD, together with the chest containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. On that day the people of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD.
16The five rulers of the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same day to Ekron.
17These are the gold tumors the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the LORD--one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron.
18And the number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine towns belonging to the five rulers--the fortified towns with their country villages. The large rock on which the Levites set the ark of the LORD is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
19But God struck down some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they looked into the ark of the LORD. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the LORD had dealt them.
20And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, 'Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?'
2The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time--twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the LORD.
3So Samuel said to all the Israelites, 'If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."
4So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.
5Then Samuel said, 'Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the LORD for you.'
6When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, 'We have sinned against the LORD.' Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.
7When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.
8They said to Samuel, 'Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.'
9Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel's behalf, and the LORD answered him.
10While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.
11The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.
13So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel's territory. Throughout Samuel's lifetime, the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines.
14The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
15Samuel continued as Israel's leader all the days of his life.
16From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.
17But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also held court for Israel. And he built an altar there to the LORD.
Chapter 8
1When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel's leaders. 2The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
5They said to him, 'You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.'
6But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us,' this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
7And the LORD told him: 'Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.
8As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.
9Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.'
10Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.
11He said, 'This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.
12Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.
15He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.
16Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.
17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.'
19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. 'No!' they said. 'We want a king over us.
20Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.'
Chapter 9
1There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. 2Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.
3Now the donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, 'Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.'
4So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
8The servant answered him again. 'Look,' he said, 'I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.'
9(Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, 'Come, let us go to the seer,' because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)
12He is,' they answered. 'He's ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place.
13As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time."
15Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel:
16About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.'
19I am the seer,' Samuel replied. 'Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart.
20As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?'
22Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited--about thirty in number.
23Samuel said to the cook, 'Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.'
25After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house.
26They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, 'Get ready, and I will send you on your way.' When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together.
27As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, 'Tell the servant to go on ahead of us'--and the servant did so--'but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.'
Chapter 10
1Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, 'Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance? 2When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel's tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, 'The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, "What shall I do about my son?"'
3Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine.
4They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them.
5After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying.
6The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.
7Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.
9As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day.
10When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying.
11When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, 'What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?'
12A man who lived there answered, 'And who is their father?' So it became a saying: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'
13After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the high place.
17Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the LORD at Mizpah
18and said to them, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.'
19But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, 'No, appoint a king over us.' So now present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.'
20When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.
21Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri's clan was taken. Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found.
26Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched.
27But some scoundrels said, 'How can this fellow save us?' They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent.
4When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud.
5Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, 'What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?' Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.
6When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger.
7He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, 'This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.' Then the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out together as one.
8When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.
9They told the messengers who had come, 'Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, 'By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.'' When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated.
10They said to the Ammonites, 'Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.'
