Saul's 3 And the asses of Kish father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. 4 And he passed through the hill country of 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 Jaminites, but they found them not. 5 And 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 fear for us. 6 And he said to him; Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man to be honoured. All that he saith cometh surely to pass. Now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go. 7 Then said Saul to his servant. But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What have we? 8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I happen to have in my hand the fourth part of a Shekel of silver. That will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. 9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for a Prophet of to-day was beforetime called a Seer.) 10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was. road to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer here? 12 And 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 on the High Place [or Altar.] 13 As soon as ye 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 that be bidden will eat. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye will find him. 14 And they went up into the city. And when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, to go up to the High Place. 15 Now the LORD had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 16 To-morrow about this time I will send to 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. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! This man shall rule over my people. 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the city gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is. 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer. Go up before me to the High Place. For ye shall eat with me to-day, and to-morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all 11 And as they went up the hill- that is in thy heart. 20 And as for thine asses that were still a while, that I may show thee the lost three days ago, set not thy heart word of God. on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on thy father's house ? 21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me? 22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the chamber, and gave to them a place at the head of them that were bidden, who were about thirty men. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee 24 And the cook took up the leg, 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 appointed time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. 25 And when they were come down from the High Place into the city, he spake with Saul upon the roof of the house. 26 And they arose early. And it came to pass as daybreak arose, that Samuel called to Saul on the roof 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. 27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou CHAPTER X. THEN Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it on his head and kissed him, and said, Is it not that the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? 2 When 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 to thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found; and lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and feareth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? 3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence and beyond; and thou shalt come to the Oak of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three circular loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine. 4 And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive from their hands. 5 After that thou shalt come to the Gibeah [or 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 wilt meet a band of prophets coming down from the High Place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will prophesy; 6 And the spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou wilt prophesy with them, and wilt be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs are come to thee, that thou do as thy hand shall find; for God is with thee. 8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and behold I will come down to thee to offer up 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. 9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 And when they came thither to Gibeah, behold, a band of prophets met him. And the spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said to one another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? 12 And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul among the prophets? 13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the High Place. 14 And Saul's uncle said to 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. 15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said to 17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh. 18 And he said to the children of Israel, Thus saith the Eternal the 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 the kingdoms of them that oppressed you. 19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your evils and your troubles; and ye said to him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands. 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the trib of Benjamin was taken. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken : and when they sought him he could not be found. 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, Hath the man yet come thither? And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hidden himself among the baggage. 23 And they ran and fetched him thence. And when he presented himself among the people he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted and said, May the king live. 25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the Kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. people away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched. And Samuel sent all the throughout all the boundaries of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man. 27 But the sons of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And 8 And when he mustered them in they despised him, and brought him Bezek, the children of Israel were But he was as though no present. he heard not. CHAPTER XI. THEN Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh in Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a cove nant with us, and we will serve thee. 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and that I lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3 And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days respite, that we may send messengers to all the boundaries of Israel; and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come to thee. 4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. 5 And behold, Saul was coming 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. 6 And the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said to the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say to the men of Jabesh in Gilead, To-morrow when the sun is hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh. And they were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out to you, and ye shall do with us all that is good in your eyes. 11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies. And they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and 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. 12 And the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men that we may put them to death. 13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel. 14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15 And all the people went to Gilgal: and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offer- then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, ings before the LORD. And there who brought forth your fathers out Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced of Egypt, and made them dwell in greatly. this place. CHAPTER XII. AND Samuel said to Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that ye said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king walketh And I am old and grey before you. 9 And when they forgot the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army at Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. 10 And they cried to the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because headed; and behold, my sons are we have forsaken the LORD, and with you. And I have walked be- served Baal and Ashtaroth. But now fore you from my childhood unto this deliver us out of the hand of our day. enemies, and we will serve thee. 3 Behold, here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken ? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. 4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught from any man's hand. 5 And he said to them, the LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye not found aught in my hand. they answered, He is witness. have And 6 And Samuel said to the people, It is the LORD that made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD which he did to you and to your fathers. 8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, 11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and the Danite [or Samson], and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe. 12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the Children of Ammon came against you, ye said to me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us; when the LORD your God was your king. 13 Now therefore, behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom you asked for! And behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. 14 If ye will fear the LORD, and will serve him, and will obey his voice, and not rebel against the commands of the LORD, then shall both ye, and also the king that reigneth over you, continue following the LORD your God. 15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commands of the LORD, then will the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. 16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. |