your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and 17 put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks and ye 18 shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not answer you 19 in that day. But the people re

fused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we 20 will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in 22 the ears of the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

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Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, 'the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of (2 valour. And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the 3 people. And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek 4 the asses. "And he passed through 'the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of 'Shaalim', and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, *(5 but they found them not. 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 6 thought for us. And he said unto

him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is 'a' man that is held in honour; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon! we i go. 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 8 have we? And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. 9 Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he 'said', Come and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was 10 beforetime called a Seer.) Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was. (11 As they went up the 'ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, 12) Is the seer here? And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before thee: make haste now, for he lis come! to-day 'into the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day in the 13 high place: as 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 at this time ye shall find him. *14 °And they went up to the city; and las they came within' the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

15

Now the LORD had revealed untol Samuel a day before Saul came, say16 ing, To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people Israel, land' he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their 17) cry is come unto me. And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man of whom I spake to thee! this same shall have authority!

7 Heb. answered him.

Or, of whom I \said unto thee, This same &c.

IX. 1 power; 2 (choice);

[40]

18 over my people. Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's 19 house is. Ánd 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 in the morning I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. 20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And "for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy 21 father's house? And Saul answered

and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me 22 after this manner!? °And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber', and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which 23 were about thirty persons. °And

Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I 24 said unto thee, Set it by thee. And

the cook took up the thigh', and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which hath been reserved! set it before thee and eat; because unto 'the appointed' time hath it been kept for thee, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with 25 Samuel that day. And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he communed with 26 Saul upon the housetop. And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop', saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, (27 abroad. As they were going down

at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still at this time', that I may 'cause 101 thee to hear the word of God. Then

Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that the LORD

VERSION OF 1611..

-

hath anointed thee to be 'prince over *2 his inheritance? 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 unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and 'taketh thought for you, saying, What shall I do for my 3 son? Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the oak of Tabor, and there shall meet thee there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a 'bot4 tle of wine and they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their 5 hand. After that thou shalt come to 8the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a 'band' of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall be 6 prophesying: and the spirit of the LORD will come 'mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. 7 °And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, 10that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. 8 °And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come unto thee, and shew thee 9 what thou shalt do. 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 the hill, behold, a 'band of prophets met him and the spirit of God came 'mightily upon him, and he prophe11 sied among them. And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied Iwith the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that

17

And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpah'; (18 and he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD, 'the' God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that 19 oppressed you: but ye have this day rejected your God, who himself 'saveth' you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your 20 tribes, and by your thousands.

So'

Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin 21 was taken. And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families, and the family of the 'Matrites' was taken1: and Saul the son of Kish was taken; 'but when they sought 22) him, he could not be found. "Therefore they asked' of the LORD further, Is there yet a man to come 'hither'? And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among 23 the stuff. And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and up* 24 ward. And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like

How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with 2) us, and we will serve thee. And Nahash the Ammonite 'said unto them, On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes 'be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach 3 upon all Israel. And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the 'borders' of Israel: and then, if there be 'none' to save us, 4 we will come out to thee. Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and Ispake these words' in the ears of the people and all the people lifted' up 5 their voice', and wept. And, behold, Saul came 'following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the 6 men of Jabesh. "And the spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words', and his anger 7 was kindled greatly. And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the 'borders of Israel by the 'hand' of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out 8 las one man. And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. 9 And they said unto the messengers

been deaf The Sept. has, And it came to pass after about a month, that Nahash &c.

Or, la terror from the LORD

[62]

that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance!. And the messengers came and told the men of 10 Jabesh; and they were glad. There

fore the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth 11 good unto you. And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the 'camp' in the morning watch, and 'smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them 12 were not left together. "And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them 13 to death. "And Saul said, There

14

shall not a man be put to death this day for to-day the LORD hath wrought deliverance in Israel.

Then said Samuel to the people, Come and let us go to Gilgal, and re15 new the kingdom there. And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

121

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and 2 have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walketh before you and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my (3 youth unto this day. 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 of whose hand have I taken a ransom! to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will re4 store it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand. And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in

5

1 Heb. salvation. 2 Or, bribe

3 Or, that I should hide mine eyes at him The Sept. has, even a pair of shoes? answer against

my hand. And they said', He is wit6 ness. "And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that lappointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the 7 land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he 8 did to you and to your fathers. When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, whol brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in 9 this place. But they forgat the LORD their God, 'and' he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought 10 against them. And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Baalim and 'the Ashtaroth but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will 11 serve thee. And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, 12 and ye dwelled in safety'. And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king. Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for': and, behold, the LORD hath set a king 14 over you. If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and hearken unto his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of the LORD 15 your God, well: but if ye will not Thearken unto the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was 16 against your fathers. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your 17 eyes. Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto the LORD, 'that he Imay send thunder and rain; 'and' ye

13

xlvi. 19.

$ Some Barak.

Or, then shall both ye... the LORD your God: but &c.

7 The Sept. has, and against your king.

Ishall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you 18 a king. So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to 20 ask us a king. And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have indeed done all this evil: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your 21 heart; land turn ye not aside for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for 22 they are vain. For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you 'a' people 'unto 23 himself. Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and 24 the right way. Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things 25 he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king. 131) Saul was [2thirty] years old when

:

The began to reign; and he reigned 2 two years over Israel. And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin and the rest of the people 3 he sent every man to his tent. And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. 4 °And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

5

And the Philistines 'assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as

1 The Sept. has, and turn ye not aside after the vanities which &c. The Hebrew text has, Saul was a year old. The whole verse is

8

the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward of! 6 Beth-aven. "When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in 7 holds, and in pits. Now some of the Hebrews had gone over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered 9 from him. And Saul said, Bring hither the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings. And he offered 10 the burnt offering. And it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might "salute 11 him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves 12) together at Michmash; therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not intreated the favour of the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered 13 the burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom 14 upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath 'appointed! him to be prince over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hun16 dred men. "And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in 'Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines 17 encamped in Michmash. And the

3 Or, tholes 4 Or, Acisterns Or, blessi

XIII. 1 reigned one