Hannah's prayer. it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is two did build the house of Israel: and do none to redeem it besides thee; and I am after thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in thee. And he said, I will redeem it. Beth-lehem: -5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest 12 And let thy house be like the house of the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy Pharez, (whom Tamar bare unto Judah,) of it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the the seed which the LORD shall give thee of dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon this young woman. his inheritance. 6And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem il for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife; and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day 7 Now this was the manner in former time without a kinsman, that his name may be fain Israel, concerning redeeming, and concern- mous in Israel. ing changing, for to confirm all things; a man 15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neigh-thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for bour: and this was a testimony in Israel. thy daughter-in-law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath borne him. 8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee: so he drew off his shoe. 9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and anto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. 16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi: and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which David. 22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse bogat T The First Book of SAMUEL, otherwise called The First Book of the KINGS. CHAP. I. 9 So Hannah rose up, after they had 1 Elkanah and his two wives. 9 Hannah's eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk: prayer. 20 Samuel is born. (now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of Nathan zophim, of mount Ephraim, and OW there was a certain man of Ra-the temple of the LORD:) his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite : 2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship, and to sacrifice unto the fORD of hosts in Shiloh: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there. 4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. 6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. 7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lone, so she provoked her therefore she wept, and did not eat. 8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved Am not I better to thee than ten sons? 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. 13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, ray ord; I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. 16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. 17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee Hannah's song. Chap. ii. Eli's sons reproved thy petition that thou hast asked of him. I and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, 18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find to set them among princes, and to make them grace in thy sight. So the woman went her inherit the throne of glory: for a pillars of way, and did eat, and her countenance was no the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the more sad. world upon them. 19 And they rose up in the morning early, 9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the and worshipped before the LORD, and return-wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by ed, and came to their house to Ramah: and strength shall no man prevail. Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD 10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be remembered her. broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he 20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the time was come about, after Hannah had con-ends of the earth; and he shall give strength ceived, that she bare a son, and called his unto his King, and exalt the horn of his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked Anointed. him of the Load. 21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Load the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. 23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh; and the child was young. 25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. 27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him. 23 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there. СНАР. II. 1 Hannah's song 12 The sin of Elt's sons 18 Samuel's ministry. 27 A prophecy against Eli's house. 11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest. 12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. 13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand : 14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. 15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. 16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay: but thou shalt give it me now and if not, I will take it by force. 17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD; for meu abhorred the offering of the LORD. 18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. 19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this wo AND Hannah prayed, and said, My heart man, for the loan which is lent to the LOPD. rejoiceth in the LORD; mine horn is exalted in the LORD; my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies: because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2 There is none holy as the Loan: for there is none besides thee; neither is there any rock like our God. 3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded' with) strength. And they went unto their own home. 21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sous and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD. 22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things! For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. 24 Nay, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear; ye make the LORD's people to 5 They that were full have hired out them-transgress. selves for bread; and they that were hungry 25 If one man sin against another, the ceased: so that the barrea hath borne seven;judge shall judge him but if a man sin against and she that hath many children is waxed the Loan, who shall entreat for him? Notfeeble. withstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them. 6 The Loan killeth, and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich he bringeth low, and lifteth up. Glie raiseth up the poor out of the dust, 26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men. 27 And there came a man of God un Samuel called. I. SAMUEL. The Israelites overcome. neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed to Eli, and said unto him. Thus saith the 28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? 8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Load; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice, and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above 10 And the LORD came, and stood, and callme, to make yourselves fat with the chiefested as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then of all the offerings of Israel my people? Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. 30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house II And the LORD said to Samuel, Be of thy fathers should walk before me for hold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both ever but now the LORD saith, Be it far from the ears of every one that heareth it shall me, for them that honour me I will honour, tingle. and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days come that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. 32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever. 33 And the man of thine, nom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age. 34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them. 35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart, and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine Anointed for ever. 36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me. I pray thee, into one of the priest's offices, that I may eat a piece of bread. CHAP. 111. 1 The word of the Lord first revealed to Samuel 11 of the destruction of Eli's house. A LORD before and the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there up no open vision. ND the child Samuel ministered unto the 2 And it came to pass at that time, when 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all thin which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. 13 For I have told him, that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth because his sous made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. 15 ¶And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD: and Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And be answered, Here am L 17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee bide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee. 18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And be said, It is the LORD; let him do what seemeth him good. 19 And Samuel grew, an' the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. 21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. CHAP. IV. 1 The Israelites are overcome by the Philistines, 11 The ark is taken, and Eli's sons slain. 18 Eli, hearing the news, falleth backward, and his neck breaketh. Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes AND the word of Samuel came to all Israel. began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep: 4 That the LORD called Samuel and he answered, Here am I. 5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben-ezer and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. 2 And the Philistines put themselves in ar ray against Israel: and when they joined bat tle. Israel was smitten before the Philistines; and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. 3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Where6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel.fore hath the LORD smitten us to-day before And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, the Philistines? Let us felch the ark of the Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, answered, I called not, my son; lie down that when it cometh among us, it may save us again. out of the hand of our enemies. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Loep,| 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they The ark taken, and brought Chap. v, vi. into the house of Dagon. might bring from thence the ark of the cove- 21 And she named the child I-chabod, saypart of the Loan of hosts, which dwelleth ing. The glory is departed from Israel: (bebetween the cherubims: and the two sous of cause the ark of God was taken, and because Eli, Hophui and Phinehas, were there with the of her father-in-law, and her husband :) ark of the covenant of God. 22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken. CHAP. V. 5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted, with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shoot, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the AND the Philistines took the ark of God Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. 7 And the Philistines were afraid; for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Wo unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. 8 Wo unto us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? These are the Gods that snote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be 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. 10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent; and there was a very great slaugh ter: for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot men. 11 And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. 12¶And 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 heart. 13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the way-side, 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 14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of tnis tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. 16 And 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? 17 And 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, Hophoi and Phineas, are dead; and the ark of God is taken. 18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died; for he was an old man, and heavy: and he had judged Israel forty years. and brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 3¶And 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. 4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upoa 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. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day. 6 But 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. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it mes so, they said, 'The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his band is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god. 8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither. 9 And it was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destructiva. and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts, 10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass TU (Te rode 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. 11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us net, and our people: for there was a deadly destruc19 And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' tion throughout all the city; the hand of God wife, was with child, near to be delivered: was very heavy there. and when she heard the tidings that the ark 12 And the men that died not were smitten of God was taken, and that her father-in-law with the emerods: and the cry of the city, and her husband were dead, she bowed her-went up to heaven. self and travailed; for her pains came upon ber. 20 And 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. 197 CHAP. VI. 1 The Philistines counsel how to send back the ark: 10 they bring it on a new cart to Beth shemesh. 19 The people smilten. A ND the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months 13 2 And 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. 3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass-offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. 4 Then 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. 5 Wherefore 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 of you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6 Wherefore then do ye barden 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? 7 Now 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 heir calves home from them: 8 And 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 cofer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go. 9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth-shemesh, 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 10 And the men did so; and took two milch-kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emercds. 12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the ghway, Jowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines cut after them unto kun kardos ur peth-shemesh. 13 And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat-harvest in the valley and they litted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and reZoiced to see it. Israel's repentance. Gaza ore, for Askelon one, for Gath one, to 18 And 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. 19 And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, 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. 20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 21 T And they sent messengers to the inha tines have brought again the ark of the LORD; bitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Priliscome ye down, and fetch it up to you. CHAP. VII. 3 The Israelites, by Samuel's means, solemnly repent at Mispeh. 9 Samuel praying, the Philistines are discomfiled. AND the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD 4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtarotb, and served the LORD only. 5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD. 6 And 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. 7 And when the Philisti heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went 11 And the cart came into the field of Jo-Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philisup against Israel. And when the children of shua, a Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burutfering unto the LORD. tines. 8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold mere, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed sacri-Israel; and the LORD heard him. Fices, the same day unto the LORD. 9 T And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for 16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. 17 And these are the golden emerods, which the Philistines returned for a trespass ring usto the LORD; for Ashdod ose, for! 10 And as Samuel was offering up the burntoffering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomated them; and they were smitten before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mit |