Saul is entertained by Samuel.

I. SAMUEL. He is anointed by Samuel.

were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, ple, because their cry is come unto me. Take now one of the servants with thee, 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the and arise, go seek the asses. LORDSaid unto him, Behold the man whom 4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, I spake to thee of! this same shall reign and passed through the land of Shalisha, over my people. but they found them not: then they passed 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in through the land of Shalim, and there they the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, were not: and he passed through the land where the seer's house is.

of the Benjamites, but they found them not. 19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, 5 And when they were come to the I am the seer: go up before me unto the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that high place; for ye shall eat with me to-day, was with him, Come, and let us return; and to-morrow I will let thee go, and will lest my father leave caring for the asses, tell thee all that is in thy heart. and take thought for us.

20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?

6 And 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 21 And Saul answered and said, Am not we should go. I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes 7 Then said Saul to his servant, But of Israel? and my family the least of all behold, if we go, what shall we bring the the families of the tribe of Benjamin? man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, wherefore then speakest thou so to me? and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?

22 And 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.

8 And 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. 23 And Samuel said unto the cook, 9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man Bring the portion which I gave thee, of went to inquire of God, thus he spake, which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that 24 And the cook took up the shoulder, is now called a Prophet was beforetime and that which was upon it, and set it becalled a Seer.) fore Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that

10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well which is left! set it before thee, and eat; said; come, let us go: so they went unto for unto this time hath it been kept for thee the city where the man of God vas. since I said, I have invited the people. 11 And as they went up the hill to So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. the city, they found young maidens going 25 And when they were come down out to draw water, and said unto them, Is from the high place into the city, Samuel the seer bere? communed with Saul upon the top of the

12 And they answered them, and said, house. He is; behold, he is before you: make 26 And they arose early: and it came to haste now, for he came to-day to the city; pass about the spring of the day that Samuel for there is a sacrifice of the people to-day called Saul to the top of the house, saying, in the high place: Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul

13 As soon as ye be come into the city, arose, and they went out both of them, be ye shall straightway find him, before he go and Samuel, abroad.

up to the high place to eat: for the people 27 And as they were going down to the will not eat until be come, because he doth end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they the servant pass on before us, (and he eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you passed on,) but stand thou still a while, up: for about this time ye shall find him. that I may shew thee the word of God. 14 And they went up into the city: and CHAP. X. when they were come into the city, be- HEN Samuel took a vial of oil, and hold, Samuel came out against them, for poured it upon his head, and kissed to go up to the high place. him, and said, Is it not because the LORD 15 T Now the LORD had told Samuel in hath anointed thee to be captain over his his ear a day before Saul came, saying, inheritance?

THE

16 To-morrow about this time I will 2 When thou art departed from me tosend thee a man out of the land of Benja- day, then thou shalt find two men by Ramin, and thou shalt anoint him to be cap-chel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin tain over my people Israel, that he may at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, save my people out of the hand of the Phi- The asses which thou wentest to seek are listines: for 1 have looked upon my peo- found: and lo, thy father hath left the care

Saul prophesies.

CHAP. XI.

He is chosen king. of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I What shall I do for my son? brought up Israel out of Egypt, and de3 Then shalt thou go on forward from livered you out of the hand of the Egyp-* thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of tians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, Tabor, and there shall meet thee three and of them that oppressed you: men going up to God to Beth-el, one car- 19 And ye have this day rejected your rying three kids, and another carrying God, who himself saved you out of all three loaves of bread, and another carry- your adversities, and your tribulations; ing a bottle of wine: and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

4 And they will salute thee, and give king over thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.

us.

20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou 21 When he had caused the tribe of art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down Benjamin to come near by their families, from the high place with a psaltery, and the family of Matri was taken, and Saul a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp before the son of Kish was taken: and when they them; and they shall prophesy :

6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come 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, that thou do as occasion shall serve thee; for God is with thee.

sought him, he could not be found.

22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself the stuff. among 23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the peo8 And thou shalt go down before me to ple, he was higher than any of the people Gilgal; and behold, I will come down unto from his shoulders and upward. thee, to offer burnt-offerings, and to sacri- 24 And Samuel said to all the people, fice sacrifices of peace-offerings: seven See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, days shalt thou tarry, till come to thee, that there is none like him among all the and shew thee what thou shalt do. people? And all the people shouted, and

9 And it was so, that when he had said, God save the king. turned his back to go from Samuel, God 25 Then Samuel told the people the mangave him another heart: and all those signs ner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, came to pass that day. and laid it up before the LORD. And 10 And when they came thither to the Samuel sent all the people away, every hill, behold, a company of prophets met man to his house.

him; and the Spirit of God came upon 26 T And Saul also went home to Gihim, and he prophesied among them. beah; and there went with him a band of 11 And it came to pass when all that men, whose hearts God had touched. knew him beforetime, saw,that, behold, he 27 But the children of Belial said, How prophesied among the prophets, then the shall this man save us? And they despised people said one to another, What is this him, and brought him no presents. But that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul he held his peace.

also among the prophets?

CHAP. XI.

12 one of the place answered HEN Nahash the Ammonite came up.

and said, But who is their father? There T and encamped against Jabesh-gilead:

fore it became proverb, Is Saul also and all the men of Jabesh said unto Naamong the prophets? hash, Make a covenant with us, and we

13 And when he had made an end of will serve thee. prophesying, he came to the high place. 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered 14 T And Saul's uncle said unto him and them, On this condition will I make a coto his servant, Whither went ye? And he venant with you, that I may thrust out all said, To seek the asses: and when we saw your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach that they were nowhere, we came to Samuel. upon all Israel.

15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I 3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto pray thee, what Samuel said unto you. him, Give us seven days respite, that we 16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He may send messengers unto all the coasts told us plainly that the asses were found. of Israel: and then, if there be no man to But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof save us, we will come out to thee. Samuel spake, he told him not.

4 T Then came the messengers to Gi

17 ¶ And Samuel called the people to-beah of Saul, and told the tidings in the gether unto the LORD to Mizpeh; ears of the people: and all the people lift

18 And said unto the children of Israel, ed up their voices, and wept.

Saul delivers Jabesh-gilead.

1. SAMUEL. Samuel reproves the people.

5. And behold, Saul came after the herd ed; whose ox have I taken? or whose ass out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? the people that they weep? And they told whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.

4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.

7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout 5 And he said unto them, The LORD is all the coasts of Israel by the hands of mes- witness against you, and his anointed is sengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not witness this day, that ye have not found forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall aught in my hand. And they answered, it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of He is witness.

the LORD fell on the people, and they ST And Samuel said unto the people, came out with one consent,, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and 8 And when he numbered them in Be- Aaron, and that brought your fathers up zek, the children of Israel were three hun-out of the land of Egypt. dred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all

thousand.

9 And they said unto the messengers that the righteous acts of the LORD, which he came, thus shall ye say unto the men of did to you and to your fathers. Jabesh-gilead, To-morrow, by that time 8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And and your fathers cried unto the LORD, the messengers came and shewed it to the then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

10 Therefore 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.

which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

9 And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the 11 And it was so on the morrow, that hand of the Fhilistines, and into the hand Saul put the people in three companies; of the king of Moab, and they fought and they came into the midst of the host against them.

:

in the morning-watch, and slew the Am- 10 And they cried unto the LORD, and monites until the heat of the day and it said, We have sinned, because we have came to pass, that they which remained forsaken the LORD, and have served Baawere scattered, so that two of them were lim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out not left together. of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

12 T And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

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.

11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

12 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,

15 And all the people went to Gilgal; 13 Now therefore, behold the king and there they made Saul king before the whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have LORD in Gilgal: and there they sacrificed desired! and behold, the LORD hath set a sacrifices of peace-offerings before the king over you. LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, ND Samuel said unto all Israel, Be-theu shall both ye, and also the king that

CHAP. XII.

voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.

LORD your God.

continue

15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against

2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my sons are with you: and have walked before you from my child- your fathers. hood unto this day.

16 T Now therefore stand and see this 3 Behold, here I am: witness against great thing, which the LORD will do be me before the LORD, and before his anoint- fore your eyes.