The Philistines smitten.

B. C.

armourbearer after him: and they about 1087. fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

Il Or, half a furrow of an

acre of land,

Judg. 7. 21.

h2 Kings 7.7.

Job 18. 11. i ch. 13. 17.

Heb. a trembling of God. k Gen. 35. 5.

1 ver. 20

m Num. 27. 21. || Or, tumult.

† Heb. were cried togeth

er.

■ Judg. 7. 22. 2 Chr. 20. 23.

o ch. 13. 6.

p Ex. 14. 30. Ps. 44. 6, 7. Hos. 1. 7.

q ch. 13. 5.

r Josh. 6. 26.

$ Deut. 9. 28.

Matt. 3. 5.

t Ex. 3. 8.

Num. 13. 27.
Matt. 3. 4.

m

19 ¶ And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.

20 And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, "every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

21 Moreover, the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 PSo the LORD saved Israel that day and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven.

24 ¶ And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

The trespass of Jonathan.

B. C.

26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey about 1087. dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.

27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.

29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?

31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon : and the people were very faint.

32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them "with the blood.

33 ¶ Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.

|| Or, weary.

u Lev. 3. 17. & 7. 26. & 17. 10. & 19. 26. Deut. 12. 16, 23, 24.

|| Or, dealt treacherously.

35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first Heb. that altar that he built unto the LORD.

36 ¶ And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand

f Ruth 1. 17. g ver. 39

h 2 Sam. 14.

1. 52. Luke 21. 18.

42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

e

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, a Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.

f

44 And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid has the LORD liveth, there 11. 1 Kings shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not. 46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.

| Or, wrought mightily.

1 ch. 15. 3, 7.

in ch. 31. 2. 1 Chr. 8. 33.

48 And he gathered a host, and Ismote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

49 Now in the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Malchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal :

50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his +Heb. Abiner. host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

n

Saul sent to destroy Amalek.

51 " And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

CHAPTER XV.

Samuel sendeth Saul to destroy Amalek. 6 Saul favoureth the Kenites. 8 He spareth Agag and the best of the spoil. 10 Samuel announceth unto Saul God's rejection of him for his disobedience. 24 Saul's humiliation. 32 Samuel killeth Agag. 34 Samuel and Saul part.

B. C. about 1087.

n ch. 9. 1.

o rh. 8. 11.

SAMUEL also said unto Saul, about 1079.

a

The LORD sent me to anoint a ch. 9. 16. thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORd.

2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him b Ex. 17. 8, in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

14. Num. 24. 20. Deut. 25. 17, 18, 19.

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, Lev. 27. 28, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. 4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the val- ||| Or, fought. ley.

e

d

6 ¶ And Saul said unto the Kenites, * Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them for fye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, whenf they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

Num. 21. 21. Judg. 1. 16. & 4. 11.

e Gen. 18. 25. & 19, 12, 14. Rev. 18. 4.

Ex. 18. 10. 19. Num. 10. 29, 32.

g ch. 14. 48. h Gen. 2. 11. & 25. 18.

i Gen. 16. 7.

The rejection of Saul.

B. C. about 1079.

16. 1.

q ver. 35. ch. r Josh. 15. 55.

s Gen. 14. 19. Judg. 17. 2. Ruth 3. 10.

t ver. 9, 21. Gen. 3. 12.

r

12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

13 And Såmuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.

14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which | I hear?

15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the Prov. 28. 13. people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

u ch. 9. 21.

↑ Heb. they

consume
them.

x ver. 13.

y ver. 15.

z Ps. 50. 8, 9.
Prov. 21. 3.
Is. 1. 11, 12,
13, 16, 17.

Jer. 7. 22, 23.
Mic. 6.6, 7, 8.

8, 9.

a Ecc. 5. 1.

16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. 17 And Samuel said, "When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.

19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, * I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21 y But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

22 And Samuel said, " Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and

a

1, eb. 10. 6, 7, sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Hos. 6. 6.

Matt. 5. 24. &

9. 13. & 12.7. Mark 12. 33.

tion, Deut. 18. 10.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of + Heb. divina- twitchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, bhe hath also rejected thee from being king.

b ch. 13. 14.

c See 2 Sam. 12. 13.

24 Te And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and

28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

11. 30.

g ch. 28. 17, 18. 1 Kings 11.31.

32 ¶ Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. 33 And Samuel said, As thy swordEx. 17. 11. hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. 34 ¶ Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to 'Gibeah of Saul.

35 And m Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death : nevertheless Samuel "mourned for mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and about 1063. I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. 4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town h trembled at his + coming, and said, i Comest thou peaceably?

h ch. 21. 1.

+ Heb. meeting.

i 1 Kings 2. 13. 2 Kings 9.22.

5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: k Ex. 19.10,14. sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

1 Chr. 28. 9. Ps. 7.9. Jer. 11. 20. & 17. 10. & 20. 12. Acts 1. 24.

r ch. 17. 13.

s ch. 17. 13.

|| Shimeah,

2 Sam. 13. 3.
Shimma,

1 Chr. 2. 13.

t ch. 17. 12.

u 2 Sam. 7. 8. Ps. 78. 70.

+ Heb. round.

x ch. 17. 42. Cant. 5. 10.

eyes.

q heart.

Then Jesse called "Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

S

9 Then Jesse made $ Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, t There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Send and fetch him: for we will not sit + down till he come hither.

Saul sendeth for David.

e

B. C.

to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play | about 1063. with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and fa mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a || comely person, and * the LORD is with him.

e ver. 23. 2 Kings 3. 15.

f ch. 17. 32, 34, 35, 36.

|| Or, speech. g ch. 3. 19. &

18. 12, 14.

19 T Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the h ver. 11. sheep.

ch. 17. 15, 34.

& 17. 18. Gen. 43. 11. Prov. 18. 16.

20 And Jesse i took an ass laden with iSee ch. 10.27. bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him * Gen. 41. 46. greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.

1 Kings 10. 8. Prov. 22. 29.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. † Heb. fair of Now he was * ruddy, and withal †of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. y And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

y So ch. 9. 17.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 14 ¶ But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to d before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on a harp and it shall come

b

b Josh. 15. 35.

OW the Philistines a gathered a ch. 13. 5. together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Socoh and Azekah, in || Ephes-dammim.

2 Chr. 28. 18.

|| Or, The coast of Dammim, called Pas-dammim, 1 Chr. 11. 13.

2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philis-† Heb. ranged tines.

3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side and there was a valley between them.

с

the battle.

4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of d Gath, c 2 Sam. 21. 19. whose height was six cubits and a span.

5 And he had a helmet of brass

d Josh. 11. 22.