1:7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of
the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
bible-kjv
19:18 And he said unto him, We are passing from
Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and
I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD;
and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
19:19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there
is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young
man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
19:20 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy
wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
19:21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the
asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
19:22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of
the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and
beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man,
saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may
know him.
19:23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and
said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly;
seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.
19:24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I
will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth
good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
19:25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his
concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and
abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to
spring, they let her go.
19:26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at
the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
19:27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the
house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his
concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were
upon the threshold.
19:28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none
answered.
Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him
unto his place.
19:29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid
hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into
twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.
19:30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed
done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of
the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and
speak your minds.
20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation
was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the
land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.
20:2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of
Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God,
four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
20:3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel
were gone up to Mizpeh. ) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us,
how was this wickedness? 20:4 And the Levite, the husband of the
woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that
belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
20:5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round
about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine
have they forced, that she is dead.
20:6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her
throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have
committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
20:7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and
counsel.
20:8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of
us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.
20:9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we
will go up by lot against it; 20:10 And we will take ten men of an
hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a
thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the
people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin,
according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
20:11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit
together as one man.
20:12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of
Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
20:13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which
are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from
Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of
their brethren the children of Israel.
20:14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of
the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of
Israel.
20:15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of
the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the
inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
20:16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men
lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not
miss.
20:17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four
hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
20:18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of
God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first
to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said,
Judah shall go up first.
20:19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped
against Gibeah.
20:20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and
the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at
Gibeah.
20:21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and
destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two
thousand men.
20:22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set
their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in
array the first day.
20:23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD
until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again
to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD
said, Go up against him. ) 20:24 And the children of Israel came near
against the children of Benjamin the second day.
20:25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second
day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again
eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up,
and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the
LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and
peace offerings before the LORD.
20:27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of
the covenant of God was there in those days, 20:28 And Phinehas, the
son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,)
saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of
Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for
to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
20:29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
20:30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of
Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah,
as at other times.
20:31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and
were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people,
and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to
the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty
men of Israel.
20:32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before
us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and
draw them from the city unto the highways.
20:33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put
themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came
forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.
20:34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all
Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near
them.
20:35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of
Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand
and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
20:36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the
men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto
the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
20:37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the
liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the
edge of the sword.
20:38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and
the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise
up out of the city.
20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began
to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they
said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
20:40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a
pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the
flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
20:41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin
were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.
20:42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto
the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them
which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
20:43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them,
and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the
sunrising.
20:44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were
men of valour.
20:45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of
Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men;
and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of
them.
20:46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five
thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.
20:47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the
rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
20:48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of
Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men
of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set
on fire all the cities that they came to.
21:1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall
not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
21:2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till
even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; 21:3 And
said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that
there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? 21:4 And it came
to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an
altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
21:5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the
tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD?
For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the
LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
21:6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their
brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
21:7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have
sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to
wives? 21:8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel
that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none
to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
21:9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the
inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
21:10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the
valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants
of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the
children.
21:11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy
every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
21:12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four
hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male:
and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of
Canaan.
21:13 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of
Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto
them.
21:14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives
which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so
they sufficed them not.
21:15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD
had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
21:16 Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for
wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of
Benjamin? 21:17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for them
that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of
Israel.
21:18 Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the
children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife
to Benjamin.
21:19 Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh
yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east
side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the
south of Lebonah.
21:20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go
and lie in wait in the vineyards; 21:21 And see, and, behold, if the
daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of
the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of
Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
21:22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto
us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them
for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the
war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be
guilty.
21:23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives,
according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and
they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the
cities, and dwelt in them.
21:24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every
man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence
every man to his inheritance.
21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that
which was right in his own eyes.
The Book of Ruth
1:1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there
was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to
sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
1:2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife
Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of
Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued
there.
1:3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two
sons.
1:4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one
was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there
about ten years.
1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was
left of her two sons and her husband.
1:6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return
from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how
that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
1:7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her
two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto
the land of Judah.
1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to
her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt
with the dead, and with me.
1:9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house
of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice,
and wept.
1:10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy
people.
1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?
are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your
husbands? 1:12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too
old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have
an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; 1:13 Would ye
tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from
having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your
sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed
her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
1:15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her
people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from
following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where
thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God
my God: 1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried:
the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and
me.
1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then
she left speaking unto her.
1:19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to
pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved
about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 1:20 And she said unto
them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt
very bitterly with me.
1:21 I went out full and the LORD hath brought me home again empty:
why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me,
and the Almighty hath afflicted me? 1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth
the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of
the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of
barley harvest.
2:1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth,
of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the
field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find
grace.
And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
2:3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the
reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging
unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
2:4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers,
The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.
2:5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers,
Whose damsel is this? 2:6 And the servant that was set over the
reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back
with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 2:7 And she said, I pray you,
let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she
came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she
tarried a little in the house.
2:8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to
glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by
my maidens: 2:9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and
go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall
not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and
drink of that which the young men have drawn.
2:10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and
said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou
shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? 2:11 And Boaz
answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that
thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine
husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the
land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest
not heretofore.
2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of
the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
2:13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that
thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto
thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
2:14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of
the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the
reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was
sufficed, and left.
2:15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men,
saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
2:16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and
leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
2:17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had
gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
2:18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law
saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that
she had reserved after she was sufficed.
2:19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to
day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge
of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought,
and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
2:20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the
LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the
dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of
our next kinsmen.
2:21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt
keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
2:22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my
daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not
in any other field.
2:23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of
barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
3:1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I
not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? 3:2 And now is
not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he
winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
3:3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon
thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto
the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
3:4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the
place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet,
and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
3:5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
3:6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that
her mother in law bade her.
3:7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he
went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly,
and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
3:8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and
turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
3:9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine
handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art
a near kinsman.
3:10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou
hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning,
inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
3:11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou
requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a
virtuous woman.
3:12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a
kinsman nearer than I.
3:13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will
perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the
kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee,
then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie
down until the morning.
3:14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before
one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman
came into the floor.
3:15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold
it.
And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it
on her: and she went into the city.
3:16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou,
my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
3:17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he
said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
3:18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the
matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have
finished the thing this day.
4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and,
behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho,
such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat
down.
4:2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye
down here. And they sat down.
4:3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the
country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother
Elimelech's: 4:4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it
before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou
wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell
me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I
am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
4:5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of
Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the
dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
4:6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar
mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot
redeem it.
4:7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning
redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man
plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a
testimony in Israel.
4:8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew
off his shoe.
4:9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto 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.
4:10 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.
4:11 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 two did build the house of
Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
4:12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare
unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young
woman.
4:13 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.
4:14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath
not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous
in Israel.
4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher
of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is
better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
4:16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became
nurse unto it.
4:17 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.
4:18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
4:19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 4:20 And Amminadab
begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 4:21 And Salmon begat Boaz,
and Boaz begat Obed, 4:22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
The First Book of Samuel
Otherwise Called:
The First Book of the Kings
1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim,
and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the
son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: 1:2 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.
1:3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to
sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli,
Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
1:4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah
his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 1:5 But
unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the
LORD had shut up her womb.
1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret,
because the LORD had shut up her womb.
1:7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of
the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
1:8 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? 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in
Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat
by a post of the temple of the LORD.
1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and
wept sore.
1:11 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 I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life,
and there shall no razor come upon his head.
1:12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD,
that Eli marked her mouth.
1:13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her
voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
1:14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away
thy wine from thee.
1:15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, 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.
1:16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the
abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
1:17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel
grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
1:18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the
woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
1:19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the
LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew
Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after
Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel,
saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
1:21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the
LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
1:22 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.
1:23 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.
1:24 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.
1:25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
1:26 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.
1:27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition
which I asked of him: 1:28 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.
2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine
horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;
because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee:
neither is there any rock like our God.
2:3 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.
2:4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are
girded with strength.
2:5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they
that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she
that hath many children is waxed feeble.
2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave,
and bringeth up.
2:7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and
lifteth up.
2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar
from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit
the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and
he hath set the world upon them.
2:9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be
silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
2:10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of
heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of
the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the
horn of his anointed.
2:11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did
minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
2:13 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 fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; 2:14 And he
struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the
fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in
Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
2:15 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.
2:16 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.
2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the
LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with
a linen ephod.
2:19 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.
2:20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give
thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And
they went unto their own home.
2:21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare
three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the
LORD.
2:22 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.
2:23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your
evil dealings by all this people.
2:24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the
LORD's people to transgress.
2:25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if
a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding
they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD
would slay them.
2:26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the
LORD, and also with men.
2:27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus
saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father,
when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? 2:28 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? 2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at
mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest
thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the
offerings of Israel my people? 2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel
saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father,
should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from
me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me
shall be lightly esteemed.
2:31 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.
2:32 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.
2:33 And the man of thine, whom 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.
2:34 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.
2:35 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.
2:36 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 priests'
offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the
word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
3:2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his
place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3:3 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; 3:4 That the LORD
called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
3:5 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.
3:6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went
to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered,
I called not, my son; lie down again.
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the
LORD yet revealed unto him.
3:8 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.
3:9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if
he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant
heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times,
Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
3:11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel,
at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have
spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the
iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and
he restrained them not.
3:14 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.
3:15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the
house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he
answered, Here am I.
3:17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee?
I pray thee hide 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.
3:18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he
said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of
his words fall to the ground.
3:20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was
established to be a prophet of the LORD.
3:21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed
himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out
against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and
the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
4:2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and
when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines:
and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel
said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the
Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of
Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of
the hand of our enemies.
4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence
the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between
the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were
there with the ark of the covenant of God.
4:5 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.
4:6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said,
What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?
And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
4:7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into
the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a
thing heretofore.
4:8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty
Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues
in the wilderness.
4:9 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.
4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled
every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for
there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas, were slain.
4:12 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
head.
4:13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside
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.
4:14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth
the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
4:15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim,
that he could not see.
4:16 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? 4:17 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, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the
ark of God is taken.
4:18 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.
4:19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to
be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was
taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed
herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
4:20 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.
4:21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed
from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her
father in law and her husband.
4:22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of
God is taken.
5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from
Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the
house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
5:3 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.
5:4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was
fallen upon 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.
5:5 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.
5:6 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.
5:7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark
of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore
upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
5:8 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.
5:9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of
the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he
smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods
in their secret parts.
5:10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass,
as the ark 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.
5:11 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 not, and our people: for
there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of
God was very heavy there.
5:12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the
cry of the city went up to heaven.
6:1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines
seven months.
6:2 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.
6:3 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.
6:4 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.
6:5 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 off you, and from
off your gods, and from off your land.
6:6 Wherefore then do ye harden 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? 6:7 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 their
calves home from them: 6:8 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 coffer by the side thereof; and send it away,
that it may go.
6:9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to
Bethshemesh, 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 us.
6:10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the
cart, and shut up their calves at home: 6:11 And they laid the ark of
the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the
images of their emerods.
6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and
went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to
the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went
after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
6:13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the
valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced
to see it.
6:14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and
stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of
the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
6:15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer
that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the
great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and
sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.
6:16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they
returned to Ekron the same day.
6:17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned
for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one,
for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 6:18 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.
6:19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, 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.
6:20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this
holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 6:21 And they sent
messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The
Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and
fetch it up to you.
7:1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the
LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and
sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that
the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of
Israel lamented after the LORD.
7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do
return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange
gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the
LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of
the Philistines.
7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and
served the LORD only.
7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for
you unto the LORD.
7:6 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.
7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were
gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up
against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were
afraid of the Philistines.
7:8 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.
7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt
offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for
Israel; and the LORD heard him.
7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines
drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a
great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them;
and they were smitten before Israel.
7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the
Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and
called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped
us.
7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the
coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines
all the days of Samuel.
7:14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were
restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof
did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was
peace between Israel and the Amorites.
7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
7:16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal,
and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
7:17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there
he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons
judges over Israel.
8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his
second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre,
and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and
came to Samuel unto Ramah, 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art
old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us
like all the nations.
8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to
judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and
I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD;
and there is no man that receiveth me to house.
19:19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there
is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young
man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.
19:20 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy
wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.
19:21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the
asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.
19:22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of
the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and
beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man,
saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may
know him.
19:23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and
said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly;
seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.
19:24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I
will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth
good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.
19:25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his
concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and
abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to
spring, they let her go.
19:26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at
the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
19:27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the
house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his
concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were
upon the threshold.
19:28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none
answered.
Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him
unto his place.
19:29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid
hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into
twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.
19:30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed
done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of
the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and
speak your minds.
20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation
was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the
land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.
20:2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of
Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God,
four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
20:3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel
were gone up to Mizpeh. ) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us,
how was this wickedness? 20:4 And the Levite, the husband of the
woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that
belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
20:5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round
about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine
have they forced, that she is dead.
20:6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her
throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have
committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
20:7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and
counsel.
20:8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of
us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.
20:9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we
will go up by lot against it; 20:10 And we will take ten men of an
hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a
thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the
people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin,
according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
20:11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit
together as one man.
20:12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of
Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
20:13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which
are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from
Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of
their brethren the children of Israel.
20:14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of
the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of
Israel.
20:15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of
the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the
inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
20:16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men
lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not
miss.
20:17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four
hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
20:18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of
God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first
to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said,
Judah shall go up first.
20:19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped
against Gibeah.
20:20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and
the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at
Gibeah.
20:21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and
destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two
thousand men.
20:22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set
their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in
array the first day.
20:23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD
until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again
to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD
said, Go up against him. ) 20:24 And the children of Israel came near
against the children of Benjamin the second day.
20:25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second
day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again
eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up,
and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the
LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and
peace offerings before the LORD.
20:27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of
the covenant of God was there in those days, 20:28 And Phinehas, the
son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,)
saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of
Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for
to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
20:29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
20:30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of
Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah,
as at other times.
20:31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and
were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people,
and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to
the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty
men of Israel.
20:32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before
us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and
draw them from the city unto the highways.
20:33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put
themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came
forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.
20:34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all
Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near
them.
20:35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of
Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand
and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
20:36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the
men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto
the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
20:37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the
liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the
edge of the sword.
20:38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and
the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise
up out of the city.
20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began
to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they
said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
20:40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a
pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the
flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
20:41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin
were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.
20:42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto
the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them
which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
20:43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them,
and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the
sunrising.
20:44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were
men of valour.
20:45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of
Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men;
and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of
them.
20:46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five
thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.
20:47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the
rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
20:48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of
Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men
of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set
on fire all the cities that they came to.
21:1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall
not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.
21:2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till
even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; 21:3 And
said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that
there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? 21:4 And it came
to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an
altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
21:5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the
tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD?
For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the
LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
21:6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their
brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
21:7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have
sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to
wives? 21:8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel
that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none
to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
21:9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the
inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.
21:10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the
valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants
of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the
children.
21:11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy
every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.
21:12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four
hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male:
and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of
Canaan.
21:13 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of
Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto
them.
21:14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives
which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so
they sufficed them not.
21:15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD
had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
21:16 Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for
wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of
Benjamin? 21:17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for them
that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of
Israel.
21:18 Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the
children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife
to Benjamin.
21:19 Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh
yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east
side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the
south of Lebonah.
21:20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go
and lie in wait in the vineyards; 21:21 And see, and, behold, if the
daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of
the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of
Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
21:22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto
us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them
for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the
war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be
guilty.
21:23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives,
according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and
they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the
cities, and dwelt in them.
21:24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every
man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence
every man to his inheritance.
21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that
which was right in his own eyes.
The Book of Ruth
1:1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there
was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to
sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
1:2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife
Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of
Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued
there.
1:3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two
sons.
1:4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one
was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there
about ten years.
1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was
left of her two sons and her husband.
1:6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return
from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how
that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
1:7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her
two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto
the land of Judah.
1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to
her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt
with the dead, and with me.
1:9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house
of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice,
and wept.
1:10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy
people.
1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?
are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your
husbands? 1:12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too
old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have
an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; 1:13 Would ye
tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from
having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your
sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed
her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
1:15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her
people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from
following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where
thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God
my God: 1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried:
the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and
me.
1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then
she left speaking unto her.
1:19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to
pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved
about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 1:20 And she said unto
them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt
very bitterly with me.
1:21 I went out full and the LORD hath brought me home again empty:
why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me,
and the Almighty hath afflicted me? 1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth
the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of
the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of
barley harvest.
2:1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth,
of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.
2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the
field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find
grace.
And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
2:3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the
reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging
unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
2:4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers,
The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.
2:5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers,
Whose damsel is this? 2:6 And the servant that was set over the
reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back
with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 2:7 And she said, I pray you,
let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she
came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she
tarried a little in the house.
2:8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to
glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by
my maidens: 2:9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and
go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall
not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and
drink of that which the young men have drawn.
2:10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and
said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou
shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? 2:11 And Boaz
answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that
thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine
husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the
land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest
not heretofore.
2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of
the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
2:13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that
thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto
thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
2:14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of
the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the
reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was
sufficed, and left.
2:15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men,
saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
2:16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and
leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
2:17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had
gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
2:18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law
saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that
she had reserved after she was sufficed.
2:19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to
day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge
of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought,
and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
2:20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the
LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the
dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of
our next kinsmen.
2:21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt
keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
2:22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my
daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not
in any other field.
2:23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of
barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
3:1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I
not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? 3:2 And now is
not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he
winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
3:3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon
thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto
the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
3:4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the
place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet,
and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
3:5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
3:6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that
her mother in law bade her.
3:7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he
went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly,
and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
3:8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and
turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
3:9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine
handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art
a near kinsman.
3:10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou
hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning,
inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
3:11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou
requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a
virtuous woman.
3:12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a
kinsman nearer than I.
3:13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will
perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the
kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee,
then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie
down until the morning.
3:14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before
one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman
came into the floor.
3:15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold
it.
And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it
on her: and she went into the city.
3:16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou,
my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
3:17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he
said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
3:18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the
matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have
finished the thing this day.
4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and,
behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho,
such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat
down.
4:2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye
down here. And they sat down.
4:3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the
country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother
Elimelech's: 4:4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it
before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou
wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell
me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I
am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
4:5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of
Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the
dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
4:6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar
mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot
redeem it.
4:7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning
redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man
plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a
testimony in Israel.
4:8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew
off his shoe.
4:9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto 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.
4:10 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.
4:11 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 two did build the house of
Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
4:12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare
unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young
woman.
4:13 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.
4:14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath
not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous
in Israel.
4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher
of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is
better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
4:16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became
nurse unto it.
4:17 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.
4:18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
4:19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 4:20 And Amminadab
begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 4:21 And Salmon begat Boaz,
and Boaz begat Obed, 4:22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
The First Book of Samuel
Otherwise Called:
The First Book of the Kings
1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim,
and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the
son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: 1:2 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.
1:3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to
sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli,
Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
1:4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah
his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 1:5 But
unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the
LORD had shut up her womb.
1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret,
because the LORD had shut up her womb.
1:7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of
the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
1:8 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? 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in
Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat
by a post of the temple of the LORD.
1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and
wept sore.
1:11 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 I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life,
and there shall no razor come upon his head.
1:12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD,
that Eli marked her mouth.
1:13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her
voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
1:14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away
thy wine from thee.
1:15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, 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.
1:16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the
abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
1:17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel
grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
1:18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the
woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
1:19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the
LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew
Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after
Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel,
saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
1:21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the
LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
1:22 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.
1:23 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.
1:24 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.
1:25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
1:26 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.
1:27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition
which I asked of him: 1:28 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.
2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine
horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;
because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee:
neither is there any rock like our God.
2:3 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.
2:4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are
girded with strength.
2:5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they
that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she
that hath many children is waxed feeble.
2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave,
and bringeth up.
2:7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and
lifteth up.
2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar
from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit
the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and
he hath set the world upon them.
2:9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be
silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
2:10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of
heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of
the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the
horn of his anointed.
2:11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did
minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
2:13 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 fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; 2:14 And he
struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the
fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in
Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
2:15 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.
2:16 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.
2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the
LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with
a linen ephod.
2:19 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.
2:20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give
thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And
they went unto their own home.
2:21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare
three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the
LORD.
2:22 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.
2:23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your
evil dealings by all this people.
2:24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the
LORD's people to transgress.
2:25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if
a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding
they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD
would slay them.
2:26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the
LORD, and also with men.
2:27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus
saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father,
when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? 2:28 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? 2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at
mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest
thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the
offerings of Israel my people? 2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel
saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father,
should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from
me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me
shall be lightly esteemed.
2:31 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.
2:32 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.
2:33 And the man of thine, whom 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.
2:34 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.
2:35 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.
2:36 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 priests'
offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.
3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the
word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
3:2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his
place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3:3 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; 3:4 That the LORD
called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
3:5 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.
3:6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went
to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered,
I called not, my son; lie down again.
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the
LORD yet revealed unto him.
3:8 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.
3:9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if
he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant
heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times,
Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
3:11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel,
at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have
spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the
iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and
he restrained them not.
3:14 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.
3:15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the
house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he
answered, Here am I.
3:17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee?
I pray thee hide 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.
3:18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he
said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of
his words fall to the ground.
3:20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was
established to be a prophet of the LORD.
3:21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed
himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out
against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and
the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
4:2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and
when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines:
and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel
said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the
Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of
Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of
the hand of our enemies.
4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence
the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between
the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were
there with the ark of the covenant of God.
4:5 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.
4:6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said,
What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?
And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
4:7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into
the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a
thing heretofore.
4:8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty
Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues
in the wilderness.
4:9 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.
4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled
every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for
there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas, were slain.
4:12 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
head.
4:13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside
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.
4:14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth
the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
4:15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim,
that he could not see.
4:16 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? 4:17 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, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the
ark of God is taken.
4:18 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.
4:19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to
be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was
taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed
herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
4:20 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.
4:21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed
from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her
father in law and her husband.
4:22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of
God is taken.
5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from
Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the
house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
5:3 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.
5:4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was
fallen upon 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.
5:5 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.
5:6 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.
5:7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark
of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore
upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
5:8 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.
5:9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of
the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he
smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods
in their secret parts.
5:10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass,
as the ark 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.
5:11 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 not, and our people: for
there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of
God was very heavy there.
5:12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the
cry of the city went up to heaven.
6:1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines
seven months.
6:2 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.
6:3 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.
6:4 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.
6:5 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 off you, and from
off your gods, and from off your land.
6:6 Wherefore then do ye harden 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? 6:7 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 their
calves home from them: 6:8 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 coffer by the side thereof; and send it away,
that it may go.
6:9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to
Bethshemesh, 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 us.
6:10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the
cart, and shut up their calves at home: 6:11 And they laid the ark of
the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the
images of their emerods.
6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and
went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to
the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went
after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.
6:13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the
valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced
to see it.
6:14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and
stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of
the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.
6:15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer
that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the
great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and
sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.
6:16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they
returned to Ekron the same day.
6:17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned
for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one,
for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 6:18 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.
6:19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, 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.
6:20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this
holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 6:21 And they sent
messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The
Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and
fetch it up to you.
7:1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the
LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and
sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that
the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of
Israel lamented after the LORD.
7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do
return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange
gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the
LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of
the Philistines.
7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and
served the LORD only.
7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for
you unto the LORD.
7:6 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.
7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were
gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up
against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were
afraid of the Philistines.
7:8 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.
7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt
offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for
Israel; and the LORD heard him.
7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines
drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a
great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them;
and they were smitten before Israel.
7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the
Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and
called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped
us.
7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the
coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines
all the days of Samuel.
7:14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were
restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof
did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was
peace between Israel and the Amorites.
7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
7:16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal,
and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
7:17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there
he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons
judges over Israel.
8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his
second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre,
and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and
came to Samuel unto Ramah, 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art
old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us
like all the nations.
8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to
judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
