Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to 1 Samuel 4:1-11
Close NKJV

1 Samuel 4:1-11
New King James Version

The Death of Eli

4 And the word of Samuel came to all [a]Israel.

The Ark of God Captured

Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside (A)Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 2 Then the (B)Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was [b]defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. 3 And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? (C)Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, (D)who dwells between (E)the cherubim. And the (F)two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. 6 Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp. 7 So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, (G)“Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 (H)Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, (I)as they have been to you. [c]Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought, and (J)Israel was [d]defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 Also (K)the ark of God was captured; and (L)the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Death of Eli

12 Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and (M)came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and (N)dirt on his head. 13 Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on (O)a seat [e]by the wayside watching, for his heart [f]trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the sound of this tumult mean?” And the man came quickly and told Eli. 15 Eli was ninety-eight years old, and (P)his eyes were so [g]dim that he could not see.

16 Then the man said to Eli, “I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.”

And he said, (Q)“What happened, my son?”

17 So the messenger answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured.”

18 Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

Ichabod

19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, due to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death (R)the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she [h]regard it. 21 Then she named the child (S)Ichabod,[i] saying, (T)“The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

The Philistines and the Ark

5 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it (U)from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of (V)Dagon[j] and set it by Dagon. 3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, (W)fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and (X)set it in its place again. 4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. (Y)The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only [k]Dagon’s torso was left of it. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house (Z)tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

6 But the (AA)hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He (AB)ravaged them and struck them with (AC)tumors,[l] both Ashdod and its (AD)territory. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the (AE)God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.” 8 Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the (AF)lords of the Philistines, 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 away to (AG)Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. 9 So it was, after they had carried it away, that (AH)the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, [m]and tumors broke out on them.

10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” 11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the (AI)cry of the city went up to heaven.

The Ark Returned to Israel

6 Now the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 And the Philistines (AJ)called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it to its place.”

3 So they said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it (AK)empty; but by all means return it to Him with (AL)a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you.”

4 Then they said, “What is the trespass offering which we shall return to Him?”

They answered, (AM)“Five golden tumors and five golden rats, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines. For the same plague was on all of [n]you and on your lords. 5 Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your rats that (AN)ravage the land, and you shall (AO)give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will (AP)lighten[o] His hand from you, from (AQ)your gods, and from your land. 6 Why then do you harden your hearts (AR)as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, (AS)did they not let the people go, that they might depart? 7 Now therefore, make (AT)a new cart, take two milk cows (AU)which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them. 8 Then take the ark of the Lord and set it on the cart; and put (AV)the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go. 9 And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to (AW)Beth Shemesh, then He has done [p]us this great evil. But if not, then (AX)we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us—it happened to us by chance.”

10 Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 11 And they set the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors. 12 Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the (AY)highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their (AZ)wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 14 Then the cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there; a large stone was there. So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. 15 The Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the chest that was with it, in which were the articles of gold, and put them on the large stone. Then the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices the same day to the Lord. 16 So when (BA)the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

17 (BB)These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned as a trespass offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for (BC)Gath, one for Ekron; 18 and the golden rats, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and country villages, even as far as the large stone of Abel on which they set the ark of the Lord, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.

19 Then (BD)He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. [q]He (BE)struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people, and the people lamented because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.

The Ark at Kirjath Jearim

20 And the men of Beth Shemesh said, (BF)“Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? And to whom shall it go up from us?” 21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of (BG)Kirjath Jearim, saying, “The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord; come down and take it up with you.”

Israel Defeats the Philistines

7 Then the men of (BH)Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of (BI)Abinadab on the hill, and (BJ)consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.

Samuel Judges Israel

2 So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you (BK)return to the Lord with all your hearts, then (BL)put away the foreign gods and the (BM)Ashtoreths[r] from among you, and (BN)prepare your hearts for the Lord, and (BO)serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the children of Israel put away the (BP)Baals and the [s]Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

5 And Samuel said, (BQ)“Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and (BR)I will pray to the Lord for you.” 6 So they gathered together at Mizpah, (BS)drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they (BT)fasted that day, and said there, (BU)“We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

7 Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 So the children of Israel said to Samuel, (BV)“Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9 And Samuel took a (BW)suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Then (BX)Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10 Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. (BY)But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and [t]drove them back as far as below Beth Car. 12 Then Samuel (BZ)took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name [u]Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

13 (CA)So the Philistines were subdued, and they (CB)did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel (CC)judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. 17 But (CD)he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he (CE)built an altar to the Lord.

Israel Demands a King

8 Now it came to pass when Samuel was (CF)old that he (CG)made his (CH)sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons (CI)did not walk in his ways; they turned aside (CJ)after dishonest gain, (CK)took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now (CL)make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

6 But the thing (CM)displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel (CN)prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for (CO)they have not rejected you, but (CP)they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and (CQ)show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, (CR)“This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your (CS)sons and appoint them for his own (CT)chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will (CU)appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And (CV)he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest [v]young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord (CW)will not hear you in that day.”

19 Nevertheless the people (CX)refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be (CY)like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. 22 So the Lord said to Samuel, (CZ)“Heed their voice, and make them a king.”

And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”

Saul Chosen to Be King

9 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was (DA)Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of [w]power. 2 And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. (DB)From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Please take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.” 4 So he passed through the mountains of Ephraim and through the land of (DC)Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.

5 When they had come to the land of (DD)Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let (DE)us return, lest my father cease caring about the donkeys and become worried about us.”

6 And he said to him, “Look now, there is in this city (DF)a man of God, and he is an honorable man; (DG)all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go.”

7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, (DH)what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”

8 And the servant answered Saul again and said, “Look, I have here at hand one-fourth of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man (DI)went [x]to inquire of God, he spoke thus: “Come, let us go to the seer”; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called (DJ)a seer.)

10 Then Saul said to his servant, [y]“Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11 As they went up the hill to the city, (DK)they met some young women going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”

12 And they answered them and said, “Yes, there he is, just ahead of you. Hurry now; for today he came to this city, because (DL)there is a sacrifice of the people today (DM)on the high place. 13 As soon as you come into the city, you will surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up, for about this time you will find him.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they were coming into the city, there was Samuel, coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

15 (DN)Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying, 16 “Tomorrow about this time (DO)I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, (DP)and you shall anoint him [z]commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have (DQ)looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”

17 So when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, (DR)“There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over My people.” 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, “Please tell me, where is the seer’s house?”

19 Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and tomorrow I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 But as for (DS)your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And [aa]on whom (DT)is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father’s house?”

21 And Saul answered and said, (DU)“Am I not a Benjamite, of the (DV)smallest of the tribes of Israel, and (DW)my family the least of all the families of the [ab]tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?”

22 Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and had them sit in the place of honor among those who were invited; there were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it apart.’ ” 24 So the cook took up (DX)the thigh with its upper part and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here it is, what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat; for until this time it has been kept for you, since I said I invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 When they had come down from the high place into the city, [ac]Samuel spoke with Saul on (DY)the top of the house. 26 They arose early; and it was about the dawning of the day that Samuel called to Saul on the top of the house, saying, “Get up, that I may send you on your way.” And Saul arose, and both of them went outside, he and Samuel.

Saul Anointed King

27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” And he went on. “But you stand here [ad]awhile, that I may announce to you the word of God.”

Samuel Anoints Saul

10 Then (DZ)Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, (EA)and kissed him and said: “Is it not because (EB)the Lord has anointed you commander over (EC)His [ae]inheritance? 2 When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by (ED)Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin (EE)at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about (EF)you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’ 3 Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up (EG)to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will [af]greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands. 5 After that you shall come to the hill of God (EH)where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down (EI)from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; (EJ)and they will be prophesying. 6 Then (EK)the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and (EL)you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these (EM)signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for (EN)God is with you. 8 You shall go down before me (EO)to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. (EP)Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.”

9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God [ag]gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 (EQ)When they came there to the hill, there was (ER)a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? (ES)Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 Then a man from there answered and said, “But (ET)who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.

14 Then Saul’s (EU)uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?”

So he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel.”

15 And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.”

16 So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been (EV)found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said.

Saul Proclaimed King

17 Then Samuel called the people together (EW)to the Lord (EX)at Mizpah, 18 and said to the children of Israel, (EY)“Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ 19 (EZ)But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your [ah]clans.”

20 And when Samuel had (FA)caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they (FB)inquired of the Lord further, “Has the man come here yet?”

And the Lord answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.”

23 So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, (FC)he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him (FD)whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?”

So all the people shouted and said, (FE)“Long[ai] live the king!”

25 Then Samuel explained to the people (FF)the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home (FG)to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. 27 (FH)But some (FI)rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, (FJ)and brought him no presents. But he [aj]held his peace.

Saul Saves Jabesh Gilead

11 Then (FK)Nahash the Ammonite came up and [ak]encamped against (FL)Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, (FM)“Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 4:1 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. add And it came to pass in those days that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight; LXX adds further against Israel
  2. 1 Samuel 4:2 Lit. struck
  3. 1 Samuel 4:9 Lit. Be men
  4. 1 Samuel 4:10 Lit. struck down
  5. 1 Samuel 4:13 So with MT, Vg.; LXX beside the gate watching the road
  6. 1 Samuel 4:13 trembled with anxiety
  7. 1 Samuel 4:15 fixed
  8. 1 Samuel 4:20 pay any attention to
  9. 1 Samuel 4:21 Lit. Inglorious
  10. 1 Samuel 5:2 A Philistine idol
  11. 1 Samuel 5:4 So with LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg.; MT Dagon
  12. 1 Samuel 5:6 Probably bubonic plague. LXX, Vg. add And in the midst of their land rats sprang up, and there was a great death panic in the city.
  13. 1 Samuel 5:9 Vg. and they had tumors in their secret parts
  14. 1 Samuel 6:4 Lit. them
  15. 1 Samuel 6:5 ease
  16. 1 Samuel 6:9 this calamity to us
  17. 1 Samuel 6:19 Or He struck seventy men of the people and fifty oxen of a man
  18. 1 Samuel 7:3 Images of Canaanite goddesses
  19. 1 Samuel 7:4 Images of Canaanite goddesses
  20. 1 Samuel 7:11 struck them down
  21. 1 Samuel 7:12 Lit. Stone of Help
  22. 1 Samuel 8:16 LXX cattle
  23. 1 Samuel 9:1 wealth
  24. 1 Samuel 9:9 Lit. to seek God
  25. 1 Samuel 9:10 Lit. Your word is good
  26. 1 Samuel 9:16 prince or ruler
  27. 1 Samuel 9:20 for whom
  28. 1 Samuel 9:21 Lit. tribes
  29. 1 Samuel 9:25 So with MT, Tg.; LXX omits He spoke with Saul on the top of the house; LXX, Vg. afterward add And he prepared a bed for Saul on the top of the house, and he slept.
  30. 1 Samuel 9:27 now
  31. 1 Samuel 10:1 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX people Israel; and you shall rule the people of the Lord; LXX, Vg. add And you shall deliver His people from the hands of their enemies all around them. And this shall be a sign to you, that God has anointed you to be a prince.
  32. 1 Samuel 10:4 ask you about your welfare
  33. 1 Samuel 10:9 changed his heart
  34. 1 Samuel 10:19 Lit. thousands
  35. 1 Samuel 10:24 Lit. May the king live
  36. 1 Samuel 10:27 kept silent
  37. 1 Samuel 11:1 besieged
Listen to 1 Samuel 4:1-11
Close NIV

1 Samuel 4:1-11
New International Version

4 And Samuel’s word came to all Israel.

The Philistines Capture the Ark

Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer,(A) and the Philistines at Aphek.(B) 2 The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. 3 When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why(C) did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark(D) of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh,(E) so that he may go with us(F) and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim.(G) And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout(H) that the ground shook. 6 Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew(I) camp?”

When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid.(J) “A god has[a] come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. 8 We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck(K) the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues(L) in the wilderness. 9 Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they(M) have been to you. Be men, and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated(N) and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.(O)

Death of Eli

12 That same day a Benjamite(P) ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust(Q) on his head. 13 When he arrived, there was Eli(R) sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.

14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?”

The man hurried over to Eli, 15 who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes(S) had failed so that he could not see. 16 He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.”

Eli asked, “What happened, my son?”

17 The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead,(T) and the ark of God has been captured.”(U)

18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led[b](V) Israel forty years.(W)

19 His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains. 20 As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.

21 She named the boy Ichabod,[c](X) saying, “The Glory(Y) has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 She said, “The Glory(Z) has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”(AA)

The Ark in Ashdod and Ekron

5 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer(AB) to Ashdod.(AC) 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.(AD) 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen(AE) on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken(AF) off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.(AG)

6 The Lord’s hand(AH) was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation(AI) on them and afflicted them with tumors.[d](AJ) 7 When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they called together all the rulers(AK) of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?”

They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.(AL)” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.

9 But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic.(AM) He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.[e] 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.(AN)

As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.” 11 So they called together all the rulers(AO) of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it[f] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it. 12 Those who did not die(AP) were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

The Ark Returned to Israel

6 When the ark of the Lord had been in Philistine territory seven months, 2 the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners(AQ) and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.”

3 They answered, “If you return the ark of the god of Israel, do not send it back to him without a gift;(AR) by all means send a guilt offering(AS) to him. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand(AT) has not been lifted from you.”

4 The Philistines asked, “What guilt offering should we send to him?”

They replied, “Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number(AU) of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague(AV) has struck both you and your rulers. 5 Make models of the tumors(AW) and of the rats that are destroying the country, and give glory(AX) to Israel’s god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and your land. 6 Why do you harden(AY) your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When Israel’s god dealt harshly with them,(AZ) did they(BA) not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?

7 “Now then, get a new cart(BB) ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked.(BC) Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. 8 Take the ark of the Lord and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way, 9 but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh,(BD) then the Lord has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us but that it happened to us by chance.”

10 So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves. 11 They placed the ark of the Lord on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors. 12 Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.

13 Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat(BE) in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight. 14 The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering(BF) to the Lord. 15 The Levites(BG) took down the ark of the Lord, together with the chest containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock.(BH) On that day the people of Beth Shemesh(BI) offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the Lord. 16 The five rulers of the Philistines saw all this and then returned that same day to Ekron.

17 These are the gold tumors the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the Lord—one each(BJ) for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron. 18 And the number of the gold rats was according to the number of Philistine towns belonging to the five rulers—the fortified towns with their country villages. The large rock on which the Levites set the ark of the Lord is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.

19 But God struck down(BK) some of the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy[g] of them to death because they looked(BL) into the ark of the Lord. The people mourned because of the heavy blow the Lord had dealt them. 20 And the people of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand(BM) in the presence of the Lord, this holy(BN) God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”

21 Then they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath Jearim,(BO) saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to your town.” 7 1 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark(BP) of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s(BQ) house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. 2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim(BR) a long time—twenty years in all.

Samuel Subdues the Philistines at Mizpah

Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord.(BS) 3 So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning(BT) to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid(BU) yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths(BV) and commit(BW) yourselves to the Lord and serve him only,(BX) and he will deliver(BY) you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only.

5 Then Samuel(BZ) said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah,(CA) and I will intercede(CB) with the Lord for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah,(CC) they drew water and poured(CD) it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader[h](CE) of Israel at Mizpah.

7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid(CF) because of the Philistines. 8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying(CG) out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel(CH) took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.(CI)

10 While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered(CJ) with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic(CK) that they were routed before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.

12 Then Samuel took a stone(CL) and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,[i](CM) saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”

13 So the Philistines were subdued(CN) and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 14 The towns from Ekron(CO) to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.(CP)

15 Samuel(CQ) continued as Israel’s leader(CR) all(CS) the days of his life. 16 From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel(CT) to Gilgal(CU) to Mizpah, judging(CV) Israel in all those places. 17 But he always went back to Ramah,(CW) where his home was, and there he also held court(CX) for Israel. And he built an altar(CY) there to the Lord.

Israel Asks for a King

8 When Samuel grew old, he appointed(CZ) his sons as Israel’s leaders.[j] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah,(DA) and they served at Beersheba.(DB) 3 But his sons(DC) did not follow his ways. They turned aside(DD) after dishonest gain and accepted bribes(DE) and perverted(DF) justice.

4 So all the elders(DG) of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.(DH) 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king(DI) to lead[k](DJ) us, such as all the other nations(DK) have.”

6 But when they said, “Give us a king(DL) to lead us,” this displeased(DM) Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen(DN) to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected,(DO) but they have rejected me as their king.(DP) 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking(DQ) me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know(DR) what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

10 Samuel told(DS) all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take(DT) your sons and make them serve(DU) with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.(DV) 12 Some he will assign to be commanders(DW) of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your(DX) fields and vineyards(DY) and olive groves and give them to his attendants.(DZ) 15 He will take a tenth(EA) of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle[l] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer(EB) you in that day.(EC)”

19 But the people refused(ED) to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want(EE) a king(EF) over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations,(EG) with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated(EH) it before the Lord. 22 The Lord answered, “Listen(EI) to them and give them a king.”

Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”

Samuel Anoints Saul

9 There was a Benjamite,(EJ) a man of standing,(EK) whose name was Kish(EL) son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. 2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome(EM) a young man as could be found(EN) anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller(EO) than anyone else.

3 Now the donkeys(EP) belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” 4 So he passed through the hill(EQ) country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha,(ER) but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys(ES) were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

5 When they reached the district of Zuph,(ET) Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying(EU) about us.”

6 But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God;(EV) he is highly respected, and everything(EW) he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”

7 Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift(EX) to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

8 The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel[m] of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire(EY) of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)(EZ)

10 “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was.

11 As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw(FA) water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?”

12 “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice(FB) at the high place.(FC) 13 As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless(FD) the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.”

14 They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.

15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint(FE) him ruler(FF) over my people Israel; he will deliver(FG) them from the hand of the Philistines.(FH) I have looked on my people, for their cry(FI) has reached me.”

17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This(FJ) is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

18 Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

19 “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 As for the donkeys(FK) you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire(FL) of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”

21 Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe(FM) of Israel, and is not my clan the least(FN) of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin?(FO) Why do you say such a thing to me?”

22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.”

24 So the cook took up the thigh(FP) with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.

25 After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof(FQ) of his house. 26 They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”

10 Then Samuel took a flask(FR) of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed(FS) you ruler over his inheritance?[n](FT) 2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb,(FU) at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys(FV) you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried(FW) about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?”’

3 “Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel(FX) will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread,(FY) which you will accept from them.

5 “After that you will go to Gibeah(FZ) of God, where there is a Philistine outpost.(GA) As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets(GB) coming down from the high place(GC) with lyres, timbrels,(GD) pipes(GE) and harps(GF) being played before them, and they will be prophesying.(GG) 6 The Spirit(GH) of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed(GI) into a different person. 7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever(GJ) your hand(GK) finds to do, for God is with(GL) you.

8 “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal.(GM) I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven(GN) days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”

Saul Made King

9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed(GO) Saul’s heart, and all these signs(GP) were fulfilled(GQ) that day. 10 When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit(GR) of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying.(GS) 11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this(GT) that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”(GU)

12 A man who lived there answered, “And who is their father?” So it became a saying: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”(GV) 13 After Saul stopped prophesying,(GW) he went to the high place.

14 Now Saul’s uncle(GX) asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?”

“Looking for the donkeys,(GY)” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”

15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.”

16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys(GZ) had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.

17 Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the Lord at Mizpah(HA) 18 and said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed(HB) you.’ 19 But you have now rejected(HC) your God, who saves(HD) you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, ‘No, appoint a king(HE) over us.’(HF) So now present(HG) yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.”

20 When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was taken.(HH) Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired(HI) further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?”

And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.”

23 They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller(HJ) than any of the others. 24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen?(HK) There is no one like(HL) him among all the people.”

Then the people shouted, “Long live(HM) the king!”

25 Samuel explained(HN) to the people the rights and duties(HO) of kingship.(HP) He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes.

26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah,(HQ) accompanied by valiant men(HR) whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some scoundrels(HS) said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts.(HT) But Saul kept silent.

Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh

11 Nahash[o](HU) the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead.(HV) And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty(HW) with us, and we will be subject to you.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 4:7 Or “Gods have (see Septuagint)
  2. 1 Samuel 4:18 Traditionally judged
  3. 1 Samuel 4:21 Ichabod means no glory.
  4. 1 Samuel 5:6 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate tumors. And rats appeared in their land, and there was death and destruction throughout the city
  5. 1 Samuel 5:9 Or with tumors in the groin (see Septuagint)
  6. 1 Samuel 5:11 Or he
  7. 1 Samuel 6:19 A few Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint 50,070
  8. 1 Samuel 7:6 Traditionally judge; also in verse 15
  9. 1 Samuel 7:12 Ebenezer means stone of help.
  10. 1 Samuel 8:1 Traditionally judges
  11. 1 Samuel 8:5 Traditionally judge; also in verses 6 and 20
  12. 1 Samuel 8:16 Septuagint; Hebrew young men
  13. 1 Samuel 9:8 That is, about 1/10 ounce or about 3 grams
  14. 1 Samuel 10:1 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate over his people Israel? You will reign over the Lord’s people and save them from the power of their enemies round about. And this will be a sign to you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over his inheritance:
  15. 1 Samuel 11:1 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls gifts. Now Nahash king of the Ammonites oppressed the Gadites and Reubenites severely. He gouged out all their right eyes and struck terror and dread in Israel. Not a man remained among the Israelites beyond the Jordan whose right eye was not gouged out by Nahash king of the Ammonites, except that seven thousand men fled from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh Gilead. About a month later, 1 Nahash
Listen to 1 Samuel 4:1-11
Close KJV

1 Samuel 4:1-11
King James Version

4 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.

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.

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 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.

5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the 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.

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.

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.

9 Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.

10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.

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.

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.

15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.

16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?

17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

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.

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.

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.

22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

5 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen 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 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

6 But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.

7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it 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.

8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.

9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.

10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, 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.

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.

12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

6 And the ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines seven months.

2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.

3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

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?

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:

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.

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.

10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:

11 And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.

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.

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.

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.

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.

16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the Lord; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;

18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the Lord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite.

19 And he smote the men of 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.

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?

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 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.

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.

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.

4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only.

5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.

6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

7 And when the 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.

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.

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.

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.

11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

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.

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.

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.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

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 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

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.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

10 And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.

11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

9 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.

4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.

6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.

7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?

8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.

9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?

12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:

13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

15 Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,

16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.

18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.

19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

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

21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.

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

24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.

27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on), but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.

10 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

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

5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:

6 And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

12 And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.

15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.

16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

17 And Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh;

18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:

19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands.

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

21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.

22 Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold he hath hid himself among the stuff.

23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought no presents. But he held his peace.

11 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

Next
1 Samuel 3
1 Samuel 12
Next
dropdown
New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn the Bible in 30 days
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain