Beginning
4 1 Israel is overcome by the Philistines. 4 They do set the Ark, wherefore the Philistines do fear. 10 The Ark of the Lord is taken. 11 Eli and his children die. 19 The death of the wife of Phinehas the son of Eli.
1 And Samuel spake unto all Israel: [a]and Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside [b]Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined the battle, Israel was smitten down before the Philistines: who slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
3 So when the people were come into the camp, the Elders of Israel said, [c]Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us this day before the Philistines? let us bring 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 Then the people sent to Shiloh, and brought from thence the Ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who [d]dwelleth between the Cherubims: and there were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, with the Ark of the covenant of God.
5 And when the Ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the host, all Israel shouted a mighty shout, so that the earth rang again.
6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the sound of this mighty shout in the host of the Hebrews? and they understood, that the Ark of the Lord was come into the host.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, and said, God is come in the host: therefore said they, [e]Woe unto us: for it hath not been so 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 [f]wilderness.
9 Be strong and play the men, O Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, (A)as they have served you: be valiant therefore, and fight.
10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten down, and fled every man into his tent: and there was an exceeding great slaughter, for there fell of Israel [g]thirty thousand footmen.
11 And the Ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas died.
12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes [h]rent, and earth upon his head.
13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside, waiting: for his heart [i]feared for the Ark of God: and when the man came into the city to tell it, all the city cried out.
14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth this noise of the tumult? and the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
15 (Now Eli was fourscore and eighteen years old, and (B)his eyes were dim that he could not see.)
16 And the man said unto Eli, I came from the army, and I fled this day out of the host: and he said, What thing is done, my son?
17 Then the messenger answered, and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people: and moreover thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehas [j]are dead, and the Ark of God is taken.
18 ¶ And when he had made mention of the Ark of God, Eli fell from his seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken, and he died: for he was an old man and heavy: and he had [k]judged Israel forty years.
19 And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near [l]her travail: and when she heard the report that the Ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she [m]bowed herself, and travailed: for her pains came upon her.
20 And about the time of her death, the women that stood about her, said unto her, Fear not: for thou hast borne a son: but she answered not, nor regarded it.
21 And she named the child [n]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 She said again, [o]The glory is departed from Israel: for the Ark of God is taken.
5 2 The Philistines bring the Ark into the house of Dagon, which idol fell down before it. 6 The men of Ashdod are plagued. 8 The Ark is carried into Gath, and after to Ekron.
1 Then the Philistines took the Ark of God and carried it from Ebenezer unto [p]Ashdod,
2 Even the Philistines took the Ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by [q]Dagon.
3 And when they of Ashdod rose the next day in the morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face on the ground before the Ark of the Lord, and they took up Dagon, and set him in his place again.
4 Also they rose up early in the morning the next day, and behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face on the ground before the Ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and the two palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold: only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
5 Therefore the Priests of Dagon, and all that come into Dagon’s house, [r]tread not on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, unto this day.
6 But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and destroyed them, and smote them with the (C)emerods, both Ashdod, and the coasts thereof.
7 And when the men of Ashdod saw this, they said, Let not the Ark of the God of Israel abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us and upon Dagon our god.
8 They sent therefore, and gathered all the princes of the Philistines unto them, and said, [s]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.
9 And when 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 as soon as the Ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to slay us and our people.
11 Therefore they sent, and gathered together all the princes of the Philistines, and said, Send [t]away the Ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to his own place, that it slay us not and our people: for there was a destruction and death throughout all the city, and the hand of God was very sore there.
12 And the men that died not, were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
6 1 The time that the Ark was with the Philistines, which they sent again with a gift. 12 It cometh to Beth Shemesh. 17 The Philistines offer golden emerods. 19 The men of Beth Shemesh are stricken for looking into the Ark.
1 So the Ark of the Lord was in the country of the Philistines [u]seven months.
2 And the Philistines called the Priests and the Soothsayers, saying, What shall we do with the Ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it home again.
3 And they said, If you send away the Ark of the God of Israel, send it not away empty, but give unto it [v]a sin offering: then shall ye be healed, and it shall be known to you, why his hand departeth not from you.
4 Then said they, What shall be the sin offering, which we shall give unto it? And they answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the princes of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your princes.
5 Wherefore ye shall make the similitudes of your emerods, and the similitudes of your mice that destroy the land: so ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel, that he may take his hand from you, and from your [w]gods, and from your land.
6 Wherefore then should ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts, when he wrought wonderfully among them, (D)did they not let them go, and they departed?
7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on whom there hath come no yoke: and tie the kine to the cart, and bring the calves home from them.
8 Then take the Ark of the Lord, and set it upon the cart, and put the [x]jewels of gold which ye give it for a sin offering in a coffer by the side thereof, and send it away, that it may go.
9 And take heed, if it go up by the way of his own coast to Beth Shemesh, it is [y]he that did us this great evil: but if not, we shall know then, that it is not his hand that smote us, but it was a [z]chance that happened us.
10 And the men did so: for they took two kine that gave milk, and tied them to the cart, and shut the calves at home.
11 So they set the Ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold, and with the similitudes of their emerods.
12 And the kine went the straight way to Beth Shemesh, and kept one path, and lowed as they went, and turned neither to the right hand nor to the left: also the princes of the Philistines went after [aa]them unto the borders of Beth Shemesh.
13 Now they of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, and they lift up their eyes, and spied the Ark, and rejoiced when they saw it.
14 ¶ And the cart came into the field of Joshua a Beth Shemite, and stood still there. There was also a great stone, and [ab]they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine for 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 Beth Shemesh offered burnt offering, and sacrificed sacrifices that same day unto the Lord.
16 And when the five princes of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17 ¶ So these are the golden emerods, which the Philistines gave for a sin offering to the Lord: for [ac]Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, and for Ekron one,
18 And golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines, belonging to the five princes, both of walled towns, and of towns unwalled unto the great stone of [ad]Abel, whereon they set the Ark of the Lord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua the Beth Shemite.
19 And he smote of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they [ae]had looked in the Ark of the Lord: he slew even among the people fifty thousand men and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had slain the people with so great a slaughter.
20 Wherefore the men of Beth Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go from us?
21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath Jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the Ark of the Lord: come ye down, and take it up to you.
7 1 The Ark is brought to Kiriath Jearim. 3 Samuel exhorteth the people to forsake their sins, and turn to the Lord. 10 The Philistines fight against Israel, and are overcome. 16 Samuel judgeth Israel.
1 Then the men of [af]Kirjath Jearim came, and took up the Ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill: and they sanctified Eleazar his son, to keep the Ark of the Lord.
2 (For while the Ark abode in Kirjath Jearim, the time was long, for it was twenty years) and all the house of Israel lamented [ag]after the Lord.
3 ¶ Then Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye be come again unto the Lord with all your heart, (E)put away the strange gods from among you, and (F)Ashtoreth, and direct your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him (G)only, and he shall deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
4 Then the children of Israel did put away (H)Baal and Ashtoreth, and served the Lord only.
5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to [ah]Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto the Lord.
6 And they gathered together to Mizpah, and [ai]drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted the same day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
7 When the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the Princes of the Philistines went up against Israel: and when the children of Israel heard that, they were afraid of the Philistines.
8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to [aj]cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
9 Then Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it all together for a burnt offering unto the Lord, and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.
10 And [as] Samuel offered the burnt offering, the Philistines came to fight against Israel: but the Lord [ak]thundered with a great thunder that day upon the Philistines, and scattered them: so they were slain before Israel.
11 And the men of Israel went from Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them until they came under Beth Car.
12 Then Samuel took a stone, and pitched it between Mizpah and [al]Shen, and called the name thereof Ebenezer, and he said, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
13 ¶ So the Philistines were brought under, and they came no more again into the coasts of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
14 Also the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath: and Israel delivered the coasts of the same out of the hands of the Philistines: and there was peace between Israel and the [am]Amorites.
15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life,
16 And went about year by year to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places.
17 Afterward he returned to Ramah: for there was his house, and there he judged Israel: also he built an [an]altar there unto the Lord.
8 1 Samuel maketh his sons Judges over Israel, who follow not his steps. 5 The Israelites ask a King. 11 Samuel declareth in what state they should be under the King. 19 Notwithstanding, they ask one still, and the Lord willeth Samuel to grant unto them.
1 When Samuel was now become old, he [ao]made his sons Judges over Israel,
2 (And the name of his eldest son was [ap]Joel, and the name of the second Abijah) even Judges in Beersheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and (I)took rewards, and perverted the judgment.
4 ¶ Wherefore all the Elders of Israel gathered them together, and came to Samuel unto [aq]Ramah,
5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: (J)make us now a King to judge us like all nations.
6 But the thing [ar]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, Hear the voice of the people in all that they shall say unto thee: for they have not cast thee away, but they have cast me away, that I should not reign over them.
8 As they have ever done since I brought them out of Egypt even unto this day, (and have forsaken me, and served other gods) even so do they unto thee.
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit, yet [as]testify unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10 ¶ So Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked a king of him.
11 And he said, This shall be the [at]manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and some shall run before his chariot.
12 Also he will make them his captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make instruments of war, and the things that serve for his chariots.
13 He will also take your daughters and make them Apothecaries, and Cooks, and Bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best Olive trees, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give it to his [au]Eunuchs, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and the chief of your 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 at that day, because of your king, whom ye have chosen you, and the Lord will not [av]hear you at that day.
19 But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, but did say, Nay, but there shall be a king over us.
20 And we also will be like all other nations, and our king shall judge us, and go out before us and fight our battles.
21 Therefore when Samuel heard all the words of the people, he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.
22 And the Lord said to Samuel, [aw]Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go every man unto his city.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.