Bible in 90 Days

³⁰ Therefore,’ declares^[a] Yahweh the God of Israel, ‘though I solemnly said that your house and the house of your ancestor^[b] would walk before me forever, but now,’ declares^[c] Yahweh, ‘far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me, I will treat with contempt! ³¹ Look, days are coming when I will cut off your strength^[d] and the strength^[e] of the house of your ancestor^[f] so that no one in your house will live to old age.^{[g] 32} You will look at the distress of my dwelling place, despite all the good caused for Israel, but there will never be an old man in your household forever!^{[h] 33} The only one I will not cut off from my altar is you.^[i] Rather, to cause your eyes to fail and to cause your soul to grieve, all the members of your household^[j] will die as men.^{[k] 34} This is the sign for you that will come regarding your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: they will both die on the same day! ³⁵ But I will raise up for myself a reliable^[l] priest; he will do just according to what is in my heart and in my soul. I will build for him a lasting^[m] house and he will walk continually before my anointed one forever.^{[n] 36} All the remainder of your household will come to bow down before^[o] him for a bit of silver or a loaf of bread and will say, “Please assign me to one of the priestly offices^[p] so that I can eat a morsel of bread.”’”

Samuel’s First Encounter with Yahweh

3 Now the boy Samuel was serving Yahweh in the presence^[q] of Eli. The word of Yahweh was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. ² And then^[r] one day when Eli was lying in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow weak so that he was not able to see) ³ and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, Samuel was lying in the temple^[s] of Yahweh where the ark of God was. ⁴ Then Yahweh called out to Samuel and he said, “Here I am!” ⁵ And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.” But he said, “I did not call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. ⁶ And Yahweh called Samuel again, so Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.” And he said, “I did not call you, my son. Go back and lie down.” ⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know Yahweh, and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸ Again Yahweh called Samuel a third time, so he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.” Then Eli realized that Yahweh was calling the boy. ⁹ So Eli said to Samuel “Go lie down. If he calls^[t] to you, then you must say, ‘Speak Yahweh, because your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ Then Yahweh came and stood there and called out as before,^[u] “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, because your servant is listening.” ¹¹ So Yahweh said to Samuel, “Look, I am doing something in Israel which will cause^[v] the two ears of everyone who hears it to tingle. ¹² On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken against his household, from beginning to end.^{[w] 13} I will make him know that I am about to judge his household forever because of the iniquity that he knew, for his sons were bringing curses on themselves,^[x] but he did not rebuke them. ¹⁴ Therefore I swore to the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli would not be atoned for^[y] by sacrifice or by offering forever.”

¹⁵ So Samuel lay down until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of Yahweh, but Samuel was afraid of telling the vision to Eli. ¹⁶ Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹⁷ And he said, “What is the message^[z] that he spoke to you? Please do not conceal it from me. May God punish you severely^[aa] if you conceal anything from me of all the words that he told you.” ¹⁸ So Samuel told him all the words and did not conceal anything from him. And he^[ab] said, “He is Yahweh, he will do what is^[ac] good in his sight.”^[ad]

¹⁹ And Samuel grew up, and Yahweh was with him. He did not allow any of his prophecies to go unfulfilled.^{[ae] 20} All Israel from Dan to Beersheba realized that Samuel was faithful^[af] as a prophet to Yahweh. ²¹ And Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh, for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh through the word of Yahweh.

The Battle of Aphek

4 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines for battle, and they encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. ² The Philistines lined up for the battle to meet Israel, and the battle was prolonged^[ag] until Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who^[ah] killed about four thousand men on the battlefield.^{[ai] 3} When the army^[aj] came back to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to us from Shiloh so that it may come into our midst and deliver^[ak] us from the hand of our enemies.” ⁴ So the army sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts who sits between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. ⁵ Now when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh arrived at the camp, all Israel let out a loud shout^[al] so that the earth shook.

⁶ When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What is the noise of this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” Then they learned that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp. ⁷ So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come^[am] to the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us, for this has never happened before!^{[an] 8} Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the same gods who struck the Egyptians with all sorts of plagues in the desert. ⁹ Take courage and be men, you Philistines, lest you end up serving the Hebrews just like they have served you. Be men and fight!” ¹⁰ So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated and each man fled to his tent, for the slaughter was very great. Thirty thousand foot soldiers from Israel fell. ¹¹ Furthermore, the ark of God was captured,^[ao] and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

¹² A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh that same day, and his clothes were torn and earth was on his head. ¹³ When he came, there was^[ap] Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road^[aq] watching, because his heart was anxious about the ark of God. Now the man had come to give his report^[ar] in the city, and all the city cried out. ¹⁴ When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What is the noise of this commotion?” Then the man came quickly^[as] and told Eli. ¹⁵ Now Eli was ninety-eight years old^[at] and his eyes stayed fixed ahead^[au] and he was not able to see. ¹⁶ And the man said to Eli, “I am the one who has come from the battle line! I have fled today from the battle line!” And he said, “What exactly happened,^[av] my son?” ¹⁷ Then the messenger answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines. There has been a great defeat among the troops. Also, your two sons have died, Hophni and Phinehas, and the ark of God has been captured.” ¹⁸ Just as he mentioned the ark of God, he^[aw] fell from his chair backwards against the side of the gate. He broke his neck and died, because the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

¹⁹ Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news concerning the capture of the ark of God and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she went into labor^[ax] and gave birth, because her labor pains came upon her. ²⁰ Just before the time of her death, those attending her^[ay] said, “Do not fear, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer, or pay any attention.^{[az] 21} She called the boy Ichabod,^[ba] saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” referring to the capture of the ark of God and concerning her father-in-law and husband. ²² And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God was captured.”^[bb]

The Ark of the Covenant among the Philistines

5 Now the Philistines had captured^[bc] the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ² Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the temple of Dagon and placed it beside Dagon. ³ When the Ashdodites got up early the next morning, there was^[bd] Dagon fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh! So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. ⁴ When they got up early in the morning the next day, there was^[be] Dagon fallen again with his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh! The head of Dagon and the palms of his two hands were cut off, lying at^[bf] the threshold; only the body^[bg] of Dagon was left. ⁵ (Therefore the priests of Dagon and all who come into the house of Dagon do not tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod until this very day.)

⁶ Now the hand of Yahweh was heavy against the Ashdodites and he destroyed them and struck them with tumors,^[bh] both in Ashdod and its territories. ⁷ The men of Ashdod saw that it was so, and they said, “The ark of the God of Israel should not remain with us, because his hand is harsh on us and on Dagon our god!” ⁸ So they sent and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines to them, and they asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they said, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought around toward Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel to Gath.

⁹ After they moved it, the hand of Yahweh was against the city, causing a very great confusion, and he struck the men of the city from the youngest to the oldest,^[bi] causing tumors^[bj] to break out on them. ¹⁰ So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But when the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought around the ark of the God of Israel to kill us and our^[bk] people!” ¹¹ So they sent and gathered all the rulers of the Philistines, and they said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel and let it return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people.” For a deadly confusion^[bl] was throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. ¹² The men who did not die were struck with the tumors,^[bm] so that the cry of the city for help went up to heaven.

The Return of the Ark of Covenant

6 Now the ark of Yahweh had been in the territory of the Philistines for seven months, ² and the Philistines called to the priests and to those who practiced divination, saying, “What should we do with the ark of Yahweh? Inform us how we should send it to its place.” ³ They said, “If you are sending the ark of the God of Israel away, you must not send it away empty, but by all means return it with a guilt offering. Then you will be healed and it will become known to you why his hand is not turned aside from you.” ⁴ And they said, “What is the guilt offering that we should return to him?” They said, “The number of the rulers of the Philistines is five. Therefore send five gold tumors^[bn] and five gold mice, because one plague was on all of you and all your rulers. ⁵ You must make images of your tumors^[bo] and images of your mice that are ravaging the land, and you must give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand on you and on your gods and on your land. ⁶ Why should you harden your hearts like the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? Is it not just like when he dealt with them wantonly so that they sent them away and they left? ⁷ So then, prepare^[bp] one new utility cart and two milking cows that have never had a yoke on them, and you must harness the cows to the utility cart and then turn their calves from following them to their stall. ⁸ And you must take the ark of Yahweh and place it on the utility cart with the gold objects that you are returning to him as a guilt offering. You must place them in the container^[bq] beside the ark and then send it off so that it goes away. ⁹ You must watch; if it goes up by the way of its territory to Beth Shemesh, he has caused this great disaster to come on us. But if not, then we will know his hand has not struck us; it was by chance that this happened to us. ¹⁰ So the men did so; they took two milking cows and harnessed them to the utility cart, but they shut up their calves in the stall. ¹¹ Then they put the ark of Yahweh on the utility cart with the container^[br] holding the gold mice and the images of their tumors. ¹² The cows went straight on the way on the road to Beth Shemesh, on the one main road, lowing as they went.^[bs] They did not turn aside to the right or to the left, and the rulers of the Philistines were walking after them up to the border of Beth Shemesh.

¹³ Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the valley. They lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and they were glad to see it. ¹⁴ The utility cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh and stopped there where there was a large stone. They split the wood of the utility cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to Yahweh. ¹⁵ Then the Levites took down the ark of Yahweh and the container^[bt] that was beside it, in which were the gold objects, and they set them on the large stone.^[bu] Then the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings, and they made^[bv] sacrifices to Yahweh on that day. ¹⁶ The five rulers of the Philistines saw it and returned to Ekron that same day.

¹⁷ Now these are the gold tumors which the Philistines returned as a guilt offering to Yahweh: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron. ¹⁸ And the gold mice according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines, for their five rulers, from the fortified city to the unwalled village of the open country as far as the great stone, where they set^[bw] the ark of Yahweh until this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh. ¹⁹ He^[bx] struck seventy men^[by] among the men of Beth Shemesh because they looked into the ark of Yahweh. So the people mourned because Yahweh had struck a great blow among the people. ²⁰ Then the men of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? And to whom shall it^[bz] go up from us?” ²¹ So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of Yahweh. Come down and take it up to yourselves.”

Revival and Victory at Mizpah

7 The men of Kiriath Jearim came and brought up the ark of Yahweh, and they brought it to the house of Abinadab in Gibeah. They consecrated Eleazer his son to guard the ark of Yahweh. ² From^[ca] the day the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, days multiplied and became twenty years^[cb] while all the house of Israel mourned after Yahweh. ³ And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If with all your heart you are turning to Yahweh, remove the foreign gods and Ashtoreths^[cc] from your midst. Commit your hearts to Yahweh and serve him alone. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁴ So the Israelites^[cd] removed the Baals^[ce] and the Ashtoreths, and they served Yahweh alone.

⁵ Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to Yahweh for you.” ⁶ So they gathered to Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before Yahweh. They fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh!” So Samuel judged the Israelites^[cf] at Mizpah. ⁷ Now when the Philistines heard that the Israelites^[cg] had gathered at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the Israelites^[ch] heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.^{[ci] 8} Then the Israelites^[cj] said to Samuel, “You must not cease^[ck] from crying out to Yahweh our God, so that he will deliver us from the hand of the Philistines.” ⁹ So Samuel took a single nursing lamb^[cl] and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Then Samuel cried out to Yahweh on behalf of Israel, and Yahweh answered him. ¹⁰ While^[cm] Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near for the battle against Israel. But Yahweh thundered against the Philistines with a great noise on that day and threw them into confusion so that they were defeated before Israel. ¹¹ Then the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and they struck them down as far as below Beth Car.

¹² So Samuel took a single stone and put it between Mizpah and Shen, and he named it Ebenezer and said, “Up to here Yahweh has helped us.” ¹³ So the Philistines were subdued and they did not come into the territory of Israel again, and the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. ¹⁴ The towns^[cn] which the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned to Israel from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territories from the hand of the Philistines. Then there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

The Circuit Ministry of Samuel

¹⁵ Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. ¹⁶ He used to go on the circuit from year to year.^[co] He went around Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places. ¹⁷ Then he returned^[cp] to Ramah, because his house was there, and there he judged Israel, and he built an altar to Yahweh there.

Israel’s Demand for a King

8 When Samuel grew old he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. ² The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. ³ But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after gain, they took bribes, and they perverted justice.

⁴ So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. ⁵ They said to him, “Look, you are old and your sons do not follow in your ways. So then appoint a king for us to judge^[cq] us, like all the nations. ⁶ But the matter was displeasing to Samuel^[cr] when they said, “Give us a king to judge^[cs] us,” so Samuel prayed to Yahweh.

⁷ Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people concerning all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. ⁸ Like all the deeds they have done from the day I brought them up from Egypt until this day, they have forsaken me and have served other gods—so they are doing to you also. ⁹ And so then, listen to their voice. However, you must earnestly warn them; you must explain to them the custom of the king who will rule over them.”

¹⁰ So Samuel spoke all the words of Yahweh to the people who were requesting a king from him. ¹¹ He said, “This will be the custom of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots. ¹² He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and those to do his plowing^[ct] and to reap his harvest, and those to make weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters as his perfume makers and as cooks and as bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive trees and will give them to his servants. ¹⁵ He will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his high officials and to his servants. ¹⁶ He will take your male slaves and your female slaves and the best of your young men^[cu] and your donkeys and will use them for his projects.^{[cv] 17} He will take a tenth of your flocks,^[cw] and you yourselves will become his servants. ¹⁸ So you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but Yahweh will not answer you on that day!” ¹⁹ However, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel and they said, “No, but there must be a king over us, ²⁰ so that we also^[cx] may be like all the nations, and our king may rule us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

²¹ Now when Samuel heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of Yahweh. ²² Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint a king for them.” So Samuel spoke to the men of Israel, “Each of you go to his own town.”

Saul, the Requested King, Introduced

9 Now there was a man from Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjaminite, a very wealthy man.^{[cy] 2} He had a son whose name was Saul,^[cz] a young and handsome man. There was not a man from the Israelites^[da] more handsome than he was; from his shoulders up, he was taller than all the people.

³ Now the female donkeys of Kish the father of Saul got lost, and Kish said to Saul his son, “Please take one of the servants with you and get up; go and seek the female donkeys.” ⁴ So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim; he passed through the land of Shalisha but they did not find them. They passed through the land of Shaalim but they were not there. He passed through the land of Benjamin but did not find them.

⁵ When they entered the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us return, lest my father cease caring about the female donkeys and worry about us!” ⁶ But he^[db] said to him, “Look, a man of God is in this town, and the man is honored. All that he says certainly comes true. So then let us go there; perhaps he will tell us about our journey on which we have gone.” ⁷ So Saul said to his servant, “Look, we may go, but what should we bring to the man? For the bread is gone from our bags, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have with us?” ⁸ The servant again answered Saul and said, “Look, I have^[dc] in my hand a quarter shekel of silver! I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us our way.” ⁹ (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say: “Come, let us go up to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called a seer.) ¹⁰ So Saul said to his servant, “Your suggestion is a good one.^[dd] Come, let us go.” And they went to the town where the man of God was.

¹¹ They were going up the ascent of the town when they found young women going out to draw water. They said to them, “Is there the seer here?” ¹² They answered them and said, “There is. Look, he is just in front of you! Hurry now, because he has come to the town today, because there is a sacrifice for the people today at the high place. ¹³ As soon as you enter the town, you will 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. Then afterward the invited guests will eat. So then, go up, because you will find him today!” ¹⁴ So they went up to the town. As they were entering into the middle of the town, Samuel was coming forth to meet them, to go up to the high place.

¹⁵ Now Yahweh had revealed this to^[de] Samuel the day before Saul arrived, saying, ¹⁶ “This time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you must anoint him as leader over my people Israel. He will deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen the suffering of my people, because their cry of distress has come to me.” ¹⁷ When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh answered him, “Here is the man about whom I told you! This is the one who will govern my people.”

¹⁸ Then Saul approached Samuel in the middle of the gate and said, “Please tell me, where is the house of the seer?” ¹⁹ Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me^[df] to the high place, and you will eat with me today; then I will send you away in the morning. I will tell you all that is on your mind.^{[dg] 20} And as for your female donkeys that were lost three days ago,^[dh] do not be concerned about them,^[di] because they have been found. For whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for you and for all the house of your father?”

²¹ Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the humblest of all the families of the tribes of Benjamin? Why do you speak to me in this way?”^{[dj] 22} So Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them to a room in the building and gave them a place at the head of the invited guests.^[dk] There were about thirty men. ²³ Then Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave to you, about which I said to you, ‘Keep it with you.’” ²⁴ So the cook took up the shank and what was on it and put it before Saul, and he^[dl] said, “Look, the saved portion^[dm] is placed before you^[dn]—eat, because it has been kept for you for the appointed time,” and he said,^[do] “I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

²⁵ When they came down from the high place to the town, he spoke with Saul on the roof. ²⁶ They got up early, and as dawn was breaking,^[dp] Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, so that I can send you away.” So Saul got up and the two of them, he and Samuel, went outside. ²⁷ As they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us. When he has passed, you stand here a while,^[dq] so that I can make known to you the word of God.”

Saul Is Anointed as King

10 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it over his head and kissed him and said, “Has not^[dr] Yahweh anointed you as leader over his inheritance? ² As you go from with me today,^[ds] you will find two men near the burial site of Rachel in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will say to you, ‘The female donkeys that you went to search for have been found.’ Now look, your father is no longer concerned about^[dt] the female donkeys and has begun worrying about you,^[du] saying, ‘What should I do about my son?’ ³ Then you will go on from there and further you will come to the oak of Tabor. There three men will meet you, who are going up to God at Bethel. One will be carrying three male kid goats, one will be carrying three loaves of bread, and one will be carrying a skin of wine. ⁴ They will ask how you are doing^[dv] and will give you two loaves, which you will take from their hand. ⁵ After this, you will come to the Gibeah of God,^[dw] where there are sentries^[dx] of the Philistines. Just as you enter^[dy] the town there, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place, with harp, tambourine, flute, and zither before them, and they will be prophesying. ⁶ Then the Spirit of Yahweh will rush upon you,^[dz] and you will prophesy with them; and you will turn into a different person.^{[ea] 7} When these signs come to you, do for yourself what your hand finds to do, for God will be with you. ⁸ Then you will go down before me to Gilgal. Look, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to make^[eb] fellowship offerings. You must wait seven days until I come to you. Then I will let you know what you should do.” ⁹ Just as he turned^[ec] his shoulder to depart from Samuel, God changed his^[ed] heart. And all these signs were fulfilled on that day.

¹⁰ When they went from there to Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him,^[ee] and he prophesied among them. ¹¹ And when^[ef] all who knew him formerly^[eg] saw that he prophesied with prophets, the people said to one another, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” ¹² And a man from there responded and said, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” ¹³ When he finished prophesying, he went to the high place. ¹⁴ Then Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To search for the female donkeys; and when we saw none, we went to Samuel.” ¹⁵ So Saul’s uncle said to him, “Please tell me, what did Samuel say to you?” ¹⁶ Then Saul said to his uncle, “He told us for certain that the female donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingship of which Samuel had spoken.

¹⁷ Then Samuel summoned the people to Yahweh at Mizpah, ¹⁸ and he said to the Israelites,^[eh] “Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ ¹⁹ But you today have rejected your God who always delivers you from all of your calamities and your distresses. You have said to him, ‘No, but you must appoint a king over us!’ So then present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your clans.”

²⁰ So Samuel brought near all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected by lot. ²¹ Then he brought near the tribe of Benjamin according to its families, and the family of Matri was selected by lot. Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen, and they sought him, but he could not be found. ²² So they inquired again of Yahweh, “Did the man come here?” ^[ei] And Yahweh said, “Look, he is hiding himself among the baggage.” ²³ So they ran and took him from there, and when he took his stand among the people, he was taller than all the people from his shoulders and up. ²⁴ Then Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom Yahweh has chosen? For there is no one like him among all the people!” And all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”

²⁵ Then Samuel told the people the custom of the kingship, and he wrote the rules down on a scroll and laid it before Yahweh. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each to his own house. ²⁶ And Saul also went to his house at Gibeah, and the troops whose hearts^[ej] God had touched went with him. ²⁷ However, some worthless men^[ek] said, “How can this man deliver us?” So they despised him and brought no gift to him, but he kept silent.^[el]

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

11 Now Nahash the Ammonite went up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us^[em] and we will serve you.” ² But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty^[en] with you, by gouging out the right eye of each of you, so that I can make it a disgrace for all Israel.” ³ So the elders of Jabesh said to him, “Leave us alone for seven days so that we may send messengers in all the territory of Israel, and if there is no deliverer for us, then we will come out to you.” ⁴ When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported these things to^[eo] the people. Then all the people lifted up their voices and wept. ⁵ Just then,^[ep] Saul was coming from the field behind the cattle. Saul said, “What is the matter with the people, that they are weeping?” So they recounted to him the words of the men of Jabesh.

⁶ Then the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and he became very angry.^{[eq] 7} So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them into pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, “Whoever is not going out after Saul and after Samuel, so will it be done to his oxen.” Then the fear of Yahweh fell on the people and they went out as one man. ⁸ He mustered them at Bezek; the Israelites^[er] were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah were thirty thousand. ⁹ They said to the messengers who had come, “Thus you will say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow deliverance for you will come when the sun is hot.’”^[es] When the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh, they rejoiced. ¹⁰ The men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.”^{[et] 11} And the^[eu] next day Saul placed the people in three divisions. Then they came into the middle of the camp at the early morning watch^[ev] and struck down the Ammonites^[ew] until the heat of the day. It happened that the remainder were scattered so that no two among them remained together.^{[ex] 12} Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is the one who asked, ‘Will Saul reign over us?’ Give the men to us that we may kill them.” ¹³ But Saul said, “No one will be put to death on this day, because today^[ey] Yahweh has provided deliverance in Israel.”

¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal, and let us renew the kingship there.” ¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal and they made Saul king there before Yahweh in Gilgal. They sacrificed fellowship offerings there before Yahweh. Then Saul rejoiced there greatly along with all the men of Israel.

Samuel’s Charge to Israel

12 Then Samuel said to all Israel, “Look, I have listened to your voice regarding all that you have said to me, so I have set a king over you. ² And so then here is the king walking about before you. Now I am old and gray, but my sons (look at them!) are with you; and I have walked about before you from my youth until this day. ³ Here I am! Testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed one! Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I exploited? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe, that I may shut my eyes regarding^[ez] him?–then I will restore it to you.” ⁴ Then they said, “You have not exploited us or oppressed us, and you have not taken anything from the hand of anyone.” ⁵ So he said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed one is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” Then they said, “He is witness.” ⁶ Then Samuel said to the people, “Yahweh is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your ancestors^[fa] up from the land of Egypt. ⁷ So then take your stand, so that I may judge you before Yahweh with regard to all the deeds of justice^[fb] of Yahweh that he performed with both you and your ancestors.^[fc]

⁸ “When Jacob came to Egypt, your ancestors^[fd] cried out to Yahweh, so he sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought your ancestors^[fe] out from Egypt and settled them in this place. ⁹ But they forgot Yahweh their God, so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the hosts of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. ¹⁰ So they cried out to Yahweh and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals^[ff] and the Ashtoreths.^[fg] But now deliver us from the hand of our enemies and we will serve you!’ ¹¹ So Yahweh sent Jerub-Baal and Bedan^[fh] and Jephthah and Samuel. Then he delivered you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you lived in security.

¹² “And when you saw that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites,^[fi] was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No! A king shall reign over us,’ although Yahweh your God is your king. ¹³ So then look! Here is the king you have chosen, for whom you have asked! Look, Yahweh has placed a king over you! ¹⁴ If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not be rebellious against what Yahweh says,^[fj] and both you and the king who rules over you will follow after Yahweh your God, all will be well. ¹⁵ But, if you do not listen to the voice of Yahweh, and you rebel against what Yahweh says,^[fk] then the hand of Yahweh will be against you^[fl] as it was against your ancestors.^{[fm] 16} So then take your stand again and see this great thing that Yahweh is going to do before your eyes. ¹⁷ Is the wheat harvest not today? I will call out to Yahweh so that he still sends thunder and rain, so that you will know and will see that your wickedness is great that you have done in the eyes of Yahweh by asking for a king for yourselves.”

¹⁸ So Samuel called out to Yahweh, and Yahweh brought thunder and rain that same day, so all the people feared Yahweh and Samuel greatly. ¹⁹ Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God so that we will not die, because we have added to all our sins by requesting a king for ourselves.” ²⁰ And Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear! You have done all this evil; only do not turn aside from following^[fn] Yahweh. But you must serve Yahweh with all your heart. ²¹ And do not turn aside after the triviality,^[fo] which have no value and cannot deliver, for they are triviality. ²² For Yahweh will not forsake his people for the sake of his great name, because Yahweh has decided to make you his own people. ²³ Also, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin^[fp] against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you! I will instruct you in the good and righteous way. ²⁴ Only fear Yahweh and serve him faithfully with all of your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.^{[fq] 25} But if you continue to do wickedness, both you and your king will be swept away.”

Saul Rules over Israel

13 Saul was thirty^[fr] years old^[fs] at the beginning of his reign, and he reigned forty-two years^[ft] over Israel. ² He chose for himself three thousand from Israel. Two thousand of these were with Saul at Micmash in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. He sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent. ³ Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” ⁴ And all Israel did hear, saying, “Saul has defeated the garrison of the Philistines; and also, Israel has become a stench among the Philistines!” So the people were called out after Saul at Gilgal.

Saul’s Blunder

⁵ And the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and an army as numerous as sand which is on the seashore. And they came up and encamped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven.

⁶ When the men of Israel saw that it was too difficult^[fu] for them, because the army was hard pressed, the people hid themselves in the caves, in the thorn bushes, in the cliffs, in the vaults^[fv] and in the wells. ⁷ Some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the army followed him trembling.^{[fw] 8} He waited seven days according to the appointed time Samuel determined, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the army started to slip away from him.^{[fx] 9} So Saul said, “Bring here to me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered up the burnt offering. ¹⁰ Just as^[fy] he finished offering the burnt sacrifice, Samuel was coming. So Saul went out to meet him and to bless him. ¹¹ But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Because I saw that the army was scattering^[fz] from me and you did not come at the appointed time^[ga] and that the Philistines had gathered at Micmash, ¹² therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not yet implored the face of Yahweh.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.”

¹³ Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have behaved foolishly! You have not kept the command of Yahweh your God which he commanded you. For then, Yahweh would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now, your kingdom will not endure. Yahweh has sought for himself a man according to his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him as leader over his people, because you have not kept what Yahweh commanded you.”

¹⁵ Then Samuel got up and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul mustered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men. ¹⁶ Saul and Jonathan his son and the army that remained with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, and the Philistines encamped at Micmash. ¹⁷ The raiders^[gb] went out from the camp of the Philistines in three divisions. One division turned on the road^[gc] to Ophrah toward the land of Shual. ¹⁸ One division turned on the road^[gd] to Beth Horon, and one turned on the road^[ge] toward the border overlooking the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

¹⁹ Now no skilled craftsman could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, “So that the Hebrews cannot make swords or spears for themselves.” ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to have his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his iron plowshare^[gf] sharpened. ²¹ The charge^[gg] was two-thirds of a shekel^[gh] for the plowshare and for the mattock, and a third of a shekel for the pick^[gi] and for the axe, and to set the goading sticks. ²² So^[gj] on the day of battle, there was not a sword or a spear found in the hands of all the army that was with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and his son Jonathan had them.^{[gk] 23} Now the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Micmash.

Jonathan Leads the Counterattack

14 One day^[gl] Jonathan the son of Saul said to his armor bearer,^[gm] “Come and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines which is over there.” But he did not tell his father. ² Now Saul was staying at the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that was in Migron, and the troops that were with him were about six hundred men. ³ Now Ahijah, the son of Ahitub (the brother of Ichabod), the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of Yahweh at Shiloh, was carrying an ephod. The troops did not know that Jonathan had gone. ⁴ Now between the passes where Jonathan sought to go over to the garrison of the Philistines there was a crag of rock on one side^[gn] and a crag of rock on the other.^[go] The name of the one was Bozez and the name of the other was Seneh. ⁵ The one crag on the north was opposite Micmash and the other on the south was opposite Geba. ⁶ So Jonathan said to his armor bearer,^[gp] “Come, let us go over to the garrisons of these uncircumcised; perhaps Yahweh will act for us, for there is no hindrance for Yahweh to save by many or by few.” ⁷ And his armor bearer^[gq] said, “Do all that is in your heart that you are inclined to do.^[gr] I am with you all of the way!^{[gs] 8} Then Jonathan said, “Look, we are about to go over to the men; and we will show ourselves to them. ⁹ If they say to us: ‘Wait until we reach you,’ then we will stand as we are^[gt] and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for Yahweh has given them into our hand, and this will be the sign for us.” ¹¹ So the two of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, “The Hebrews are coming out from the holes in which they have hidden themselves.” ¹² Then the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer,^[gu] “Come up to us and we will show you something!” Then Jonathan said to his armor bearer,^[gv] “Come up after me, for Yahweh has given them into the hand of Israel!” ¹³ So Jonathan went up on his hands and his feet, with his armor bearer^[gw] after him. They fell before Jonathan and then his armor bearer^[gx] would kill them after him. ¹⁴ So was the first attack in which Jonathan and his armor bearer^[gy] killed about twenty men within about half of a furrow in an acre of an open field. ¹⁵ Then there was terror^[gz] in the camp, in the open field, and among all the army of the garrison. Even the raiders^[ha] trembled. The earth shook, and it became a very great panic.^[hb]

¹⁶ And the lookouts of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin saw that^[hc] the multitude surged back and forth.^{[hd] 17} Saul said to the troops that were with him, “Please call the roll and see who has gone from us.” So they called the roll and found that^[he] Jonathan and his armor bearer^[hf] were not present. ¹⁸ Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring near the ark of God”^[hg] (for the ark of God was at that time^[hh] with the Israelites).^{[hi] 19} While^[hj] Saul was still speaking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more,^[hk] so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand!” ²⁰ Then Saul and all the troops who were with him were assembled on command and came up to the battle, and look! Each Philistine’s sword was against his friend; and there was a very great confusion. ²¹ The Hebrews who had been for the Philistines previously,^[hl] who had gone up with them into the camp all around, even they joined the Israelites^[hm] who were with Saul and Jonathan. ²² All the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, so even they pursued them closely in the battle. ²³ So on that day Yahweh delivered Israel, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.

Saul’s Oath Leads to Trouble

²⁴ Now the men of Israel were hard pressed on that day, because Saul had made the army take an oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats any food until evening, when I will have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the army tasted any food. ²⁵ (Now all the people of the land used to go into the forest, for there was honey on the surface of the ground.) ²⁶ When the army came to the forest, look! There was honey flowing, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the army was afraid of the solemn oath.

²⁷ However, Jonathan had not heard about the oath of his father with the army, so he extended the end of the staff which was in his hand, and he dipped it into the honeycomb.^[hn] Then he put his hand to his mouth and his eyes gleamed.^{[ho] 28} Then a man from the army informed him and said, “Your father made the army swear a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today,’” so the army is exhausted. ²⁹ Then Jonathan said, “My father has brought trouble on the land! See now that my eyes have brightened because I have tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰ How much more could have been done^[hp] if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder of their enemies that they had found! For now the loss among the Philistines is not great.” ³¹ They defeated the Philistines that day from Micmash to Aijalon, and the troops were very weary.

³² Then the troops took the plunder: they took sheep and cattle and calves^[hq] and slaughtered them on the ground and the troops ate them all with the blood. ³³ So they reported it to Saul, saying, “Look! The troops are sinning against Yahweh by eating the animals with the blood!” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously! Roll to me a large stone today!”^{[hr] 34} Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the troops and say to them, ‘Bring to me each one his ox and each his sheep and slaughter them in this place and eat, but do not sin against Yahweh by eating the animals with the blood.’” So all the troops brought them, each leading his ox in his hand that night, and slaughtered it there.

Jonathan Rescued from His Father Saul

³⁵ Then Saul built an altar to Yahweh; it was the first altar he built^[hs] to Yahweh. ³⁶ Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and let us plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave alive a man among them.” So they said, “Do all that is good in your eyes.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” ³⁷ So Saul inquired of God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him on that day. ³⁸ Then Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, so that we find out^[ht] what the sin was this day. ³⁹ For as Yahweh lives, who delivers Israel, I swear that even if it is in Jonathan my son, he will certainly die!”^[hu] But nobody from all the army answered him. ⁴⁰ Then he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side,^[hv] and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other.”^[hw] And the army said to Saul, “Do what is good in your eyes.” ⁴¹ Then Saul said to Yahweh the God of Israel, “Render a decision perfectly.”^[hx] Jonathan and Saul were chosen by lot and the people went out. ⁴² Then Saul said, “Let them cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was chosen. ⁴³ So Saul said, “Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him and said, “I merely tasted^[hy] a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die.” ⁴⁴ Then Saul said, “So may God do to me and more,^[hz] you will certainly die today, Jonathan!” ⁴⁵ But the army said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who accomplished this great victory in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, not a hair from his head will fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the army ransomed Jonathan and he did not die.

⁴⁶ Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their place. ⁴⁷ So Saul took the kingship over Israel, and he fought all around against his enemies, against Moab, against the Ammonites,^[ia] against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. He inflicted punishment against all who rebelled. ⁴⁸ He acted bravely and defeated the Amalekites and rescued Israel from the hand of those who plundered it.

⁴⁹ Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua; the names of his two daughters were as follows: the name of the firstborn was Merab and the younger was Michal. ⁵⁰ The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz, and the name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. ⁵¹ Now Kish was the father of Saul, but Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel.

⁵² Warfare was severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul. Whenever Saul saw anyone who was a mighty warrior^[ib] or any brave man,^[ic] he conscripted him into his service.^[id]

Israel Defeats the Amalekites

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel. So then, listen to the words^[ie] of Yahweh! ² Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘I have observed what Amalek did to Israel, how he opposed him^[if] when he went up from Egypt. ³ So then, go and attack Amalek and utterly destroy all that is his! You must not spare him, but kill both man and woman, both child and nursing infant, both ox and sheep, both camel and donkey.’”

⁴ Saul summoned the army and mustered them at Telaim; two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. ⁵ Then Saul came up to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the wadi.^{[ig] 6} Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, leave! Withdraw from among the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you with them. You have shown loyal love to all the Israelites^[ih] when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites left from among the Amalekites. ⁷ Then Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as one goes to Shur which is east of^[ii] Egypt. ⁸ He captured Agag the king of Amalek alive, but all the people he utterly destroyed with the edge^[ij] of the sword. ⁹ However, Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and the cattle and the second best of the young fatlings and all that was valuable;^[ik] they were not willing to utterly destroy them. But all the possessions that were despised or worthless, they utterly destroyed.

Samuel Announces the Downfall of Saul

¹⁰ Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying, ¹¹ “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not kept my word.” Samuel became angry,^[il] and he cried out to Yahweh all night. ¹² Then Samuel got up early in the morning to meet Saul. Samuel was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and look, he is setting up a monument for himself.” Then he turned around and crossed over and went down to Gilgal.

¹³ When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “May you be blessed by Yahweh! I have kept the word of Yahweh.” ¹⁴ But Samuel said, “Then what is this bleating of the sheep that I hear in my ears and the lowing of the cattle that I am hearing?” ¹⁵ Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; the troops spared the best of the sheep and the cattle in order to sacrifice them to Yahweh your God. But the rest we have utterly destroyed.” ¹⁶ Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop and let me tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.” So he said to him, “Speak.”

¹⁷ Samuel said, “Even though you are small in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh has anointed you as king over Israel. ¹⁸ When Yahweh sent you on your way, he said to you: ‘Go! You must utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and you must fight against them until you^[im] have destroyed them.’ ¹⁹ Why did you not listen to the voice of Yahweh and fall with shouting on the plunder? You have done evil in the sight of Yahweh!” ²⁰ Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have listened to the voice of Yahweh, and I have gone on the way that Yahweh sent me! I brought Agag the king of Amalek, and the Amalekites I have utterly destroyed. ²¹ The troops took from the plunder, sheep and cattle, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God at Gilgal.”

²² Then Samuel said,

²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned because I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh^[ip] and your words, for I feared the troops and I listened to their voice. ²⁵ So then, please pardon my sin and return with me so that I can worship^[iq] Yahweh.” ²⁶ But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and he has rejected you from being king over Israel!”

²⁷ As Samuel turned around to go, he^[ir] caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. ²⁸ Then Samuel said to him, “Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.^{[is] 29} Moreover, the Glory of Israel will not break faith and will not regret, for he is not a human that he should regret.” ³⁰ Then he^[it] said, “I have sinned! Now please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me so that I can worship^[iu] Yahweh your God.” ³¹ So Samuel returned after Saul, and Saul worshiped^[iv] Yahweh.

³² Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of Amalek out to me!” Agag came to him confidently,^[iw] for Agag thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is over.”^[ix]

³³ Samuel said,

Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces in the presence of Yahweh at Gilgal.

³⁴ Then Samuel went to Ramah and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. ³⁵ Samuel did not see Saul again^[iy] until the day of his death, but Samuel mourned over Saul, and Yahweh regretted that he made Saul king over Israel.