Old/New Testament
7 Then, the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took up the Ark of the LORD and brought it into the house of Abinadab, on the hill. And they sanctified Eleazar, his son, to keep the Ark of the LORD.
2 (For the Ark had stayed in Kirjath Jearim a long time, for 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 have come back to the LORD with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtoreth, and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him only; and He shall deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
4 Then, the children of Israel did put away Baal and Ashtoreth and served the LORD only.
5 And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you to the LORD.”
6 And they gathered together to Mizpah and 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 had gathered together in 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, “Do not cease crying to the LORD our God for us, so that He may save us out of the hand of the Philistines!”
9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it all together for a Burnt Offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried to 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 thundered with a great thunder upon the Philistines that day and scattered them. So they were killed before Israel.
11 And the men of Israel went from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them until they came under Beth Car.
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name, Ebenezer. And he said, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
13 So the Philistines were subdued. And they no longer came back into the territory of Israel. And the Hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life.
14 Also, the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron all the way to Gath. And Israel delivered the territories of the same 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 went about year after year to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah and judged Israel in all those places.
17 Afterward, he returned to Ramah, for his house was there. And there he judged Israel. Also, he built an Altar there to the LORD.
8 When Samuel had now become old, he made his sons judges over Israel,
2 judges in Beersheba. The name of his eldest son was Joel and the name of the second was Abijah.
3 And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after unjust gain, and took bribes, and perverted their judgment.
4 Therefore, all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel, to Ramah,
5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old. And your sons do not walk in your ways. Make us now 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 to the LORD.
7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Hear the voice of the people in all that they shall say to you. For they have not cast you away, but have cast Me away, so that I would not reign over them.
8 “As they have always done, since I brought them out of Egypt up until this day (forsaking Me and serving other gods), even so they do to you.
9 “Now, therefore, listen to their voice. However, still testify to them and show them the behavior of the king who shall reign over them.”
10 So, Samuel told all the Words of the LORD to the people who asked for a king from Him.
11 And he said, “This shall be the behavior of the king who 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 plow 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 a tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give it to his eunuchs and to his servants.
16 “And he will take your menservants and your maidservants and the chief of your young men and your donkeys and put them to work for him.
17 “He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you shall be his servants.
18 “And you shall cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the LORD will not hear you on that day.”
19 But the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, but said, “No, 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 repeated them in the Ears of the LORD.
22 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice; and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city!”
9 There was now a man of Benjamin, mighty in power, named Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man of Benjamin.
2 And he had a son called Saul, a fine young man and handsome, so that among the children of Israel there was none better than he. From the shoulders upward, he was higher than any of the people.
3 Now, the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Therefore, Kish said to Saul, his son, “Take now one of the servants with you and arise, go and seek the donkeys.
4 So, he passed through Mount Ephraim, and went through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they went through the land of Shaalim; and they were not there. He also went through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come and let us return, lest my father leaves the donkeys and becomes worried about us.”
6 And he said to him, “Behold, now, in this city is a man of God. And he is an honorable man. All that he says comes to pass. Let us now go there, if so be that he can show us what way we may go.”
7 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well then, let us go! But what shall we bring to the man? For the bread in our vessels is 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, “Behold, I have found a fourth of a shekel of silver lying around. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.”
9 (In the old time in Israel, when a man went to seek an answer from God, he said, “Come and let us go to the Seer.” For he who is now called a Prophet was in the old time called a Seer.)
10 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said! Come, let us go.” So they went into the city where the man of God was.
11 And as they were going up the highway to the city, they found maids who came out to draw water, and said to them, “Is there a Seer here?”
12 And they answered them, and said, “Yea, lo, he is before you. Hurry now, for he came this day to the city. For there is an Offering of the people this day in the high place.
13 “When you shall come into the city, you shall find him immediately, before he comes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he will bless the Sacrifice. And then those who are invited to the feast may eat. Now, therefore, go up. For you shall find him now.”
14 Then they went up into the city. And when they had come into the midst of the city, Samuel came out opposite them, to go up to the high place.
15 But the LORD had revealed to Samuel secretly (a day before Saul came) saying,
16 “Tomorrow, about this time, I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin. You shall anoint him to be Governor over My people, Israel, so that he may save My people out of the hands of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people and their cry has come to Me.”
17 Therefore, when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD answered him, “See, this is the man of whom I spoke to you. He shall rule My people.”
18 Then Saul went to Samuel in the midst of the gate, and said, “Tell me, please, where the Seer’s house is.”
19 And 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 “And as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And on whom is set all the desire of Israel? Is it not upon you, and on all your father’s House?”
21 But Saul answered, and said, “Am I not the son of Benjamin, of the smallest tribe of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why, then, do you speak so to me?”
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the chamber, and made them sit in the chief place among those who were invited (which was about thirty people).
23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring forth the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, “Keep it with you.”
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 remains, set apart for you! Eat! For up to now it has been kept for you, since I said, “I have called the people!” So, Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 And when they had come down from the high place into the city, he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house.
26 And when they arose early, about the dawn of the day, Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, “Up, so that I may send you away!” And Saul arose. And they went out, both he and Samuel.
27 And when they had come down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Bid the servant go before us,” (and he went) “But you stand still now, so that I may show you the Word of God.”
18 And it happened that as He was alone praying, His disciples were with Him. And He asked them, saying, “Whom do the people say that I am?”
19 They answered, and said, “John Baptist. And others say, Elijah. And some say that one of the old Prophets has risen again.”
20 And He said to them, “But Whom do you say that I am?” Peter answered, and said, “The Christ of God.”
21 And He warned and commanded them to tell that to no one,
22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, and by the chief priests and scribes, and be killed; and the third day rise again.”
23 And He said to them all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 “For whoever would save his life, shall lose it. And whoever shall lose his life, for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 "For what does it benefit a man if he wins the whole world and destroys himself, or loses himself?
26 “For whoever shall be ashamed of Me and My words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He shall come in His own Glory, and in the Glory of the Father, and of the holy angels.
27 “And I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste of death till they have seen the Kingdom of God.”
28 And it happened that about eight days after those words, He took Peter and John, and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
29 And as He prayed, the appearance of His face was changed. And His clothes became white and radiant.
30 And behold, two men talked with Him (who were Moses and Elijah),
31 They appeared in glory and told of His departure which he would accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep. And when they awoke, they saw His Glory, and the two men standing with him.
33 And it happened that as they departed from Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Therefore, let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said.
34 While he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them. And they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.
35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him.”
36 And after the voice spoke, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it secret and told no one in those days anything they had seen.
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