THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL

OTHERWISE CALLED THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-Zophim, of Mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. And he had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli — Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord — were there. And when the...

Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial, they knew not the Lord. And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the flesh was in boiling with a fork of three teeth in his hand, and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. All that the fork brought up, the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came there.

Also before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have boiled flesh of...

Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle and pitched beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines pitched in Aphek, 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.

And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has the Lord smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that when it comes among us it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. So the...

And it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after gain, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel, unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, you are old, and your sons walk not in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And...

Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us and we will serve you. And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel. And then if there be no man to save us, we will come out to you. Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the tidings in the...

Saul reigned one year. And when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel, whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in Mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in...

Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger, Michal. And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. And Kish was the father of Saul. And Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

And there was serious war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him unto him. Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent...

Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongs to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, and there was a valley between them.

And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And...

And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.

And the evil spirit which was not of the Lord was upon Saul as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand. And David played with his hand. And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night. Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house to watch him and to slay him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him,...

And Samuel died, and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

And there was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel. And the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife, Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance. But the man was churlish and evil in his doings, and he was of the house of Caleb.

And David...

And David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land as you go to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned and came to Achish.

And Achish said, Where have you made a raid today? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. And David saved neither man nor woman...

Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish. Then said the princes of the Philistines, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel? Who has been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him, since he fell unto me unto this day?

And the princes of the Philistines...