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...

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...

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 had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has the...

And it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his first born 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...

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’...

Saul reigned one year. And when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose himself 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...

Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the first born, 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...

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...

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...

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 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...

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 guard 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...