And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said "We are witnesses: the LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and Lea, which twain did build the house of Israel: that she may do virtuously in Ephrata, and be famous in Bethlehem,

and that thine house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, even of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman."

And the women said unto Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, the which hath not left thee without a heir this day that shall have a name in Israel,

and that shall bring thy life again and cherish thine old age. For thy daughter-in-law which loveth thee hath borne him that is better to thee than seven sons."

which had two wives, the one called Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

And for this lad I prayed, and the LORD hath given me my desire which I asked of him:

Wherefore kick ye against my sacrifice and against mine offering which I command in the tabernacle, and honourest thy children above me, and make yourselves fat of the first fruits of all the offerings of Israel my people?'

For I have told him that I will judge his house forever. For the wickedness which he knoweth, how his sons are ungracious, and he was not wroth therewith.

And the people sent to Shiloh, and fetched from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts which dwelleth between the Cherubims. And there were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas with the ark of the covenant of God.

insomuch that they which died not, were smitten with the hemorrhoids: so that the cry of the city went up to heaven.

Then said they, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall reward him with?" And they answered, "Five golden arses with hemorrhoids and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines. For it was one manner of plague that was on you all, and on your lords too.

Wherefore should ye harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? Which for all that, when he had played his pageants with them, were fain to let the people go and depart.

Then take the ark of the LORD and put it in the cart, and put the Jewels of gold - which ye reward him with for a trespass offering - in a forcer by the side thereof and send it away and let it go.

These are the golden arses with hemorrhoids which the Philistines gave to amends for a trespass offering to the LORD: for Ashdod one; for Gaza one; for Ashkelon one; for Gath one; and for Ekron one.

And the golden mice were according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines through the five lordships: both of walled towns and of towns unwalled, even unto the great stone whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua the Bethshemite.

Thereto, the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel came again to Israel, even from Ekron to Gath, with the coasts of the same, which Israel plucked out of the hands of the Philistines. For there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

The name of his eldest son was Joel, and the name of the second Abiah, which were judges in Beersheba.

And when ye cry out at that time upon your king which ye shall have chosen you, the LORD will not hear you at that day."

And Samuel took Saul and his lad and brought them into the parlour and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden: which were upon a thirty persons.

Then said Samuel unto the cook, "Bring forth the portion which I gave thee, and of which I said, 'Keep it with thee.'"

And the cook took up the shoulder and brought it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, "Behold, that which is left: put it before thee and eat, for I kept it for thee of purpose, when I called the people." And so Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

And now when thou art departed from me, thou shalt meet two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the borders of Benjamin, even at Zelzah. And they will say unto thee, "The asses which thou wentest to seek, are found; see, thy father hath left the care of the asses and sorroweth for you, saying, 'What shall I do for my son?'"

And they will salute thee and give thee two loaves of bread: which thou shalt receive of their hands.

Then said Samuel unto the people, "It is the LORD that made Moses and Aaron, and which brought your fathers out of Egypt.

Now therefore stand still, and let me reason with you before the LORD, of all the righteousnesses of the LORD which he showed both you and your fathers.

After that Jacob was come into Egypt, your fathers cried unto the LORD, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron: which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

Neverthelater, they forgot the LORD their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisera chief captain of Jabin king of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the king of Moab, which fought against them.

Now also stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes:

Is it not now wheat harvest? And yet for all that, I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain. Wherefore, perceive and understand how that your wickedness is great which ye have done in the sight of the LORD in asking you a king."

Neither turn ye after vain things which can not deliver you, for they are but vanities.

Then said Samuel to Saul, "Thou hast done foolishly and hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God which he commanded thee. For at this time would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever.

But now thy kingdom shall not continue. The LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and hath commanded him to be a captain over his people: because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee."

And in the way over by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the garrison of the Philistines, were there two sharp rocks, even one on the one side, and the other one the other side: the one called Bozez, and the other Seneh.

And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his harness bearer made was upon a twenty men, within the compass as it were about a half acre of land.

Moreover, the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, and were come with them in all parts of the host, joined themselves unto Israel which were with Saul and Jonathan.

And they also which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, as soon as they heard how that the Philistines were fled, they followed after them in battle.

How then, if all the people had eaten of the spoil of their enemies which they found, had there not been then a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?"

for as truly as the LORD liveth, which hath saved Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall die for it." But no man answered him of all the people.

But the people said unto Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, which hath so mightily helped Israel? God forbid. As truly as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground: for he hath wrought with God this day." And so the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not.

Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: 'I have called to remembrance that which Amalek did to Israel; how they lay in wait for them in the way, as they came out of Egypt.

And Samuel answered, "What meaneth then the bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the noise of the oxen which I hear?"

And Saul said unto Samuel, "I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and went the way which the LORD sent me; and have brought Agag the king of the Amalekites, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

And the people took of the spoil, sheep, oxen, and the chiefest of the things which should have been destroyed, to offer unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal."

Whereupon Saul sent messengers unto Jesse and said, "Send me David thy son which is with the sheep."

And this David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, named Jesse; which Jesse had eight sons, and was an old man in the days of Saul among the people.

And as he talked with them, behold, there stood a man in the midst: Goliath the Philistine by name, of Gath, which came out of the array of the Philistines, and spake of the manner above rehearsed, that David heard it.

And they that heard the words which David spake, rehearsed them before Saul, which caused him to be fetched.

and took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of a brook and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, and in a poke; and took a sling in his hand, and went to the Philistine.

And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers yet again the third time which prophesied also.

And of this which thou and I have spoke, behold the LORD is witness between thee and me forever."

But on the morrow which was the second day of the moon, when David's place appeared empty, Saul said unto Jonathan his son, "Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday nor today?"

And he said unto the boy, "Run and find out mine arrows which I shoot." And as the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which had the oversight of the servants of Saul, and said, "I saw the son of Jesse, when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub,

which asked counsel of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and the sword of Goliath the Philistine also."

And David said unto Abiathar, "I wist it the same day, that Doeg the Edomite which was there would tell it Saul. And I am cause of the death of all the souls of thy father's house.

Then David and his men, which were upon a six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went whither chance drave them. And when it was told Saul, that David was fled from Keilah, he let the journey alone.

And the men of David said unto him, "See, the day is come of which the LORD said unto thee, 'Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, and thou shalt do with him what it pleaseth thee.'" Then David arose and cut off the tip of Saul's coat privily.

Should I take my bread, my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men which I know not whence they be?"

Let not my lord regard this unthrifty man Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him. But I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord which thou sendest.

And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought, let it be given unto the young men that follow my lord.

Then said David to Abigail, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me.

And blessed be thy behaviour, and blessed be thou which hath kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

For in very deed - as sure as the LORD God of Israel liveth which hath kept me back from hurting thee - except thou hadst hasted and met me, there had not been left Nabal, by the dawning of the day, a pisser against the wall."

And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah which lieth before the wilderness, by the wayside. But David dwelt in the wilderness. And when he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness,

Then Achish gave him Ziklag the same day; for which cause Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

And David and his men went and ran upon the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites: which nations were from the beginning the inhabiters of the land, as men go to Shur, and so forth to Egypt.

And the woman came unto Saul and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, "See, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice and have put my soul in thy hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou saidst unto me.

Then said the lords of the Philistines, "What are yonder Hebrews?" And Achish said unto the lords of the Philistines, "Is not this David the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me days or years? And I have found no fault in him since he fled unto me unto this day."

Nevertheless the lords of the Philistines were wroth with him and said unto him, "Make this fellow return, and let him go again to his place which thou hast appointed him. For he shall not go with us to do battle, lest he be an adversary to us in the battle. For wherewith could he better obtain the favour of his master, than upon the heads of our men?

And David laid upon them from the twilight until the evening on the morrow: so that there escaped not a man, save four hundred young men which rode away upon camels and fled.

And then David came to the two hundred men that were too weary for to follow David which they made to abide at the river Besor. And they came to meet David and the people that were with him. And when David came to the people, he saluted them.

Then answered all the wicked and the unthrifty of the men that went with David, and said, "Because they went not with us, therefore shall none of the prey that we have recovered be given unto them, save to every man his wife and his children: which let them carry away and be walking."

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, which clothed you in purple and garments of pleasure, and bordered your raiment with ornaments of gold.

And the time which David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Then there arose and went over: twelve of Benjamin by number, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul; and twelve of the servants of David.

And they caught each his fellow that came against him, by the head and thrust his sword in his side, and so fell down all at once. Wherefore the place was called Helkathhazzurim which is in Gibeon.

And there was three sons of Zeruiah there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel - which Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild roe -

And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son saying, "Deliver me my wife Michal which I married with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

And when Joab was come out from the king, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah - unwitting to David.

And the people wist it, and it pleased them, as well as all other good things which the king did in the sight of the people.

And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David, to Hebron and said to the king, "Behold there the head of Ishbosheth Saul's son, thine enemy, which sought thy soul. But the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed."

And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, "As surely as the LORD liveth, which hath delivered my soul out of all adversities:

Nevertheless David took the hold of Zion, which is in the city of David.

and arose and went, with all the folk that were with him of the men of Judah, to fetch away the Ark of God: upon which is called the name of the LORD of Hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

Then David returned to salute his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out against him, and said, "Oh how glorious was the king of Israel today, which stripped himself today before the eyes of the maidens of his servants, as a light-brained fellow is wont to strip himself."

But David said again to Michal, "I thought to dance before the LORD - which chose me, rather thy father and all his kin, and commanded me to be ruler over all the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

And therefore will I play before the LORD, and will yet be more vile than so, and I will be meek in mine own sight: and of the very same maidservants which thou hast spoken of, shall I be had in honour."

In any way where I went among the children of Israel, spake I one word with any of the tribes of Israel which I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying: why build ye not me a house of cedar trees?'

And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou laid to rest with thy fathers, then I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy body, and will establish his kingdom.

And what one people in the earth is like thy people Israel? Which God went and delivered to be his people, and to make him a name, and to show them great and terrible things in the earth, before thy people which thou redeemest to thee out of Egypt, even from the people and from their gods.

he sent Joram his son unto king David to salute him with peace and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and beaten him - for Toi kept war with Hadadezer - which son brought vessels of silver, gold and of brass with him.

And them also King David did dedicate unto the LORD with the silver and gold that he consecrated of all nations which he subdued:

And there was, of the household of Saul, a servant named Ziba which was called unto David. And the king said unto him, "Art thou Ziba?" And he said, "Thy servant is the man."

Then said the king, "Remaineth there yet any man of the kindred of Saul, whom I may show the mercy of God upon?" And Ziba said unto the king, "Jonathan hath yet a son which is lame on both feet."

And the rest of the people he delivered in the hand of Abishai his brother, which put them in array against the children of Ammon.

And forthwith Joab proceeded, and the people that was with him, into battle against the Syrians: which fled before him.

But the poor had nothing, save one little lamb which he bought and nourished up. And it grew up with him and his children, and did eat of his own meat and drank of his own cup, and slept in his bosom, and was as dear unto him as his daughter.

Thus sayeth the LORD, 'Behold, I will stir up evil against thee even of thine own house and will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, which shall sleep with them in the sight of the sun.

And he took the king's crown from off his head, which weighed a hundred weight of gold, and was set with precious stones. And David wore it on his head. And he brought out the spoil of the city in exceeding great abundance.

But Amnon had a companion called Jonadab, the son of Shimeah the brother of David: which Jonadab was a very wise man.