Samuel in the Bible

Meaning: heard of God; asked of God

Exact Match

and for the tribe of the children of Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammihud;

Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

Verse ConceptsAskingChildbirthPrayerfulnessConceptionPeople With Apt NamesMiraculous BirthsWaiting For God's TimingReproduction, After Kind

Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a leather bottle of wine [to pour over the burnt offering for a sweet fragrance], and she brought Samuel to the Lord’s house in Shiloh, although the child was young.

Verse ConceptsInfantsBottle, UsesWineWineskinChildren, Should Be TreatedLimitations Of YouthQuantities Of WineAnimals At Specific AgesEphah [Ten Omers]The House Of God At Shiloh

And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.

Verse ConceptsGrace, In OtGrowing UpThree ChildrenConceptionGod Visiting

And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

Verse ConceptsCalling, Of IndividualsLying Down To RestBehold Me!Others Summoning

And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

Verse ConceptsSensitivityCommunicating Three TimesBehold Me!Others SummoningGod's Call

Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Verse ConceptsLying Down To RestPaying Attention To God

And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

Verse ConceptsGroups TremblingTwo Of Body Parts

And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

Verse ConceptsAfflicted Saints, Examples OfAfflicted SaintsResignationTelling Of God

And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.

Verse ConceptsNamed Prophets Of The Lord

And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

Verse ConceptsAppearances Of God In OtGod Appearing

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.

Verse ConceptsConfrontationFighting Enemies

And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

Verse ConceptsConversion, nature ofCommitment, to Goddouble mindednessReformationSyncretismDivided HeartsUnquestioning ServiceReturning To GodWhole HeartednessIndividuals Saving OthersPutting Away Other GodsServing Asherah

And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

Verse ConceptsFasting, Practice OfAssemblyRepentance, Examples OfShrinesFasting, Accompanied ByReligious AwakeningsDrawing WaterPouring WaterJudging IsraelWe Have Sinned

On that day they fasted there and said, "We have sinned against the LORD." Then Samuel judged the Israelis at Mizpah. When the Philistines heard that the Israelis had gathered at Mizpah, the Philistine lords came up against Israel. When the Israelis heard this, they were afraid of the Philistines.

Verse ConceptsAttackingFear Of Enemies

And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

Verse ConceptsRescueUnceasingAlways PrayingIndividuals Saving OthersPray For Us

And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

Verse ConceptsBurnt offeringLambsPrayer, Answers ToCrying To GodYoung AnimalGod AnsweredPray For Us

And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

Verse ConceptsConfusion, Examples OfdefeatThunderAnger Of God, Examples OfGod OvercomingThunder Expressing God's Judgment

Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

Verse ConceptsCeremoniesStonesMonumentsGod Helpshelphelping

So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

Verse ConceptsGod Opposing

The LORD continued to oppose the Philistines all during Samuel's life time. The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel were returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from Philistine control. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.

Verse ConceptsAmoritesCities In IsraelRestoring ThingsTime Of Peace

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

Verse ConceptsThe Elders Gathered

And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Verse ConceptsAttitudes Of RejectionGovernmentKnowing God, Effects OfRejection Of GodTheocracyRebellion Against God, Shown InPay Attention To People!RejectionListening To God

And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

Verse ConceptsTheocracySelf Will

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

Verse ConceptsGod Hearing

And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

Verse ConceptsPay Attention To People!

And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.

Verse ConceptsCivil authoritiesChoices

Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.

Verse ConceptsWhere Are Things?

And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

Verse ConceptsMorningThis Is Me

And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.

Verse ConceptsThirtyGreat Individuals

And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.

And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

Verse ConceptsHousetopsRooftop

And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.

Verse ConceptsRising EarlyRooftopThose Who Rose EarlyGet Up!

And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.

Verse ConceptsStillnessPeople Going Before

And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

Verse ConceptsHeart, Fallen And RedeemedChanged HeartPeople TransformedMan's Words Fulfilledsaul

And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.

Verse ConceptsSeeking For Concrete ThingsWhere To?

And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

Verse ConceptsFinding ThingsThose Who Did Not Tell

And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

Verse ConceptsVoicesGroups ShoutingUnique Individuals

Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

Verse ConceptsExplanationsBooksBook of the Law

And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.

Verse ConceptsGesturesHeraldKnivesAnimals Cut In PiecesUnified PeopleTerror Of God

And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

Verse ConceptsApproval To Killsaul

Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

Verse ConceptsRenewal

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.

Verse ConceptsMaking Kings

Samuel said to them, “The Lord is a witness against you, and [Saul] His anointed is a witness this day that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they answered, “He is a witness.”

Verse ConceptsAppealing To GodThe Witness Of God

And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

Verse ConceptsAaron, As High PriestPast, TheGod Appointing OthersGod Bringing Israel Out Of Egypt

And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

Verse Conceptsenemies, of Israel and Judahenemies, of believersGod Saving From Enemies

And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

Verse ConceptsCalling upon GodConfession, Examples OfAskingNot DyingAdding EvilDeath PreventedPray For Us

And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;

Verse ConceptsHeart, And Holy SpiritWhole HeartednessServingServing Godreassurance

And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

Verse ConceptsWeeksSeven DaysPeople WaitingScattering FollowersWaiting For God's Timing

And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

Verse ConceptsGreetingsSpoken Greetings

And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;

Verse ConceptsWhat Do You Do?Scattering Followers

And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

Verse ConceptsFools, Characteristics OfFolly, Examples Ofevil, believers' responses toStabilityThey Do Not Keep Commandssaul

And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.

Verse ConceptsCensusSix To Seven HundredSix Hundred And Above

Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.

Verse ConceptsAnointing Kings

And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

Verse ConceptsRising Early, Examples OfRising EarlyThose Who Rose Early

And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.

Verse ConceptsLying, Examples OfSalutationsI Keep The Commandmentssaul

And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

Verse ConceptsHearing Things

Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

Verse ConceptsTelling Of God

And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

Verse ConceptsHeadshipKingsSmallnessTimidityAnointing KingsI Am Unimportant

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

Verse ConceptsAnnihilationExterminationWe Obey

And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

Verse ConceptsConviction, Not Leading To RepentancePublic OpinionConfessionFear Of ManFearing Other PeopleWe Have Sinned

And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.

Verse ConceptsConsequences Of Forsaking GodNot With PeopleDeposingRejection

And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

Verse ConceptsClothing

And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

Verse ConceptsPredictionssaul

Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.

Verse ConceptsOptimismNot DyingDeath AvertedBitterness

And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

Verse ConceptsDeath penaltySwordsPeople Cut In PiecesReasons For BarrennessKilling Kings

Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Verse ConceptsNot Seeing PeopleMourning In RegretRegrettingsaul

And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

Verse ConceptsCivil authoritiesHornsLeaders, PoliticalMissionaries, Task OfRejection Of God, Results OfHorns Of AnimalsAnointing KingsGod Abandoning IndividualsBefore People ActMourning In RegretSaul And DavidRejectionLeadership Qualitiesgrievingsaul

And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

Verse Conceptsdoubters

And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

Verse ConceptsTownTremblingFear Of Individuals

He said, "Peace, I've come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." Samuel consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

Verse ConceptsHoliness, As Set Apart For God

Thematic Bible



And his base was at Ramah, where his house was; there he was judge of Israel and there he made an altar to the Lord.


And the sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth.

The son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,


The voice of the Lord said Samuel's name; and he said, Here am I. And running to Eli he said, Here am I, for you said my name. And Eli said, I did not say your name; go to your rest again. So he went back to his bed. And again the Lord said, Samuel. And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. But he said in answer, I said nothing, my son; go to your rest again. read more.
Now at that time Samuel had no knowledge of the Lord, and the revelation of the word of the Lord had not come to him. And for the third time the Lord said Samuel's name. And he got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. Then it was clear to Eli that the voice which had said the child's name was the Lord's. So Eli said to Samuel, Go back: and if the voice comes again, let your answer be, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open. So Samuel went back to his bed. Then the Lord came and said as before, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel made answer, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open.


And the young Samuel, becoming older, had the approval of the Lord and of men.

Then the Lord came and said as before, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel made answer, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open.


And the young Samuel, becoming older, had the approval of the Lord and of men.


And his sons did not go in his ways, but moved by the love of money took rewards, and were not upright in judging.


Then when she had done so, she took him with her, with a three-year old ox and an ephah of meal and a skin full of wine, and took him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh: now the child was still very young. And when they had made an offering of the ox, they took the child to Eli. And she said, O my lord, as your soul is living, my lord, I am that woman who was making a prayer to the Lord here by your side: read more.
My prayer was for this child; and the Lord has given him to me in answer to my request: So I have given him to the Lord; for all his life he is the Lord's. Then he gave the Lord worship there.


But Samuel did the work of the Lord's house, while he was a child, dressed in a linen ephod.


It is no longer my pleasure for Saul to be king; for he is turned back from going in my ways, and has not done my orders. And Samuel was very sad, crying to the Lord in prayer all night.

In the evening and in the morning and in the middle of the day I will make my prayer with sounds of grief; and my voice will come to his ears.

In the middle of the night I will get up to give you praise, because of all your right decisions.


And early in the morning he got up and went to Saul; and word was given to Samuel that Saul had come to Carmel and put up a pillar, and had gone from there down to Gilgal.


And his sons did not go in his ways, but moved by the love of money took rewards, and were not upright in judging.


And he said, What did the Lord say to you? Do not keep it from me: may God's punishment be on you if you keep from me anything he said to you.


And Samuel was judge of Israel all the days of his life.


And Samuel was judge of Israel all the days of his life.


So they came together to Mizpah, and got water, draining it out before the Lord, and they took no food that day, and they said, We have done evil against the Lord. And Samuel was judge of the children of Israel in Mizpah.

And Samuel was judge of Israel all the days of his life. From year to year he went in turn to Beth-el and Gilgal and Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. And his base was at Ramah, where his house was; there he was judge of Israel and there he made an altar to the Lord.


And they said, You have never been untrue to us or cruel to us; you have taken nothing from any man.


And it was clear to all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba that Samuel had been made a prophet of the Lord.


From the goods taken in war, they gave, as a holy offering, materials for the building of the house of the Lord. And everything Samuel the prophet and Saul, the son of Kish, and Abner, the son of Ner, and Joab, the son of Zeruiah, had made holy; whatever anyone had given, it was under the care of Shelomoth and his brothers.


Here I am: give witness against me before the Lord and before the man on whom he has put the holy oil: whose ox or ass have I taken? to whom have I been untrue? who has been crushed down by me? from whose hand have I taken a price for the blinding of my eyes? I will give it all back to you. And they said, You have never been untrue to us or cruel to us; you have taken nothing from any man.


So Samuel made prayer to the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people were in fear of the Lord and of Samuel.


And she made an oath, and said, O Lord of armies, if you will truly take note of the sorrow of your servant, not turning away from me but keeping me in mind, and will give me a man-child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.


And his sons did not go in his ways, but moved by the love of money took rewards, and were not upright in judging.


And Samuel took a young lamb, offering all of it as a burned offering to the Lord; and Samuel made prayers to the Lord for Israel and the Lord gave him an answer. And while Samuel was offering the burned offering, the Philistines came near for the attack on Israel; but at the thunder of the Lord's voice that day the Philistines were overcome with fear, and they gave way before Israel.


It is no longer my pleasure for Saul to be king; for he is turned back from going in my ways, and has not done my orders. And Samuel was very sad, crying to the Lord in prayer all night.


And Samuel took a young lamb, offering all of it as a burned offering to the Lord; and Samuel made prayers to the Lord for Israel and the Lord gave him an answer.


Then Samuel said, Let all Israel come to Mizpah and I will make prayer to the Lord for you.


And it was clear to all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba that Samuel had been made a prophet of the Lord.


And it was clear to all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba that Samuel had been made a prophet of the Lord.



And it was clear to all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba that Samuel had been made a prophet of the Lord.


It is no longer my pleasure for Saul to be king; for he is turned back from going in my ways, and has not done my orders. And Samuel was very sad, crying to the Lord in prayer all night.

And the Lord said to Samuel, How long will you go on sorrowing for Saul, seeing that I have put him from his place as king over Israel? Take oil in your vessel and go; I will send you to Jesse, the Beth-lehemite: for I have got a king for myself among his sons.

And Samuel never saw Saul again till the day of his death; but Samuel was sorrowing for Saul: and it was no longer the Lord's pleasure for Saul to be king over Israel.

And as for me, never will I go against the orders of the Lord by giving up my prayers for you: but I will go on teaching you the good and right way.


And Samuel said, As your sword has made women without children, so now your mother will be without children among women. And Agag was cut up by Samuel, bone from bone, before the Lord in Gilgal.


And Samuel said to Saul, You have done a foolish thing: you have not kept the rules which the Lord your God gave you; it was the purpose of the Lord to make your authority over Israel safe for ever.


So the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the Lord to the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, and they made his son Eleazar holy and put the ark in his care. And the ark was in Kiriath-jearim for a long time, as much as twenty years: and all Israel was searching after the Lord with weeping. Then Samuel said to all Israel, If with all your hearts you would come back to the Lord, then put away all the strange gods and the Astartes from among you, and let your hearts be turned to the Lord, and be servants to him only: and he will make you safe from the hands of the Philistines. read more.
So the children of Israel gave up the worship of Baal and Astarte, and became worshippers of the Lord only. Then Samuel said, Let all Israel come to Mizpah and I will make prayer to the Lord for you. So they came together to Mizpah, and got water, draining it out before the Lord, and they took no food that day, and they said, We have done evil against the Lord. And Samuel was judge of the children of Israel in Mizpah.


And early in the morning he got up and went to Saul; and word was given to Samuel that Saul had come to Carmel and put up a pillar, and had gone from there down to Gilgal.


Here I am: give witness against me before the Lord and before the man on whom he has put the holy oil: whose ox or ass have I taken? to whom have I been untrue? who has been crushed down by me? from whose hand have I taken a price for the blinding of my eyes? I will give it all back to you. And they said, You have never been untrue to us or cruel to us; you have taken nothing from any man.


Is it not now the time of the grain cutting? My cry will go up to the Lord and he will send thunder and rain: so that you may see and be conscious of your great sin which you have done in the eyes of the Lord in desiring a king for yourselves.

It is no longer my pleasure for Saul to be king; for he is turned back from going in my ways, and has not done my orders. And Samuel was very sad, crying to the Lord in prayer all night.

Then Samuel said, Let all Israel come to Mizpah and I will make prayer to the Lord for you. So they came together to Mizpah, and got water, draining it out before the Lord, and they took no food that day, and they said, We have done evil against the Lord. And Samuel was judge of the children of Israel in Mizpah. Now when the Philistines had news that the children of Israel had come together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And the children of Israel, hearing of it, were full of fear. read more.
And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Go on crying to the Lord our God for us to make us safe from the hands of the Philistines.

But Samuel was not pleased when they said to him, Give us a king to be our judge. And Samuel made prayer to the Lord.


And Samuel became older, and the Lord was with him and let not one of his words be without effect.

And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to their voice and make a king for them. Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let every man go back to his town.

And the Lord was seen again in Shiloh; for the Lord gave to Samuel in Shiloh the revelation of his word.


Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who gave honour to his name; they made prayers to the Lord, and he gave answers to them.

What more am I to say? For there would not be time to give the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets:

Then the Lord said to me, Even if Moses and Samuel came before me, I would have no desire for this people: send them away from before me, and let them go.

And Samuel said to all Israel, You see that I have given ear to everything you said to me, and have made a king over you. And now, see, the king is before you: and I am old and grey-headed, and my sons are with you: I have been living before your eyes from my early days till now. Here I am: give witness against me before the Lord and before the man on whom he has put the holy oil: whose ox or ass have I taken? to whom have I been untrue? who has been crushed down by me? from whose hand have I taken a price for the blinding of my eyes? I will give it all back to you. read more.
And they said, You have never been untrue to us or cruel to us; you have taken nothing from any man. Then he said, The Lord is witness against you, and the man on whom he has put the holy oil is witness this day that you have seen no wrong in me. And they said, He is witness.


And Samuel said to Saul, You have done a foolish thing: you have not kept the rules which the Lord your God gave you; it was the purpose of the Lord to make your authority over Israel safe for ever.

Then Samuel said to Saul, Say no more! Let me give you word of what the Lord has said to me this night. And he said to him, Say on. And Samuel said, Though you may seem little to yourself, are you not head of the tribes of Israel? for the Lord with the holy oil made you king over Israel, And the Lord sent you on a journey and said, Go and put to the curse those sinners, the Amalekites, fighting against them till every one is dead. read more.
Why then did you not do the orders of the Lord, but by violently taking their goods did evil in the eyes of the Lord? And Saul said, Truly, I have done the orders of the Lord and have gone the way the Lord sent me; I have taken Agag, the king of Amalek, and have given the Amalekites up to destruction. But the people took some of their goods, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which were put to the curse, to make an offering of them to the Lord your God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in offerings and burned offerings as in the doing of his orders? Truly, to do his pleasure is better than to make offerings, and to give ear to him than the fat of sheep. For to go against his orders is like the sin of those who make use of secret arts, and pride is like giving worship to images. Because you have put away from you the word of the Lord, he has put you from your place as king. And Saul said to Samuel, Great is my sin: for I have gone against the orders of the Lord and against your words: because, fearing the people, I did what they said. So now, let my sin have forgiveness, and go back with me to give worship to the Lord. And Samuel said to Saul, I will not go back with you: for you have put away from you the word of the Lord, and the Lord has put you from your place as king over Israel. And when Samuel was turning round to go away, Saul took the skirt of his robe in his hand, and the cloth came away. And Samuel said to him, The Lord has taken away the kingdom of Israel from you this day by force, and has given it to a neighbour of yours who is better than you. And further, the Glory of Israel will not say what is false, and his purpose may not be changed: for he is not a man, whose purpose may be changed.


There were two hundred and twelve whose business it was to keep the doorway. These were listed by families in the country places where they were living, whom David and Samuel the seer put in their responsible positions.

No Passover like it had been kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; and not one of the kings of Israel had ever kept a Passover like the one kept by Josiah and the priests and the Levites and all those of Judah and Israel who were present, and the people of Jerusalem.

And everything Samuel the prophet and Saul, the son of Kish, and Abner, the son of Ner, and Joab, the son of Zeruiah, had made holy; whatever anyone had given, it was under the care of Shelomoth and his brothers.


And she made an oath, and said, O Lord of armies, if you will truly take note of the sorrow of your servant, not turning away from me but keeping me in mind, and will give me a man-child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.

But Hannah did not go, for she said to her husband, I will not go till the child has been taken from the breast, and then I will take him with me and put him before the Lord, where he may be for ever.

Then when she had done so, she took him with her, with a three-year old ox and an ephah of meal and a skin full of wine, and took him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh: now the child was still very young. And when they had made an offering of the ox, they took the child to Eli. And she said, O my lord, as your soul is living, my lord, I am that woman who was making a prayer to the Lord here by your side: read more.
My prayer was for this child; and the Lord has given him to me in answer to my request: So I have given him to the Lord; for all his life he is the Lord's. Then he gave the Lord worship there.


Then when she had done so, she took him with her, with a three-year old ox and an ephah of meal and a skin full of wine, and took him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh: now the child was still very young. And when they had made an offering of the ox, they took the child to Eli. And she said, O my lord, as your soul is living, my lord, I am that woman who was making a prayer to the Lord here by your side: read more.
My prayer was for this child; and the Lord has given him to me in answer to my request: So I have given him to the Lord; for all his life he is the Lord's. Then he gave the Lord worship there.


And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were going away from me, and you had not come at the time which had been fixed, and the Philistines had come together at Michmash; I said, Now the Philistines will come down on me at Gilgal, and I have made no prayer for help to the Lord: and so, forcing myself to do it, I made a burned offering. And Samuel said to Saul, You have done a foolish thing: you have not kept the rules which the Lord your God gave you; it was the purpose of the Lord to make your authority over Israel safe for ever. read more.
But now, your authority will not go on: the Lord, searching for a man who is pleasing to him in every way, has given him the place of ruler over his people, because you have not done what the Lord gave you orders to do. Then Samuel went up from Gilgal and the rest of the people went up after Saul against the men of war, and they came from Gilgal to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin: and Saul took the number of the people who were with him, about six hundred men.


And it was clear to all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba that Samuel had been made a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord was seen again in Shiloh; for the Lord gave to Samuel in Shiloh the revelation of his word.

Now at that time the Philistines came together to make war against Israel, and the men of Israel went out to war against the Philistines and took up their position at the side of Eben-ezer: and the Philistines put their forces in position in Aphek.


Now the young Samuel was the servant of the Lord before Eli. In those days the Lord kept his word secret from men; there was no open vision. And at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see,) And the light of God was still burning, while Samuel was sleeping in the Temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, read more.
The voice of the Lord said Samuel's name; and he said, Here am I. And running to Eli he said, Here am I, for you said my name. And Eli said, I did not say your name; go to your rest again. So he went back to his bed. And again the Lord said, Samuel. And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. But he said in answer, I said nothing, my son; go to your rest again. Now at that time Samuel had no knowledge of the Lord, and the revelation of the word of the Lord had not come to him. And for the third time the Lord said Samuel's name. And he got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. Then it was clear to Eli that the voice which had said the child's name was the Lord's. So Eli said to Samuel, Go back: and if the voice comes again, let your answer be, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open. So Samuel went back to his bed. Then the Lord came and said as before, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel made answer, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open. And the Lord said to Samuel, See, I will do a thing in Israel at which the ears of everyone hearing of it will be burning. In that day I will do to Eli everything which I have said about his family, from first to last. And you are to say to him that I will send punishment on his family for ever, for the sin which he had knowledge of; because his sons have been cursing God and he had no control over them. So I have made an oath to the family of Eli that no offering of meat or of meal which they may make will ever take away the sin of his family. And Samuel kept where he was, not moving till the time came for opening the doors of the house of God in the morning. And fear kept him from giving Eli an account of his vision. Then Eli said, Samuel, my son. And Samuel answering said, Here am I. And he said, What did the Lord say to you? Do not keep it from me: may God's punishment be on you if you keep from me anything he said to you. Then Samuel gave him an account of everything, keeping nothing back. And he said, It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.


Lifting the poor out of the dust, and him who is in need out of the lowest place, to give them their place among rulers, and for their heritage the seat of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's and he has made them the base of the world. He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the evil-doers will come to their end in the dark night, for by strength no man will overcome. Those who make war against the Lord will be broken; against them he will send his thunder from heaven: the Lord will be judge of the ends of the earth, he will give strength to his king, lifting up the horn of him on whom the holy oil has been put. read more.
Then Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child became the servant of the Lord under the direction of Eli the priest. Now the sons of Eli were evil and good-for-nothing men, having no knowledge of the Lord. And the priests' way with the people was this: when any man made an offering, the priest's servant came while the flesh was being cooked, having in his hand a meat-hook with three teeth; This he put into the pot, and everything which came up on the hook the priest took for himself. This they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. And more than this, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was making the offering, Give me some of the flesh to be cooked for the priest; he has no taste for meat cooked in water, but would have you give it uncooked. And if the man said to him, First let the fat be burned, then take as much as you will; then the servant would say, No, you are to give it to me now, or I will take it by force. And the sin of these young men was very great before the Lord; for they gave no honour to the Lord's offerings. But Samuel did the work of the Lord's house, while he was a child, dressed in a linen ephod. And his mother made him a little robe and took it to him every year when she came with her husband for the year's offering. And every year Eli gave Elkanah and his wife a blessing, saying, May the Lord give you offspring by this woman in exchange for the child you have given to the Lord. And they went back to their house. And the Lord had mercy on Hannah and she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the young Samuel became older before the Lord.


Here I am: give witness against me before the Lord and before the man on whom he has put the holy oil: whose ox or ass have I taken? to whom have I been untrue? who has been crushed down by me? from whose hand have I taken a price for the blinding of my eyes? I will give it all back to you. And they said, You have never been untrue to us or cruel to us; you have taken nothing from any man.


Then Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child became the servant of the Lord under the direction of Eli the priest.

But Samuel did the work of the Lord's house, while he was a child, dressed in a linen ephod. And his mother made him a little robe and took it to him every year when she came with her husband for the year's offering.


And Samuel became older, and the Lord was with him and let not one of his words be without effect.

And the Lord had mercy on Hannah and she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the young Samuel became older before the Lord.


And the young Samuel, becoming older, had the approval of the Lord and of men.


From year to year he went in turn to Beth-el and Gilgal and Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.


And the people said to Samuel, Who was it who said, Is Saul to be our king? give the men up, so that we may put them to death. And Saul said, Not a man is to be put to death today: for today the Lord has made Israel safe. Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and there make the kingdom strong in the hands of Saul. read more.
So all the people went to Gilgal; and there in Gilgal they made Saul king before the Lord; and peace-offerings were offered before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel were glad with great joy.


Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel, after weeping for him, had put his body in its last resting-place in Ramah, his town. And Saul had put away from the land all those who had control of spirits and who made use of secret arts. And the Philistines came together and put their forces in position in Shunem; and Saul got all Israel together and they took up their positions in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the Philistine army he was troubled, and his heart was moved with fear. read more.
And when Saul went for directions to the Lord, the Lord gave him no answer, by a dream or by the Urim or by the prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, Get me a woman who has control of a spirit so that I may go to her and get directions. And his servants said to him, There is such a woman at En-dor. So Saul, putting on other clothing, so that he might not be seen to be the king, took two men with him and went to the woman by night; and he said, Now, with the help of the spirit which you have, make the person whose name I will give you come up. And the woman said to him, But you have knowledge of what Saul has done, how he has put away out of the land those who have control of spirits and the users of secret arts: why would you, by a trick, put me in danger of death? And Saul made an oath to her by the Lord, saying, By the living Lord, no punishment will come to you for this. Then the woman said, Who am I to let you see? And he said, Make Samuel come up for me. And the woman saw that it was Saul, and she gave a loud cry, and said to Saul, Why have you made use of deceit? for you are Saul. And the king said to her, Have no fear: what do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, It is an old man coming up covered with a robe. And Saul saw that it was Samuel, and with his face bent down to the earth he gave him honour. And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you made me come up, troubling my rest? And Saul in answer said, I am in great danger; for the Philistines are making war on me, and God has gone away from me and will no longer give me any answer, by the prophets or by dreams: so I have sent for you to make clear to me what I am to do. And Samuel said, Why do you put your questions to me, seeing that God has gone away from you and is on the side of him who is against you? And the Lord himself has done what I said: the Lord has taken the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbour David; Because you did not do what the Lord said, and did not give effect to his burning wrath against Amalek. So the Lord has done this thing to you today. And more than this, the Lord will give Israel up with you into the hands of the Philistines: and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me: and the Lord will give up the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines. Then Saul went down flat on the earth, and was full of fear because of Samuel's words: and there was no strength in him, for he had taken no food all that day or all that night.


And the sons of Samuel: the oldest Joel, and the second Abiah.

And these are those who did this work, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman, who made melody, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,


And Samuel was judge of Israel all the days of his life. From year to year he went in turn to Beth-el and Gilgal and Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. And his base was at Ramah, where his house was; there he was judge of Israel and there he made an altar to the Lord.


Now when the Philistines had news that the children of Israel had come together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And the children of Israel, hearing of it, were full of fear. And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Go on crying to the Lord our God for us to make us safe from the hands of the Philistines. And Samuel took a young lamb, offering all of it as a burned offering to the Lord; and Samuel made prayers to the Lord for Israel and the Lord gave him an answer. read more.
And while Samuel was offering the burned offering, the Philistines came near for the attack on Israel; but at the thunder of the Lord's voice that day the Philistines were overcome with fear, and they gave way before Israel. And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and went after the Philistines, attacking them till they came under Beth-car. Then Samuel took a stone and put it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, naming it Eben-ezer, and saying, Up to now the Lord has been our help. So the Philistines were overcome, and did not come into the country of Israel again: and all the days of Samuel the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. And the towns which the Philistines had taken were given back to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and all the country round them Israel made free from the power of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.


Now the young Samuel was the servant of the Lord before Eli. In those days the Lord kept his word secret from men; there was no open vision. And at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see,) And the light of God was still burning, while Samuel was sleeping in the Temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, read more.
The voice of the Lord said Samuel's name; and he said, Here am I. And running to Eli he said, Here am I, for you said my name. And Eli said, I did not say your name; go to your rest again. So he went back to his bed. And again the Lord said, Samuel. And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. But he said in answer, I said nothing, my son; go to your rest again. Now at that time Samuel had no knowledge of the Lord, and the revelation of the word of the Lord had not come to him. And for the third time the Lord said Samuel's name. And he got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. Then it was clear to Eli that the voice which had said the child's name was the Lord's. So Eli said to Samuel, Go back: and if the voice comes again, let your answer be, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open. So Samuel went back to his bed. Then the Lord came and said as before, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel made answer, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open. And the Lord said to Samuel, See, I will do a thing in Israel at which the ears of everyone hearing of it will be burning. In that day I will do to Eli everything which I have said about his family, from first to last. And you are to say to him that I will send punishment on his family for ever, for the sin which he had knowledge of; because his sons have been cursing God and he had no control over them. So I have made an oath to the family of Eli that no offering of meat or of meal which they may make will ever take away the sin of his family. And Samuel kept where he was, not moving till the time came for opening the doors of the house of God in the morning. And fear kept him from giving Eli an account of his vision. Then Eli said, Samuel, my son. And Samuel answering said, Here am I. And he said, What did the Lord say to you? Do not keep it from me: may God's punishment be on you if you keep from me anything he said to you. Then Samuel gave him an account of everything, keeping nothing back. And he said, It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.


And Hannah, in prayer before the Lord, said, My heart is glad in the Lord, my horn is lifted up in the Lord: my mouth is open wide over my haters; because my joy is in your salvation. No other is holy as the Lord, for there is no other God but you: there is no Rock like our God. Say no more words of pride; let not uncontrolled sayings come out of your mouths: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, by him acts are judged. read more.
The bows of the men of war are broken, and the feeble are clothed with strength. Those who were full are offering themselves as servants for bread; those who were in need are at rest; truly, she who had no children has become the mother of seven; and she who had a family is wasted with sorrow. The Lord is the giver of death and life: sending men down to the underworld and lifting them up. The Lord gives wealth and takes a man's goods from him: crushing men down and again lifting them up; Lifting the poor out of the dust, and him who is in need out of the lowest place, to give them their place among rulers, and for their heritage the seat of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's and he has made them the base of the world. He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the evil-doers will come to their end in the dark night, for by strength no man will overcome. Those who make war against the Lord will be broken; against them he will send his thunder from heaven: the Lord will be judge of the ends of the earth, he will give strength to his king, lifting up the horn of him on whom the holy oil has been put.


Then all the responsible men of Israel got together and went to Samuel at Ramah, And said to him, See now, you are old, and your sons do not go in your ways: give us a king now to be our judge, so that we may be like the other nations. But Samuel was not pleased when they said to him, Give us a king to be our judge. And Samuel made prayer to the Lord. read more.
And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to the voice of the people and what they say to you: they have not been turned away from you, but they have been turned away from me, not desiring me to be king over them. As they have done from the first, from the day when I took them out of Egypt till this day, turning away from me and worshipping other gods, so now they are acting in the same way to you. Give ear now to their voice: but make a serious protest to them, and give them a picture of the sort of king who will be their ruler. And Samuel said all these words of the Lord to the people who were desiring a king. And he said, This is the sort of king who will be your ruler: he will take your sons and make them his servants, his horsemen, and drivers of his war-carriages, and they will go running before his war-carriages; And he will make them captains of thousands and of fifties; some he will put to work ploughing and cutting his grain and making his instruments of war and building his war-carriages. Your daughters he will take to be makers of perfumes and cooks and bread-makers. He will take your fields and your vine-gardens and your olive-gardens, all the best of them, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your seed and of the fruit of your vines and give it to his servants. He will take your men-servants and your servant-girls, and the best of your oxen and your asses and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep: and you will be his servants. Then you will be crying out because of your king whom you have taken for yourselves; but the Lord will not give you an answer in that day. But the people gave no attention to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but we will have a king over us, So that we may be like the other nations, and so that our king may be our judge and go out before us to war. Then Samuel, after hearing all the people had to say, went and gave an account of it to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to their voice and make a king for them. Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let every man go back to his town.


And year by year, whenever she went up to the house of the Lord, she kept on attacking her, so that Hannah gave herself up to weeping and would take no food. Then her husband Elkanah said to her, Hannah, why are you weeping? and why are you taking no food? why is your heart troubled? am I not more to you than ten sons? So after they had taken food and wine in the guest room, Hannah got up. Now Eli the priest was seated by the pillars of the doorway of the Temple of the Lord. read more.
And with grief in her soul, weeping bitterly, she made her prayer to the Lord. And she made an oath, and said, O Lord of armies, if you will truly take note of the sorrow of your servant, not turning away from me but keeping me in mind, and will give me a man-child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut. Now while she was a long time in prayer before the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth. For Hannah's prayer came from her heart, and though her lips were moving she made no sound: so it seemed to Eli that she was overcome with wine. And Eli said to her, How long are you going to be the worse for drink? Put away the effects of your wine from you. And Hannah, answering him, said, No, my lord, I am a woman whose spirit is broken with sorrow: I have not taken wine or strong drink, but I have been opening my heart before the Lord. Do not take your servant to be a good-for-nothing woman: for my words have come from my stored-up sorrow and pain. Then Eli said to her, Go in peace: and may the God of Israel give you an answer to the prayer you have made to him. And she said, May your servant have grace in your eyes. So the woman went away, and took part in the feast, and her face was no longer sad. And early in the morning they got up, and after worshipping before the Lord they went back to Ramah, to their house: and Elkanah had connection with his wife; and the Lord kept her in mind. Now the time came when Hannah, being with child, gave birth to a son; and she gave him the name Samuel, Because, she said, I made a prayer to the Lord for him.


So the children of Israel gave up the worship of Baal and Astarte, and became worshippers of the Lord only. Then Samuel said, Let all Israel come to Mizpah and I will make prayer to the Lord for you. So they came together to Mizpah, and got water, draining it out before the Lord, and they took no food that day, and they said, We have done evil against the Lord. And Samuel was judge of the children of Israel in Mizpah.


Now when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his first son was Joel and the name of his second Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. And his sons did not go in his ways, but moved by the love of money took rewards, and were not upright in judging.


So David went in flight and got away and came to Ramah, to Samuel, and gave him an account of all Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and were living in Naioth.


Now all the acts of David, first and last, are recorded in the words of Samuel the seer, and the words of Nathan the prophet, and the words of Gad the seer;


Then Saul said to his servant, You have said well; come, let us go. So they went to the town where the man of God was.


And death came to Samuel; and all Israel came together, weeping for him, and put his body in its resting-place in his house at Ramah. Then David went down to the waste land of Maon.


And these are those who did this work, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman, who made melody, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,



It is no longer my pleasure for Saul to be king; for he is turned back from going in my ways, and has not done my orders. And Samuel was very sad, crying to the Lord in prayer all night.


And the people said to Samuel, Who was it who said, Is Saul to be our king? give the men up, so that we may put them to death. And Saul said, Not a man is to be put to death today: for today the Lord has made Israel safe. Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and there make the kingdom strong in the hands of Saul. read more.
So all the people went to Gilgal; and there in Gilgal they made Saul king before the Lord; and peace-offerings were offered before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel were glad with great joy.


And the young Samuel, becoming older, had the approval of the Lord and of men.


And the young Samuel, becoming older, had the approval of the Lord and of men.

Now the young Samuel was the servant of the Lord before Eli. In those days the Lord kept his word secret from men; there was no open vision.


Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain