And it fell on a day, as Elkanah had offered, that he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters portions.

But unto Hannah he gave a portion with a heavy cheer, for he loved her; nevertheless the LORD had made her barren.

And thereto her enemy Peninnah vexed her a good in casting her in the teeth how the LORD had made her barren.

and said unto her, "How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away from thee the wine that thou hast."

But Hannah went not up, for she said unto her husband, "I will tarry until the lad be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD and there abide forever."

And then she took him with her, when she had weaned him, with three bullocks and an ephah of flour and a bottle of wine, and brought him into the house of the LORD in Shiloh, how be it the child was yet young.

and therefore I also lend him the LORD, as long as he may be lent the LORD." And so they prayed there unto the LORD.

And Hannah prayed and said, "Mine heart rejoiceth in the LORD. Mine horn is high in the LORD and my mouth is wide open over mine enemies, for I rejoice in thy salvation.

Let go your great boasting of high things, let go out of your mouth that old byword: for the LORD is a God that knoweth all things, and judgeth the thoughts.

The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich; bringeth low, and heaveth up on high.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill: to set them among princes, and to inherit them with the seat of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the round world upon them.

He will keep the feet of his saints but the wicked shall keep silence in darkness. For in his own might shall no man be strong.

The LORD's adversaries shall be made to fear him: and out of heaven he shall thunder upon them. The LORD shall judge the ends of the world, and shall give might unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed."

Yea, and thereto before they had offered the fat, the priest's lad came and said to the man that offered, "Give flesh to roast for the priest, for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw."

Eli was very old and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how they slept with the women that waited in the door of the tabernacle of witness,

Oh, nay my sons: For it is no good report that I hear how that ye make the LORD's people to trespass.

And I will stir me up a faithful priest that shall do as it is in mine heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house. And he shall walk before mine anointed forever.

And it chanced at that time, that Eli lay in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim that he could not see.

And the LORD called Samuel; and he said, "Here am I."

And he ran unto Eli and said, "Here am I for thou calledest me." And he said, "I called thee not: go again and sleep." And he went and laid him down to sleep.

And the LORD called once again, "Samuel." And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "I am here, thou didst call me." And he answered, "I called thee not my son. Go again and take thy rest."

And the LORD went and called Samuel the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "I am here, for thou hast called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the lad.

And said unto him, "Go and lie down: and if he call thee again then say, 'Speak on LORD, for thy servant heareth.'" And Samuel went and laid him down in his place.

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.

Then Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son." And he answered, "Here I am."

And he said, "What is that he said unto thee? See ye hide it not from me. The LORD do so and so to thee, if thou hide anything from me, of all that he said unto thee."

And Samuel told him every whit and hid it not from him. And he answered, "It is the LORD, let him do what seemeth him best."

When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout they said, "What meaneth the sound of this mighty shout in the host of the Hebrews?" And they understood how that the ark of the LORD was come into the host.

And the Philistines were afraid, when it was told how that God was come into the host and said, "Woe unto us, for it was never so before this.

When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he asked what the noise of that rumour meant. And the man hasted and came in and told Eli.

Eli was four score and eighteen years old, and his sight failed him that he could not see.

And the man said unto Eli, "I am he that came out of the array and fled out of the host this day." And he said, "How is it fortuned, my son?"

And when he made mention of the ark of God, Eli fell from off his stool backward toward the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was old and unwieldy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with hemorrhoids; both Ashdod and all the coasts thereof.

And when they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was in the city with a mighty great plague, and he smote the men of the city both small and great: and they were smitten in their secret places with the hemorrhoids.

Wherefore ye shall make images like to your arses with hemorrhoids and images like to your mice that destroyed your land, and shall give glory unto the God of Israel: that he may take his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.

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.

And mark if he go up by the way that leadeth unto his own coast, to Bethshemesh, then it is he that did us this great evil. But and if he do not, then it is not his hand that smote us, but it was a chance that happened us."

And he plagued the men of Bethshemesh, because they had seen the ark of the LORD. And he slew of the people fifty thousand and three score and ten persons. And the people lamented, because the LORD had slain so great a slaughter of them.

And the men of Bethshemesh said, "Who is able to stand before the LORD, so holy a God, and to whom shall he go from us?"

And Samuel spake unto all Israel, saying, "If ye be come again unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtaroth, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD and serve him alone; and so shall he rid you out of the hands of the Philistines."

and said to Samuel, "Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he may save us out of the hands of the Philistines."

for there was his house, and there he judged Israel, and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

Then Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

and he said, "This shall be the duty of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons and put them to his chariots and make his horsemen of them and they must run before his chariot,

And he will take your daughters and make them the dressers of his ointments, and his cooks and bakers.

And he shall take the best of your fields, and of your vineyards and of your olive trees, and give them to his servants.

And he shall take the tenth of your seed and of your vines, and give it to his lords, and to his servants.

And he shall take the best of your menservants and maidservants and young men, and of your asses, and do his work with them.

And he shall take the tenth of your sheep, and ye shall be his servants.

the same had a son called Saul, a goodly young man, so that among the children of Israel, there was none goodlier than he, and was thereto, from the shoulders upward, higher than all the other people.

Then when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the young man that was with him, "Come, let us return, lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us." And he answered him,

"Behold, there is in this city a worshipful man of God, and all that he sayeth cometh to pass. Now then let us go thither: peradventure he shall show us what way we may go."

Before time in Israel, when a man went to seek an answer of God, thus wise he spake: "Come, and let us go to the Seer." For he that is now called a prophet, was in the old time called a Seer.

And the maidens answered them, "Yea, behold, he goeth before you. Make haste now, for he came this day to the city, for the people must offer this day in the hill.

When ye be come into the city, so shall you find him, yer he go up to the hill to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he must bless the offering. And then eat they that be bidden to the feast. Now therefore get you up for even now shall ye find him."

"Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin: him shalt thou anoint to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon my people and their cry is come unto me."

and they arose early. And about the spring of the day Samuel called Saul upon the top of the house, saying, "Up, that I may send thee away." And Saul arose. And they went out at the doors both of them, both he and Samuel.

And when they were come almost out of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Bid the lad go before us," - and he went - "but stand thou still a while even now, that I may show thee what God sayeth."

And as soon as he had turned his shoulder to go from Samuel, God gave him another manner of heart, and all those tokens came to pass that same day.

When they came to the hill, behold, the company of prophets met him, and the spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

And all that knew him before, when they saw that he prophesied among the prophets, they said each to other, "What is happened unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the hill.

Saul's father's brother said unto him and his lad, "Whither went ye?" And he answered, "To seek the asses; and when we saw that they were nowhere, we went to Samuel."

And Saul answered his uncle, "He told us that the asses were found." But of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, told he him not.

When he had brought the tribe of Benjamin by their kindreds, the kindred of Matri was caught: and Saul the son of Kish was caught. And they sought him; but he could not be found.

Then they asked the LORD further, whither the man should come thither. And the LORD answered, "Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff."

And they ran and fetched him thence. And when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from the shoulders upward.

And Samuel said to all the people, "There! See ye whom the LORD hath chosen, and how there is none like him among all the company?" And all the people shouted and said, "God save the king!"

But the children of Belial said, "How shall he save us?" And despised him and brought him not presents. And he made as though he had not heard it.

Then came the spirit of God upon Saul, when he heard those tidings, and he was exceeding angry.

Then said he to them, "The LORD is witness unto you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have found nought in my hands." And they answered, "We are witnesses."

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.

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.

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."

Only fear you the LORD and serve him truly with all your hearts: for he hath done great things for you.

Saul was as a child of a year old, when he began to reign. And when he had reigned two years over Israel,

he chose him three thousand men out of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and Mount Bethel, and a thousand with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent, every man to his own house.

And all Israel heard say, how that Saul had destroyed a hold of the Philistines, and how that Israel stank unto the Philistines. And all the people cried after Saul to Gilgal.

And he tarried seven days, as Samuel had appointed. But Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people scattered from him.

Wherefore Saul said, "Bring burnt sacrifice to me and peace offerings." And he offered burnt sacrifice.

And as soon as he had made an end of offering burnt offerings behold, Samuel came. And Saul went against him, to salute him. Then said Samuel to Saul, "What hast thou done?"

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.

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.

And the men of Israel joined themselves together that day: and Saul adjured the people, saying, "Cursed be he that eateth any food until night, that I may be avenged of mine enemies." And so there was none of the people that tasted any sustenance.

But Jonathan heard not when his father adjured the people, wherefore he put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in a honey comb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes received sight.

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?"

Then men told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood." And he said, "Ye have trespassed. But roll a great stone unto me now,

And Saul made an altar unto the LORD. And that was the first altar that he made unto the LORD.

And Saul asked of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? And wilt thou deliver them into mine hands?" But he answered him not at that time.

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.

Then he said unto all Israel, "Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on another." And the people said unto Saul, "What thou thinkest best, that do."

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.

And whithersoever he turned himself, there he won, and played the man and slew the Amalekites, and rid Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

And there was sore war with the Philistines, all the days of Saul. For wheresoever Saul saw a strong man, and an active, he took him unto him.

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.

"It repenteth me that I have made Saul king. For he is turned from me and hath not performed my commandments." Wherefore Samuel was evil apaid and cried unto the LORD all night.

But Samuel said to Saul, "Cease, and let me tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night." And he said unto him, "Say on."

Then said Samuel, "Hath the LORD as great pleasure in burnt sacrifices and offerings, as he hath that thou shouldest obey his voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to give heed is better than the fat of rams.

And as Samuel turned to go away, he caught the lap of his coat, and it rent.