And so did she year by year, as oft as she went up to the house of the LORD. And so chafed her: wherefore Hannah wept and ate not.

Then Hannah rose up after that they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. And Eli the priest sat upon a stool by one of the side posts of the temple of the LORD.

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

Count not thine handmaid to be like a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my meditation and grief have I spoken hitherto."

And they rose up early and bowed themselves before the LORD, and then returned and went to their house to Ramah. And Elkanah lay by his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

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 then she said, "Oh my lord, as truly as thy soul liveth my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.

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.

They that were full, have hired out themselves for bread, and they that were hungry cease so to be: insomuch that the barren hath borne seven, and she that had many children is waxed feeble.

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."

And if any man said unto him, "Let the fat be offered according to the day, and then take as much as thine heart desireth." The lad would answer him, "Thou shalt give it me now, or else I will take it with violence."

And the LORD visited Hannah for that she conceived and bare three sons and two daughters. But the boy Samuel grew, dwelling still with the LORD.

And I chose thy father out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest for to offer upon mine altar and to burn cense, and to wear an ephod before me. And I gave unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel.

Wherefore the LORD God of Israel sayeth, 'I said that thine house and the house of thy father should have walked before me forever. But now the LORD sayeth that be far from me: for them that honoureth me I will honour, and they that despise me, shall not be regarded.

Behold, the days will come that I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an elder in thine house.

And thou shalt see thine enemy in the tabernacle, in all that shall please Israel, and there shall not be an elder in thine house while the world standeth.

Yet will I will not root out every man of thee from mine altar, but that thine eyes may be consumed, and thy soul may be sorry. And a great multitude of thine house shall die young.

And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: Even in one day they shall die, both of them.

And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the wickedness of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering, while the world standeth."

and put themselves in array against Israel. And in the end of the battle Israel was put to the worse before the Philistines. And the Philistines slew in array along by the fields, about a four thousand men.

Be strong and quit yourselves like men, ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men therefore and fight."

And when the man came in, Eli sat upon a stool by the wayside looking: for his heart feared for the ark of God. And the man came in and told it in the city. And all the city cried.

and brought it unto the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

And so they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them and said, "What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?" Then said they of Gath, "Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about." And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about.

They answered, "If you send the ark of the God of Israel home again, send it not empty: But reward it with a trespass offering; and then ye shall be whole, and it shall be known to you, why his hand departeth not from you."

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.

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.

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 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 went about year by year, to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places, and came again to Ramah:

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

Nevertheless, the people would not hear the voice of Samuel, but did say, "Nay, not so: But there shall be a king over us,

and we will be like all other nations. And our king shall judge us, and go out before us and fight our battles."

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 as for thine asses that were lost this day three days, care not for them - for they are found. And moreover, whose shall the beautiful things of Israel be? Belong they not unto thee, and unto all thy father's house?"

And then Samuel took a box of oil and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, "The LORD hath anointed thee to be a captain over his inheritance.

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 the spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

And ye have this day cast away your God that helped you out of all your adversities and tribulations. And ye have said unto him: make a king over us. Now therefore stand before the LORD by your tribes and your thousands.'"

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.

"Make a covenant with us and we will be thy servants." And Nahash the Ammonite said, "Hereto will I make a covenant with you: even to thrust out all your right eyes, that I may bring that shame upon all Israel."

And 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 his oxen be served." Then the fear of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as it had been but one man.

And they said unto the messengers that came, "So say unto the men of Jabesh in Gilead: 'Tomorrow, by the time the sun be hot, ye shall have help.'" And the messengers came and showed the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

For if ye shall not hearken unto the voice of the LORD, but shall disobey the LORD's mouth: then shall the hand of the LORD be upon you and on your fathers.

And Jonathan slew the Philistines in a hold they had in Gibeah, and it came to the Philistines' ears. And Saul caused the trumpet to be blown throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."

Then the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen with other people like the sand by the seaside in multitude and came up and pitched in Michmash eastward from Bethaven.

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.

if they say on this wise to us, 'Tarry until we come to you,' then we will stand still where we be and not go up unto them.

But and if they so say unto us, 'Come up unto us,' then we will go up, for the LORD hath delivered them into our hands. And this shall be a sign unto us."

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.

Then spake one of the people, and said, "Thy father adjured the people, saying, 'Cursed be the man that eateth any sustenance this day.'" And yet the people were fainty.

and go abroad among the people and bid them bring every man his ox and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood." And the people brought every man his ox in his hand by night and slew them there.

And Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and let us make havoc among them until it be day in the morning, and let us not leave one of them." And the people answered, "Do whatsoever thou thinkest best." Then said the priest, "Let us come hither unto God."

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."

And when Samuel was come to Saul, Saul said unto him, "Blessed be thou in the LORD. I have done the commandment of the LORD."

Then said Samuel unto Saul, "I will not return with thee: for thou hast cast away the bidding of God, and therefore the LORD hath cast away thee also, that thou shalt not be king over Israel."

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

Then said Samuel to Jesse, "Are here all thy children?" And he said, "The youngest is yet behind. Behold, he keepeth the sheep." Then Samuel said unto Jesse, "Send and fetch him for we will not sit down, till he be come hither."

Let our lord therefore command his servants to seek a man that is a cunning player with a harp. And then when the evil spirit sent of God cometh upon thee, that he may play with his hand and thou shalt be eased."

And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a flacket of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

if he be able to fight with me and to beat me, then we will be your servants. But if I can overcome him and beat him, then ye shall be our servants and serve us."

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.

Then spake David to the men that stood by and said, "What shall be done to the man that beateth this Philistine and taketh away the shame from Israel? For what is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should revile the host of the living God?"

And the people answered as it is rehearsed, saying, "So shall it be done to the man that beateth him."

And departed from by him into another front, and spake of the same manner, and the people answered him again, as before.

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

And I went out after him and smote him, and took it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I caught him by the beard and smote him and slew him.

For both a Lion and also a Bear hath thy servant slain. And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, for his railing on the host of the living God."

And David spake moreover, "The LORD that delivered me out of the hands of the Lion and out of the hands of the Bear, he shall deliver me also out of the hands of the Philistine." Then said Saul to David, "Go, and the LORD be with thee."

And the men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted and followed after the Philistines, until they came to the valley and unto the gates of Ekron. And the Philistines fell down dead by the way, even unto Gath and Ekron.

And Jonathan put off his own coat that was upon him, and gave it David, and thereto his mantle, his sword, his bow and his girdle.

Then said Saul to David, "Behold, my eldest daughter Merab: her I will give thee to wife; only play the man and fight the LORD's battles." For Saul thought, "Mine hand shall not be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines."

And David answered Saul, "What am I? And what is my life or the kindred of my father in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"

And he said, "I will give him her that she may be a snare to him, to bring the hand of the Philistines upon him." And Saul said to David, "Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law again."

And Saul commanded his servants to commune with David secretly and say, "Behold, the king hath a favour to thee, and all his servants love thee - be therefore the king's son-in-law."

And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. But David answered, "Seemeth it to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, when I am a poor man and of small reputation?"

Then said Saul, "This wise say to David: 'The king careth for no other dowry but for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies." For Saul thought to make David fall into the hands of the Philistines.

Then his servants told David these words, and it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law.

And shortly after that, David arose with his men, and went, and slew of the Philistines, two hundred men; and brought their foreskins, and satisfied the king thereof to be his son-in-law. And so Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

And when the Philistines went out to war, David behaved himself wiselier than all the servants of Saul: so that his name was much set by.

And I will go out and stand by my father in the field where thou art, and will commune with my father of thee, and if I can perceive ought I will tell thee."

Then Saul sent the messengers to see David saying, "Bring him to me, bed and all, that he may be slain."

Then Saul sent messengers to fetch David. And when they saw a company of prophets prophesying and Samuel standing fast by them, the spirit of God fell upon the messengers of Saul, and they prophesied too.

Then went he himself to Ramah, and when he came to a great well that is in Secu, he asked and said, "Where are Samuel and David?" And they said, "See, they be at Naioth in Ramah."

And Jonathan answered him, "God forbid, thou shalt not die. For see, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it me. For why should my father hide this thing from me? There shall be no such thing."

And David sware again and said, "Thy father knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes and therefore he thinketh, 'Jonathan shall not know it, lest he be sorry.' For in very deed even as truly as the LORD liveth, and as truly as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death."

And if thy father say thus, 'It is well done,' then thy servant shall have peace. But and if he be angry, then be sure that wickedness is utterly concluded of him.

And then thou shalt show mercy unto thy servant, for thou hast made with me thy servant a bond in the LORD. Notwithstanding, if there be in me any trespass, then slay me thyself, for what needeth thee to bring me to thy father?"

And in like manner, if evil to thee ward please my father, I will show thee and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace. And the LORD be with thee as he hath been with my father.

Then said Jonathan to David, "Tomorrow shall be the first day of the moon. And thou shalt be missed, because the place shall appear empty.

But this day three days, come in any wise unto the place where thou shalt hide thyself, when it is workday: even by the stone Ezel.

And I will shoot three arrows by the one side thereof, as though I shot at a mark, and will send after a lad, and bid him go seek the arrows.

And the king sat him down after the old manner, in his seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.

For as long as the son of Jesse lieth upon the earth, thou shalt not be established, nor yet thy kingdom; wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he is the child of death."