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.

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.

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!"

And Saul also went home to Gibeah. And there went with him a host, such as God had touched their hearts.

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.

And behold Saul came following his oxen out of the field, and asked what ailed the people to weep. And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.

Oh that ye would fear the LORD and serve him and hear his voice and not disobey the mouth of the LORD: and that both ye and the king that reigneth over you would follow the LORD your God.

Then said Samuel unto the people, "Fear not. And though ye have done all this wickedness, yet depart not from the LORD in any case. But serve him with all your hearts.

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

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 the Hebrews went over Jordan unto the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was yet in Gilgal, and all the people that followed him were astonished.

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

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?"

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

But Saul tarried in the utmost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree, that was in Migron, and the people that were with him were upon a six hundred men.

And his harness bearer said unto him, "Do all that is in thine heart. Set thee forward; and see, I am with thee, as thine heart lusteth."

And Jonathan clame upon hands and feet, and his harness bearer after him. Then they fell before Jonathan: and his harness bearer slew them after him.

Then said Saul unto the people that was with him, "Number, and see who is gone away from us." And when they had told: behold, Jonathan and his harness bearer were not there.

And Saul cried, and all the people that were with him, and went to battle. And behold every man's sword was against his fellow, with a mighty great slaughter.

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 Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what thou hast done." And Jonathan told him and said, "I tasted a little honey upon the end of my staff that was in mine hand, and see, I must die."

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.

And Samuel rose early, to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel that Saul was come to Carmel, and had set him up a pillar of triumph, and was turned and departed and gone to Gilgal.

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."

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, "Bring ye hither to me, Agag the king of the Amalekites." And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, "Truly the bitterness of death cometh on."

But Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, because the LORD repented that he had made him king over Israel.

And then the LORD said unto Samuel, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have cast him away from reigning over Israel? Fill a horn with ointment, and come: I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have spied me a king among his sons."

And call Jesse to the offering, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: And thou shalt anoint him whom I say unto thee."

And Samuel did as the LORD bade him. And when he came to Bethlehem, the elders of the town were astonished at his coming, and said, "Betokeneth thy coming peace?"

And when they were come, he looked on Eliab and said, "The LORD's anointed is before him."

But the LORD said unto Samuel, "Look not on his fashion nor on the height of his stature, for I have refused him. Because it is not as man seeth. For man looketh on the outward appearance: but the LORD beholdeth the heart."

Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him come before Samuel. And he said, "Neither hath the LORD chosen this."

Then Jesse made Shammah come, and he said, "Neither hath the LORD chosen him."

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."

And he sent and brought him in. And he was brown with goodly eyes, and well favoured in sight. And then the LORD said, "Up and anoint him: for this is he."

And Samuel took the horn with the ointment and anointed him in the presence of his brethren. And the spirit of the LORD came upon David, from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

But the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul; and an evil spirit, sent of the LORD, vexed him.

Then said his servants unto him, "Behold, an evil spirit sent of God vexeth thee.

And Saul said unto his servants, "Seek me a man that can well play, and bring him to me."

Then answered one of his servants and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that can play upon instruments, and is an active fellow and a man of war and prudent and well made, and the LORD is with him."

And David went to Saul and came before him, and he loved him very well; so that he was made his harness bearer.

And when the spirit of God came upon Saul, David took a harp and played with his hand, and so Saul was refreshed, and did amend; and the evil spirit departed from him.

and had a helmet of brass upon his head, and a coat of mail about him. And the weight of his coat of mail was five thousand sicles of brass.

And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam. And his spearhead weighed six hundred sicles of iron. And one bearing a shield went before him.

And he stood and called unto the host of Israel, and said unto them, "What needeth that ye should come out in array to battle? Am not I a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose you a man, and let him come down to me:

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 the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to battle. And the names of his three sons that went to battle were: Eliab the eldest, and the next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and took and went, as Jesse had commanded him, and came where the host lay. And the host was going out in array, and shouted in the battle:

Then David put the pannier from him, unto the hands of the keeper of the vessels, and ran into the host and came and saluted his brethren.

And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, ran away from him, and were sore afraid.

And every man of Israel said, "See ye this man that is come forth; even to revile Israel is he come. And to him that beateth him will the king give great riches, and will give him his daughter thereto: yea and make his father's house free in Israel."

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 David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail him because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with his Philistine."

And Saul said to David again, "Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine, to fight with him. For thou art but a lad, and he hath been a man of war even from his youth."

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.

And Saul put his raiment upon David, and put a helmet of brass upon his head, and put a coat of mail upon him,

and gird David with his own sword upon his raiment. And he assayed to go, for he never proved it. Then said David unto Saul, "I cannot go in these, for I have not been used thereto." And put them off him,

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

And the Philistine came and drew near to David, with the man that bare a shield before him.

And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a lad, ruddy and goodly to look upon.

And so David overcame the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and smote the Philistine and slew him. And because David had no sword in his hand,

he ran and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of his sheath and slew him and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

And so when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

And Saul said to him, "Whose son art thou, thou lad?" And David answered, "The son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."

And when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David; insomuch that Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

And Saul took him that day and would let him go no more home to his father's house.

And Jonathan and David bound themselves the one to the other, for Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

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.

And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely. And when Saul had set him over his men of war, he pleased all the people, and Saul's servants thereto.

Then was Saul exceeding wroth and that saying displeased him, and he said, "They have ascribed unto David ten thousand, and to me but a thousand. And what more can he have, save the kingdom?"

For Saul was afraid of David: because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

And then Saul put David from him and made him a captain over a thousand, and he went out and in before the people.

And David was wise in all that he took in hand, and the LORD was with him.

Wherefore, when Saul saw that he was so exceeding wise, he was afraid of him.

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."

Nevertheless, Michal Saul's daughter loved David. And when it was showed Saul, the thing pleased him well.

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's servants told him again, saying, "Of this manner answered David."

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 Saul saw and understood, how that the LORD was with David, and that Michal his daughter loved him,

And Jonathan spake the best of David unto Saul his father and said unto him, "Let not the king sin against his servant David, for he hath not sinned against thee, and his works are to thee ward very good.

Then Jonathan called David and showed him all those words, and brought him to Saul. And he was in his presence as in times past.

Then Saul sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him and to slay him in the morning. But Michal his wife told it him saying, "If thou save not thyself this night, tomorrow thou art a dead man."

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

And so David fled and escaped and went to Samuel to Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

And as he went thither to Naioth in Ramah the spirit of God came upon him also and he went prophesying, until he came to 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 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 with other words Jonathan adjured David, because he loved him. For as his own soul he loved him.

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 so David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon was come, the king sat him down at meat, for to eat.

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.