And it happened from the day the ark began to dwell in Kirjath-jearim, the days became many; yea, they were twenty years. And all the house of Israel yearned after Jehovah.

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

And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had come together to Mizpeh. And the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And the sons of Israel heard, and they were afraid of the Philistines.

And it happened as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But Jehovah thundered with a great noise on that day on the Philistines, and troubled them. And they were beaten before Israel.

And the Philistines were beaten, and they did not come any more into the border of Israel. And the hand of Jehovah was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

And they said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

But the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.

And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even until this day, works with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods, so they do also to you.

And he said, This will be the privilege of the king who shall reign over you. He shall take your sons and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and his horsemen. And they shall run before his chariots.

But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, No, but we will have a king over us.

And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, and nothing there. And he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

And they came to the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come and let us return lest my father quit caring for the asses, and be anxious about us.

And Saul said to his young man, Your word is good. Come, let us go. So they went into the city where the man of God was.

As they went up the hill to the city, they found young women going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer here?

And they answered them and said, He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he came today to the city, for there is a feast of the people today in the high place.

And they went up into the city. When they had come into the middle of the city, behold, Samuel came out to meet them, to go up to the high place.

And as to the asses which were lost to you three days ago, do not set your mind on them. For they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father's house?

And they came down from the high place into the city, and he spoke with Saul on the top of the house.

And they arose early. And it happened about the spring of the day that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, so that I may send you away. And Saul arose, and both of them went out, he and Samuel outside.

They were going down to the end of the city, and Samuel said to Saul, Tell the servant to pass on before us and pass on. And you stand still awhile, so that I may cause you to hear the Word of God.

When you have departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel's tomb in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. And they will say to you, The asses which you went to seek are found. And, lo, your father has quit caring for the asses and sorrows for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall take from their hand.

After that you shall come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is. And it will happen to you when you come there to the city, even you shall meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a harp and a tambourine and a flute and a lyre before them. And they shall prophesy.

And they came there to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him. And the Spirit of God came on him, and he prophesied among them.

And Saul's uncle said to him and to his young man, Where did you go? And he said, To look for the asses. And when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Samuel.

When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken. And they looked for him, but he could not be found.

And they inquired of Jehovah further, Has the man yet come here? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he is hiding himself among the baggage.

And they ran and brought him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than all of the people from the shoulders and upward.

But the sons of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him and brought him no present. But he was silent.

And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field. And Saul said, What is wrong with the people that they weep? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.

And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. And the fear of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

And they said to the messengers that came, So shall you say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow by the time the sun is hot, you shall have help. And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.

And it was so on the next day, Saul put the people in three companies, and they came into the middle of the army at the morning watch. And they killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And the ones who remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.

And all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul king before Jehovah in Gilgal, and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before Jehovah. And there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

And they said, You have not defrauded us nor oppressed us, neither have you taken from any man's hand.

And he said to them, Jehovah is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.

And they forgot Jehovah their God. And He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

And they cried to Jehovah, and said, We have sinned because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baals and Ashtoreths. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve You.

And do not turn aside to go after vanities, which cannot profit nor deliver. For they are vain.

And the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people like the sand on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven.

And the men of Israel saw that they were in a tight place (for the people were distressed). And the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

If they say this to us, Stand still until we come to you, then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them.

But if they say this, Come up to us, then we will go up, for Jehovah has delivered them up into our hand. And this shall be a sign to us.

And both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.

And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed after him.

And Saul said to the people with him, Number now and see who is gone from us. And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.

And Saul and all the people with him gathered, and they went to the battle. And, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great panic.

And the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before, who had gone up with them into the camp all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

And all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in mount Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also followed them in the battle.

How much more if the people had happened to eat freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For would not there have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?

And they struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint.

And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah in that they eat with the blood. And he said, You have transgressed. Roll a great stone to me today.

And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do all that seems good to you. Then the priest said, Let us draw near here to God.

Now go and strike Amalek, and completely destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

And Saul said to the Kenites, Go! Depart! Get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them. But everything that was vile and feeble they completely destroyed.

And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites. For the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to Jehovah your God. And the rest we have completely destroyed.

And it happened as they came in, he saw Eliab and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before Jehovah.

And Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, and they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.

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

And the words which David spoke were heard. And they were told before Saul. And he sent for him.

And the sons of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

And it happened as they came in, as David returned from striking the Philistine, the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.

And the women answered as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

And Saul was very angry, and this thing was evil in his eyes. And he said, They have given David ten thousands, and to me they have given only thousands. And what more can he have but the kingdom?

And Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.

And David arose and went forth, he and his men. And they killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king so that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife.

And the rulers of the Philistines came out. And it happened as often as they came out, David acted more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was very precious.

And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter. And they fled from him.

And Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

And they told Saul, and he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers the third time, and they prophesied also.

And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel, even he. And he lay down disrobed all that day and all that night. Because of this they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

As soon as the lad had gone, David rose from the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. And they kissed one another, and wept with one another, until David exceeded.

And the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

And he brought them before the king of Moab. And they lived with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.

And the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests in Nob. And they came, all of them, to the king.

And the king said to the guard that stood around him, Turn and kill the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Jehovah.

And they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshing-floors.

And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. And they led away their cattle and struck them with a great slaughter. And David saved the people of Keilah.

And David said, Will the men of Keilah shut up me and my men into the hand of Saul? And Jehovah said, They will shut you up.

And David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah and went wherever they could go. And it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. And he did not go forth.

And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain, on the south of the desert.

Saul and his men also went to look for him. And they told David. And he came down from the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard, he followed after David in the wilderness of Maon.

And Saul returned from pursuing David, and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place, The Rock of the Division.

And it happened when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.

And now I have heard that you have shearers. And we did not hurt your shepherds who were with us; neither was there anything missing to them all the while they were in Carmel.

Ask your young men, and they will tell you. And let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we come in a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David.

And David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, and stopped.

Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men about whom I know not where they come from?

And David said to his men, Let each man gird on his sword. And they each one girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, and two hundred stayed by the stuff.

They were a wall to us both by night and day all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. And they became, both of them, his wives.

And David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head. And they went away, and no one saw, and no one knew; and no one was awake; for all of them were sleeping, because a deep sleep from Jehovah had fallen on them.

And now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Jehovah has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the sons of men, they are cursed before Jehovah. For they have driven me out today from joining myself with the inheritance of Jehovah, saying, Go, serve other gods.

And David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites. For they were the inhabitants of the land from the past days, as you come into Shur, even into the land of Egypt.

And David did not keep alive man or woman to bring news to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So David did, and so has been his custom all the days he lived in the fields of the Philistines.

And the Philistines gathered themselves and came and pitched in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel and they pitched in Gilboa.

And Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing. And he went. And two men went with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, Please divine for me calling up the dead, and bring me up the man whom I shall name to you.