Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill-country of Ephraim. And his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, and Ephraimite.

And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to LORD, were there.

And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions,

And Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do thou weep? And why do thou not eat? And why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons?

And it came to pass, when the time came about, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son. And she called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of LORD.

And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems good to thee. Remain until thou have weaned him, only LORD establish his word. So the woman remained and gave her son suck, until she weaned him.

Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread, and those who were hungry have ceased [to hunger]. Yea, the barren has borne seven, and she who has many sons languishes.

Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not LORD.

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

Now Eli was very old. And he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tent of meeting.

No, my sons, for it is no good report that I hear. Ye make LORD's people to transgress.

And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? And did I give to the house of thy father all the offerings of the sons of Israel made by fire

Why do ye kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded in [my] habitation, and honor thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chief of all the offerings of Israel my people?

And this shall be the sign to thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: In one day they shall die, both of them.

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

For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse upon themselves, and he did not restrain them.

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

So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of LORD of hosts, who sits [above] the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

And the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed.

And the man said to Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. And he said, How did the matter go, my son?

And he who brought the news answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people. And thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, Fear not, for thou have brought forth a son. But she did not answer, neither did she regard it.

And the men of Kiriath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of LORD.

Then the sons of Israel did put away the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served LORD only.

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

And when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, Do not cease to cry to LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

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

And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

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

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

Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.

And he had a son whose name was Saul, a young man and fine looking. And there was not among the sons of Israel a man better looking than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.

And the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the donkeys.

And it came to pass, when all who knew him formerly saw, that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

And he said to the sons of Israel, Thus says LORD, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you,

And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families, and the family of the Matrites was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken. But when they sought him, he could not be found.

And he numbered them in Bezek, and the sons of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

And now, behold, the king walks before you. And I am old and gray headed, and, behold, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth to this day.

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, ye said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us, when LORD your God was your king.

And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But with Saul and with Jonathan his son there was found.

Now it fell upon a day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on yonder side. But he did not tell his father.

and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of LORD in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.

And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was [there] at that time with the sons of Israel.

For, as LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.

Then he said to all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what seems good to thee.

And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. And where

Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the first-born Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.

And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

And Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

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

And he said, Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, LORD has not chosen these men.

And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all thy sons here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.

Then one of the young men answered, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely man, and LORD is with him

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send to me David thy son, who is with the sheep.

And Jesse took a donkey with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose name was Jesse. And he had eight sons, and the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken [in years] among men.

And the three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the first-born, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

And Jesse said to David his son, Take now for thy brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry [them] quickly to the camp to thy brothers.

And the sons of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.

And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul lives, O king, I cannot tell.

And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.

And Saul said to him, Whose son are thou, young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, [or] my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?

And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, Thou shall this day be my son-in-law a second time.

And Saul commanded his servants, [saying], Converse with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has delight in thee, and all his servants love thee. Now therefore be the king's son-in-law.

And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired,

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

And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.

And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, [which was] the second [day], that David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has the son of Jesse not come in to the food, neither yesterday, nor today?

Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do I not know that thou have chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness?

For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the ground, thou shall not be established, nor thy kingdom. Therefore now send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die.

And Saul said to his servants who stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites. Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards. Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds,

that all of you have conspired against me, and there is none who discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse. And there is none of you who is sorry for me, or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my serva

Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

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

And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

And Saul said to him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou have given him bread, and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me to lay in wait as at this day?

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house?

And Nob, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the sword, both men and women, sons and sucklings, and oxen and donkeys and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose, and went to David into the forest, and strengthened his hand in God.

And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee. Therefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes, for we come in a good day. Give, I pray thee, whatever comes to thy hand to thy servants, and to thy son David.

And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants now-a-days who break away every man from his master.

Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army. And Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped

Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

And David cried out to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answer thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who are thou that cries to the king?

And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be LORD who has stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering, but if it be the sons of men, cursed be they before LORD. For they have d

Then Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do thee harm because my life was precious in thine eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David. Thou shall both do mightily, and shall surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

Moreover LORD will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me. LORD will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.