And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What have you to do with me, that you are come against me to fight in my land?

Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.

And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! you have brought me very low, and you are one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.

And she said unto him, My father, if you have opened your mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth; since the LORD has taken vengeance for you of your enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray you, let us detain you, until we shall have made ready a kid for you.

And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would at this time have told us such things as these.

And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me as a wife.

And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore him as he would have torn a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice your husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire: have you called us to take what we have? is it not so?

And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, You do but hate me, and love me not: you have put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and have not told it to me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it to my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it to you?

And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle.

And Samson said unto them, Though you have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.

Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, Know you not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that you have done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

And Samson said, With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey have I slain a thousand men.

And he was very thirsty, and called on the LORD, and said, you have given this great deliverance into the hand of your servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, you have mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray you, how you might be bound.

And Delilah said unto Samson, Until now you have mocked me, and told me lies: tell me how you might be bound. And he said unto her, If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web.

And she said unto him, How can you say, I love you, when your heart is not with me? you have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.

That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There has not come a razor upon my head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite as my priest.

When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in there, and said unto him, Who brought you here? and what are you doing in this place? and what do you have here?

And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are you still here? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.

Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and household gods, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what you have to do.

And he said, you have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that you say unto me, What ails you?

And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round about me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine have they so ravished, that she is dead.

And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and abomination in Israel.

And we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to bring food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the abomination that they have done in Israel.

What shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters as wives?

However we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that gives a wife to Benjamin.

And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.

Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband also tonight, and should also bear sons;

Let your eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch you? and when you are thirsty, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in your eyes, that you should take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

And Boaz answered and said unto her, It has fully been shown me, all that you have done unto your mother-in-law since the death of your husband: and how you have left your father and your mother, and the land of your birth, and are come unto a people which you knew not before.

The LORD recompense your work, and a full reward be given you of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to trust.

Then she said, Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and you have spoken kindly unto your handmaid, though I be not like unto one of your handmaidens.

And her mother-in-law said unto her, Where have you gleaned today? and where did you work? blessed be he that did take knowledge of you. And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.

And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, You shall keep near by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.

Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself, and put your best clothes upon you, and get down to the floor: but make not yourself known unto the man, until he shall have finished eating and drinking.

And he said, Blessed be you of the LORD, my daughter: for you have showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, in that you followed not young men, whether poor or rich.

Also he said, Bring the cloak that you have upon you, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.

Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of this place: you are witnesses this day.

And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

Count not your handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I been speaking.

Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant you your petition that you have asked of him.

Therefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seems to you good; tarry until you have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and nursed her son until she weaned him.

Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshiped the LORD there.

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased to hunger: so that the barren has borne seven; and she that has many children has grown feeble.

Also before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not have boiled meat from you, but raw.

Why trample you on my sacrifice and on my offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chief of all the offerings of Israel my people?

In that day I will perform against Eli all the things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.

For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever.

Be strong, and conduct yourselves like men, O you Philistines, that you be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: conduct yourselves like men, and fight.

And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for you have borne a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriathjearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come down, and bring it up to you.

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

And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto 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 unto this day, with which they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto you.

And you shall cry out in that day because of your king which you shall have chosen; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is gone from our sacks, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?

And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.

Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come unto me.

And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before you, and eat: for unto this time has it been kept for you since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

And you have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall you say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, Tomorrow, by that time the sun is hot, you shall have help. And the messengers came and showed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that you said unto me, and have made a king over you.

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 childhood unto this day.

Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose donkey have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind my eyes with? and I will restore it to you.

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

And he said unto them, The LORD 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 cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.

Now therefore behold the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have desired! and, behold, the LORD has set a king over you.

Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for your servants unto the LORD your God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: you have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;

And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you came not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;

Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I felt compelled therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly: you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you: for now would the LORD have established your kingdom upon Israel forever.

But now your kingdom shall not continue: the LORD has sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be ruler over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you.

Then said Jonathan, My father has troubled the land: see, I ask you, how my eyes have been brightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, you have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.

Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand, and, lo, I must die?

Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.

It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be you of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.

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 unto the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD your God in Gilgal.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.

And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and your words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with you: for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.

Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.

And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill your horn with oil, and go, I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.