The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

(Beforetime in Israel when a man went to seeke an answere of God, thus he spake, Come, and let vs goe to the Seer: for he that is called nowe a Prophet, was in the olde time called a Seer)

Then saide Saul to his seruant, Well saide, come, let vs goe: so they went into the citie where the man of God was.

And as they were going vp the hie way to the citie, they found maydes that came out to draw water, and said vnto them, Is there here a Seer?

And they answered them, and said, Yea: loe, he is before you: make haste nowe, for he came this day to the citie: for there is an offering of the people this day in the hie place.

When ye shall come into the citie, ye shall finde him straightway yet he come vp to the hie place to eate: for the people will not eate vntill he come, because he will blesse the sacrifice: and then eate they that be bidden to the feast: nowe therefore goe vp: for euen now shall ye find him.

Then they went vp into the citie, and when they were come into the middes of the citie, Samuel came out against them, to goe vp to the hie place.

But the Lord had reueiled to Samuel secretly (a day before Saul came) saying,

To morow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Beniamin: him shalt thou anoint to be gouernour ouer my people Israel, that he may saue my people out of the hands of the Philistims: for I haue looked vpon my people, and their crie is come vnto me.

When Samuel therefore sawe Saul, the Lord answered him, See, this is the man whom I spake to thee of, he shall rule my people.

Then went Saul to Samuel in the middes of the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the Seers house is.

And Samuel answered Saul, and saide, I am the Seer: goe vp before me vnto the hie place: for ye shall eate with me to day. and to morowe I will let thee goe, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

And as for thine asses that were lost three dayes ago, care not for them: for they are founde. and on whom is set all the desire of Israel? is it not vpon thee and on all thy fathers house?

But Saul answered, and said, Am not I the sonne of Iemini of the smallest tribe of Israel? and my familie is the least of all the families of the tribe of Beniamin. Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

And Samuel tooke Saul and his seruant, and brought them into the chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden: which were about thirtie persons.

And Samuel saide vnto the cooke, Bring foorth the portion which I gaue thee, and whereof I said vnto thee, Keepe it with thee.

And the cooke tooke vp the shoulder, and that which was vpon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Beholde, that which is left, set it before thee and eate: for hitherto hath it bene kept for thee, saying, Also I haue called the people. So Saul did eate with Samuel that day.

And when they were come downe from the hie place into the citie, he communed with Saul vpon the top of the house.

And when they arose early about ye spring of the day, Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Vp, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out, both he, and Samuel.

And when they were come downe to the ende of the citie, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the seruant goe before vs, (and he went) but stand thou still nowe, that I may shewe thee the worde of God.

Then Samuel tooke a viole of oyle and powred it vpon his head, and kissed him, and saide, Hath not the Lord anointed thee to be gouernour ouer his inheritance?

When thou shalt depart from me this day, thou shalt finde two men by Rahels sepulchre in the border of Beniamin, euen at Zelzah, and they will say vnto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seeke, are founde: and lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and soroweth for you, saying, What shall I doe for my sonne?

Then shalt thou go forth from thence and shalt come to the plaine of Tabor, and there shall meete thee three men going vp to God to Bethel: one carying three kiddes, and an other carying three loaues of bread, and another carying a bottle of wine:

And they will aske thee if all be well, and will giue thee the two loaues of bread, which thou shalt receiue of their handes.

After that shalt thou come to the hill of God, where is the garisons of the Philistims: and when thou art come thither to the citie, thou shalt meete a companie of Prophets comming downe from the hie place with a viole, and a tymbrell, and a pipe, and an harpe before them, and they shall prophecie.

Then the Spirit of the Lord will come vpon thee, and thou shalt prophecie with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

Therefore when these signes shall come vnto to thee, doe as occasion shall serue: for God is with thee.

And thou shalt goe downe before me to Gilgal: and I also will come downe vnto thee to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace. Tary for me seuen dayes, till I come to thee and shewe thee what thou shalt doe.

And when he had turned his backe to goe from Samuel, God gaue him another heart: and all those tokens came to passe that same day.

And when they came thither to the hill, beholde, the companie of Prophets meete him, and the Spirit of God came vpon him, and he prophecied among them.

Therefore all the people that knewe him before, when they saw that he prophecied among the Prophets, saide eche to other, What is come vnto the sonne of Kish? is Saul also among the Prophets?

And one of the same place answered, and said, But who is their father? Therefore it was a prouerbe, Is Saul also among the Prophets?

And when he had made an ende of prophecying, he came to the hie place.

And Sauls vncle saide vnto him, and to his seruant, Whither went ye? And he saide, To seeke the asses: and when we sawe that they were no where, we came to Samuel.

And Sauls vncle saide, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said vnto you.

Then Saul saide to his vncle, He tolde vs plainely that the asses were founde: but concerning the kingdome whereof Samuel spake, tolde he him not.

And Samuel assembled the people vnto the Lord in Mizpeh,

And he saide vnto the children of Israel, Thus saith ye Lord God of Israel, I haue brought Israel out of Egypt, and deliuered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the handes of all kingdomes that troubled you.

But ye haue this day cast away your God, who onely deliuereth you out of all your aduersities and tribulations: and ye said vnto him, No, but appoint a King ouer vs. Nowe therefore stand ye before the Lord according to your tribes, and according to your thousands.

And when Samuel had gathered together all the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Beniamin was taken.

Afterwarde he assembled the tribe of Beniamin according to their families, and the familie of Matri was taken. So Saul the sonne of Kish was taken, and when they sought him, he coulde not be found.

Therefore they asked the Lord againe, if that man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Beholde, he hath hid himselfe among the stuffe.

And they ranne, and brought him thence: and when he stoode among the people, he was hier then any of the people from the shoulders vpwarde.

And Samuel saide to all the people, See ye not him, whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? and all the people shouted and saide, God saue the King.

Then Samuel tolde the people the duetie of the kingdome, and wrote it in a booke, and laied it vp before the Lord, and Samuel sent all the people away euery man to his house.

Saul also went home to Gibeah, and there followed him a bande of men, whose heart God had touched,

But the wicked men saide, Howe shall hee saue vs? So they despised him, and brought him no presents: but he held his tongue.

Then Nahash the Ammonite came vp, and besieged Iabesh Gilead: and all the men of Iabesh saide vnto Nahash, Make a couenant with vs, and we will be thy seruants.

And Nahash ye Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a couenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eies, and bring that shame vpon all Israel.

To whome the Elders of Iabesh said, Giue vs seuen daies respet, that we may sende messengers vnto all the coastes of Israel: and then if no man deliuer vs, we will come out to thee.

Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and tolde these tidings in the eares of the people: and all the people lift vp their voices and wept.

And behold, Saul came following the cattell out of the fielde, and Saul saide, What aileth this people, that they weepe? And they tolde him the tidings of the men of Iabesh.

Then the Spirit of God came vpon Saul, when he heard those tidings, and he was exceeding angrie,

And tooke a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coastes of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoeuer commeth not foorth after Saul, and after Samuel, so shall his oxen be serued. And the feare of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.

And when he nombred them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundreth thousande men: and the men of Iudah thirtie thousand.

Then they saide vnto the messengers that came, So say vnto the men of Iabesh Gilead, To morowe by then the sunne be hote, ye shall haue helpe. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Iabesh, which were glad.

Therefore the men of Iabesh sayde, To morowe we will come out vnto you, and yee shall doe with vs all that pleaseth you.

And when the morowe was come, Saul put the people in three bandes, and they came in vpon the hoste in the morning watche, and slewe the Ammonites vntill the heate of the day: and they that remained, were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.

Then the people said vnto Samuel, Who is he that saide, Shall Saul reigne ouer vs? bring those men that we may slaie them.

But Saul said, There shall no man die this day: for to day the Lord hath saued Israel.

Then saide Samuel vnto ye people, Come, that we may goe to Gilgal, and renue the kingdome there.

So all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul King there before the Lord in Gilgal: and there they offered peace offerings before the Lord: and there Saul and all the men of Israel reioyced exceedingly.

Samuel then said vnto all Israel, Behold, I haue hearkened vnto your voyce in all that yee sayde vnto mee, and haue appoynted a King ouer you.

Now therefore behold, your King walketh before you, and I am old and graie headed, and beholde, my sonnes are with you: and I haue walked before you from my childehood vnto this day.

Beholde, here I am: beare recorde of me before the Lord and before his Anointed. Whose oxe haue I taken? or whose asse haue I taken? or whome haue I done wrong to? or whome haue I hurt? or of whose hande haue I receiued any bribe, to blinde mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it you?

Then they sayde, Thou hast done vs no wrong, nor hast hurt vs, neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand.

And he saide vnto them, The Lord is witnesse against you, and his Anointed is witnesse this day, that yee haue founde nought in mine handes. And they answered, He is witnesse.

Then Samuel sayde vnto the people, It is the Lord that made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt.

Nowe therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord according to all the righteousnesse of the Lord, which he shewed to you and to your fathers.

After that Iaakob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried vnto the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

And when they forgate the Lord their God, he solde them into the hand of Sisera captaine of the hoste of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistims, and into the hande of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

And they cried vnto the Lord, and saide, We haue sinned, because we haue forsaken the Lord, and haue serued Baalim and Ashtaroth. Nowe therefore deliuer vs out of the handes of our enemies, and we will serue thee.

Therefore the Lord sent Ierubbaal and Bedan and Iphtaph, and Samuel, and deliuered you out of the handes of your enemies on euery side, and yee dwelled safe.

Notwithstanding when you sawe, that Nahash the King of the children of Ammon came against you, ye sayde vnto me, No, but a King shall reigne ouer vs: when yet the Lord your God was your King.

Nowe therefore beholde the King whome yee haue chosen, and whome yee haue desired: loe therefore, the Lord hath set a King ouer you.

If ye wil feare the Lord and serue him, and heare his voyce, and not disobey the worde of the Lord, both yee, and the King that reigneth ouer you, shall follow the Lord your God.

But if yee will not obey the voyce of the Lord, but disobey the Lordes mouth, then shall the hand of the Lord be vpon you, and on your fathers.

Nowe also stande and see this great thing which the Lord will doe before your eyes.

Is it not nowe wheat haruest? I wil call vnto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and raine, that yee may perceiue and see, howe that your wickednesse is great, which ye haue done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a King.

Then Samuel called vnto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and raine the same day: and all the people feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly.

And all the people said vnto Samuel, Pray for thy seruaunts vnto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we haue sinned in asking vs a King, beside all our other sinnes.

And Samuel said vnto the people, Feare not. (ye haue indeede done all this wickednesse, yet depart not from following the Lord, but serue the Lord with all your heart,

Neither turne yee backe: for that shoulde be after vaine things which cannot profite you, nor deliuer you, for they are but vanitie)

For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great Names sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.

Moreouer God forbid, that I should sinne against the Lord, and cease praying for you, but I will shewe you the good and right way.

Therefore feare you the Lord, and serue him in the trueth with all your hearts, and consider howe great things he hath done for you.

But if ye doe wickedly, ye shall perish, both yee, and your King.

Saul nowe had beene King one yeere, and he reigned two yeeres ouer Israel.

Then Saul chose him three thousand of Israel: and two thousande were with Saul in Michmash, and in mount Beth-el, and a thousande were with Ionathan in Gibeah of Beniamin: and the rest of the people he sent euery one to his tent.

And Ionathan smote the garison of the Philistims, that was in the hill: and it came to the Philistims eares: and Saul blewe the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Heare, O yee Ebrewes.

And al Israel heard say, Saul hath destroied a garison of the Philistims: wherefore Israel was had in abomination with the Philistims: and the people gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

The Philistims also gathered themselues together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand charets, and sixe thousande horsemen: for the people was like the sand which is by the seas side in multitude, and came vp, and pitched in Michmash Eastward from Beth-auen.

And when the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were in distresse) the people hid themselues in caues, and in holdes, and in rockes, and in towres, and in pittes.

And some of the Ebrewes went ouer Iorden vnto the lande of Gad and Gilead: and Saul was yet in Gilgal, and al the people for feare followed him.

And he taried seuen daies, according vnto the time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal, therefore the people were scattered from him.

And Saul sayde, Bring a burnt offering to me and peace offrings: and he offered a burnt offering.

And assoone as hee had made an ende of offering the burnt offering, beholde, Samuel came: and Saul went foorth to meete him, to salute him.

And Samuel saide, What hast thou done? Then Saul saide, Because I sawe that the people was scattred from me, and that thou camest not within the daies appoynted, and that the Philistims gathered themselues together to Michmash,

Therefore said I, The Philistims will come downe nowe vpon me to Gilgal, and I haue not made supplication vnto the Lord. I was bolde therefore and offred a burnt offring.

And Samuel saide to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for the Lord had nowe stablished thy kingdome vpon Israel for euer.

But nowe thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his owne heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be gouernour ouer his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord had commanded thee.