The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

And Samuel arose, and gate him vp from Gilgal in Gibeah of Beniamin: and Saul nombred the people that were found with him, about sixe hundreth men.

And Saul and Ionathan his sonne, and the people that were found with them, had their abiding in Gibeah of Beniamin: but the Philistims pitched in Michmash.

And there came out of the hoste of the Philistims three bandes to destroie, one bande turned vnto the way of Ophrah vnto the lande of Shual,

And another bad turned toward the way to Beth-horon, and the third band turned toward the way of the coast that looketh toward the valley of Zeboim, towarde the wildernesse.

Then there was no smith founde throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistims sayde, Lest the Ebrewes make them swordes or speares.

Wherefore all ye Israelites went downe to the Philistims, to sharpen euery man his share, his mattocke, and his axe, and his weeding hooke.

Yet they had a file for the shares, and for the mattockes, and for the picke forkes, and for the axes, and for to sharpen the goades.

So whe the day of battell was come, there was neither sworde nor speare founde in the handes of any of the people that were with Saul and with Ionathan: but onely with Saul and Ionathan his sonne was there founde.

And the garison of the Philistims came out to the passage of Michmash.

Then on a day Ionathan the sonne of Saul sayde vnto the yong man that bare his armour, Come and let vs goe ouer towarde the Philistims garison, that is yonder on the other side, but he tolde not his father.

And Saul taried in the border of Gibeah vnder a pomegranate tree, which was in Migron, and the people that were with him, were about sixe hundreth men.

And Ahiah the sonne of Ahitub, Ichabods brother, the sonne of Phinehas, the sonne of Eli, was the Lordes Priest in Shiloh, and ware an Ephod: and the people knewe not that Ionathan was gone.

Nowe in the way whereby Ionathan sought to go ouer to the Philistims garison, there was a sharpe rocke on the one side, and a sharpe rocke on the other side: the name of the one was called Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

The one rocke stretched from the North towarde Michmash, and the other was from the South toward Gibeah.

And Ionathan saide to the yong man that bare his armour, Come, and let vs goe ouer vnto the garison of these vncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will worke with vs: for it is not hard to the Lord to saue with many, or with fewe.

And he that bare his armour, saide vnto him, Doe all that is in thine heart: goe where it pleaseth thee: beholde, I am with thee as thine heart desireth.

Then said Ionathan, Beholde, we goe ouer vnto those men, and will shewe our selues vnto them.

If they say on this wise to vs, Tarie vntill we come to you, then we will stand still in our place, and not goe vp to them.

But if they say, Come vp vnto vs, then we will goe vp: for the Lord hath deliuered them into our hande: and this shall be a signe vnto vs.

So they both shewed themselues vnto the garison of the Philistims: and the Philistims said, See, the Ebrewes come out of the holes wherein they had hid themselues.

And the men of the garison answered Ionathan, and his armour bearer, and said, Come vp to vs: for we will shewe you a thing. Then Ionathan said vnto his armour bearer, Come vp after me: for the Lord hath deliuered them into the hand of Israel.

So Ionathan went vp vpon his hands and vpon his feete, and his armour bearer after him: and some fell before Ionathan, and his armour bearer slewe others after him.

So the first slaughter which Ionathan and his armour bearer made, was about twentie men, as it were within halfe an acre of land which two oxen plowe.

And there was a feare in the hoste, and in the field, and among all the people: the garison also, and they that went out to spoyle, were afraid themselues: and the earth trembled: for it was striken with feare by God.

Then the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Beniamin sawe: and beholde, the multitude was discomfited, and smitten as they went.

Therefore saide Saul vnto the people that were with him, Search nowe and see, who is gone from vs. And when they had nombred, beholde, Ionathan and his armour bearer were not there.

And Saul said vnto Ahiah, Bring hither the Arke of God (for the Arke of God was at that time with the children of Israel)

And while Saul talked vnto the Priest, the noyse that was in the hoste of the Philistims, spred farther abroade, and encreased: therefore Saul said vnto the Priest, Withdraw thine hand.

And Saul was assembled with all the people that were with him, and they came to the battell: and behold, euery mans sworde was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

Moreouer, the Ebrewes that were with the Philistims beforetime, and were come with them into all partes of the hoste, euen they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Ionathan.

Also all the men of Israel which had hid themselues in mount Ephraim, when they heard, that the Philistims were fled, they followed after them in the battell.

And so the Lord saued Israel that day: and the battell continued vnto Beth-auen.

And at that time the men of Israel were pressed with hunger: for Saul charged the people with an othe, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth foode till night, that I may be auenged of mine enemies: so none of the people tasted any sustenance.

And all they of the land came to a wood, where hony lay vpon the ground.

And the people came into the wood, and beholde, the hony dropped, and no man mooued his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the othe.

But Ionathan heard not when his father charged the people with the othe: wherefore he put foorth the ende of the rod that was in his hand, and dipt it in an hony combe, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes receiued sight.

Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father made the people to sweare, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth sustenance this day: and the people were faint.

Then said Ionathan, My father hath troubled the land: see nowe howe mine eyes are made cleare, because I haue tasted a litle of this honie:

Howe much more, if the people had eaten to day of the spoyle of their enemies which they found? for had there not bene nowe a greater slaughter among the Philistims?

And they smote the Philistims that day, from Michmash to Aiialon: and the people were exceeding faint.

So the people turned to the spoile, and tooke sheepe, and oxen, and calues, and slewe them on the ground, and the people did eate them with the blood.

Then men tolde Saul, saying, Beholde, the people sinne against the Lord, in that they eate with the blood. And he saide, Ye haue trespassed: roule a great stone vnto me this day.

Againe Saul said, Goe abroade among the people, and bid them bring me euery man his oxe, and euery man his sheepe, and slay them here, and eate and sinne not against the Lord in eating with the blood. And ye people brought euery man his oxe in his hand that night, and slew them there.

Then Saul made an altar vnto the Lord, and that was the first altar that he made vnto the Lord.

And Saul saide, Let vs goe downe after the Philistims by night, and spoyle them vntill the morning shine, and let vs not leaue a man of them. And they saide, Doe whatsoeuer thou thinkest best. Then saide the Priest, Let vs drawe neere hither vnto God.

So Saul asked of God, saying, Shall I goe downe after ye Philistims? wilt thou deliuer them into the hands of Israel? But he answered him not at that time.

And Saul said, All ye chiefe of the people, come ye hither, and knowe, and see by whom this sinne is done this day.

For as the Lord liueth, which saueth Israel, though it be done by Ionathan my sonne, he shall dye the death. But none of all the people answered him.

Then he saide vnto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Ionathan my sonne will be on the other side. And the people saide vnto Saul, Doe what thou thinkest best.

Then Saul said vnto the Lord God of Israel, Giue a perfite lot. And Ionathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.

And Saul saide, Cast lot betweene me and Ionathan my sonne. And Ionathan was taken.

Then Saul said to Ionathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathan tolde him, and said, I tasted a litle hony with the ende of the rod, that was in mine hand, and loe, I must die.

Againe Saul answered, God doe so and more also, vnlesse thou die the death, Ionathan.

And the people said vnto Saul, Shall Ionathan die, who hath so mightily deliuered Israel? God forbid. As the Lord liueth, there shall not one heare of his head fall to the ground: for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people deliuered Ionathan that he dyed not.

Then Saul came vp from the Philistims: and the Philistims went to their owne place.

So Saul helde the kingdome ouer Israel, and fought against all his enemies on euery side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the Kings of Zobah, and against the Philistims: and whithersoeuer he went, he handled them as wicked men.

He gathered also an hoste and smote Amalek, and deliuered Israel out of the handes of them that spoyled them.

Nowe the sonnes of Saul were Ionathan, and Ishui, and Malchishua: and the names of his two daughters, the elder was called Merab, and the yonger was named Michal.

And the name of Sauls wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of his chiefe captaine was Abner the sonne of Ner, Sauls vncle.

And Kish was Sauls father: and Ner the father of Abner was the sonne of Abiel.

And there was sore warre against the Philistims all the dayes of Saul: and whomsoeuer Saul sawe to be a strong man, and meete for the warre, he tooke him vnto him.

Afterward Samuel said vnto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee King ouer his people, ouer Israel: nowe therefore obey the voyce of the wordes of the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord of hostes, I remember what Amalek did to Israel, howe they laide waite for the in ye way, as they came vp from Egypt.

Nowe therefore goe, and sinite Amalek, and destroy ye all that perteyneth vnto them, and haue no compassion on them, but slay both man and woman, both infant and suckling, both oxe, and sheepe, both camell, and asse.

And Saul assembled ye people, and nombred them in Telaim, two hundreth thousande footemen, and ten thousand men of Iudah.

And Saul came to a citie of Amalek, and set watch at the riuer.

And Saul said vnto the Kenites, Goe, depart, and get you downe from among the Amalekites, least I destroy you with them: for ye shewed mercie to all the children of Israel, when they came vp from Egypt: and the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

So Saul smote the Amalekites from Hauilah as thou commest to Shur, that is before Egypt,

And tooke Agag the King of the Amalekites aliue, and destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the better sheepe, and the oxen, and the fat beasts, and the lambes, and all that was good, and they would not destroy them: but euery thing that was vile and nought worth, that they destroyed.

Then came the worde of the Lord vnto Samuel, saying,

It repenteth me that I haue made Saul King: for he is turned from me, and hath not performed my commandements. And Samuel was mooued, and cryed vnto the Lord all night.

And when Samuel arose early to meete Saul in the morning, one tolde Samuel, saying, Saul is gone to Carmel: and beholde, he hath made him there a place, from whence he returned, and departed, and is gone downe to Gilgal.

Then Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said vnto him. Blessed be thou of the Lord, I haue fulfilled the commandement of the Lord.

But Samuel saide, What meaneth then the bleating of the sheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the oxen which I heare?

And Saul answered, They haue brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheepe, and of the oxen to sacrifice them vnto the Lord thy God, and the remnant haue we destroyed.

Againe Samuel saide to Saul, Let me tell thee what the Lord hath saide to me this night. And he said vnto him, Say on.

Then Samuel saide, When thou wast litle in thine owne sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? for the Lord anointed thee King ouer Israel.

And the Lord sent thee on a iourney, and saide, Goe, and destroy those sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them, vntill thou destroy them.

Nowe wherefore hast thou not obeyed the voyce of the Lord, but hast turned to the pray, and hast done wickedly in the sight of the Lord?

And Saul saide vnto Samuel, Yea, I haue obeyed the voyce of the Lord, and haue gone the way which the Lord sent me, and haue brought Agag the King of Amalek, and haue destroyed the Amalekites.

But the people tooke of the spoyle, sheepe, and oxen, and the chiefest of the things which shoulde haue bene destroyed, to offer vnto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

And Samuel saide, Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed? beholde, to obey is better then sacrifice, and to hearken is better then the fatte of rammes.

For rebellion is as the sinne of withcraft, and transgression is wickednesse and idolatrie. Because thou hast cast away the worde of the Lord, therefore hee hath cast away thee from being King.

Then Saul sayde vnto Samuel, I haue sinned: for I haue transgressed the commandement of the Lord, and thy wordes, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voyce.

Nowe therefore I pray thee, take away my sinne, and turne againe with mee, that I may worship the Lord.

But Samuel saide vnto Saul, I will not returne with thee: for thou hast cast away the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath cast away thee, that thou shalt not be King ouer Israel.

And as Samuel turned himselfe to goe away, he caught the lappe of his coate, and it rent.

Then Samuel saide vnto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdome of Israel from thee this day, and hath giuen it to thy neighbour, that is better then thou.

For in deede the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent: for hee is not a man that hee should repent.

Then he saide, I haue sinned: but honour mee, I pray thee, before the Elders of my people, and before Israel, and turne againe with mee, that I may worship the Lord thy God.

So Samuel turned againe, and followed Saul: and Saul worshipped the Lord.

Then saide Samuel, Bring yee hither to me Agag ye King of the Amalekites: and Agag came vnto him pleasantly, and Agag saide, Truely the bitternesse of death is passed.

And Samuel sayde, As thy sworde hath made women childlesse, so shall thy mother bee childelesse among other women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

So Samuel departed to Ramah, and Saul went vp to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

And Samuel came no more to see Saul vntill the day of his death: but Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord repented that hee made Saul King ouer Israel.

The Lord then saide vnto Samuel, Howe long wilt thou mourne for Saul, seeing I haue cast him away from reigning ouer Israel? fill thine horne with oyle and come, I will sende thee to Ishai the Bethlehemite: for I haue prouided mee a King among his sonnes.

And Samuel sayde, Howe can I goe? for if Saul shall heare it, he will kill me. Then the Lord answered, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to doe sacrifice to the Lord.

And call Ishai to the sacrifice, and I will shewe thee what thou shalt doe, and thou shalt anoynt vnto me him whom I name vnto thee.

So Samuel did that the Lord bade him, and came to Beth-lehem, and the Elders of the towne were astonied at his comming, and sayd, Commest thou peaceablie?