Hannah's song.

1. SAMUEL

Samuel's ministrg, saying, Because I have asked bim of ness; for by strength shall no man the LORD.

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her hushand, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then 1 will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave er son suck until she weaned him.

24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.

25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, O my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee bere, praying unto

the LORD.

27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth, be shall be lent to the LORD. And be worshipped the LORD there.

CHAP. II.

ND Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD; my mouth is enlarged over mine eriemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none besides thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him acions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty men are proken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

prevail.

10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces: out of heaven shall be thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth, and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the born of his anointed.

11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest. 19 Now the sons of Eli were song of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that when any man of fered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand:

14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-book brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.

15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the inan that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat pre sently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.

21 And the LORD visited Hannah, 5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that so that she conceived, and bare three were hungry ceased: so that the bar-sons and two daughters. And the ren hath born seven; and she that child Samuel grew before the LORD. hath many children is waxed feeble. 6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: be bringeth low, and hfteth up.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and be bath set the world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in dark

22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things for 1 hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD' people to transgress.

95 If one man sin against another. the judge shall judge him: but if a nan sin against the LORD, who sball entreat for hiin? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their

EN's sons reproved. CHAP. IK. Father, because the LORD would slay

35 And I will raise me up a faithfulshew Eli the vision. priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

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

36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priest's offices, that I may eat a piece of bread. CHAP. III.

17 And he said, What is the taing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

20 And all Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel tras es tablished to be a prophet of the LORD.

21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

The Israelites overcome.

CHAP, IV

1. SAMUEL. Dagon falleth before the ark." years old; and his eyes were dim, thất

AND the word of Samuel came to he could not see.

all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.

2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they Joined battle, Israel was smitten be fore the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thou

sand men.

3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel Said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, alat, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubips and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark. of the covenant of God.

5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What caneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.

7 And the Philistines were afraid, r they said, God is come into the And they said, Wo unto us! camp. for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.

s Wo unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hans of these nighty Gods these are the Gods that sote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.

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

10 And the Pinalistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hopha; and Phinehas, were slain.

19 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.

13 And when 'Fe came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the way-side watching: for his beart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety and eight

16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to-day out of the army. And be said, What is there done, niy son?

17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath 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.

18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

19 And his daughter-in-law, Phi nehas' wife, was with child near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.

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

21 And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father. in-law and her husband,

99 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

CHAP. V.

AND the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground be fore the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the thresh old: only the stump of Lagon was left to him.

5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Da gon in Ashdod unto this day.

6 But the hand of the LORD was beary upon them of Ashdod, and Le destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, cucn Ashdod and the coasts thereof.

7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

6 They sent therefore and gathered

The ark sent back.

CHAP. VI. The Beth-shemties smitten.

all the lords of the Philistines unto jewels of gold, which ye return him them, and said, What shall we do with for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the ark of the God of Israel? And the side thereof; and send it away they answered, Let the ark of the that it may go. God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.

9 And it was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts. 10 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 stay us and our people.

11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven. CHAP. VI.

AND the ark of the LORD was in

the country of the Philistines seven months.

And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saving, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD tell us wherewith we shall send it to bis place.

3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass-offering then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his band is not removed from you.

9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth-shemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that is is not his hand that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us.

10 ¶ And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home: 11 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.

12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh.

13 And they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat-harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart,

and offered the kine a burnt-offering

unto the LORD.

15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.

16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass-offering unto the LORD; 4 Then said they, What shall be the for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Astrespass-offering which we shall re-kelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron turn to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistmes: for one plague teas on you all, and on your lords.

one;

18 And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country 5 Wherefore ye shall make images villages, even unto the great stone of of your emerods, and images of your Abel, whereon they set down the ark mice that mar the land; and ye shall of the LORD: which stone remaineti. give glory unto the God of Israel: per-unto this day in the field of Joshua the adventure he will lighten his hand Beth-shemite.

from off you, and from off your gods, 19 And he smote the men of Bethand from off your land.

6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:

8 Ard take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the

shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God and to whom shal he go up from us?⚫

91 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jcarim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the

K*

frael's repentance.

1. SAMUEL. The Israelites as a king.

ark of the LORD; come ye down, and tines bid taken from Israel

tetch it up to you.

CHAP. VII.

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

9 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

restorert to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the bands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel judged israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gigal, and Mizpeh, and judged Ísrael in all those places.

17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he buil an altar unto the LORD.

CHAP. VIII.

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

3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, It ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from anong you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only; and he will de 2 Now the name of bis first-born liver you out of the hand of the Phi-was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Decr-sheba. 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judg ment.

listines.

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

5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

4 Then all the elders of Israel ga thered themselves together, and caine to Samuel unto Ramah,

6 And they gathered together to Mizueb, and drew water, and poured 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou is out before the LORD, and fasted art old, and thy sons walk not in thy on that day, and said there, We have ways; now make us a king to judge us sinned against the LORD. And Sa-like all the nations. nuel judged the children of Israel in 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, Mixpeh. when they said, Give us a king to

7 And when the Philistines heard judge us. And Samuel prayed unto that the children of Israel were gathe LORD.

thered together, to Mixpeh, the lords 7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, of the Philistines went up against Is-Hearken unto the voice of the people rael. And when the children of Israel in all that they say unto thee: for they heard it, they were afraid of the Phi- have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

listines.

8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the 8 According to all the works which LORD our God for us, that he will they have done since the day that I save us out of the hand of the Pai-brought them up out of Egypt even listines. unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt-offering wholly unto the LORD and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit, yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: 10 ¶ And Samuel told all the words but the LORD thundered with a great of the LORD unto the people that askthunder on that day upon the Philised of him a king. tines, and discomfited them; and they 11 And he said, This will be the were smitten before Israel. manner of the king that shall reign

11 And the men of Israel went out over you: He will take your sons, and of Mizpeb, and pursued the Philis-appoint them for himself, for his chatines, and smote them, until they came riots, and to be his horsemen; and under Beth-car. some shall run before his chariots."

12 Then Samael took a stone, and 12 And he will appoint him captains set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and over thousands, and captains over called the name of it Eben-ezer, say-fifties; and will set them to ear his ing, Hitherto bath the LORD helped ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and

us.

13 So the Philistines were subdued, instruments of his chariots. and they came no more into the coast 13 And he will take your daughters of Israel and the hand of the LORD to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, was against the Philistines all the days and to be bakers.

of Samuel.

14 And he will take your fields, and 14 And the cities which the Philis-your vineyards, and your clive-yards,