According as God had ordeined, Deut.17.14, that when the Israelites should be in the land of Canaan, he would appoint them a King: so here in this first booke of Samuel is declared the state of this people vnder their first King Saul, who not content with that order, which God had for a time appointed for the gouernment of his Church, demaunded a King, to the intent they might be as other nations and in a greater aßurance as they thought: not because they might the better thereby serue God, as being vnder the safegard of him, which did represent Iesus Chrius the true deliuerer: therefore he gaue them a tyrant and an hypocrite to rule ouer them, that they might learne, that the person of a King is not sufficient to defend them, except God by his power preserue and keepe them. And therefore he punisheth the ingratitude of his people, and sendeth them continuall warres both at home and abroad. And because Saul, whom of nothing God had preferred to the honour of a King, did not acknowledge Gods mercie toward him, but rather disobeyed the worde of God and was not zealous of his glory, he was by the voyce of God put downe from his estate, and Dauid the true figure of Messiah placed in his stead, whose patience, modestie, constancie, persecution by open enemies, fained friends, and dißembling flatterers, are left to the Church and to euery member of the same, as a paterne and example to beholde their state and vocation.

1 The genealogie of Elkanah father of Samuel. 2 His two wiues. 5 Hannah was barren and prayed to the Lord. 15 Her answere to Eli. 20 Samuel is borne. 24 She doeth dedicate him to the Lord.

¹ There was a man of one of the two [Note: [a] There were two Ramaths, so that in this citie in mount Ephraim were Zophim: that is, the learned men and Prophets. ] Ramathaim Zophim, of mount Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Elihu, the sonne of Tohu, the sonne of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

² And he had two wiues: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

³ [Note: Deut.16.16. ] And this man went vp out of his citie euery yeere, to worship and to sacrifice vnto the Lord of hostes in [Note: [b] For the Arke was there at that time. ] Shiloh, where were the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas Priests of the Lord.

⁴ And on a day, when Elkanah sacrificed, he gaue to Peninnah his wife and to all her sonnes and daughters portions,

⁵ But vnto Hannah he gaue a worthy [Note: [c] Some reade, a portion with an heauie cheare. ] portion: for he loued Hannah, and the Lorde had made her barren.

⁶ ¶ And her aduersarie vexed her sore, forasmuch as she vpbraided her, because the Lorde had made her barren.

⁷ (And so did he yeere by yeere) and as oft as she went vp to the house of the Lord, thus she vexed her, that she wept and did not eate.

⁸ Then sayd Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thine heart troubled? am not I better to thee then ten [Note: [d] Let this suffice thee, that I loue thee no lesse, then if thou hadst many children. ] sonnes?

⁹ So Hannah rose vp after that they had eaten and drunke in Shiloh (and Eli the Priest sate vpon a stoole by one of the postes of the [Note: [e] That is, of the house where the Arke was. ] Temple of the Lord)

¹⁰ And she was troubled in her minde, and prayed vnto the Lord, and wept sore:

¹¹ Also she vowed a vowe, and sayd, O Lord of hostes, if thou wilt looke on the trouble of thine handmaide, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaide, but giue vnto thine handmaide a manchilde, then I will giue him vnto the Lord all the dayes of his life, [Note: Nomb.6.5. iudg.13.5. ] and there shall no rasor come vpon his head.

¹² And as she continued praying before the Lord, Eli marked her mouth.

¹³ For Hannah spake in her heart: her lips did moue onely, but her voyce was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had bene drunken.

¹⁴ And Eli sayde vnto her, Howe long wilt thou be drunken? Put away [Note: Ebr. thy wine. ] thy drunkennesse from thee.

¹⁵ Then Hannah answered and sayd, Nay my lord, but I am a woman [Note: Ebr. of an hard spirit. ] troubled in spirit: I haue drunke neither wine nor strong drinke, but haue [Note: Psal.42.5. ] powred out my soule before the Lord.

¹⁶ Count not thine handmaide [Note: Ebr. for a daughter of Belial. ] for a wicked woman: for of the abundance of my complaint and my griefe haue I spoken hitherto.

¹⁷ Then Eli answered, and sayd, Go in peace, and the God of Israel graunt thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

¹⁸ She sayd againe, Let thine handmayd finde [Note: [f] That is, pray vnto the Lorde for me. ] grace in thy sight: so the woman went her way, and did eate, and looked no more sad.

¹⁹ ¶ Then they rose vp early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah. Nowe Elkanah knewe Hannah his wife, and the Lord [Note: [g] According to her petition. ] remembred her.

²⁰ For in processe of time Hannah conceiued, and bare a sonne, and she called his name Samuel, Because, said she, I haue asked him of the Lord.

²¹ ¶ So the man [Note: [h] This Elkanah was a Leuite, 1.Chro.6.27. and as some write, once a yeere they accustomed to appeare before the Lord with their families. ] Elkanah and all his house went vp to offer vnto the Lord the yeerely sacrifice, and his vowe:

²² But Hannah went not vp: for she sayd vnto her husband, I will tarie vntill the childe be weined, then I will bring him that hee may appeare before the Lord, and there abide for euer.

²³ And Elkanah her husband sayd vnto her,

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Do what seemeth thee best: tarie vntill thou hast weined him: only the Lord accomplish his [Note: [i] Because her praier tooke effect, therefore it was called the Lords promes. ] word. So the woman abode, and gaue her sonne sucke vntill she weined him.
²⁴ ¶ And when she had weined him, she tooke him with her with three bullockes and an [Note: Exod.16.36. ] Ephah of floure and a bottell of wine, and brought him vnto the house of the Lorde in Shiloh, and the childe was [Note: Ebr. a childe. ] yong.

²⁵ And they slewe a bullocke, and brought the childe to Eli.

²⁶ And she said, Oh my Lord, as thy [Note: [k] That is, most certeinely. ] soule liueth, my lord, I am the woman that stoode with thee here praying vnto the Lord.

²⁷ I prayed for this childe, and the Lord hath giuen me my desire which I asked of him.

²⁸ Therefore also I haue [Note: Ebr.lent. ] giuen him vnto the Lorde: as long as he liueth hee shalbe giuen vnto the Lord: and he [Note: [l] Meaning, Eli gaue thankes to God for her. ] worshipped the Lord there.

1 The song of Hannah. 12 The sonnes of Eli, wicked. 13 The new custome of the Priestes. 18 Samuel ministreth before the Lorde. 20 Eli bleßeth Elkanah and his wife. 23 Eli reproueth his sonnes. 27 God sendeth a Prophet to Eli. 31 Eli is menaced for not chastising his children.

¹ And Hannah [Note: [a] After that she had obteined a sonne by prayer, she gaue thankes. ] prayed, and said, Mine heart reioyceth in the Lorde, mine [Note: [b] I haue recouered strength and glory by the benefite of the Lord. ] horne is exalted in the Lorde: my mouth is [Note: [c] I can answere them, that reproue my barrennesse. ] enlarged ouer mine enemies, because I reioyce in thy saluation.

² There is none holy as the Lord: yea, there is none besides thee, & there is no god like our God.

³ Speake [Note: [d] In that ye condemne my barennesse, ye shew your pride against God. ] no more presumptuously: let not arrogancie come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him enterprises are established.

⁴ The bow and the mightie men are broken, and the weake haue girded themselues wt strength.

⁵ They that were full, are hired foorth for [Note: [e] They fell their labours for necessarie foode. ] bread, and the hungrie are no more hired, so that the barren hath borne [Note: Or, many. ] seuen: and shee that had many children, is feeble.

⁶ [Note: Deut.32.39. wisd.16.13. tob.13.2. ] The Lord killeth and maketh aliue: bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp.

⁷ The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich: bringeth lowe, and exalteth.

⁸ [Note: Psalme 113.7. ] He raiseth vp ye poore out of the dust, and lifteth vp the begger fro the dunghill, to set them among [Note: [f] He preferreth to honour and putteth downe according to his owne will, though mans iudgement be contrarie. ] princes, and to make them inherite the seate of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the [Note: [g] Therefore he may dispose all things according to his will. ] Lordes, and he hath set the world vpon them.

⁹ Hee will keepe the feete of his Saintes, and the wicked shall keepe silence in darkenes: for in his owne might shall no man be strong.

¹⁰ The Lordes aduersaries shall be destroyed, and out of heauen shall he [Note: Chap.7.10. ] thunder vpon them: the Lord shall iudge the endes of the worlde, and shall giue power vnto his [Note: [h] She grounded her prayer on Iesus Christ which was to come. ] King, and exalt the horne of his Anoynted.

¹¹ And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house, and the childe did minister vnto the Lord [Note: [i] In all that Eli commanded him. ] before Eli the Priest.

¹² ¶ Now the sonnes of Eli were wicked men, and [Note: [k] That is, they neglected his ordinance. ] knewe not the Lord.

¹³ For the Priestes custome towarde the people was this: when any man offered sacrifice, the Priestes [Note: Or, sonne. ] boy came, while the flesh was seething, and a fleshhooke with three teeth, in his hand,

¹⁴ And thrust it into the kettle, or into the caldron, or into the panne, or into the potte: [Note: [l] Transgressing the order appointed in the Lawe, Leui.7.31. for their bellies sake. ] all that the fleshhooke brought vp, the Priest tooke for himselfe: thus they did vnto all the Israelites,

that came thither to Shiloh.

¹⁵ Yea, before they burnt the [Note: [m] Which was commanded first to haue bene offred to God. ] fat, the priests boy came and saide to the man that offered, Giue me flesh to rost for the priest: for he wil not haue sodden flesh of thee, but rawe.

¹⁶ And if any man saide vnto him, Let them burne the fatte according to the [Note: Or, Lawe. ] custome, then take as much as thine heart [Note: [n] Not passing for their owne profit, so that God might be serued aright. ] desireth: then hee would answere, No, but thou shalt giue it nowe: and if thou wilt not, I will take it by force.

¹⁷ Therefore the sinne of the yong men was very great before the Lorde: for men [Note: [o] Seeing the horrible abuse therof. ] abhorred the offering of the Lord.

¹⁸ ¶ Now Samuel being a yong childe ministred before the Lord, girded with a linen [Note: Exod.28 4. ] Ephod.

¹⁹ And his mother made him a litle coat, and brought it to him from yeere to yeere, when she came vp with her husband, to offer the yerely sacrifice.

²⁰ And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The Lord giue thee seede of this woman, for [Note: Or, for the thing that she hath lent to the Lord: to wit, Samuel. ] the petition that she asked of the Lord: and they departed vnto their place.

²¹ And the Lorde visited Hannah, so that she conceiued, & bare three sonnes, & two daughters. And the childe Samuel grewe before the Lord.

²² ¶ So Eli was very olde, and heard all that his sonnes did vnto all Israel, and howe they laye with the women that [Note: [p] Which was (as the Ebrues write) after their traueile, when they came to bee purified, reade Exod.38.8. Leuit.12.6. ] assembled at the doore of the tabernacle of the Congregation.

²³ And hee saide vnto them, Why doe ye such things? for of all this people I heare euill reportes of you.

²⁴ Do no more, my sonnes, for it is no good report that I heare, which is, that ye make the Lords people to [Note: [q] Because they contemne their duetie to God, verse 17. ] trespasse.

²⁵ If one man sinne against another, the Iudge shal iudge it: but if a man sinne against the Lord, who will pleade for him? Notwithstanding they obeyed not the voyce of their father, because the Lord [Note: [r] So that to obey, good admonitions is Gods mercie, and to disobey them is his iust iudgement for sinne. ] would slay them.

²⁶ ¶ (Nowe the childe Samuel profited and grewe, and was in fauour both with the Lord and also with men)

²⁷ And there came a man of God vnto Eli, and said vnto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did not I plainely appeare vnto the house of thy [Note: [s] To wit, Aaron. ] father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaohs house?

²⁸ And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my Priest, to offer vpon mine altar, and to burne incense, and to weare an Ephod before me, and [Note: Leuit.10.14. ] I gaue vnto the house of thy father all the offrings made by fire of the children of Israel.

²⁹ Wherefore haue you [Note: [t] Why haue you contemned my sacrifices, and as it were trod them vnder foote? ] kicked against my sacrifice and mine offering, which I commaunded in my Tabernacle, and honourest thy children aboue mee, to make your selues fatte of the first fruites of all the offerings of Israel my people?

³⁰ Wherefore the Lorde God of Israel saith, I saide, that thine house and the house of thy father should walke before mee for euer: but nowe the Lord saith, [Note: [u] Gods promises are onely effectual to such as he giueth constancie vnto, to feare and obey him. ] It shall not be so: for them that honour me, I will honour, and they that despise me, shall be despised.

³¹ Beholde, the dayes come, that I will cut off thine [Note: [x] Thy power and authoritie. ] arme, and the arme of thy fathers house, that there shal not be an olde man in thine house.

³² And thou [Note: [y] Thy posteritie shall see the glory of the chiefe Priest translated to another, whom they shall enuie, 1.King, 3.27. ] shalt see thine enemie in the habitation of the Lord in all thinges wherewith God shall blesse Israel, and there shall not be an [Page]

olde man in thine house for euer.

³³ Neuerthelesse, I will not destroy euery one of thine fro mine altar, to make thine eyes to faile, and to make thine heart sorowfull: and all ye multitude of thine house shall [Note: Or, when they come to mans age. ] die when they be men.

³⁴ And this shalbe a signe vnto thee, that shal come vpon thy two sonnes Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both.

³⁵ And I will stirre me vp a [Note: [z] Meaning, Zadok, who succeeded Abiathar, and was the figure of Christ. ] faithfull Priest, that shall do according to mine heart and according to my minde: & I wil build him a sure house, & he shall walke before mine Anointed for euer.

³⁶ And all that are left in thine house, shall come and [Note: [a] That is, shalbe inferiour vnto him. ] bowe downe to him for a piece of siluer and a morsell of bread, and shall say, Appoint me, I pray thee, to one of the priestes offices, that I may eate a morsell of bread.

1 There was no manifest vision in the time of Eli. 4 The Lord calleth Samuel three times, 11 And sheweth what shal come vpon Eli & his house. 18 The same declareth Samuel to Eli.

¹ Nowe the childe Samuel ministred vnto the Lord [Note: [a] The Chalde text readeth, whiles Eli liued. ] before Eli: and the word of the Lord was [Note: [b] Because there were very fewe Prophets to declare it. ] precious in those dayes: for there was no manifest vision.

² And at that time, as Eli lay in his [Note: [c] In the court next to the Tabernacle. ] place, his eyes began to waxe dimme that he could not see.

³ And yet the [Note: [d] That is, the lampes which burnt in the night. ] light of God went out, Samuel slept in the temple of the Lorde, where the Arke of God was.

⁴ Then the Lorde [Note: [e] Iosephus writeth that Samuel was twelue yeere olde, when the Lord appeared to him. ] called Samuel: and hee said, Here I am.

⁵ And he ranne vnto Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou calledst me. But he said, I called thee not: goe againe and sleepe. And he went and slept.

⁶ And the Lorde called once againe, Samuel. And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, I am here: for thou diddest call me. And he answered, I called thee not, my sonne: go againe and sleepe.

⁷ Thus did Samuel, before hee knewe [Note: [f] By vision. ] the Lord, and before the word of the Lord was reueiled vnto him.

⁸ And the Lorde called Samuel againe the thirde time: and he arose, and went to Eli, & said, I am here: for thou hast called me. Then Eli [Note: [g] Such was the corruptio of those times, that the chiefe priest was become dull and negligent to vnderstand the Lords appearing. ] perceiued that the Lord had called the childe.

⁹ Therefore Eli saide vnto Samuel, Goe and sleepe: and if he call thee, then say, Speake Lorde, for thy seruant heareth. So Samuel went, and slept in his place.

¹⁰ ¶ And the Lord came, and stoode, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speake, for thy seruant heareth.

¹¹ ¶ Then the Lord said to Samuel, Beholde, I wil doe a thing in Israel, whereof whosoeuer shall heare, his two [Note: 2.King.21.12. ] eares shall [Note: [h] God declareth what sudden feare shall come vpon men, when they shall heare that the Arke is taken, and also see Elies house destroyed. ] tingle.

¹² In that day I will raise vp against Eli all things which I haue spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an ende.

¹³ And I haue tolde him that I will iudge his house for euer, for the iniquitie which hee knoweth, because his sonnes ranne into a slaunder, and he stayed them not.

¹⁴ Nowe therefore I haue sworne vnto the house of Eli, that the wickednes of Elis house, shal not be purged with sacrifice nor offring [Note: [i] Meaning, that his posteritie should neuer enioy the chiefe Priestes office. ] for euer.

¹⁵ Afterward Samuel slept vntil the morning, and opened the doores of the house of the Lord, and Samuel feared to shewe Eli the vision.

¹⁶ ¶ Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel

my sonne. And he answered, Here I am.

¹⁷ Then he said, What is it, that the Lord said vnto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from mee. God [Note: [k] God punish thee after this and that sort, except thou tel me trueth, Ruth.1.17. ] doe so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me, of all that he said vnto thee.

¹⁸ So Samuel tolde him euery whit, and hid nothing from him. Then hee said, It is the Lorde: let him do what seemeth him good.

¹⁹ ¶ And Samuel grew, & the Lord was with him, and let none of his words [Note: [l] The Lord accomplished whatsoeuer he had said. ] fall to the ground.

²⁰ And all Israel fro Dan to Beer-sheba knew [Note: Or, that Samuel was the faithfull Prophet of the Lord. ] that faithfull Samuel was the Lordes Prophet.

²¹ And the Lorde appeared againe in Shiloh: for the Lorde reueiled himselfe to Samuel in Shiloh by [Note: Ebr. by the word of the Lord. ] his word.

1 Israel is ouercome by the Philistims. 4 They do set the Arke, wherefore the Philistims doe feare. 10 The Arke of the Lorde is taken. 11 Eli and his children die. 19 The death of the wife of Phinehas the sonne of Eli.

¹ And Samuel spake vnto all Israel: [Note: From the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt, vnto the time of Samuel are about 397. yeere. ] and Israel went out against the Philistims to battel and pitched beside [Note: Or, stone of helpe, chap.7.12. ] Eben-ezer: and the Philistims pitched in Aphek.

² And the Philistims put themselues in aray against Israel: and when they ioyned the battell, Israel was smitten downe before the Philistims: who slewe of the armie in the fielde about foure thousand men.

³ So when the people were come into the campe, the Elders of Israel said, [Note: [a] For it may seeme that this warre was vndertaken by Samuels commandement. ] Wherefore hath the Lorde smitten vs this day before ye Philistims? let vs bring the Arke of the couenant of the Lord out of Shiloh vnto vs, that when it commeth among vs, it may saue vs out of the hande of our enemies.

⁴ Then the people sent to Shiloh, & brought from thence the Arke of the couenant of the Lorde of hostes, who [Note: [b] For he vsed to appeare to the Israelites betweene the Cherubims ouer the Arke of the couenant, Exo. 25.verse 17. ] dwelleth betweene the Cherubims: and there were the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas, with the Arke of the couenant of God.

⁵ And when the Arke of the couenant of the Lord came into the hoste, all Israel shouted a mightie shoute, so that the earth rang againe.

⁶ And when the Philistims heard the noyse of the shoute, they said, What meaneth the sound of this mightie shoute in the host of the Ebrewes? and they vnderstoode, that the Arke of the Lord was come into the hoste.

⁷ And the Philistims were afraide, and saide, God is come into the hoste: therefore saide they, [Note: [c] Before we fought against men, and now God is come to fight against vs. ] Wo vnto vs: for it hath not bene so heretofore.

⁸ Wo vnto vs, who shall deliuer vs out of the hande of these mightie Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the [Note: [d] For in the red Sea in the wildernes the Egyptians were destroyed, which was the last of all his plagues. ] wildernes.

⁹ Be strong and play the men, O Philistims, that ye be not seruants vnto the Ebrewes, [Note: Iudg.13.1. ] as they haue serued you: be valiant therefore, and fight.

¹⁰ And the Philistims fought, and Israel was smitten downe, and fled euery man into his tent: and there was an exceeding great slaughter: for there fell of Israel [Note: [e] Dauid alluding to this place, Psal. 78.63 saith they were consumed with fire: meaning they were suddenly destroyed. ] thirtie thousand footemen.

¹¹ And the Arke of God was taken, and the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas died.

¹² And there ranne a man of Beniamin out of the armie, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes [Note: [f] In token of sorow and mourning. ] rent, and earth vpon his head.

¹³ And when hee came, loe, Eli sate vpon a

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seate by the wayside, wayting: for his heart [Note: [g] Least it should be taken of the enemies. ] feared for the Arke of God and when the man came into the citie to tell it, all the citie cried out.
¹⁴ And when Eli heard the noyse of the crying, he sayd, What meaneth this noyse of the tumult? and the man came in hastily, and tolde Eli.

¹⁵ (Nowe Eli was fourescore and eighteene yeere olde, and [Note: Chap.3.2. ] his eyes were dimme that hee could not see)

¹⁶ And the man sayd vnto Eli, I came from the armie, and I fled this day out of the hoste: and he sayd, What thing is done, my sonne?

¹⁷ Then the messenger answered and sayd, Israel is fled before the Philistims, and there hath bene also a great slaughter among the people: and moreouer thy two sonnes, Hophni and Phinehas [Note: [h] According as God had afore sayd. ] are dead, and the Arke of God is taken.

¹⁸ ¶ And when he had made mention of the Arke of God, Eli fell from his seate backward by the side of the gate, and his necke was broken, and he dyed: for he was an olde man and heauie: and he had [Note: Or, gouerned. ] iudged Israel fourtie yeeres.

¹⁹ And his daughter in lawe Phinehas wife was with childe neere [Note: Or, to crie out. ] her trauell: and when she heard the report that the Arke of God was taken, and that her father in lawe and her husband were dead, she [Note: [i] And setled her body toward her trauell. ] bowed her selfe, and trauailed: for her paines came vpon her.

²⁰ And about the time of her death, the women that stoode about her, sayd vnto her, Feare not: for thou hast borne a sonne: but she answered not, nor regarded it.

²¹ And she named the childe [Note: Or, No glory, or, where is the glory? ] Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel, because the Arke of God was taken, and because of her father in lawe and her husband.

²² She sayde againe, [Note: [k] She vttered her great sorow by repeating her words. ] The glory is departed from Israel: for the Arke of God is taken.

2 The Philistims bring the Arke into the house of Dagon, which Idole fell downe before it. 6 The men of Ashdod are plagued. 8 The Arke is caried into Gath & after to Ekron.

¹ Then the Philistims tooke the Arke of God and caried it from Eben-ezer vnto [Note: [a] Which was one of the fiue principall cities of the Philistims. ] Ashdod,

² Euen the Philistims tooke ye Arke of God, and brought it into the house of [Note: [b] Which was their chiefe idole, & as some write, from the nauill downward was like a fish, and vpward like a man. ] Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

³ And when they of Ashdod rose the next day in the morning, beholde, Dagon was fallen vpon his face on the ground before the Arke of the Lord, and they tooke vp Dagon, and set him in his place againe.

⁴ Also they rose vp earely in the morning the next day, and beholde, Dagon was fallen vpon his face on the ground before the Arke of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and the two palmes of his hands were cut off vpon the thresholde: onely the stumpe of Dagon was left to him.

⁵ Therefore the Priests of Dagon, & all that come into Dagons house [Note: [c] Thus in steade of acknowledging ye true God by this miracle, they fall to a farther superstition. ] tread not on the thresholde of Dagon in Ashdod, vnto this day.

⁶ But the hand of the Lord was heauie vpon them of Ashdod, and destroyed them, and smote them with the [Note: Psalm.78.66. ] emerods, both Ashdod, and the coastes thereof.

⁷ And when the men of Ashdod sawe this, they sayd, Let not the Arke of the God of Israel abide with vs: for his hand is sore vpon vs and vpon Dagon our god.

⁸ They sent therefore and gathered all the

princes of the Philistims vnto them, and sayde, [Note: [d] Though they had felt Gods power and were afraide thereof, yet they would farther trie him, which thing God turned to their destruction and his glory. ] What shall we doe with the Arke of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the Arke of the God of Israel be caried about vnto Gath: and they caried the Arke of the God of Israel about.

⁹ And when they had caried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the citie with a very great destruction, and he smote the men of the citie both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret partes.

¹⁰ ¶ Therefore they sent the Arke of God to Ekron: and assoone as the Arke of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cryed out, saying, They haue brought the Arke of the God of Israel to vs to slay vs and our people.

¹¹ Therefore they sent, and gathered together all the princes of the Philistims and sayd, Sende [Note: [e] The wicked, when they feele the hand of God, grudge and reiect him, where the godly humble themselues and cry for mercy. ] away the Arke of the God of Israel, and let it returne to his owne place, that it slay vs not and our people: for there was a destruction and death throughout all the citie, and the hand of God was very sore there.

¹² And the men that dyed not, were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the citie went vp to heauen.

1 The time that the Arke was with the Philistims which they sent againe with a gift. 12 It commeth to Beth-shemesh. 17 The Philistims offer golden emerods. 19 The men of Beth-shemesh are striken for looking into the Arke.

¹ So the Arke of the Lorde was in the countrey of the Philistims [Note: [a] They thought by continuance of time the plague would haue ceased, and so would haue kept the Arke still. ] seuen moneths.

² And the Philistims called the priests and the soothsayers, saying, What shall we doe with the Arke of the Lord? tell vs wherewith we shall send it home againe.

³ And they sayd, If you send away the Arke of the God of Israel, send it not away emptie, but giue vnto it [Note: [b] The idolaters confesse there is a true God, who punisheth sinne iustly. ] a sinne offering: then shall ye be healed, and it shall be knowen to you, why his hand departeth not from you.

⁴ Then sayd they, What shalbe the sinne offring, which we shall giue vnto it? And they answered, Fiue golden emerods and fiue golden mise, according to the number of the princes of the Philistims: for one plague was on you all, and on your princes.

⁵ Wherefore ye shal make the similitudes of your emerods, & the similitudes of your mise that destroy the land: so ye shal giue glory vnto the God of Israel, that he may take his hand from you, and from your [Note: [c] This is Gods iudgement vpon the idolaters, that knowing the true God they worship him not aright. ] gods, and from your land.

⁶ Wherefore then should ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he wrought wonderfully among them, [Note: Exod.12.31. ] did they not let them goe, and they departed?

⁷ Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on whome there hath come no yoke: and tye the kine to the cart, and bring the calues home from them.

⁸ Then take the Arke of the Lord, and set it vpon the cart, and put the [Note: [d] Meaning, the golden emerods and the golden mise. ] iewels of gold which ye giue it for a sinne offering in a coffer by the side thereof, and send it away, that it may go.

⁹ And take heede, if it goe vp by the way of his owne coast to Beth-shemesh, it is [Note: [e] The God of Israel. ] he that did vs this great euill: but if not, we shall know then, that it is not his hand that smote vs, but it was a [Note: [f] The wicked attribute almost all things to fortune and chance, where as in deede there is nothing done without Gods prouidence and decree. ] chance that happened vs.
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¹⁰ And the men did so: for they tooke two kine that gaue milke, and tied them to the cart, and shut the calues at home.

¹¹ So they set the Arke of the Lord vpon the cart, and the coffer with the mise of golde, and with the similitudes of their emerods.

¹² And the kine went the streight way to Beth-shemesh, & kept one path & lowed as they went, and turned neither to the right hand nor to the left: also the Princes of the Philistims went after [Note: [g] For the triall of the matter. ] them, vnto the borders of Beth-shemesh.

¹³ Nowe they of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheate haruest in the valley, and they lift vp their eyes, and spied the Arke, and reioyced when they sawe it.

¹⁴ ¶ And the cart came into the fielde of Ioshua a Beth-shemite, and stood still there. There was also a great stone, and [Note: [h] To wit, the men of Beth-shemesh, which were Israelites. ] they claue the wood of the cart, and offered the kine for a burnt offring vnto the Lord.

¹⁵ And the Leuites tooke downe the Arke of the Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the iewels of golde were, and put them on the great stone, and the men of Beth-shemesh offred burnt offring, and sacrificed sacrifices that same day vnto the Lord.

¹⁶ And when the fiue Princes of ye Philistims had seene it, they returned to Ekron the same day.

¹⁷ ¶ So these are the golden emerods, which the Philistims gaue for a sinne offering to the Lord: for [Note: [i] These were the fiue principall cities of the Philistims, which were not all conquered vnto the time of Dauid. ] Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, and for Ekron one,

¹⁸ And golden mise, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistims, belonging to the fiue princes, both of walled townes, and of townes vnwalled, vnto the great stone of [Note: Or, the plaint, or lamentation. ] Abel, whereon they set the Arke of the Lorde: which stone remaineth vnto this day in the fielde of Ioshua the Beth-shemite.

¹⁹ And hee smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they [Note: [k] For it was not lawfull to any either to touch or to see it, saue only to Aaron and his sonnes, Nomb. 4 15. and 20. ] had looked in the Arke of the Lord: he slew euen among the people fiftie thousand men and three score and ten men. and the people lamented, because the Lord had slaine the people with so great a slaughter.

²⁰ Wherefore the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go from vs?

²¹ And they sent messengers to the inhabitans of Kiriath-iearim, saying, The Philistims haue brought againe the Arke of the Lord: come ye downe and take it vp to you.

1 The Arke is brought to Kiriath-iearim. 3 Samuel exhorteth the people to forsake their sinnes and turne to the Lord. 10 The Philistims fight against Israel and are ouercome. 15 Samuel iudgeth Israel.

¹ Then the men of [Note: [a] A citie in the tribe of Iudah, called also Kiriath-baal, Iosh. 15.60. ] Kiriath-iearim came, and tooke vp the Arke of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill: and they sanctified Eleazar his sonne, to keepe the Arke of the Lord.

² (For while the Arke abode in Kiriath-iearim, the time was long, for it was twentie yeeres) and al the house of Israel lamented [Note: [b] Lamented for their sinnes and followed the Lord. ] after ye Lord.

³ ¶ Then Samuel spake vnto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye be come againe vnto the Lord with all your heart, [Note: Iosh.24.15,23. ] put away the strange gods from among you, and [Note: Iudg.2.13. ] Ashtaroth, & direct your hearts vnto the Lord, & serue him [Note: Deut.6.4. mat. 4.10. ] only, and he

shall deliuer you out of the hand of ye Philistims.

⁴ Then the children of Israel did put away [Note: Iudg.2.12,13. ] Baalim & Ashtaroth, & serued the Lord onely.

⁵ And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to [Note: [c] For Shiloh was now desolate, because the Philistims had taken thence the Arke. ] Mizpeh, and I will pray for you vnto the Lord.

⁶ And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and [Note: [d] The Chalde text hath, that they drew water out of their heart: that is, wept abundantly for their sinnes. ] drewe water and powred it out before the Lord, and fasted the same day, and sayd there, We haue sinned against the Lord. And Samuel iudged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

⁷ When the Philistims heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the princes of the Philistims went vp against Israel: and when the children of Israel heard that, they were afraide of the Philistims.

⁸ And the children of Israel sayd to Samuel, Cease not to [Note: [e] Signifying that in the prayers of the godly, there ought to be a vehement zeale. ] crie vnto the Lorde our God for vs, that hee may saue vs out of the hand of the Philistims.

⁹ Then Samuel tooke a sucking lambe, and offered it all together for a burnt offering vnto the Lord, and Samuel cryed vnto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.

¹⁰ And as Samuel offered the burnt offering, the Philistims came to fight against Israel: but the Lord [Note: [f] According to the prophecie of Hannah Samuels mother, chap.2.10. ] thundred with a great thunder that day vpon the Philistims, and scattered them: so they were slaine before Israel.

¹¹ And the men of Israel went from Mizpeh and pursued the Philistims, and smote them vntill they came vnder Beth-car.

¹² Then Samuel tooke a stone and pitched it betweene Mizpeh and [Note: [g] Which was a great rocke ouer against Mizpeh. ] Shen, and called the name thereof, Eben-ezer, and he sayd, Hitherto hath the Lord holpen vs.

¹³ ¶ So the Philistims were brought vnder, and they came no more againe into the coastes of Israel: and the hand of the Lorde was against the Philistims all the dayes of Samuel.

¹⁴ Also the cities which the Philistims had taken from Israel, were restored to Israel, from Ekron euen to Gath: and Israel deliuered the coastes of the same out of the hands of the Philistims: and there was peace betweene Israel and the [Note: [h] Meaning, the Philistims. ] Amorites.

¹⁵ And Samuel iudged Israel all the dayes of his life,

¹⁶ And went about yeere by yere to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and iudged Israel in all those places.

¹⁷ Afterward hee returned to Ramah: for there was his house, and there he iudged Israel: also he built an [Note: [i] Which was not contrary to the Lawe: for as yet a certaine place was not appointed. ] altar there vnto the Lord.

1 Samuel maketh his sonnes Iudges ouer Israel, who follow not his steppes. 5 The Israelites aske a King. 11 Samuel declareth in what state they should be vnder the King. 19 Notwithstanding they aske one still, and the Lord willeth Samuel to graunt vnto them.

¹ When Samuel was nowe become olde, he [Note: [a] Because hee was not able to beare the charge. ] made his sonnes Iudges ouer Israel.

² (And the name of his eldest sonne was [Note: [b] Who was also called Vashni, 1.Chro.6.28. ] Ioel, and the name of the second Abiah) euen Iudges in Beer-sheba.

³ And his sonnes walked not in his wayes, but turned aside after lucre, and [Note: Deut.16.19. ] tooke rewards, and peruerted the iudgement.

⁴ ¶ Wherefore all the Elders of Israel gathered them together, and came to Samuel vnto [Note: [c] For there his house was, Chap. 7.17. ] Ramah,

⁵ And said vnto him, Beholde, thou art olde,

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and thy sonnes walke not in thy wayes: [Note: Hose.13.10. actes 13.21. ] make vs nowe a King to iudge vs like all nations.
⁶ But the thing [Note: [d] Because they were not content with the order that God had appointed, but would be gouerned as were the Gentiles. ] displeased Samuel, when they said, Giue vs a King to iudge vs: and Samuel prayed vnto the Lord.

⁷ And the Lord said vnto Samuel, Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee: for they haue not cast thee away, but they haue cast me away, yt I should not reigne ouer the.

⁸ As they haue euer done since I brought them out of Egypt euen vnto this day, (and haue forsaken me, and serued other gods) euen so doe they vnto thee.

⁹ Nowe therefore hearken vnto their voyce: howbeit yet [Note: [e] To prooue if they will forsake their wicked purpose. ] testifie vnto them, and shewe them the maner of ye King that shall reigne ouer them.

¹⁰ ¶ So Samuel told all the wordes of the Lord vnto the people that asked a King of him.

¹¹ And he saide, This shall be the [Note: [f] Not that Kings haue this authoritie by their office, but that such as reigne in Gods wrath shoulde vsurpe this ouer their brethren contrary to the lawe, Deu.17.20. ] maner of the King that shall reigne ouer you: he will take your sonnes, and appoint them to his charets, and to be his horsemen, and some shall runne before his charet.

¹² Also he will make them his captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer fifties, and to eare his ground, and to reape his haruest, and to make instruments of warre, and the thinges that serue for his charets.

¹³ He will also take your daughters and make them apoticaries, and cookes, and bakers.

¹⁴ And he will take your fieldes, & your vineyardes, and your best Oliue trees, and giue them to his seruants.

¹⁵ And he will take the tenth of your seede, and of your vineyards, & giue it to his [Note: Or, chiefe officers. ] Eunuches, and to his seruants.

¹⁶ And he will take your men seruants, and your maide seruants, and the chiefe of your yong men, and your asses, and put them to his worke.

¹⁷ He will take the tenth of your sheepe, and ye shall be his seruants.

¹⁸ And ye shall crie out at that day, because of your King, whom ye haue chosen you, and the Lord will not [Note: [g] Because ye repent not for your sinnes, but because ye smart for your afflictions, whereinto ye cast your selues willingly. ] heare you at that day.

¹⁹ But the people would not heare the voyce of Samuel, but did say, Nay, but there shall be a King ouer vs.

²⁰ And we also will be like all other nations, and our King shall iudge vs, and goe out before vs, and fight our battels.

²¹ Therefore when Samuel heard all ye wordes of ye people, he rehearsed the in ye eares of ye Lord.

²² And the Lord saide to Samuel, [Note: Or, graunt their request. ] Hearken vnto their voyce, and make them a King. And Samuel said vnto the men of Israel, Goe euery man vnto his citie.

3 Saul seeking his fathers asses, by the counsell of his seruant goeth to Samuel. 9 The Prophets called Seers. 15 The Lorde reueileth to Samuel Sauls comming, commaunding him to anoint him King. 22 Samuel bringeth Saul to the feast.

¹ There was nowe a man of Beniamin, [Note: [a] That is, both valiant and rich. ] mightie in power named [Note: Chap.14.51. 1.chro.8.33. ] Kish, the sonne of Abiel, the sonne of Zeror, the sonne of Bechorath, the sonne of Aphiah, the sonne of a man of Iemini.

² And he had a sonne called Saul, a [Note: [b] So that it might seeme that God approued their request in appointing out such a person. ] goodly yong man and a faire: so that among the children of Israel there was none goodlier then he: from the shoulders vpwarde he was hier then any of the people.

³ And the asses of Kish Sauls father were lost: therefore Kish said to Saul his sonne, Take nowe one of the seruants with thee, and arise, goe, and [Note: [c] All these circumstances were meanes to serue vnto Gods prouidence, whereby Saul (though not approued of God) was made King. ] seeke the asses.

⁴ So he passed through mount Ephraim, and went through the lande of Shalishah, but they found them not. Then they went through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: he went also through ye land of Iemini, but they found the not.

⁵ When they came to the lande of [Note: [d] Where was Ramath-Zophim the citie of Samuel. ] Zuph, Saul saide vnto his seruant that was with him, Come and let vs returne, lest my father leaue the care of asses, and take thought for vs.

⁶ And he said vnto him, Behold nowe, in this citie is a man of God, and he is an honorable man: all that he saith commeth to passe: let vs nowe goe thither, if so be that he can shewe vs what way we may goe.

⁷ Then saide Saul to his seruant, Well then, let vs goe: but what shall we bring vnto the man? For the [Note: Or, vitailes. ] bread is spent in our vessels, and there is no present to bring to the man of God: what haue we?

⁸ And the seruant answered Saul againe, and said, Beholde, I haue founde about me the fourth part of a [Note: [e] Which is about true pence, reade Gene.23.15. ] shekell of siluer: that will I giue the man of God, to tell vs our way.

⁹ (Beforetime in Israel when a man went to seeke an answere of God, thus he spake, Come, and let vs goe to the [Note: [f] So called, because he foresawe things to come. ] Seer: for he that is called nowe a Prophet, was in the olde time called a Seer)

¹⁰ Then saide Saul to his seruant, Well saide, come, let vs goe: so they went into the citie where the man of God was.

¹¹ ¶ And as they were going vp the hie way to the citie, they found maydes that came out to draw water, & said vnto them, Is there here a Seer?

¹² 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 [Note: [g] That is, a feast after the offering, which should be kept in an hie place of the citie appointed for that vse. ] offering of the people this day in the hie place.

¹³ 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 [Note: [h] That is, giue thankes, and distribute the meate according to their custome. ] blesse the sacrifice: and then eate they that be bidden to the feast: nowe therefore goe vp: for euen now shall ye find him.

¹⁴ Then they went vp into the citie, & when they were come into the middes of the citie, Samuel came out against them, to goe vp to the hie place.

¹⁵ ¶ [Note: Chap.15.1. actes 13.21. ] But the Lord had reueiled to Samuel [Note: Ebr. in his eare. ] secretly (a day before Saul came) saying,

¹⁶ 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 [Note: [i] Notwithstanding their wickednesse, yet God was euer mindfull of his inheritance. ] saue my people out of the hands of the Philistims: for I haue looked vpon my people, and their crie is come vnto me.

¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ Then went Saul to Samuel in the middes of the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the Seers house is.

¹⁹ 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 [Note: [k] Meaning all that thou desirest to knowe. ] heart.
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²⁰ And as for thine asses that were lost three dayes ago, care not for them: for they are founde. and [Note: [l] Whom doeth Israel desire to be their king but thee? ] on whom is set all the desire of Israel? is it not vpon thee and on all thy fathers house?

²¹ ¶ 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?

²² And Samuel tooke Saul and his seruant, and brought them into the [Note: [m] Where the feast was. ] chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden: which were about thirtie persons.

²³ And Samuel saide vnto the cooke, Bring foorth the portion which I gaue thee, and whereof I said vnto thee, Keepe it with thee.

²⁴ And the cooke tooke vp the shoulder, and that which was [Note: [n] That is, the shoulder with the breast, which the Priest had for his familie in all peace offerings, Leuit. 10.14. ] 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 [Note: [o] That both by the assembling of the people, and by the meate prepared for thee, thou mightest vnderstand that I knewe of thy comming. ] haue called the people. So Saul did eate with Samuel that day.

²⁵ And when they were come downe from the hie place into the citie, he communed with Saul vpon the top of the house.

²⁶ And when they arose early about ye spring of the day, Samuel called Saul to the [Note: [p] To speake with him secretly: for the houses were flat aboue. ] top of the house, saying, Vp, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out, both he, & Samuel.

²⁷ 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 [Note: [q] Gods commandement as concerning thee. ] the worde of God.

1 Saul is anointed King by Samuel. 9 God changeth Sauls heart, and he prophecieth. 17 Samuel assembleth the people, and sheweth them their sinnes. 21 Saul is chosen King by lot. 25 Samuel writeth the Kings office.

¹ Then Samuel tooke a viole of [Note: [a] In the Lawe this anointing signified the giftes of the holy Ghost, which were necessarie for them that should rule. ] oyle and powred it vpon his head, and kissed him, and saide, Hath not the Lord anointed thee to be gouernour ouer his inheritance?

² When thou shalt depart from me this day, thou shalt finde two men by [Note: Gene.35.20. ] Rahels sepulchre in the border of Beniamin, euen at Zelzah, and they will say vnto thee, The [Note: [b] Samuel confirmeth him by these signes, that God hath appointed him king. ] asses which thou wentest to seeke, are founde: and lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, & soroweth for you, saying, What shall I doe for my sonne?

³ Then shalt thou go forth from thence and shalt come to the [Note: Or, eke. ] plaine of Tabor, and there shal 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:

⁴ And they will aske thee [Note: Ebr. of peace. ] if all be well, and will giue thee the two loaues of bread, which thou shalt receiue of their handes.

⁵ After that shalt thou come to the [Note: [c] Which was an hie place in the citie Kiriath-iearim, where the Arke was, chap. 7.1. ] 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.

⁶ Then the Spirit of the Lord will come vpon thee, and thou shalt prophecie with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

⁷ Therefore when these signes shall come vnto

to thee, doe as occasion shall serue: for God is with thee.

⁸ 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. [Note: Chap.13.8. ] Tary for me seuen dayes, till I come to thee and shewe thee what thou shalt doe.

⁹ And when he had turned his [Note: Ebr. shoulder. ] backe to goe from Samuel, God gaue him another [Note: [d] He gaue him such vertues as were meete for a King. ] heart: and all those tokens came to passe that same day.

¹⁰ ¶ And when they came thither to the hill, beholde, the companie of Prophets meete him, and the Spirit of God came vpon him, & he [Note: Or, sang prayses. ] prophecied among them.

¹¹ 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? [Note: Chap.19.24. ] is Saul also among the Prophets?

¹² And one of the same place answered, and said, But who is their [Note: [e] Meaning, that prophecie commeth not by succession, but is giuen to whom it pleaseth God. ] father? Therefore it was a prouerbe, Is Saul also among the [Note: [f] Noting thereby him that from lowe degree commeth suddenly to honour. ] Prophets?

¹³ And when he had made an ende of prophecying, he came to the hie place.

¹⁴ 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.

¹⁵ And Sauls vncle saide, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said vnto you.

¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ ¶ And Samuel [Note: [g] Both to declare vnto them their fault in asking a King, and also to shewe Gods sentence therein. ] assembled the people vnto the Lord in Mizpeh,

¹⁸ 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.

¹⁹ 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.

²⁰ And when Samuel had gathered together all the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Beniamin was [Note: [h] That is, by casting of lot. ] taken.

²¹ 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.

²² Therefore they asked the Lorde againe, if that man should yet come thither. And the Lorde answered, Beholde, he [Note: [i] As though he were vnworthy and vnwilling. ] hath hid himselfe among the stuffe.

²³ 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.

²⁴ And Samuel saide to all the people, See ye not him, whom the Lorde hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? and all the people shouted and saide, [Note: Ebr. let the King liue. ] God saue the King.

²⁵ Then Samuel tolde the people [Note: [k] As it is written in Deut.chap. 17.15. ] the duetie of the kingdome, and wrote it in a booke, and

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laied it vp before the Lorde, and Samuel sent all the people away euery man to his house.
²⁶ Saul also went home to Gibeah, and there followed him a bande of men, whose heart God had touched,

²⁷ But the wicked men saide, Howe shall hee saue vs? So they despised him, and brought him no presents: but he [Note: [l] Both to auoide sedition, and also to winne them by pacience. ] held his tongue.

1 Nahash the Ammonite warreth against Iabesh Gilead, who asketh helpe of the Israelites. 6 Saul promiseth helpe. 11 The Ammonites are slaine. 14 The kingdome is renued.

¹ Then Nahash the Ammonite [Note: [a] After that Saul was chose king: for feare of whome they asked a king, as Chap.12.12. ] 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.

² And Nahash ye Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a couenant with you, that I may thrust out all your [Note: [b] This declareth, that the more nere that tyrants are to their destruction, the more cruell they are. ] right eies, and bring that shame vpon all Israel.

³ 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.

⁴ ¶ 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.

⁵ 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.

⁶ Then the Spirit of God [Note: [c] God gaue him the spirite of strength and courage to goe against this tyrant. ] came vpon Saul, when he heard those tidings, and he was exceeding angrie,

⁷ 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 [Note: [d] He addeth Samuel, because Saul was not yet approoued of all. ] Samuel, so shall his oxen be serued. And the feare of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out [Note: Ebr. as one man. ] with one consent.

⁸ And when he nombred them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundreth thousande men: and the men of Iudah thirtie thousand.

⁹ Then [Note: [e] Meaning, Saul and Samuel. ] 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.

¹⁰ Therefore the men of Iabesh sayde, To morowe we will come out vnto [Note: [f] That is, to the Ammonites, dissembling that they had hope of aide. ] you, and yee shall doe with vs all that pleaseth you.

¹¹ ¶ 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.

¹² Then the people said vnto Samuel, [Note: [g] By this victorie the Lord wonne the heartes of the people to Saul. ] Who is he that saide, Shall Saul reigne ouer vs? bring those men that we may slaie them.

¹³ But Saul said, There shall no man [Note: [h] By shewing mercie he thought to ouercome their malice. ] die this day: for to day the Lord hath saued Israel.

¹⁴ ¶ Then saide Samuel vnto ye people, Come, that we may goe to Gilgal, and renue the kingdome there.

¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal, & made Saul King there before the Lorde in Gilgal: and there they offered [Note: [i] In signe of thankesgiuing for the victorie. ] peace offerings before the

Lorde: and there Saul and all the men of Israel reioyced exceedingly.

1 Samuel declaring to the people his integritie, reproueth their ingratitude. 19 God by miracle causeth the people to confesse their sinne. 20 Samuel exhorteth the people to followe the Lord.

¹ Samuel then said vnto all Israel, Behold, I haue [Note: [a] I haue graunted your petition. ] hearkened vnto your voyce in all that yee sayde vnto mee, and haue appoynted a King ouer you.

² Now therefore behold, your King walketh [Note: [b] To gouerne you in peace & warre. ] before you, and I am old and graie headed, and beholde, my sonnes are with you: and I haue walked before you fro my childhode vnto this day.

³ Beholde, here I am: [Note: Ecclus.46.19. ] beare recorde of me before the Lord & before his Anointed. [Note: [c] God would that this confession shoulde be a paterne for all them that haue any charge or office. ] 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?

⁴ Then they sayde, Thou hast done vs no wrong, nor hast hurt vs, neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand.

⁵ And he saide vnto them, The Lorde is witnesse against you, and his [Note: [d] Your King, who is anointed by the commaundement of the Lord. ] Anointed is witnesse this day, that yee haue founde nought in mine handes. And they answered, He is witnesse.

⁶ Then Samuel sayde vnto the people, It is the Lord that [Note: Or, exalted. ] made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt.

⁷ Nowe therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord according to all the [Note: Or, benefites. ] righteousnesse of the Lorde, which he shewed to you and to your fathers.

⁸ [Note: Gen.46.5. ] After that Iaakob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried vnto the Lorde, then the Lorde [Note: Exod.4.16. ] sent Moses and Aaron which brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

⁹ [Note: Iudg 4.2. ] And when they forgate the Lorde their God, he solde them into the hand of Sisera [Note: [e] Captaine of Iabins host king of Hazor. ] 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.

¹⁰ And they cried vnto the Lorde, and saide, We haue sinned, because we haue forsaken the Lorde, and haue serued Baalim and Ashtaroth. Nowe therefore deliuer vs out of the handes of our enemies, and we will serue thee.

¹¹ Therefore the Lorde sent Ierubbaal [Note: [f] That is, Samson, Iudg.13.25. ] and Bedan and [Note: Iudg.11.1. ] Iphtaph, and [Note: Chap.4.1. ] Samuel, and deliuered you out of the handes of your enemies on euery side, and yee dwelled safe.

¹² Notwithstanding when you sawe, that Nahash the King of the children of Ammon came against you, ye sayde vnto me, [Note: [g] Leauing God to seeke helpe of man, Chap.8.5. ] No, but a King shall reigne ouer vs: when yet the Lord your God was your King.

¹³ Nowe therefore beholde the King whome yee haue chosen, and whome yee haue desired: loe therefore, the Lord hath set a King ouer you.

¹⁴ If ye wil feare the Lord and serue him, and heare his voyce, and not disobey the worde of the Lorde, both yee, and the King that reigneth ouer you, shall [Note: [h] Ye shalbe preserued as they that follow the Lorstes will. ] follow the Lord your God.

¹⁵ But if yee will not obey the voyce of the Lorde, but disobey the Lordes mouth, then shall the hand of the Lorde be vpon you, and on your [Note: [i] Meaning, the gouernours. ] fathers.
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¹⁶ Nowe also stande and see this great thing which the Lord will doe before your eyes.

¹⁷ 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 [Note: [k] In that ye haue forsaken him, who hath all power in his hande, for a mortall man. ] great, which ye haue done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a King.

¹⁸ Then Samuel called vnto the Lorde, and the Lorde sent thunder and raine the same day: and all the people feared the Lorde and Samuel exceedingly.

¹⁹ 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 [Note: [l] Not onely at other times, but nowe chiefly. ] all our other sinnes.

²⁰ ¶ And Samuel said vnto the people, Feare not. (ye haue in deede done all this wickednesse, [Note: [m] Hee sheweth that there is no sinne so great, but it shalbe forgiuen, if the sinner turne againe to God. ] yet dpeart not from following the Lorde, but serue the Lord with all your heart,

²¹ Neither turne yee backe: for that shoulde be after vaine things which cannot profite you, nor deliuer you, for they are but vanitie)

²² For the Lorde will not forsake his people for his great Names sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you [Note: [n] Of his free mercie, & not of your merites, and therefore he will not forsake you. ] his people.

²³ 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.

²⁴ Therefore feare you the Lorde, and serue him in the trueth with all your [Note: [o] Vnsainedly, and without hypocrisie. ] hearts, and consider howe great things he hath done for you.

²⁵ But if ye doe wickedly, ye shal perish, both yee, and your King.

3 The Philistims are smitten of Saul and Ionathan. 13 Saul being disobedient to Gods commaundement, is shewed of Samuel that he shall not reigne. 19 The great slauerie, wherein the Philistims kept the Israelites.

¹ Saul nowe had beene King [Note: [a] Whiles these things were done. ] one yeere, and he reigned [Note: [b] Before he tooke vpon him the state of a king. ] two yeeres ouer Israel.

² Then Saul chose him three thousand of Israel: and two thousande were with Saul in Michmash, & 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.

³ And Ionathan smote the garison of the Philistims, that was in the [Note: [c] Of Kiriath-iearim, where the Arke was, Chap. 10.5. ] hill: and it came to the Philistims eares: and Saul blewe the [Note: [d] That euerie one shoulde prepare themselues to warre. ] trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Heare, O yee Ebrewes.

⁴ 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.

⁵ ¶ 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 [Note: [e] Which was also called Beth-el, in the tribe of Beniamin. ] Beth-auen.

⁶ 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.

⁷ And some of the Ebrewes went ouer Iorden vnto the lande of [Note: [f] Where the two tribes & the halfe remained. ] Gad and Gilead: and Saul was yet in Gilgal, and al the people for feare followed him.

⁸ And he taried seuen daies, according vnto the time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel

came not to Gilgal, therefore the people were [Note: [g] Thinking that the absence of the Prophet was a signe, that they shoulde lose the victorie. ] scattered from him.

⁹ And Saul sayde, Bring a burnt offering to me and peace offrings: and he offered a burnt offering.

¹⁰ And assoone as hee had made an ende of offering the burnt offering, beholde, Samuel came: and Saul went foorth to meete him, to [Note: Ebr. blesse him. ] salute him.

¹¹ And Samuel saide, What hast thou done? Then Saul saide, Because I sawe that the people was [Note: [h] Though these causes seeme sufficient in mans iudgement: yet because they had not the word of God, they turned to his destruction. ] scattred from me, and that thou camest not within the daies appoynted, and yt the Philistims gathered themselues together to Michmash,

¹² Therefore said I, The Philistims will come downe nowe vpon me to Gilgal, and I haue not made supplication vnto the Lorde. I was bolde therefore and offred a burnt offring.

¹³ And Samuel saide to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lorde thy [Note: [i] Who willed thee to obey him, and rest vpon ye words spoken by his Prophet. ] God, which he commaunded thee: for the Lord had nowe stablished thy kingdome vpon Israel for euer.

¹⁴ But nowe thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a [Note: [k] That is, Dauid. ] man after his owne heart, and the Lorde hath commanded him to be gouernour ouer his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lorde had commanded thee.

¹⁵ ¶ And Samuel arose, and gate him vp from Gilgal in [Note: [l] And went to his citie Ramah. ] Gibeah of Beniamin: and Saul nombred the people that were found with him, about sixe hundreth men.

¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ And there came out of the hoste of the Philistims [Note: Or, the destroier: to wit, the captaine came out with three bands. ] three bandes to destroie, one bande turned vnto the way of Ophrah vnto the lande of Shual,

¹⁸ And another bad turned toward the way to Beth-horon, and the [Note: [m] So that to mans iudgement these three armies would haue ouerrunne the whole countrey. ] third band turned toward the way of the coast that loketh toward the valley of Zeboim, towarde the wildernesse.

¹⁹ Then there was no smith founde throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistims sayde, Lest the Ebrewes make them swordes or speares.

²⁰ Wherefore all ye Israelites went downe to the Philistims, to sharpen euery man his share, his mattocke, and his axe, and his weeding hooke.

²¹ 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.

²² So whe the day of battell was come, there was neither [Note: [n] To declare that the victorie onely came of God, and not by their force. ] 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.

²³ And the garison of the Philistims came out to the passage of Michmash.

14 Ionathan & his armour bearer put the Philistims to flight. 24 Saul bindeth the people by an oth, not to eate till euening. 32 The people eate with the blood. 38 Saul woulde put Ionathan to death. 45 The people deliuer him.

¹ Then on a day Ionathan the sonne of Saul sayde vnto the yong man that bare his armour, [Note: [a] By this example God would declare to Israel that the victorie did not consist in multitude or armour, but only came of his grace. ] Come and let vs goe ouer towarde the Philistims garison, that is yonder on the other side, but he tolde not his father.


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² 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.

³ And Ahiah the sonne of Ahitub, [Note: Chap.4.21. ] 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.

⁴ ¶ Nowe in the way whereby Ionathan sought to go ouer to the Philistims garison, there was a [Note: Or, like a tooth. ] 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.

⁵ The one rocke stretched from the North towarde Michmash, and the other was from the South toward Gibeah.

⁶ And Ionathan saide to the yong man that bare his armour, Come, and let vs goe ouer vnto the garison of these [Note: [b] To wit, the Philistims. ] vncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will worke with vs: for it is [Note: Or, none can let the Lord. ] not hard to the Lord [Note: 2.Chron.14.11. ] to saue with many, or with fewe.

⁷ And he that bare his armour, saide vnto him, Doe all that is in thine heart: goe where it pleaseth thee: beholde, [Note: [c] I will followe thee whither so euer thou goest. ] I am with thee as thine heart desireth.

⁸ Then said Ionathan, Beholde, we goe ouer vnto those men, and will shewe our selues vnto them.

⁹ [Note: [d] This he spake by the Spirit of prophesie, forasmuch as hereby God gaue him assurance of the victorie. ] 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.

¹⁰ But if they say, Come vp vnto vs, then we will goe vp: for [Note: 1.Mac.4.30. ] the Lorde hath deliuered them into our hande: and this shall be a signe vnto vs.

¹¹ So they both shewed themselues vnto the garison of the Philistims: and the Philistims said, See, the Ebrewes come out of the [Note: [e] Thus they spake contemptuously and by derision. ] holes wherein they had hid themselues.

¹² 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 Lorde hath deliuered them into the hand of Israel.

¹³ So Ionathan went vp vpon [Note: [f] That is, he crept vp, or went vp with all haste. ] his hands and vpon his feete, and his armour bearer after him: and some fell before Ionathan, & his armour bearer slewe others after him.

¹⁴ So the [Note: [g] The second was when they slewe one another, and the third when the Israelites chased them. ] 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.

¹⁵ 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 [Note: [h] In that the insensible creatures tremble for feare of Gods iudgement, it declareth howe terrible his vengeance shall be against his enemies. ] trembled: for it was striken with feare by God.

¹⁶ ¶ Then the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Beniamin sawe: and beholde, the multitude was discomfited, and smitten as they went.

¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ 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)

¹⁹ ¶ 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, [Note: [i] Let the Ephod alone: for I haue no leasure nowe to aske counsell of God, Nom.27.21. ] Withdraw thine hand.

²⁰ And Saul was assembled with all the people that were with him, and they came to the battell: and behold, [Note: Iudg.7.21,22. 2.chro.20.23. ] euery mans sworde was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

²¹ 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 [Note: [k] Though before for feare of the Philistims they declared them selues as enemies to their brethren. ] Israelites that were with Saul and Ionathan.

²² 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.

²³ And so the Lord saued Israel that day: and the battell continued vnto Beth-auen.

²⁴ ¶ And at that time the men of Israel were pressed with hunger: for Saul charged the people with an othe, saying, [Note: [l] Such was his hypocrisie and arrogancie, that he thought to attribute to his policie that which God had giuen by the hand of Ionathan. ] Cursed be the man that eateth [Note: Ebr. bread. ] foode till night, that I may be auenged of mine enemies: so none of the people tasted any sustenance.

²⁵ And all they of the land came to a wood, where hony lay vpon the ground.

²⁶ 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 [Note: [m] That is, the punishment, if they brake their othe. ] othe.

²⁷ 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 [Note: [n] Which were dimme before for wearines and hunger. ] eyes receiued sight.

²⁸ 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 [Note: Or, wearie. ] faint.

²⁹ Then said Ionathan, My father hath [Note: [o] By making this cruell lawe. ] troubled the land: see nowe howe mine eyes are made cleare, because I haue tasted a litle of this honie:

³⁰ 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?

³¹ ¶ And they smote the Philistims that day, from Michmash to Aiialon: and the people were exceeding faint.

³² So the people turned to the spoile, & tooke sheepe, and oxen, and calues, and slewe them on the ground, and the people did eate them [Note: Leuit.7.26. and 19.26. deu.12.16. ] with the blood.

³³ Then men tolde Saul, saying, Beholde, the people sinne against the Lorde, in that they eate with the blood. And he saide, Ye haue trespassed: [Note: [p] That the blood of the beastes that shall be slaine, may be pressed out vpon it. ] roule a great stone vnto me this day.

³⁴ 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, & slew them there.

³⁵ Then Saul made an altar vnto the Lorde, and that [Note: Or, of that stone began he to build an altar. ] was the first altar that he made vnto the Lord.

³⁶ ¶ 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 [Note: [q] To aske counsell of him. ] drawe [Page]

neere hither vnto God.

³⁷ 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.

³⁸ ¶ And Saul said, [Note: Iudg.20 2. ] All [Note: Ebr. corners. ] ye chiefe of the people, come ye hither, and knowe, and see by whom this sinne is done this day.

³⁹ 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.

⁴⁰ 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.

⁴¹ Then Saul said vnto the Lord God of Israel, Giue [Note: [r] Cause the lot to fall on him that hath broken the othe: but he doth not consider his presumption in commanding the same othe. ] a perfite lot. And Ionathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.

⁴² And Saul saide, Cast lot betweene me and Ionathan my sonne. And Ionathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Ionathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathan tolde him, & said, I tasted a litle hony with the ende of the rod, that was in mine hand, and loe, I must die.

⁴⁴ Againe Saul answered, God doe so & more also, vnlesse thou die the death, Ionathan.

⁴⁵ And the people said vnto Saul, [Note: [s] The people thought it their duetie to rescue him who of ignorance had but broken a rash lawe, and by whom they had receiued so great a benefite. ] 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.

⁴⁶ Then Saul came vp from the Philistims: and the Philistims went to their owne place.

⁴⁷ ¶ 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 [Note: Or, ouercame them. ] handled them as wicked men.

⁴⁸ He gathered also an hoste and smote [Note: [t] As the Lord had commanded, Deut.25.17. ] Amalek, and deliuered Israel out of the handes of them that spoyled them.

⁴⁹ Nowe the sonnes of Saul were Ionathan, [Note: [u] Called also Abinadab, chap.31.2. ] and Ishui, and Malchishua: and the names of his two daughters, the elder was called Merab, and the yonger was named [Note: [x] Which was the wife of Dauid, chap.18.27. ] Michal.

⁵⁰ And the name of Sauls wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of his chiefe captaine was [Note: [y] Whom Ioab the captaine of Dauid slewe, 2.Sam.3.27. ] Abner the sonne of Ner, Sauls vncle.

⁵¹ And Kish was Sauls father: and Ner the father of Abner was the sonne of Abiel.

⁵² And there was sore warre against the Philistims all the dayes of Saul: and [Note: [z] As Samuel had forewarned, chap. 8.11. ] whomsoeuer Saul sawe to be a strong man, and meete for the warre, he tooke him vnto him.

3 Saul is commaunded to slay Amalek. 9 He spareth Agag and the best things. 19 Samuel reproueth him. 28 Saul is reiected of the Lord, and his kingdome giuen to an other. 33 Samuel heweth Agag in pieces.

¹ Afterward Samuel said vnto Saul, [Note: Chap.9.16. ] The Lord sent me to anoint thee King ouer his people, ouer Israel: nowe therefore [Note: [a] Because he hath preferred thee to this honour, thou art bound to obey him. ] obey the voyce of the wordes of the Lord.

² Thus saith the Lorde of hostes, I remember what Amalek did to Israel, [Note: Exod.17.14. nomb.24.20. ] howe they laide waite for the in ye way, as they came vp fro Egypt.

³ Nowe therefore goe, and sinite Amalek, and destroy ye all that perteyneth vnto them, & haue no compassion on them, but [Note: [b] That this might be an example of Gods vengeance against them that deale cruelly with his people. ] slay both man and woman, both infant and suckling, both oxe, and sheepe, both camell, and asse.

⁴ ¶ And Saul assembled ye people, and [Note: Or, knewe their nomber by the lambes, which they brought. ] nombred them in Telaim, two hundreth thousande footemen, and ten thousand men of Iudah.

⁵ And Saul came to a citie of Amalek, [Note: Or, fought in the valley. ] and set watch at the riuer.

⁶ And Saul said vnto the [Note: [c] Which were the posteritie of Iethro Moses father in lawe. ] Kenites, Goe, depart, and get you downe from among the Amalekites, least I destroy you with them: for ye shewed [Note: [d] For Iethro came to visite them and gaue them good counsell, Exod. 18.19. ] mercie to all the children of Israel, when they came vp from Egypt: and the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

⁷ So Saul smote the Amalekites from Hauilah as thou commest to Shur, that is before Egypt,

⁸ And tooke Agag the King of the Amalekites aliue, and destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ ¶ Then came the worde of the Lord vnto Samuel, saying,

¹¹ It [Note: [e] God in his eternall counsell neuer changeth not repenteth, as verse 29. Though he seemeth to vs to repent, when any thing goeth contrary to his temporall election. ] 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.

¹² 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.

¹³ ¶ Then Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said vnto him. Blessed be thou of the Lord, I haue fulfilled the [Note: [f] This is the nature of hypocrites to be impudent against the trueth, to condemne others, and iustifie themselues. ] commaundement of the Lord.

¹⁴ But Samuel saide, What meaneth then the bleating of the sheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the oxen which I heare?

¹⁵ 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 Lorde thy God, and the remnant haue we destroyed.

¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ Then Samuel saide, When thou wast [Note: [g] Meaning of base condition, as chap.9 21. ] litle in thine owne sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? for the Lord anointed thee King ouer Israel.

¹⁸ 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.

¹⁹ Nowe wherefore hast thou not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde, but hast turned to the pray, and hast done wickedly in the sight of the Lord?

²⁰ And Saul saide vnto Samuel, Yea, I [Note: [h] He standeth most impudently in his owne defence both against God and his owne conscience. ] haue obeyed the voyce of the Lorde, and haue gone the way which the Lord sent me, & haue brought Agag the King of Amalek, and haue destroyed the Amalekites.

²¹ 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

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Lord thy God in Gilgal.
²² And Samuel saide, Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed? beholde, [Note: Eccle.4.17. hose.6.6,7. mat.9. 13. & 12.7. ] to obey is better then sacrifice, and to hearken is better then the fatte of rammes.

²³ For [Note: [i] God hateth nothing more then the disobedience of his commandement, though the intent seeme neuer so good to man. ] 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.

²⁴ Then Saul sayde vnto Samuel, I haue sinned: for I haue transgressed the commaundement of the Lord, and thy wordes, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voyce.

²⁵ Nowe therefore I pray thee, take away my [Note: [k] This was not true repentance, but dissimulation, fearing the losse of his kingdome. ] sinne, and turne againe with mee, that I may worship the Lord.

²⁶ But Samuel saide vnto Saul, I will not returne with thee: for thou hast cast away the word of the Lorde, and the Lorde hath cast away thee, that thou shalt not be King ouer Israel.

²⁷ And as Samuel turned himselfe to goe away, he caught the lappe of his coate, and it rent.

²⁸ Then Samuel saide vnto him, The Lorde hath rent the kingdome of Israel from thee this day, and hath giuen it to thy [Note: [l] That is, to Dauid. ] neighbour, that is better then thou.

²⁹ For in deede the [Note: [m] Meaning God, who mainteineth & preferreth his. ] strength of Israel will not lye nor repent: for hee is not a man that hee should repent.

³⁰ 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.

³¹ ¶ So Samuel turned againe, and followed Saul: and Saul worshipped the Lord.

³² Then saide Samuel, Bring yee hither to me Agag ye King of the Amalekites: and Agag came vnto him [Note: Or, in bonds. ] pleasantly, and Agag saide, Truely the [Note: [n] He suspected nothing lesse then death, or as some write, hee passed not for death. ] bitternesse of death is passed.

³³ And Samuel sayde, [Note: Exod.17.11. nom.14.45. ] 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.

³⁴ ¶ So Samuel departed to [Note: [o] Where his house was. ] Ramah, and Saul went vp to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

³⁵ And Samuel came no more to [Note: [p] Though Saul came where Samuel was, Chap. 19.22. ] see Saul vntill the day of his death: but Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord [Note: [q] As verse 11. ] repented that hee made Saul King ouer Israel.

1 Samuel is reprooued of God, and is sent to anoint Dauid. 7 God regardeth the heart. 13 The Spirite of the Lorde commeth vpon Dauid. 14 The wicked spirite is sent upon Saul. 19 Saul sendeth for Dauid.

¹ The Lord then saide vnto Samuel, Howe long wilt thou mourne for Saul, [Note: [a] Signifiyng, that we ought not to shewe our selues more pitifull then God, nor to lamet them whome he casteth out. ] 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.

² And Samuel sayde, Howe can I goe? for if Saul shall heare it, he will kill me. Then the Lorde answered, Take an heifer [Note: Ebr. in thine hand. ] with thee, and say, I am come [Note: [b] That is, to make a peace offering, which might be done though the Arke was not there. ] to doe sacrifice to the Lord.

³ 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.

⁴ So Samuel did that the Lorde bade him,

and came to Beth-lehem, and the Elders of the towne were [Note: [c] Fearing, least some grieuous crime had beene committed, because the Prophet was not wont to come thither. ] astonied at his comming, and sayd, Commest thou peaceablie?

⁵ And he answeared, Yea: I am come to doe sacrifice vnto the Lorde: sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Ishai & his sonnes, & called them to the sacrifice.

⁶ And when they were come, hee looked on Eliab, and saide, Surely the Lordes [Note: [d] Thinking, that Eliab had bene appoynted of God to be made King. ] Anointed is before him.

⁷ But the Lord said vnto Samuel, Looke not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I haue refused him: for God seeth not as man seeth: for ma looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord beholdeth the [Note: 1.Chron.28 9. iere.11.20. & 17. 10. & 20.12. psal. 7.10. ] heart.

⁸ Then Ishai called Abinadab, & made him come before Samuel. And he saide, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

⁹ Then Ishai made Shammah come. And he said, Neither yet hath the Lorde chosen him.

¹⁰ Againe Ishai made his seue sonnes to come before Samuel: and Samuel saide vnto Ishai, The Lord hath chosen none of these.

¹¹ Finally, Samuel said vnto Ishai, [Note: Ebr. are the children ended? ] Are there no more children but these? And hee sayde, There remaineth yet a litle one behinde, that keepeth the sheepe. Then Samuel saide vnto Ishai, [Note: 2.Sam.7.8. psal. 78.71. & 89.21. ] Sende and set him: for we will not sit downe, till he be come hither.

¹² And he sent, and brought him in: and he was ruddie, & of a good countenance, and comely visage. And the Lorde saide, Arise, and anoynt him: for this is he.

¹³ Then Samuel tooke the horne of oyle, and anoynted him in the middes of his brethren. And the [Note: Act.7.46. & 13. 22. ] Spirit of the Lord [Note: Or. prospered. ] came vpon Dauid, from that day forwarde: then Samuel rose vp, and went to Ramah.

¹⁴ ¶ But the Spirite of the Lorde departed from Saul, and an [Note: [e] The wicked spirits are at Gods commaundement to execute his will against ye wicked. ] euill spirite sent of the Lorde vexed him.

¹⁵ And Sauls seruants said vnto him, Beholde nowe, the euill spirite of God vexeth thee.

¹⁶ Let our Lord therefore command thy seruants, that are before thee, to seeke a man that is a cunning plaier vpon the harpe: that when the euil spirit of God commeth vpon thee, hee may play with his hand, and thou maiest be eased.

¹⁷ Saul then saide vnto his seruantes, Prouide me a man, I pray you, that can play well, & bring him to me.

¹⁸ Then answered one of his seruauntes, and sayde, Beholde, I haue seene a [Note: [f] Though Dauid was now anointed king by the Prophet, yet God woulde exercise him in sundrie sortes before he had the vse of his kingdome. ] sonne of Ishai, a Bethlehemite, that can plaie, and is strong, valiant and a man of warre and wise in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.

¹⁹ ¶ Wherefore Saul sent messengers vnto Ishai, and said, Send me Dauid thy sonne which is with the sheepe.

²⁰ And Ishai tooke an asse laden with breade and a flagon of wine and a kidde, and sent them by the hand of Dauid his sonne vnto Saul.

²¹ And Dauid came to Saul, and [Note: Or, serued him. ] stoode before him: and he loued him verie well, and he was his armour bearer.

²² And Saul sent to Ishai, saying, Let Dauid nowe remaine with me: for he hath found fauour in my sight.

²³ And so when the euil spirite of God came vpon Saul, Dauid tooke an harpe and plaied with [Page]

his hande, and Saul was [Note: [g] God would that Saul shoulde receiue this benefite as at Dauids hand, that his condemnation might be the more euident, for his cruell hate toward him. ] refreshed, and was eased: for the euill spirit departed from him.

1 The Philistims make warre against Israel. 10 Goliath defieth Israel. 17 Dauid is sent to his brethren. 34 The strength and boldnesse of Dauid. 47 The Lorde saueth not by sworde nor speare. 50 Dauid killeth Goliath, and the Philistims flee.

¹ Nowe the Philistims gathered their armies to battell, & came together to Shochoh, which is in Iudah, and pitched betweene Shochoh and Azekah, [Note: Or, in Ephesdammim. ] in the coast of Dammim.

² And Saul, and the men of Israel assembled, and pitched in the valley [Note: Or, of the oke. ] of Elah, and put themselues in battell araie to meete the Philistims.

³ And the Philistims stoode on a mountaine on the one side, and Israel stoode on a mountaine on the other side: so a valley was betweene them.

⁴ ¶ Then came a man betweene them [Note: [a] Betweene the two campes. ] both out of the tents of the Philistims, named Goliath of Gath: his height was sixe cubites and an hande breadth,

⁵ Aud had an helmet of brasse vpo his head, & a [Note: Or, coate of plate. ] brigandine vpon him: and the weight of his brigandine was fiue thousand [Note: [b] That is, 156.lib.4. ounces, after halfe an ounce the shekel: and 600. shekels weight amouteth to 18.lib.3. quarters. ] shekels of brasse.

⁶ And he had [Note: Or, greaues. ] bootes of brasse vpon his legs, and a shield of brasse vpon his shoulders.

⁷ And the shaft of his speare was like a weauers beame: and his speare head weyed sixe hundreth shekels of yron: and one bearing a shielde went before him.

⁸ And he stoode, and cried against the hoste of Israel, and saide vnto them, Why are yee come to set your battell in aray? am not I a Philistim, and you seruaunts to Saul? chuse you a man for you, and let him come downe to me.

⁹ If he be able to fight with me, and [Note: Ebr. smite me. ] kill me, then wil we be your seruants: but if I ouercome him, and kill him, then shal yee be our seruants, and serue vs.

¹⁰ Also the Philistim saide, I defie the hoste of Israel this day: giue mee a man, that we may fight [Note: Or, hand to hand. ] together.

¹¹ When Saul & all Israel heard those wordes of the Philistim, they were discouraged, & greatly afraide.

¹² ¶ Nowe this Dauid was the [Note: Chap.16.1. ] sonne of an Ephrathite of Beth-lehem Iudah, named Ishai, which had eight sonnes: and [Note: Or, he was counted among them that bare office. ] this man was taken for an olde man in the daies of Saul.

¹³ And the three eldest sonnes of Ishai went and followed Saul to the battel: and the names of his three sonnes that went to battell, were Eliab the Eldest, and the next Abinadab, and the thirde Shammah.

¹⁴ So Dauid was the least: and the three eldest went after Saul.

¹⁵ Dauid also [Note: [c] To serue Saul as chap.16.ver.19. ] went, but hee returned from Saul to feede his fathers sheepe in Beth-lehem.

¹⁶ And the Philistim drew neere in the morning, and euening, and continued fourtie daies.

¹⁷ And Ishai said vnto Dauid his sone, [Note: [d] Though Ishai ment one thing, yet Gods prouidence directed Dauid to another ende. ] Take nowe for thy brethren an Ephah of this parched corne, and these ten cakes, and runne to the hoste to thy brethren.

¹⁸ Also carie these ten fresh cheeses vnto the captaine, and looke howe thy brethren fare, and receiue their [Note: [e] If they haue laied any thing to gage for their necessitie redeme is out. ] pledge.

¹⁹ (Then Saul and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the

Philistims)

²⁰ ¶ So Dauid rose vp earely in the morning, and left the sheepe with a keeper, and tooke and went as Ishai had commaunded him, and came within the compasse of the hoste: and the hoste went out in araie, and shouted in the battell.

²¹ For Israel & the Philistims had put themselues in araie, armie against armie.

²² And Dauid left the things, which hee bare, vnder the handes of the keeper of the [Note: Ebr. vessels. ] cariage, and ranne into the hoste, and came, and asked his brethren [Note: Ebr. of peace. ] howe they did.

²³ And as hee talked with them, beholde, the man that was betweene the two armies, came vp, (whose name was Goliath ye Philistim of Gath) out of the [Note: Or, valleis. ] armie of the Philistims, and spake [Note: [f] As are aboue rehearsed, ver.8. & 5. ] such woordes, and Dauid heard them.

²⁴ And all the men of Israel, when they sawe the man, ranne away from him, and were sore afraied.

²⁵ For euery man of Israel saide, Sawe yee not this man that commeth vp? euen to reuile Israel is he come vp: and to him that killeth him, wil the king giue great riches, and will giue him his [Note: Iosh.15.16. ] daughter, yea, and make his fathers house [Note: [g] From taxes, and paiments. ] free in Israel.

²⁶ ¶ Then Dauid spake to the men yt stoode with him, and sayde, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistim, and taketh away the [Note: [h] This dishonour that he doeth to Israel. ] shame from Israel? for who is this vncircumcised Philistim, that he shoulde reuile the hoste of the liuing God?

²⁷ And the people answered him after this maner, saying, Thus shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

²⁸ And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake vnto the men, and Eliab was verie angrie with Dauid, and sayde, Why camest thou downe hither? and with whome hast thou left those fewe sheepe in the wildernesse? I knowe thy pride and the malice of thine heart, that thou art come downe to see the battell.

²⁹ Then Dauid sayde, What haue I nowe done? Is there not a [Note: [i] For his fathers sending was a iust occasion, and also he felt himselfe inwardly moued by Gods Spirit. ] cause?

³⁰ And hee departed from him into the presence of another, and spake of the same maner, and the people answered him according to the former woordes.

³¹ ¶ And they that heard the wordes which Dauid spake, rehearsed them before Saul, which caused him to be brought.

³² So Dauid saide to Saul, Let no mans heart faile him, because of him: thy seruant wil goe, and fight with this Philistim.

³³ And Saul sayde to Dauid, Thou art not [Note: [k] Here Satan proueth Dauids faith, by the infidelitie of Saul. ] able to goe against this Philistim to fight with him: for thou art a boye, and he is a man of warre from his youth.

³⁴ And Dauid answered vnto Saul, Thy seruant kept his fathers sheepe, and there came a [Note: [l] Dauid by the experience that hee hath had in time past of Gods helpe, nothing doubteth to ouercome this danger, seeing he was zealous for Gods honour. ] lyon, and likewise a beare, and tooke a sheepe out of the flocke,

³⁵ And I went out after him and smote him, and tooke it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by the beard, and smote him, and slue him.

³⁶ So thy seruaunt slue both the lyon, and the beare: therefore this vncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them, seeing hee hath railed on the hoste of the liuing God.


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³⁷ ¶ Moreouer Dauid sayd, The Lord that deliuered me out of the pawe of the lyon, & out of the paw of the beare, he wil deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistim. Then Saul sayd vnto Dauid, [Note: [m] For by these examples he saw that the power of God was with him. ] Go, and the Lord be with thee.

³⁸ And Saul put his rayment vpon Dauid, & put an helmet of brasse vpon his head, and put a brigandine vpon him.

³⁹ Then girded Dauid his sword vpon his rayment, and [Note: Or, assayed. ] began to go: for he neuer proued it: and Dauid sayde vnto Saul, I can not goe with these: for I am not accustomed. wherefore Dauid put them off him.

⁴⁰ Then tooke he his [Note: [n] To the intent that by these weake meanes, God might onely be knowen to be the authour of this victorie. ] staffe in his hand, and chose him fiue smoothe stones out of a brooke, and put them in his shepheards bagge or skrippe, and his sling was in his hand, and he drewe neere to the Philistim.

⁴¹ ¶ And the Philistim came and drew neere vnto Dauid, and the man that bare the shielde went before him.

⁴² Now when the Philistim looked about & saw Dauid, he disdeined him: for he was but yong, ruddie, and of a comely face.

⁴³ And the Philistim sayde vnto Dauid, Am I a dog, that thou commest to me with staues? And the Philistim [Note: [o] He sware by his gods, that he would destroy him. ] cursed Dauid by his gods.

⁴⁴ And the Philistim sayd to Dauid, Come to me, & I will giue thy flesh vnto the foules of the heauen, and to the beastes of the field.

⁴⁵ ¶ Then sayd Dauid to the Philistim, Thou commest to me with a sword, and with a speare, & with a shield, but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hostes, the God of the hoste of Israel, whom thou hast rayled vpon.

⁴⁶ This [Note: [p] Dauid being assured both of his cause & of his calling, prophecieth of the destruction of the Philistims. ] day shal the Lord close thee in mine hand, and I shall smite thee, and take thine head from thee, & I wil giue the carkeises of the hoste of the Philistims this daye vnto the foules of the heauen, & to the beasts of the earth, that all the world may know that Israel hath a God,

⁴⁷ And that all this assembly may know, that the Lord saueth not with sworde nor with speare (for the battel is the Lords) and he will giue you into our handes.

⁴⁸ And when the Philistim arose to come and drawe neere vnto Dauid, Dauid [Note: [q] Being moued with a feruet zeale to be reuenged vpon this blasphemer of Gods Name. ] hasted and ran to fight against the Philistim.

⁴⁹ And Dauid put his hande in his bagge, and tooke out a stone, and slang it, & smote the Philistim in his forehead, that the stone sticked in his forehead, and he fell groueling to the earth.

⁵⁰ So Dauid [Note: Ecclus.47.4. 1.mac.4.30. ] ouercame the Philistim with a sling & with a stone, & smote the Philistim, and slew him, when Dauid had no sword in his hand.

⁵¹ Then Dauid ranne, & stood vpon the Philistim, and tooke his sword and drew it out of his sheath, and slewe him, and cut off his head therewith. So whe the Philistims saw, that their champion was dead, they fled.

⁵² And the men of Israel and Iudah arose, & shouted, and followed after the Philistims, vntill they came to the [Note: Or, Gaithe citie. ] valley, & vnto the gates of Ekron: and the Philistims fell downe wounded by the way of Shaaraim, euen to Gath & to Ekron.

⁵³ And the children of Israel returned from pursuing the Philistims, & spoyled their tents.

⁵⁴ And Dauid tooke the head of ye Philistim, and brought it to Ierusalem, and put his armour in his [Note: Or, house at Bethlehem. ] tent.

⁵⁵ ¶ When Saul sawe Dauid go forth against the Philistim, he sayd vnto Abner the captaine of his hoste, Abner, [Note: [r] That is, of what familie & tribe is he? or els he had forgotten Dauid, albeit he had receiued so great a benefite by him. ] whose sonne is this yong man? & Abner answered, As thy soule liueth, O King, I can not tell.

⁵⁶ Then the King sayde, Enquire thou whose sonne this yong man is.

⁵⁷ And when Dauid was returned from the slaughter of the Philistim, then Abner tooke him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistim in his hand.

⁵⁸ And Saul sayde to him, Whose sonne art thou, thou yong man? And Dauid answered, I am the sonne of thy seruant Ishai the Bethlehemite.

1 The amitie of Ionathan and Dauid. 8 Saul enuieth Dauid for the praise that the women gaue him. 11 Saul would haue slayne Dauid. 17 He promiseth him Merab to wife, but giueth him Michal. 27 Dauid deliuereth to Saul two hundreth foreskinnes of the Philistims. 29 Saul feareth Dauid, seeing that the Lord is with him.

¹ And when he had made an ende of speaking vnto Saul, the [Note: [a] His affection was fully bent toward him. ] soule of Ionathan was knit with the soule of Dauid, & Ionathan loued him, as his owne soule.

² And Saul tooke him that day, and woulde not let him returne to his fathers house.

³ Then Ionathan and Dauid made a couenant: for he loued him as his owne soule.

⁴ And Ionathan put off the robe that was vpon him, & gaue it Dauid, & his garments, euen to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

⁵ And Dauid went out whithersoeuer Saul sent him, & behaued himselfe [Note: [b] That is, he prospered in all his doings. ] wisely: so that Saul set him ouer the men of warre, & he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Sauls seruants.

⁶ ¶ When they came againe, & Dauid returned from the slaughter of the [Note: [c] To wit, Goliath. ] Philistim, the women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dauncing to meete king Saul, with timbrels, with instruments of ioy, and with rebeckes.

⁷ And the women [Note: Ebr. answered, playing. ] sang by course in their play, and sayd, [Note: Chap.21.11. & 29.5. ecclus.47.6,7. ] Saul hath slayne his thousand, & Dauid his ten thousand.

⁸ Therefore Saul was exceeding wroth, and the saying displeased him, & he sayde, They haue ascribed vnto Dauid ten thousand, & to me they haue ascribed but a thousand, & what can he haue more saue the kingdome?

⁹ Wherefore Saul [Note: [d] Because he bare him enuie and hatred. ] had an eye on Dauid from that day forward.

¹⁰ ¶ And on the morowe, the euill spirite of God came vpon Saul, and he [Note: [e] That is, spake as a man beside him selfe: for so the people abused this word, when they could not vnderstand. ] prophecied in the middes of the house: and Dauid played with his hand like as at other times, and there was a speare in Sauls hand.

¹¹ And Saul tooke the speare, and sayd, I will smite Dauid through to the wall. But Dauid auoyded twise out of his presence.

¹² And Saul was afrayd of Dauid, because the Lord was with him, & was departed from Saul.

¹³ Therefore Saul put him from him, & made him a captaine ouer a thousand, and he went [Note: [f] Meaning, he was captaine ouer the people. ] out and in before the people.

¹⁴ And Dauid behaued himselfe wisely in all his wayes: for the Lord was with him.

¹⁵ Wherefore when Saul saw that he was very wise, he was afrayde of him.

¹⁶ For all Israel and Iudah loued Dauid, because he went out and in before them.
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¹⁷ ¶ Then Saul sayd to Dauid, Beholde mine eldest daughter Merab, her I will giue thee to wife: onely be a valiant sonne vnto me, & [Note: [g] Fight against them that warre against Gods people. ] fight the Lordes battels: for Saul thought, Mine hand shal not be vpon him, but the hand of the Philistims shalbe vpon him.

¹⁸ And Dauid answered Saul, What am I? and what is my life, or the family of my father in Israel, that I should be sonne in law to the King?

¹⁹ Howbeit when Merab Sauls daughter should haue bene giuen to Dauid, [Note: [h] By whom he had fiue sonnes, which Dauid put to death at the request of the Gibeonites, 2.Sam.21.8. ] she was giuen vnto Adriel a Meholathite to wife.

²⁰ ¶ Then Michal Sauls daughter loued Dauid: & they shewed Saul, & the thing pleased him.

²¹ Therefore Saul said, I wil giue him her, that she may be a [Note: [i] So his hypocrisie appeareth: for vnder pretence of fauour he sought his destruction. ] snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistims may bee against him. Wherefore Saul sayde to Dauid, Thou shalt this day be my sonne in law in the one of the twayne.

²² And Saul commanded his seruants, Speake with Dauid secretly, & say, Behold, ye King hath a fauour to thee, and all his seruants loue thee: be now therefore the Kings sonne in law.

²³ And Sauls seruantes spake these wordes in the eares of Dauid. And Dauid sayd, [Note: [k] Meaning, that he was not able to endowe his wife with riches. ] Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a Kings sonne in lawe, seeing yt I am a poore man & of smal reputation?

²⁴ And then Sauls seruats brought him word againe, saying, Such wordes spake Dauid.

²⁵ And Saul sayd, This wise shal ye say to Dauid, The King desireth no dowrie, but an hundred foreskinnes of the Philistims, to bee auenged of the Kings enemies: for Saul thought to make Dauid fall into the handes of the Philistims.

²⁶ And when his seruantes tolde Dauid these wordes, it pleased Dauid well, to be the [Note: [l] Because he thought himselfe able to compasse the Kings request. ] Kings sonne in law: and the dayes were not expired.

²⁷ Afterwarde Dauid arose with his men, and went and slewe of the Philistims two hundreth men: and Dauid brought their foreskinnes, and [Note: [m] Meaning Dauid & his souldiers. ] they gaue them wholly to the King that hee might be the Kings sonne in lawe: therefore Saul gaue him Michal his daughter to wife.

²⁸ Then Saul sawe, and vnderstoode that the Lord was with Dauid, & that Michal the daughter of Saul loued him.

²⁹ Then Saul was more & more afrayde [Note: [n] To be depriued of his kingdome. ] of Dauid, and Saul became alway Dauids enemie.

³⁰ And when the Princes of the Philistims went forth, at their going forth [Note: [o] That is, Dauid had better successe against the Philistims then Sauls men. ] Dauid behaued himselfe more wisely then all the seruants of Saul, so that his name was much set by.

2 Ionathan declareth to Dauid the wicked purpose of Saul. 11 Michal his wife saueth him. 18 Dauid commeth to Samuel. 23 The spirit of prophecie commeth on Saul.

¹ Then Saul spake to Ionathan his sonne, and to all his seruantes, that they shoulde [Note: [a] Before Saul sought Dauids life secretly, but nowe his hypocrisie bursteth forth to open crueltie. ] kill Dauid: but Ionathan Sauls sonne had a great fauour to Dauid.

² And Ionathan told Dauid, saying, Saul my father goeth about to slay thee: nowe therefore, I pray thee, take heede vnto thy selfe vnto the morning, & abide in a secret place, & hide thy selfe.

³ And I will go out, and stand by my father in the fielde where thou [Note: [b] That I may giue thee warning what to do. ] art, and will commune with my father of thee, & I will see what he sayth, and will tell thee.

⁴ ¶ And Ionathan spake good of Dauid vnto Saul his father, & said vnto him, Let not the King

sinne against his seruat, against Dauid: for he hath not sinned against thee, but his works haue bene to thee very good.

⁵ For he [Note: Ebr. he put his soule in his hand. ] did [Note: Iudg.12.3. 1.sam. 28.21 psa.119.109. ] put his life in daunger, and slew the Philistim, and the Lord wrought a great saluation for al Israel: thou sawest it, and thou reioycedst: wherefore then wilt thou sinne against innocent blood, and slay Dauid without a cause?

⁶ Then Saul hearkened vnto the voyce of Ionathan, and Saul [Note: [c] Whatsoeuer he pretended outwardly, yet his heart was full of malice. ] sware, As the Lorde liueth, he shall not dye.

⁷ So Ionathan called Dauid, and Ionathan shewed him all those words, & Ionathan brought Dauid to Saul, and hee was in his presence as in times past.

⁸ ¶ Againe the warre began, & Dauid went out & fought with the Philistims, and slew them with a great slaughter, and they fled from him.

⁹ ¶ And the euill spirit of the Lord was vpon Saul, as hee sate in his house hauing his speare in his hand, and Dauid [Note: [d] He plaide on his harpe to mitigate the rage of the euil spirit, as Chap. 16.23. ] played with his hand.

¹⁰ And Saul intended to smite Dauid to the wall with the speare: but hee turned aside out of Sauls presence, & he smote the speare against the wall: but Dauid fled, & escaped the same night.

¹¹ Saul also sent messengers vnto Dauids house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal Dauids wife told it him, saying, If thou saue not thy selfe this night, to morowe thou shalt be slayne.

¹² So Michal [Note: [e] Thus God moued both the sonne & daughter of this tyrant to fauour Dauid against their father. ] let Dauid downe through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.

¹³ Then Michal tooke an image, & layde it in the bed, & put a pillow stuffed with goates heare vnder the head of it, & couered it with a cloth.

¹⁴ And when Saul sent messengers to take Dauid, she sayd, He is sicke.

¹⁵ And Saul sent the messengers againe to see Dauid, saying, Bring him to me in the [Note: [f] Behold, how the tyrants to accomplish their rage, neither regardeth nor friendship, God nor man. ] bed, that I may slay him.

¹⁶ And when the messengers were come in, behold, an image was in the bed, with a pillow of goates heare vnder the head of it.

¹⁷ And Saul said vnto Michal, Why hast thou mocked me so, & sent away mine enemie, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said vnto me, Let me go, or els I will kill thee.

¹⁸ ¶ So Dauid fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him: and he and Samuel went and dwelt in [Note: [g] Naioth was a schoole where the word of God was studied, neere to Ramah. ] Naioth.

¹⁹ But one tolde Saul, saying, Beholde, Dauid is at Naioth in Ramah.

²⁰ And Saul sent messengers to take Dauid: & when they sawe a company of Prophets prophecying, and Samuel standing [Note: [h] Being their chiefe instructer. ] as appoynted ouer them, the Spirit of God fell vpon the messengers of Saul, and they also [Note: [i] Changed their mindes & praysed God. ] prophecied.

²¹ And when it was tolde Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophecied likewise: againe Saul sent the third messengers, and they prophecied also.

²² Then went he himselfe to Ramah, & came to a great well that is in Sechu, and he asked, and sayd, Where are Samuel and Dauid? & one sayd, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.

²³ And he [Note: [k] With a minde to persecute them. ] went thither, euen to Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God came vpon him also, and he went prophecying vntill hee came to Naioth in Ramah.


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²⁴ And he stript off his [Note: [l] His kingly apparel. ] clothes, and he prophesied also before Samuel, and fell [Note: [m] He humbled himselfe as other did. ] downe naked all that day and all that night: therefore they say, [Note: Chap.10.11. ] Is Saul also among the Prophets?

2 Ionathan comforteth Dauid. 3 They renue their league. 33 Saul would haue killed Ionathan. 38 Ionathan aduertiseth Dauid by three arrowes, of his fathers furie.

¹ And Dauid [Note: [a] For Saul was stayed, and prophecied a day and a night by Gods prouidence, that Dauid might haue time to escape. ] fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and sayd before Ionathan, What haue I done? what is mine iniquitie? and what sinne haue I committed before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

² And he sayde vnto him, God forbid, thou shalt not die: beholde, my father will do nothing great nor small, but he will [Note: Ebr. reueile it in mine eare. ] shewe it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? he will not doe it.

³ And Dauid sware againe and sayd, Thy father knoweth that I haue found grace in thine eyes: therefore he thinketh, Ionathan shall not knowe it, lest he be sorie: but in deede, as the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, there is but a [Note: [b] I am in great danger of death. ] step betweene me and death.

⁴ Then said Ionathan vnto Dauid, Whatsoeuer thy soule [Note: Ebr. sayth. ] requireth, that I wil do vnto thee.

⁵ And Dauid said vnto Ionathan, Behold, to morowe is the [Note: [c] At what time there should be a solemne sacrifice, Nom.28. 11. to the which they added peace offrings & feastes. ] first day of the moneth, and I shoulde sit with the King at meate: but let me goe, that I may hide my selfe in the fieldes vnto the third day at euen.

⁶ If thy father make mention of me, then say, Dauid asked leaue of me, that he might goe to Beth-lehem to his owne citie: for there is a [Note: [d] Reade Chap. 1.21. ] yeerely sacrifice for all that familie.

⁷ And if he say thus, It is well, thy seruant shall haue peace: but if he be angrie, be sure that wickednesse is concluded of him.

⁸ So shalt thou shew mercy vnto thy seruant: [Note: Chap.18.3. and 23.18. ] for thou hast ioyned thy seruant into a couenant of the Lord with thee, and if there be in me iniquitie, slay thou me: for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

⁹ ¶ And Ionathan answered, God keepe that from thee: for if I knewe that wickednesse were [Note: [e] That he were fully determined. ] concluded of my father to come vpon thee, would not I tell it thee?

¹⁰ Then said Dauid to Ionathan, Who [Note: [f] If thy father doe fauour me. ] shall tell me? how shall I knowe, if thy father answere thee cruelly?

¹¹ And Ionathan sayde to Dauid, Come and let vs goe out into the fielde: and they twaine went out into the fielde.

¹² Then Ionathan sayde to Dauid, O Lorde God of Israel, when I haue groped my fathers minde to morow at this time, or within this three dayes, and if it be well with Dauid, and I then send not vnto thee, and shewe it thee,

¹³ The Lorde [Note: [g] The Lord punish me most grieuously. ] doe so and much more vnto Ionathan: but if my father haue minde to doe thee euill, I will shew thee also, and sende thee away, that thou mayest goe in peace: & the Lord be with thee as he hath bene with my father.

¹⁴ Likewise I require not whiles I liue: for I dout not but thou wilt shew me the mercy of the Lord, [Note: [h] I know that if thou werest now preferred to the kingdome, thou wouldest not destroy mee, but shewe thy selfe friendly to my posteritie. ] that I die not.

¹⁵ But I require that thou cut not off thy mercie from mine house for euer: no, not when the Lorde hath destroyed the enemies of Dauid, euery one from the earth.

¹⁶ So Ionathan made a bond with the house of Dauid, saying, Let the Lorde require it at the hands of Dauids enemies.

¹⁷ And againe Ionathan sware vnto Dauid, because he loued him (for he loued him as his owne soule)

¹⁸ Then said Ionathan to him, To morowe is the first day of the moneth: and thou shalt be [Note: Or, mentioned. ] looked for, for thy place shalbe emptie.

¹⁹ Therefore thou shalt hide thy selfe three dayes, then thou shalt goe downe quickely and come to the place where thou diddest hide thy selfe, when this matter was in hand, and shalt remayne by the stone [Note: Ebr. of the way, because it serued as a signe to shew the way to them that passed by. ] Ezel.

²⁰ And I will shoote three arrowes on the side thereof, as though I shot at a marke.

²¹ And after I wil sende a boy, saying, Goe, seeke the arrowes. If I say vnto the boy, See, the arrowes are on this side thee, bring them, & come thou: for it is [Note: Ebr. peace. ] well with thee and no hurt, as the Lord liueth.

²² But if I say thus vnto the boy, Behold, the arrowes are beyonde thee, goe thy way: for the [Note: [i] The Lord is the authour of thy departure. ] Lord hath sent thee away.

²³ As touching the thing which thou and I haue spoken of, beholde, the Lorde be betweene thee and me for euer.

²⁴ ¶ So Dauid hid him selfe in the field: and when the first day of the moneth came, the King sate to eate meate.

²⁵ And the King sate, as at other times vpon his seate, euen vpon his seate by the wall: and Ionathan arose, and Abner sate by Sauls side, but Dauids place was emptie.

²⁶ And Saul sayde nothing that day: for hee thought, Some thing hath befallen him, though he were [Note: [k] Yet he might haue some busines to let him. ] cleane, or els becaus he was not purified.

²⁷ But on the morowe which was the second day of the moneth, Dauids place was emptie againe: and Saul sayde vnto Ionathan his sonne, Wherefore commeth not [Note: [l] Thus he speaketh contemptuously of Dauid. ] the sonne of Ishai to meate, neither yesterday nor to day?

²⁸ And Ionathan answered vnto Saul, Dauid required of me, that he might goe to Beth-lehem.

²⁹ For he sayde, Let me goe, I pray thee: for our familie offreth [Note: [m] That is, a peace offring. ] a sacrifice in the citie, & my brother hath sent for me: therfore now if I haue found fauour in thine eyes, let me goe, I pray thee, and see my [Note: [n] Meaning, all his kinsfolke. ] brethren: this is the cause that he commeth not vnto the Kings table.

³⁰ Then was Saul angrie with Ionathan, and sayde vnto him, Thou [Note: [o] Thou art euer contrary vnto me as thy mother is. ] sonne of the wicked rebellious woman, doe not I know, that thou hast chosen the sonne of Ishai to thy confusion, and to the confusion and shame of thy mother?

³¹ For as long as the sonne of Ishai liueth vpon the earth, thou shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdome: wherefore now send and fet him vnto me, for he [Note: Ebr. sonne of death. ] shall surely die.

³² And Ionathan answered vnto Saul his father, and said vnto him, Wherefore shal he [Note: [p] For it were too great tyrannie to put one to death and not to shewe the cause why. ] die? what hath he done?

³³ And Saul cast a speare at him to hit him, whereby Ionathan knew, that it was determined of his father to slay Dauid.

³⁴ ¶ So Ionathan arose from the table in a great anger, and did eate no meate the seconde day of the moneth: for he was sorie for Dauid, and because his father had reuiled him.

³⁵ On the next morning therefore Ionathan [Page]

than went out into the fielde, [Note: [q] For this was the third day, as it was agreed vpon, verse 5. ] at the time appoynted with Dauid, and a litle boy with him.

³⁶ And he saide vnto his boy, Runne now, seeke the arrowes which I shoote, and as the boy ran, he shot an arrowe beyond him.

³⁷ And when the boy was come to the place where the arrowe was that Ionathan had shot, Ionathan cryed after the boy, and sayde, Is not the arrowe beyond thee?

³⁸ And Ionathan cryed after the boy, [Note: [r] By these wordes he admonished Dauid what he ought to doe. ] Make speede, haste and stand not still: and Ionathans boy gathered vp the arrowes, and came to his master,

³⁹ But the boy knewe nothing: onely Ionathan and Dauid knew the matter.

⁴⁰ Then Ionathan gaue his [Note: Ebr. instruments. ] bowe and arrowes vnto the boy that was with him, and sayd vnto him, Goe, carrie them into the citie.

⁴¹ ¶ Assoone as the boy was gone, Dauid arose out of a place that was towarde the [Note: [s] It seemeth that he had shot on the Northside of the stone, lest the boy should haue espyed Dauid. ] South, and fel on his face to the ground, and bowed him selfe three times: and they kissed one another, and wept both twaine, till Dauid exceeded.

⁴² Therefore Ionathan said to Dauid, Goe in peace: that which we haue [Note: [t] Which othe he calleth in the eight verse the couenant of the Lorde. ] sworne both of vs in the Name of the Lorde, saying, The Lorde be betweene me and thee, and betweene my seede and betweene thy seede, let it stand for euer.

⁴³ And he arose and departed, and Ionathan went into the citie.

1 Dauid fleeth to Nob to Ahimelech the Priest. 6 He getteth of him the shewebread to satisfie his hunger. 7 Doeg Sauls seruant was present. 10 Dauid fleeth to King Achish, 13 and there faineth him selfe mad.

¹ Then came Dauid to [Note: [a] Where the Arke then was, to aske counsell of the Lorde. ] Nob, to Ahimelech the Priest, and Ahimelech was astonied at the meeting of Dauid, and saide vnto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

² And Dauid saide to Ahimelech the Priest, The [Note: [b] These infirmities that we see in the saintes of God, teach vs that none hath his iustice in him selfe, but receiueth it of Gods mercie. ] King hath commaunded mee a certaine thing, and hath sayd vnto me, Let no man know whereabout I sende thee, and what I haue commaunded thee: and I haue appointed my seruants to such and such places.

³ Nowe therefore if thou hast ought vnder thine hande, giue me fiue cakes of bread, or what commeth to hand.

⁴ And the Priest answered Dauid, and saide, There is no common bread vnder mine hande, but here is [Note: Exod.25.30. leuit.24.5. mat.12.3,4. ] halowed bread, if the yong men haue kept themselues, at least from [Note: [c] If they haue not companied with their wiues. ] women.

⁵ Dauid then answered the Priest, and sayde vnto him, Certainely women haue bene separarate fro vs these two or three dayes since I came out: and the [Note: [d] That is, their bodies. ] vessels of the yong men were holy, though the way were prophane, & how much more then shall euery one [Note: [e] Shalbe more carefull to keepe his vessel holy, when he shall haue eaten of this holy foode? ] be sanctified this day in the vessell?

⁶ So the Priest gaue him halowed bread: for there was no bread there, saue the shewe bread that was taken from before the Lord, to put hote bread there, the day that it was taken away.

⁷ (And there was the same day one of the seruants of Saul [Note: [f] Tarying to worship before the Arke. ] abiding before the Lorde, named Doeg the Edomite, the [Note: Or, master of them that kept Sauls cattel. ] chiefest of Sauls heardmen)

⁸ And Dauid said vnto Ahimelech, Is there not here vnder thine hand a speare or a sworde? for I haue neither brought my sworde nor mine

harnesse with me, because the Kings businesse required haste.

⁹ And the Priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistim, whom thou slewest in the [Note: Chap.17.2. ] valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapt in a cloth behinde the [Note: [g] Behinde that place, where the hie Priests garment lay. ] Ephod: if thou wilt take that to thee, take it: for there is none other saue that here: And Dauid sayd, There is none to that, giue it me.

¹⁰ And Dauid arose and fled the same day from the [Note: [h] That is, out of Sauls dominion. ] presence of Saul, and went to Achish the King of Gath.

¹¹ And the seruants of Achish said vnto him, Is not this Dauid the [Note: Chap.17.9. ] King of the land? did they not sing vnto him in daunces, saying, [Note: Chap.18.7. and 29.5. ecclus.47.6. ] Saul hath slayne his thousand, and Dauid his ten thousande?

¹² And Dauid [Note: Ebr put these words in his heart. ] considered these wordes, and wsa sore afraide of Achish the King of Gath.

¹³ And hee changed his behauiour before them, and fayned him selfe mad in their handes, and [Note: [i] By making markes & toies. ] scrabled on the doores of the gate, and let his spettel fall downe vpon his beard.

¹⁴ Then said Achish vnto his seruants, Lo, ye see the man is beside him selfe, wherefore haue ye brought him to me?

¹⁵ Haue I neede of mad men, that ye haue brought this fellowe to play the mad man in my presence? [Note: [k] Is hee meete to be in a Kings house? ] shall he come into mine house?

1 Dauid hideth him selfe in a caue. 2 Many that were in trouble came vnto him. 9 Doeg accuseth Ahimelech. 18 Saul causeth the Priests to be slaine. 20 Abiathar escapeth.

¹ Dauid therefore departed thence, and saued him selfe in the caue [Note: [a] Which was in the tribe of Iudah and neere to Beth-lehem. ] of Adullam: & when his brethren & all his fathers house heard it, they went downe thither to him.

² And there gathered vnto him all men that were in trouble and all men that were in dette, and all those that were vexed in minde, and he was their [Note: Or, captaine. ] prince, and there were with him about foure hundreth men.

³ ¶ And Dauid went thence to Mizpeh in [Note: [b] For there was another so called in Iudah. ] Moab, and said vnto the King of Moab, I pray thee, let my father & my mother come and abide with you, till I knowe what God wil doe for me.

⁴ And he [Note: [c] For he feared the rage of Saul against his house. ] brought them before the King of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the while that Dauid was in [Note: [d] That is, in Mizpeh, which was a strong hold. ] the holde.

⁵ And the Prophet Gad sayde vnto Dauid, Abide not in the holde, but depart and goe into the land of Iudah. Then Dauid departed & came into the forest of Hareth.

⁶ ¶ And Saul heard that Dauid was [Note: [e] That a great bruite went on him. ] discouered, and the men that were with him, and Saul remayned in Gibeah vnder a tree in Ramah, hauing his speare in his hande, and all his seruants stoode about him.

⁷ And Saul said vnto his seruants that stood about him, Heare now, ye sonnes [Note: [f] Ye that are of my tribe and linage. ] of Iemini, wil the sonne of Ishai giue euery one of you fields & vineyardes: will he make you all captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer hundreths:

⁸ That all ye haue conspired against me, and there is none that tellerh mee that my sonne hath made a couenant with the sonne of Ishai? and there is none of you that is sory for me, or sheweth mee, that my [Note: [g] Hereby he would perswade them that this conspiracie was most horrible, where the sonne conspired against the father, & the seruant against his master. ] sonne hath stirred vp my seruant to lie in wayte against me, as appeareth this day?

⁹ ¶ Then answered Doeg the Edomite (who

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was appoynted ouer the seruants of Saul) & sayd, I saw the sonne of Ishai when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub,
¹⁰ Who asked counsell of the Lorde for him and gaue him vitailes, and he gaue him also the sword of Goliath the Philistim.

¹¹ Then the King sent to call Ahimelech the Priest the sonne of Ahitub, and all his fathers house, to wit, [Note: [h] Which were ye remnant of the house of Eli, whose house God threatned to punish. ] the Priests that were in Nob: and they came all to the King.

¹² And Saul said, Heare now thou sonne of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

¹³ Then Saul sayde vnto him, Why haue yee conspired against me, thou & the sonne of Ishai, in that thou hast giuen him vitaile, and a sworde, and hast asked counsell of God for him, that he should rise against me, and lye in wayte as appeareth this day?

¹⁴ ¶ And Ahimelech answered the King, and sayde, Who is so faithfull among all thy seruants as Dauid, being also the Kings sonne in lawe, and goeth at thy commandement, and is honourable in thine house?

¹⁵ [Note: [i] Haue I not at other times also, when he had great affaires, consulted with the Lord for him? ] Haue I this day first begun to aske counsell of God for him? be it farre from mee, let not the King impute any thing vnto his seruant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy seruant knew nothing of all this, lesse nor more.

¹⁶ Then the King sayd, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy fathers house.

¹⁷ And the King sayde vnto the [Note: Or, footemen. ] sergeantes that stoode about him, Turne, & slay the Priestes of the Lorde, because their hand also is with Dauid, and because they knewe when he fled, and shewed it not vnto mee. But the seruantes of the King [Note: [k] For they knew that they ought not to obey the wicked commandement of the king in slaying the innocents. ] would not moue their hands to fall vpon the Priests of the Lord.

¹⁸ Then the King sayde to Doeg, Turne thou and fall vpon the Priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and ran vpon the Priestes, and slewe that same daye foure score and fiue persons that did weare a linen Ephod.

¹⁹ Also Nob the citie of the Priestes smote he with the edge of the sword, both man & woman, both childe and suckling, both oxe and asse, and sheepe with the edge of the sword.

²⁰ But one of the sonnes of Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub (whose name was Abiathar) [Note: [l] This was Gods prouidence, who according to his promes preserued some of the house of Eli, Chap.2.33. ] escaped and fled after Dauid.

²¹ And Abiathar shewed Dauid, that Saul had slayne the Lords Priestes.

²² And Dauid sayd vnto Abiathar, I knewe it the same day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would tell Saul. I am the cause of the death of all the persons of thy fathers house.

²³ Abide thou with me, & feare not: for [Note: Or, he that taketh thy life, shall take mine also. ] he that seeketh my life, shall seeke thy life also: for with me thou shalt be in safegard.

5 Dauid chaseth the Philistims from Keilah. 13 Dauid departeth from Keilah, and remaineth in the wildernes of Ziph. 16 Ionathan comforteth Dauid. 28 Sauls enterprise is broken in pursuing Dauid.

¹ Then they tolde Dauid, saying, Beholde, the Philistims fight against [Note: [a] Which was a citie in the tribe of Iudah, Iosh.15.44. ] Keilah, and spoyle the barnes.

² Therfore Dauid asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shal I goe and smite these Philistims? And the Lord answered Dauid, Go and smite the Philistims, and saue Keilah.

³ And Dauids men said vnto him, See, we be afrayde here in [Note: [b] That is, in the middes of Iudah, much more when we come to the borders against our enemies. ] Iudah, howe much more if we come to Keilah against the hoste of ye Philistims?

⁴ Then Dauid asked counsell of the Lord againe. And the Lord answered him, & sayd, Arise, go downe to Keilah: for I wil deliuer the Philistims into thine hand.

⁵ ¶ So Dauid and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistims, & brought away their cattel, & smote them with a great slaughter: thus Dauid saued the inhabitants of Keilah.

⁶ (And when Abiathar the sonne of Ahimelech [Note: Chap.22.20. ] fled to Dauid to Keilah, he brought an [Note: [c] By Gods prouidence the Ephod was preserued and kept with Dauid the true King. ] Ephod [Note: Ebr. in his hand. ] with him)

⁷ ¶ And it was tolde Saul that Dauid was come to Keilah, & Saul sayd, God hath deliuered him into mine hand: for he is shut in, seeing he is come into a citie that hath gates and barres.

⁸ Then Saul called all the people together to warre, for to go downe to Keilah, & to besiege Dauid and his men.

⁹ ¶ And Dauid hauing knowledge that Saul imagined mischiefe against him, saide to Abiathar the Priest, [Note: [d] To consult with the Lord by Vrim and Thummim. ] Bring the Ephod.

¹⁰ Then sayde Dauid, O Lord God of Israel, thy seruat hath heard, that Saul is about to come to Keilah to destroy the citie for my sake.

¹¹ Wil the lordes of Keilah deliuer me vp into his hand? and will Saul come downe, as thy seruant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy seruant. And the Lord sayde, He will come downe.

¹² Then said Dauid, Will the [Note: Or, gouernours. ] lords of Keilah deliuer me vp, and the men that are with me, into the hand of Saul? And the Lord sayde, They will deliuer thee vp.

¹³ ¶ Then Dauid and his men, which were about sixe hundreth, arose, & departed out of Keilah, and went [Note: Or, to and fro, as hauing no certaine place to go to. ] whither they coulde. And it was tolde Saul, that Dauid was fled from Keilah, and he left off his iourney.

¹⁴ And Dauid abode in the wildernesse in [Note: Or, strong places. ] holdes, & remayned in a mountaine in the wildernes of Ziph. And Saul sought him euery day, but God [Note: [e] No power nor policie can preuaile against Gods children, but when he appoynteth the time. ] deliuered him not into his hand.

¹⁵ And Dauid sawe that Saul was come out for to seeke his life: and Dauid was in the wildernes of Ziph in the wood.

¹⁶ ¶ And Ionathan Sauls sonne arose and went to Dauid into the wood, and comforted [Note: Ebr. his hand. ] him in God,

¹⁷ And said vnto him, Feare not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not finde thee, and thou shalt be [Note: [f] Ionathan assureth Dauid, that God will accomplish his promes, and that his father striueth against his owne conscience. ] King ouer Israel, & I shalbe next vnto thee: and also Saul my father knoweth it.

¹⁸ So they twaine made a couenant before ye Lorde: and Dauid did remaine in the wood: but Ionathan went to his house.

¹⁹ ¶ Then came vp the Ziphims to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doeth not Dauid hide himselfe by vs in holdes, in the wood in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the right side [Note: Or, of the wildernesse. ] of Ieshimon?

²⁰ Nowe therefore, O King, come downe according to all that thine heart can desire, and our part shall be to deliuer him into the Kinges handes.

²¹ Then Saul said, [Note: [g] The Lord recompence this friendship. ] Be ye blessed of the Lord: for ye haue had compassion on mee.

²² Goe, I pray you, & prepare ye yet better: know and see his place where he [Note: Ebr. where his foote hath bene. ] haunteth, and [Page]

who hath seene him there: for it is sayd to me, He is subtile, and craftie.

²³ See therefore & know all the secret places where he hideth himselfe, and come ye againe to me with the certaintie, and I will goe with you: and if he be in the [Note: [h] In your countrey of Ziph, which is in Iudah. ] lande, I will searche him out throughout all the thousands of Iudah.

²⁴ Then they arose and went to Ziph before Saul, but Dauid and his men were in the wildernesse of Maon, in the playne on the right hande of Ieshimon.

²⁵ Saul also & his men went to seeke him, & they told Dauid: wherefore he came downe vnto a rocke, and abode in the wildernesse of [Note: [i] Which was also in the tribe of Iudah, Iosh.15.55. ] Maon. And when Saul heard that, he folowed after Dauid in the wildernes of Maon.

²⁶ And Saul and his men went on the one side of the mountaine, and Dauid and his men on the other side of the mountaine: and Dauid made haste to get from the presence of Saul: for Saul and his men compassed Dauid and his men round about, to take them.

²⁷ But there came a [Note: [k] Thus the Lord can pull backe the bridle of the tyrantes, and deliuer his out of the lions mouth. ] messenger to Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come: for the Philistims haue inuaded the land.

²⁸ Wherefore Saul returned fro pursuing Dauid, & went against the Philistims. Therefore they called that place, [Note: [l] That is, the stone of diuision, because there they deuided themselues one from another. ] Sela-hammahlekoth.

1 Dauid hid in a caue spareth Saul. 10 He sheweth to Saul his innocencie. 18 Saul acknowledgeth his fault. 22 He causeth Dauid to sweare vnto him to be fauourable to his.

¹ And Dauid went thence, & dwelt in [Note: [a] That is, in strog places, which were defenced by nature. ] holdes at En-gedi.

² When Saul was turned from ye Philistims, they told him, saying, Behold, Dauid is in the wildernes of [Note: [b] A citie of Iudah, Iosh.15.62. ] En-gedi.

³ Then Saul tooke three thousande chosen men out of all Israel, & went to seeke Dauid and his men vpon the rocks among the wilde goates.

⁴ And hee came to the sheepecoates by the way where there was a caue, & Saul went in [Note: Ebr. to couer his feete. ] to do his easement: and Dauid and his men sate in the [Note: Ebr. in the sides. ] inward parts of the caue.

⁵ And the men of Dauid said vnto him, See, the day is [Note: [c] Here we see howe ready we are to hasten Gods promes, if the occasion serue neuer so litle. ] come, whereof the Lorde sayde vnto thee, Beholde, I will deliuer thine enemie into thine hande, and thou shalt doe to him as it shall seeme good to thee. Then Dauid arose and cut off the lap of Sauls garment priuily.

⁶ And afterward Dauid [Note: [d] For seeing it was his owne priuate cause, he repented that he had touched his enemie. ] was touched in his heart, because he had cut off the lappe which was on Sauls garment.

⁷ And he said vnto his men, The Lord keepe mee from doing that thing vnto my master the Lords Anoynted, to lay mine hand vpon him: for he is the Anoynted of the Lord.

⁸ So Dauid ouercame his seruants with these words, & suffered them not to arise against Saul: so Saul rose vp out of the caue and went away.

⁹ ¶ Dauid also arose afterward, and went out of the caue, and cryed after Saul, saying, O my lorde the King. And when Saul looked behinde him, Dauid inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe.

¹⁰ And Dauid saide to Saul, [Note: [e] Contrary to the false report of the that sayd, Dauid was Sauls enemie, he proueth himself to be his friend. ] Wherefore giuest thou an eare to mens words, that say, Behold, Dauid seeketh euill against thee?

¹¹ Behold, this day thine eyes haue seene, that the Lorde had deliuered thee this day into mine

hand in the caue, and some bade me kill thee, but I had compassion on thee, and said, I will not lay mine hande on my master: for he is the Lordes Anoynted.

¹² Moreouer my father, behold: behold, I say, the lappe of thy garment in mine hand: for when I cut off the lappe of thy garment, I killed thee not. Vnderstad & see, that there is neither euil nor wickednesse in mee, neither haue I sinned against thee, yet thou huntest after my soule to take it.

¹³ The Lord be iudge betweene thee and me, and the Lord auenge me of thee, & let not mine hand be vpon thee.

¹⁴ According as the [Note: Or, the prouerbe of an ancient man. ] olde prouerbe sayeth, Wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked, but mine hand be not vpon thee.

¹⁵ After whom is the King of Israel come out? after whome doest thou pursue? after a dead dog, and after a flea?

¹⁶ The Lord therfore be iudge, and iudge betweene thee and me, and see, & pleade my cause, and [Note: Ebr. iudge. ] deliuer me out of thine hand.

¹⁷ Whe Dauid had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul sayd, [Note: [f] Though he was a most cruell enemie to Dauid, yet by his great gentlenes his coscience compelled him to yeelde. ] Is this thy voyce, my sonne Dauid? & Saul lift vp his voice, & wept,

¹⁸ And sayd to Dauid, Thou art more righteous then I: for thou hast rendred me good, and I haue rendred thee euill.

¹⁹ And thou hast shewed this day, that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had closed me in thine hands, thou killedst me not.

²⁰ For who shal finde his enemie, and let him depart [Note: Ebr. a good way. ] free? wherefore the Lorde render thee good for that thou hast done vnto me this day.

²¹ For now behold, I [Note: [g] Though this tyrant saw & confessed the fauour of God toward Dauid, yet he ceaseth not to persecute him against his owne conscience. ] know that thou shalt be King, and that the kingdome of Israel shall be stablished in thine hand.

²² Sweare now therfore vnto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seede after me, and that thou wilt not abolish my name out of my fathers house.

²³ So Dauid sware vnto Saul, and Saul went home: but Dauid & his men went vp vnto ye hold.

1 Samuel dieth. 3 Nabal & Abigail. 38 The Lord killeth Nabal. 43 Abigail and Ahinoam Dauids wiues. 44 Michal is giuen to Phalti.

¹ Then [Note: Chap.28.3. ecclus. 46.13,20. ] Samuel dyed, & all Israel assembled, and mourned for him, and buried him in his [Note: [a] That is, among his owne kinred. ] owne house at Ramah. And Dauid arose and went downe to the wildernes of Paran.

² Now in [Note: [b] Maon & Carmel were cities in the tribe of Iudah. Carmel the moutaine was in Galile. ] Maon was a man, who had his possessio in Carmel, & the man was exceeding mightie & had three thousand sheepe, and a thousand goates: and he was shering his sheepe in Carmel.

³ The name also of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail, & she was a woman of singular wisdome, and beautifull, but the man was churlish, and euil conditioned, and was of the familie of Caleb.

⁴ And Dauid heard in the wildernesse, that Nabal did shere his sheepe.

⁵ Therefore Dauid sent tenne yong men, & Dauid said vnto the yong men, Go vp to Carmel, and go to Nabal, & aske him in my name [Note: Ebr. of peace. ] how he doeth.

⁶ And thus shal ye say [Note: [c] Some reade, so mayest thou liue in prosperitie the next yeere, both thou, &c. ] [Note: Ebr. for life. ] for salutation, Both thou, and thine house, and all that thou hast, be in peace, wealth and prosperitie.


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⁷ Behold, I haue heard, that thou hast sherers: now thy shepherds were with vs, and we did the no hurt, neyther did they misse any thing all the while they were in Carmel.

⁸ Aske thy seruants and they wil shew thee. Wherefore let these yong men finde fauour in thine eyes: (for we come in a good season) giue, I pray thee, whatsoeuer [Note: [d] Whatsoeuer thou hast ready for vs. ] commeth to thine hand vnto thy seruants, and to thy sonne Dauid.

⁹ ¶ And when Dauids yong men came, they tolde Nabal all those wordes in the name of Dauid, and helde their peace.

¹⁰ Then Nabal answered Dauids seruantes, & sayd, Who is Dauid? and who is the [Note: [e] Thus the couetous wretches in stead of relieuing the necessitie of Gods children, vse to reuile their persons and condemne their cause. ] sonne of Ishai? there be many seruantes nowe a dayes, that breake away euery man from his master.

¹¹ Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I haue killed for my sherers, and giue it vnto men, whom I know not whence they be?

¹² ¶ So Dauids seruants turned their way, and went againe, and came, and tolde him all those things.

¹³ And Dauid said vnto his men, Girde euery man his sword about him. And they girded euery man his sworde: Dauid also girded his sworde. And about foure hundreth men went vp after Dauid, and two hundreth abode by the [Note: Ebr. vessell. ] cariage.

¹⁴ Nowe one of the seruantes tolde Abigail Nabals wife, saying, Beholde, Dauid sent messengers out of the wildernesse to salute our master, and he [Note: Ebr. droue them away. ] rayled on them.

¹⁵ Notwithstanding the men were very good [Note: [f] When we kept our sheepe in the wildernesse of Paran. ] vnto vs, and we had no displeasure, neither missed we any thing as long as we were conuersant with them, when we were in the fieldes.

¹⁶ They were as a wall vnto vs both by night & by day, all the while we were with them keeping sheepe.

¹⁷ Nowe therefore take heede, and see what thou shalt doe: for euill [Note: Ebr. is accomplished. ] will surely come vpon our master, and vpon all his familie: for he is so wicked that a man can not speake to him.

¹⁸ ¶ Then Abigail made haste, & tooke two hundreth [Note: Ebr. bread. ] cakes, & two bottels of wine, & fiue sheepe ready dressed, & fiue measures of parched corne, and an hundreth [Note: Or, clusters. ] frailes of raisins, & two hundreth of figs, and laded them on asses.

¹⁹ Then she said vnto her seruants, Go ye before me: beholde, I will come after you: yet she tolde [Note: [g] Because she knewe his crooked nature, that he would rather haue perished, then consented to her enterprise. ] not her husband Nabal.

²⁰ And as shee rode on her asse, shee came downe by a secret place of the mountaine, and beholde, Dauid and his men came downe against her, and she met them.

²¹ And Dauid said, In deede I haue kept all in vaine that this fellow had in the wildernesse, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained vnto him: for he hath requited me euill for good.

²² So and more also doe God vnto the enemies of Dauid: for surely I will not leaue of all that he hath, by the dawning of the day, any that [Note: [h] Meaning by this prouerbe, that he would destroye both small and great. ] pisseth against the wall.

²³ And when Abigail sawe Dauid, she hasted and lighted off her asse, and fell before Dauid on her face, and bowed her selfe to the ground,

²⁴ And fel at his feete, and sayd, Oh, my lord, I haue committed the iniquitie, and I pray thee, let thine handmayde speake [Note: Ebr. in thine eares. ] to thee, and heare thou the wordes of thine handmayde.

²⁵ Let not my lorde, I pray thee, regard this wicked man Nabal: for as his name is, so is he: [Note: Or, foole. ] Nabal is his name, and follie is with him: but I thine handmayde sawe not the yong men of my lord whom thou sentest.

²⁶ Now therefore my lord, as the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth (the Lorde, I say, that hath withholden thee from comming to shedde blood, & that [Note: [i] That is, that thou shouldest not be reuenged of thine enemie. ] thine hand should not saue thee) so now thine enemies shall be as Nabal, and they that intend to doe my lord euill.

²⁷ And now, this [Note: Or, present. ] blessing which thine handmaid hath brought vnto my lorde, let it be giuen vnto the yong men, that [Note: Ebr. walke at the feete. ] followe my lord.

²⁸ I pray thee, forgiue the trespasse of thine handmaide: for the Lorde will make my lorde a [Note: [k] Confirme his kingdome to his posteritie. ] sure house, because my lord fighteth the battels of the Lorde, and none euill hath bene found in thee [Note: Ebr. from thy dayes. ] in all thy life.

²⁹ Yet [Note: [l] To wit, Saul. ] a man hath risen vp to persecute thee, and to seeke thy soule, but the soule of my lorde shall be bounde in the [Note: [m] God shall preserue thee long in his seruice and destroy thine enemies. ] bundel of life with the Lord thy God: & the soule of thine enemies shal God cast out, as out of the middle of a sling.

³⁰ And when the Lorde shall haue done to my lord al the good that he hath promised thee, and shall haue made thee ruler ouer Israel,

³¹ Then shall it be no griefe vnto thee, nor offence of minde vnto my lord, that he hath not shed blood causelesse, nor that my lorde hath [Note: [n] That he hath not auenged him selfe, which things would haue tormented his conscience. ] not preserued him selfe: and when the Lorde shall haue dealt well with my lorde, remember thine handmaide.

³² Then Dauid said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meete me.

³³ And blessed be thy counsel, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day fro comming to shed blood, [Note: [o] Reade vers.26. ] and that mine hand hath not saued me.

³⁴ For in deede, as the Lord God of Israel liueth, [Note: [p] He attributeth it to the Lordes mercie, and not to himselfe that he was stayed. ] who hath kept me backe from hurting thee, except thou haddest hasted and met mee, surely there had not bene left vnto Nabal by the dawning of the day, any that pisseth against the wall.

³⁵ Then Dauid receiued of her hande that which she had brought him, and said to her, Goe vp in peace to thine house: beholde, I haue heard thy voyce, and haue [Note: Ebr. receiued thy face. ] graunted thy petition.

³⁶ ¶ So Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he made a feast in his house, like the feast of a King, and Nabals heart was mery within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore shee tolde him [Note: [q] For he had no reason either to consider, or to giue thankes for this great benefite of deliuerance. ] nothing, neither lesse nor more, vntil the morning arose.

³⁷ Then in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal, his wife tolde him those wordes, and his heart died within him, and he was like [Note: [r] For feare of the great danger. ] a stone.

³⁸ And about ten dayes after, the Lord smote Nabal, that he dyed.

³⁹ ¶ Now when Dauid heard, that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord that hath [Note: Or, reuenged. ] iudged the cause of my rebuke of ye hand of Nabal, and hath kept his seruant from euil: for the Lord hath recompensed the wickednesse of Nabal vpon his owne head. Also Dauid sent to commune with Abigail to [Note: [s] For he had experience of her great godlines, wisedome and humilitie. ] take her to his wife.

⁴⁰ And whe the seruants of Dauid were come [Page]

to Abigail to Carmel, they spake vnto her, saying, Dauid sent vs to thee, to take thee to his wife.

⁴¹ And she arose, and bowed her selfe on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmayde be a seruant to wash the feete of the seruants of my lord.

⁴² And Abigail hasted, & arose, and rode vpon an asse, and her fiue maides [Note: Ebr. went at her feete. ] folowed her, and she went after the messengers of Dauid, and was his wife.

⁴³ Dauid also tooke Ahinoam of [Note: Iosh.15 56. ] Izreel, and they were both his wiues.

⁴⁴ Now Saul had giuen [Note: 1.Sam 3.14,15. ] Michal his daughter Dauids wife to Phalti the sonne of Laish, which was of [Note: [t] Which was a place bordering on the countrey of the Moabites. ] Gallim.

1 Dauid was discouered vnto Saul by the Ziphims. 12 Dauid taketh away Sauls speare, and a pot of water that stoode at his head. 21 Saul confesseth his sinne.

¹ Againe the Ziphims came vnto Saul to Gibeah, saying, [Note: Chap.23.19. ] Doeth not Dauid hide him selfe [Note: Or, in Gibeah. ] in the hill of Hachilah before [Note: Or, the wildernes. ] Ieshimon?

² Then Saul arose, and went downe to the wildernes of Ziph, hauing three thousand [Note: [a] That is, of the most skilfull and valiant souldiers. ] chosen men of Israel with him, for to seeke Dauid in the wildernesse of Ziph.

³ And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Ieshimon by the way side. Now Dauid abode in the wildernesse, and he sawe that Saul came after him into the wildernesse.

⁴ (For Dauid had sent out spies, and vnderstood, that Saul was come [Note: Or, to a certaine place. ] in very deede)

⁵ Then Dauid arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched, and when Dauid beheld the place where Saul lay, and [Note: Chap.14.50. and 17.55. ] Abner the sonne of Ner which was his chiefe captaine, (for Saul lay in the fort, and the people pitched round about him)

⁶ Then spake Dauid, and said to Ahimelech the [Note: [b] Who was a stranger and not an Israelite. ] Hittite, and to Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah, brother to [Note: [c] Who afterward was Dauids chiefe captaine. ] Ioab, saying, Who will go downe with me to Saul to the hoste? Then Abishai said, I will goe downe with thee.

⁷ So Dauid and Abishai came downe to the people by night: and beholde, Saul lay sleeping within the fort, and his speare did sticke in the ground at his [Note: Or, bolster. ] head: and Abner and the people lay round about him.

⁸ ¶ Then saide Abishai to Dauid, God hath closed thine enemie into thine hande this day: now therefore, I pray thee, let me smite him once with a speare to the earth, and I will not smite him [Note: [d] Meaning, he would make him sure at one stroke. ] againe.

⁹ And Dauid sayde to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can lay his hand [Note: [e] To wit, in his owne priuate cause: for Iehu slewe two kings at Gods appointment, 2. King.9.24. ] on the Lordes anoynted, and be giltlesse?

¹⁰ Moreouer Dauid said, As the Lord liueth, eyther the Lorde shall smite him, or his day shall come to dye, or he shall descend into battel, and perish.

¹¹ The Lorde keepe mee from laying mine hand vpon the Lordes anointed: but, I pray thee, take now the speare that is at his head, and the pot of water, and let vs goe hence.

¹² So Dauid tooke the speare and the pot of water from Sauls head, and they gate them away, and no man saw it, nor marked it, neither did any awake, but they were all asleepe: for [Note: Ebr. the heauie sleepe of the Lord was fallen vpon them. ] the Lorde had sent a dead sleepe vpon them.

¹³ Then Dauid went vnto the other side, and

stoode on the toppe of an hill a farre off, a great space being betweene them.

¹⁴ And Dauid cryed to the people, and to Abner the sonne of Ner, saying, [Note: Ebr. Answerest. ] Hearest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered, & said, Who art thou that cryest to the King?

¹⁵ ¶ And Dauid said to Abner, Art not thou a [Note: [f] Esteemed most valiant, and meete to saue the King. ] man? and who is like thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lorde the King? for there came one of the folke in to destroy the King thy lord.

¹⁶ This is not well done of thee: as the Lord liueth, ye are [Note: Ebr. sonnes of death. ] worthy to dye, because ye haue not kept your master the Lordes Anointed: and now see where the Kings speare is, and the pot of water that was at his head.

¹⁷ And Saul knewe Dauids voyce, and sayde, Is this thy voyce, [Note: [g] Hereby it appeareth, that the hypocrite persecuted Dauid against his owne conscience, and contrary to his promes. ] my sonne Dauid? And Dauid sayde, It is my voyce, my lorde O King.

¹⁸ And he sayde, Wherefore doeth my lorde thus persecute his seruant? for what haue I done? or what euill is in mine hand?

¹⁹ Now therefore, I beseech thee, let my lord the King heare the wordes of his seruant. If the Lord haue stirred thee vp against me, [Note: [h] Let his anger toward vs be pacified by a sacrifice. ] let him smel the sauour of a sacrifice: but if the children of men haue done it, cursed be they before the Lorde: for they haue cast me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lorde, saying, Goe, serue [Note: [i] As much as lay in them, they compelled him to idolatrie, because they forced him to flee to the idolaters. ] other gods.

²⁰ Nowe therefore let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lorde: for the King of Israel is come out to seeke a flea, as one would hunt a partridge in the mountaines.

²¹ Then sayde Saul, I haue sinned: come againe, my sonne Dauid: for I will doe thee no more harme, because my soule was [Note: [k] Because thou sauedst my life this day. ] precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I haue done foolishly, and haue erred exceedingly.

²² Then Dauid answered, and saide, Beholde the Kings speare, let one of the yong men come ouer and set it.

²³ And let the Lorde rewarde euery man according to his [Note: [l] Thus he protesteth his innocencie towarde Saul, not defending his iustice in the sight of God, in whose presence none is righteous, Psal. 14.3. and 130.3. ] righteousnesse and faithfulnesse: for the Lord had deliuered thee into mine handes this day, but I woulde not lay mine hand vpon the Lords anointed.

²⁴ And beholde, like as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes: so let my life be set by in the eyes of the Lord, that he may deliuer me out of all tribulation.

²⁵ Then Saul said to Dauid, Blessed art thou, my sonne Dauid: for thou shalt doe great things, and also preuaile. So Dauid went his way, and Saul returned to his [Note: [m] To Gibeah of Beniamin. ] place.

2 Dauid fleeth to Achish king of Gath, who giueth him Ziklag. 8 Dauid destroyeth certaine of the Philistims. 10 Achish is deceiued by Dauid.

¹ And Dauid said in his heart, I shall now [Note: [a] Dauid distrusteth Gods protection, and therefore fleeth vnto the idolaters, who were enemies to Gods people. ] perish one day by the hand of Saul: is it not better for me that I saue my selfe in the lande of the Philistims, and that Saul may haue no hope of me to seeke me any more in all the coastes of Israel, and so escape out of his hand?

² Dauid therefore arose, and he, and the sixe hundreth men that were with him, went vnto Achish the sonne of Maoch King of Gath.

³ And Dauid [Note: [b] Thus God by his prouidence changeth the enemies hearts, & maketh them to fauour his in their necessitie. ] dwelt with Achish at Gath, he, and his men, euery man with his housholde,

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Dauid with his two wiues, Ahinoam the Izreelite, and Abigail Nabals wife the Carmelite.
⁴ And it was tolde Saul that Dauid was fled to Gath: so he sought no more for him.

⁵ And Dauid saide vnto Achish, If I haue nowe founde peace in thine eyes, [Note: [c] Let thine officers appoint me a place. ] let them giue me a place in some other citie of the countrey, that I may dwell there: for why should thy seruant dwel in ye head citie of the kingdome wt thee?

⁶ Then Achish gaue him Ziklag that same day: therefore Ziklag pertaineth vnto the kings of Iudah vnto this day.

⁷ ¶ And [Note: Ebr. the number of the dayes. ] the time that Dauid dwelt in the countrey of the Philistims, was foure moneths and certaine dayes.

⁸ Then Dauid and his men went vp, and inuaded the [Note: [d] These were the wicked Canaanites, whome God had appointed to be destroyed. ] Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites: for they inhabited the lande from the beginning, from the way, as thou goest to Shur, euen vnto the lande of Egypt.

⁹ And Dauid smote the lande, and left neither man nor woman aliue, and tooke sheepe, & oxen, and asses, and camels, and apparell, and returned and came to Achish.

¹⁰ And Achish said, [Note: Or, against whom. ] Where haue ye bene a rouing this day? And Dauid answered, Against the South of Iudah, and against the South of the [Note: [e] Which were a familie of the tribe of Iudah, 1.Chron.2.9. ] Ierahmeelites, & against the South of ye Kenites.

¹¹ And Dauid saued neither man nor woman aliue, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tel on vs, and say, So did Dauid, and so will be his maner all the while that he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistims.

¹² And Achish beleeued Dauid, saying, [Note: Or, he doeth surely abhorre his people. ] He hath made his people of Israel vtterly to abhorre him: therefore he shalbe my seruant for euer.

1 Dauid hath the chiefe charge promised about Achish. 8 Saul consulteth with a witch, and she causeth him to speake with Samuel, 18 Who declareth his ruine.

¹ Nowe at that time the Philistims assembled their bandes and armie to fight with Israel: therfore Achish said to Dauid, [Note: [a] Albeit it was a great griefe to Dauid to fight against the people of God, yet such was his infirmitie, he durst not denie him. ] Be sure, thou shalt go out with me to the battel, thou, and thy men.

² And Dauid said to Achish, Surely thou shalt knowe, what thy seruant can doe. And Achish sayde to Dauid, Surely I will make thee keeper of mine head for euer.

³ ( [Note: Chap.25.1. ] Samuel was then dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah his owne citie: and Saul had [Note: [b] According to the commandement of God, Exod.22.18. & deut.18.10,11. ] put away the sorcerers, and the soothsayers out of the land)

⁴ Then the Philistims assembled themselues, and came, and pitched in Shunem: and Saul assembled all Israel, and they pitched in Gilboa.

⁵ And when Saul saw the hoste of the Philistims, he was afraid, & his heart was sore astonied.

⁶ Therefore Saul asked counsel of the Lord, and the Lorde answered him not, neither by dreames, nor by [Note: [c] Meaning, the hie Priest, Exod. 28.30. ] Vrim, nor yet by Prophets.

⁷ ¶ Then saide Saul vnto his seruants, Seeke me a woman that hath a familiar spirite, that I may goe to her, and aske of her. And his seruants said to him, Beholde, there is a woman at En-dor that hath a familiar spirit.

⁸ Then Saul [Note: [d] He seeketh not to God in his miserie, but is led by Satan to vnlawfull meanes, which in his conscience he condemneth. ] changed him selfe, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he saide, I pray thee, coniecture vnto me by the familiar spirite, and bring me him vp whome

I shall name vnto thee.

⁹ And the woman saide vnto him, Beholde, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the sorcerers, and the southsayers out of the land: wherefore then seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to die?

¹⁰ And Saul sware to her by the Lorde, saying, As the Lord liueth, no [Note: Or, punishment. ] harme shall come to thee for this thing.

¹¹ Then said the woman, Whom shal I bring vp vnto thee? And he answered, Bring me vp [Note: [e] He speaketh according to his grosse ignorance, not considering the state of the saintes after this life, and howe Satan hath no power ouer them. ] Samuel.

¹² And when the woman sawe Samuel, she cryed with a loude voyce, and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceiued me? for thou art Saul.

¹³ And the King said vnto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said vnto Saul, I saw [Note: Or, an excellent person. ] gods ascending vp out of the earth.

¹⁴ Then he said vnto her, What facion is hee of? And she answered, An olde man commeth vp lapped in a mantel: and Saul knewe that it was [Note: [f] To his imagination, albeit it was Satan, who to blinde his eyes tooke vpon him the forme of Samuel, as he can do of an Angel of light. ] Samuel, and he enclined his face to the grounde, and bowed him selfe.

¹⁵ ¶ And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me vp? Then Saul answered, I am in great distresse: for the Philistims make warre against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither [Note: Ebr. by the hand of Prophets. ] by Prophetes, neither by dreames: therefore I haue called thee, that thou mayest tell me, what I shall doe.

¹⁶ Then said Samuel, Wherefore then doest thou aske of me, seeing the Lord is gone from thee, and is thine enemie?

¹⁷ Euen the Lord hath done to [Note: [g] That is, to Dauid. ] him, as hee spake [Note: Chap.15.28. ] by mine [Note: Or, ministerie. ] hande: for the Lord will rent the kingdome out of thine hande, and giue it thy neighbour Dauid.

¹⁸ Because thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lorde, nor executedst his fierce wrath vpon the Amalekites, therefore hath the Lorde done this vnto thee this day.

¹⁹ Moreouer the Lord wil deliuer Israel with thee into the handes of the Philistims: [Note: [h] Ye shall be dead, Chap.31.6. ] and to morowe shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me, and the Lorde shall giue the hoste of Israel into the handes of the Philistims.

²⁰ Then Saul fell streight way all along on the earth, and was sore [Note: [i] The wicked, when they heare Gods iudgements, tremble and despaire, but cannot seeke for mercie by repentance. ] afraide because of the wordes of Samuel, so that there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.

²¹ Then the woman came vnto Saul, & sawe that he was sore troubled, and said vnto him, See, thine handmaide hath obeyed thy voyce, and I [Note: [k] I haue ventured my life. ] haue put my soule in mine hande, and haue obeyed thy wordes which thou saydest vnto me.

²² Now therefore, I pray thee, hearke thou also vnto ye voyce of thine handmaid, & let me set a morsell of bread before thee, that thou mayest eat and get thee strength, and go on thy iourney.

²³ But he refused, and said, I will not eate: but his seruants and the woman together compelled him, and he obeyed their voyce: so he arose from the earth, and sate on the bed.

²⁴ Nowe the woman had a fat calfe in the house, and she hasted, and killed it, and tooke floure and kneaded it, and baked of it [Note: [l] Because it required haste. ] vnleauened bread.
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²⁵ Then she brought them before Saul, and before his seruants: and when they had eaten, they stoode, and went away the same night.

4 The princes of the Philistims cause Dauid to be sent backe from the battell against Israel, because they distrusted him.

¹ So the Philistims were gathered together with all their armies in Aphek: and the Israelites pitched [Note: Or, in Ain. ] by the fountaine, which is in Izreel.

² And the [Note: Or, captaines. ] princes of the Philistims went foorth by [Note: [a] According to their bandes, or ensignes. ] hundreths and thousandes, but Dauid and his men came behinde with Achish.

³ Then saide the princes of the Philistims, What doe these Ebrewes here? And Achish said vnto the princes of the Philistims, Is not this Dauid the seruant of Saul the King of Israel, who hath bene with me these dayes, [Note: [b] Meaning, a long time, that is, foure moneths and certaine dayes, Chap.27.7. ] or these yeeres, and I haue found nothing in him, since he [Note: Ebr. fell, as Gen. 25.18. ] dwelt with me vnto this day?

⁴ But the princes of the Philistims were wroth with him, and the princes of the Philistims said vnto him, [Note: 1.Chron.12.19. ] Sende this fellow backe, that he may goe againe to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not goe downe with vs to battell, least that in the battell he be an aduersarie to vs: for wherewith should he obteine the fauour of his master? shoulde it not be with the [Note: [c] Woulde not Saul receiue him to fauour, if he coulde betray vs? ] heades of these men?

⁵ Is not this Dauid, of whome they sang in daunces, saying, [Note: Chap 18.7. and 21.11. ] Saul slewe his thousande, and Dauid his ten thousande?

⁶ ¶ Then Achish called Dauid, and said vnto him, As the Lorde liueth, thou hast bene vpright and good in my sight, when thou [Note: [d] That is, wast conuersant with me. ] wentest out and in with mee in the hoste, neither haue I founde euill with thee, since thou camest to me vnto this day, but [Note: Ebr thou art not good in the eyes of the princes. ] the princes doe not fauour thee.

⁷ Wherefore nowe returne, and go in peace, that thou displease not the princes of the Philistims.

⁸ ¶ And Dauid said vnto Achish, But what haue I done? and what hast thou founde in thy seruant as long as I haue bene with thee vnto this day, that I may [Note: [e] This dissimulation can not be excused: for it grieued him to goe against the people of God. ] not goe and fight against the enemies of my lorde the King?

⁹ Achish then answered, and said to Dauid, I knowe thou pleasest mee, as an Angell of God: but the princes of the Philistims haue saide, Let him not goe vp with vs to battell.

¹⁰ Wherefore now rise vp earely in the morning with thy [Note: [f] With them that fled vnto thee from Saul. ] masters seruants that are come with thee: and when ye be vp earely, assoone as ye haue light, depart.

¹¹ So Dauid and his men rose vp earely to depart in the morning, and to returne into the lande of the Philistims: and the Philistims went vp to Izreel.

1 The Amalekites burne Ziklag. 5 Dauids two wiues are taken prisoners. 6 The people would stone him. 8 He asketh counsell of the Lorde, and pursuing his enemies recouereth the pray. 24 He deuideth it equally, 26 And sendeth part to his friendes.

¹ Bvt when Dauid and his men were come to Ziklag [Note: [a] After that he departed from Achish. ] the thirde day, the Amalekites had inuaded vpon the South, euen vnto Ziklag, and had [Note: [b] That is, destroyed the citie. ] smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fire,

² And had taken the women that were therein, prisoners, both small and great, and slewe not a

man, but caryed them away, & went their wayes.

³ ¶ So Dauid and his men came to the city, and beholde, it was burnt with fire, and their [Note: [c] For these only remained in the citie, when the men were gone to warre. ] wiues, and their sonnes, and their daughters were taken prisoners.

⁴ Then Dauid and the people that was with him, lift vp their voyces and wept, vntill they could weepe no more.

⁵ Dauids two wiues were taken prisoners also, Ahinoam the Izreelite, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

⁶ And Dauid was in great sorowe: for the people [Note: [d] Thus we see, that in troubles and aduersitie we doe not consider gods prouidence, but like raging beastes forget both our owne duetie, & contend Gods appointment ouer vs. ] entended to stone him, because the heartes of all the people were vexed euery man for his sonnes and for his daughters: but Dauid comforted him selfe in the Lorde his God.

⁷ ¶ And Dauid saide to Abiathar the Priest Ahimelechs sonne, I pray thee, bring me the Ephod. And Abiathar brought the Ephod to Dauid.

⁸ Then Dauid asked counsell at the Lorde, saying, Shall I followe after this companie? shall I ouertake them? And he answered him, Followe: for thou shalt surely ouertake them, and [Note: [e] Though God seeme to leaue vs for a time, yet if we trust in him, we shall be sure to finde comfort. ] recouer all.

⁹ ¶ So Dauid and the sixe hundreth men that were with him, went, and came to the riuer Besor, where a part of them abode:

¹⁰ But Dauid and foure hundreth men followed (for two hundreth abode behinde, being too wearie to goe ouer the riuer Besor)

¹¹ And they found an Egyptian in the fielde, and brought him to Dauid, and gaue him [Note: [f] God by his prouidence both prouided for the necessitie of this poore stranger, and made him a guide to Dauid to accomplish his enterprise. ] bread and he did eat, & they gaue him water to drinke.

¹² Also they gaue him a fewe figges, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirite came againe to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunke any water in three dayes, and three nightes.

¹³ ¶ And Dauid saide vnto him, To whome belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he saide, I am a yong man of Egypt, and seruant to an Amalekite: and my master left me three dayes agoe, because I fell sicke.

¹⁴ We roued vpon the South of Chereth, & vpon the coast belonging to Iudah, and vpon the South of Caleb, and we burnt Ziklag with fire.

¹⁵ And Dauid saide vnto him, Canst thou bring me to this companie? And he said, [Note: [g] For othes were in all ages had in most reuerence euen among the heathen. ] Sweare vnto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliuer me into the handes of my master, and I will bring thee to this companie.

¹⁶ ¶ And when he had brought him thither, beholde, they lay scattered abroade vpon all the earth, [Note: [h] The wicked in their pompe & pleasures consider not the iudgement of God, which is then at hande to smite them. ] eating and drinking, and dauncing, because of all the great pray that they had taken out of the lande of the Philistims, and out of the land of Iudah.

¹⁷ And Dauid smote them from the twilight, euen vnto the euening [Note: [i] Some reade, and vnto the morowe of the two euenings: that is, three dayes. ] of the next morowe, so that there escaped not a man of them, saue foure hundreth yong men, which rode vpon camels, and fled.

¹⁸ And Dauid recouered all that the Amalekites had taken: also Dauid rescued his two wiues.

¹⁹ And they lacked nothing, small or great, sonne or daughter, or of the spoyle of all that they had taken away: Dauid recouered them all.


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²⁰ Dauid also tooke all the sheepe, and the oxen, and they draue them before his cattell, and said, This is Dauids [Note: [k] Which the Amalekites had taken of others, and Dauid from them besides the goods of Ziklag. ] pray.

²¹ ¶ And Dauid came to the two hundreth men that were too wearie for to followe Dauid: whome they had made also to abide at the riuer Besor: and they came to meete Dauid, and to meete the people that were with him: so when Dauid came neere to the people, hee saluted them.

²² Then answered all the euill and wicked of the men that went with Dauid, and saide, Because they went not with vs, therefore will wee giue them none of the pray that wee haue recouered, saue to euery man his [Note: [l] Vnder these are comprehended the cattel and goods, which apperteined to euery man. ] wife and his children: therefore let them carie them away and depart.

²³ Then saide Dauid, Yee shall not doe so, my brethren, with that which the Lorde hath giuen vs, who hath preserued vs, and deliuered the companie that came against vs, into our handes.

²⁴ For who will obey you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth downe to the battel, so shall his part be, that tarieth by the stuffe: they shal part alike.

²⁵ [Note: [m] Some referre these wordes to Dauid, that he alledged an olde custome and law, as is it were written, It is both now and hath bene euer. ] So from that day forward hee made it a statute and a lawe in Israel, vntill this day.

²⁶ ¶ When Dauid therefore came to Ziklag, he sent of the pray vnto the Elders of Iudah and to his friends, saying, See there is a blessing for you of the spoyle of the enemies of the Lord.

²⁷ Hee sent to them of Beth-el, and to them of South Ramoth, and to them of Iattir,

²⁸ And to them of Aroer, and to them of Siphmoth, and to them of Eshtemoa,

²⁹ And to them of Rachal, and to them of the cities of the Ierahmeelites, and to them of the cities of the Kenites,

³⁰ And to them of Hormah, and to them of Chor-ashan, and to them of Athach,

³¹ And to them of Hebron, and [Note: [n] Shewing him selfe mindful of their benefites towards him. ] to all the places where Dauid and his men had hanted.

4 Saul killeth himselfe. 6 His children are slaine in the battel. 12 The men of Fabesh tooke downe his body, which was hanged on the wall.

¹ Now [Note: 1.Chro.10.1. ] the Philistims fought against Israel, & the me of Israel fled away from ye Philistims, and they fell downe [Note: Or, slaine. ] wounded in mount Gilboa.

² And the Philistims preassed sore vpon Saul and his sonnes, and slewe Ionathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua Sauls sonnes.

³ And when the battel went sore against Saul, the archers and bowmen [Note: Ebr. found him. ] hit him, and hee was sore [Note: Or, afraid. ] wounded of the archers.

⁴ Then saide Saul vnto his armour bearer, [Note: [a] So we see that his cruel life hath a desperate end, as is commonly seene in them that persecute the children of God. ] Drawe out thy sworde, and thrust mee through therewith, lest the vncircumcised come and thrust me through and mocke me: but his armour bearer would not, for hee was sore afraid. Therefore Saul tooke a sworde and fell vpon it.

⁵ And when his armour bearer sawe that Saul was dead, he fell likewise vpon his sword, & dyed with him.

⁶ So Saul dyed, and his three sonnes, and his armour bearer, and all his men that same day together.

⁷ ¶ And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the [Note: [b] Neere to Gilboa. ] valley, and they of the other side [Note: [c] The tribes of Reuben and Gad, and halfe the tribe of Manasseh. ] Iorden saw that the men of Israel were put to flight, and that Saul and his sonnes were dead, then they left the cities, and ran away: and the Philistims came and dwelt in them.

⁸ ¶ And on the morowe when the Philistims were come to spoyle them that were slaine, they founde Saul and his three sonnes lying in mount Gilboa,

⁹ And they cut off his head, and stripped him out of his armour, & sent into the land of ye Philistims on euery side, yt they should [Note: [d] In token of victorie and triumph. ] publish it in the temple of their idoles, & among the people.

¹⁰ And they layed vp his armour in the house of Ashtaroth, but they hanged vp his body on the wall of Beth-shan.

¹¹ ¶ When the inhabitants of [Note: [e] Whome hee had deliuered from their enemies, Chap.11.11. ] Iabesh Gilead heard, what the Philistims had done to Saul,

¹² Then they arose (as many as were strong men) and went all night, and tooke the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sonnes, from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Iabesh, and [Note: Iere.34.5. ] burnt them there,

¹³ And tooke their bones and [Note: 2.Sam.2.4. ] buried them vnder a tree at Iabesh, and [Note: [f] According to the custome of mourners. ] fasted seuen dayes.