16:1And Samson went to Gazah, and saw there a harlot, and went in to her. 16:2[And it was told] the Gazathites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they surrounded [him], and laid wait for him all night at the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning light we will kill him. 16:3And Samson lay till midnight; and he arose at midnight, and seized the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and tore them up with the bar, and put [them] upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron. 16:4And it came to pass afterwards that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 16:5And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Persuade him, and see in what his great strength is, and with what we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to overpower him; and we will each give thee eleven hundred silver-pieces. 16:6Then Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, in what is thy great strength, and with what thou mightest be bound to overpower thee. 16:7And Samson said to her, If they should bind me with seven fresh cords which have not been dried, then should I be weak, and be as another man. 16:8Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh cords which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 16:9Now she had liers in wait abiding in the chamber; and she said to him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson! And he broke the cords, as a thread of tow is broken when it touches the fire; and his strength was not known. 16:10And Delilah said to Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me and told me lies. Now tell me, I pray thee, with what thou mightest be bound. 16:11And he said to her, If they should bind me fast with new ropes, with which no work has been done, then should I be weak, and be as another man. 16:12And Delilah took new ropes, and bound him with them, and said to him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson! Now there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he broke them from off his arms like a thread. 16:13And Delilah said to Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me and told me lies. Tell me with what thou mightest be bound. And he said to her, If thou shouldest weave the seven locks of my head with the web. 16:14And she fastened it with the pin, and said to him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson! And he awoke out of his sleep, and tore out the pin of the beam, and the web. 16:15Then she said to him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? these three times hast thou mocked me, and hast not told me in what is thy great strength. 16:16And it came to pass when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was vexed unto death; 16:17and he told her all his heart, and said to her, There has not come a razor upon my head; for I am a Nazarite of God from my mother's womb; if I should be shaven, then my strength would go from me, and I should be weak, and be like all mankind. 16:18And Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, and she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this time, for he has told me all his heart. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the money in their hand. 16:19And she made him sleep upon her knees, and called a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to overpower him, and his strength went from him. 16:20And she said, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson! And he awoke out of his sleep, and thought, I will go out as at other times before, and disengage myself. And he knew not that Jehovah had departed from him. 16:21And the Philistines seized him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gazah, and bound him with fetters of bronze; and he had to grind in the prison-house. 16:22But the hair of his head began to grow after he was shaved. 16:23Then the lords of the Philistines gathered together to sacrifice a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice; for they said, Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands. 16:24And when the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, Our god has given into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, even him who multiplied our slain. 16:25And it came to pass when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison-house, and he played before them; and they set him between the pillars. 16:26And Samson said to the lad that held him by the hand, Let loose of me, and suffer me to feel the pillars upon which the house stands, that I may lean upon them. 16:27Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and upon the roof there were about three thousand men and women, who looked on while Samson made sport. 16:28And Samson called to Jehovah, and said, Lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may take one vengeance upon the Philistines for my two eyes. 16:29And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood (and he supported himself upon them), the one with his right hand and the other with his left. 16:30And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines! And he bowed himself with might; and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people that were therein. So the dead that he slew at his death were more than those whom he had slain in his life. 16:31And his brethren came down, and all the house of his father, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zoreah and Eshtaol in the sepulchre of Manoah his father. And he had judged Israel twenty years.
17:1And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 17:2And he said to his mother, The eleven hundred silver-pieces that were taken from thee, and about which thou didst curse and speak of in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son of Jehovah! 17:3And he restored the eleven hundred silver-pieces to his mother; and his mother said, I had dedicated the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; and now I will restore it to thee. 17:4Now he restored the silver to his mother; and his mother took two hundred silver-pieces and gave them to the founder, and he made of them a graven image and a molten image; and they were in the house of Micah. 17:5And the man Micah had a house of gods, and made an ephod and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 17:6In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes. 17:7And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-Judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 17:8And the man departed from the city, from Bethlehem-Judah, to sojourn where he might find [a place]. And as he journeyed, he came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah. 17:9And Micah said to him, Whence comest thou? And he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a place]. 17:10And Micah said to him, Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give thee yearly ten silver-pieces, and a suit of garments, and thy victuals. And the Levite went in. 17:11And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons. 17:12And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. 17:13Then said Micah, Now I know that Jehovah will do me good, because I have the Levite for priest.
18:1In those days there was no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for themselves an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day [their lot] had not fallen to them for inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 18:2And the children of Dan sent of their family five men of their whole number, men of valour, from Zoreah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to examine it; and they said to them, Go, examine the land. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. 18:3When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man, the Levite; and they turned in thither, and said to him, Who brought thee hither? and what doest thou in this [place]? and what hast thou here? 18:4And he said to them, Thus and thus has Micah done to me; and he has hired me, and I am his priest. 18:5And they said to him, Inquire, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way on which we go shall be prosperous. 18:6And the priest said to them, Go in peace: before Jehovah is your way on which ye go. 18:7And the five men departed, and came to Laish; and they saw the people that were therein, dwelling securely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and no one was in the land who possessed authority, that might put [them] to shame in anything; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had nothing to do with [any] man. 18:8And they came to their brethren at Zoreah and Eshtaol. And their brethren said to them, What [say] ye? 18:9And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good; and ye are still! Be not slothful to go, to enter to take possession of the land. 18:10When ye go in, ye shall come to a people secure, and the land is spacious in every direction; for God has given it into your hands; [it is] a place where there is no want of anything that is on the earth. 18:11And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zoreah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war. 18:12And they went up and encamped in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah; therefore they call that place Mahaneh-Dan to this day: behold, it is behind Kirjath-jearim. 18:13And they passed thence to mount Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah. 18:14Then the five men that had gone to spy out the country of Laish spoke and said to their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? And now ye know what to do. 18:15And they turned thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, and inquired after his welfare. 18:16And the six hundred men of the children of Dan, girded with their weapons of war, stood at the entrance of the gate. 18:17And the five men that had gone to spy out the land went up, entered in thither, [and] took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men that were girded with weapons of war. 18:18And these came into Micah's house, and took the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest said to them, What do ye? 18:19And they said to him, Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for thee to be a priest for the house of one man, or to be priest for a tribe and a family in Israel? 18:20Then the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people. 18:21And they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the baggage before them. 18:22They were already far from the house of Micah, when the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. 18:23And they cried to the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said to Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company? 18:24And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away; and what have I more? and what is this that ye say to me, What aileth thee? 18:25And the children of Dan said to him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest men of exasperated spirit run upon you, and thou lose thy life and the lives of thy household. 18:26And the children of Dan went their way; and Micah saw that they were too strong for him, and he turned and went back to his house. 18:27And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest that he had had, and came upon Laish, upon a people quiet and secure; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burned the city with fire. 18:28And there was no deliverer, for it was far from Zidon, and they had nothing to do with [any] man; and it [lay] in the valley that is by Beth-rehob. And they built the city and dwelt therein. 18:29And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; howbeit Laish was the name of the city at the first. 18:30And the children of Dan set up the graven image; and Jehonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses; he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. 18:31And they set up for themselves Micah's graven image, which he had made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
19:1And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that a certain Levite, sojourning on the further side of mount Ephraim, took him a concubine out of Bethlehem-Judah. 19:2And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-Judah, and was there some time, four months. 19:3And her husband rose up and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again; and his servant was with him, and a couple of asses. And she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the damsel saw him he rejoiced to meet him. 19:4And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days; and they ate and drank, and lodged there. 19:5And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart; and the damsel's father said to his son-in-law, Refresh thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterwards ye may go your way. 19:6And they sat down, and ate and drank, both of them together. And the damsel's father said to the man, Be content, I pray thee, and pass the night, and let thy heart be glad. 19:7And the man rose up to depart, but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again. 19:8And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; but the damsel's father said, Refresh thy heart, I pray thee. And they lingered until the afternoon, and they did eat both of them. 19:9And the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant; and his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said to him, Behold now, the day draws toward evening I pray you stay all night; behold, the day is declining, lodge here, and let thy heart be merry; and to-morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go to thy tent. 19:10But the man would not tarry the night; and he rose up and departed, and came opposite to Jebus, that is, Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, and his concubine was with him. 19:11They were near Jebus, and the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. 19:12But his master said to him, We will not turn aside into the city of a stranger, which is not of the children of Israel, but we will pass on to Gibeah. 19:13And he said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places, and lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah. 19:14And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them [when they were] by Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. 19:15And they turned aside thither, to go in, to lodge in Gibeah. And he went in, and sat down in the open place of the city; and there was no one that received him into his house to pass the night. 19:16And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even; and the man was of mount Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjaminites. 19:17And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the open place of the city; and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou? 19:18And he said to him, We are travelling from Bethlehem-Judah towards the further side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I; and I went to Bethlehem-Judah, and I have to do with the house of Jehovah; and there is no man that receives me into his house. 19:19And we have both straw and provender for our asses; and I have bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man with thy servants: there is no lack of anything. 19:20Then the old man said, Peace be with thee; only let all thy wants lie on me; but lodge not in the street. 19:21And he brought him into his house, and gave the asses provender; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank. 19:22They were making their hearts merry, when behold, the men of the city, sons of Belial, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may know him. 19:23And the man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brethren, I pray you, do not wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, do not this villany. 19:24Behold, my daughter, who is a virgin, and his concubine; let me bring them out, and humble ye them, and do to them as is good in your sight; but to this man do not so vile a thing. 19:25But the men would not hearken to him; and the man took his concubine, and brought her forth to them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning; and let her go when the morning-dawn arose. 19:26And the woman came at the dawning of the day, and fell down at the entrance of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light. 19:27And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the door of the house, and went out to go his way, and behold, there lay the woman his concubine at the entrance of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. 19:28And he said to her, Up, and let us go; but no one answered. And he took her upon the ass; and the man rose up, and went to his place. 19:29And when he was come into his house, he took the knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, according to her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the borders of Israel. 19:30And it came to pass that every one that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came out of Egypt to this day. Think it over, advise, and speak.
20:1And all the children of Israel went forth, and the assembly gathered together as one man, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and the land of Gilead, unto Jehovah at Mizpah. 20:2And the heads of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the congregation of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. 20:3And the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah. And the children of Israel said, Tell [us], how was this wickedness? 20:4Then the Levite, the husband of the woman that was murdered, answered and said, I came to Gibeah that [belongs] to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 20:5And the citizens of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house because of me, by night; they thought to slay me, and my concubine have they humbled so that she died. 20:6Then I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and villany in Israel. 20:7Behold, all ye, children of Israel, deliberate and give here [your] counsel. 20:8And all the people rose up as one man, saying, We will not any one go to his tent, neither will we any one turn into his house. 20:9But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: [we go] by lot against it; 20:10and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the villany that they have wrought in Israel. 20:11And all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. 20:12And the tribes of Israel sent men to all the families of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that has been done among you? 20:13And now give up the men, the sons of Belial, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But [the children of] Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel. 20:14And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities of Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 20:15And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities, twenty-six thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. 20:16Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; all these slang stones at a hair [breadth], and missed not. 20:17And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war. 20:18And the children of Israel arose and went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah first. 20:19And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. 20:20And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 20:21And the children of Benjamin went forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty-two thousand men. 20:22And the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and set the battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in array the first day. 20:23And the children of Israel went up and wept before Jehovah until even, and inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And Jehovah said, Go up against him. 20:24And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. 20:25And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and again destroyed to the ground of the children of Israel eighteen thousand men: all these drew the sword. 20:26Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up and came to Bethel, and wept, and abode there before Jehovah, and fasted that day until even, and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before Jehovah. 20:27And the children of Israel inquired of Jehovah (and the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 20:28and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And Jehovah said, Go up; for to-morrow I will give them into thy hand. 20:29And Israel set liers in wait against Gibeah, round about. 20:30And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at the other times. 20:31And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city, and began to smite of the people, slaying as at the former times, in the highways, of which one leads to Bethel and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 20:32And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. And the children of Israel said, Let us flee, that we may draw them from the city to the highways. 20:33And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baal-Tamar; and the ambush of Israel rushed forth out of their place, out of the meadows of Geba. 20:34And there came from opposite Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was severe; but they knew not that disaster was coming upon them. 20:35And Jehovah smote Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjaminites that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all these drew the sword. 20:36And the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten. And the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted to the ambush that they had set against Gibeah. 20:37And the ambush hasted, and fell upon Gibeah; and the ambush drew along, and smote the whole city with the edge of the sword. 20:38Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambush, that they should make a thick column of smoke rise up out of the city. 20:39And when the men of Israel turned back in the battle, Benjamin began to smite, slaying of the men of Israel about thirty men; for they said, Surely they are quite routed before us as in the first battle. 20:40And when the burning began to rise up out of the city as a pillar of smoke, Benjamin looked behind, and behold, the whole city ascended [in smoke] to the heavens. 20:41Then the men of Israel turned back, and the men of Benjamin were amazed, for they saw that disaster was come upon them. 20:42And they turned before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in their midst. 20:43They encompassed the Benjaminites, chased them, trode them down at the resting-place over against Gibeah toward the sun-rising. 20:44And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men: all these, men of valour. 20:45And they turned and fled towards the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them to Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them. 20:46So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew the sword: all these, men of valour. 20:47And six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness to the cliff of Rimmon, and abode at the cliff of Rimmon four months. 20:48And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of [every] city as the cattle, and all that was found; even all the cities that were found did they set on fire.
21:1Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, There shall not any of us give his daughter to the Benjaminites as wife. 21:2And the people came to Bethel, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices and wept bitterly, 21:3and said, Jehovah, God of Israel, why is it come to pass in Israel, that there should be this day one tribe lacking in Israel? 21:4And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered up burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. 21:5And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation to Jehovah? For they had [made] a great oath concerning him that came not up to Jehovah to Mizpah, saying, He shall certainly be put to death. 21:6And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, To-day is one tribe extirpated from Israel. 21:7What shall we do for wives for them that remain? since we have sworn by Jehovah that we will not give them of our daughters for wives. 21:8And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up to Mizpah to Jehovah? And behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-Gilead, to the congregation; 21:9for the people were numbered, and behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead there. 21:10And the assembly sent thither twelve thousand men of the most valiant and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead with the edge of the sword, and the women and the children. 21:11And this is the thing which ye shall do: ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain with man. 21:12And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead four hundred young women that were virgins, who had known no man by lying with any male, and they brought them to the camp, to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. 21:13And the whole assembly sent to speak to the children of Benjamin that were at the cliff of Rimmon, and to proclaim peace to them. 21:14And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them the wives whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-Gilead; but even so they found not enough for them. 21:15And the people repented them for Benjamin, because Jehovah had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. 21:16And the elders of the assembly said, What shall we do for wives for them that remain? for the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin. 21:17And they said, There must be a possession for those of Benjamin that have escaped, that a tribe be not blotted out of Israel. 21:18But we cannot give them wives of our daughters, for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to the Benjaminites! 21:19And they said, Behold, there is a feast of Jehovah from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north side of Bethel, toward the sun-rising of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah. 21:20And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards; 21:21and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 21:22And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come to complain to us, that we will say to them, Gratify us with them, because we did not take each man his wife in the war; for ye did not give them to them, that ye should now be guilty. 21:23And the children of Benjamin did so, and took wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught; and they went and returned to their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt in them. 21:24And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance. 21:25In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
Ruth
1:1And it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man went from Bethlehem-Judah, to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. 1:2And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-Judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. 1:3And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. 1:4And they took them Moabitish wives; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the second Ruth: and they abode there about ten years. 1:5And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband. 1:6And she arose, she and her daughters-in-law, and returned from the fields of Moab; for she had heard in the fields of Moab how that Jehovah had visited his people to give them bread. 1:7Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 1:8And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother's house. Jehovah deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me. 1:9Jehovah grant you that ye may find rest, each in the house of her husband. And she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice and wept. 1:10And they said to her, We will certainly return with thee to thy people. 1:11And Naomi said, Return, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet sons in my womb, that they could be your husbands? 1:12Return, my daughters, go; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, should I even have a husband to-night, and should I also bear sons, 1:13would ye wait on that account till they were grown? Would ye stay on that account from having husbands? No, my daughters, for I am in much more bitterness than you; for the hand of Jehovah is gone out against me. 1:14And they lifted up their voice and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave to her. 1:15And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back to her people and to her gods: return after thy sister-in-law. 1:16And Ruth said, Do not intreat me to leave thee, to return from [following] after thee; for whither thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God; 1:17where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried. Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part me and thee! 1:18And when she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking to her. 1:19And they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they came to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and the [women] said, Is this Naomi? 1:20And she said to them, Call me not Naomi call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 1:21I went out full, and Jehovah has brought me home again empty. Why do ye call me Naomi, seeing Jehovah has brought me low, and the Almighty has afflicted me? 1:22So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the fields of Moab; and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the barley-harvest.
2:1And Naomi had a relation of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. 2:2And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me, I pray, go to the field and glean among the ears of corn after [him] in whose sight I shall find favour. And she said to her, Go, my daughter. 2:3And she went; and she came and gleaned in the fields after the reapers; and she chanced to light on an allotment of Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 2:4And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem; and he said to the reapers, Jehovah be with you! And they said to him, Jehovah bless thee! 2:5And Boaz said to his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose maiden is this? 2:6And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish maiden who came back with Naomi out of the fields of Moab; 2:7and she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers. And she came, and has continued from the morning until now: her sitting in the house has been little as yet. 2:8And Boaz said to Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from here, but keep here with my maidens. 2:9Let thine eyes be on the field which is being reaped, and go thou after them; have I not charged the young men not to touch thee? And when thou art athirst, go to the vessels and drink of what the young men draw. 2:10Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favour in thine eyes, that thou shouldest regard me, seeing I am a foreigner? 2:11And Boaz answered and said to her, It has fully been shewn me, all that thou hast done to thy mother-in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come to a people that thou hast not known heretofore. 2:12Jehovah recompense thy work, and let thy reward be full from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge. 2:13And she said, Let me find favour in thine eyes, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken kindly to thy handmaid, though I am not like one of thy handmaidens. 2:14And Boaz said to her at mealtime, Come hither and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers; and he reached her parched corn, and she ate and was sufficed, and reserved [some]. 2:15And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and ye shall not reproach her. 2:16And ye shall also sometimes draw out for her [some ears] out of the handfuls, and leave them that she may glean, and rebuke her not. 2:17And she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out what she had gleaned; and it was about an ephah of barley. 2:18And she took [it] up, and came into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned; and she brought forth and gave to her that which she had reserved after she was sufficed. 2:19And her mother-in-law said to her, Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where hast thou wrought? Blessed be he that did regard thee! And she told her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to-day is Boaz. 2:20And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Jehovah, who has not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead! And Naomi said to her, The man is near of kin to us, one of those who have the right of our redemption. 2:21And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said to me also, Thou shalt keep with my young men until they have ended all my harvest. 2:22And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. 2:23So she kept with the maidens of Boaz to glean, until the end of the barley-harvest and of the wheat-harvest. And she dwelt with her mother-in-law.
3:1And Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? 3:2And now, is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he is winnowing barley in the threshing-floor to-night. 3:3Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thyself, and put thy raiment upon thee, and go down to the floor; make not thyself known to the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. 3:4And it shall be, when he lies down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall have lain down, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thyself down; and he will shew thee what thou shalt do. 3:5And she said to her, All that thou sayest will I do. 3:6And she went down to the floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law had bidden her. 3:7And Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was merry, and he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn. Then she went softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid herself down. 3:8And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet. 3:9And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth, thy handmaid: spread thy skirt over thy handmaid; for thou hast the right of redemption. 3:10And he said, Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter! Thou hast shewn more kindness at the end than at the first, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. 3:11And now, my daughter, fear not: all that thou sayest will I do to thee; for all the gate of my people knows that thou art a woman of worth. 3:12And now, truly I am one that has the right of redemption, yet there is one that has the right of redemption who is nearer than I. 3:13Stay over to-night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will redeem thee, well let him redeem; but if he like not to redeem thee, then will I redeem thee, [as] Jehovah liveth. Lie down until the morning. 3:14And she lay at his feet until the morning; and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the threshing-floor. 3:15And he said, Bring the cloak that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And she held it, and he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid [it] on her; and he went into the city. 3:16And she came to her mother-in-law; and she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. 3:17And she said, These six [measures] of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty to thy mother-in-law. 3:18Then she said, Be still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest until he have completed the matter this day.
4:1And Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there. And behold, he that had the right of redemption, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. And he said, Thou, such a one, turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down. 4:2And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit down here. And they sat down. 4:3And he said to him that had the right of redemption: Naomi, who is come back out of the country of Moab, sells the allotment that was our brother Elimelech's. 4:4And I thought I would apprise thee of it and say, Buy [it] in the presence of the inhabitants, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem [it], redeem; but if thou wilt not redeem, tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem [it]. 4:5And Boaz said, On the day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy [it] also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 4:6And he that had the right of redemption said, I cannot redeem [it] for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance. Redeem thou for thyself what I should redeem, for I cannot redeem [it]. 4:7Now this [was the custom] in former time in Israel concerning redemption and concerning exchange, to confirm the whole matter: a man drew off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbour, and this was the [mode of] attestation in Israel. 4:8And he that had the right of redemption said to Boaz, Buy for thyself; and he drew off his sandal. 4:9And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi; 4:10moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. 4:11And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said, [We are] witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that cometh into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel; and acquire power in Ephratah, and make thyself a name in Bethlehem; 4:12and let thy house become like the house of Pherez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman. 4:13And Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in unto her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bore a son. 4:14And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah who hath not left thee this day without one that has the right of redemption, and may his name be famous in Israel! 4:15And he shall be to thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age; for thy daughter-in-law who loves thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, has borne him. 4:16And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it. 4:17And the women [her] neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 4:18Now these are the generations of Pherez. Pherez begot Hezron, 4:19and Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab, 4:20and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon, 4:21and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed, 4:22and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
1 Samuel
1:1And there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 1:2And he had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 1:3And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of Jehovah, were there. 1:4And it came to pass on the day that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters portions; 1:5but to Hannah he used to give a double portion, for he loved Hannah; but Jehovah had shut up her womb. 1:6And her adversary provoked her much also, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb. 1:7And [as] he did so year by year, as often as she went up to the house of Jehovah, she provoked her thus; and she wept and did not eat. 1:8And Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons? 1:9And Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk; (now Eli the priest sat upon the seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah;) 1:10and she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Jehovah, and wept much. 1:11And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man child, then I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 1:12And it came to pass as she continued praying before Jehovah, that Eli marked her mouth. 1:13Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; and Eli thought she was drunken. 1:14And Eli said to her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 1:15And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before Jehovah. 1:16Take not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my grief and provocation have I spoken hitherto. 1:17And Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition which thou hast asked of him. 1:18And she said, Let thy bondwoman find grace in thy sight. And the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more [as before]. 1:19And they rose up early in the morning and worshipped before Jehovah, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Jehovah remembered her. 1:20And it came to pass when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bore a son, and called his name Samuel, [saying,] Because I have asked him of Jehovah. 1:21And Elkanah her husband, and all his house, went up to sacrifice to Jehovah the yearly sacrifice and his vow. 1:22But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, [I will wait] until the child is weaned; then will I bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah, and there abide for ever. 1:23And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what is good in thy sight: abide until thou hast weaned him; only, may Jehovah fulfil his word. And the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. 1:24And she took him up with her when she had weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a flask of wine, and brought him to the house of Jehovah to Shiloh; and the boy was young. 1:25And they slaughtered the bullock, and brought the boy to Eli. 1:26And she said, Oh my lord, [as] thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here to pray to Jehovah. 1:27For this boy I prayed; and Jehovah has granted me my petition which I asked of him. 1:28And also I have lent him to Jehovah: all the days that he lives, he is lent to Jehovah. And he worshipped Jehovah there.
2:1And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart exulteth in Jehovah, my horn is lifted up in Jehovah; my mouth is opened wide over mine enemies; for I rejoice in thy salvation. 2:2There is none holy as Jehovah, for there is none beside thee, neither is there any rock like our God. 2:3Do not multiply your words of pride, let not vain-glory come out of your mouth; For Jehovah is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 2:4The bow of the mighty is broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 2:5They that were full have hired themselves out for bread; and the hungry are [so] no more: Even the barren beareth seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 2:6Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up. 2:7Jehovah maketh poor, and maketh rich, he bringeth low, also he lifteth up: 2:8He raiseth up the poor out of the dust; from the dung-hill he lifteth up the needy, To set [him] among nobles; and he maketh them inherit a throne of glory; For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah's, and he hath set the world upon them. 2:9He keepeth the feet of his saints, but the wicked are silenced in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 2:10They that strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces; in the heavens will he thunder upon them. Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth; and he will give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. 2:11And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the boy ministered to Jehovah in the presence of Eli the priest. 2:12Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not Jehovah. 2:13And the priests' custom with the people was, when any man sacrificed a sacrifice, the priest's servant came, when the flesh was cooked, with a flesh-hook of three prongs in his hand; 2:14and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot; the priest took of it all that the flesh-hook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites that came there. 2:15Even before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest, and he will not accept sodden flesh of thee, but raw. 2:16If the man said to him, They will immediately burn the fat entire, then take as thy soul desires; he would say [to him], No, but thou shalt give [it] now; and if not, I will take [it] by force. 2:17And the sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah, for men despised the offering of Jehovah. 2:18And Samuel ministered before Jehovah, a boy girded with a linen ephod. 2:19And his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to sacrifice the yearly sacrifice. 2:20And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to Jehovah. And they went to their own home. 2:21So Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before Jehovah. 2:22And Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and that they lay with the women that served at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 2:23And he said to them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil deeds from all this people. 2:24No, my sons, for it is no good report that I hear: ye make Jehovah's people transgress. 2:25If one man sin against another, God will judge him; but if a man sin against Jehovah, who shall intreat for him? But they hearkened not to the voice of their father, for Jehovah was minded to slay them. 2:26And the boy Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with Jehovah and also with men. 2:27And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Did I plainly reveal myself to the house of thy father when they were in Egypt, in Pharaoh's house, 2:28and choose him out of all the tribes of Israel, to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear the ephod before me? and I gave unto the house of thy father all the offerings by fire of the children of Israel. 2:29Wherefore do ye trample upon my sacrifice and upon mine oblation which I have commanded [in my] habitation? And thou honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the primest of all the oblations of Israel my people. 2:30Wherefore Jehovah the God of Israel saith, I said indeed, Thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever. But now Jehovah saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 2:31Behold, days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house. 2:32And thou shalt see an oppressor [in my] habitation, amidst all the good that shall be done to Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever. 2:33And the man of thine [whom] I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to cause thine eyes to fail and to grieve thy soul; and all the increase of thy house shall die in their vigour. 2:34And this shall be the sign to thee, which shall come upon thy two sons, upon Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. 2:35And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, [who] shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind; and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed continually. 2:36And it shall come to pass [that] every one that is left of thy house shall come to crouch to him for a small piece of silver and for a cake of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priestly offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.
3:1And the boy Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. And the word of Jehovah was rare in those days; a vision was not frequent. 3:2And it came to pass at that time, when Eli lay in his place (now his eyes began to grow dim, he could not see), 3:3and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel lay in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was, 3:4that Jehovah called to Samuel. And he said, Here am I. 3:5And he ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I did not call: lie down again. And he went and lay down. 3:6And Jehovah called again, Samuel! And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I did not call, my son: lie down again. 3:7Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither had the word of Jehovah yet been revealed to him. 3:8And Jehovah called again the third time, Samuel! And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived that Jehovah was calling the boy. 3:9And Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Jehovah, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 3:10And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at the other times, Samuel, Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant heareth. 3:11And Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold, I do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. 3:12In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house; I will begin and make an end. 3:13For I have declared to him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he hath known: because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 3:14And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice or oblation for ever. 3:15And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel feared to declare the vision to Eli. 3:16And Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here am I. 3:17And he said, What is the word that he has spoken to thee? I pray thee, keep it not back from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou keep back anything from me of all the word that he spoke to thee. 3:18And Samuel told him all the words, and kept nothing back from him. And he said, It is Jehovah: let him do what is good in his sight. 3:19And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. 3:20And all Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel was established a prophet of Jehovah. 3:21And Jehovah appeared again at Shiloh; for Jehovah revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of Jehovah.
4:1And what Samuel had said happened to all Israel. And Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 4:2And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel; and the battle spread, and Israel was routed before the Philistines; and they slew in battle array in the field about four thousand men. 4:3And the people came into the camp; and the elders of Israel said, Why has Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch ourselves the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies. 4:4So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of hosts, who sitteth between the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there by the ark of the covenant of God. 4:5And it came to pass when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, that all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth shook. 4:6And the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, and said, What is the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of Jehovah had come into the camp. 4:7And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there has not been such a thing heretofore. 4:8Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness. 4:9Shew yourselves valiant and be men, ye Philistines, that ye may not have to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been servants to you: be men, and fight. 4:10And the Philistines fought, and Israel was routed, and they fled every man to his tent; and there was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 4:11And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. 4:12And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the battle, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes rent and with earth upon his head. 4:13And when he came, behold, Eli was sitting upon the seat by the way-side watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And the man came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out. 4:14And Eli heard the noise of the crying, and said, What is the noise of this tumult? And the man came hastily, and told Eli. 4:15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were set, that he could not see. 4:16And the man said to Eli, I am he that came out of the battle, and I have fled to-day out of the battle. And he said, What has taken place, my son? 4:17And the messenger answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 4:18And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for the man was old, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. 4:19And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered; and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. 4:20And as she was dying, the women that stood by her said, Fear not; for thou hast borne a son. But she did not answer, neither did she take it to heart. 4:21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 4:22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.
5:1And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ezer to Ashdod. 5:2And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 5:3And when they of Ashdod arose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 5:4And when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the fish-stump was left to him. 5:5Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any that come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day. 5:6And the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he laid them waste, and smote them with hemorrhoids, Ashdod and its borders. 5:7And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; for his hand is severe upon us, and upon Dagon our god. 5:8And they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they said, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about to Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about [thither]. 5:9And it came to pass that, after they had carried it about, the hand of Jehovah was against the city with very great panic; and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and hemorrhoids broke out upon them. 5:10And they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, when the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people. 5:11And they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it kill us not, and our people. For there was deadly alarm throughout the city: the hand of God was very heavy there; 5:12and the men that died not were smitten with the hemorrhoids; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
6:1And the ark of Jehovah was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 6:2And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah? tell us wherewith we shall send it to its place. 6:3And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; ye must at any rate return him a trespass-offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. 6:4Then they said, What is the trespass-offering which we shall return to him? And they said, Five golden hemorrhoids, and five golden mice, the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague is upon them all, and upon your lords. 6:5And ye shall make images of your hemorrhoids, and images of your mice that destroy the land, and give glory to the God of Israel: perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6:6And why will ye harden your heart, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their heart? When he had wrought mightily among them, did they not let them go, and they departed? 6:7And now make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there has come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; 6:8and take the ark of Jehovah, and lay it upon the cart, and the golden jewels, which ye return him as a trespass-offering, put in the coffer by the side thereof; and send it away that it may go. 6:9And see, if it go up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, it is he who has done us this great evil; if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that touched us; it was a chance [that] happened to us. 6:10And the men did so, and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 6:11And they laid the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the coffer with the golden mice and the images of their sores. 6:12And the kine went straight forward on the way to Beth-shemesh; they went by the one high way, lowing as they went; and they turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh. 6:13And [they of] Beth-shemesh were reaping the wheat-harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 6:14And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite, and stood there; and a great stone was there. And they clave the wood of the cart, and offered up the kine as a burnt-offering to Jehovah. 6:15And the Levites took down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer that was with it, in which were the golden jewels, and put them on the great stone; and the men of Beth-shemesh offered up burnt-offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Jehovah. 6:16And the five lords of the Philistines saw [it], and returned to Ekron the same day. 6:17And these are the golden sores which the Philistines returned as a trespass-offering to Jehovah: for Ashdod one, for Gazah one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 6:18and the golden mice, [according to] the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and villages of the peasantry; [and they brought them] as far as the great [stone of] Abel, whereon they set down the ark of Jehovah, [which] is to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemeshite. 6:19And he smote among the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Jehovah, and smote of the people seventy men; and the people lamented, because Jehovah had smitten the people with a great slaughter. 6:20And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 6:21And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of Jehovah; come down, fetch it up to you.
7:1And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and hallowed Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah. 7:2And it came to pass, from the day that the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after Jehovah. 7:3And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If ye return to Jehovah with all your heart, put away the strange gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and apply your hearts unto Jehovah, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 7:4And the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths and served Jehovah only. 7:5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray Jehovah for you. 7:6And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah. 7:7And the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together at Mizpah; and the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel; and the children of Israel heard [it], and were afraid of the Philistines. 7:8And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry to Jehovah our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 7:9And Samuel took a sucking-lamb, and offered it as a whole burnt-offering to Jehovah; and Samuel cried to Jehovah for Israel, and Jehovah answered him. 7:10And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines advanced to battle against Israel. And Jehovah thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were routed before Israel. 7:11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, as far as below Beth-car. 7:12And Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, and said, Hitherto Jehovah has helped us. 7:13And the Philistines were subdued, and came no more into the borders of Israel; and the hand of Jehovah was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 7:14And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and their territory did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorite. 7:15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 7:16And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. 7:17And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house, and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar to Jehovah.
8:1And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 8:2And the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah; they judged in Beer-sheba. 8:3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice. 8:4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah, 8:5and said to him, Behold, thou art become old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now appoint us a king to judge us, like all the nations. 8:6And the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah. 8:7And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 8:8According to all the deeds that they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 8:9And now hearken unto their voice; only, testify solemnly unto them, and declare unto them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 8:10And Samuel spoke all the words of Jehovah to the people that asked of him a king. 8:11And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, on his chariot and among his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots; 8:12and [he will take them] that he may appoint for himself captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and that they may plough his ground, and reap his harvest, and make his instruments of war and instruments of his chariots. 8:13And he will take your daughters for perfumers, and cooks, and bakers. 8:14And your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, the best, will he take and give to his servants. 8:15And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give to his chamberlains and to his servants. 8:16And he will take your bondmen, and your bondwomen, and your comeliest young men, and your asses, and use them for his work. 8:17He will take the tenth of your sheep. And ye shall be his servants. 8:18And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day. 8:19And the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but there shall be a king over us, 8:20that we also may be like all the nations; and our king shall judge us, and go out before us, and conduct our wars. 8:21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of Jehovah. 8:22And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.