# verse

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When the Israelites cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a saviour for them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.


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The Spirit of Yahweh came on him and he judged Israel. He went out to war and Yahweh delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.


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The land had rest forty years. Othniel the son of Kenaz died.<br/> <em><i>Ehud Saves Israel</i></em>


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The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of Yahweh.


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He gathered to him the Ammonites and Amalek and he went and struck Israel; and they took possession of the city of palm trees.


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But when the Israelites cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a saviour for them, Ehud the son of Gera the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.


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Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.


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but he himself turned back from the idols that were by Gilgal and said, I have a secret errand to you, king. The king said, Keep silence! All his attendants left him.


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Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, I have a message from God to you. He arose out of his seat.


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The handle also went in after the blade and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body, and it came out behind.


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Now when he had gone out, the servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked, and they said, Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.


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They waited until they were ashamed; but still he didn’t open the doors of the upper room, therefore they took the key and opened them and behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.


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When he had arrived, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hill country, and he went before them.


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He said to them Follow me, for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. They followed him and took the fords of the Jordan opposite the Moabites and didn’t allow any man to pass over.


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They struck down about ten thousand Moabite men at that time, every strong man and every man of valour, and none escaped.


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After him came Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred Philistine men with an ox goad, and he also saved Israel.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Deborah Saves Israel</i></em><br/> The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, when Ehud was dead.


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Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan who reigned in Hazor, the captain of whose army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles.


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The Israelites cried to Yahweh, for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and for twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.


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She lived under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came up to her for judgment.


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She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali and said to him, Hasn’t Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded ‘Go to Mount Tabor and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and Zebulun?


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I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera the captain of Jabin’s army with his chariots and his multitude, and I will deliver him into your hand’.


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Barak said to her, If you will go with me then I will go, but if you will not go with me I will not go.


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She said, I will surely go with you; nevertheless the journey that you take will not be for your honour, for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.


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Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh and he went with ten thousand men following him; and Deborah went with him.


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Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the children of Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent by the oak in Zaanannim which is by Kedesh.


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Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles to the river Kishon.


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Deborah said to Barak, Go, for this is the day in which Yahweh has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t Yahweh gone out before you? So Barak went down from Mount Tabor and ten thousand men after him.


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Yahweh routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the sword before Barak, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot.


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But Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth of the Gentiles, and all the army of Sisera fell by the sword; there was not a man left.<br/> <em><i>The Death of Sisera</i></em>


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However Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.


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Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid. He came in to her into the tent and she covered him with a rug.


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He said to her, Please give me a little water to drink for I am thirsty. She opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him.


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He said to her, Stand at the door of the tent and when any man comes and asks you ‘Is there any man here?’ say ‘No’.


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Then Jael Heber’s wife took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand and went quietly to him and hammered the peg into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, for he was in a deep sleep; so he died.


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As Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, Come and I will show you the man whom you seek. He came to her and there lay Sisera, dead; and the tent peg was in his temples.


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The hand of the Israelites prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan until they had destroyed him.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, blessed be Yahweh!


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Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh the God of Israel.


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Yahweh, when You went forth out of Seir, when You marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens poured. Yes, the clouds poured down water.


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The mountains melted at the presence of Yahweh, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh the God of Israel.


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In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted, the travellers walked through byways.


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The rulers ceased to rule in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; until I arose, a mother in Israel.


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They chose new gods, therefore war came to the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?


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My heart is with the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh!


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Far from the noise of archers, in the watering places, there they will recite the righteous acts of Yahweh, the righteous acts of His rule in Israel. Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.


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‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam’.


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Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors came down out of Machir. Those who handle the writer’s quill came out of Zebulun.


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The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben there were great divisions of heart.


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Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben there was much searching of heart.


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Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher remained still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.


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Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.


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The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver.


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The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.


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‘Curse Meroz’, said the angel of Yahweh. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty’.


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Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent.


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She put her hand to the tent peg and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.


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At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.


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Through the window she looked out and cried; Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots delay?’


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‘Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A girl, two girls for every man; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, a spoil of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?’


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So let all Your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love Him be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength. Then the land had rest forty years.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Israel Oppressed by Midian</i></em><br/> The children of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years.


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The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel, and because of Midian the Israelites made themselves dens in the mountains, the caves and the strongholds.


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So when Israel had sown their seed, the Midianites, the Amalekites and the people of the east came up against them


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and they encamped against them, and destroyed the crops as far as Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey.


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For they came with their livestock and their tents; they came up as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number, and they came into the land to destroy it.


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Yahweh sent a prophet to them, and he said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of slavery,


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and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, drove them out from before you, and gave you their land.


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I said to you, I am Yahweh your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But you have not listened to My voice’.<br/> <em><i>Gideon</i></em>


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The angel of Yahweh came and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite, and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.


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Gideon said to him Oh, my lord, if Yahweh is with us why then has all this happened to us? Where are all His wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying ‘Didn’t Yahweh bring us up from Egypt?’ But now Yahweh has forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.


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Yahweh looked at him and said, Go in the strength of this One and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Haven’t I sent you?


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He said to him, O Lord, how can I save Israel? My family is the poorest in Manasseh and I am the least in my father’s house.


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He said to Him, If now I have found grace in Your eyes, then show me a sign that it is really You Who talk with me.


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Please don’t go away until I come to you and bring out my present and lay it before you. He said, I will wait until you come back.


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Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal. He put the meat in a basket and he put the broth in a pot and brought it out to him under the oak and presented it.


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The angel of God said to him, Take the meat and the unleavened cakes and lay them on this rock and pour out the broth. He did so.


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Then the angel of Yahweh stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes, and fire went up out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes, and the angel of Yahweh departed out of his sight.


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Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh, and Gideon said, Alas, Lord Yahweh! I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face!


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Then Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh and called it Yahweh is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.<br/> <em><i>Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal</i></em>


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The same night Yahweh said to him, Take your father’s bull, the second bull seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that your father has and cut down the Asherah that is by it,


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build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold in the proper way, and take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you cut down.


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Then Gideon took ten of his servants and did as Yahweh had spoken to him, and because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city, he could not do it by day, so he did it by night.


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When the men of the city arose early in the morning, the altar of Baal was broken down and the Asherah was cut down that was by it and the second bull had been offered on the altar that was built.


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They said one to another, Who has done this? When they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash has done this.


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Then the men of the city said to Joash, Bring out your son that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.


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Joash said to all who stood against him, Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar.


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Therefore on that day he named him Jerub-Baal, saying, Let Baal contend against him because he has broken down his altar.<br/> <em><i>The Midianites and Amalekites Invade</i></em>


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Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east assembled themselves together and they crossed over and encamped in the valley of Jezreel.


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But the Spirit of Yahweh came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him.


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He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh and they also were gathered together after him, and he sent messengers to Asher, to Zebulun and to Naphtali and they came up to meet them.


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I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will save Israel by my hand as You have said.


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That is what happened, for he got up early the next day and squeezed the fleece together and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.


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Gideon said to God, Don’t let Your anger be kindled against me and I will speak but this once. Please let me make a trial just this once more with the fleece. Let it now be dry only on the fleece and on all the ground let there be dew.


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God did so that night, for it was dry on the fleece only and there was dew on all the ground.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Gideon Defeats the Midianites</i></em><br/> Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people who were with him rose up early and encamped beside the spring of Harod, and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.


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Yahweh said to Gideon, The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast against Me saying, ‘My own hand has saved me’.


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Now therefore announce to the people, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead’. Twenty-two thousand of the people returned and ten thousand remained.


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Yahweh said to Gideon, The people are still too many. Bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Those of whom I tell you, ‘This one shall go with you’ shall go, and those of whom I tell you, ‘This one shall not go with you’ shall remain.


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So he brought down the people to the water and Yahweh said to Gideon, Each one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, set him by himself; likewise each one who bows down on his knees to drink.


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The number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouth, was three hundred men, but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink.


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Yahweh said to Gideon, By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, each to his own place.


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So the three hundred men took food and their trumpets, and he sent all the rest of them to their tents; and the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley.


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The same night Yahweh said to him, Arise, go down into the camp; for I have delivered it into your hand.


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and you will hear what they say. After that your hands will be strengthened to go down into the camp. Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outskirts of the armed men who were in the camp.


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The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude, and their camels were without number, as the sand which is on the seashore for multitude.


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When Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his fellow. He said, I had a dream: a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.


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His fellow answered, This is none other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel. God has delivered Midian into his hand with all the army.


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When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshipped, and he returned into the camp of Israel. He said, Arise, for Yahweh has delivered the army of Midian into your hand!


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He divided the three hundred men into three companies and he gave each of them a trumpet and an empty pitcher, with a torch inside the pitcher.


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When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow your trumpets too, on every side of the camp, and shout ‘For Yahweh and for Gideon!’


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So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch. They blew the trumpets and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands.


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The three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers and held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands with which to blow, and they shouted, The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon!


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They each stood in his place around the camp and all the army ran, and they shouted and put them to flight.


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They blew the three hundred trumpets, and Yahweh set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army, and the army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah by Tabbath.


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The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.


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Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim saying, Come down against Midian and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah. So all the men of Ephraim were gathered together and took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah.


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They took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Zeba and Zalmunna</i></em><br/> The men of Ephraim said to him, Why have you treated us this way, that you didn’t call us when you went to fight with Midian? They rebuked him sharply.


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He said to them, What have I now done in comparison with you? Isn’t the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?


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God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb! What was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.


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He said to the men of Succoth, Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.


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The princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your army?


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Gideon said Because of that, when Yahweh has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.


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He went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way, and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.


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Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the east; one hundred and twenty thousand fighting men having been killed.


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Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the army, which was unsuspecting.


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Zebah and Zalmunna fled and he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed all the army.


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He caught a young man of Succoth and asked of him, and he described for him the princes of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.


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He came to the men of Succoth and said, See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your possession, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’


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He took the elders of the city and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth a lesson.


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Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor? They answered, They were like you. Each one resembled the children of a king.


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He said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As Yahweh lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.


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He said to Jether his firstborn, Get up and kill them! But the youth didn’t draw his sword for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.


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Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Get up and do it yourself, for as the man is, so is his strength. Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna and took the crescents that were on their camels’ necks.<br/> <em><i>Gideon Makes an Ephod</i></em>


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Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us, both you and your son and your son’s son also, for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.


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Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. Yahweh shall rule over you.


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Gideon said to them, I would make a request of you, that every man would give me the earrings of his spoil. They had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.


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They answered, We will willingly give them. They spread a garment and each man threw the earrings of his spoil into it.


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The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescents, the pendants and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels’ necks.


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Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel prostituted themselves by worshipping it there; and it became a snare to Gideon and to his house.<br/> <em><i>The Death of Gideon</i></em>


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So Midian was subdued before the Israelites, and they exalted their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.


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Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


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As soon as Gideon was dead, the people of Israel turned again and played the prostitute after the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god.


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The Israelites didn’t remember Yahweh their God Who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side,


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neither did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, according to all the kindness which he had showed to Israel.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Abimelech Is Made King</i></em><br/> Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father saying,


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Please speak to all the men of Shechem and say, ‘Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy persons, should rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.


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His mother’s brothers told all the men of Shechem all these words, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, He is our brother.


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They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired reckless adventurers who followed him.


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He went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal escaped, for he hid himself.


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All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.<br/> <em><i>Jotham’s Parable</i></em>


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When they told Jotham he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, Listen to me, you men of Shechem, so that God will listen to you.


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The trees went out one day to anoint a king to be over them; they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us’.


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But the olive tree said to them ‘Should I give up my oil with which they honour God and man to go and hold sway over the trees?’


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But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I give up my good, sweet fruit to go to hold sway over the trees?’


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The vine said to them, ‘Should I give up my new wine, which cheers God and man, to go to hold sway over the trees?’


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The thorn bush said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; if not, let fire come out of the thorn bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon’.


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Now therefore, consider whether you have done what is true and right in making Abimelech king, and whether you have done justly to Jerubbaal and his house as he deserves.


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yet you have risen up against my father’s house this day and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech the son of his female servant king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brothe.)


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If you have done what is true and right with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech and let him also rejoice in you.


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But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo, and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech.


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Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.<br/> <em><i>Gaal Leads a Rebellion against Abimelech</i></em>


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God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,


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so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be avenged, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother who killed them, and on the men of Shechem who helped him to kill his brothers.


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The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way. This was reported to Abimelech.


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Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem, and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.


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They went out into the field and harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes and held a festival, and went into the house of their god, ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.


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Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, but why should we serve Abimelech?


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If only this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. He said to Abimelech, Increase your army and come out!


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He sent messengers to Abimelech secretly saying, Look, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and they are inciting the city against you.


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In the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you can rise early and rush on the city, and when he and the people who are with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you see fit.


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Abimelech and all the people who were with him got up by night and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.


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Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech and the people who were with him got up from the ambush.


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When Gaal saw the people he said to Zebul, Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. Zebul said to him, You are seeing the shadows of the mountains as if they were men.


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Gaal spoke again and said, Look, people are coming down by the middle of the land, and one company is coming by the way of the oak of Meonenim.


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Then Zebul said to him, Now where is your boast when you said ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Isn’t this the people that you have despised? Go out now and fight with them.


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Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they should not dwell in Shechem.


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He took the people and divided them into three companies and laid wait in the field, and when he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and struck them.


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Abimelech and the companies that were with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and the two companies rushed on all who were in the field and struck them.


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Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he took the city and killed the people who were in it, and he beat down the city and sowed it with salt.<br/> <em><i>The Death of Abimelech</i></em>


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When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of Elberith.


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Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him, and Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, took it up and laid it on his shoulder, and he said to the people who were with him, What you have seen me do, hurry and do the same!


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All the people likewise each cut down his branch and followed Abimelech, and they put them at the base of the stronghold and set the stronghold on fire on them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died, about one thousand men and women.


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But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower.


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Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.


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Then he called hastily to the young man who carried his armour and said to him, Draw your sword and kill me, so that men will not say of me, ‘A woman killed him’. His young man thrust him through and he died.


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Thus God rewarded the wickedness of Abimelech which he did to his father, in killing his seventy brothers,


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and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem God repaid on their heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Tola and Jair</i></em><br/> After Abimelech, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar arose to save Israel, and he lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.


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He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.


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The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and served the Baals and Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines; they forsook Yahweh and didn’t serve Him.


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The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel and He sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the people of Ammon.


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They troubled and oppressed the Israelites that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.


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The Ammonites passed over the Jordan to fight also against Judah and Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was very distressed.


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The Israelites cried to Yahweh saying, We have sinned against You because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.


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Yahweh said to the Israelites, Didn’t I save you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites, and from the Philistines?


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The Sidonians also and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried to Me, and I saved you out of their hand.


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The Israelites said to Yahweh, We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to You, only deliver us, please, this day.


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They put away the foreign gods from among them and served Yahweh; and His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.


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Then the Ammonites were gathered together and encamped in Gilead. The Israelites assembled themselves and encamped in Mizpah.


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The people, the princes of Gilead, said one to another, Who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Jephthah</i></em><br/> Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of a prostitute; and Gilead was the father of Jephthah.


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Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when his wife’s sons grew up they drove out Jephthah, and said to him, You shall not inherit in our father’s house because you are the son of another woman.


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Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob, and a group of adventurers gathered to Jephthah, and they went out with him.


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When the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah out of the land of Tob,


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Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Didn’t you hate me and drive me out of my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?


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The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Therefore we have turned again to you now, so that you may go with us and fight the Ammonites, and you shall be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.


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Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, If you bring me home again to fight the Ammonites and Yahweh delivers them to me, shall I be your head?


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The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Yahweh shall be witness between us; certainly we will do as you say.


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Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them, and Jephthah spoke all his words before Yahweh in Mizpah.


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Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites saying, What have you against me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?


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The king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore that territory again peaceably.


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and said to him, This is what Jephthah says: Israel didn’t take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the Ammonites,


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but when they came up from Egypt Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh.


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Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom saying, ‘Please let me pass through your land;’ but the king of Edom didn’t listen. In the same way he sent to the king of Moab, but he would not, and Israel stayed in Kadesh.


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Then they went through the wilderness and skirted around the land of Edom and the land of Moab and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and they encamped on the other side of the Arnon, but they didn’t come within the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.


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Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to our place’.


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But Sihon didn’t trust Israel to pass through his border, but Sihon gathered all his people together and encamped in Jahaz and fought against Israel.


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Yahweh the God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them; so Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.


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They captured all the border of the Amorites from the Arnon to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness to the Jordan.


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So now Yahweh, the God of Israel has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, and should you take it over?


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Won’t you inherit that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever Yahweh our God has given to us, that we will take.


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Now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab? Did he ever strive successfully against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?


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While Israel lived in Heshbon and its towns, in Aroer and its towns and in all the cities that are along by the side of the Arnon, for three hundred years, why didn’t you recover them within that time?


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I therefore have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong to fight against me. Let Yahweh the Judge be judge this day between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.


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Then the Spirit of Yahweh came on Jephthah and he crossed over Gilead, Manasseh and Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he crossed over to the Ammonites.<br/> <em><i>Jephthah’s Vow</i></em>


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then whatever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites, it shall be Yahweh’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.


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So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them and Yahweh delivered them into his hand.


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He struck them from Aroer to Minnith, twenty cities, and to Abelcheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the Ammonites were subdued before the children of Israel.


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Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter.


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When he saw her he tore his clothes and said, Alas my daughter! You have made me very sad and troubled, for I have made a vow to Yahweh and I can’t go back on it.


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She said to him, My father, you have made a vow to Yahweh; do to me what you have vowed, because Yahweh has taken vengeance for you on your enemies the people of Ammon.


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She said to her father, Let this one thing be done for me: let me alone two months to go around on the mountains and bewail my virginity, I and my companions.


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He said, Go. He sent her away for two months, and she and her companions went and mourned her virginity on the mountains.


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At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed, and she was a virgin. It was a custom in Israel,


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that the daughters of Israel went each year to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Jephthah Fights Ephraim</i></em><br/> The men of Ephraim were gathered together and passed northward, and they said to Jephthah, Why did you go to fight against the Ammonites and didn’t call us to go with you? We will burn your house around you with fire!


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Jephthah said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the Ammonites and when I called you, you didn’t save me out of their hand.


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When I saw that you didn’t save me, I put my life in my hand and went against the Ammonites, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day, to fight against me?


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Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim, and the men of Gilead struck Ephraim because they said, You Gileadites are renegades of Ephraim from Ephraim and Manasseh.


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The Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites. When the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me cross over, the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? If he said No;


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then they said to him, Now say ‘Shibboleth;’ and he said Sibboleth, for he couldn’t manage to pronounce it right, then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell.


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Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in a city of Gilead.<br/> <em><i>Ibzan, Elon and Abdon</i></em>


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He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his daughters away in marriage, and brought in thirty women for his sons. He judged Israel for seven years.


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He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkey colts, and he judged Israel for eight years.


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Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Birth of Samson</i></em><br/> The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and Yahweh delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.


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There was a man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah, and his wife was barren and childless.


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The angel of Yahweh appeared to the woman and said to her, Look now, you are barren and childless but you will conceive and bear a son.


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Now therefore you must be careful and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don’t eat any unclean thing.


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You shall conceive and bear a son, and no razor must come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he will begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.


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Then the woman went and told her husband, A man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of God, very awesome. I didn’t ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name,


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but he said to me ‘You will conceive and bear a son; drink no wine or strong drink, and eat no unclean thing, for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb to the day of his death’.


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Then Manoah entreated Yahweh and said, Oh Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we should do to the child who will be born.


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God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field, but Manoah her husband, wasn’t with her.


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The woman quickly ran and told her husband, and said to him, The man has appeared to me, who came to me that day.


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Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, Are you the man who spoke to the woman? He said, I am.


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She may not eat anything that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her let her observe.


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Manoah said to the angel of Yahweh, Please, let us detain you so that we may make a young goat ready for you.


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The angel of Yahweh said to Manoah, Though you detain me, I won’t eat your food, and if you prepare a burnt offering, you must offer it to Yahweh. Manoah didn’t know that he was the angel of Yahweh.


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Manoah said to the angel of Yahweh, What is your name, that when your words come true, we may honour you?


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So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to Yahweh. Then the angel did a wonderful thing as Manoah and his wife looked on.


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When the flame went up toward the sky from the altar, the angel of Yahweh ascended in the flame of the altar, and Manoah and his wife looked on, and they fell on their faces to the ground.


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But the angel of Yahweh didn’t appear to Manoah or to his wife any more. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of Yahweh.


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But his wife said to him, If Yahweh wanted to kill us He wouldn’t have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from us, neither would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have told us such things as these.


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The Spirit of Yahweh began to trouble him in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Samson Marries a Philistine woman</i></em><br/> Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.


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He came up and told his father and mother, I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore get her for me as my wife.


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Then his father and mother said to him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? Samson said to his father, Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.


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But his father and mother didn’t know that it was from Yahweh, for He sought an occasion against the Philistines, for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.


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Then Samson went down with his father and mother, to Timnah and came to the vineyards of Timnah, and suddenly a young lion roared against him.


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The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him and he tore it as he would have torn a young goat, having nothing in his hand, but he didn’t tell his father or his mother what he had done.


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After a while he returned to take her and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. In it there was a swarm of bees, in the body of the lion, and honey,


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which he took it into his hands and went on, eating as he went. He came to his father and mother and gave some to them and they ate, but he didn’t tell them that he had taken the honey out of the body of the lion.


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His father went down to the woman, and Samson made a drinking feast as was the custom for the young men.


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When they saw him they brought thirty companions to be with him.<br/> <em><i>Samson’s Riddle</i></em>


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Samson said to them, Let me tell you a riddle now. If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.


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But if you can’t give me the answer, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. They said to him, Tell us your riddle, that we may hear it.


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He said to them, Out of the eater came forth food. Out of the strong came forth sweetness. They couldn’t give the answer in three days.


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On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, Entice your husband to tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you called us here to mock us?


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Samson’s wife wept before him and said, You must hate me, and don’t love me. You have given a riddle to my people but you haven’t told it me. He said to her, I haven’t even told it to my father or my mother; why should I tell you?


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She wept before him for seven days, while their feast lasted, and on the seventh day he told her, because she pressed him severely. Then she told the riddle to her people. On the seventh day before the sun went down,


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the men of the city said to him, What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion? He said to them, If you hadn’t ploughed with my heifer you wouldn’t have found out my riddle.


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The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck thirty men of them and took their belongings and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. His anger was burning, and he went up to his father’s house.


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<em><i>Samson Takes Revenge</i></em><br/> But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat. He said, I will go in to my wife into the room. But her father wouldn’t allow him to go in.


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Her father said, I was certain that you utterly hated her, therefore I gave her to your companion. Isn’t her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her instead.


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Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, tied them tail to tail in pairs and put a firebrand between each pair of tails.


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When he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines and burnt up both the shocks and the standing grain, and also the olive groves.


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Then the Philistines said, Who has done this? They said, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because his his wife was given her to his companion. The Philistines came up and burnt her and her father with fire.


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He attacked them viciously and slaughtered many of them, then he went and lived in the cave in the rock of Etam.


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The men of Judah said, Why have you come up against us? They said, We have come up to take Samson prisoner, to do to him as he has done to us.


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Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cave in the rock of Etam and said to Samson, Don’t you know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What is this that you have done to us? He said to them, As they did to me, so have I done to them.


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They said to him, We have come down to tie you up so that we can deliver you into the hand of the Philistines. Samson said to them, Swear to me that you will not kill me yourselves.


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They said, No, we will tie you up and deliver you into their hand, but we will not kill you. They bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.


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When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him, and the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily on him. The ropes that were on his arms became as charred flax, and his ropes dropped off his hands.


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Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps on heaps; with the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men.


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He was very thirsty and called on Yahweh and said, You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?


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But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi and water came out of it. When he had drunk, his spirit came again and he revived, therefore its name was called En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.


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<em><i>Samson and Delilah</i></em><br/> Samson went to Gaza and saw there a prostitute, and went in to her.


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The Gazites were told, Samson is here! They surrounded him and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, staying quiet all night and saying, Wait until dawn, then we will kill him!


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Samson lay until midnight, then arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts, picked them up, along with the bar, put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that faces Hebron.


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The lords of the Philistines came to her and said, Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and how we might prevail against him to tie him up and subdue him. Then we will each one of us give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.


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Delilah said to Samson, Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be tied up and subdued.


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Samson said to her, If I am tied with seven fresh cords that were never dried, then shall I become weak like other men.


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Then the lords of the Philistines brought to her seven fresh cords which had not been dried, and she tied him with them.


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Now she had an ambush waiting in the inner room. She said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! He broke the cords, as a string of tow is broken when it touches the fire. So his strength was not known.


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Delilah said to Samson, You have made a fool of me and told me lies! Now please tell me how you can be tied.


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He said to her, If I am tied with new ropes with which no work has been done, then I shall become weak like other men.


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So Delilah took new ropes and tied him with them and said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! The ambush was waiting in the inner room. He broke them off his arms like a thread.


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Delilah said to Samson, Until now you have fooled me and told me lies. Tell me how you can be tied. He said to her, If you weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on the loom, I will become as weak as other men.


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She wove his hair into the fabric and fastened it with the pin, and said to him, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! He awoke and pulled away the pin from the loom and the fabric.


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She said to him, How can you say, ‘I love you’, when your heart is not with me? You have fooled me three times and have not told me where your great strength lies.


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So he told her everything, and said to her, No razor has ever come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will go from me and I will become weak like any other man.


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When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent for the lords of the Philistines saying, Come up once more, for he has told me everything. Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the money with them.


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She made him sleep on her knees, and then she called for a man who shaved off the seven braids of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him.


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She said, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! He awoke out of sleep and said, I will go out as before and shake myself to be free of them. But he didn’t know that Yahweh had departed from him.


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The Philistines seized him and put out his eyes, and they brought him down to Gaza, bound him with fetters of brass, and made him work at grinding in the mill in the prison.<br/> <em><i>The Death of Samson</i></em>


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The lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, for they said, Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.


text:
When the people saw him, they praised their god. They said, Our god has delivered our enemy, the destroyer of our country who has slain many of us, into our hand!


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When their hearts were merry they said, Call for Samson so that he can entertain us. They called Samson out of the prison, and he performed before them. They set him between the pillars,


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and Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, Allow me to feel the pillars on which the house rests so that I can lean on them.


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Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about three thousand men and women watching while Samson performed.


text:
Samson called to Yahweh and said, Lord Yahweh, remember me please, and strengthen me please, just this once oh God, that I may with one blow be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.


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Samson took hold of the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and leaned on them, one with his right hand and the other with his left.


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Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines! He pushed with all his might and the house fell on the lords and on all the people who were there. So he killed more in his death than he killed in his life.


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Then his brothers and all the household of his father came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burial site of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel for twenty years.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


text:
<em><i>Micah Makes Idols</i></em><br/> There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah.


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He said to his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which I heard you utter a curse - I took them. His mother said, Yahweh bless you my son.


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He returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother and she said, I solemnly dedicate my silver to Yahweh for my son to make an engraved image and a molten image. Then I will give it back to you.


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So he returned the money to his mother and she took two hundred pieces of it and gave them to the silversmith, who made it into an engraved image and a molten image, and they were put into Micah’s house.


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This man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods and consecrated one of his sons to be his priest.


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In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.<br/> <em><i>A Levite Comes to Micah</i></em>


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and he left the city to find a better place, and came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah.


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Micah said to him, Where have you come from? He said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem Judah, and I am looking for a place to live.


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Micah said to him, Live with me and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, a suit of clothing and your food. So the Levite agreed.


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Then Micah said, Now know I that Yahweh will do good to me, since I have a Levite as my priest.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Danites Invade Laish</i></em><br/> In those days there was no king in Israel, and at that time the tribe of the Danites looked for a place to live in, because up until then they had not come into their inheritance among the tribes of Israel.


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The children of Dan sent five men of their family, men of valour, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it, and they said to them, Go, explore the land! They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.


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When they were near the house of Micah they recognised the voice of the young Levite, so they went in there and said to him, Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?


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Then the five men departed and came to Laish. They saw that the people there lived in security like the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting, and they were prosperous, lacking nothing. Also they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone else.


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The men returned to their brothers to Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers asked them, What did you find?


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They said, Come on, let us go up against them, because we have seen the land, and it is very good. Do you doubt? Don’t hesitate; go in to take possession of the land.


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When you get there, you will find an unsuspecting people, and the land is large. God has given it to you, a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.


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Six hundred armed men of the family of the Danites set out from there, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol.


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They went up and encamped in Kiriath Jearim in Judah. That is why they called that place The Camp of Dan, to this day; it is behind Kiriath Jearim.


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They went from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.<br/> <em><i>The Levite Joins the Danites</i></em>


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Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish said to their brothers, Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod and household gods, an engraved image and a molten image? Now therefore consider what you have to do.


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They turned in there and came to the house of the young Levite, to the house of Micah, and asked him how he was.


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The five men who had gone to spy out the land went in there and took the engraved image, the ephod, the household gods and the molten image; and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.


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When these men went into Micah’s house and fetched the engraved image, the ephod, the household gods and the molten image, the priest said to them, What are you doing?


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They said to him, Keep quiet, put your hand on your mouth and go with us, and be unto us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?


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The priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, the household gods and the engraved image, and went with the people.


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When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near to Micah’s house were gathered together and overtook the Danites.


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They shouted after the Danites, who turned round and said to Micah, What is the matter with you that you come with such a company?


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He said, You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away, and what else do I have? How then can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’


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The Danites said to him, Don’t argue with us, or angry fellows might attack you, and you will lose your life, with the lives of your household.


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The Danites went on their way, and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.


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They took what Micah had made and his priest and came to Laish, to a people unsuspecting and secure, and attacked them with the sword, and they burnt the city with fire.


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There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone else; it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. They built the city and lived there.


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They called the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel, but the name of the city before was Laish.


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The Danites set up for themselves the engraved image, and Jonathan the son of Gershom the son of Moses and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the time of the captivity of the land.


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So they set up for themselves Micah’s engraved image which he had made, using it all the time that God’s house was in Shiloh.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>A Levite and His Concubine</i></em><br/> In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a Levite living on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah.


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His concubine was unfaithful to him, and went away from him to her father’s house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there for four months.


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Her husband went after her to persuade her to return. He had his servant with him and a couple of donkeys, and she brought him into her father’s house. When her father saw him, he was pleased to meet him.


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His father-in-law, the girl’s father, persuaded him to stay, and he stayed with him three days, eating and drinking and sleeping there.


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On the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and he got ready to depart, and the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, Strengthen yourself with something to eat and then go on your way.


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So they sat down, ate and drank together, and then the girl’s father said to the man, Please stay another night and enjoy yourself.


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On the fifth day he got up early to leave, and the girl’s father said, Please refresh yourself and stay until the afternoon; and they ate together.


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When the man, his concubine and his servant got up to leave, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, Look now, it’s nearly evening; please stay all night. Stay here and enjoy yourself, and tomorrow set off early and go home.


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But the man wouldn’t stay that night; he got up and departed, and went towards Jebus (that is Jerusalem) with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.


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When they were near Jebus, the light was almost gone, and the servant said to his master, Please come and let us go into this city of the Jebusites, and stay the night there.


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His master said to him, We won’t go into the city of a foreigner whose people are not Israelites; we will go on to Gibeah.


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He said to his servant, Come and let us get to one of these places; we will spend the night in Gibeah or in Ramah.


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They stopped there to spend the night in Gibeah. They went in and sat down in the street, because no-one took them into his house for the night.


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In the evening there came an old man from his work in the field. He was from the hill country of Ephraim and he lived in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benjamites.


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When he saw the traveller in the street the old man said, Where are you going? Where have you come from?


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He said to him, We are on our way from Bethlehem Judah to the far side of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there and I have been in Bethlehem Judah. I am going to the house of Yahweh, and no-one has taken me into his house.


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Yet we have both straw and fodder for our donkeys and bread and wine also for me and for the maidservant and for the young man who is with us. We don’t need anything.


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So he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys fodder, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.


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As they were enjoying themselves the wicked men of the city surrounded the house, beating on the door; they said to the owner of the house, the old man, Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may have sex with him!


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The owner of the house went out to them and said to them, No my brothers, please don’t act so wickedly; since this man is my guest don’t do this disgraceful thing.


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Look, here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. I will bring them out now and you can use them and do with them what seems good unto you, but don’t do any such disgusting thing to this man.


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But the men wouldn’t listen to him, so the man took his concubine and brought her out to them and they raped her and abused her all night until the morning, and when the day began to dawn they let her go.


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Then the woman went back and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, and lay there until it was light.


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Her master got up in the morning and opened the door and went out to continue on his way, and there was his concubine fallen down at the door of the house with her hands on the threshold.


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He said to her, Get up, and let us be going! but there was no answer. Then he put her up on the donkey and set off for home.


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When he had come into his house, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent them throughout all the regions of Israel.


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All who saw it said, Such a deed has never been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of Egypt until this day! Consider it! Decide what should be done.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Israelites Attack the Benjamites</i></em><br/> Then all the Israelites went out, and the congregation assembled as one man, from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah.


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The leaders of the people from all the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand armed soldiers.


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Now the Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah. The Israelites said, Tell us how this wicked thing happened.


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The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, I came to Gibeah in Benjamin, I and my concubine, to stay the night.


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The men of Gibeah came after me and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me, and they raped my concubine and she is dead.


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I took my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel because they have committed this disgraceful and abominable act in Israel.


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All the people arose as one man saying, None of us will go to his tent, neither will any of us go home.


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and we will take ten men of every hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred out of every thousand and a thousand out of ten thousand, to get food for the army so that when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin they can punish them for the disgusting thing they have done in Israel.


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The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin saying, What is this disgusting crime that has been committed among you?


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Now surrender the wicked men of Gibeah so that we may put them to death and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not listen to their brothers the Israelites.


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The Benjamites gathered together out of their cities to Gibeah to go out to fight against the Israelites.


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The Benjamites numbered twenty six thousand swordsmen out of the cities, besides the seven hundred chosen men of Gibeah.


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Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed, each of whom could sling stones at a hair’s breadth and not miss.


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The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked counsel of God. They said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? Yahweh said, Judah first.


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The men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah.


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The men of Israel encouraged one another and took up their positions again in the place where they had stationed themselves on the first day.


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They went up and wept before Yahweh until evening, and they asked Yahweh, Shall we go up to fight again against the Benjamites, our brothers? Yahweh said, Go up against them.


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Benjamin went out against them from Gibeah the second day, and destroyed another eighteen thousand Israelite men, all armed with swords.


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Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel and wept and sat there before Yahweh and fasted that day until evening. They offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to Yahweh.


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and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron ministered before it), Shall we yet again go out to fight against Benjamin our brother, or not? Yahweh said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand.


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They went up against the Benjamites on the third day and set themselves in position against Gibeah as before.


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The Benjamites went out against them and were drawn away from the city. They began to fight the Israelites as before, on the highways on the way to Bethel and Gibeah, and in the field, killing about thirty men of Israel.


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The Benjamites said, We are defeating them as before. But the Israelites said, Let’s retreat and draw them away from the city to the highways.<br/> <em><i>The Benjamites Defeated</i></em>


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All the men of Israel arose up from their camp and set themselves in position at Baal Tamar, and the ambush charged from Maareh Geba.


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Ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel attacked Gibeah and the battle was severe, but the Benjamites didn’t know that disaster was upon them.


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Yahweh defeated Benjamin before Israel, and the Israelites destroyed twenty five thousand one hundred armed Benjamites that day.


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Then the Benjamites saw that they were defeated, for the men of Israel had given way to Benjamin, trusting in the ambush which they had set against Gibeah.


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Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the ambush was that they should send up a great cloud of smoke out of the city.


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Then the men of Israel would turn in the battle. Benjamin began to attack and killed about thirty of the men of Israel, for they said, Surely they are being defeated as before.


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But when the smoke began to go up out of the city, the Benjamites looked behind them and saw the whole city going up in smoke.


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Then the men of Israel turned on them and the men of Benjamin were terrified, seeing that disaster had come on them.


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So they fled before the men of Israel towards the wilderness, but they could not escape the battle, and the Israelites who came out of the cities destroyed them there.


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They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and the Israelites killed five thousand of them along the way and chased them to Gidom, killing two thousand more.


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But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and stayed there four months.


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The men of Israel went back to Benjamin and put to the sword everything in the towns, including the livestock, and anything they found. All the towns which they found they set on fire.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Finding Wives for the Benjamites</i></em><br/> Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah: Not one of us will give his daughter to a Benjamite as wife.


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The people came to Bethel where they sat until evening before God, raising their voices and weeping bitterly.


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They said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, why has this happened to Israel, that there should be today one tribe missing from Israel?


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They asked, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel who didn’t come up to the assembly before Yahweh? For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who didn’t come up to Yahweh to Mizpah should surely be put to death.


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How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since we have sworn by Yahweh that we will not give them our daughters as wives?


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They asked, Which of the tribes of Israel didn’t come up to Yahweh to Mizpah? They found that none from the camp from Jabesh Gilead came to the assembly.


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The congregation sent twelve thousand valiant fighting men and commanded them: Go and put the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead to the sword, including the women and children.


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They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young virgins who had not known man by lying with him, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.


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So then Benjamin returned and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive from Jabesh Gilead, but they weren’t enough for them.


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Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we provide wives for those who remain, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?


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They said, There must be an inheritance for the surviving Benjamites so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel.


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We can’t give them wives from our daughters since the Israelites have taken this oath saying, ‘Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin’.


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They said, Look, there is an annual feast of Yahweh in Shiloh, which is on the north of Bethel, east of the highway from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.


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and watch. When the daughters of Shiloh come out to join in the dances, then rush out of the vineyards and each of you catch a wife from the girls of Shiloh and go to the land of Benjamin.


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When their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Allow them to do this because we didn’t get wives for them in the war. You didn’t give them to them, so you are not guilty’.


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So that is what the Benjamites did. They took wives for each of them from the girls who danced, and carried them off. They returned to their inheritance, rebuilt the cities and lived in them.


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In those days there was no king in Israel; each man did that which was right in his own eyes.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Family Background of Ruth</i></em><br/> In the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A man of Bethlehem Judah went with his wife and two sons to live in the country of Moab.


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The name of the man was Elimelech; his wife’s, Naomi; his two sons’, Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab, and stayed there.


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The sons took wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.


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Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, to return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how that Yahweh had visited His people in giving them bread.


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She left the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law went with her. They began the journey to the land of Judah.


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Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to your mother’s house, Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.


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Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.


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Naomi said, Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?


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Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope’, if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons;


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would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me.<br/> <em><i>Ruth Returns with Naomi to Judah</i></em>


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They lifted up their voices, and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law farewell, but Ruth stayed with her.


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She said, Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people, and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law.


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Ruth said, Don’t entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God;


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where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried. Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part you and me.


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So those two travelled to Bethlehem. When they had come to Bethlehem, it happened that all the city was agitated about them, and they asked, Is this Naomi?


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She said to them, Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.


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I went out full, and Yahweh has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since Yahweh has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?


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So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of the barley harvest.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Ruth Meets Boaz</i></em><br/>Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.


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Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find grace. She said to her, Go, my daughter.


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She went, and came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers: and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.


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Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, Yahweh be with you! They answered him, Yahweh bless you!


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The servant who was set over the reapers answered, It is the Moabite woman who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.


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She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves’. So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, although she stayed a little in the house.


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Then Boaz said to Ruth, Listen, my daughter: Don’t go to glean in another field, and don’t go away from here, but stay here close to my maidens.


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Let your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them. Haven’t I commanded the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink from that which the young men have drawn.


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Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found grace in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, since I am a foreigner?


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Boaz answered her, I have come to know all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband; and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people that you didn’t know before.


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May Yahweh repay your work, and a full reward be given you from Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.


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Then she said, Let me find grace in your sight, my lord, because you have comforted me, and because you have spoken to the heart of your handmaid, although I am not as one of your handmaids.


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At meal time Boaz said to her, Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your morsel in the wine. She sat beside the reapers, and they reached her parched grain, and she ate, and was satisfied, and left some of it.


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When she had risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and don’t reproach her.


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So she gleaned in the field until evening; and she beat out that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.


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She carried it, and went into the city where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned and she brought out and gave to her that which she had left after she herself had enough to eat.


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Her mother-in-law said to her, Where have you gleaned today? Where have you worked? Blessed be he who took notice of you! She showed her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.


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Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of Yahweh, Who has not left off His grace to the living and to the dead. Naomi said to her, The man is a close relative to us, one of our near kinsmen.


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Ruth the Moabitess said, Yes, he said to me, ‘You shall stay close to my young men, until they have ended all my harvest’.


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Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maidens, and that they not meet you in any other field.


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So she stayed close to the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Naomi's Bold Plan for Ruth and Boaz</i></em><br/>Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?


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Now isn’t Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he winnows barley tonight in the threshing floor.


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Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed up, and go down to the threshing floor, but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.


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It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall note the place where he shall lie, and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lay down; then he will tell you what you shall do.


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When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and laid herself down.


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It happened at midnight, that the man was startled and turned himself; and noticed a woman lay at his feet.


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He said, Who are you? She answered, I am Ruth your handmaid. Therefore spread your skirt over your handmaid; for you are a near kinsman.


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He said, Blessed are you by Yahweh, my daughter. You have shown more grace in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you didn’t go after young men, whether poor or rich.


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Now, my daughter, don’t be afraid; I will do to you all that you say; for all my people in this city know that you are a worthy woman.


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Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, so be it; let him do the kinsman’s part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for you, then will I do the part of a kinsman for you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning.<br/> <em><i>Ruth Returns to Naomi</i></em>


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She lay at his feet until the morning. She rose up in the dark; for he said, Let it not be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.


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He said, Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it. She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; and he went into the city.


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When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, How did it go, my daughter? She told her all that the man had done to her.


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She said, He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, ‘Don’t go empty to your mother-in-law’.


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Then she said, Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will end; for the man will not rest, until he has finished the thing this day.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Boaz Redeems Naomi's Land and Ruth</i></em><br/>Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. When the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by he said to him, Come over here, friend, and sit down! He turned aside, and sat down.


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He said to the near kinsman: Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s.


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I thought to disclose it to you saying, ‘Buy it in the presence of those who sit here, and of the elders of my people’. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then let me know. You have first right to redeem it; and I am next in line. He said, I will redeem it.


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Then Boaz said, On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.


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The near kinsman said, I can’t redeem it for myself, otherwise I will spoil my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can’t redeem it.


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Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour; and this was the way of affirmation in Israel.


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Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi.


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Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses this day.


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All the people who were in the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. May Yahweh make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, who built the house of Israel; and treat you worthily in Ephrathah, and bring you fame in Bethlehem.


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Let your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Yahweh shall give you of this young woman.<br/> <em><i>Boaz Marries Ruth</i></em>


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So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and Yahweh gave her conception, and she bore a son.


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The women said to Naomi, Blessed be Yahweh, who has not left you this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel.


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He shall be to you a restorer of life, and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.


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The neighbouring women gave him a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi! And they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.


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<em><i>Hannah Prays for a Son</i></em><br/>Now there was a man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.


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He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children but Hannah had no children.


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This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there.


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When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters portions,


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This went on year after year when she went up to the house of Yahweh; she provoked her, therefore she wept and didn’t eat.


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Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?


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So Hannah rose up after they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of Yahweh’s temple.


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She vowed a vow and said, Yahweh of Armies, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid and remember me and not forget Your handmaid, but will give to Your handmaid a boy, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.


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Now Hannah spoke in her heart, only her lips moved but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.


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Hannah answered, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh.


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Don’t count your handmaid a wicked woman, for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.


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Then Eli answered, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of Him.


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She said, Let your handmaid find grace in your sight. So the woman went her way and ate, and her face wasn’t sad any more.<br/> <em><i>The Birth of Samuel</i></em>


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They rose up in the morning early and worshipped before Yahweh and returned home to Ramah, and Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.


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When the time had come, Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of Yahweh.


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But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, Not until the child is weaned, then I will bring him that he may appear before Yahweh and stay there forever.


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Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him, only may Yahweh establish His word. So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.<br/> <em><i>Samuel Is Dedicated to Yahweh</i></em>


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When she had weaned him she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of meal and a bottle of wine, and brought him to Yahweh’s sanctuary in Shiloh. The child was young.


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She said, Oh my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to Yahweh.


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Therefore I have given him to Yahweh. As long as he lives he is given to Yahweh. Eli worshipped Yahweh there.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Prayer of Hannah</i></em><br/>Hannah prayed, and said: My heart exults in Yahweh!. My horn is exalted in Yahweh. My mouth boasts over my enemies because I rejoice in Your salvation.


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Talk no more so exceedingly proudly. Don’t let hardness come out of your mouth, for Yahweh is a God of knowledge, though actions be not weighed.


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Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who were hungry are satisfied. Yes, the barren has borne seven; she who has many children languishes.


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He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill, to make them sit with princes and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s; He has set the world upon them.


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He will keep the feet of His holy ones, but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; for no man shall prevail by strength.


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Those who strive with Yahweh shall be broken to pieces. He will thunder against them in the sky. Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king and exalt the horn of His anointed.


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Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the child served Yahweh before Eli the priest.<br/> <em><i>The Wicked Sons of Eli</i></em>


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The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand.


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He thrust it into the pan, kettle, cauldron or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.


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Moreover, before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came and said to the man who sacrificed, Give meat to roast for the priest, for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.


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If the man said to him, Let the fat be burned first, and then take as much as you want; he would say, No, give it to me now, and if you don’t, I will take it by force.


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


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Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife and said, Yahweh give you children by this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh. They went to their own home.


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Yahweh visited Hannah and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew before Yahweh.


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Now Eli was very old, and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, how they lay with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting.


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If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who shall entreat for him? However, they didn’t listen to their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.


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The child Samuel grew and increased in favour with Yahweh and with men.<br/> <em><i>Prophecy against Eli’s House</i></em>


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A man of God came to Eli and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, ‘Did I not reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt, in bondage to Pharaoh’s house?


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Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? Did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?


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Why then do you despise My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded for My dwelling, and honour your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’


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Therefore Yahweh the God of Israel says, ‘I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before Me forever’. But now Yahweh says, ‘Far be it from Me. Those who honour Me I will honour, and those who despise Me shall be despised.


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The days are coming when I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house so that there shall not be an old man in your house.


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In distress you would look with envy upon the wealth which I would have given Israel, but there shall not be an old man in your house forever.


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Any man of yours whom I shall not cut off from My altar, will only blind your eyes with tears and grieve your heart; all the increase of your house shall die in the prime of life.


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This will be the sign to you which will come on your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall both die.


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I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall minister before My anointed one forever.


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Each one who is left in your house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, ‘Please put me into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread’.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Samuel Called by the Lord</i></em><br/>The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. The word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.


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At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),


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and the lamp of God hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s sanctuary where the ark of God was,


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He ran to Eli, and said, Here I am, for you called me. He said, I didn’t call; lie down again. He went and lay down.


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Yahweh called again, Samuel! Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, Here I am; for you called me. He answered, I didn’t call my son; lie down again.


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Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli and said, Here I am; for you called me. Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child.


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Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down, and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Yahweh, for Your servant hears’. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.


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Yahweh came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel said, Speak; for Your servant hears.


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Yahweh said to Samuel, Behold, I will do something in Israel which will make both the ears of everyone who hears it tingle.


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In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.


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For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he didn’t rebuke them.


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Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the guilt of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever.


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Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.


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He said, What was it that He said to you? Please don’t hide it from me. May God deal with you severely if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you.


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Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. He said, It is Yahweh. Let Him do what seems good to Him.


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Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh, for Yahweh revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Ark Captured</i></em><br/>Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle and encamped beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.


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The Philistines put themselves in position against Israel; when they joined battle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand Israelite soldiers.


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When the people had returned to the camp the elders of Israel said, Why has Yahweh struck us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Shiloh that it may go with us and save us out of the hand of our enemies.


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So the people sent to Shiloh and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.


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When the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded.


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When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout they said, What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean? When they understood that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp


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they were afraid, for they said, God has come into the camp. They said, Woe to us! Nothing like this has happened before.


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Woe to us! Who can deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.


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Be strong, and behave like men, you Philistines, so that you will not be servants to the Hebrews as they have been to you. Strengthen yourselves like men and fight!


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The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated and they fled every man to his tent and there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand Israelite foot soldiers were killed.


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The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed.<br/> <em><i>Eli’s Death</i></em>


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A man of Benjamin ran out of the army that day and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and earth on his head.


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When he came, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man came into the city and reported what had happened, all the city cried out.


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When Eli heard the noise of the crying he said, What does this noise mean? The man hurried and told Eli.


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The man said to Eli, I am the one who came out of the army, and I fled today from the battle. He said, What happened, my son?


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The man who brought the news answered, Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons Hophni and Phinehas are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.


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When he made mention of the ark of God, Eli fell off his seat backward by the side of the gate and his neck broke and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.


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His daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was pregnant, near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labour and gave birth, but was overcome by her pains.


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As she was dying the women attending her said, Don’t be afraid, for you have given birth to a son. But she didn’t answer, neither did she pay any attention.


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She named the child Ichabod saying, The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.


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<em><i>The Ark Goes to Ashdod, Gath and Ekron</i></em><br/>Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.


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When the people of Ashdod arose early the next day, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. They took Dagon and set him back in his place.


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When they arose early the next morning, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were broken off, lying on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso was intact.


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Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who comes into Dagon’s house will tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.


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But the hand of Yahweh was heavy on the people of Ashdod and those nearby, and He destroyed them, afflicting them with tumours.


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When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening they said, The ark of the God of Israel must not stay with us, for His hand is severe on us and on Dagon our god.


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They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines together and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? They answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over to Gath. They carried the ark of the God of Israel there.


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But after they had carried it there, the hand of Yahweh was against the city, causing panic, and He struck the men of the city, small and great, and tumours broke out upon them.


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So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. As the ark of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!


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They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place so that it does not kill us and our people. For there was a deadly panic throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.


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The men who didn’t die were struck with the tumours, and the cry of the city went up to Heaven.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Philistines Return the Ark to Israel</i></em><br/>The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines for seven months.


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The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, asking, What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us how we should send it back to its place.


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They said, If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don’t send it empty; by all means return Him a trespass offering, then you will be healed and you will know why His hand has not been removed from you.


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Then they said, What should the trespass offering be, which we should send to Him? They said, Five golden tumours and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, for the same plague struck you all and your lords.


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Therefore you must make images of your tumours and your mice that are destroying the land, and give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lift His hand from you, your gods and your land.


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Why do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He had done wonders among them, didn’t they send the people away and they departed?


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Now therefore prepare a new cart, and get two milk cows which have never been yoked; tie the cows to the cart and bring their calves home from them.


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Put the ark of Yahweh on the cart and put the jewels of gold, which you are sending Him for a trespass offering, in a chest beside it- and send it away.


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If it goes up to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil; but if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us.


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They put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the chest with the mice of gold and the images of their tumours.<br/> <em><i>The Ark Arrives at Beth-Shemesh</i></em>


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The cows went straight towards Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.


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The people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced to see it.


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The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh and stood there beside a great stone. The people split the wood of the cart and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to Yahweh.


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The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh and the chest with the jewels of gold and put them on the great stone, and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices to Yahweh that day.


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These are the golden tumours which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath and one for Ekron.


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The number of golden mice was according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, fortified cities and country villages. The great stone on which they put the ark of Yahweh remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.


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But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh. He killed seventy of the men, and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter.


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The men of Beth Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? To whom shall He go from us?


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They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come down and take it up to your place.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Ark Goes from Beth-Shemesh to Kiriath Jearim</i></em><br/>The men of Kiriath Jearim came and fetched up the ark of Yahweh and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Yahweh.


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The ark stayed for a long time in Kiriath Jearim, twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.


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Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you do return to Yahweh with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to Yahweh, and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.


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They gathered together to Mizpah and drew water, poured it out before Yahweh and fasted on that day. They said there, We have sinned against Yahweh. Samuel judged the people of Israel in Mizpah.<br/> <em><i>The Philistines Defeated at Mizpah</i></em>


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When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the Israelites heard it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.


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The Israelites said to Samuel, Don’t cease to cry to Yahweh our God for us, that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines!


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Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh, and Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel, and Yahweh answered him.


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As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, but on that day Yahweh thundered with a great thunder upon the Philistines, and confused them; and they were struck down before Israel.


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The men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and killed them, all the way to Beth Kar.


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Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and called it Ebenezer, saying, Yahweh helped us until now.


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So the Philistines were subdued and they came no more within the border of Israel. The hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.


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The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel recovered its border out of the hand of the Philistines. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.


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He went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.


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He always returned to Ramah where his home was, and there he judged Israel. He built there an altar to Yahweh.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.


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His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned aside after money, taking bribes and perverting justice.


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and they said to him, Look, you are old and your sons don’t walk in your ways; now appoint a king to judge us like all the nations.


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But this displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us.<br/> <em><i>Yahweh Advises Samuel to Appoint a King</i></em><br/>Samuel prayed to Yahweh.


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Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to the people in all that they tell you; they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not be king over them.


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As they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, in forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they also do to you.


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Now therefore listen to their voice, but protest solemnly to them and show them what the king who shall reign over them will do.<br/> <em><i>Samuel’s Warning to Israel</i></em>


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He said, This is what the king who shall reign over you will do: he will take your sons and appoint them to serve with his chariots and to be his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots;


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he will appoint them to be captains of thousands and captains of fifties; he will assign some to plough his ground and reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots.


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He will take your fields, your vineyards and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants.


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He will take your male and female servants and your best young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work.


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You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen, but Yahweh will not answer you in that day.


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so that we may be like all the other nations, and so that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.


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Yahweh said to Samuel, Listen to them and give them a king. Samuel said to the men of Israel, Every man is to go back to his town.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Saul Chosen As King </i></em><br/>There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of valour.


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He had a son whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; there was not among the people of Israel a more impressive person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.


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The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul, Take now one of the servants with you and go to look for the donkeys.


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He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them. Then they went through the land of Shaalim and they weren’t there; he went throughout the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them.


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When they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come, let us return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and be anxious for us.


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The servant said, Look now, in this city there is a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honour. All that he says comes true. Now, let us go there; perhaps he can tell us which way to go.


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Then Saul said to his servant, But if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the food is finished from our bags and there is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?


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The servant replied, I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God to tell us our way.


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(In earlier times in Israel when a man went to inquire of God he would say, Come and let us go to the seer, for he who is now called a prophet was before called a seer).


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As they went up the hill to the city they found young girls going out to draw water and they asked them, Is the seer here?


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They answered, He is. Look, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come today into the city because the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.


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As soon as you have come into the city you will immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because it is he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards, those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up, for at this time you should find him.<br/> <em><i>Saul Meets Samuel</i></em>


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They went up to the city. As they came into the city, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.


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Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you must anoint him to be prince over My people Israel, and he will save My people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked on My people, because their cry has come to Me.


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When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He will have authority over My people.


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Samuel answered Saul, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart.


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As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, don’t worry about them; they have been found. To whom has all the desire in Israel turned? Is it not to you and all your father’s house?


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Saul answered, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?


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Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among the guests about thirty people.


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The cook took up the thigh and what was on it and set it before Saul. Samuel said, Here is what has been kept for you! Eat it because it has been kept for you for this occasion since I said, ‘I have invited guests’. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.


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They arose early, at daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, Get up, that I may send you away. Saul arose, and they went outside together.


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As they were going down to the outskirts of the city Samuel said to Saul, Tell the servant to go on ahead of us (and he did so), but you stay here first, so that I may tell you the message of God.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Samuel Anoints Saul</i></em><br/>Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, Hasn’t Yahweh anointed you to be prince over His inheritance?


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When you have departed from me today you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to seek have been found, and your father has stopped caring about the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? ’.


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Then you will go on from there and you will come to the oak of Tabor. Three men will meet you there, going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread and another carrying a bottle of wine.


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After that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is, and when you come near to the city you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, a tambourine, a pipe and a harp being played before them. They will be prophesying,


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and the Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on you, and you will prophesy with them, and you will be changed into another person.


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Go down before me to Gilgal and I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings and to make sacrifices of peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you must do.<br/> <em><i>Saul among the Prophets</i></em>


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When Saul had turned to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart, and all those signs happened that day.


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When they came to the hill a band of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God came mightily on him and he prophesied among them.


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When all who knew him before saw that he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?


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A man who lived there answered, Who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?


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Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, Where did you go? He said, To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not to be found we came to Samuel.


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Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the donkeys were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him.<br/> <em><i>Saul’s Kingship Announced</i></em>


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and he said to the people of Israel, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you,


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but you have this day rejected your God, who Himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses. You have said to Him, ‘No! Set a king over us’. Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your thousands.


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He brought the tribe of Benjamin forward by their families, and the family of the Matrites was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken, but when they sought him he could not be found.


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Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, Did the man come here? Yahweh answered, He has hidden himself among the baggage.


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They ran and fetched him, and when he stood among the people he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.


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Samuel said to all the people, You see the one whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? All the people shouted, Long live the king!


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Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, wrote them in a book and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away to their homes.


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But some worthless fellows said, How can this man save us? They despised him and brought him no present. But he was as though he had been deaf.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh</i></em><br/>Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a treaty with us and we will serve you.


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Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this condition I will make it with you, that each of you has his right eye put out, bringing disgrace on all Israel.


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The elders of Jabesh said to him, Give us seven days so that we can send messengers to all the borders of Israel, and then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.


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Then the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these words to the people, and they all wept aloud.


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Just then Saul came, following the oxen out of the field, and he said, What is wrong with the people that they weep? They told him what the men of Jabesh had said.


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The Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.


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He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn’t come forth after Saul and after Samuel, this is what shall be done to his oxen. The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.


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Saul numbered them in Bezek and there were three hundred thousand men of Israel and thirty thousand of Judah.


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They said to the messengers who came, Thus you shall tell the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance’. The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, and they were glad.


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Therefore the men of Jabesh said to the Ammonites, Tomorrow we will come out to you and you can do to us what seems good to you.


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The next day Saul put the people into three companies, and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch and slaughtered the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.<br/> <em><i>Saul’s Kingship Confirmed</i></em>


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The people said to Samuel, Who was it who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’. Bring those men out so that we can put them to death!


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But Saul said, No-one is to be put to death today, for today Yahweh has worked deliverance in Israel.


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All the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal, and there they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Samuel’s Farewell</i></em><br/>Samuel said to all Israel, I have listened to all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.


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Now, the king is your leader; I am old and grey-headed and my sons are with you, and I have been your leader from my youth to this day.


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Here I am. Testify against me before Yahweh and before His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.


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He said to them, Yahweh is witness against you and His anointed is witness this day that you have not found anything in my hand. They said, He is witness.


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Samuel said to the people, It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.


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Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which He did to you and to your fathers.


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When Jacob had come into Egypt and your fathers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.


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But they forgot Yahweh their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.


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They cried to Yahweh and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies and we will serve You’.


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Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety.


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When you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to reign over us’, when Yahweh your God was your king.


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Now therefore, see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for; Yahweh has set a king over you.


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If you will fear Yahweh and serve Him, listen to His voice and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then it will be well with both you and the king who reigns over you.


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But if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then the hand of Yahweh will be against you, as it was against your fathers.<br/> <em><i>Storm As a Sign from Yahweh</i></em>


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Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh to send thunder and rain, and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the eyes of Yahweh, in asking for a king.


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So Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.


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All the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God that we do not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.


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Samuel said to the people, Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil, yet don’t turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.


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Yahweh will not forsake His people, for the sake of His great name, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you His own people.


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As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you; I will instruct you in the good and the right way.


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Only fear Yahweh and serve Him in truth with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.


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<em><i>Saul Rebuked by Samuel</i></em><br/>Saul reigned a year, and when he had reigned two years over Israel


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Saul chose three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin, and the rest of the people he sent back to their tents.


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Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear!


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All Israel heard that Saul had attacked the garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had become odious to the Philistines. The people were gathered together to Saul in Gilgal.


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The Philistines assembled themselves to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen and people as numerous as the sand which is on the seashore, and they came up and encamped in Michmash, east of Beth Aven.


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When the men of Israel saw that they were in great peril and the people were distressed, they hid themselves in caves, thickets, rocks, coverts and in pits.


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Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead, but Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.


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He waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel, but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him.


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Saul said, Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings. He offered the burnt offering.


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As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him, to greet him.


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Samuel said, What have you done? Saul said, When I saw that the people were scattered from me and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled at Michmash,


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I thought ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favour of Yahweh’. I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering.


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Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God which He commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom in Israel forever.


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But now your kingdom shall not continue. Yahweh has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over His people, because you have not kept what Yahweh commanded you.


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Samuel arose and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.<br/> <em><i>Israel without Weapons</i></em>


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Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were with them stayed in Geba of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.


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Raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned towards Ophrah in the land of Shual;


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another company turned towards Beth Horon, and another company turned towards the border land overlooking the valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness.


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Now there was no smith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears.


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All the Israelites went down to the Philistines to have their ploughshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened.


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The price was two thirds of a shekel to sharpen a mattock and a ploughshare, and one third for the forks and axes, and to set the goads.


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So on the day of battle no soldier had either sword or spear among the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and Jonathan his son had swords and spears.


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<em><i>The Philistines Attacked by Jonathan </i></em><br/>One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armour, Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison on the other side. But he didn’t tell his father.


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Saul stayed on the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron; the people who were with him were about six hundred men.


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Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh was there, wearing an ephod. The people didn’t know that Jonathan had gone.


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On each side of the pass by which Jonathan intended to go over to the Philistines’ garrison there was a rocky crag; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh.


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Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armour, Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised people. Perhaps Yahweh will work for us, for nothing can hinder Yahweh from saving, by many or by few.


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If they say ‘Wait until we come to you!’, then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them.


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But if they say ‘Come up to us!’, then we will go up, for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This will be the sign to us.


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So they revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, Look, the Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in!


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The men of the garrison shouted to Jonathan and his armour bearer, Come up to us and we will show you something! Jonathan said to his armour bearer, Come up after me, for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.


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Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet and his armour bearer followed, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armour bearer followed and killed behind him.


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That first slaughter by Jonathan and his armour bearer killed about twenty men in an area of about half an acre.<br/> <em><i>The Philistines Defeated by Israel</i></em>


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Then panic struck the whole Philistine army, those in the camp, in the field, and among all the outposts and raiding parties, and the ground shook. There was panic.


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Then Saul said to the men with him, Count now and see who is missing from us. When they had counted, Jonathan and his armour bearer were not there.


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Saul said to Ahijah, Bring the ark of God here. For the ark of God was with the Israelites at that time.


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While Saul was talking to the priest the tumult in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased, and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand!


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Saul and all the men with him were gathered together and came to the battle, and found that every man’s sword was against his fellow; a very great confusion.


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Now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines previously and had gone with them into the camp, turned to join the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.


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Also all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines had fled, followed hard after them in the battle.


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So Yahweh saved Israel that day, and the battle moved beyond Beth Aven.<br/> <em><i>Jonathan Eats Some Honey</i></em>


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The men of Israel were in distress that day because Saul had bound the people with an oath saying, Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, and I have been avenged of my enemies. So none of the people ate any food.


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When they had come to the forest the honey was oozing out, but no-one tasted any because the people feared the oath.


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But Jonathan hadn’t heard when his father commanded the people with the oath, so he dipped the end of his rod into the honeycomb and ate some, and his eyes brightened.


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Then one of the people said, Your father bound the people with an oath saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day’. The people were exhausted.


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Then Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.


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How much better it would have been if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies? Would not the slaughter among the Philistines have been greater?


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and they pounced on the spoil, and took sheep, cattle and calves and killed them on the ground and ate them with the blood.


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Then they told Saul, Look, the people are sinning against Yahweh, eating meat with the blood. He said, You have broken faith. Roll a large stone here at once!


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Saul said, Go out among the people and tell them, ‘Each man bring to me here his ox and sheep; kill them here and eat; don’t sin against Yahweh by eating meat with the blood’. So each of them brought his ox with him that night, and killed them there.


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Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning, and let us not leave any of them alive. They said, Do whatever seems good to you. But the priest said, Let us enquire of God.


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Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel? But He didn’t answer him that day.<br/> <em><i>Saul Condemns Jonathan</i></em>


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Saul said, Come here, all you chiefs of the people and let us find out which of us has sinned today.


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For as Yahweh lives, Who saves Israel, even if it is Jonathan my son, he must die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.


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Then he said to all Israel, You stand on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. The people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you.


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Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, Show me the right answer. Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped.


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Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done! Jonathan told him, I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand, and now must I die?


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But the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day! So the people rescued Jonathan so that he didn’t die.


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After Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah and the Philistines; wherever he turned he defeated them.


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He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.<br/> <em><i>The Family of Saul</i></em>


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Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malchishua, and the names of his two daughters were Merab the firstborn and Michal the younger,


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and the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.


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There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul, and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he took him into his service.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Saul Defeats the Amalekites</i></em><br/>Samuel said to Saul, Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of Yahweh.


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Thus says Yahweh of Armies, ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel, opposing them when they came up out of Egypt.


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Now go and attack Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have; don’t spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey’.


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Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.


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Saul said to the Kenites, Go away from among the Amalekites so that I don’t destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.


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But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, cattle, fat calves and lambs and all that was good, and wouldn’t utterly destroy them; everything that was bad and worthless they destroyed utterly.<br/> <em><i>Saul Rejected as King</i></em>


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It grieves Me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not obeyed My commandments. Samuel was troubled and he cried out to Yahweh all night.


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Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, and he was told: Saul came to Carmel and he set up a monument for himself, then went down to Gilgal.


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Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, Yahweh bless you! I have obeyed the commandment of Yahweh.


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Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to Yahweh your God. We have utterly destroyed the rest.


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Then Samuel said to Saul, Stop! I will tell you what Yahweh said to me last night. He said to him, Tell me.


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Samuel said, When you were once little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel,


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and Yahweh sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy those sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are destroyed’.


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Why then didn’t you obey the voice of Yahweh, but took the spoils and did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh?


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Saul said to Samuel, But I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh, and have gone on the mission which Yahweh gave me and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.


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But the people took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the devoted things, to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in Gilgal.


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Samuel said, Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.


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For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, He has also rejected you from being king.


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Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.


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Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel.


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Samuel said to him, Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbour of yours who is better than you.


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The Strength of Israel will not lie nor change His mind, for He is not a man that He should change His mind.


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Then he said, I have sinned, yet please honour me now before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me so that I may worship Yahweh your God.


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Then Samuel said, Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites! Agag came to him confidently, thinking, Surely the bitterness of death is past.


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Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women! Samuel cut Agag in pieces before Yahweh in Gilgal.


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Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death, yet Samuel mourned for Saul, and Yahweh grieved that He had made Saul king over Israel.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David Anointed by Samuel</i></em><br/>Yahweh said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided a king for Myself from among his sons.


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Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears it he will kill me. Yahweh said, Take a heifer with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.


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Call Jesse to the sacrifice and I will show you what you must do. You are to anoint for Me the one whom I name to you.


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Samuel did what Yahweh said and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Do you come peaceably?


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He said, Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. He consecrated Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.


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But Yahweh said to Samuel, Don’t look at his appearance or height, because I have rejected him. I do not look at the things man looks at; man looks at the outward appearance but Yahweh looks at the heart.


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Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, Neither has Yahweh chosen this one.


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Samuel said to Jesse, Are all your children here? He said, There is still the youngest; he is keeping the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.


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He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a beautiful face and handsome appearance. Yahweh said, Arise, anoint him, for this is the one.


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Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the spirit of Yahweh came mightily on David from that day on. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.<br/> <em><i>David Plays the Harp for Saul</i></em>


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Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp. When the evil spirit from God comes on you, he can play and you will feel better.


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Then one of the young men said, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilful in playing, a mighty man of valour, a man of war, who speaks well and is good-looking, and Yahweh is with him.


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Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a bottle of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul.


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When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played, and Saul was refreshed and felt better and the evil spirit departed from him.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Goliath Challenges Israel</i></em><br/>Now the Philistines gathered their armies to battle and assembled at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and they encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephesdammim.


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Saul and the men of Israel assembled and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.


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The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, and there was a valley between them.


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A champion went out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.


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He had a helmet of bronze on his head and he wore a bronze coat of mail which weighed five thousand shekels.


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The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam and his iron spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels, and his shield bearer went before him.


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He stood and shouted to the armies of Israel, Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.


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If he is able to fight and kill me, then we will be your servants, but if I overcome him and kill him, then you will be our servants, and serve us.


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The Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day! Give me a man and let us fight one another!


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When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine they were dismayed, and terrified.<br/> <em><i>David Visits the Army of Israel</i></em>


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Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse. He had eight sons and was considered an old man in the days of Saul.


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The three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle. Their names were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab and the third Shammah.


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Jesse said to David his son, Now take an ephah of parched grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers;


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and take these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand. See how your brothers are doing and bring back news.


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Saul and David’s brothers and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.


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David rose up early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper and took the gifts, and went as Jesse had commanded him; he came to the camp as the army was going forth to the battle, shouting the war cry.


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David left his things with the keeper of supplies and ran to the army and came and greeted his brothers.<br/> <em><i>David Accepts Goliath’s Challenge</i></em>


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As he talked with them Goliath came up, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, out of the ranks of the Philistines. He shouted the same words, and David heard them.


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The men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who keeps coming up? He comes up to defy Israel. The king has promised to give great riches to the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.


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David said to the men who stood by him, What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?


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The people repeated to him what they had said: This is indeed what is promised to the man who kills him.


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Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the presumption of your heart; you have only come down to see the battle.


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He turned away from him toward someone else and said the same, and the people answered him as before.


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David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him.


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Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight him; you are only a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.


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David said, Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,


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I went out after it and struck it, and rescued it out of its mouth. When it turned on me I caught it by its beard and killed it.


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Your servant killed both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.


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David said, Yahweh who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. Saul said to David, Go; and Yahweh be with you.


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Saul dressed David in his own clothes. He put a bronze helmet on his head and put a coat of mail on him.


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David strapped his sword onto his tunic and he tried to move, but he was not used to it. David said to Saul, I can’t go with these; I am not used to them. So David took them off.


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He took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. His sling was in his hand as he drew near to the Philistine.<br/> <em><i>David Kills Goliath</i></em>


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The Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks? The Philistine cursed David by his gods.


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He said to David, Come here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the animals of the field.


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Then David said to the Philistine, You come against me with a sword, a spear and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.


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Today Yahweh will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you down and cut off your head. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines today to the birds of the air and the wild animals of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,


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and that all those here may know that Yahweh doesn’t save with sword and spear, for the battle is Yahweh’s and He will give you into our hand.


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He put his hand into his bag, took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground.


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So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him without a sword in his hand.


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Then David ran and stood over the Philistine, took hold of his sword, drew it out of its scabbard and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.


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The men of Israel and Judah arose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gate of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down all the way to Shaaraim, Gath and Ekron.


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David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armour in his own tent.


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When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this youth? Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I don’t know.


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As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him to Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.


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Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse, the Bethlehemite.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David and Jonathan </i></em><br/>When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.


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Jonathan stripped himself of the robe he was wearing and gave it to David with his tunic and even his sword, his bow and his belt.<br/> <em><i>David’s Successes in Battle</i></em>


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David went out wherever Saul sent him and behaved himself wisely, and Saul set him over the men of war, which pleased all the people and Saul’s servants.


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When David and the men returned from the slaughter of the Philistine the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.


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The women sang one to another as they played, Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands.


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Saul was very angry; this song displeased him and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands and to me they have ascribed only thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?


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The next day an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in his house. David played his harp, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand


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Therefore Saul sent David away from him and made him his captain over a thousand, and David went out and came in before the people.


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Saul said to David, here is my elder daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Yahweh’s battles. Saul thought, Don’t let my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.


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David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my clan or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?


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But when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as his wife.


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Saul said, I will give her to him so that she can be a snare to him, and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, You shall this day have a second opportunity to be my son-in-law.


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Saul commanded his servants, Speak to David secretly and say, ‘Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you; now therefore be the king’s son-in-law’.


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Saul’s servants told David this. David said, Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man, and little known?


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Saul said, Tell David, ‘The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged on the king’s enemies’. Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.


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When his servants told David this, he was pleased to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the allotted time


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David arose and went with his men and killed two hundred of the Philistine men, and David brought their foreskins, and gave them in full number to the king so that he might be the king’s son-in-law. Saul gave him Michal his daughter as his wife.


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Then the princes of the Philistines went forth and whenever they did so, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Jonathan Speaks for David </i></em><br/>Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants to kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David.


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Jonathan told David, Saul my father seeks to kill you. Now therefore, please take extra care of yourself in the morning; hide in a secret place and stay there.


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I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are and I will talk with my father about you, and if I find out anything, I will tell you.


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Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, Don’t let the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you and he has worked well for you;


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he put his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?


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Jonathan called David and told him all this. Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.<br/> <em><i>David’s Successes Enrage Saul</i></em>


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There was war again. David went out and fought the Philistines and killed them with a great slaughter, and they fled before him.


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An evil spirit from Yahweh came on Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing his harp.


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Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and the spear went into the wall. David fled, and escaped that night.


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Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, If you don’t save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.


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Michal took an idol and laid it in the bed, put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with the clothes.


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Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed so that I can kill him.


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When the messengers came in, there was just the idol in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head.


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Saul said to Michal, Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped? Michal answered Saul, He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’.


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Now David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth.


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Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying and Samuel standing as head over them, the spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul and they also prophesied.


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When Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. Saul sent messengers again the third time and they also prophesied.


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Then he went himself to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu, and he asked, Where are Samuel and David? Someone said, They are at Naioth in Ramah.


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So he went towards Naioth in Ramah. Then the spirit of God came on him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.


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He stripped off his clothes and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Jonathan Helps David</i></em><br/>David fled from Naioth in Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?


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He said to him, Far from it; you shall not die. Look, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me, so why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.


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But David took an oath and said, Your father knows well that I have found favour in your eyes, so he says, ‘Don’t let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved’; but truly as Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.


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David said to Jonathan, Look, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go so that I can hide myself in the field until the third day at evening.


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If your father misses me at all then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem, his city, for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family’.


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If he says, ‘Very well’, your servant will have peace; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.


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Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh. But if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?


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Jonathan said, Never! If I should know that evil were determined against you by my father, wouldn’t I tell you?


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Jonathan said to David, By Yahweh, the God of Israel, when I have sounded out my father, by this time tomorrow or the third day, if he is favourable toward you I will send and tell you.


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Yahweh deal with me severely, if my father intends evil against you and I don’t disclose it to you so that I can send you away safely. May Yahweh be with you, as He has been with my father.


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Also, do not cut off your kindness from my house forever, not even when Yahweh has cut off all the enemies of David from the surface of the earth.<br/> <em><i>Jonathan and David’s Covenant</i></em>


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So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Yahweh will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.


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Jonathan made David swear again, for the love that he had for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.


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Then Jonathan said to him, Tomorrow is the new moon and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.


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When you have waited three days, go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and stay by the stone Ezel.


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Then I will send the boy saying, ‘Go, find the arrows!’. If I tell the boy ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them’, then come, for you are safe, as Yahweh lives.


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But if I say this to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you’, then go your way, for Yahweh has sent you away.


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The king sat on his seat by the wall as usual and Jonathan sat opposite and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.


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Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day, for he thought, Something has happened to him. He is not clean. Surely he is not clean.


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On the next day after the new moon, the second day, David’s place was empty again. Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why didn’t the son of Jesse come to eat, either yesterday or today?


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He said, ‘Please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city. My brother has commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favour in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers’. That is why he has not come to the king’s table.


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<em><i>Saul Turns against David Again</i></em><br/> Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don’t I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the confusion of your mother’s nakedness?


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As long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth you will not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die!


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Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.


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So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.


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In the morning Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy went with him.


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He said to his boy, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.


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When the boy had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy, Isn’t the arrow beyond you?


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Jonathan called after the boy, Go quickly! Hurry! Don’t delay! Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master.


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As soon as the boy had gone David got up from the south side of the stone, fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another and wept one with another, and David wept the most.


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Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the name of Yahweh, saying, ‘Yahweh shall be between me and you, and between my seed and your seed, forever’. David arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David and the Priest of Nob</i></em><br/>Then David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling and said to him, Why are you alone and no-one with you?


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David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has charged me with a task and has said to me ‘Let no-one know anything about it or what I have commanded you’. I have told the young men to go to a meeting place.


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The priest answered David, There is no common bread here, but there is holy bread, if the young men have kept themselves from women.


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David answered the priest, Truly, women have been kept from us for about three days. When I go on an expedition the bodies of the young men are holy; they are even for an ordinary journey; how much more so today?


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So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there apart from the Bread of the Presence that had been taken from before Yahweh, to be replaced by fresh hot bread.


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Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh; his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.


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David said to Ahimelech, Don’t you have here a spear or sword? I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me because the king’s business required haste.


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The priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine whom you killed in the valley of Elah is here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it; there is no other except that here. David said, There is none like that. Give it to me.<br/> <em><i>David Flees to Gath</i></em>


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The servants of Achish said to him, Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing one to another about him in dances saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands?’.


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He changed his behaviour before them and pretended to be mad, scrabbled on the doors of the gate and let his saliva fall down onto his beard.


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Then Achish said to his servants, Look, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me?


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Do I lack madmen that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David Escapes to the Cave at Adullam</i></em><br/>David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.


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Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt and everyone who was discontented gathered themselves to him and he became their captain. About four hundred men were with him.


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David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you, until I know what God will do for me.


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He brought them before the king of Moab and they lived with him all the while that David was in the stronghold.


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The prophet Gad said to David, Don’t stay in the stronghold. Depart, and go into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and went into the forest of Hereth.<br/> <em><i>The Priests of Nob Killed by Saul</i></em>


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Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree in Ramah with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him.


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Saul said to them, Listen now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give each of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds?


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Is that why all of you have conspired against me so that there is no-one who tells me when my son makes a treaty with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me or tells me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as he does today?


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Then Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, said: I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.


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Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king.


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Saul said to him, Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as he does today?


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Then Ahimelech answered the king, Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honourable in your house?


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Is this the first time I have inquired of God for him? Be it far from me! Don’t let the king accuse his servant or any of the house of my father, for your servant knows nothing at all of all this.


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The king said to the guards who stood around him, Turn and kill the priests of Yahweh because they have sided with David, and because they knew that he fled, and didn’t tell me. But the servants of the king wouldn’t put forth their hand to strike the priests of Yahweh.


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The king said to Doeg, You turn and attack the priests! Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five people who wore a linen ephod.


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He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, men, women, children and nursing babies, and cattle, donkeys and sheep.


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David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the people of your father’s house.


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Stay with me, don’t be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you will be safe.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Keilah Saved by David</i></em><br/>David was told, The Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.


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Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, Shall I go and attack these Philistines? Yahweh said to David, Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.


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David’s men said to him, Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then, if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?


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Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again. Yahweh answered him, Get up and go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.


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David and his men went to Keilah and fought against the Philistines and carried off their livestock and killed them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.


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When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he brought an ephod with him.<br/> <em><i>Saul Continues to Pursue David</i></em>


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Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah and he said, God has delivered him into my hand, for he is trapped by going into a town that has gates and bars.


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David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him, so he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring the ephod here.


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Then David said, O Yahweh the God of Israel, Your servant has definitely heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake.


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Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell Your servant. Yahweh said, He will come down.


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Then David said, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? Yahweh said, They will deliver you.


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Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. Saul heard that David had escaped from Keilah so he gave up going there.


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David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds and in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn’t deliver him into his hand.


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David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life when he was in the wilderness of Ziph, in the forest.


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He said to him, Don’t be afraid, for the hand of Saul my father will not find you; you will be king over Israel and I shall be next to you. Saul my father well knows that.


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Then the Ziphites came to Saul in Gibeah saying, Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds in the forest, on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?


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Now therefore, O king, come down when you are ready; our part will be to deliver him into the king’s hand.


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Please go and make sure and find out where his haunt is and who has seen him there, for they tell me that he is very crafty.


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So find out all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information, and I will go with you. If he is in the area I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.


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They set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul, but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah on the south of the desert.


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Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon.


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Saul went on one side of the mountain and David and his men on the other, and David hurried to get away for fear of Saul, for Saul and his men surrounded David and his men to take them.


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But a messenger came to Saul saying, Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid on the land!


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So Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines. Therefore they called that place Sela Hammahlekoth.


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<em><i>Saul’s Life Spared by David</i></em><br/>When Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines he was told, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.


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Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.


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He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were hiding in the innermost parts of the cave.


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The men of David said to him, Look, the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘I will deliver your enemy into your hand and you can do to him whatever you wish’. Then David got up and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe secretly.


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He said to his men, Yahweh forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, Yahweh’s anointed, to lift my hand against him, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.


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So David restrained his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to attack Saul. Saul got up out of the cave and went on his way.


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David also got up afterwards and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, My lord the king! When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and showed respect.


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Look, today your eyes have seen how Yahweh had delivered you into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, I will not lift up my hand against my lord, for he is Yahweh’s anointed.


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Moreover, my father, look, here is a piece of your robe in my hand; by the fact that I cut it off and didn’t kill you, you can know and see that I have no desire to hurt you and have not sinned against you, though you hunt me to take my life.


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May Yahweh judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge the wrong you have done me; but my hand shall not be against you.


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As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness, but my hand shall not be against you’.


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May Yahweh therefore be the judge and give sentence between me and you; may He plead my cause and deliver me out of your hand.


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When David had finished saying this to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, my son David? Saul wept aloud.


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He said to David, You are more righteous than I, for you have been good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.


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You have declared this day how you have been good to me, because when Yahweh had delivered me into your hand, you didn’t kill me.


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For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may Yahweh reward you with good for what you have done to me today.


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Now I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.


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Swear now therefore to me by Yahweh, that you will not cut off my seed after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.


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David gave his oath to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Nabal Refuses to Help David</i></em><br/>Samuel died, and all Israel gathered together and mourned for him, and they buried him at his home in Ramah. David went down to the wilderness of Paran.


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There was a man in Maon who had property in Carmel, and the man was very wealthy. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.


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His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but the man was harsh and mean; he belonged to the family of Caleb.


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David sent ten young men and said to them, Go up to Carmel and go to Nabal and greet him in my name.


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I have heard that you are shearing your sheep. Your shepherds have been with us, and we didn’t hurt them, nothing of theirs was missing all the while they were in Carmel.


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Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find grace in your eyes, for we come at a good time. Please give whatever you can to your servants and to your son David’.


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Nabal answered David’s servants, Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants who break away from their masters these days.


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Shall I then take my bread, my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who come from I don’t know where?<br/> <em><i>David Prepares to Punish Nabal</i></em>


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David said to his men, Every man put on his sword! Every man put on his sword and David also put on his. About four hundred men followed David and two hundred stayed by the baggage.


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But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, Look, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them.


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But the men were very good to us and we were not hurt, nothing was missing as long as we were with them in the fields.


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Now therefore consider what you should do, for evil is determined against our master and against all his household; he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t even speak to him.


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Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two bottles of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five measures of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys.


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She said to her young men, Go on before me; I am following you. But she didn’t tell her husband, Nabal.


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As she rode on her donkey and came down in a valley, and there were David and his men coming down towards her, and she met them.


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Now David had said, Surely for nothing I have kept all this fellow’s possessions in the wilderness, so that nothing was missing. He has returned me evil for good.


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God deal with David severely, if I leave alive one man of his by the morning.<br/> <em><i>Abigail Intervenes</i></em>


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When Abigail saw David she hurried and alighted from her donkey; she bowed down before David with her face to the ground.


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She fell at his feet and said, On me, my lord, on me be the blame, and please let your handmaid speak in your ears. Hear the words of your handmaid.


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Please pay no attention, my lord, to this worthless fellow Nabal. As his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is his nature; but I, your handmaid, didn’t see your young men whom you sent.


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Now therefore my lord, as Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, since Yahweh has withheld you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies and those who seek evil to my lord be like Nabal.


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Let this gift which your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.


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Please forgive the sin of your handmaid, for Yahweh will certainly make for my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of Yahweh. Let evil not be found in you all your days.


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Though men may rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, yet the life of my lord will be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God. He will hurl out the lives of your enemies as though from the pocket of a sling.


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When Yahweh has done to my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel,


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then this will not be on your conscience, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When Yahweh has dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid.


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Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you for keeping me this day from the guilt of bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand.


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For indeed, as Yahweh the God of Israel lives who has withheld me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn’t have been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as a single male.


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So David accepted from her what she had brought him and he said to her, Go up in peace to your house. I have listened to your words and have granted your request.


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Abigail came to Nabal while he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry, for he was very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing until the morning.


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In the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him what had happened; and his heart failed and he became like a stone.


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About ten days after that, Yahweh struck Nabal so that he died.<br/> <em><i>Abigail Becomes David’s Wife</i></em>


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When David heard that Nabal was dead he said, Blessed is Yahweh, who has upheld my cause against Nabal, and has kept back His servant from doing wrong. Yahweh has returned the wrongdoing of Nabal on his own head. David sent and asked Abigail to become his wife.


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When his servants had come to Abigail to Carmel they said, David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.


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She arose, bowed herself with her face to the earth and said, Your handmaid is ready to be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.


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Abigail hurried and got onto a donkey, with five of her maids who followed her, and she went with the messengers of David and became his wife.


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Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David Spares Saul’s Life Again</i></em><br/>The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah saying, Isn’t David hiding in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?


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Then Saul went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.


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Saul encamped by the road on the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had come after him into the wilderness,


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David set out and came to the place where Saul had encamped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army were lying; Saul lay among the wagons and the people were encamped around him.


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Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? Abishai said, I will go down with you.


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So David and Abishai came to the army by night and Saul lay sleeping among the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the soldiers lay around him.


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Then Abishai said to David, God has delivered your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him to the ground with one stroke of my spear; I will not strike him a second time.


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David said to Abishai, Don’t destroy him, for who can put forth his hand against Yahweh’s anointed and be guiltless?


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David said, As Yahweh lives, Yahweh will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go into battle and perish.


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Yahweh forbid that I should put forth my hand against Yahweh’s anointed; but now please get the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.


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So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head and they went away; and no-one saw it or knew about it, neither did anyone awake, for they were all asleep because a deep sleep from Yahweh had fallen on them.


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Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of the hill far off, a great space being between them,


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and David called to the army and to Abner the son of Ner, Don’t you answer, Abner? Then Abner answered, Who are you who calls to the king?


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David said to Abner, Aren’t you a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? Someone came to destroy the king your lord.


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What you have done is not good. As Yahweh lives, you are worthy to die because you have not kept watch over your lord, Yahweh’s anointed. Where are the king’s spear and the jar of water that was at his head?


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Saul knew David’s voice and said, Is that your voice, my son David? David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.


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Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If Yahweh has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is men who have done it, may they be cursed by Yahweh, for they have driven me out so that I can’t have a part in Yahweh’s inheritance; they have said ‘Go and serve other gods!’.


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Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth far from the presence of Yahweh, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.<br/> <em><i>Saul’s Repentance</i></em>


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Then Saul said, I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. I have played the fool, and have erred very seriously.


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Yahweh will reward every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, because Yahweh delivered you into my hand today and I wouldn’t put forth my hand against Yahweh’s anointed.


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As your life was respected this day in my eyes, so let my life be respected in the eyes of Yahweh and let Him deliver me out of all oppression.


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Then Saul said to David, May you be blessed, my son David. You will do great things and will surely triumph. So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David Goes to the Philistines</i></em><br/>David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines, then Saul will give up looking for me any more in Israel and I will escape from him.


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David and the six hundred men who were with him left and went to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.


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David lived with Achish at Gath with his men, each one with his household, and David had with him his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.


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David said to Achish, If I have found favour in your eyes, let me be given a place in one of the cities in the country to live in. Why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?


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David and his men went and made a raid on the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites; those were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times as far as Shur and Egypt.


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David attacked the land and saved neither man nor woman alive; he took away the sheep, cattle, donkeys and camels and the clothing, then he returned to Achish.


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When Achish said, Against whom have you made a raid today? David would say, Against the South of Judah, or against the South of the Jerahmeelites, or against the South of the Kenites.


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David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring them to Gath, thinking, They might inform about us, saying, ‘David has done this. This was what he did all the time he lived in the country of the Philistines’.


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Achish believed David, saying, He has made his people Israel abhor him so much that he will be my servant forever.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Philistines Fight against Israel</i></em><br/>In those days the Philistines gathered their armies together to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, You must certainly go out with me in the army, you and your men.


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David said to Achish, Then you will know what your servant can do. Achish said to David, Therefore I will make you my bodyguard for life.


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Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. Saul had put away out of the land those who had familiar spirits and the wizards.


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The Philistines gathered together and encamped in Shunem, and Saul gathered all Israel and they encamped in Gilboa.


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When Saul inquired of Yahweh, Yahweh didn’t answer him, neither by dreams nor by Urim nor by prophets.<br/> <em><i>The Witch of Endor</i></em>


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Then Saul said to his servants, Find me a woman who has a familiar spirit so that I can go to inquire of her. His servants said to him, There is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor.


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Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothing, and went with two men to the woman by night. He said, Please consult a familiar spirit for me and bring me up the one I name.


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The woman said to him, Look, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land. Why then have you set a trap for me, to cause me to die?


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When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice, and said to Saul, Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!


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The king said to her, Don’t be afraid. What do you see? The woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth.


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He said to her, What does he look like? She said, An old man is coming up. He is wearing a mantle. Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and showed respect.


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Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up? Saul answered, I am very distressed, for the Philistines make war against me and God has departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you so that you can tell me what I should do.


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Yahweh has done to you as He spoke by me. Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbour, to David.


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Because you didn’t obey Yahweh and didn’t execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore Yahweh has done this to you today.


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Yahweh will deliver Israel and you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Yahweh will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.


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Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth and was terrified because of the words of Samuel. There was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all that day and all that night.


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The woman came to Saul, and seeing that he was very troubled she said to him, Look, your handmaid has obeyed you and I have put my life in my hands and have done what you told me.


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Now please listen to your handmaid and let me give you some food so that you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.


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But he refused and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, so he listened to them. He got up from the earth and sat on the bed.


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The woman had a fattened calf in the house. She hurried and killed it, and she took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread with it.


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She brought it before Saul and his servants and they ate. Then they got up, and went away that night.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David Sent Back to Ziklag by Achish</i></em><br/>The Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by the spring in Jezreel.


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The lords of the Philistines marched on in units of hundreds and thousands, and David and his men marched in the rear with Achish.


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Then the lords of the Philistines said, What about these Hebrews? Achish said, Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have so far found no fault in him?


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But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him and said to him, Send the man back to the place you have appointed for him. He must not go down with us to battle, in case he turns against us during the fighting. How better could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord than with the heads of these men?


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Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, ‘Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands?’.


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So Achish called David and said to him, As Yahweh lives, you have been upright and your conduct with me in the army has been good in my sight; I have not found evil in you since the day you came to me till this day. But the lords don’t approve of you.


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David said to Achish, But what have I done? What have you found against your servant all the time I have been with you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?


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Achish answered David, I know that you have been pleasing to me, as an angel of God, nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle’.


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Now get up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and depart as soon as it is light.


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So David got up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Amalekites Destroyed by David</i></em><br/>When David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the South and on Ziklag, and had attacked Ziklag and burned it,


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and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They didn’t kill any, but carried them off and went their way.


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When David and his men came to the city they found it had been burned, and their wives, their sons and their daughters taken captive.


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David’s two wives were taken captive: Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail who had been the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


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David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because they were grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.


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David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Please bring me here the ephod. Abiathar brought the ephod to David


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and David inquired of Yahweh saying, Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them? He answered, Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them and recover all.


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So David and the six hundred men who were with him went to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind had stayed.


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But David pursued the Amalekites with four hundred men; two hundred had stayed behind because they were so exhausted that they couldn’t go over the brook Besor.


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They found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him food and he ate, and they gave him water to drink.


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They gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, he revived, for he had eaten no food nor drunk any water for three days and three nights.


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David asked him, To whom do you belong? Where are you from? He said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me because three days ago I fell sick.


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We made a raid on the South of the Cherethites and on the territory which belongs to Judah and on the South of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.


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David said to him, Will you lead me down to this raiding party? He said, Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to them.


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When he had led him down, there they were, spread around over all the ground, eating, drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines and out of the land of Judah.


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David fought them from twilight to the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.


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There was nothing missing, small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken. David brought back everything.


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He took all the flocks and herds, which they drove before the other livestock, and he said, This is David’s spoil.


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David came to the two hundred men who had been so exhausted that they could not follow David, who had been left behind at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and the people who were with him. When David came near them he greeted them.


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But all the wicked men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, Because they didn’t go with us we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, just each man’s wife and children; then he can take them away and depart.


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David said, You must not do that, my brothers, with what Yahweh has given us. He has preserved us and delivered the forces that came against us into our hand.


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Who will listen to what you say? The share of the one who goes down to the battle shall be the same as the share of the one who stays with the baggage; they shall share alike.


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When David came to Ziklag he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, his friends, saying, Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of Yahweh.


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Hebron and to those in all the places where David himself and his men used to stay.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Saul’s Suicide</i></em><br/>Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.


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The Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.


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Then Saul said to his armour bearer, Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse me! But his armour bearer would not, for he was respectful. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.


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When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled, and the Philistines came and lived in them.


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The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.


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They cut off his head, stripped off his armour and sent into the land of the Philistines all around to carry the news to the house of their idols and to the people.


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all the valiant men arose and travelled all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan, and they went to Jabesh and burnt them there.


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They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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David said to him, Where do you come from? He said to him, I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.


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David said to him, How did it go? Please tell me. He answered, The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.


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The young man who told him said, As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.


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He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me’.


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So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.


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<em><i>David Mourns the Death of Saul and Jonathan</i></em><br/> Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men who were with him.


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They mourned, wept and fasted until evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.


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David said to the young man who told him, Where are you from? He answered, I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.


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David called one of the young men and said, Go near, and fall on him. He struck him, so that he died.


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David said to him, Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you saying, ‘I have slain Yahweh’s anointed’.<br/> <em><i>David's Lament</i></em>


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(and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):


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Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.


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You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain on you, neither fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was shamefully cast away, The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.


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From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back. Saul’s sword didn’t return empty.


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Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.


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You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet delicately, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.


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I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.


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<em><i>David Inquires of God</i></em><br/> It happened after this, that David inquired of Yahweh saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? Yahweh said to him, Go up. David said, Where shall I go up? He said, To Hebron.


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So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.


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David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.


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The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David saying, The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.


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David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead and said to them, Blessed are you by Yahweh, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.


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Now may Yahweh show grace and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.


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Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.<br/> <em><i>Ishbosheth Made King of Israel</i></em>


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Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;


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and he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin and over all Israel.


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Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.


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Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.


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Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.


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Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.


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They each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: therefore that place was called Helkath Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.


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The battle was very severe that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.<br/> <em><i>Death of Asahel</i></em>


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The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai and Asahel: and Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle.


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Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he didn’t turn to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.


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Abner said to him, Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.


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Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?


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However he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. It happened, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.


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But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.


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The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.


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Then Abner called to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?


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Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, rather than each following after his brother.


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So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.


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Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.


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Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.


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But the servants of David had struck of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred and sixty men died.


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They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The House of David Grows Stronger</i></em><br/> Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David grew stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.


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his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;


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the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron.<br/> <em><i>Abner Makes Peace with David</i></em>


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It happened that while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner made himself strong on behalf of the house of Saul.


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Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?


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Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman!


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to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.


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Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf saying, Whose is the land? Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you.


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He said, Good; I will make a treaty with you; but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.


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David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I pledged to be married to me for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.


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Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, Go! Return! And he returned.


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Abner had communication with the elders of Israel saying, In times past, you wished for David to be king over you.


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Now then do it; for Yahweh has spoken of David saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David, I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies’.


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Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.


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So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.


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Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires. David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.


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<em><i>Joab Kills Abner</i></em><br/> Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from an engagement, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.


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When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace.


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Then Joab came to the king and said, What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone?


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You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.


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When Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David didn’t know it.


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When Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.


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Afterwards, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yahweh forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.


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Let it fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.


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So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.


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David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. King David followed the bier.


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They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.


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Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put into fetters. As a man falls before the children of iniquity, so you fell. All the people wept again over him.


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All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day. David swore saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down.


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All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people.


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So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.


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The king said to his servants, Don’t you know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?


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I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May Yahweh reward the evildoer according to his wickedness.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Ishbosheth Killed</i></em><br/> When Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.


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Saul’s son had two men who were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin:


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Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the news came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.


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The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, as he took his rest at noon.


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They came there into the middle of the house, as if they would have fetched wheat; and they struck him in the body: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.


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Now when they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him, and killed him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.


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They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life! Yahweh has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.


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<em><i>Rechab and Baanah Put to Death</i></em><br/> David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,


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when someone told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead’, thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him, and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.


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How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?


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David commanded his young men, and they killed them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David Anointed King of Israel</i></em><br/> Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.


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In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. Yahweh said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of My people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel’.


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So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; and they anointed David king over Israel.


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In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.


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The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David saying, Unless you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here; thinking, David can’t come in here.


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David said on that day, Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul. Therefore they say, The blind and the lame can’t come into the house.


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David lived in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. David built around from Millo and inward.


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David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh, the God of Armies, was with him.<br/> <em><i>David Builds His House</i></em>


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Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, carpenters and masons; and they built David a house.


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David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel’s sake.


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David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and there were more sons and daughters born to David.


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When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold.


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David inquired of Yahweh saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand? Yahweh said to David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.<br/> <em><i>Victory against the Philistines</i></em>


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David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, Yahweh has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.


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When David inquired of Yahweh, He said, You shall not go up. Circle around behind them, and attack them opposite the mulberry trees.


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It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall stir yourself up; for then Yahweh has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.


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David did so, as Yahweh commanded him, and struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Uzzah and the Ark of God</i></em><br/> David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.


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David arose, and went with all the people who were with him, from Baale Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name, even the name of Yahweh of Armies who sits above the cherubim.


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They set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hill: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.


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They brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was in the hill, with the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.


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David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, castanets and cymbals.


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When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached for the ark of God and took hold of it; for the cattle stumbled.


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The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.


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David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken forth on Uzzah; and he called that place Perez Uzzah, to this day.


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So David would not move the ark of Yahweh to be with him in the city of David; but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.


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The ark of Yahweh remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months: and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom, and all his house.


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It was told king David saying, Yahweh has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that pertains to him, because of the ark of God.<br/> <em><i>The Ark Brought to the City of David</i></em><br/>David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of David with joy.


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It was so, that when those who bore the ark of Yahweh had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.


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So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Yahweh with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.


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It was so, as the ark of Yahweh came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yahweh; and she despised him in her heart.


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They brought in the ark of Yahweh, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.


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When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of Armies.


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He distributed to all the people, even throughout the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to each one a portion of bread, dates and raisins. So all the people departed each one to his house.


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Then David returned to bless his household.<br/> <em><i>Michal Goes to Meet David</i></em><br/>Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!


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David said to Michal, It was in the eyes of Yahweh, who chose me before your father and before all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. Therefore will I celebrate in the eyes of Yahweh.


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I will be yet more vile than this, and will be base in my own eyes. But of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall honour me.


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<em><i>God's Promise to David</i></em><br/> It happened, when the king lived in his house, and Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies all around,


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that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains.


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For I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have moved around in a tent and in a tabernacle.


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In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I say a word to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’’


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Now therefore you shall tell My servant David this, ‘Thus says Yahweh of Armies, I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over My people, over Israel.


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I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.


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I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,


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and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make you a house.


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When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your body, and I will establish his kingdom.


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I will be his father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men;


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but My loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.


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Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever’.


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According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.<br/> <em><i>David's Prayer to God</i></em>


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Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh; and he said, Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far?


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This was yet a small thing in Your eyes, Lord Yahweh; but You have spoken also of Your servant’s house for a great while to come; this is not the way of men, Lord Yahweh!


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For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have worked all this greatness, to make Your servant know it.


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Therefore You are great, Yahweh God. For there is none like You, neither is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.


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What one nation in the earth is like Your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to Himself for a people, and to make Himself a name, and to do great things for You, and awesome things for Your land, before Your people, whom You redeemed to yourself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?


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You established for Yourself Your people Israel to be a people to You for ever; and You, Yahweh, became their God.


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Now, Yahweh God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it for ever, and do as You have spoken.


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Let Your name be magnified for ever, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies is God over Israel; and the house of Your servant David shall be established before You’.


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For You, Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed to Your servant saying, ‘I will build you a house’. Therefore Your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to You.


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Now, O Lord Yahweh, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.


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Now therefore let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue for ever before You; for You, Lord Yahweh, have spoken it. Let the house of Your servant be blessed for ever with Your blessing.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>God Gives David Many Victories</i></em><br/> After this it happened that David struck the Philistines and subdued them: and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.


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He struck Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.


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David struck also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.


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David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen: and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots.


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When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Syrians twenty two thousand men.


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Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.


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David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.


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then Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass.


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<em><i>Spoils of War Dedicated to God</i></em><br/> King David also dedicated these to Yahweh, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued;


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of Syria, Moab, the children of Ammon, the Philistines and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.


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David made himself a name when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the Valley of Salt, even eighteen thousand men.


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He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.


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and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; and Seraiah was scribe;


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and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Jonathan's Son</i></em><br/> David said, Is there yet any who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?


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There was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? He said, Your servant is he.


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The king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him? Ziba said to the king, Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet.


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The king said to him, Where is he? Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.


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Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face, and showed respect. David said, Mephibosheth. He answered, Behold, your servant!


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David said to him, Don’t be afraid; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You shall eat bread at my table continually.


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He bowed down, and said, What is your servant, that you should look on such a dead dog as I am?<br/> <em><i>David Shows Grace to Mephibosheth</i></em>


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Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, All that pertained to Saul and to all his house have I given to your master’s son.


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You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.


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Then Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your shall servant do. So Mephibosheth ate at the king’s table, like one of the king’s sons.


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Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. All that lived in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.


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So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem; for he ate continually at the king’s table. He was lame in both his feet.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Ammonites Spurn David's Friendship</i></em><br/> It happened after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.


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David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.


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But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Do you think that David honours your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?


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So Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.


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When they told it to David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.


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When the children of Ammon saw that they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men.


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The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.


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<em><i>The Syrians and Ammonites Defeated</i></em><br/> Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.


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The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.


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He said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.


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Be courageous, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and Yahweh do that which seems good to Him.


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So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.


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When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.


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Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.


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It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.


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The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there.


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When all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David and Bathsheba</i></em><br/> It happened, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.


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It happened at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked on the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look on.


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David sent and inquired after the woman. One said, Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?


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David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.


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When Uriah had come to him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.


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David said to Uriah, Go down to your house, and wash your feet. Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.


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But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house.


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When they had told David, saying, Uriah didn’t go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?


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Uriah said to David, The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!<br/> <em><i>Death of Uriah the Hittite</i></em>


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David said to Uriah, Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart. So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day, and the next day.


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When David had called him, he ate and drink before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house.


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He wrote in the letter saying, Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck, and die.


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It happened, when Joab kept watch on the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.


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The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.


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and he commanded the messenger saying, When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,


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it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall?


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who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also’.


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The messenger said to David, The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field, and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate.


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The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.


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Then David said to the messenger, Thus you shall tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it’. Encourage him.


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When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Yahweh.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Nathan Confronts David</i></em><br/> Yahweh sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.


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but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter.


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A traveller came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man who had come to him.


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David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die!


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Nathan said to David, You are the man. This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.


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I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.


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Why have you despised the word of Yahweh, to do that which is evil in His sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.


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Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife’.


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This is what Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbour, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.


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For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun’.<br/> <em><i>David Acknowledges His Sin</i></em>


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David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Yahweh. Nathan said to David, Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die.


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However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to Yahweh’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.


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Nathan departed to his house. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it was very sick.


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David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.


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The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.


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It happened on the seventh day, that the child died. The servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?


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But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? They said, He is dead.


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Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the house of Yahweh, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.


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Then his servants said to him, What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.


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He said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’.


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But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.<br/> <em><i>Birth of Solomon</i></em>


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David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Yahweh loved him;


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Joab sent messengers to David and said, I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters.


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Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.


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He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head. He brought out the spoil of the city, exceeding much.


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He brought out the people who were therein, and put them under saws, and under iron picks, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln: and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Amnon and Tamar</i></em><br/> It happened after this, that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.


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Amnon was so troubled that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.


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But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.


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He said to him, Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won’t you tell me? Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.


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Jonadab said to him, Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand’.


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So Amnon lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let my sister Tamar come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.


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Then David sent home to Tamar saying, Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.


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So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.


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She took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnon said, Have all men leave me. Every man went out from him.


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Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the inner room, that I may eat from your hand. Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the inner room to Amnon her brother.


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When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister!


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She answered him, No, my brother, do not force me! For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Don’t you do this folly.


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I, to where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.


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However he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.


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Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone!


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She said to him, Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me!<br/> <em><i>Tamar Sent Away</i></em><br/>But he would not listen to her.


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Then he called his servant who ministered to him and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.


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She had a garment of various colours on her; for with such robes were the king’s daughters who were virgins dressed. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.


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Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colours that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.


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Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.


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Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.<br/> <em><i>Amnon Killed</i></em>


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It happened after two full years, that Absalom had sheep shearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.


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Absalom came to the king and said, See now, your servant has sheep shearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.


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The king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you. He pressed him; however he would not go, but blessed him.


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Then Absalom said, If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us. The king said to him, Why should he go with you?


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Absalom commanded his servants saying, Mark now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine; and when I tell you, ‘Strike Amnon’, then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant!


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The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man got up on his mule, and fled.


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It happened, while they were in the way, that the news came to David, saying, Absalom has slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left!<br/> <em><i>Absalom Flees</i></em>


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Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.


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Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered, Don’t let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.


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Now therefore don’t let my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead.


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But Absalom fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming by the way of the hillside behind him.


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It happened, as soon as he had finished speaking, that behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept. The king also and all his servants wept bitterly.


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But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day.


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King David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Plea for Absalom</i></em><br/> Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was towards Absalom.


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Joab sent to Tekoa and fetched there a wise woman and said to her, Please act like a mourner, and please put on mourning clothing and don’t anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.


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When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showed respect and said, Help, O king!


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Your handmaid had two sons, and they both fought together in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and mudered him.


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Behold, the whole family has risen against your handmaid and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he murdered, and so destroy the heir also’. Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.


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The woman of Tekoa said to the king, My lord O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and the king and his throne be guiltless.


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Then she said, Please let the king remember Yahweh your God so that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. He said, As Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.


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The woman said, Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.


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For we must die, and are as water split on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.


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Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and your handmaid said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant’.


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For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.


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Then your handmaid said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May Yahweh your God be with you’.


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Then the king answered the woman, Please don’t hide anything from me that I ask you. The woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.


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The king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?<br/> <em><i>Absalom Brought Back to Jerusalem</i></em><br/>The woman answered, As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab, he urged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid;


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to change the face of the matter has your servant Joab done this thing. My lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are on the earth.


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The king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.


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Joab fell to the ground on his face, showed respect, and blessed the king. Joab said, Today your servant knows that I have found grace in your sight, my lord o king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.


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The king said, Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face.


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Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.


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When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year’s end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king’s weight.


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To Absalom there were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful appearance.


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Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.


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Therefore he said to his servants, Behold, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire. Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.


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Then Joab arose and came to Absalom to his house and said to him, Why have your servants set my field on fire?


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Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent to you saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king to say, Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me’.


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So Joab came to the king and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Absalom Wins the Hearts of the People</i></em><br/> It happened after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.


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Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. It was so, that whenever any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgement, then Absalom called to him and said, What city are you from? He said, Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.


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Absalom said to him, Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputised by the king to hear you.


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Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that each man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!


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It was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand and took hold of him and kissed him.


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Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.


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It happened at the end of forty years that Absalom said to the king, Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.


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For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria saying, ‘If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh’.


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But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’.


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Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited and went in their innocence; and they didn’t know anything.


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Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.


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David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly and bring evil down upon us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.


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The king’s servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.<br/> <em><i>David Flees Jerusalem</i></em>


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The king went forth, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.


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All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.


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Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to your own place.


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Whereas you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.


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Ittai answered the king and said, As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will your servant be.


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David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him.


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All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over towards the way of the wilderness.


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Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people finished passing out of the city.


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The king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I find grace in the eyes of Yahweh, He will bring me again, and show me both it, and His dwelling place;


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but if He say thus, ‘I have no delight in you;’ behold, here am I. Let Him do to me as seems good to Him.<br/> <em><i>Zadok Sent Back to Jerusalem</i></em>


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The king said also to Zadok the priest, Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.


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David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him covered each man his head; so they went up, weeping as they went up.


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Someone told David saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. David said, Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.


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It happened that when David had come to the top, where God was worshipped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head.


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but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel’.


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Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore it shall be, that whatever thing you shall hear out of the king’s house, you shall tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.


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Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send to me everything that you shall hear.


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So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Ziba Meets David</i></em><br/> When David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits and a skin of wine.


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The king said to Ziba, What do you mean by these? Ziba said, The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink.


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The king said, Where is your master’s son? Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father’.


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Then the king said to Ziba, Behold, all that pertains to Mephibosheth is yours. Ziba said, I do obeisance. Let me find grace in your sight, my lord, O king.<br/> <em><i>Shimei Curses David</i></em>


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When king David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera. He came out and cursed continually as he came.


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He cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.


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Yahweh has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned! Yahweh has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own sinfulness, because you are a man of blood!


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Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.


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The king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him, ‘Curse David’, who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’.


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David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has invited him.


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It may be that Yahweh will look on the wrong done to me, and that Yahweh will repay me good for the cursing of me today.


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So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust.


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The king, and all the people who were with him, became weary; and he refreshed himself there.<br/> <em><i>Absalom and Ahithophel</i></em>


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It happened, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had come to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king! Long live the king!


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Hushai said to Absalom, No; but whoever Yahweh and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him I will stay.


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Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn’t I serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.


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Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father’s concubines, that he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.


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So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house; and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.


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The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Absalom Accepts Hushai's Counsel</i></em><br/> Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.


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I will come on him while he is weary and exhausted, and will make him afraid. All the people who are with him shall flee. I will strike the king only;


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and I will bring back all the people to you. The man whom you seek is as if all returned; and so all the people shall be in peace.


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When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him saying, Ahithophel has spoken like this. Shall we do what he says? If not, speak up.


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Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are bitter in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.


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Behold, he is now hidden in some pit, or in some other place. It will happen, when some of them have fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom!’


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Even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.


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But I advise that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.


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So shall we come on him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him we will not leave so much as one.


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Moreover, if he be gone into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there isn’t one small stone found there.


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Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom.


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Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Ahithophel counselled Absalom and the elders of Israel that way; and I have counselled this way.


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Now therefore send quickly and tell David saying, ‘Don’t lodge this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him’.<br/> <em><i>Warning Sent to David</i></em>


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Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En Rogel; and a female servant used to go and tell them; and they went and told king David. For they didn’t want to be seen to come into the city.


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But a boy saw them, and told Absalom. Then they both went away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there.


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The woman took and spread the covering over the well’s mouth, and spread out bruised grain on it; and nothing was known.


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Absalom’s servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? The woman said to them, They have gone over the brook of water. When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.


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It happened, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counselled against you.


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Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.


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When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and went home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.


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Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.


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It happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,


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brought beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans, lentils, roasted grain,


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honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people who were with him, to eat: for they said, The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David's Plea for Absalom</i></em><br/> David numbered the people who were with him, and set over them captains over thousands and captains over hundreds.


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David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.


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But the people said, You shall not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it’s better that you are ready to help us from out of the city.


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The king said to them, I will do what seems best to you. The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.


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The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.


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The people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.


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For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.


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Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, so that he was taken up between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.


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Joab said to the man who told him, Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a belt.


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The man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t put forth my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai saying, ‘Beware that none touch the young man Absalom’.


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Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me.<br/> <em><i>Death of Absalom</i></em>


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Then Joab said, I’m not going to wait like this with you. He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.


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Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.


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They took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled everyone to his tent.


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Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s vale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in memory. He called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.


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Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me now run and bear the king news, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies.


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Joab said to him, You shall not be the bearer of news this day, but you shall bear news another day. But today you shall bear no news, because the king’s son is dead.


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Then Joab said to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what you have seen! The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.


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Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite. Joab said, Why do you want to run, my son, since that you will have no reward for the news?


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But come what may, he said, I will run. He said to him, Run! Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.<br/> <em><i>David Mourns the Death of Absalom</i></em>


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Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.


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The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. He came closer and closer.


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The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the porter, and said, Behold, a man running alone! The king said, He also brings news.


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The watchman said, I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. The king said, He is a good man, and comes with good news.


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Ahimaaz called and said to the king, All is well. He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth and said, Blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!


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The king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.


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Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, News for my lord the king; for Yahweh has avenged you this day of all those who rose up against you.


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The king said to the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? The Cushite answered, May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.


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The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said, My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Joab Remonstrates with David</i></em><br/> It was told Joab, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.


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The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard it said that day, The king grieves for his son.


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The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.


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The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!


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Joab came into the house to the king and said, You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, who this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;


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in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared this day, that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it would have pleased you well.


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Now therefore arise, go out, and speak to the heart of your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse for you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.


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Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told all the people saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.


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All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.


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Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?


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King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests saying, Speak to the elders of Judah saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? Since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house.


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You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’


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Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually in place of Joab’.


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He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man; so that they sent to the king, saying, Return, you and all your servants.<br/> <em><i>Shimei Pardoned</i></em>


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So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.


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Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.


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There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.


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A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he had come over the Jordan.


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He said to the king, Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, nor remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.


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For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.


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But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, Shall Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?


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David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? For don’t I know that I am this day king over Israel?


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The king said to Shimei, You shall not die. The king swore to him.<br/> <em><i>Mephibosheth Seeks Pardon</i></em>


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Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.


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It happened, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?


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He answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle me a donkey that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because your servant is lame.


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He has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in your eyes.


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For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?


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The king said to him, Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.


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Mephibosheth said to the king, Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.


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Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.


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Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.


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Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?


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I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?


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Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward?


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Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.


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The king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you require of me, that I will do for you.


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All the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.


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So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.


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Behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?


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All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?


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The men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Sheba's Rebellion</i></em><br/> There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!


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So all the men of Israel changed from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.


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David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.


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Then the king said to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present.


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So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.


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David said to Abishai, Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants, and pursue after him, otherwise he will get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight.<br/> <em><i>Joab Kills Amasa</i></em>


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There went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, the Pelethites and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.


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When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his battledress that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.


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Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.


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But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.


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There stood by him one of Joab’s young men and said, He who favours Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!


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Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everybody who came by him stood still.


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<em><i>Sheba Killed</i></em><br/> When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.


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He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.


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They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered at the wall, in order to throw it down.


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Then a wise woman cried out of the city, Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you’.


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He came near to her; and the woman said, Are you Joab? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the words of your handmaid. He answered, I do hear.


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Then she spoke saying, They used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel’; and so they resolved things.


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I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?


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The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. The woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.


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Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, each man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.


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Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;


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and Adoram was over the men subject to forced labour; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;


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<em><i>David Atones for Saul's Bloodshed</i></em><br/> There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. Yahweh said, There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put to death the Gibeonites.


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The king called the Gibeonites and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);


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and David said to the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?


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The Gibeonites said to him, It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel. He said, Whatever you say, that will I do for you.


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They said to the king, The man who consumed us, and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel,


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let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh. The king said, I will give them.


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But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.


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But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.


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He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountain before Yahweh, and all seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.


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Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night.


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David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, in the day that the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa;


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and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son: and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged.


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They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. After that God responded to the prayer for the land.


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<em><i>War against the Philistines</i></em><br/> The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint;


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and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being armed with a new sword, was about to have slain David.


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But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him saying, You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you don’t quench the lamp of Israel.


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It came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.


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There was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.


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There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, twenty four in number; and he also was born to the giant.


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These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David's Song of Praise</i></em><br/> David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:


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God, my rock, in Him I will take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My saviour, You save me from violence.


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In my distress I called on Yahweh. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of His temple. My cry came into His ears.


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Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because He was angry.


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Then the channels of the sea were exposed, the foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of Yahweh, by the blast of the breath of His nostrils.


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Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands.


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Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His eyesight.


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With the merciful You will show Yourself to have bowed the neck; with the perfect man You will show Yourself perfect.


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With the purified You will show Yourself pure, with the crooked You will show Yourself tortuous.<br/> <em><i>God's Way Is Perfect</i></em>


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As for God, His way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him.


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I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can’t arise. Yes, they have fallen under my feet.


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For You have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.


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Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad.


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You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people. You have preserved me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me.


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who delivers from my enemies. Yes, You lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.


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He gives great deliverance to His king, and shows grace to His anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David's Last Words</i></em><br/> Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:


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The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,


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shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, like the clear shining after rain’.


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Most certainly my house is not so with God, yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although He doesn’t make it grow.


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But all of the ungodly shall be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand;


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but the man who touches them must be filled with iron and the staff of a spear. They shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.<br/> <em><i>David's Mighty Men</i></em>


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These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, who slew eight hundred at one time.


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After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had fled away.


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He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.


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After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.


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But he stood in the midst of the plot and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory.


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Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.


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David longed and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!


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The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh.


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He said, Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn’t it the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.


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Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.


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Wasn’t he the most honourable of the three? Therefore he was made their captain: however, he didn’t attain to the three.


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Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.


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He killed an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.


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He was more honourable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard.


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Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,


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<em><i>David Numbers Israel and Judah</i></em><br/> Again the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and He moved David against them saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.


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The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the sum of the people.


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Joab said to the king, Now may Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?


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Notwithstanding, the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel.


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They passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer:


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then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; and they came to Dan Jaan, and around to Sidon,


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and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beersheba.


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So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.


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Joab delivered the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.<br/> <em><i>David Begs God's Mercy</i></em>


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David’s heart struck him after that he had numbered the people. David said to Yahweh, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, Yahweh, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of Your servant; for I have done very foolishly.


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When David rose up in the morning, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,


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Go and speak to David, ‘Thus says Yahweh, I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you’.


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So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days of plague in your land? Now answer, and consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.


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David said to Gad, I am in distress; let us fall now into the hand of Yahweh; for His mercies are great. Let me not fall into the hand of man.


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So Yahweh sent a plague on Israel from the morning even to the appointed time; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.


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When the angel stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, It is enough. Now stay your hand. The angel of Yahweh was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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David had spoken to Yahweh when he saw the angel who struck the people, and had said, Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me, and against my father’s house.


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<em><i>The Plague Afflicting Israel Is Stopped</i></em><br/> Gad came that day to David and said to him, Go up, build an altar to Yahweh on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.


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Araunah looked out, and saw the king and his servants coming on towards him. Then Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.


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Araunah said, Why has my lord the king come to his servant? David said, To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar to Yahweh, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people.


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Araunah said to David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the cattle for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood:


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all this, my king, does Araunah give to the king. Araunah said to the king, May Yahweh your God accept you.


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The king said to Araunah, No; but I will most certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.


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David built an altar to Yahweh there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So Yahweh heard the prayer for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Adonijah’s Rebellion</i></em><br/> Now king David was old and advanced in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he couldn’t keep warm.


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Therefore his servants said to him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin. Let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie on your chest, so that my lord the king may keep warm.


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So they sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.


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The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king didn’t know her intimately.


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Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king. Then he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.


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His father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why have you done so? And he was also a very handsome man; and he was born after Absalom.


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He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest: they followed Adonijah and helped him.


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But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.


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Adonijah killed sheep and cattle and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel; and he called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants:


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but Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he didn’t call.<br/> <em><i>Nathan and Bathsheba Persuade David to Pronounce Solomon as King</i></em>


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Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon saying, Haven’t you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord doesn’t know it?


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Now therefore come, please let me give you advice, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon.


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Go in to king David and tell him, ‘Didn’t you, my lord, king, swear to your handmaid saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign?’


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Bathsheba went in to the king into the room. The king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king.


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She said to him, My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your handmaid, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’.


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He has killed cattle, fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army; but he hasn’t called Solomon your servant.


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You, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.


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Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.


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They told the king, saying, Here is Nathan the prophet! When he had come in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.


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Nathan said, My lord, king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?’.


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For he is gone down this day, and has killed cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Even now they are eating and drinking before him and saying, ‘Long live king Adonijah!’.


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But he hasn’t called me, even me your servant, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.


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Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you haven’t shown to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?


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Then king David answered, Call to me Bathsheba. She came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.


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most certainly as I swore to you by Yahweh the God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place;’ most certainly so will I do this day.


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Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and showed respect to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live forever!


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King David said, Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. They came before the king.


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The king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.


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Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel. Blow the trumpet, and say, ‘Long live king Solomon!’.


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Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne; for he shall be king in my place. I have appointed him to be prince over Israel and over Judah.


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Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen. May Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, say so too.


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As Yahweh has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.<br/> <em><i>Solomon Is Proclaimed King</i></em>


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So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and caused Solomon to ride on king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.


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Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Long live king Solomon!


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All the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their sound.


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Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet he said, Why is this noise of the city being in an uproar?


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While he yet spoke, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said, Come in; for you are a worthy man, and bring good news.


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The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they have caused him to ride on the king’s mule.


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Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. They have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that you have heard.


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Moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne’; and the king bowed himself on the bed.


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Also thus said the king, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, my eyes even seeing it’.


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Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.


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It was told Solomon saying, Behold, Adonijah fears king Solomon; for, behold, he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let king Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword’.


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Solomon said, If he shows himself a worthy man, not a hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.


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So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed down to king Solomon; and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>David Charges Solomon</i></em><br/> Now the days of David drew near that he should die; and he commanded Solomon his son saying,


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and keep the instruction of Yahweh your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances and His testimonies, according to what is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do, and wherever you turn yourself.


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This is so that Yahweh may establish His word which He spoke concerning me saying, ‘If your children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you’, He said, ‘a man on the throne of Israel’.


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Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me and what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was about his waist, and in his shoes that were on his feet.


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But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those who eat at your table; for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.


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Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I vowed to him by Yahweh saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword’.


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Now therefore don’t hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.


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The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.<br/> <em><i>Solomon Destroys His Rivals</i></em>


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Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, Do you come peaceably? He said, Peaceably.


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He said, You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However the kingdom is turned around, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from Yahweh.


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He said, Please speak to Solomon the king (for he will not tell you ‘no’), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.


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Bathsheba therefore went to king Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.


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Then she said, I ask one small petition of you; don’t deny me. The king said to her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny you.


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King Solomon answered his mother, Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also; for he is my elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.


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Then king Solomon vowed by Yahweh saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.


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Now therefore as Yahweh lives, who has established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as He promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death this day.


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To Abiathar the priest the king said, Go to Anathoth, to your own fields; for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord Yahweh before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.


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So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfil the word of Yahweh, which He spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.


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The news came to Joab; for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he didn’t turn after Absalom. Joab fled to the tabernacle of Yahweh, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.


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It was told king Solomon, Joab has fled to the tabernacle of Yahweh, and behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada saying, Go, fall on him.


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Benaiah came to the tabernacle of Yahweh and said to him, Thus says the king, ‘Come forth!’. He said, No; but I will die here. Benaiah brought the king word again saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.


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The king said to him, Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him; that you may take away the blood which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father’s house.


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Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.


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So shall their blood return on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed forever. But to David, and to his seed, and to his house, and to his throne, there shall be peace forever from Yahweh.


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Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell on him, and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.


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The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army; and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.


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The king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and don’t go out anywhere from there.


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For on the day you go out, and pass over the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall surely die: your blood shall be on your own head.


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Shimei said to the king, The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do. Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.


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It happened at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. They told Shimei saying, Behold, your servants are in Gath.


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Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish, to seek his servants; and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.


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The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Didn’t I adjure you by Yahweh and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain, that on the day you go out, and walk abroad any where, you shall surely die?’. You said to me, ‘The saying that I have heard is good’.


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The king said moreover to Shimei, You know all the wickedness which your heart knows full well, what you did to David my father. Therefore Yahweh shall return your wickedness on your own head.


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But king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before Yahweh forever.


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So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Solomon Asks for Wisdom</i></em><br/> Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of Yahweh, and the wall of Jerusalem all around.


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At that time the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was no house built for the name of Yahweh.


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Solomon loved Yahweh, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.


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The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.


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Solomon said, You have shown to Your servant David my father great grace, according as he walked before You in truth, righteousness and in uprightness of heart with You. You have kept for him this great grace, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.


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Now, Yahweh my God, You have made Your servant king instead of David my father. I am but a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.


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Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered nor counted for multitude.


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Give Your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this Your great people?


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God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, neither have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice;


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therefore I have done according to your word. Behold, I have already given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there has been none like you before you, neither after you shall any arise like you.


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I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honour, so that there shall not be any among the kings like you, all your days.


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If you will walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.


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Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.<br/> <em><i>The Two Prostitutes</i></em>


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The one woman said, Oh my lord, I and this woman live in one house. I gave birth with her in the house.


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It happened the third day after I gave birth, that this woman gave birth also. We were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, just us two in the house.


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She arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.


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When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I bore.


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The other woman said, No; but the living is my son, and the dead is your son. The other said, No; but the dead is your son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king.


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Then the king said, The one says, ‘This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one’.


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Then the woman whose the living child was spoke to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, Oh my lord, give her the living child, and in no way kill it! But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor yours. Divide it.


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All Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers; Zabud the son of Nathan was chief officer, the king’s friend;


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Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labour.


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Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household: each man had to make provision for a month in the year.


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Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth Shean which is beside Zarethan, beneath Jezreel, from Beth Shean to Abel Meholah, as far as beyond Jokmeam;


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Ben Geber, in Ramoth Gilead (to him belonged the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him belonged the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);


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Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer who was in the land.


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Judah and Israel were many as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and making merry.


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Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life.


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ten head of fat cattle, twenty head of cattle out of the pastures, one hundred sheep, besides harts, gazelles, roebucks and fattened fowl.


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For he had dominion over all on this side of the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side of the River: and he had peace on all sides around him.


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Judah and Israel lived safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.


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Those officers provided food for king Solomon, and for all who came to king Solomon’s table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking.


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Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they to the place where the officers were, each man according to his duty.<br/> <em><i>The Wisdom of Solomon</i></em>


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God gave Solomon great wisdom and understanding, and very great perception, according to the sand which is on the seashore.


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For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all the nations all around.


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He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, birds, creeping things and fish.


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There came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Hiram Cooperates with Solomon to Build the Temple</i></em><br/> Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the place of his father: for Hiram had always admired David.


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You know how that David my father could not build a house for the name of Yahweh his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until Yahweh put his enemies under the soles of his feet.


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But now Yahweh my God has given me rest on every side. There is no adversary nor any evil occurrence.


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Behold, I purpose to build a house for the name of Yahweh my God, as Yahweh spoke to David my father saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he shall build the house for My name’.


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Now therefore command that they cut me cedar trees out of Lebanon. My servants shall be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you shall say. For you know that there is not among us any who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.


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It happened, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he was very pleased and said, Blessed is Yahweh this day, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.


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Hiram sent to Solomon saying, I have heard the message which you have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar and concerning timber of fir.


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My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you shall appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them. You shall accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.


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Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food for his household, and twenty measures of pure oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year.


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Yahweh had given Solomon wisdom, as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a treaty together.


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He sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses; a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home; and Adoniram was over the men subject to forced labour.


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Solomon had seventy thousand who bore burdens, and eighty thousand who were stone cutters in the mountains;


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besides Solomon’s chief officers who were over the work, three thousand three hundred, who bore rule over the people who laboured in the work.


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The king commanded, and they cut out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with worked stone.


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Solomon’s builders along with Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Plan of the Temple</i></em><br/> It happened in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of Yahweh.


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The house which king Solomon built for Yahweh, its length was sixty cubits, and its breadth twenty, and its height thirty cubits.


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The porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was its length, according to the breadth of the house. Ten cubits was its breadth before the house.


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Against the wall of the house he built storeys all around, against the walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the oracle; and he made side rooms all around.


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The lowest storey was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around, so that the supporting beams should not should not be inserted into the walls of the house.


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The house, when it was in building, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.


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The door for the middle side rooms was in the right side of the house: and they went up by winding stairs into the middle storey, and out of the middle into the third.


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He built the storeys against the whole house, each five cubits high: and they were attached to the house by cedar beams.


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Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes, and execute My ordinances, and keep all My commandments to walk in them; then will I establish My word with you, which I spoke to David your father.


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He built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar: from the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood; and he covered the floor of the house with boards of fir.


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He built twenty cubits on the back part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling: he built them for it within, for an inner sanctuary, even for the most holy place.


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There was cedar on the house within, carved with buds and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.<br/> <em><i>The Inner Sanctuary</i></em>


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He prepared an inner sanctuary in the midst of the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh.


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Within the inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in its height; and he overlaid it with pure gold: and he covered the altar with cedar.


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So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he drew chains of gold across before the inner sanctuary; and he overlaid it with gold.


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The whole house he overlaid with gold, until all the house was finished: also the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.


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Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing to the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.


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He set the cherubim within the inner house; and the wings of the cherubim were stretched forth, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.


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He carved all the walls of the house around with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, inside and outside.


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For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood: the lintel and door posts were a fifth part of the wall.


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So he made two doors of olive wood; and he carved on them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim, and on the palm trees.


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In the same way he also made for the entrance of the temple door posts of olive wood, out of a fourth part of the wall;


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and two doors of fir wood: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.


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He carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold fitted on the engraved work.


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In the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all its parts, and according to all its fashion. Thus he was seven years in building it.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Solomon’s House</i></em><br/> Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.


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For he built the house of the forest of Lebanon; its length was one hundred cubits, and its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits, on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars.


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It was covered with cedar above over the forty-five beams, that were on the pillars; fifteen in a row.


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He made the porch of pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits; and a porch before them; and pillars and a threshold before them.


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He made the hall of judgment for the throne where he was to judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor.


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His house where he was to dwell had another court within the porch, which was of the same plan. He made also a house for Pharaoh’s daughter (whom Solomon had taken as wife), like this porch.


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All these were of costly stones, even of cut stone, according to measure, sawn with saws, inside and outside, even from the foundation to the coping, and so on the outside to the great court.


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The foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.


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The great court around had three courses of cut stone, and a course of cedar beams; like the inner court of the house of Yahweh, and the porch of the house.<br/> <em><i>The Two Pillars and Laver</i></em>


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He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill, to work all works in brass. He came to king Solomon, and performed all his work.


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For he fashioned the two pillars of brass, each eighteen cubits high: and a line of twelve cubits encircled both of them around.


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He made two capitals of molten brass, to set on the tops of the pillars: the height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits.


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There were nets of chequer work, and wreaths of chain work, for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital, and seven for the other capital.


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So he made the pillars; and there were two rows around on the one network, to cover the capitals that were on the top of the pillars: and he did so for the other capital.


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There were capitals above also on the two pillars, close by the cushion which was beside the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows around on the other capital.


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He set up the pillars at the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called its name Jachin; and he set up the left pillar, and called its name Boaz.


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He made the molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and its height was five cubits; and a line of thirty cubits encircled it.


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Under its brim around there were buds which encircled it, for ten cubits, encircling the sea: the buds were in two rows, cast when it was cast.


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It stood on twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking toward the south and three looking toward the east; and the sea was set on them above, and all their hinder parts were inward.


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It was a handbreadth thick: and its brim was worked like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily: it held two thousand baths.


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He made the ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits its breadth, and three cubits its height.


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and on the panels that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the ledges there was a pedestal above; and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work.


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Every base had four bronze wheels, and axles of brass; and the four feet of it had supports: beneath the basin were the supports molten, with wreaths at the side of each.


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The mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit: and its mouth was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its mouth were engravings, and their panels were foursquare, not round.


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The four wheels were underneath the panels; and the axles of the wheels were in the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.


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The work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axles, and their rims, and their spokes, and their naves, were all molten.


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In the top of the base was there a round compass half a cubit high; and on the top of the base its stays and its panels were of the same.


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On the plates of its stays, and on its panels, he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around.


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He made ten basins of brass: one basin contained forty baths; and every basin was four cubits; and on every one of the ten bases one basin.


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He set the bases, five on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.


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Hiram made the basins, and the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he worked for king Solomon in the house of Yahweh:


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the two pillars, and the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars;


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and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks; two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars;


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and the pots, and the shovels, and the basins: even all these vessels, which Hiram made for king Solomon, in the house of Yahweh, were of burnished brass.


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Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: the weight of the brass could not be found out.<br/> <em><i>The Utensils for the Temple</i></em>


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Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of Yahweh: the golden altar, and the table whereupon the show bread was, of gold;


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and the lampstands, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, of gold;


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and the cups, and the snuffers, and the basins, and the spoons, and the fire pans, of pure gold; and the hinges, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, of the temple, of gold.


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Thus all the work that king Solomon worked in the house of Yahweh was finished. Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold and the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the house of Yahweh.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Temple Is Dedicated</i></em><br/> Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the families of the people of Israel, to king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of the city of David, which is Zion.


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All the men of Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.


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They brought up the ark of Yahweh, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; all these the priests and the Levites brought up.


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King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.


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The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.


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For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above.


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The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary; but they were not seen outside: and there they are to this day.


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There was nothing in the ark except the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.


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so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh.<br/> <em><i>Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication</i></em>


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The king turned his face about, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.


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He said, Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to David my father, and has with His hand fulfilled it, saying,


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‘Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house that My name might be there; but I chose David to be over My people Israel’.


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Now it was with the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.


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But Yahweh said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was in your heart.


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Nevertheless, you shall not build the house; but your son who shall come forth out of your body, he shall build the house for My name’.


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Yahweh has established His word that He spoke; for I have risen up in the place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.


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There I have set a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of Yahweh which He made with our fathers when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.


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Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;


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and he said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above nor on earth beneath; who keeps covenant and grace with Your servants who walk before You with all their heart;


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who has kept with Your servant David my father that which You promised him. Yes, You spoke with Your mouth, and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.


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Now therefore, may Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him saying, ‘There shall not fail you a man in My sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk before Me as you have walked before Me’.


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Now therefore, God of Israel, please let Your word be verified, which You spoke to Your servant David my father.


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But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can’t contain You; how much less this house that I have built!


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Yet have respect for the prayer of Your servant, and for his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You this day;


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that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day toward the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there;’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place.


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Listen to the supplication of Your servant, and of Your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place. Yes, hear in heaven, Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.


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If a man sins against his neighbour, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swears before Your altar in this house;


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then hear in heaven, and do, and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.


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When Your people Israel are struck down before the enemy, because they have sinned against You; if they turn again to You, and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this house:


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then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which You gave to their fathers.


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When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You; if they pray toward this place, and confess Your name, and turn from their sin, when You afflict them:


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then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, and of Your people Israel, when You teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.


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If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in their cities; whatever plague, whatever sickness there is;


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whatever prayer and supplication is made by any man, or by all Your people Israel, who shall each know the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:


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then hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart You know; (for You, even You only, know the hearts of all the children of men;)


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Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for Your name’s sake


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(for they shall hear of Your great name, and of Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he shall come and pray toward this house;


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hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to You for; that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name.


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If Your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way You shall send them, and they pray to Yahweh toward the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your name;


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If they sin against You (for there is no man who doesn’t sin), and You are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near;


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yet if they shall repent in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to You in the land of those who carried them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned, and have done perversely; we have dealt wickedly;’


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if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to You towards their land, which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name:


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then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven, your dwelling place, and maintain their cause;


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and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against You; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them


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(for they are Your people, and Your inheritance, which You brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron);


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that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant, and to the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they cry to You.


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For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by Moses Your servant, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord Yahweh.<br/> <em><i>A Final Dedication</i></em>


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It was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication to Yahweh, he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.


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Blessed be Yahweh, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised by Moses His servant.


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that He may incline our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes and his ordinances which He commanded our fathers.


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Let these my words, with which I have made supplication before Yahweh, be near to Yahweh our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant, and the cause of His people Israel, as each day shall require;


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Let your heart therefore be perfect with Yahweh our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as you do at this day.


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Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to Yahweh, twenty two thousand head of cattle, and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of Yahweh.


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The same day the king made the middle of the court holy that was before the house of Yahweh; for there he offered the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before Yahweh was too little to receive the burnt offering, the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings.


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So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before Yahweh our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.


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On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David His servant, and to Israel His people.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>God Warns Solomon</i></em><br/> It happened, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of Yahweh, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,


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Yahweh said to him, I have heard your prayer and your supplication, that you have made before Me. I have made this house holy, which you have built, to put My name there forever; and My eyes and My heart shall be there constantly.


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As for you, if you will walk before Me, as David your father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep My statutes and My ordinances;


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then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, according as I promised to David your father saying, ‘There shall not fail you a man on the throne of Israel’.


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But if you turn away from following Me, you or your children, and don’t keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;


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then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.


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Though this house is so high, yet shall everyone who passes by it be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, ‘Why has Yahweh done thus to this land, and to this house?’;


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and they shall answer, ‘Because they forsook Yahweh their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold of other gods, and worshiped them, and served them. Therefore Yahweh has brought all this evil on them’.


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It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of Yahweh and the king’s house


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(now Hiram the king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire), that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.


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He said, What cities are these which you have given me, my brother? He called them the land of Cabul to this day.


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Hiram sent to the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold.<br/> <em><i>Solomon Strengthens His Kingdom</i></em>


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This is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, to build the house of Yahweh, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.


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Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it for a present to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.


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and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.


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As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the children of Israel;


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their children who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel were not able utterly to destroy, of them Solomon raised a levy of bondservants to this day.


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But of the children of Israel Solomon made no bondservants; but they were the men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots and of his horsemen.


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These were the chief officers who were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, who bore rule over the people who laboured in the work.


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But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of the city of David to her house which Solomon had built for her: then he built Millo.


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Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he built to Yahweh three times a year, burning incense with them, on the altar that was before Yahweh. So he finished the house.


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King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.


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Hiram sent in the navy his servants, sailors who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.


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They came to Ophir, and fetched from there gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon</i></em><br/> When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of Yahweh, she came to test him with hard questions.


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She came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that carried spices, and very much gold and precious stones; and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in her heart.


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Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hidden from the king which he didn’t tell her.


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and the food of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their clothing, and his cup bearers, and his ascent by which he went up to the house of Yahweh; there was no more spirit in her.


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She said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom.


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However I didn’t believe the words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it. Behold, the half was not told me! Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.


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Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, who hear your wisdom.


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Blessed is Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on the throne of Israel. Because Yahweh loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.


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She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones. There came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.


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The navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a great quantity of almug trees and precious stones.


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The king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of Yahweh, and for the king’s house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen, to this day.


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King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.<br/> <em><i>Solomon’s Wealth</i></em>


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Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold,


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besides that which the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mixed people, and of the governors of the country.


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King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one buckler.


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he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.


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There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays.


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Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps: there was nothing like it made in any kingdom.


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All king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.


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For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish with the navy of Hiram: once every three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.


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They brought every man his tribute, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and clothing, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.


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Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.


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The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the lowland, for abundance.


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The horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; and the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price.


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A chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred and fifty; and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, they brought them out by their traders.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Solomon Turns Away from God</i></em><br/> Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites;


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of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. Solomon joined to these in love.


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He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.


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For it happened, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his father.


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For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.


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Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and didn’t go fully after Yahweh, as did David his father.


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Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon.


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Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,


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and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he didn’t keep that which Yahweh commanded.


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Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.


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Notwithstanding I will not do it in your days, for David your father’s sake; but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.


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However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David My servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.<br/> <em><i>Solomon’s Adversaries</i></em>


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For it happened, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the army was gone up to bury the slain, and had struck every male in Edom


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that Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with him, to go into Egypt, Hadad being yet a little child.


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They arose out of Midian, and came to Paran; and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, and appointed him food, and gave him land.


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Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.


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The sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the sons of Pharaoh.


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When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.


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Then Pharaoh said to him, But what have you lacked with me, that behold, you seek to go to your own country? He answered, Nothing, however please only let me depart.


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God raised up an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah.


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He gathered men to him, and became captain over a troop, when David killed them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and lived therein, and reigned in Damascus.


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He was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the mischief of Hadad: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.<br/> <em><i>Ahijah’s Prophecy </i></em>


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Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, he also opposed the king.


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This was the reason why he opposed the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of the city of David his father.


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The man Jeroboam was a brave man; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he put him in charge of all the labour of the house of Joseph.


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It happened at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; now Ahijah had put on a new garment; and they two were alone in the field.


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He said to Jeroboam, Take ten pieces; for thus says Yahweh the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you


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(but he shall have one tribe, for My servant David’s sake and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel);


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because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon. They have not walked in My ways, to do that which is right in My eyes, and to keep My statutes and My ordinances, as David his father did.


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However I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him prince all the days of his life, for David My servant’s sake whom I chose, who kept My commandments and My statutes;


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To his son will I give one tribe, that David My servant may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for Me to put My name there.


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I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel.


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It shall be, if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in My ways, and do that which is right in My eyes, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as David My servant did; that I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.


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Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.


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Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren’t they written in the book of the acts of Solomon?


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Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The People Complain to Rehoboam</i></em><br/> Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.


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It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam therefore lived in Egypt;


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and they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam saying,


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Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.


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King Rehoboam took advice with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What advice do you give me to return answer to this people?


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They said, If you will be a servant to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.


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But he ignored the advice of the old men which they had given him, and took advice with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.


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He said to them, What advice do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter?’.


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The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him saying, Thus you shall tell this people who spoke to you saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;’ you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.


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Now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions’.


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So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, Come to me again the third day.


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The king answered the people roughly, and forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him,


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and spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.


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So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about of Yahweh, that He might establish His word which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.<br/> <em><i>The Division of the Kingdom</i></em>


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When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king saying, What portion have we in David? Neither do we have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David. So Israel departed to their tents.


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Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labour; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get himself up to his chariot, to escape to Jerusalem.


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It happened, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.


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When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.


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Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people saying,


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‘Thus says Yahweh, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for this thing is of Me’. So they listened to the word of Yahweh, and returned and went their way, according to the word of Yahweh.


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Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there, and built Penuel.


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If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.


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Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look and see your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!


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He made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.


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Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; he did so in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.


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He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar, to burn incense.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>A Man of God Condemns Jeroboam</i></em><br/> There came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Yahweh to Beth El: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.


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He cried against the altar by the word of Yahweh and said, Altar, altar, thus says Yahweh: ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name. On you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and they will burn men’s bones on you’.


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He gave a sign the same day saying, This is the sign which Yahweh has spoken: Behold, the altar will be split apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out.


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It happened, when the king heard the saying of the man of God which he cried against the altar in Bethel, that Jeroboam put out his hand from the altar, saying, Seize him! His hand, which he put out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to himself.


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The altar also was split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of Yahweh.


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The king answered the man of God, Now entreat the favour of Yahweh your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me again. The man of God entreated Yahweh, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.


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The king said to the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.


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The man of God said to the king, Even if you gave me half of your house, I would not go in with you, neither would I eat bread nor drink water in this place;


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for so was it commanded me by the word of Yahweh saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water, neither return by the way that you came’.


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So he went another way, and didn’t return by the way that he came to Bethel.<br/> <em><i>The Man of God is Disobedient and Punished</i></em>


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Now there lived an old prophet in Bethel; and one of his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king.


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Their father said to them, Which way did he go? Now his sons had seen which way the man of God went, who came from Judah.


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He said to his sons, Saddle the donkey for me. So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it.


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He went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. He said to him, Are you the man of God who came from Judah? He said, I am.


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He said, I may not return with you, nor go in with you; neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place.


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For it was said to me by the word of Yahweh, ‘You shall eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that you came’.


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He said to him, I also am a prophet as you are; and an angel spoke to me by the word of Yahweh, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water’. He lied to him.


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It happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of Yahweh came to the prophet who brought him back;


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and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, Thus says Yahweh, ‘Because you have been disobedient to the mouth of Yahweh, and have not kept the commandment which Yahweh your God commanded you,


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but came back, and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, Eat no bread, and drink no water; your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers’.


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It happened, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back.


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When he had gone, a lion met him by the way, and killed him. His body was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the body.


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Behold, men passed by, and saw the body cast in the way, and the lion standing by the body; and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.


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When the prophet who brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, It is the man of God who was disobedient to the mouth of Yahweh. Therefore Yahweh has delivered him to the lion, which has mauled him and slain him, according to the word of Yahweh, which He spoke to him.


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He went and found his body cast in the way, and the donkey and the lion standing by the body. The lion had not eaten the body, nor mauled the donkey.


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The prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. He came to the city of the old prophet to mourn, and to bury him.


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It happened, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb in which the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones.


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For the saying which he cried by the word of Yahweh against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely happen.


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After this thing Jeroboam didn’t return from his evil way, but again made priests of the high places from among all the people. Whoever wanted to, he consecrated him, that there might be priests of the high places.


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This thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the surface of the earth.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Abijah’s Prophecy against Jeroboam</i></em><br/> At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.


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Jeroboam said to his wife, Please get up and disguise yourself, that you won’t be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Go to Shiloh. Behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, who spoke concerning me that I should be king over this people.


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Take with you ten loaves, cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will become of the child.


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Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.


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Yahweh said to Ahijah, The wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son; for he is sick. This is what you shall tell her; for it will be, when she comes in, that she will pretend to be another woman.


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It was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, you wife of Jeroboam! Why do you pretend to be another? For I am sent to you with heavy news.


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Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you prince over My people Israel,


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and tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it you; and yet you have not been as My servant David who kept My commandments, and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in My eyes,


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but you have done evil above all who were before you, and have gone and made you other gods and molten images, to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back:


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therefore, behold, I will bring evil on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, he who is shut up and he who is left free in Israel, and will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweeps away dung, until it is all gone.


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He who dies of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and he who dies in the field shall the birds of the sky eat: for Yahweh has spoken it’.


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All Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.


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Moreover Yahweh will raise Him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day! What? Even now.


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Yahweh will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will root up Israel out of this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking Yahweh to anger.


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He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he has sinned, and with which he has made Israel to sin.<br/> <em><i>The Death of Jeroboam</i></em>


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Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah. As she came to the threshold of the house, the child died.


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All Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of Yahweh, which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the prophet.


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The rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.


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Jeroboam reigned for twenty two years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.<br/> <em><i>Rehoboam’s Reign</i></em>


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Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.


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Judah did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and they provoked Him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, even worse than all that their fathers had done.


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For they also built themselves high places, and pillars and Asherim on every high hill, and under every green tree;


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and there were also sodomites in the land: they did according to all the abominations of the nations which Yahweh drove out before the children of Israel.


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It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem;


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and he took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king’s house; he took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.


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King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house.


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It was so, that as often as the king went into the house of Yahweh, the guard bore them, and brought them back into the guard room.


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Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?


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Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. Abijam his son reigned in his place.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Abijam’s Reign</i></em><br/> Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat began Abijam to reign over Judah.


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He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father.


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Nevertheless for David’s sake, Yahweh his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem;


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because David had done that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and didn’t turn aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.


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The rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.


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Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his place.<br/> <em><i>Asa’s Reign</i></em>


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He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.


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Also Maacah his mother he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; and Asa cut down her image, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.


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But the high places were not taken away: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Yahweh all his days.


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He brought into the house of Yahweh the things that his father had dedicated, and the things that himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.


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Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.


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Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants; and king Asa sent them to Ben Hadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying,


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There is a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.


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Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and struck Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.


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Then king Asa made a proclamation to all Judah; none was exempted: and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.


text:
Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.


text:
Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.<br/> <em><i>Nadab’s Reign</i></em>


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Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah; and he reigned over Israel two years.


text:
He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.


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Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.


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As soon as he was king, he struck all the house of Jeroboam: he didn’t leave to Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him; according to the saying of Yahweh which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite;


text:
for the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and with which he made Israel to sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked Yahweh the God of Israel, to anger.


text:
Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


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In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-four years.


text:
He did evil in the sight of Yahweh, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>The Destruction of Baasha’s Family</i></em><br/> The word of Yahweh came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,


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Because I exalted you out of the dust, and made you prince over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made My people Israel to sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins;


text:
behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.


text:
The dogs will eat Baasha’s descendants who die in the city; and he who dies of his in the field- the birds of the sky will eat.


text:
Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


text:
Moreover by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of Yahweh against Baasha, and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke Him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck him.


text:
In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah for two years.


text:
His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah:


text:
and Zimri went in and struck him and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.


text:
It happened, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he struck all the house of Baasha: he didn’t leave him a single male, neither of his relatives, nor of his friends.


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Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of Yahweh, which He spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,


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for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned, and with which they made Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.


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Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


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In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.


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The people who were encamped heard say, Zimri has conspired, and has also struck the king: therefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.


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It happened, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the castle of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over himself with fire, and died,


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for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.


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Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he committed, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


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Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.


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But the people who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.


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In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel for twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah.


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He bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer the owner of the hill.


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For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins with which he made Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.


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Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


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So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his place.<br/> <em><i>Ahab’s Evil Reign</i></em>


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In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and he reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.


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It happened, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.


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Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.


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In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho: he laid its foundation with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Elijah is Sustained during the Famine</i></em><br/> Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the foreigners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.


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Go away from here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.


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So he went and did according to the word of Yahweh; for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.


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The ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.


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Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.


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So he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and he called to her and said, Please get me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.


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As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.


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She said, As Yahweh your God lives, I don’t have a cake, but a handful of flour in a pitcher, and a little oil in a pitcher. Behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.


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Elijah said to her, Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you have said; but make me of it a little cake first, and bring it out to me, and afterward make some for you and for your son.


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For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of meal shall not empty, neither shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the earth’.


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The jar of meal didn’t empty, neither did the jar of oil fail, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by Elijah.<br/> <em><i>Elijah Raises the Widow’s Son</i></em>


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It happened after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so severe, that there was no breath left in him.


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She said to Elijah, What have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my son!


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He said to her, Give me your son. He took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the room where he stayed, and laid him on his own bed.


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He cried to Yahweh and said, Yahweh my God, have You also brought evil on the widow with whom I stay, by killing her son?


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He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to Yahweh and said, Yahweh my God, please let this child’s soul come into him again.


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Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.


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Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the room into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Elijah said, Behold, your son lives.


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The woman said to Elijah, Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Elijah and Obadiah</i></em><br/> It happened after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.


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for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water).


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Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, so that we don’t lose all the animals.


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So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.


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As Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, Is it you, my lord Elijah?


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He said, Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?


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As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, ‘He is not here’, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn’t find you.


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It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the spirit of Yahweh will carry you I don’t know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared Yahweh from my youth.


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Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?


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Elijah said, As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.


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So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.<br/> <em><i>The Contest on Mount Carmel</i></em>


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He answered, I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and you have followed the Baals.


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Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred and fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.


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Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. The people answered him not a word.


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Then Elijah said to the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.


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Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.


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You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers by fire, let him be God. All the people answered, It is well said.


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Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.


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They took the bull which was given to them and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, Baal, hear us! But there was no voice, nor any who answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.


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It happened at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, Cry louder; for he is a god! Either he is musing, or he has gone aside to the toilet, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.


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They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.


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It was so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the offering; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any who responded.


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Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh that was thrown down.


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Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh came, saying, Israel shall be your name.


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With the stones he built an altar in the name of Yahweh. He made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed.


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He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.


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He said, Do it a second time; and they did it the second time. He said, Do it a third time; and they did it the third time.


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It happened at the time of the offering of the offering, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.


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Answer me, Yahweh, answer me, that this people may know that You, Yahweh, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.


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Then the fire of Yahweh fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood, the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.


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When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces. They said, Yahweh, he is God! Yahweh, He is God!


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Elijah said to them, Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let one of them escape! They seized them. Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.<br/> <em><i>Elijah Prays for Rain</i></em>


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So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees.


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He said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. He went up and looked, and said, There is nothing. He said seven times, Go again.


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It happened at the seventh time that he said, Behold, a small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea. He said, Go up, tell Ahab, ‘Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn’t stop you’.


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It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.


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The hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Elijah Meets God at Horeb</i></em><br/> Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.


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Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!


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When he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.


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But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough. Now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.


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He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat!


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He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.


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The angel of Yahweh came again the second time, and touched him and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.


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He arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the Mount of God.


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He came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?


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He said, I have been very zealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars and slain Your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.


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He said, Go out, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh. Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the wind an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.


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After the earthquake a fire passed; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.


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It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, Why are you still here, Elijah?


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He said, I have been very zealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down your altars and slain Your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.


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Yahweh said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.<br/> <em><i>Elisha is Commissioned</i></em>


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You shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place.


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It shall happen, that he who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.


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Yet will I leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.


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So he departed to there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed over to him, and threw his mantle on him.


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He left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you. He said to him, Go back again; for what have I done to you?


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He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, killed them and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and served him.<br/> <br/> <br/> <i>


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<em><i>Conflict between Ahab and Ben Hadad</i></em><br/> Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.


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The king of Israel answered, It is according to your saying, my lord, O king. I am yours, and all that I have.


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The messengers came again and said, Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent indeed to you, saying, You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children;


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but I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants; and it shall be, that whatever is pleasant in your eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away’.


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Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, Please notice how this man seeks mischief; for he sent to me for my wives, my children, my silver, my gold; and I didn’t deny him.


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Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do; but this thing I cannot do’. The messengers departed, and delivered the message.


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Ben Hadad sent to him and said, The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.


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The king of Israel answered, Tell him, ‘Don’t let him who puts on his armour brag like he who takes it off’.


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It happened, when Ben Hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said to his servants, Prepare to attack! They prepared to attack the city.


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Behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, Thus says Yahweh, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day; and you shall know that I am Yahweh’.


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Ahab said, By whom? He said, Thus says Yahweh, ‘By the young men of the princes of the provinces’. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? He answered, You.


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Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two. After them, he mustered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.


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They went out at noon. But Ben Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings who helped him.


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The young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben Hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, Men are coming out from Samaria.


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He said, If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.


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So these went out of the city, the young men of the princes of the provinces, and the army which followed them.


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They each killed his opponent. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen.


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The king of Israel went out, and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.


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The prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you do; for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.


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The servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.


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Muster an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. We will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than them. He listened to their voice, and did so.


