1 Samuel 1-12

New American Bible (Revised Edition)

I. The Last Judges, Eli and Samuel

Chapter 1

Elkanah and His Family at Shiloh. ¹ There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.^{(A) 2} He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. ³ Each year this man went up from his city to worship and offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were ministering as priests of the Lord.^{(B) 4} When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice, he used to give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, ⁵ but he would give a double portion to Hannah because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.^{(C) 6} Her rival,^[a] to upset her, would torment her constantly, since the Lord had closed her womb.^{(D) 7} Year after year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, Peninnah would provoke her, and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.^{[b] 8} Elkanah, her husband, would say to her: “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why are you not eating? Why are you so miserable? Am I not better for you than ten sons?”^(E)

Hannah’s Prayer. ⁹ Hannah rose after one such meal at Shiloh, and presented herself before the Lord; at the time Eli the priest was sitting on a chair near the doorpost of the Lord’s temple. ¹⁰ In her bitterness she prayed to the Lord, weeping freely, ¹¹ and made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if you look with pity on the hardship of your servant, if you remember me and do not forget me, if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life. No razor shall ever touch his head.”^{[c](F) 12} As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth, ¹³ for Hannah was praying silently; though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli, thinking she was drunk, ¹⁴ said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Sober up from your wine!” ¹⁵ “No, my lord!” Hannah answered. “I am an unhappy woman. I have had neither wine nor liquor; I was only pouring out my heart to the Lord. ¹⁶ Do not think your servant a worthless woman; my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery.” ¹⁷ Eli said, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have requested.” ¹⁸ She replied, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes,” and left. She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and no longer appeared downhearted. ¹⁹ Early the next morning they worshiped before the Lord, and then returned to their home in Ramah. When they returned Elkanah had intercourse with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

Hannah Bears a Son. ²⁰ She conceived and, at the end of her pregnancy, bore a son whom she named Samuel.^[d] “Because I asked the Lord for him.” ²¹ The next time her husband Elkanah was going up with the rest of his household to offer the customary sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vows, ²² Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband, “Once the child is weaned, I will take him to appear before the Lord and leave him there forever.”^{[e] 23} Her husband Elkanah answered her: “Do what you think best; wait until you have weaned him. Only may the Lord fulfill his word!” And so she remained at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.^(G)

Hannah Presents Samuel to the Lord. ²⁴ Once he was weaned, she brought him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah^[f] of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the house of the Lord in Shiloh. ²⁵ After they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the child to Eli. ²⁶ Then Hannah spoke up: “Excuse me, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here near you, praying to the Lord. ²⁷ I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. ²⁸ Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” Then they worshiped there before the Lord.

Chapter 2

¹ And Hannah prayed:^[g]

¹¹ When Elkanah returned home to Ramah, the child remained in the service of the Lord under the priest Eli.

Wickedness of Eli’s Sons. ¹² Now the sons of Eli were wicked; they had respect neither for the Lord ¹³ nor for the priests’ duties toward the people. When someone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork, while the meat was still boiling,^{(P) 14} and would thrust it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or pot. Whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take for himself. They treated all the Israelites who came to the sanctuary at Shiloh in this way. ¹⁵ In fact, even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one offering the sacrifice, “Give me some meat to roast for the priest. He will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw meat.” ¹⁶ And if this one protested, “Let the fat be burned first, then take whatever you wish,” he would reply, “No, give it to me now, or else I will take it by force.”^{(Q) 17} Thus the young men sinned grievously in the presence of the Lord, treating the offerings to the Lord with disdain.

The Lord Rewards Hannah. ¹⁸ Meanwhile the boy Samuel, wearing a linen ephod,^[i] was serving in the presence of the Lord. ¹⁹ His mother used to make a little garment for him, which she would bring him each time she went up with her husband to offer the customary sacrifice. ²⁰ And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, as they were leaving for home. He would say, “May the Lord repay you with children from this woman for the gift she has made to the Lord!” ²¹ The Lord favored Hannah so that she conceived and gave birth to three more sons and two daughters, while young Samuel grew up in the service of the Lord.^(R)

Eli’s Futile Rebuke. ²² When Eli was very old, he kept hearing how his sons were treating all Israel, and that they were behaving promiscuously^[j] with the women serving at the entry of the meeting tent. ²³ So he said to them: “Why are you doing such things? I hear from everyone that your behavior is depraved. ²⁴ Stop this, my sons! The report that I hear the Lord’s people spreading is not good. ²⁵ If someone sins against another, anyone can intercede for the sinner with the Lord; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who can intercede^[k] for the sinner?” But they disregarded their father’s warning, since the Lord wanted them dead. ²⁶ Meanwhile, young Samuel was growing in stature and in worth in the estimation of the Lord and the people.^(S)

The Fate of Eli’s House.^{[l] 27} A man of God came to Eli and said to him: “Thus says the Lord: I went so far as to reveal myself to your father’s house when they were in Egypt as slaves to the house of Pharaoh. ²⁸ I chose them out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priests, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the ephod^[m] in my presence; and I assigned all the fire offerings of the Israelites to your father’s house.^{(T) 29} Why do you stare greedily at my sacrifices and at the offerings that I have prescribed? Why do you honor your sons more than you honor me, fattening yourselves with the choicest part of every offering of my people Israel? ^30 (U)This, therefore, is the oracle of the Lord, the God of Israel: I said in the past that your family and your father’s house should minister in my presence forever. But now—oracle of the Lord: Far be it from me! I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me shall be cursed. ³¹ Yes, the days are coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that no one in your family lives to old age. ³² You shall witness, like a disappointed rival, all the benefits enjoyed by Israel, but no member of your household shall ever grow old. ³³ I will leave you one man at my altar to wear out his eyes and waste his strength, but the rest of your family shall die by the sword. ³⁴ This is a sign for you—what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Both of them will die on the same day.^{(V) 35} I will choose a faithful priest who shall do what I have in heart and mind. I will establish a lasting house for him and he shall serve in the presence of my anointed forever. ³⁶ Then whoever is left of your family will grovel before him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread, saying: Please assign me a priestly function, that I may have a crust of bread to eat.”^(W)

Chapter 3

Revelation to Samuel. ¹ During the time young Samuel was minister to the Lord under Eli, the word of the Lord was scarce and vision infrequent. ^2 [n]One day Eli was asleep in his usual place. His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see. ³ The lamp of God was not yet extinguished,^[o] and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was.^{(X) 4} The Lord called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.” ⁵ He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.” “I did not call you,” Eli answered. “Go back to sleep.” So he went back to sleep. ⁶ Again the Lord called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “You called me.” But he answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”

⁷ Samuel did not yet recognize the Lord, since the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸ The Lord called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am. You called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the youth. ⁹ So he said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” When Samuel went to sleep in his place, ¹⁰ the Lord came and stood there, calling out as before: Samuel, Samuel! Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” ¹¹ The Lord said to Samuel: I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears it ring.^{(Y) 12} On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have said about his house, beginning to end. ¹³ I announce to him that I am condemning his house once and for all, because of this crime: though he knew his sons were blaspheming God, he did not reprove them.^{(Z) 14} Therefore, I swear to Eli’s house: No sacrifice or offering will ever expiate its crime.^{[p] 15} Samuel then slept until morning, when he got up early and opened the doors of the temple of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, ¹⁶ but Eli called to him, “Samuel, my son!” He replied, “Here I am.” ¹⁷ Then Eli asked, “What did he say to you? Hide nothing from me! May God do thus to you, and more,^[q] if you hide from me a single thing he told you.” ¹⁸ So Samuel told him everything, and held nothing back. Eli answered, “It is the Lord. What is pleasing in the Lord’s sight, the Lord will do.”

Samuel Acknowledged as Prophet. ¹⁹ Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to go unfulfilled.^{(AA) 20 (AB)}Thus all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba came to know that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. ²¹ The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, manifesting himself to Samuel at Shiloh through his word. Samuel’s word spread throughout Israel.

Chapter 4

Defeat of the Israelites.^{[r] 1} At that time, the Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel. Israel went out to engage them in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek. ² The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel. After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. ³ When the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord permitted us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the Lord from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and save us from the grasp of our enemies.”^(AC)

Loss of the Ark. ⁴ So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim.^[s] The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, accompanied the ark of God.^{(AD) 5} When the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. ⁶ The Philistines, hearing the uproar, asked, “What does this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” On learning that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, ⁷ the Philistines were frightened, crying out, “Gods have come to their camp. Woe to us! This has never happened before. ⁸ Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods?^[t] These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with various plagues in the desert. ⁹ Take courage and act like soldiers, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were your slaves. Fight like soldiers!” ¹⁰ The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; everyone fled to their own tents.^[u] It was a disastrous defeat; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. ¹¹ The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were dead.^(AE)

Death of Eli. ¹² A Benjaminite fled from the battlefield and reached Shiloh that same day, with his clothes torn and his head covered with dirt.^{(AF) 13} When he arrived, Eli was sitting in his chair beside the gate, watching the road, for he was troubled at heart about the ark of God. The man, however, went into the city to announce his news; then the whole city cried out. ¹⁴ When Eli heard the uproar, he wondered why there was such commotion. Just then the man rushed up to inform him. ¹⁵ Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes would not focus. So he could not see. ¹⁶ The man said to Eli: “I have come from the battlefield; today I fled from there.” He asked, “What happened, my son?” ¹⁷ And the messenger answered: “Israel fled from the Philistines; in fact, the troops suffered heavy losses. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” ¹⁸ At this mention of the ark of God, Eli fell backward from his chair into the gateway; he died of a broken neck since he was an old man and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.

¹⁹ His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news about the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she crouched down in labor, and gave birth. ²⁰ She was about to die when the women standing around her said to her, “Do not be afraid, you have given birth to a son.” Yet she neither answered nor paid any attention.^{(AG) 21} She named the child Ichabod, saying, “Gone is the glory from Israel,” referring to the capture of the ark of God and to her father-in-law and her husband. ²² She said, “Gone is the glory from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured.^(AH)

Chapter 5

The Ark in the Temple of Dagon. ^1 [v](AI)The Philistines, having captured the ark of God, transferred it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.^{(AJ) 2} They then took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, placing it beside Dagon. ³ When the people of Ashdod rose early the next morning, Dagon was lying face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they picked Dagon up and put him back in his place. ⁴ But early the next morning, when they arose, Dagon lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord, his head and hands broken off and lying on the threshold, his trunk alone intact. ⁵ For this reason, neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter the temple of Dagon tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this very day.

The Ark Is Carried About. ⁶ Now the hand of the Lord weighed heavily on the people of Ashdod, ravaging them and afflicting the city and its vicinity with tumors.^{[w](AK) 7} On seeing how matters stood, the people of Ashdod decided, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for his hand weighs heavily on us and Dagon our god.” ⁸ So they summoned all the Philistine leaders and inquired of them, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” The people of Gath replied, “Let them move the ark of the God of Israel to us.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel to Gath. ⁹ But after it had been brought there, the hand of the Lord was against the city, resulting in utter turmoil: the Lord afflicted its inhabitants, young and old, and tumors broke out on them. ¹⁰ The ark of God was next sent to Ekron; but as it entered that city, the people there cried out, “Why have they brought the ark of the God of Israel here to kill us and our kindred?” ¹¹ Then they, too, sent a summons to all the Philistine leaders and pleaded: “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. Send it back to its place so it does not kill us and our kindred.” A deadly panic had seized the whole city, since the hand of God lay heavy upon it. ¹² Those who escaped death were afflicted with tumors. Thus the outcry from the city went up to the heavens.

Chapter 6

The Ark Is Returned. ¹ The ark of the Lord had been in the land of the Philistines seven months ² when they summoned priests and diviners to ask, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us what we should send back with it.” ³ They replied: “If you intend to send back the ark of the God of Israel, you must not send it alone, but must, by all means, make amends to God through a reparation offering.^[x] Then you will be healed, and will learn why God continues to afflict you.” ⁴ When asked further, “What reparation offering should be our amends to God?” they replied: “Five golden tumors and five golden mice to correspond to the number of Philistine leaders, since the same plague has struck all of you and your leaders. ⁵ Therefore, make images of the tumors and of the mice that are devastating your land and so give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps then God will lift his hand from you, your gods, and your land. ⁶ Why should you become stubborn, the way the Egyptians and Pharaoh were stubborn? Was it not after he had dealt ruthlessly with them that the Israelites were released and departed?^{(AL) 7} So now set to work and make a new cart. Then take two milk cows that have not borne the yoke; hitch them to the cart, but drive their calves indoors away from them.^{[y](AM) 8} You shall next take the ark of the Lord and place it on the cart, putting the golden articles that you are offering as reparation for your guilt in a box beside it. Start it on its way, and let it go. ⁹ Then watch! If it goes up to Beth-shemesh^[z] along the route to the Lord’s territory, then it was the Lord who brought this great calamity upon us; if not, we will know that it was not the Lord’s hand, but a bad turn, that struck us.”

The Ark in Beth-shemesh. ¹⁰ They acted upon this advice. Taking two milk cows, they hitched them to the cart but shut up their calves indoors. ¹¹ Then they placed the ark of the Lord on the cart, along with the box containing the golden mice and the images of the tumors. ¹² The cows went straight for the route to Beth-shemesh and continued along this road, mooing as they went, turning neither right nor left. The Philistine leaders followed them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh. ¹³ The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting the wheat in the valley. They looked up and rejoiced when they saw the ark. ¹⁴ The cart came to the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite and stopped there. At a large stone in the field, the wood of the cart was split up and the cows were offered as a burnt offering to the Lord.^{(AN) 15} The Levites, meanwhile, had taken down the ark of God and the box beside it, with the golden articles, and had placed them on the great stone. The people of Beth-shemesh also offered other burnt offerings and sacrifices to the Lord that day.^{(AO) 16} After witnessing this, the five Philistine leaders returned to Ekron the same day.

¹⁷ The golden tumors the Philistines sent back as a reparation offering to the Lord were as follows: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, and one for Ekron. ¹⁸ The golden mice, however, corresponded to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five leaders, including fortified cities and open villages.^[aa] The large stone on which the ark of the Lord was placed is still in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite at the present time.^(AP)

Penalty for Irreverence. ¹⁹ The descendants of Jeconiah did not join in the celebration with the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh when they saw the ark of the Lord, and seventy of them were struck down. The people mourned over this great calamity which the Lord had inflicted upon them. ²⁰ The men of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this Holy God? To whom can the ark go so that we are rid of it?” ²¹ They then sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord; come down and get it.”

Chapter 7

¹ So the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the Lord and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, appointing his son Eleazar as guardian of the ark of the Lord.

Samuel the Judge. ² From the day the ark came to rest in Kiriath-jearim, a long time, twenty years, elapsed, and the whole house of Israel turned to the Lord. ³ Then Samuel addressed the whole house of Israel: “If you would return to the Lord with your whole heart, remove your foreign gods and your Astartes, fix your hearts on the Lord, and serve him alone, then the Lord will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”^{(AQ) 4} So the Israelites removed their Baals and Astartes,^[ab] and served the Lord alone. ⁵ Samuel then gave orders, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, that I may pray to the Lord for you.”^{(AR) 6} When they had gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out^[ac] on the ground before the Lord, and they fasted that day, saying, “We have sinned against the Lord.” It was at Mizpah that Samuel began to judge the Israelites.^(AS)

Rout of the Philistines. ⁷ When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their leaders went up against Israel. Hearing this, the Israelites became afraid of the Philistines ⁸ and appealed to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, to save us from the hand of the Philistines.”^{(AT) 9} Samuel therefore took an unweaned lamb and offered it whole as a burnt offering to the Lord.^(AU) He cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. ¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near for battle with Israel. That day, however, the Lord thundered loudly against the Philistines, and threw them into such confusion that they were defeated by Israel.^{(AV) 11} Thereupon the Israelites rushed out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, striking them down even beyond Beth-car. ¹² Samuel then took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Jeshanah; he named it Ebenezer,^[ad] explaining, “As far as this place the Lord has been our help.” ¹³ Thus were the Philistines subdued, never again to enter the territory of Israel, for the hand of the Lord was against them as long as Samuel lived.^{(AW) 14} The cities from Ekron to Gath which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to them. Israel also freed the territory of these cities from Philistine domination. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.^[ae]

¹⁵ Samuel judged Israel as long as he lived. ¹⁶ He made a yearly circuit, passing through Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah^[af] and judging Israel at each of these places. ¹⁷ Then he used to return to Ramah, for that was his home. There, too, he judged Israel and built an altar to the Lord.^(AX)

II. Establishment of the Monarchy

Chapter 8

Request for a King. ^1 [ag]In his old age Samuel appointed his sons judges over Israel.^{(AY) 2} His firstborn was named Joel, his second son, Abijah; they judged at Beer-sheba. ³ His sons did not follow his example, but looked to their own gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.^{(AZ) 4} Therefore all the elders of Israel assembled and went to Samuel at Ramah ⁵ and said to him, “Now that you are old, and your sons do not follow your example, appoint a king over us, like all the nations, to rule us.”^(BA)

⁶ Samuel was displeased when they said, “Give us a king to rule us.” But he prayed to the Lord. ⁷ The Lord said: Listen to whatever the people say. You are not the one they are rejecting. They are rejecting me as their king.^{(BB) 8} They are acting toward you just as they have acted from the day I brought them up from Egypt to this very day, deserting me to serve other gods. ⁹ Now listen to them; but at the same time, give them a solemn warning and inform them of the rights of the king who will rule them.

The Governance of the King. ¹⁰ Samuel delivered the message of the Lord in full to those who were asking him for a king. ¹¹ He told them: “The governance of the king who will rule you will be as follows: He will take your sons and assign them to his chariots and horses, and they will run before his chariot.^{(BC) 12} He will appoint from among them his commanders of thousands and of hundreds. He will make them do his plowing and harvesting and produce his weapons of war and chariotry.^{(BD) 13} He will use your daughters as perfumers, cooks, and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his servants.^{(BE) 15} He will tithe your crops and grape harvests to give to his officials^[ah] and his servants.^{(BF) 16} He will take your male and female slaves, as well as your best oxen and donkeys, and use them to do his work. ¹⁷ He will also tithe your flocks. As for you, you will become his slaves.^{(BG) 18} On that day you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you on that day.”

Persistent Demand. ¹⁹ The people, however, refused to listen to Samuel’s warning and said, “No! There must be a king over us.^{(BH) 20} We too must be like all the nations, with a king to rule us, lead us in warfare, and fight our battles.” ²¹ Samuel listened to all the concerns of the people and then repeated them to the Lord. ²² The Lord said: Listen to them! Appoint a king to rule over them. Then Samuel said to the people of Israel, “Return, each one of you, to your own city.”^[ai]

Chapter 9

Saul. ¹ There was a powerful man from Benjamin named Kish, who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite.^{(BI) 2} He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man. There was no other Israelite more handsome than Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people.^(BJ)

The Lost Donkeys. ³ Now the donkeys of Saul’s father, Kish, had wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go out and hunt for the donkeys.” ⁴ So they went through the hill country of Ephraim, and through the land of Shalishah. Not finding them there, they continued through the land of Shaalim without success. They also went through the land of Benjamin, but they failed to find the animals. ⁵ When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let us turn back, lest my father forget about the donkeys and become anxious about us.” ⁶ The servant replied, “Listen! There is a man of God in this city, a man held in high esteem; everything he says comes true. Let us go there now! Perhaps he can advise us about the journey we have undertaken.” ^7 (BK)But Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we offer the man? The food in our bags has run out; we have no present to give the man of God. What else do we have?” ⁸ Again the servant answered Saul, “I have a quarter shekel of silver.^[aj] If I give that to the man of God, he will advise us about the journey.” ^9 (BL)(In former times in Israel, anyone who went to consult God used to say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the one who is now called prophet was formerly called seer.) ¹⁰ Saul then said to his servant, “You are right! Come on, let us go!” So they headed toward the city where the man of God lived.

Meeting the Young Women. ^11 (BM)As they were going up the path to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and they asked them, “Is the seer in town?” ^12 (BN)The young women answered, “Yes, there—straight ahead. Hurry now; just today he came to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place.^{[ak] 13} When you enter the city, you may reach him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he arrives; only after he blesses the sacrifice will the invited guests eat. Go up immediately, for you should find him right now.”

Saul Meets Samuel. ¹⁴ So they went up to the city. As they entered it—there was Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place. ¹⁵ The day before Saul’s arrival, the Lord had revealed to Samuel:^{(BO) 16} At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin whom you are to anoint as ruler of my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked upon my people; their cry has come to me.^{(BP) 17} When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord assured him: This is the man I told you about; he shall govern my people. ¹⁸ Saul met Samuel in the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer lives.” ¹⁹ Samuel answered Saul: “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. In the morning, before letting you go, I will tell you everything on your mind. ²⁰ As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Whom should Israel want if not you and your father’s family?” ²¹ Saul replied: “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel,^[al] and is not my clan the least among the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why say such things to me?”^(BQ)

The Meal.^{[am] 22} Samuel then took Saul and his servant and brought them into the room. He seated them at the head of the guests, of whom there were about thirty. ²³ He said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to put aside.” ²⁴ So the cook took up the leg and what went with it, and placed it before Saul. Samuel said: “This is a reserved portion that is set before you. Eat, for it was kept for you until this time; I explained that I was inviting some guests.” Thus Saul dined with Samuel that day. ²⁵ When they came down from the high place into the city, a mattress was spread for Saul on the roof, ²⁶ and he slept there.

Saul’s Anointing. At daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I will send you on your way.” Saul got up, and he and Samuel went outside the city together. ²⁷ As they were approaching the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay here for a moment, that I may give you a word from God.”

Chapter 10

¹ Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying: “The Lord anoints you ruler over his people Israel. You are the one who will govern the Lord’s people and save them from the power of their enemies all around them.^(BR)

The Signs Foretold. “This will be the sign^[an] for you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over his heritage: ² When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb^[ao] at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went to look for have been found. Now your father is no longer worried about the donkeys, but is anxious about you and says: What shall I do about my son?’^{(BS) 3} Farther on, when you arrive at the oak of Tabor,^[ap] three men will meet you as they go up to God at Bethel; one will be bringing three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and the third a skin of wine. ⁴ They will greet you and offer you two elevated offerings of bread, which you should accept from them. ^5 (BT)After that you will come to Gibeath-elohim, where the Philistine garrison^[aq] is located. As you enter that city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place. They will be preceded by lyres, tambourines, flutes, and harps, and will be in prophetic ecstasy. ⁶ The spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will join them in their prophetic ecstasy and will become a changed man.^{(BU) 7} When these signs have come to pass, do whatever lies to hand, because God is with you. ^8 (BV)Now go down ahead of me to Gilgal, for I shall come down to you, to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice communion offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you; I shall then tell you what you must do.”^[ar]

The Signs Come to Pass. ⁹ As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart. That very day all these signs came to pass…. ^10 [as]From there they arrived at Gibeah, where a band of prophets met Saul, and the spirit of God rushed upon him, so that he joined them in their prophetic ecstasy.^{(BW) 11} When all who had known him previously saw him in a prophetic state among the prophets, they said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”^{(BX) 12} And someone from that district responded, “And who is their father?” Thus the saying arose, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” ¹³ When he came out of the prophetic ecstasy, he went home.

Silence About the Kingship. ¹⁴ Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” Saul replied, “Looking for the donkeys. When we could not find them, we went to Samuel.” ¹⁵ Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, then, what Samuel said to you.” ¹⁶ Saul said to his uncle, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul told him nothing about what Samuel had said about the kingship.

Saul Chosen King. ¹⁷ Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah^{(BY) 18} and addressed the Israelites: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: It was I who brought Israel up from Egypt and delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.^{(BZ) 19} But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your evils and calamities, by saying, ‘No! You must appoint a king over us.’ Now, therefore, take your stand before the Lord according to your tribes and families.”^{(CA) 20} So Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.^{[at] 21} Next he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by clans, and the clan of Matri was chosen, and finally Saul, son of Kish, was chosen. But when they went to look for him, he was nowhere to be found. ^22 (CB)Again they consulted the Lord, “Is there still someone else to come forward?” The Lord answered: He is hiding among the baggage. ²³ They ran to bring him from there; when he took his place among the people, he stood head and shoulders above all the people.^{(CC) 24} Then Samuel addressed all the people, “Do you see the man whom the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people!” Then all the people shouted out, “Long live the king!”^(CD)

²⁵ Samuel next explained to the people the rules of the monarchy,^[au] wrote them in a book, and placed them before the presence of the Lord. Samuel then sent the people back to their own homes.^{(CE) 26} Saul also went home to Gibeah, accompanied by warriors whose hearts the Lord had touched. ²⁷ But some worthless people said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no tribute.^[av](CF)

Chapter 11

Defeat of the Ammonites. ^1 [aw]About a month later, Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead. All the people of Jabesh begged Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”^{(CG) 2} But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “This is my condition for making a treaty with you: I will gouge out the right eye of every man,^[ax] and thus bring shame on all Israel.” ³ The elders of Jabesh said to him: “Give us seven days to send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If there is no one to save us, we will surrender to you.” ⁴ When the messengers arrived at Gibeah of Saul and reported the news in the people’s hearing, they all wept aloud. ⁵ Just then Saul came in from the field, behind his oxen. “Why are the people weeping?” he asked. They repeated the message of the inhabitants of Jabesh for him. ⁶ As he listened to this report, the spirit of God rushed upon him and he became very angry.^{(CH) 7} Taking a yoke of oxen, he cut them into pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel^[ay] by messengers saying, “If anyone does not come out to follow Saul and Samuel, the same thing will be done to his oxen!” The dread of the Lord came upon the people and they went forth as one.^{(CI) 8} When Saul reviewed them in Bezek,^[az] there were three hundred thousand Israelites and seventy thousand Judahites.

⁹ To the messengers who had come he said, “Tell the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead that tomorrow, when the sun grows hot, they will be saved.” The messengers went and reported this to the inhabitants of Jabesh, and they rejoiced. ¹⁰ The men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you may do with us whatever you want.” ¹¹ The next day, Saul arranged his troops in three companies and invaded the camp during the dawn watch. They slaughtered Ammonites until the day had gotten hot; by then the survivors were so scattered that no two of them were left together.

Saul Accepted as King. ^12 [ba]The people then said to Samuel: “Who questioned whether Saul should rule over us? Hand them over and we will put them to death.”^{(CJ) 13} But Saul objected, “No one will be put to death this day, for today the Lord has rescued Israel.”^{(CK) 14} Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal to renew the kingship there.” ¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king in the Lord’s presence. They also sacrificed communion offerings there before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly.

Chapter 12^[bb]

Samuel’s Integrity. ^1 [bc]Samuel addressed all Israel: “I have granted your request in every respect,” he said. “I have set a king over you^{(CL) 2} and now the king will lead you. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are among you. I was your leader from my youth to the present day. ³ Here I stand! Answer me in the presence of the Lord and the Lord’s anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I wronged? From whom have I accepted a bribe and shut my eyes because of it? I will make restitution to you.”^{(CM) 4} They replied, “You have neither cheated us, nor oppressed us, nor accepted anything from anyone.” ⁵ So he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you this day, and the Lord’s anointed is witness, that you have found nothing in my possession.” “The Lord is witness,” they said.

Samuel Admonishes the People. ⁶ Samuel continued: “The Lord is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt.^{(CN) 7} Now take your stand, that I may judge you in the presence of the Lord according to all the gracious acts that the Lord has done for you and your ancestors. ⁸ When Jacob and his sons went to Egypt and the Egyptians oppressed them, your ancestors cried out to the Lord. The Lord then sent Moses and Aaron to bring them out of Egypt and settled them in this place.^{(CO) 9} But they forgot the Lord their God; and so the Lord sold them into the power of Sisera, the captain of the army of Hazor, the power of the Philistines, and the power of the king of Moab, who made war against them.^{(CP) 10} They cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned because we abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and Astartes. Now deliver us from the power of our enemies, and we will serve you.’^{(CQ) 11} The Lord sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel; he delivered you from the power of your enemies on every side, so that you could live in security.^{(CR) 12} Yet, when you saw Nahash, king of the Ammonites, advancing against you, you said to me, ‘No! A king must rule us,’ even though the Lord your God is your king.^(CS)

Warnings for People and King. ¹³ “Now here is the king you chose. See! The Lord has given you a king.^{(CT) 14} If you fear and serve the Lord, if you listen to the voice of the Lord and do not rebel against the Lord’s command, if both you and the king, who rules over you, follow the Lord your God—well and good. ¹⁵ But if you do not listen to the voice of the Lord and if you rebel against the Lord’s command, the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king. ¹⁶ Now then, stand ready to witness the great marvel the Lord is about to accomplish before your eyes. ¹⁷ Are we not in the harvest time for wheat?^[bd] Yet I will call upon the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain. Thus you will see and understand how great an evil it is in the eyes of the Lord that you have asked for a king.”^{(CU) 18} Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day.

Assistance Promised. Then all the people feared the Lord and Samuel. ¹⁹ They said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for us, your servants, that we may not die for having added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.” ²⁰ “Do not fear,” Samuel answered them. “You have indeed committed all this evil! Yet do not turn from the Lord, but serve him with your whole heart. ²¹ Do not turn aside to gods who are nothing,^[be] who cannot act and deliver. They are nothing.^{(CV) 22} For the sake of his own great name^[bf] the Lord will not abandon his people, since the Lord has decided to make you his people.^{(CW) 23} As for me, far be it from me to sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you and to teach you the good and right way.^{(CX) 24} But you must fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart, for you have seen the great things the Lord has done among you. ²⁵ If instead you continue to do evil, both you and your king shall be swept away.”